Sweet Thursday

The singer/songwriter Matt Costa has a song called "Sweet Thursday," and for the longest time I couldn't understand how anyone could like Thursdays.  As a child, Thursdays were my "chore days."  As  a student, I found Tuesday-Thursday classes too long and at inconvenient hours like 9:30 (so I'm a lazy late-sleeper).  Thursdays meant staying up all night to finish papers due on Friday.  And there lay the ultimate rub: Thursday means the weekend is not here yet. 

This year, however, I have a new perspective on Thursdays.  Jf has classes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, which gives Thursday a whole new appeal.  This is the day my husband comes home at a normal hour! This is the day I get to cook dinner, instead of half-heartedly eating a sandwich! Today is Thursday, almost Friday, and little things like that deserve a celebration.

So, in honor of Thursday, I want to tell you about two sweet things: Finn  and cookies.

First things first.  If this blog is about being a mama, I should give you a bit of an update on my baby boy.  Finn is almost three months old now and one big boy.  He has been in 3-6 month clothes since he was 8 weeks old  (he goes through about 4 of these outfits a day thanks to certain. . . ahem. . .explosions.)  At his last doctor's appointment he weighed 14 lbs 6 oz and was 24 1/2 inches long.  That's 97th growth percentile.  If you couldn't tell from that, one of his favorite activities is eating.

Some other interests that consume Finn right now include: his hands and figuring out how to get them in his mouth, grabbing things (especially fabric like Mama's skirt, shirt, or bedsheets), chewing on his stuffed animal buddies, and generally observing this great big mystery we call the world.  He loves to smile now and he laughs too!

Daddy's sidekick, indeed.

 
  
Finn holds his shoulders, neck, and head up like a champ, which means he is big enough for the front carrier.  Mama likes it because she can get things done, and Finn enjoys fulfilling two of his basic needs: movement and gnawing on things.  We also like going on walks together. 

Irish Baby!

My seven-year-old nephew, Vince, when he heard that my job was takimg care of Finn all day, said, " That's like the best job in the world." I agree totally.

And now for some less sweet, but more sugary, pictures of peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.  I believe one should never have to choose between peanut butter and chocolate.  They are too wonderful together.  So I decided to make these cookies from smitten kitchen.  (Seriously, if you need a recipe, go to smitten kitchen.  Great stuff.) The only thing bad I can say about this recipe is that it only makes 3 dozen cookies.

Here's the picture essay of my cookie adventure.

While Finn Finn was sleeping ,

 I mixed together the wonderful batter for these cookies, which use chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and a cup of peanut butter.  (No wonder I go through the Sam's Club double 40 oz pack of Jiff so quick).

The batter for these cookies is so delicious.  Not that I would know or anything

P.S. I love my kitchen aid mixer.

Before you bake them, you roll them in sugar.

They come out looking like this and tasting like warm peanut-buttery, chocolatey heaven.

 

Today is: The Feast of St.Bruno (I had to look him up.  Founder of the Carthusians, it turns out.)

Finn is: 12 weeks old!

Mama is reading: On the Unseriousness of Human Affairs by James V. Schall