I got a lot of positive feedback from my first Independent Play post, so I thought I would continue it, and share some thoughts on how to keep it in place for your older child. Obviously, there will come a point when your toddler will no longer want to play in a playpen. I would say somewhere in the 18-24 month range, your child is going to be ready to move to doing independent play in their room. Room time can be a wonderful thing – it allows for more play options for your child, a wider space, and hopefully, some time for you as a parent to get things done while your child is happily entertained. It forces them to not only find ways to play by themselves, but to also choose between various options. I find that Brandon behaves better and is more focused throughout the day when he has his time to play alone. What a nice treat for mommy and child!
Archives for September 2012
Fig Tart with Mascarpone Cream
As promised, here is the beautiful fig tart recipe courtesy of one of my favorite cookbooks, The Winemaker Cooks. If you’ve never checked out this book, I would highly recommend it. It’s beautiful enough to be a coffee table winner, and the recipes themselves are fresh and delicious.
4 Wonderful Years!
Four years ago I married the most amazing man I’ve ever met. I’m so incredibly blessed. Thank-you to our parents for throwing us the most gorgeous wedding, and for the many friends and family members who made the day unforgettable. Much love to you all, and happy anniversary honey.
Photo courtesy of Laura Stone of Artstar Photography.
Rosemary-Crusted Standing Rib Roast with Red Wine Gravy
So I’m about to hit you with the most amazing Sunday dinner roast ever. Yes, it is pricey, but it is so worth it. This is my husband’s favorite meal, and pretty much the only thing that he requests on a regular basis. He claims it actually makes him emotional, it’s that good. As long as you buy a good cut of meat, your work is pretty much done. You just cover it in a little rub, let it roast away, then whip up a quick gravy using the drippings. We are talking out-of-this-world flavor. Although working with a cut of meat that is on the pricey end can be intimidating (you don’t want to mess it up!), I’ve made this at least 5 times, and it’s always come out perfectly, except for the one time that I tried to use a less expensive cut. Still good, but not as amazing as usual. Trust me – splurge a little for a special dinner!
Rylan 6 Month Summary
I seriously cannot handle how big Rylan is getting. I feel like with Brandon (our first) I couldn’t wait for him to crawl, talk, eat real food, etc. But with Rylan, I’m thrown off when he starts growing up. He’s at that perfect little age where he’s still really portable (no plethora of toys or ipads needed for a quick trip out), but engaged enough to have fun with. I’ve never been one of those overly emotional mothers, but after packing away some of his “6-month” clothing that was too small, I got a little teary eyed. My sweet baby is growing up!
August Restaurant Round-Up & Giveaway Winner!
I feel like the Jean-Georges restaurants I’ve visited have been a bit of a hit or miss. There are a few that I love (like Nogatine & Dune) and some that I really don’t (Lagoon in Bora Bora). But after 3 visits to ABC Kitchen, I can assure you that this one definitely falls into the love category. It won a James Beard best new restaurant award in 2011, and is consistently serving up delicious organic and locally sourced dishes. Everything is super fresh and seasonal (pretty much all of nyc has jumped on the farm to table bandwagon). It’s great to know that there is always going to be something new and delicious each time you go, but I have a few favorites that I would really like to see back on the menu this fall (squash toast and fried chicken, please!). At this visit, we started with a heirloom tomato toast, then split the burger and squash blossom pizza. The pizza was amazing, and worth going back for in itself. For dessert we had the ice cream sundae, which includes popcorn and candied peanuts and is swimming in chocolate sauce. Hungry yet?