Pumpkins and Persillade

Now that I have 20 more minutes of baby-free time I can put up the rest of our updates!

Conrad had intersession last week. That meant he only had to be at school from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. each day--pretty much a vacation! Seriously, it was so nice to be able to wake up together each day and for Conrad to be able to see Coen morning and night for a whole week. Conrad took some time to catch up on some important business, like watching some college football and digging in the dirt. Coen was very interested in helping with digging in the dirt, as you can see. We also were able to go on a couple of picnics last week and enjoy the lovely 60-70 degree weather we're having.



I spent most of the last month chasing after Coen and working for the Martha O'Bryan Center. I've really enjoyed my job there thus far because even though it's part-time and I get paid by the hour, I feel like (and am treated like) a competent professional. I've also started picking up a couple hours of physics tutoring a week, helping some Elementary College Physics students at Lipscomb.

Besides baking hundreds of cookies for Coen's birthday (most of which are now in our freezer), I've enjoyed cooking up some new recipes this month. If you ever get a chance, go to the NY Times website and look up Mark Bittman. We had a blast watching his cooking videos online the other day, and so far can attest that his homemade granola bars are scrumptious and his parsley persillade stuff is delicious in pork loin if you don't happen to have leg of lamb. Also, if you are ever puzzled over what to do with that eggplant you bought on sale at the farmers' market, I recommend you go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/roasted-eggplant-spread-recipe2/index.html. It's not very pretty, but trust me, it's delicious. :)

Here are a couple more pictures of Coen because I can't resist: one of his very mischievous face, and another one to show his new clapping skills. The pumpkins are from Grandma and Grandpa McKnight's garden. They came down for a couple days in early September and we had fun showing them all of our favorite parks and visiting the Carnton Plantation together.

C is for Coen

On his birthday a couple weeks ago we gave Coen a Cookie Monster theme party with some friends from Conrad's fellow VMS III-ers. On the way home Coen managed to take the lid off of a bowl of leftover chocolate chip cookies. He carefully took one out, ripped it in half, and stuffed it in his mouth. Conrad and I were laughing so hard we didn't even stop him as he took another one, shouting out some approving, "NUM YUM YUM!"'s.



Besides emulating Cookie Monster, Coen has been busy trying to toddle around. He also likes to play in the flower garden, swing long-handled spoons around like swords, and scream "Noooo!" when I change his diaper. We finally moved him into a front-facing carseat, and he seems fascinated with looking out the front windshield.