Today you are 18 months old. I cannot believe how much you have changed since the last letter I wrote to you 6 months ago. You have grown in every way. You are absolutely perfect. You are now 22 pounds and 31 inches tall. Although you are in the lower percentile for everything, you continue to eat like a mad man! You eat anything we put in front of you.
You are a happy boy. I could listen to your precious giggle FOREVER. Your sister is the best at getting you to laugh your heart out. You love her...which makes my heart smile. I pray every day that you two will grow up loving each other and being each other's best friend. You follow her everywhere and you want to do everything that she does.
You are quite the social butterfly. Wherever we go, you have to cheese it up and wave to every. single. person. while saying "hi". You know no stranger and absolutely love to show off by running in circles, smiling from ear to ear, and yelling in some language. Your favorite people are women...you are quite the flirt. People comment on your dark chocolate eyes and beautiful smile.
You are a bright little boy. You know what your daddy and I say to you (whether you listen to it or not is the question!, and you talk back to us in understanding. You talk ALL the time. You can say a lot of words including: Ira (Iris), side (outside, I tuck (stuck), Papa, Rara (Sarah), Kissy (Kristen), daddy, water, milk, ju-ju, eat, hi and bye, nana (banana), pease (please), no, to (me too)...and many more. You are constantly pointing to different things and ask "whaz that?"
You, just like Sissy, are quite the dare devil. You don't stop...ever:)You run, you jump, you fall, you get up and do it all again. We average about one bloody nose, head, lip, tongue, a day. I am so afraid people are going to ask if we beat you because you constantly have a fat lip or a bump or a bruise somewhere noticeable. You never seemed phased by it though! You are still OBSESSED with any kind of ball and will throw one (or 13) around the house all day long.
You still sleep all the way through the night (7:30-8:30 or 9). You are a great sleeper, which I am very thankful for. You do have to your blankie wherever you go...and by wherever...I mean WHEREVER! I love how you snuggle with it and carry it over your shoulder while drinking your milk (with your stomach sticking out).
You bring so much joy to our lives, sweet boy...your laugh, your smile, your personality. I can't imagine our lives without you and I thank God for you EVERY day. I thank Him for your precious, funny, sweet personality. I thank Him that He allowed us to be your parents. I thank Him for your every breath. I thank Him that He has made you unique with a special purpose.
I have written this in every letter, but I never want you to forget how loved you are. I love you with every ounce of my being.I will never, ever, ever stop loving you.
You are my baby boy. I cannot thank God enough for that. I can't wait to see you keep growing.
Love you Colton,
Mommy
For over a month now, Hayden and I have had this tradition every Thursday night of baking when Bubby goes to bed. I have mentioned this before but I thought I would share some of our favorites that we have found through doing this in case you were interested! Warning: Nothing about these are healthy...but they are oh-so-good!
(This first one ranks at the top of our list!)
Peanut Butter Swirl Bars Recipe:
- 1/2 cup Peanut Butter (crunchy or plain)
- 1/3 cup Butter (I used Butter Flavor Crisco)
- 3/4 cup Brown Sugar
- 3/4 cup White Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla
- 1 cup Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 6 oz (about 1 cup or so) Chocolate Chips (I use Milk Chocolate)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 13×9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Cream together butter, both sugars and peanut butter. Add the eggs and vanilla, mix well. Add the dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Spread in prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with chocolate chips on top.
Place in oven for 5 minutes, remove and swirl chips into peanut butter mixture with a knife. Return to oven and bake for 25-30 minutes longer.
Cool and cut into bars.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
3 cups white sugar
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
4 eggs
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 1 pound size coffee cans, or three 9x5 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, oil, water, and eggs. Beat until smooth. Blend in flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts. Fill cans 1/2 to 3/4 full.
3. Bake for 1 hour, or until an inserted knife comes out clean. Cool on wire racks before removing from cans or pans.
Snickerdoodles
For the topping:
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions
In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon and set aside.
To make the cookie dough, stir together the dry ingredients.
In a bowl with a paddle attachment, cream the butter. Add the sugar and continue to mix, then add the eggs, corn syrup, and vanilla, and mix thoroughly. Add the dry ingredients and mix until blended. Chill dough 1 hour if it's sticky or difficult to handle.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Roll balls of dough about the size of a walnut then roll them in the cinnamon sugar to coat. Place on an un-greased sheet pan 2 1/2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until puffed up and the surface is slightly cracked. Let cool on the sheet pan a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.
S'more Cookie Bars
2 1/2 C flour
- 1 t baking soda
- 1/2 t sea salt
- 1 t cinnamon
- 11 T unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 C sugar
- 1 C brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 t vanilla
- 1/3 C semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 C mini marshmallows
- 2 packages graham crackers, broken into squares
- 3 regular sized Hershey’s chocolate bars (1.55 oz. each)
(Preheat oven to 375 degrees)
2. In the bowl of a mixer, cream together the butter, white sugar, brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until blended.
4. Slowly add flour mixture.
5. Fold in the chocolate chips and mini marshmallows.
6. Chill the dough in the fridge for at least an hour.
7. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay graham cracker squares side-by-side.
8. Put a scoop (a little more than 1 T) of dough in the middle of each graham cracker and press down lightly with your finger.
9. Pop them in the oven at 375 degrees and bake 5 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and place Hershey’s chocolate pieces on top of each cookie.
4. Slowly add flour mixture.
5. Fold in the chocolate chips and mini marshmallows.
6. Chill the dough in the fridge for at least an hour.
7. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay graham cracker squares side-by-side.
8. Put a scoop (a little more than 1 T) of dough in the middle of each graham cracker and press down lightly with your finger.
9. Pop them in the oven at 375 degrees and bake 5 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and place Hershey’s chocolate pieces on top of each cookie.
11. Put the cookies back in the oven for another 5-7 minutes.
This is all for now...I will post more later!
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