Can You Feel It?

You noticed too, didn't you? Summer managed to hold on through most of September (and wasn't it beautiful?). But now, changes are afoot. I can feel it. I can see it.

We adore this sweet book about a leaf holding on tight to his branch because he isn't quite ready to let go. I can relate.

Cute book courtesy of Grandma :)

Thump, Thump Goes My Baby

I forgot that one of the most strange and magical parts of pregnancy is the thump, thumping from the little person who lives inside of you. My baby is a busy, busy boy (as were his brother and sister before him).

He gives me big kicks that make my belly jump and jiggle. Other times, he gives me more of a squiggly, rolling, stretching-my-leg-out kind of kick. Sometimes David or the kiddos can feel this thumping on my belly. But most of the time, the movement is more of an internal thing that only I can really feel.

I love this private communication that only I get to experience. And I remember now that strange lonely feeling after the baby is born and no one is giving you those "hey there, I'm, right here" kicks.

Note to self: enjoy this while you can because it will be over before you know it.

Peapod: It's a Mama's Friend (Keep Reading . . . There Is Something in This For You)

Until recently, we lived in a third floor, walk up apartment. Three flights of stairs + two kids who want to be carried = one exhausted Mama. When I was dealing with this logistical nightmare on a daily basis, I started using Peapod to deliver my groceries from time to time.

Now that I am fortunate to have a garage, a kitchen on the ground floor, and a child who occasionally goes to preschool, a trip to the grocery store isn't quite the ordeal that it once was. The truth is that I much prefer to do my grocery shopping live and in person (there's just no substitute for choosing items yourself -- especially produce). But I am also not too proud to admit that grocery shopping with my two little ones has turned me into a frazzled mom and reduced me to tears on occasion. And that is where Peapod comes into my life.

Peapod recently contacted me to see if I would be willing to give their service a try again. And I was happy to do that because I imagine that I will become a regular customer come January when I have a newborn baby and two feet of snow in the backyard. Grocery delivery service is just one of those things that makes being a mom a wee bit easier when you have a sick child, a sore back, terrible weather, or just too many damn kids to bring to the grocery store with you.

Here are my thoughts on my most recent shopping experience with Peapod: You can't beat the convenience of the two-hour delivery window. Shopping online is really easy and Peapod offers a good (but not great) selection of many basic organic products (i.e. dairy, produce, etc.). The delivery charges seem to be higher than they were a few years ago (doesn't that seem to be true of everything?). Prices seem pretty comparable to chain grocery stores (but definitely not as cheap as Trader Joe's). I do wonder if the company couldn't come up with a better alternative to the ten million little plastic bags that they deliver your groceries in (one delivery seems to totally undue all of your diligent use of your reusable tote to cut down on plastic bag consumption). But when all is said and done, you have a fridge stocked with food and you didn't leave your house.

Does Peapod sound like a service that you might find helpful? Go ahead and try it out. I have a special code for you get $20 off your next order. No entries necessary. Each of you gets this discount. Enter BLOGPOST10 into the discount code section to redeem your $20.

So basically, that means you get free delivery, tax and a free grocery item or two. Which also means that it won't cost you any more than your average trip to the grocery store. Use the discount code, see for yourself, and let me know what you think.

Filling Up the Freezer

Our very own tomato sauce -- made from start to finish (including the beautiful label)by my little helpers. I can't wait to reach into my freezer one chilly November day to retrieve our creation.

Do You See What I See?

I was looking through my pictures from September and this one made me stop and take a second look.

This isn't my baby. This is unmistakably the face of a little boy (an incredibly handsome little boy, if I do say so myself). There is nothing "baby" about him.

Oh, life is going much, much too fast.

A Delicious Transformation

I took a big bowl of roma grape tomatoes from my garden (aren't they just the prettiest little things you ever did see?)

And I transformed them into the simplest tomato sauce ever.

Then we devoured nearly every single bite. So good.

Diaper Free!

It's over. He is potty trained. Hallelujah.

It was actually incredibly easy. He basically trained himself.

I certainly recognize that some rocky days lie ahead. But he gets the gist of it. No more diapers. No accidents for ten days now. Yippee!

And that means that we are a diaper-free household -- at least, for the next ninety days or so (and then I will be buying teeny tiny newborn diapers for my new friend!).