Busy girl

Carter and I had a busy afternoon yesterday. I picked her up from Landa's and she chattered the whole way home. It's still pretty hard to follow most of the time. When you ask her what she did during the day, it generally starts with a "Don't Know", then she'll start in. I heard all about running, playing, hugging Cade, that she doesn't like trucks (which started because Mom told her she couldn't run on the county road because their were too many trucks driving by). When we got home, I convinced her to lay down for about 30 minutes and have some quiet time, hoping maybe she would take a nap, but she was on to me. She played, sang, jumped around, but mostly stayed pretty quiet. When she got up, we cleaned up the house and she helped, even running her own little vacuum. She helped me clean up the bunny cage, and was furious when she got saw dust shavings stuck all over her hands and clothes--which she tried to clean off with her bug vacuum. Then after changing clothes three times, she decided that her baby doll needed num nums, her baby word for nursing. Having diligently watched both of my sisters nurse their two babies (occasionally even getting up on the couch and trying to look down Aunty Jessi's blanket to get a better look) Carter knew all about feeding babies. So after spending a half hour cleaning her baby and changing diapers, it was time for food. It's a little hard to see her baby in the picture, but it's there under the blanket. She must have sat in the rocking chair for 10-20 minutes (Forever in toddler time) feeding her baby and rocking it. It was so cute.

A few weeks back, when she was down spending a morning with my sister Jessi, she had followed Jessi around as she was taking care of Keenan. Whatever Jessi did with Keenan, Carter did with her stuffed toy, from changing diapers, cleaning, to nursing. It sure reminds you to be careful of the example you are setting. My mom and I are planning to go shopping this summer to get a nice baby doll for Carter will all the works...blankets, clothes, diapers, stroller, bed, etc. So that when I come home from the hospital with a new baby, we will be bringing a new baby home for Carter too. We're hoping that it will help her adjust a little easier. Fingers crossed. I think it's going to be a little hard on her at first, but trying to find whatever we can do to make it a little easier.

It was Robert's birthday yesterday also, so Carter helped me make a great peanut butter pie. I don't really like peanut butter pie, but Robert loves it, and this was a pretty darn good recipe. I used 2 packs of peanut butter Girl Scout all crushed up for the crust with a few melted chocolate chips drizzled on top and the pie part was all cool whip, cream cheese, peanut butter and powdered sugar. What Carter didn't wear, smear on the counter or drop on the floor, went in a pie pan and in the fridge. Dinner was the best part. He didn't know when he was going to be home, since he's been working a job in Columbus, so we figured it would be dinner at home. I found this amazing recipe for Creamy Pesto Shrimp that is very very good, not diet food by any means. You can check out the recipe at http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Creamy-Pesto-Shrimp/Detail.aspx?pos=1 Between the cream, butter and pesto, I don't want to know the fat content, but Robert thought it was better than some he'd had at restaurants in town. I also liked that it's fast to make and very easy, but tastes like you slaved away in the kitchen. (Robert if you are reading this, I really did slave away all afternoon, just for you...seriously.) My thighs are still laughing at me as I can feel them growing from just thinking about dinner. I made the recipe as is, although some of the comments mentioned trying to lower the fat content some by using Half and Half and less butter. Not sure about that, but this is a keeper, a 'only eat once in a great while otherwise buy bigger pants' treat. I think next time I would serve it as a side dish to steak or something rather than the main dish, it's just so rich. Carter spent her whole time eating every one's shrimp...her favorite part. I had a hard time keeping any shrimp in the sauce. Carter was stirring for me and every time I turned around she was trying to scoop more in her mouth. Robert was very happy with his birthday dinner and it was worth it. My favorite part though was Carter singing her dad Happy Birthday.