Terrific Tuesday...

That's the best way to describe today. :)

When I first thought about writing in my blog today, I was going to write about dinner tonight and how I succeeded into "tricking" my little toddler into eating something really good for him. :) I'll start with that, but trust me, the latter part of this post is much more exciting.

As you all know, LBB is a picky little man, not uncommon for his age. I, however, have been on a quest (much like the one in Monty Python and the Holy Grail...you know, coconut shells for horses, french soldiers throwing livestock, and enlisting the help of a man named Patsy to help aid me. OK...none of that is true, but this quest would've been much more entertaining if even one of those things occured. LOL) Anyhoo. I digress.

So, for dinner tonight, I gave LBB a sippy of chocolate milk (hey, don't judge. It was chocolate Ovaltine, so therefore somewhat healthy. I figured it was a nice little treat after 4 shots at the doctors...and I'm a sucker for those big blue eyes of his, so I spoil him a bit.) And then he finally dug into his dinner...Masterful Mac N' Cheese. I got the recipe from the cookbook "The Sneaky Chef" but I really didn't follow it very much. Here is my version:

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MASTERFUL MAC N CHEESE

1 box macaroni and cheese (you can use the Kraft kind, but we splurged and bought Trader Joes Organic White Cheddar and Macaroni)
4 baby carrots, cooked until soft-reserve the water that the carrots cooked in
A handful of bread crumbs (we made our own, and to make it even healthier, I suggest using wheat bread instead of white)

Begin cooking mac n' cheese according to box directions. While water is boiling, place cooked baby carrots in a blender and turn on to "liquefy" setting. Add carrot water as needed until carrots look like baby food. (SHORTCUT: Use 1 jar of carrot baby food) Set carrots aside until macaroni is done cooking.

When macaroni is done, strain the water out and place in a oven safe dish. Mix in milk and cheese according to package instructions, but instead of using butter as box directs, mix in carrot puree. (If you buy the white cheddar like we did, it will turn orange like normal Kraft mac n' cheese.)

Sprinkle bread crumbs all over top of mac n' cheese and place in preheated 400* oven for about 5 minutes, or until the bread crumbs are nice and toasty looking.

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LBB ate this right up...and even I didn't notice the carrots, which is saying a lot since I knew they were in there. I couldn't help but smirk to myself as he gobbled up his dinner. And he even fed himself a few times...fork in the bowl, stab a shell, in the mouth we go! So proud!

But. Onto the more exciting part of this post!!!!

LBB has been contemplating walking for a while now. He walks a bit, realizes he is doing it, then freaks out and won't do it again for a few days.

And then today, all of a sudden, he was standing about 4 feet away from me when I said "Come here!" Truth be told, I was expecting the usual...kneel down, getting in crawling position, and quickly crawl over to Mommy. BUT.

That isn't what happened. LBB walked! "This must be a fluke" I thought. So I set him 4 feet away from me again. And he did it again. And again. And again.

You get the drift. :)

I stood by the Christmas tree about 5 feet away from him, asked him to come over and look at the Christmas tree with me. Instead of walking, he pointed to the radio just as the Toys r Us jingle came on, and started dancing!!!! He placed his adorable little 1 year old hands on his adorable little 1 year old waist and swayed his little hips back and forth, all the while smiling like he was the cutest thing to ever walk this earth (by the way, I am totally convinced he is. :) )

And since then, he's walked to get toys. Walked with his popper toy. And, most amusing, walked to chase Cat #2. I don't think she knows what is about to happen. :)