Dear Readers

How do I write after so long? What should I fill you in on? Where do I start?

Should I start with telling you about being back to work (I love it), or what life is like working full time (crazy), or what it's like to have a live-out nanny (amazing & life saving), or how Mason is handling the transition (chewed 2 baby toys yesterday), or about what Madelyn's like at 14 months (incredible, almost walking, loves standing, loves to climb stairs, always talking, hilarious, adorable, complete love).

I am so far behind in blogging. I've had all of these post ideas in my head but there just aren't enough hours in the day. And when I spend all of my day working at a laptop I just want to come home, have a cuddle, eat some dinner, watch Big Brother, read my book and go to bed! Finally a long weekend is here and we are spending all three days at home getting caught up on life. It feels good to type again.

I bet you're all wondering about the new green theme? It's been almost a year since I launched hilaryinalderwood, so it was time for a change. The pretty background you're looking at is my extremely wild tomato garden. This year I built my first ever Herb & Veggie garden. It's a bit of an experiment. So far I've learned that you should really follow the instructions on plant spacing, hours of sun and watering :). We'll have a good harvest from our herbs, cherry tomato's, and peppers, but I don't think I'll try broccoli or cauliflower again. And I will definitly re-think where I place the strawberries and green onions next year.

Here are the pictures that inspired the new background:

Travelling with an Entourage

Wow, being a ftshm is crazy busy. I've had to completely let blogging slide for the past month+. I'm just not sure where to fit it in my schedule. Free time is harder to come by being back to work, even with Nanny A+ around. If the weather is nice, I'm out working on my gardens; if it's raining, I'm catching up on my inside project lists. How does Martha do it?

This week I'm travelling for training. I wasn't yet ready to leave baby m at home for 4 days, so with the help of some cheap Jet Blue tickets I decided to travel with an entourage. This was my 4th plane trip with Madelyn. She is really such an amazing baby. The flight was easy, she's been very flex with food, nap time, sleeping in yet another new place...I wish I could say what the secret recipe is but I really think it's just her. I suppose it could have something to do with how we've exposed her to travel so much already...but I'm probably just jinxing myself if I think I had anything to do with this.

Anyway, yesterday we got into NYC early afternoon and spent the day strolling and shopping in South Street Seaport, Midtown and the West Village. We finished it all off with dinner at Spice Market. If you are planning a trip to Manhattan anytime soon I highly recommend this restaurant. I originally heard about it 5 years ago from a friend who goes there every time she visits NYC, and it has yet to fail. Make sure to book a reso weeks in advance so you can get a good table.

Today we ventured into the office and Madelyn took her first training course in MMM. Way to go baby girl, mommy is so proud of you!

11,328 hits, 100 posts, 52 pictures, and 2 happy birthdays

I was planning on doing something special to celebrate the 10,000th hit on my blog. Funny thing is we already reached that # during my little hiatus last month. When I just checked a few minutes ago, the tally was 11,328. I have a huge smile on my face. Thank you everyone for your support and following hilaryinalderwood. This is great motivation to get back into blogging on a more regular basis. Looks like I'll have to start thinking of a cool giveaway for hit #15,000.

Keeping with the celebratory theme, this is officially my 100th post on the blog. Here's a list of some top posts of all time (which are also some of my favorites) in case you haven't read them yet:

• Madelyn's Nursery - 216 pageviews (as of 5/15/2011)
• Being grounded sucks - 140 pageviews
• Baby Food Starters: 6-9 Months - 139 pageviews
• Go Ahead Mama, Change Your Mind - 98 pageviews
• The heartbreak of a Mini-Nursing Strike - 96 pageviews
• Breastfeeding...Challenges & Payoffs - 85 pageviews

Another HUGE thing I'm celebrating today is completing this. OMG, what a task. Once she turned 21 weeks and figured out what the paper was all about...it was challenging to say the least. But also super fun and what a payout. The only thing I have left to do is spend a few 100 hours in photoshop creating my final poster. 52 weeks is a perfect 4 x 13 = LOVE IT!

Last but not least, we are celebrating 2 birthdays this week! As most of you know, Madelyn turned 1 on Thurs, May 12th (See fb pics here). On Friday, May 13th, Madelyn received the best birthday present of all from her Auntie Dawn and Uncle Omer - a little girl cousin, Esme! Our whole family is excited for these two girls to celebrate their birthdays together.

I was so proud of myself that I got the 3D ducky cake to work on my 2nd try. A warning for all other over zealous moms out there - don't waste your good flour on 3D cakes. The over baking required to hold the shape makes the cake super dry and no one eats it. I recommend cupcakes on the side...and maybe some fun sugar cookies as well :)

Happy Easter!

"What are these fun things?"

"Look mom, a blue egg!"

"Tastes pretty good"

"Just kidding...I'm so funny...hahaha"

"Don't I just crack you up? Crack...hahaha"

"What do you think, should I dump all these eggs on floor?"

"Hugs for bunny - Happy Easter everyone!"

First attempt at the birthday cake

Creative save for our Easter cake

Finger foods, Crawling, Stroller Hunting and Washing Dishes

Where have I been? Well, let's see...

First of all, we've had a bit of a food strike this week. Madelyn has discovered how fun it is to feed herself. We started with Lila's mom's suggestion of Organic Brown Rice puffs. 4 things to say about them:

• they're great for helping to develop your baby's pincer grasp
• they're healthy/gluten free
• they end up everywhere in your house
• dogs (even Retreivers) won't eat them (darn!)

Now that we've left most purees behind (fruit is still a hit), I am preparing fresh food daily. Meals now consist of mini cubes of steamed veggies and fruit like apples. Only 1/4 ends up in her mouth and the rest plastered to her highchair, clothes, my floor, my clothes, mason's hair...everywhere. We are still pretty much sticking to our 9-12 months food guide, but we've added some other things for flavor (mango, onion, garlic and ginger). Occassionally she will still eat her oatmeal with halved blueberries in the morning, those are good days.

Another thing eating up my time this week is spontaneous baby proofing. I was procrastinating things from my baby proofing list  until little M decided to start crawling forward! Now everything up to 3 feet has to be fully baby proof. Thank you husband for installing all of the baby gates before this happened. If you are interested...

I have also spent way too much time this week scanning websites for deals on a new stroller. I have been using a Quinny Buzz 3 since Madelyn was born. It was great for when she was in her infant car seat, since it would easily snap onto the wheels. But, now that little M is a bit bigger I need something a little sturdier, with a larger basket and that can handle more weight. I am in love with my friend Mel's Uppababy Vista and am thinking of getting the Lindsey model. Any thoughts?

If anyone wants my Quinny+Bassinet I'll sell to a blog follower for $375 (retail value $780).

Lastly, our dishwasher broke 3 weeks ago and the warranty part still isn't available. Sigh. I really wish there was a dish washing fairy...

Happy Birthday from Halifax

Madelyn and I are off jet setting again. This time we are in Halifax visiting my dad (or Madelyn's Grandpa D)for my birthday. I won't tell you which birthday it is, I'm in my 30's :)

Here are some fun pictures from skating today at a Halifax outdoor rink that was set up for the 2011 Canada Games. Blue Sky, Beaver Tails and Beer...great birthday so far!

  

Excited about Food

Don't you wish you could always be this excited about the food you're eating?

Well, here's a recipe that is sure to melt your heart. These cookies are sooo quick and easy to make. Put them together with some hot dogs and chips and you've created the perfect Valentines Dinner for a man. Thanks Katie for the recipe!

Katie's Chocolate Crunch Cookies

• 1 1/2 cups butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups oats
• 2 cups Rice Krispies cereal
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup diced pecan halves

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix together butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl until well blended.
3. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, oats, Rice Krispies, chocolate chips and pecans and stir together.
4. Drop batter on baking sheet in mounds of about 3 tbsp and flatten with hand. Bake for 8-9 minutes or until pale gold.

Happy Valentines Day & 2011 Grammy's

What a great Valentines Day. I get to spend the day portion with Maddy and the night with my amazing husband. I'll ignore the fact that I have to hand wash a dishwasher full of dishes (stupid dishwasher), vacuum 1,000 rice puffs that have crawled all over our first floor, clean a muddy dog (thanks weather), sit through a tone def library program, and dunk my head in a public pool. It's still going to be a fantastic day since I'm sooooo in love with this little munchkin. Isn't that little Velcro bow so cute?

Now...on to last night's red carpet. I'll keep it short: bright colour is wear it's at. And Shoes. I so wish I had somewhere to go that required 5" platform heels...

Red Carpet Style Likes: Esperanza Spalding (in ?), Keri Hilson (Basil Soda dress), Heidi Klum (Christian Louboutin shoes) and Eva Kardashian (Ashi dress & Brian Atwood shoes).

   

Performance Style Likes:  Rihanna in Dior Couture for her performance with Eminem & Dr. Dre, and Gwyneth Paltrow wearing Wilfredo Rosado feather-diamond earrings for her performance with Cee Lo Green and a bunch of muppets. Her shoes were amazing...too bad I couldn't find a better shot of them.

 

Not a fan: Jo-Low, love your Christian Louboutin's but that Emilio Pucci is too short. Ri, this Jean Paul Gaultier was a bad choice all around.

 

Photos courtesy of Just Jared.

Winter Wonderland

This is why

I love Canadian Winters.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow,

Since I have no where to go.

Oh, how I love Canadian Winters.

First time Tobogganing

Is she warm enough? Is she covered? Is snow going to get in her face? Is she going to hit her head on anything? Is she going to fall out of the back pack carrier? Are her feet going to get squished?

...Once I got over all of those fears, our first time taking Madelyn tobogganing was really, really, really fun!

Yes, that's #96 crossed off my mega list :)

Goodbye 2010

2010...what an AMAZING year. I think it was so amazing that it deserves a recap. Happy New Year!

  

 

jan 2010: my kitchen looked like this...







   

...and I was 20+ weeks pregnant.

 

feb 2010: I celebrated my 30th birthday pregnant and sober...



...and we moved stuff into our house that wasn't finished (crazy!).



  



mar 2010: my kitchen looked like this...



 



...but we managed to pull it off and host Corinne's bridal shower.









 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



april 2010: our house was finished...









 

 



...and I was SUPER pregnant.



 

may 2010: our little peanut was born...beautiful Madelyn Rose.







june 2010: Corinne & Kris got married...







...and we celebrated Grandma's 90th birthday.







july 2010: Madelyn started to smile.







aug 2010: Madelyn slept in Times Square.





sept 2010: Mason started warming up to Madelyn.

oct 2010: Madelyn celebrated her first Halloween.

nov 2010: Madelyn swam in the ocean in Cuba...

...and we celebrated our 2nd Anniversary.

dec 2010: Madelyn met Santa for the first time.