Pinterest PIck: Homemade Edible (Baby) Paint

I've been scouring Pinterest for some good indoor activities given that the weather is changing. I have been dying to do some arts and crafts with Z, so when I came across a pin for Edible Finger Paint on Pinterest, I decided to try it out.

Ingredients:
1 to 2 ratio of flour to water. (I used 1 cup flour, 2
cups water, which made about 5 baby food jars)
Baby Food Jars or some kind of container 
Food Coloring

Directions:
1. Poor water in pot and slowly stir in flour over medium-low heat.
2. Heat and stir regularly (the flower tends to separate and sink to the bottom, so stir frequently!).
3. The mixture will slowly begin to thicken. Once it reaches desired consistency, turn off heat.
4. Divide mixture into containers, and add Food coloring. Mix well.
5. Allow to cool before use. Refrigerate after use.

P.S. I use this in the bathtub. When she's done painting, I just turn on the water and the mess is gone!

Pinterest Pick: Cinnamon Apple Pastry

I saw this on Pinterest not long ago, and made my own twist for game day a few weeks back. My sister
swears she would rather have one of these than a Cinnabon (her favorite treat). They are really yummy and pretty easy to make. They make a perfect game-day treat!

Cinnamon-Apple-Cheese Pastry:

Ingredients:
Apples (any kind- I used fiji)
Cinnamon
Crescent Rolls
Sugar
Cream Cheese (if desired)

Directions:
1. Peel and Slice apples (I used an apple slicer, to make the job easy). Sprinkle with Cinnamon.
2. Bake apples @ 350 for 30-45 minutes, or until tender.
3. Spray a cookie sheet with non stick spray, and spread out each crescent roll.
4. Spread cream cheese (if desired) on each crescent roll. (The other recipe I found did not include this

part. It is absolutely delicious!)
5. Sprinkle some cinnamon and a generous amount of sugar over the top of the cream cheese.
6. Add some baked apples.
7. Roll each, keeping the apples nestled in the center.
8. Sprinkle top of each with some cinnamon and sugar.
9. Bake according to crescent roll directions.

Enjoy these suckers warm. Perfect fall deliciousness!

Tiny Ten

Officially ten months, and on the go! Little miss Zoe is not as tiny as she once was, but she is definitely growing and learning.

On September 19th, Zoe took her first official steps. Andrew and I were playing with her before bed, he stood her up and she took two whole steps towards me before crashing to the ground. Ever since, she has been making lots of progress toward walking on her own. She still can't get to a standing position in the middle of the floor yet, but she can free stand for long periods of time now, takes steps on her own between pieces of furniture while cruising, and has taken as many as 6 or 7 steps on her own. She is still pretty unsteady, but she gets stronger every day! I think we may just be walking by the time November rolls around...we shall see.

Zoe develops a little more personality everyday. She is opinionated and extroverted. She hates naps, and loves to play (especially with other kids). She really loves her veggies and fruits, and has become a little bit of a picky eater lately (she spits out food she doesn't like). She doesn't like to be cuddled or contained, and if you try, she'll push on you with a "eh, eh" until you let her down. She has learned to give "fives," clap her hands, wave, and gives "kisses" (she opens her mouth and rests it on your cheek). She still is quite a chatterbox, and loves when I mimic her noises.

Here is what she has been up to this month:

Favorite Thing to Do: She loves going to the zoo to see the animals. She also really loves when we hold her hand so she can walk.
Favorite Food: She really loves her fruits and veggies, and will eat them before anything else on her plate. She still really loves to snack.
New This Month: Taking steps on her own!
Growth: Officially in her 9 month clothes now. She still seems tiny for her age and height though.
Sleep: She is now refusing a late afternoon nap, and only takes a morning and noon nap. This means she is quite tired by bedtime at 7:30.
Speaking: She is still a talker. She also loves to click her tongue.
Movement: She prefers walking. She just isn't steady enough. She takes a few steps then falls and proceeds to crawl the rest of the way.
Behavior: She is quite opinionated, and wants to be self-sufficient. She has been known to throw fits when she is not getting her way. ugh. :-)