Shopping for Baby

I honestly think that we're pretty much set, in terms of baby shopping.  I'm trying to restrain myself and not buy any more until we get the last minute stuff like diapers and formula.

But then I see something like this outfit:

It was on sale.  And it made me smile.

Daddy wanted to get a matching shirt for Mowgli that said "Improved!"

Drums

Mowgli had his first drum lesson today. 

He's learning hand drums because they can be played inside.  I'm not bringing a trap set in my house. 

I'll admit it, my expectations were low.  We had the lesson in one of the percussion studios at CMU where distractions abound.  There were gongs and computers and two trap sets and marimbas and all sorts of things.  So much stuff to play with.  Why would he want to sit down and play just one drum?

But he did absolutely fantastic.  He kept a reasonably steady 4-4, and learned 3 different patterns.  Even if he did have a lot of trouble switching between patterns.  They played along with a Santana song, and he absolutely loved that. 

Mowgli actually came home and wanted to practice!

Baby

Mowgli has finally figured out that there's something going on with a baby in our house.  He understands that mommy's belly is getting big and the reason has something to do with a baby.  But it's hard to say how much he understands beyond that.  In his own words,

The belly got big and it growed like a baby.

She's not gonna be here till February, but we're shopping and working on names and generally getting ready.

We think Mowgli will do better if we can name her ahead of time.  If we can give her a name, that makes her a real person and part of our family, as opposed to a random baby that doesn't belong to us.  The problem is trusting that the ultrasound was correct when they said she was a girl.    We can only hope.

In other news, Mowgli's been drawing up a storm lately.  I'll try and get some posted.

Spelling Homework with Mowgli

The task is to complete sentences with spelling words. 

You try this one:  A penguin chick hatches and __________ up. 

Here's a partial list of the spelling words: 
gold, scold, cold, grows, coast, roast, blow, bowl.

Mowgli went with
A penguin chick hatches and blows up.

Methinks he's been watching too much Looney Tunes.  

The best apple-cake-dessert-thing ever

So, I've been a bad blogger... I know.  Things is crazy.  I guess I'll have to blog about all the craziness at some point.  But I'm getting closer to my Phd, so a little crazy (or a lot) is to be expected.

Anyway, I was forced to come blog because a week or so ago I found the unicorn of cookbooks.  A gluten-free, casein-free cookbook developed by a chef so she could cook for her 13 year old son.

Tonight, I wanted a dessert, and Mowgli ate the last cookie.  So I made the apple coffee cake from the book.  Pure Heaven.  So I'm sharing the recipe:

• Preheat oven to 375.  Grease a 9-inch round cake pan or springform pan.
• Peel and cube 2 large apples.  You want about 2 cups of apples.
• In a small bowl, toss together 2 tsp. GF flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup chocolate chips, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, and 1 tsp. cinnamon.
• In another small bowl, whisk together  2 eggs, 1/2 cup granulated sugar,  and 1/4 cup brown sugar until smooth.  Whisk in 1/2 cup oil and 2 tsp vanilla.
• In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, 2 tsp baking powder, and 1/4 tsp. salt.  
• Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
• Pour half the batter into the prepared pan, top with half the apples, and half the chocolate chip mixture.  
• Repeat layers.
• Bake for about 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

I think I need another slice.

One liner.

I came out of the bathroom yesterday to discover that Mowgli had written "Men" on the bathroom door in very neat handwriting with a lovely red marker.   

Jazz Combo

Mowgli would like to start a jazz combo.  He day dreams about it constantly.  Apparently in very graphic 60's era designs. 

Yesterday, he handed me a little tin whistle and insisted that I toot on it while he played a very nice B-flat on my trombone.

We've been promised a cornet.  I am eagerly anticipating the salvation of my trombone.