HANK IS THREE

Hank in Frontierland

This weekend we celebrated Hank's third birthday! I can't believe he is already three. Hank and I recently got haircuts so he is really looking older. It's as if in the blink of an eye he lost the last of his babyish qualities. We weren't quite sure how to celebrate this milestone but in the end we decided not to have a party. Birthday parties still feel more like events for the parents then the kids, and Hank isn't someone who necessarily thrives in large groups. We did want to mark the occasion and one of the perks of my jobs is free tickets to Disneyland so we decided to go down for a whole night and make a trip of it. We had a blast. We visited the park, enjoyed the waterslides and swimming pools at the Disneyland Hotel and we even had breakfast with the characters. Just because we spent the day away doesn't mean Hank didn't get a cake. I spent most of Friday night slaving over this baby:

Monkey Birthday Cake

I found the recipe here months ago and had been wanting to make it for Hank since he is in a real Monkey/Gorilla/Primate/Ape phase. Overall it was a great weekend. xo

Hank the night of his birthday

Oh baby.....

Hard to believe that we will soon have ANOTHER baby. I keep meaning to blog more but between work and preparing for said little girl blogging slips through the cracks.

I watched this video I made of Hank's first year. It's incredible how much we forget in just two short years. I keep wondering how does your heart open again as much as it did the first time but everyone assures me it will. I think I know that it will. I am definitely savoring every moment with this little guy before our lives forever change.

Family Photos

It feels like practically a lifetime ago but a few months back we piled Hank into the car and headed off to San Francisco to catch up with friends and enjoy this incredible city that's just a few hours North of Los Angeles. I was shocked to discover that a five-hour drive is incredibly easy with a toddler. I think all weekend long we kept saying we have to do this more and of course we haven't been back but seriously it's so worth it. Since we had Hank we headed straight to this museum when we arrived. I wish we had a lot more time to spend but it was great to give Hank a chance to burn off some energy after a long car ride. 

One of the biggest highlights of the weekend was getting to take some family portraits with Mike's talented friend Kena. It's something we've wanted to do for ages. I am so happy with the results and so thrilled that we finally did it. It is a testament to Kena's talent that the photos turned out so great. We took them in Golden Gate Park and I have to be honest that while she was shooting us running after Hank (me with my pregnant belly) I wasn't sure if any of them were going to be worth much. If you or a friend you know lives in the S.F. area and is looking for family portraits I can't recommend Kena more. She is warm and lovely and great with kids. 

Here are a few more of our favorites from the Golden Gate Park shoot: 

Life Lately or Why I've Been MIA

Bump Selfie from a month or two ago (much bigger now)

I am in the home stretch of pregnancy number two. We are expecting a little girl November 5th. It's funny how different the second pregnancy is from the first. This time around I haven't even picked up a pregnancy book, taken any prenatal yoga classes, or basically done just about anything that you do the first time around. To be honest it's easy to forget I am pregnant, well less so lately because I am waddling around and slowing down considerably. I am a bit scared to see how we transition to a family of three to a family of four. It's all very different this time around. In the meantime I am trying to savor every moment with Hank and our little family. I am sure that once this girl arrives it will be hard to imagine life without her but I am still clinging to every precious moment we have right now as if I am holding on for dear life.

We shall see. I hope that once I have some time off from work and have settled into our new family life I will have more time to blog a bit.

Here are some pictures from a recent family trip to Chicago and my Dad's lake house in Wisconsin. It was a great trip. The best part was watching Hank bond with his cousin Dexter. The two of them had running jokes which was amazing to see. They definitely enjoy slapstick humor and would crack each other up. We had a great time.

Checking Out the Corn 

Hank and Dexter

Visiting the Horses

Hank's Beloved Sheep Meet Some Sheep on the Farm 

Cousin Bath Time 

Stumbled across this lovely, haunting band London Grammar. Perhaps I am late but there album comes out September 8th. They are even touring next month at a bunch of U.S. Cities.

Delicious Grilled Chicken

Last Night's Dinner Included Grilled Chicken 

During the cooler months I tend to make roast chicken nearly every week. I have memorized the Zuni Cafe recipe (which people have blogged about all over the place and you can find here). It is always delicious and I have leftovers for a few days for Hank's lunch or for our dinners. In the summer months it feels odd roasting a chicken. It is already hot enough without turning your oven up to 475 degrees (seriously the recipe is all about high heat!). My go to summer recipe is Ina Garten's Grilled Tuscan Chicken. It is always juicy, flavorful and delicious. I also always enjoy at least a day of leftovers. It couldn't be easier you just need to start marinating the chicken at least four hours ahead of time (last night I ended up marinating it for over 24-hours b/c our Saturday night plans changed and it was still delicious. Enjoy!

Tuscan Lemon Chicken

Ingredients

1 (3 1/2-pound) chicken, flattened

Kosher salt

1/3 cup good olive oil

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves

Freshly ground black pepper

1 lemon, halved

Directions

Sprinkle the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt on each side. Combine the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, and 2 teaspoons pepper in a small measuring cup. Place the chicken in a ceramic or glass dish just large enough to hold it flat. Pour the lemon marinade over the chicken, turning it in the dish. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Turn the chicken 2 or 3 times while marinating.

When ready to grill, prepare a hot charcoal fire on 1 side of a grill (or turn a gas grill on low heat). Spread 1/4 of the coals across the other side of the grill. Place the chicken on the cooler side, skin side up, and weigh it down with the dish you used for marinating. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the underside is golden brown. Turn the chicken skin side down, weight again with the dish, and cook for another 12 to 15 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through. Place the lemon halves on the cool side of the grill, cut side down for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Remove the chicken to a plate or cutting board, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Cut in quarters, sprinkle with salt, and serve with the grilled lemon halves.

 

Grand Park

This weekend we finally checked out the new Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles. I realize we are a bit late to the game here but wow was this park fantastic for kids. We got there at 5:00 pm on a Saturday when the crowds had thinned significantly but there were still a ton of kids splashing in the water. Hank immediately peeled off his clothes and proceeded to run for a good hour. He had the best time. He would follow around older kids and lie down next to them in the shallow waters. The splash pad part of the park is the obvious draw for kids but there is also lots of green space and places to sit and they have all sorts of events here all summer long including outdoor movies and a farmer's market. We will definitely be back for more fun on a hot day. I can't recommend this place more if you have kids and you are looking for an alternative to the beach on a hot summer day.

Here are some more pics of Hank in Grand Park heaven: