AUGUST 2012

The hottest month of the year means lots of time spent indoors or going places that are cool and not being outside in the upper 100-degree weather.  Nicholas is growing and learning more and more everyday.  He learns easily and speaks words in context and we are amazed at his personality that is growing more and more everyday along with his height and appetite haha!

The one thing that stands out for this month is that we do scorpion checks every morning and evening, yes, scorpion checks and one morning he picked one up and it stung him.  He cried for a minute and he dunked his hand into iced water and he was fine.  We took him to town just in case he had a reaction and needed to be close to the ER or his pediatrician but he was a champ.  From what I hear the sting is painful and lasts for hours and this was a huge one that stung him.  He is amazing!

I found out that my mom is coming for a visit this Fall and I am super excited that she will be here with her grandson soon :)

Nicholas loves Baby First TV and there are a few characters that he loves on there.  We got them for him as a surprise and each reaction was so precious :)

Here are the links:

Juno

Indie

Harry the Bunny


So, that's it for August 2012.  Thanks for reading and as always, spend your time wisely with your loved ones, be blessed that you are alive and well and help others as much as you can.

JULY 2012

This month has been so hot it is ridiculous! It seems we have to stay inside more than anything else.  If we do go out, we go very early to ensure it is not over 100+ degrees out there.

Nicholas is growing up so fast and we are having so much fun teaching him new things every day and he is truly like a little sponge absorbing it and then expressing the words and looks and the like in his own special way.

He eats mainly pureed fruits and veggies still with puffs as snacks but not too keen on textures yet.  I have read until I am exhausted about it but all toddlers are different in their likes and dislikes neither is perfect or ideal so the pressure is off of us in that department.

These are the things that we can control on a daily basis: how he is treated, dressed, played with, fed and taken care of and loved.  What I am about to tell you is what we cannot control.

This status update is from my Facebook account on July 30th:

An innocent trip to Kohls today turned out to be infuriating when a little girl about 3 or so came up to Nicholas in his stroller, grabbed his hand and proceeded to bit down on his fingers with all her might and Paul had to pry her off of him and she scratched Nicholas in 2 places causing one of them to draw blood.  I am so angry about the whole thing...long story short, the mother could care less and the store manager knew her so she gave us her info in case we needed it but while she was doing so the little girl was trying to kick Nicholas in the head while she was holding her. If you have a child with that type of behavior, please restrain her and don't have her roaming around terrorizing other kids or people because she was even trying to grab stuff from the manager. Nicholas is fine now but he had deep impressions from her teeth on his middle finger knuckles and he was screaming so much he couldn't catch his breath. We were all in shock. Paul took him to the water cooler to wash his hand off with the cold water and we tried to calm him down. We were having a great day and it was quickly ruined...my blood pressure is through the roof right now.

Needless to say, the above was an awful experience for us.  My friends and family rallied around us offering support and advice and extreme measures that we should have taken but we chose to be more aware and alert of other children around Nicholas and would rather not dwell on it anymore.  Some people said they would have been in jail if they were the parent but Paul and I would rather be here for Nicholas than to create more stress in this situation.  Our first thought was to get him out of the vicinity of the little girl and taken care of.

I am writing all of this so that Nicholas will be able to read it someday.  "Baby, we love you so much and we were both sickened and heartbroken that we failed in protecting you that day...never, again!"

So that was the tumultuous ending to July.  We may not have seen fireworks on the 4th but it was an explosion of shock and horror that we will never forget!

JUNE 2012

June 2012, well you are going to be a most memorable month, that's for sure! I remember this time last year how palpable the excitement, anxiety, anticipation and all those similar adjectives to convey what I was feeling.  I was going to be a mom, for real!  The last year had a lot of ups and downs as always but the ups were a-mazing! God has blessed us with an amazing child and he is the best at brightening our spirits and those around him as well.

As his birthday approaches, we are not financially able at this time to give him a blowout birthday bash or take him to Disney World like we hoped but the everyday love, kisses, time spent together trumps all the material things we can dream of or buy for him.  Of course, we are still going to take him to Disney World maybe before the year is over but it will be more of a family vacation.  He will get to meet his cousins.  He has a lot! LOL! and that is only in Florida.  I need to make a family tree for him.  I was telling Paul, how funny it would be to print off my FB family list and put it in his baby book or box, since it is the way of the times these days haha!

Our house is still on the market and we had a few hopefuls but nothing solid but we are just going to roll with it and if we stay here, that is fine too.  We just want to be able to have the means to lead a balanced life as in working to live and not living to work.  I went back to work but the money was not worth it for the time away from my son and hubby.  I am keeping my options opened for a different position in the same MT field but for now we are making the sacrifice and it is worth it.  I would rather not go out to eat or have the money for mindless shopping and spend the evenings with my boys.  It has been tough, I'm not going to lie but it makes the little things more spectacular.  One might think we put on about our lives but what you see is what we are, no pretense.  Who are we trying to impress? No one :) The best part of life is living it without having to try too hard and just do it, period.

I still long for the day Nicholas gets to walk on the same beaches I went to growing up and for him to savor the dishes and feel the breezes of my childhood but I will be patient and know that in time, it will all come to be :)  For now, there are other ways to introduce him to it and the people I love and call family.

I thank you for accompanying me on this journey I call my life... Have a blessed day!

MAY 2012

We are in the month of May already, wow, where does the time go! That is the question every day, every hour that we ask ourselves, right?  My mom's birthday is in May and we called her and wished her Happy Birthday.  I still miss her so much but that is part of my life.  Only now I know what it must feel like for her to be away from her child :(  I love the fact that Nicholas knows the Skype sound and lights up tremendously when he sees his grandma on there :)

My first mother's day was really special.  We just had a simple morning out to Dunkin' Donuts and then spent the day home together.  

We had lunch and dinner and it was lovely.  It is amazing how your priorities change as far as "wanting" certain things or the fact that you need to have a significant gift on certain occasions but we have always tried to do the nontraditional things and just either make our gifts or just go out to the park and do stuff like that.  Of course, if we could afford to splurge, we do, as most would but I appreciate the little things in life as well.  In fact, without those little things along the way I would not be where I am or who I am today.

Nicholas will be 11 months old on Monday! He is truly a miraculous child.  He brightens my days and nights in more ways than I could have ever imagined!  Not a day goes by that I do not thank God for him :)  He is doing so well, learning more and more every day.  We read to him and spend as much time as we could with him.  He has his own sweet personality of course.  He loves spending most of his day at the front door looking outside.  I know once he starts walking we will be outside for hours and hours.  He has been cruising around the house from chair to chair to window sill to the doors and everything else haha! It won't be long now.

Paul has been so wonderful with him.  I started back work last week and do so on evenings and Saturdays.  He takes care of him for the most part while I work and then of course I take care of him while Paul works during the day.  We both get him ready for bedtime.  It has become like a play that gets acted out every evening.  I draw the bath, get the clothes and room ready, give him a bath while Paul gets his bottle ready and turns on the fan, shut the doors and turn of the lights in the living room and put Queenie in our room with her food.  After the bath, we both get him ready and then Paul puts him down while I clean everything up, pick up all the toys, tidy up the kitchen, if it needs it and then head back to the office.  The best time of day is after work when we both get comfy and start watching our shows and catching up.

Our house is still on the market for sale and we hope it sells but if not, we will see what happens next.  Things are looking up for us and we couldn't be happier.  My next entry will be tearfully monumental because it will be when my little boy has his first birthday :)

Thanks for reading and enjoy the rest of the month!

ADDICTIVE COFFEE ICE CREAM

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup of granulated white sugar

1/2 cup of brown sugar

1 can of evaporated milk

1 cup of whole milk

2 cups of heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

2 tablespoons of instant espresso powder (Medaglia D'oro)

METHOD

Whisk the first 4 ingredients together until the sugars are dissolved.  Then add the last 3 ingredients and stir well.

Pour mixture into your ice cream machine*.

Follow the instructions of your ice cream machine and let churn until thickened. Transfer to freezer safe container and let freeze for up to an hour before serving.

Tip: For a chilled mixture, put the heavy cream and evaporated milk in the freezer for about 30 minutes before mixing :)

*I use an electric ice cream machine that uses a freezer bowl.

April 2012

It has been a busy few weeks as I spend most of my day with my son engaging him and taking care of him.  He is growing so fast it is hard to believe.  I have always heard, read or been told that it happens quickly but now I can see it with my own eyes!

We are so very proud of him, as I am sure most parents are of their children.  It is a life changing experience and one that I do not want to end at all.  I suppose it will all come to an end sooner or later but for now the present is perfect :)

Nicholas is doing so many things now:

• Crawling everywhere at a fast pace!
• Pulling up on everything in sight.
• Laughing loudly at us and Queenie.
• Smiling with his eyes squinted which melts my heart.
• Drinking out of a sippy cup on his own at times.

I could go on and on.  I blog this not from a boastful point of view but from a proud mommy view <3

He is now 10 months old and we are getting closer to his first birthday.

A lot has been going on family wise within the Mitchell compound as we call it but one thing hasn't changed, the love and the family times together.

I did not want to have a big party or anything fussy for his birthday due to the awkwardness, which I cannot get into right now.  All family has drama and I wanted his birthday to be all about him and focused on just having a great time.

So, I decided that the day of his birthday we will spend it together, just us at the park or somewhere and take pictures and then on the weekend I will invite the immediate family members and have the cake, ice cream and snacks.  I want my parents on Skype with us too :)

He will look back on it one day and see that it was not all about the fanfare and flash but family time with his aunts, uncles and grand parents.

My true friends know that I love to entertain and I miss having my friends to do that for but now that I have a son, there will be lots of parties!  I am not about trying to show off or anything like that, just to cook, feed and make everyone feel at ease and at home.  The years ahead are going to be magical for my boy and he is going to have a lot of good memories as long as we have anything to do with it.

I also plan on making cupcakes for his little playmates and having a separate get together with just the babies.  How fun will that be!

So, in a nutshell that is what has been going on in our world.

I wish my work picked up again but I would not trade this for anything else.  God has blessed us with this time together as a family and we are doing fine so far.  Paul has been working hard and enjoying it again.  It can only go uphill from here.

Thanks for reading and travelling along with us on our journey together as a family.

Have a blessed day!

CHOCOLATE VELVET ICE CREAM

INGREDIENTS

1 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder (Nestle)
2/3 cup of white sugar
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1-1/2 cup of 2% milk
1 can of evaporated milk
2 cups of heavy cream
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
1/4 cup of strong brewed coffee

METHOD

Whisk together the sugars and the cocoa powder with the 2% milk and evaporated milk.  You can use a hand mixer with a whisk attachment or do it by hand.  This allows the sugars to dissolve.

Then add the heavy cream, vanilla and coffee and whisk to combine well.

Pour into your ice cream machine and follow the manufacturer's instructions on your machine.  It should take about 25 minutes.

Transfer to containers and freeze for up to 2 hours for a more frozen consistency.

SIMPLE VANILLA ICE CREAM

INGREDIENTS

1 cup of granulated white sugar

1 can of evaporated milk

1 cup of 2% milk

2 cups of heavy whipping cream

1-1/4 tablespoons of vanilla extract

METHOD

Whisk the first 3 ingredients together until sugar is dissolved.  Then add the last 2 ingredients and stir well.

Pour mixture into your ice cream machine*.

Follow the instructions of your ice cream machine and let churn until thickened. Transfer to freezer safe container and let freeze for up to an hour before serving.

*I use an electric ice cream machine that uses a freezer bowl.

Easter 2012

It was so nice to be able to relax and spend the weekend together at home as a family, just us.  We had no commitments or places we had to be at a particular time.  We are always laid back and really do not like to "have" to be anywhere at a particular time.  It is not that we do not like being with others and hanging out and visiting with family but it is nice to have one holiday to ourselves.

I woke up and got started on making some homemade baguettes, which, thanks to the Cooking Channel's, Kelsey's Essentials, the recipe turned out great!

I baked a brown sugar and pineapple ham.  I usually do this only at thanksgiving or Christmas as my contribution to the family get togethers but it was nice to have a peaceful morning doing it just for us.  I bake the ham and then combine the spice packet with crushed pineapple and once the ham is baked, I slice it and fan it out on cookie sheets and then glaze and bake again for about 20 minutes.  My trick to getting glaze on every piece :)  Since it was just us, I did that to just a few slices for us to eat.  I broke down the rest of the ham into bite size chunks, slices and bigger dices and froze them wrapped in freezer paper and then freezer bags for future meals.  No glaze on those so that it can be used for fried rice, soups, stir frys, beans or whatever needs hamming up haha!

We had simple sides of cornbread stuffing and corn.  Sandwiches for dinner with the bread and ham.

I forgot to take pics of the meal because my mom called on Skype to chat with her grandson :)  I miss her so much and it angers me when so many people take their parents for granted and not cherish them.  No one's childhood is perfect but if it weren't for our parents we would not be here to be complaining or griping about them.  She misses Nicholas so much and wants to come back for thanksgiving this year.  I pray it happens!  I can't wait for my dad to meet him too.  If it is in God's will, we will make a trip to Trinidad this year, maybe in the Fall :)

Nicholas had a great day being a bunny rabbit haha!

Then later, Paul's parents stopped by for a visit :)

It was a lovely day.  I am blessed to have such wonderful in-laws, they have adopted me as their daughter and I am grateful.

So, that was my weekend in a nutshell.  I hope everyone had a great one too and I look forward to all the other holidays and milestones ahead with my son and Paul.

SHRIMP IN A COCONUT CURRY SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

1 package of frozen medium count shrimp, defrosted (or you can use fresh)

2 tbsp of curry powder

1 tbsp of cumin

1 tsp of tumeric powder

1 tsp of paprika

1/2 tsp of ground ginger

Hot sauce to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp of dried thyme

1 small onion diced

2 tablespoon of crushed garlic

3 green onions diced

1/4 cup of coconut milk

1/4 cup of hot water (if needed)

Curry sauce:

1 tbsp of curry powder

1 tbsp of cumin

2 tbsp to 1/4 cup of hot water (enough to make it runny when mixed with above ingredients)

METHOD

Wash shrimp in cool water, drain.  Season with all the dried spices and hot sauce as well as salt and pepper to taste.  Toss well and let sit for a few minutes.  You can even leave it in the fridge to marinate longer.

In a large skillet, add a couple tablespoons of oil and bring to a medium high heat.  Add the onions, then garlic and saute until translucent.  Add the curry sauce, stir well, once bubbly add the coconut milk and cook until it thickens.  Add the seasoned shrimp and lower heat to medium and stir frequently until the shrimp is cooked through.  Add hot water if sauce is too thick.  Add green onions and cover and cook for 2 minutes.

Serve with basmati rice or roti.  You can even get naan bread at your local Walmart.

CREAMY COCONUT ICE CREAM

INGREDIENTS

1 can of Thai Kitchen coconut milk
1 can of fat free condensed milk
2 cans of evaporated milk
1 tsp of almond extract
2 tbsp of corn starch
1 cup of heavy cream
1/4 cup of granulated sugar

METHOD

In a saucepan, bring the evaporated milk to a boil, reserve 1/4 cup of milk and mix in corn starch, set aside.  Once the milk has come to a boil, stir in the corn starch mixture.  Whisk until it thickens and corn starch is dissolved and cooked.

Remove from heat.  Pour mixture through a fine sieve into a heat proof bowl. Let cool for 15 minutes. Add the coconut milk (it will be thick but keep stirring it in), add the condensed milk and the almond extract.  Stir well.  Add in the heavy cream, stir well.  Place in the refrigerator to chill for up to an hour.

Place in your ice cream maker.  I used a Cuisinart ice cream/gelato maker.  The insert has to be frozen for a few hours.  Let churn until it thickens and the churning slows down.  Place in containers and freeze for about 20 minutes for a soft serve consistency.

Enjoy!

COCONUT CAKE

INGREDIENTS

1 box of Duncan Hines Coconut Supreme cake mix, prepared according to the package.  Allow 30 minutes or more to cool completely.

Cream cheese frosting:

1 package of regular or 1/3 less fat cream cheese

1 stick of unsalted butter

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 teaspoon of almond extract

1/4 to 1/2 cup of milk depending on how thick you want the frosting

3 cups of powdered sugar

I package of sweetened coconut flakes

Cream the first 4 ingredients together and then slowly alternate between milk and powdered sugar as this will prevent lumps.

Spread the coconut on a cookie sheet and let it get toasted in the oven after you have removed the cake. Toss every once in a while to prevent it from burning. You are looking for a light amber color. (BTW, eating this toasted coconut by itself is a treat!)

Once the cake is cooled, frost and sprinkle cooled toasted coconut.  Keep refrigerated.

You can also make this recipe into cupcakes as well.

FRIED CHICKEN TENDERS

INGREDIENTS

1 package of Trimmed and Ready chicken tenderloins

Salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon of cajun seasoning

1 teaspoon of paprika

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

1 teaspoon of thyme

Hot sauce to taste

For dredging, each item below should be in a separate dish or pie plate:

1 cup of flour seasoned with salt and pepper

2 eggs with a couple dashes of hot sauce

1 cup of Panko bread crumbs, 1/4 cup of italian breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese.

METHOD

Wash chicken well and drain.  Season with the spices listed above.  For best results let the chicken marinate for a few hours or overnight in the fridge.

Line up dredging plates in the order listed above; flour, eggs, Panko.  Dredge the tenders one at a time in order and place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper for easy cleanup.  Once all pieces are coated, set in refrigerator for 10 minutes to set. This allows the breading to stick better and not fall off too much during frying.

Heat a large deep skillet with about 1 to 1½ inches of Canola oil until it starts shimmering and you can see tiny bubbles forming at the bottom or toss in a piece of bread and if it fries quickly, it is ready.

Remove tenders from refrigerator and fry each piece for about 2 minutes per side or until golden brown.

Drain on a paper towel lined cookie sheet or a cookie rack over paper towels.  Serve hot.

Please see video below:

Fried chicken tenders

A day in the life of Nicholas...

6:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.

He wakes up and has his bottle and plays with us for a bit and then in his play pen with his toys.

8:30 a.m.

He has 2 jars of solid foods, one veggie and one fruit.  Then we head outside for some fun in the sun or if it is raining we hang out on the porch.

9:30 a.m.

Bath time, bottle or nursing and then a 1- to 2-hour nap.

11:00 a.m. or so

He has a bottle and then hangs out with mommy watching the Young and the Restless :)  Then he plays in his play pen or we read a book together.

1:00 p.m.

He watches me do stuff around the house and kitchen from his high chair and he is surrounded by his favorite teething toys.  No toys while eating, only after so he enjoys this!

2:00 p.m.

He has sweet potatoes or another jar of food that is a 2-veggie blend.

3:00 p.m.

He takes a nap for about 30 minutes to an hour.  After nap, another bottle and then we head back outside.

4:00 p.m.

His favorite meal of the day, oatmeal :) and then he watches me prepare dinner.  We have our dinner while he hangs out in the high chair or play pen.

5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Wind down time, no TV or toys with sounds.  Just us hanging out outside.  Clothes free time, which he loves!  Diaper on of course haha!

6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Bath time, bottle and then off daddy goes to put him to bed.

He wakes up maybe once during the night but sleeps well.

Good night buddy, see you in the morning :)

BAKED POTATO WEDGES

INGREDIENTS

1 bag of Yukon Gold potatoes (choose a bag that has large sized potatoes)

Enough Olive Oil to coat (I use the light olive oil for cooking)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Rosemary and Garlic seasoning blend

A few dashes of paprika

A couple pinches of ground red pepper

2 tbsp of Parmesan cheese.

METHOD

Preheat oven to 375 to 400.

Rinse and dry unpeeled potatoes. Cut in half diagonally and then cut into wedges. Place all wedges in a Ziploc bag and toss with above ingredients, except the Parmesan cheese.

Take 2 cookie sheets and brush with olive oil. Place the wedges cut side down and spread in an even layer over both sheets. Bake for 30 mins and then turn on the other cut side and bake for another 25 mins or until tender. I usually swap the sheets (so that the one on top goes on the bottom and vice versa) so that during half the cooking time they get evenly cooked but that is just a habit.  End result should be slightly golden.

Using a spatula, carefully remove the wedges and place in a dish and while they are still hot sprinkle the Parmesan cheese.

STEWED CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS

1 package of chicken breast strips OR

1 package of boneless, skinless chicken thighs

2 tablespoons of oil (Canola or Light olive oil)

2 tablespoons of brown or white sugar

3 tablespoons of ketchup

1/4 cup of coconut milk

3 green onions chopped

Enough water or chicken broth to cover meat

Hot sauce to your taste

1 teaspoon of garlic

1 teaspoon of Worchestshire sauce

1 teaspoon of dried thyme

1 teaspoon of Sazon

1 teaspoon of paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

Wash, cut and season chicken with salt and pepper to taste, a couple dashes of Worchestshire sauce, hot sauce to taste and other dried spices.

In a large saucepan (I prefer to use a cast iron skillet), put a couple tablespoons of oil and once it is hot, add sugar. Once the sugar starts to brown and bubble, carefully add the chicken and try not to move it around too much, just enough to brown them. It may splash so be careful. Add enough water or broth to cover, ketchup, crushed garlic, coconut milk and green onions. Stir and then bring to a boil, put a lid on and turn heat down to med-low and let simmer for about 20 mins or until chicken is cooked through. For chicken thighs it will take closer to 35 minutes for it to be tender.

I usually serve this with white basmati rice or egg noodles.

A little twist to make it Chinese-style:

Instead of water or broth I use a combo of 3 tablespoons of ketchup, 3 tablespoons of honey, 3 tablespoons of House of Tsang Szechuan spicy stir fry sauce (you can get this at in the asian aisle) and add some hot water to make it into a runny consistency.


You can also use cut up pieces of chicken on the bone but it will require a longer cooking time.  


Enjoy!

Photo is of the stewed chicken with red beans and homemade macaroni and cheese or what I grew up calling it in Trinidad, macaroni pie...because it is baked in the oven...recipe soon :)

A note about my recipes

My original recipes are inspired from childhood and adulthood as you read in my previous post about cooking.  If I used recipes from the Food Network, I will give credit by saying "inspired by." The reason being that I do change it up sometimes to suit my taste but I am always inspired by those amazing chefs and cooks on the Food Network and now too, the Cooking Channel.

When I cook I do not usually use measurements so you will notice that I mention dashes, pinches or to taste a lot.  I tried to insert some measurements depending on the recipes.

I have found that a lot of the seasonings or spice blends have quite a bit of sodium already included so I don’t use a lot of added salt.

I do use Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (the red, black, green and pink whole peppercorns), as a main ingredient to all my dishes.

So, I suggest that you experiment with your spices and find the taste that suits you best.  I like things spicy and I add crushed red pepper flakes for that kick and also some habanero pepper sauce when I want added heat.

Play with your food and the flavors; there is a whole world of them to discover making your own repertoire delicious!

My spices that I use in just about everything I cook:

Salt and pepper to taste

Cajun seasoning blend

Sazon by Goya (found in the hispanic aisle)

Paprika

Garlic powder

Dried thyme

I hope you have fun experimenting and trying my recipes.  I will try to post one every day!  Let me know if you have any questions :)

Milestones

NICHOLAS STORM MITCHELL

My dearest son, 

Here is a list of the little milestones along the way...to be continued!

Born: June 21, 2011.  Weight: 8 pounds, 1 ounce.  Length: 21-1/2 inches.

Home for the first time:  June 23, 2011.

Moved to nursery: 8 weeks old.

Said "Hi": 8 weeks old.

Slept through the night: 2-1/2 months old.

Smile: One month old.

Laugh: One month old.

Oatmeal cereal: 4 months old.

Solids:  Sweet potatoes, squash, carrots, apples, pears, peas, bananas, corn.

Food aversions:  Turkey (gagged) and Avocado (spit it out).

Sat up on: 5 months old.

Transitioned from bassinet to crib: 8 months old.

Said "mama": 6 months old.

Said "dada": 7 months old.

Haircut:  8-1/2 months old.

Pulling up and getting on his hands and knees:  9 months old.

Crawling: 9-1/2 months old.

Pulling up all the way: 9-1/2 months old (the very next day after crawling).

Walking the first few steps:  11-1/2 months old.

Running and climbing: 12 to 13 months old.

Vocabulary in context as well to date:  hat, yeah, yep, town, shoe, toe, clock, truck, book, up, mama, dada, bye-bye, night-night, puff, more (also does the sign language for it), cat dog, scout, no, boy, wow, yo, haha, out, bird, ice, hot.

More words at almost 16 months old:

He knows where his nose, ears, mouth, fingers, toes, knees, tummy, head, hair are located by pointing when asked.

He knows what a cup, bowl, spoon, snacks, toys by type, eg. truck, car, book, ball, etc.

He indicates and says food when he is hungry.  He does the 'more' sign for more of something.  He understands to get a drink of water.  He asks for puffs (snack).

Sentences to date:  "what is that", "who is that", "I see you".

He blows kisses, waves at hello and bye and says his version of those words :)  He laughs when we laugh and claps when he is happy.  He mimics the shows he watches when they do exercise or motions and actions for song and play.

2013

18-months old:  "I love you", he 'reads' his books, points to things, says the animals, 'cat', 'dog', 'cow', 'quack, quack' for duck, etc.

He knows where and when we are close to our road to our house, says 'home', knows when we pass 'papaw's' house and says it.  When Paul gets ready for work, he says 'work'.

He is all about the 'moon', 'plane', 'birds', 'leaves', etc.

Kisses and hugs, says 'thank you', 'welcome'.  He knows his 'juice', 'wa-wa' for water, 'ba-ba' for any bottle, he loves playing with water bottles.

He is still on mostly purees of fruits, veggies and chicken, huge oatmeal fan but tolerates puffs, whole grain, fruit filled bars and we are working up to other finger foods.  His doctor says at this stage it doesn't matter if the food is mush or whole, it's nutrition.  We are of the belief and have been from the start that there is no rushing a child to do what we want except when it comes to discipline.  There is plenty of time for him to show readiness and it alleviates problems later on down the road.

His wellness check was excellent and he is now 30 pounds and 34 inches tall, 95th percentile.  All shots are up to date until his 4-year appointment.

He has 90% of his teeth now.

November 2 years and 5 months old (37 pounds and 37-1/2 inches tall):

He is an iPad whiz!

He loves to watch the cooking shows and pretends and plays with my mixer and pots and pans.  He is doing it at this very moment.

Language skills are above par.  He speaks and answers in context.  He can count to above 10.  He knows the alphabet.  He can name and identify lots of fruits and vegetables, on and on.

His eating is still limited to mainly purees but he will drink smoothies with fruit, yogurt and oatmeal, etc.  He loves cake and cookies and pumpkin bread and chocolate pudding.

2014 - January 2015


Wow, how he has grown.  He is now 3 and a half years old.  He is 42 pounds and 41 inches tall.

He counts to almost 200.  He has an excellent memory.  He loves his grandma with all his heart and he skypes with her every morning and throughout the day. 

He loves to watch Paw Patrol, Wallykazam, Team Umizoomi and loves to watch us play Super Mario Bros. 

He has a heart that is so caring and he can speak very well and carry on intelligent conversations.

He is almost potty trained.  He started sleeping with us now.  He doesn't like his room anymore. He says he is scared and has bad dreams.

The story of us...

Thirteen years ago I was sitting in my office at the University of the West Indies, Faculty of Social Sciences and having a chat with my boss.  It was the best job I ever had, I loved being able to help the students and perform administrative and clerical duties for the dean and the professors alike within our faculty.  My boss and I were talking about different internet chat sites and how it was to become the new forum for meeting friends worldwide and that I should join one for fun.  He used one called ICQ and told me, "...people get married on those things..." to which I chuckled and said "yeah, uh huh".

So, I ventured onto ICQ and looked at the categories for a friend search, I chose someone who likes to travel, spoke french and other hobbies that were similar to mine.  At first, I came up some pretty freaky people haha but the second time I clicked "Random" I came across, Paul Mitchell.  I instant messaged him and he replied thinking I was a guy harassing him and he said "not interested" and then he replied "for the last time, I am not gay".  I said "that is good to know but I am Trudy..." So, we had a virtual laugh about it and from then on we started messaging each other back and forth for 6 months.  We called each other and sent photos and care packages once we got closer.  We never had the intention of having a long distance relationship but it happened anyway.

He came to meet my family in Trinidad and then I came to Arkansas to meet his.  He proposed to me on that trip and I said "yes!."  Another few months went by and then he came back to Trinidad and we had our wedding, that was the best feeling in the world.  Of course, I invited my boss and he gave a speech about our very first conversation before I met Paul. My boss was sorry because he was losing me haha! They even threw me a huge going away party at work and that was so sweet.   Paul came alone for the wedding since no one in his family was able to travel or even had a passport and he wanted me to be surrounded by my family since I would be leaving after the wedding and move to Arkansas.  Of course, when I moved here we had a private ceremony to make it "official" for legal purposes but that gave us 2 anniversaries haha!

We went for our honeymoon to Barbados and it was awesome!  I missed my family already and we cut it short by a day so I would have that extra time with them before moving.

Moving was bittersweet.  I lived at home and was very close to my parents, brother and my faithful little dog, Cuddles (RIP).

So, now here I am still happily married to my best friend and soul mate 12 years later and we are raising our precious son, Nicholas.

I thank God everyday for bringing us together.  Paul's family and parents are so warm and loving and have wrapped me into their hearts and they are in mine.

My mom and dad visited a few times but my dad is not a fan of travel anymore.  Especially since his first trip to see me, the very next day 9/11 happened :(  My mom still makes trips at least once a year to see me and we have not gone back to Trinidad in almost 6 years.  I hope to take Nicholas soon to meet my side of the family.  Thanks to staying connected through Face book they have gotten to know him and see him grow up.  We chat on Skype with my parents as much as we can.

That is the story in a nutshell and we learned a lot about each other with the distance between us.  We learned patience, understanding and commitment and that has held us even stronger now than ever before.

I love you, Paul... "I seek you...03-23-1999" until eternity <3

Nicholas Storm Mitchell

My husband Paul and I have been married for 12 years now and throughout those years we did a lot of things.  We travelled and went on vacations.  I also got to see my family several times within the first few years of moving to Arkansas.  We moved and built a home together.  We were blessed with a lot of things along the way but most of all our love for each other helped us through the tough times as well.

It was on Halloween of the year 2010 that I decided to take a pregnancy test.  I always took them and was always given the same result: negative.  So, after being married for 11 years at the time, we gave up and said, if it is meant to be, fantastic.  If not, we will survive.  Well, to our amazement, it was positive on that morning at 4:30 a.m.  We were so shocked that we went out and bought 2 more to be sure before sharing the news with our parents.

My mom was here visiting and was going to be here for the birth of her first grandson.

Our parents were thrilled and I was already 7 weeks along.  After weeks of trying to make sure we were insured and that I was taking care of myself until seeing an OB/GYN, we finally got our first appointment at 20 weeks.  Thank God, I was healthy and the pregnancy was going well.  I never experienced any morning, evening or other type of sickness.  I only had bronchitis during the winter due to a prolonged cough that was left behind by a cold.  I could not take any meds and it progressed but it went away on its own.

My doctor, Thomas Wood, is the best OB I could have prayed for.  He was gentle, kind and so understanding and of course, very handsome haha! that helps :)  I always went with questions and he was always willing to answer and never rushed us out the door.

My due date was Sunday June 18, 2011 and it was drawing near and no sign of labor during the last few appointments.  So, I was scheduled to be induced on Wednesday June 22, 2011.

Our best friends Kyle and Tarra were over for dinner on Monday June 20, 2011.  We had a great time and hung out because Kyle was deploying the next day with the navy.  We went to bed late that night and I woke up with cramping and after checking and timing I realized I was in early labor.  So, I showered, dressed and packed the last minute items to my already packed suitcases and then woke Paul.

We left my mom a note since it was after midnight and we didn't know how long it would take and went on our way.

*  *  *  *  *  * 

At 2 a.m. we were checked into observation at the labor/delivery dept of the hospital.  At this point, contractions were strong and about 5 to 6 minutes apart and I breathed through them.  Turns out my doc was on call that night so he gave the okay to move to the labor room and by 4 a.m. I was hooked up to my epidural and it took effect pretty quickly.  I progressed well throughout the day and there was no need for the administration of the pitocin (induction) until closer to the pushing stage.  I slept through the contractions the rest of the morning and with the exception of them checking me ever so often it went smoothly.  They allowed me to just start pushing when my body was ready so I would not get worn out.  I just went with when they told me the contractions were occurring.  It took almost 2 hours during the pushing stage.   He was born at 1:22 p.m weighing 8 pounds, 1 ounce and 21-1/2 inches long.

Nicholas was laid upon my chest and Paul and I had the best moment of our lives.  He was perfect and beautiful and we were blown away by his magnificence and his eyes were wide open and stayed that way for 5 hours straight until we went down for his first nap.

Thank God for such a great team of nurses, supportive doc and of course coach Paul.  He watched the entire miracle come to life :) He was speechless and choked up :)  

Our time spent at the hospital was like being in our own bubble and it was an experience we will never forget.

We brought him home and we were welcomed with balloons and flowers from our moms.  He was a joy from the start.  He woke up like every newborn every couple hours to be fed and changed but we took turns and let my mom just be grandma.

When she went back home it was sad for all of us.  

Nicholas had his first few appointments with his pediatrician, Joshua Wilkinson and he was perfectly healthy and growing well.  We moved him into his nursery when he was 8 weeks old and he has slept in there ever since.  The best purchase was a rock and play sleeper by Fisher Price which he slept in until just a month ago.  Now, he sleeps in his crib.  He is now 9 months old.

His daily adventures and milestones will be covered in other posts but this is the first chapter to how it all began...

My love for cooking blossoms...how it all got started.

I was born and raised on the island of Trinidad and Tobago.  I grew up in a very diverse culture with a medley of different cuisines.  My mom was always cooking delicious things at home as far back as I can remember.  My dad also experimented in the kitchen and came up with his own spin on things.

I travelled a lot and learned a few things here and there about different types of food and have always been a fan of cooking shows.  Starting with Great Chefs of the World on the Travel Channel, which I watched every day after school and work.

When I got married and moved to Arkansas, I fell in love with my new family and their love for home cooking and great gatherings.  Those times coupled with my new found passion for cooking and the discovery of the Food Network led me to become a curious cook with a unique spin on the recipes. 

My husband Paul is my faithful, loyal and never failing companion.  He is my chief taste tester (now sous chef, he just got promoted) supports me in everything I do!  I love you babe!

Queenie is my beloved German shepherd and without her companionship our lives would be empty.  We love you Queen!

The best part of my cooking story is now I have an amazing son, who since he was a newborn sits in his high chair watching me cook everyday.  He is also a great eater and just started solids and is a curious little boy.  I cannot wait until he is also in the kitchen with me but behind the counter cooking along beside me :)

One girl from Trinidad, meets the Food Network and a love for all things foodie equals….me!