Dark Chocolate Almond Banana Bread

So, most of you that know me know I don't like to cook at all. However, I do like to bake. I like to put it in the oven and let it cook its self for an hour or so and not have to worry about it. I also figured out this morning another reason I don't like to cook...I don't like messes and cooking makes messes. Big messes!

Anyway, I found this recipe for Nutella Banana Bread and thought it sounded good, but I didn't have any Nutella. I did have this stuff and just substituted it.

Hopefully it will be good.

Here's where to find the recipe http://www.recipegirl.com/2007/03/22/nutella-swirled-banana-bread/

Hog Fan in Georgia!

My little Razorback's picture was featured on the 5:00 channel 40/29 news in Fayetteville tonight. I entered her picture just for fun and was surprise when we were at dinner and my brother-in-law's (Mike) mom (Sue) called and said she saw Emily's picture on the news. They said she was a Hog fan in Georgia. I think that's so neat! I entered 2 pictures and don't know which one they showed or if they showed both.

I would have picked her too! :)

2 Year Checkup

Emily had her 2 year check up today. We really like her new Dr. it's a very small clinic, they are easy to get into for an appt. and everyone is very laid back and nice. I figured I need to put her "stats" on the blog before I forget them. She was:

3 ft tall exactly 95%tile

27 lbs 50%tile

I can't remember the size of her head, but it was in the 95%tile (great, she got my big head)

She has been going through a phase the past week and will hardly eat anything except for breakfast. The Dr. suggested not giving her as much to drink throughout the day as we have been. Well, it's worked she is now back to eating at every meal.

She's also been having night terrors. I've never heard of them, but the Dr. said they were very normal at this age. She will wake up and yell, momma or daddy and then fall back asleep. The Dr. said they don't remember them in the morning.

I got an email from babycenter.com yesterday and it was talking about projecting how tall your child would be. You put in the child's sex, age, height now, weight now, mother's height and father's height. It says Emily will be 5'9". I think that is perfect! Of course, this could be wrong!

Emily's newest things...

Emily will be 23 months on the 8th. I can't even believe my baby is going to be 2! These 2 years have flown by so fast! Here's what she has been up to lately.

Words:

Yellow (every color is yellow, when you ask)

Green

Blue

Pink

Red

House (since we've looked at so many she's gotten pretty good at this word)

Light

Monkey (this is how she says movie and monkey)

Book

Teeth (loves to brush her teeth eat the toothpaste and cries when she has to put it up)

Please

B (this is the word she uses for her softy or blanket)

Car

Hecar (for helicopter, she loves helicopers, she told me the other night to shhhh b/c she heard a helicoper)

Potty

Pee Pee

Poop

Ewwww (when something is gross)

Yuck

Cow (and moo)

Pig

Chick

Duck (and quack quack)

Melmo (for Nemo and Elmo, they are interchangeable)

Baby

Drink

BITE (she asks everyone for a bite of WHATEVER they are eating)

I could go on and on about her words, but these are the most common.

Phrases:

Thank you

I'm Sorry

I Love You

Bye Bye

Night Night

I'm ok (when she falls or hurts herself)

It's ok (to her babies)

She'll hold up something like her baby and says, "say baby" to us. I guess she's thinking they make me say the name of everything, I'm going to make them (the grownups) do it too!

Phrases have just started recently.

Favorite Foods:

Mac & Cheese

Pickles

Green Beans

Corn

Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches

Chips, Salsa & Cheese Dip (loves HOT stuff)

Milk (Regular & Chocolate)

Yogurt

Fruit Bars

Quesadillas (bean & cheese)

She's not a picky eater and will eat just about anything you put in front of her (unlike her Daddy, who's the pickiest eater on the planet Earth)

Plays:

Dolls (Loves to kiss and put her dolls to bed. She puts them on their stomach, puts a blanket over them and rubs their back, like they do at her school)

Elmo

Swing

Color

Climb on anything and everything

Watch movies (favorite is Finding Nemo)

She's a great sleeper and takes one usually 2 hr nap around 11:00-12:00. She goes to bed late (we need to work on more of a schedule) anywhere from 9-10:30 and wakes up around 8:30. We took her out of her crib when we moved to GA since she was climbing out of it anyway. She's done great with the transition.

She is wearing a 2T and size 5 diaper. We're working on potty training and has done well so far, we just have to get consistent.

She likes to snuggle and gives great "hard" hugs & kisses. All in all she is a very happy little girl. She has her terrible 2 days, like today where it's whining and crying about everything. But most of the time she is great!

Settled...kind of

We're getting a little more settled each day. As I say that we are moving out of Mike and Holly's tomorrow. So, the "settledness" will go away for a while. It's going to be nice (for all of us) to have our own place. We've looked at so many houses and finally found the one that was meant to be. It's about 15 minutes from Mike and Holly, so we're still close. It's in a nice neighborhood that has 2 pools, tennis courts and a HUGE playground. I see many nights in my future at the playground wearing Emily out before bed! :)

My New Housekeeper!

She's cute, sweet and FREE!

Emily's First 4th of July

Well it wasn't really her first, it was actually her second. But, last year we stayed in all day and Steve, of course had to work. So, she's never seen fireworks. We made her "first" the best! We went to Lenox Square in Atlanta and saw the best fireworks show I've ever seen! It was so crowded, they estimated up to $300,000 people attending last nights show. I don't think Emily was sure of the fireworks at first, but then she heard the music they played along with them and started clapping. She kept on saying "hot" because she thought they were fire...I guess they were (hence the name fireworks)! :)

Oh, and I just read an article that a man was stabbed after the show in the Neiman Marcus parking lot!! Welcome to Atlanta!