small + friendly

Baby Book Club - ABC's and 123's

Baby Book Club Part Two - Let's learn some stuff!  (You can learn more about Baby Book Club here.) These are our picks for learning the basics: ABC's and 123's

1.  The Coolest: Achoo! Bang! Crash!  The Noisy Alphabet by Ross MacDonald

- Jude loves it because: it's noisy and funny!

- Mom loves it because: she's a typography geek.

2. The Most Interactive: Alphabet by Mathew Van Fleet  

- Jude loves it because: there is so much to do and touch and try.

- Mom loves it because: it's one of the only books Jude likes to read all on his own.

3.  The Artsy Counter: 123s by Charley Harper   

- Jude loves it because: of the bright and graphic pictures of bugs and animals.

- Mom loves it because: it is a great way to introduce both counting and art to little ones.

4.  The Most Engaging: One Gorilla by Atsuko Morozumi

- Jude loves it because: the silly gorilla and his friends are always hiding.

- Mom loves it because: the illustrations are beautiful and it is appropriately challenging.  

What are your favorite ABC and 123 books?  If you've read any of these, what did you and your little one think?   

Miss last month's selections? Click here for our bedtime picks.

A Happy Easter Indeed

Healthy Oatmeal Cookies

Okay, I would argue that standard oatmeal raisin cookies are plenty healthy, and this recipe from smitten kitchen is super delicious.  However, I can never eat just one, or wait until after 9am to start enjoying them.  So, with a few tweeks, I reduced the calories, boosted the fiber, and made them an acceptable breakfast food.

Healthy Oatmeal Cookies (based on thick, chewy oatmeal raisin cookies by smitten kitchen) 

Makes 2 dozen cookies

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened organic applesauce

2/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 pinches salt

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350

In a large bowl, cream together butter, applesauce, sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth (no electric mixer required, I just give it a real good stir with a wooden spoon).  Sift in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt and stir to combine.  Add oats and raisins, stir.

Chill dough in fridge or scoop cookies onto parchment lined cookie sheets and freeze.  Cold dough makes thicker cookies and lining your cookie sheets with parchment (or a silpat) is crucial.

Bake 10-12 minutes, a little more if totally frozen.  Let cool (if you can) and enjoy, guilt-free!

Deluxe DIY Sandbox

Update: Full Tutorial Here

There are sandboxes, and then there's this:

Jason made Jude the Cadillac of sandboxes.  It has a beautiful hinged cover that acts as a deck.

The handle is the perfect height, so that when you open the lid it creates a level platform.

This little deck is where I like to sit while Jude plays.  It's a great spot to sit and gaze at the garden:

The lid is not only cool, it's necessary:

The sandbox is made entirely of salvaged wood, sealed with low-VOC protectant, and filled with all natural beach sand.  This thing is all kinds of awesome, as is the incredible man who made it.  Jude is, of course, totally over the moon about it.

Here's to summer fun, with sand in your diaper and a smile on your face!   

Update: Full Tutorial Here

100!

Post #100 and Small + Friendly's 1st Birthday!  I didn't even plan it that way, I swear.  

I planned on writing an interesting post all about why I blog, but then this little family passed around the stomach flu, so that will have to wait for another day.  For now I'd just like to say thank you to those you visit my little spot on the web:  you are why I love blogging and why I plan to continue.  

Here are few posts from the early days that you might get a kick out of, it's crazy how much Jude has grown!

Post #1

Do, Re, Mi, a mom who always sings

Soft Blocks, Hard Knocks  (my all time favorite)

Here's hoping your weekend is fantastic and flu-free!

Jude's Nautical Nursery

I finally put together a nursery tour, I figured I had better document his nursery before it becomes a big boy room.  So I cleaned up a bit, and took some pictures.  I'd love to know what you think.  Click here for the tour.

this moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.  Words (and inspiration) by Amanda Soule.

Garden Kneeler

Here in Northern California spring has most definitely sprung.  While this is a joyous time of warm sunshine and unfolding blossoms, it also means there is a lot of work to be done in the garden.  Namely, pulling copious amounts of weeds while the earth is still soft.  I was toiling away, when inspiration struck, why not use a couple of dish towels to sew a washable, upcycled kneeling pad?   

I used dishtowels that were a bit passed their prime (AKA perfect for the garden), added velcro so that the cover could be removed and washed, and filled it with a piece of foam (left over from this project).  Oh, and I used a length of grosgrain ribbon saved from a wrapped gift to fashion a handle.   

I would be lying if I said this was the difference between loving weeding and hating it, but it does make it more comfortable.  

And, of course, it also makes a cozy seat to relax and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

What to make one?  I put together a quick tutorial.