Every Friday night is movie night here. I usually make a special dinner and dessert and we rent a movie and the boys get to stay up late. It is one of our most favourite things.
Last night I made Thai Beef Soup (it was sooo good!)

Chocolate chip cookies for dessert (rolled in cinnamon sugar)

And let us not forget the all important air popped popcorn topped with sea salt and melted butter.

With the weather getting cooler I find I am craving comfort foods. This pumpkin loaf fits the bill perfectly.



Pumpkin Loaf:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
2 1/2 cups whole wheat or spelt flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon each allspice and cloves
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 can (15 ounces)  solid-pack pumpkin puree
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup walnut pieces
Directions:

   1. Preheat oven to 350  degrees. Butter loaf pan.
   2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, butter, and pumpkin puree until combined. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture, and mix gently until smooth add in walnuts and pumpkin seeds.
   3. Turn batter into prepared loaf pan, and smooth top. I like to sprinkle a few pumpkin seeds on top too. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 65 to 70 minutes (if it starts to brown too quickly then tent the top with tin foil. Cool cake 10 minutes in pan, then turn out of pan, and cool completely, right side up, on a rack.

Zander is 5 today!! I can't believe it, where has the time gone? 5 years ago was the last time I was pregnant!! Seems weird to say that since I have a 2 year old daughter but adoption is a different kind of pregnancy.



This picture was taken at my blessingway. The woman putting Henna on my belly was one of my doula's.


Remembering his birth: I woke up around 3:00am that night with mild contractions. They were strong enough to keep me from sleep, so I went downstairs to check my email. As I surfed around I noticed my contractions were getting much stronger so I woke Mike up. We both sat on the couch and talked and breathed for about an hour. At around 5:00am I decided it was time to call my doulas and my midwives and my parents. Everyone arrived just as Ryan and Jayden woke up. The great thing about home birth is it feels so normal. Just like any other day. About 2 hours before Zander was born I was making toast with my doula in the kitchen. The contractions started to get really intense so I got into a warm tub and that helped so much. In fact I laboured there until Zander was ready to be born. Then I got into my bed (the same bed Jayden was born in 2 years earlier) and he was born. When I think of all the feelings I had as they placed his warm baby body on my belly I still well up with tears. It's a very powerful experience. I enjoyed his birth so much!!! I was surrounded by love and that makes all the difference. My midwife was great and my doulas were great and of course Mike is a rock for me. When my doulas first got to my house they called all my friends who each lit a candle for me while I laboured. I also had candles lit in my room and I could feel each and every one of those woman in the room with me.

Zander was a big baby weighing in at 11 pounds but his birth was by far the easiest and most enjoyable. 


Very soon after Zander was born I noticed that something was wrong with his left eye. I spent the first two weeks of his life terrified. The doctors didn't know that was wrong with him, but I went from doctor to doctor with scary words like "tumor" being thrown around. When I finally landed at Toronto Sick Kids Hospital they were able to diagnose him with Microphthalmia.
It's horrible to watch your baby go through painful tests. It causes you real physical pain. We spend the first year of Zanders life in and out of the Sick Kids Hospital, but in the end he was fine and it turns out to be not as serious as they led me to believe. He is completely blind in his left eye but you would never know it. He is an amazing little guy. He has proven all the doctors wrong!

This is one of my favourite pictures of Zander and I. He is about 9 months old here.

I started knitting this scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts on Friday. I finished it last night. I used Alpaca wool which is quickly becoming my favourite wool. I am starting a blanket for Gabbi with this wool.






Don't mind my bathroom, it's under renovations. Today it's very cool out so after our walk I am coming home to bake.

Mike surprised me with the gorgeous snow globe this weekend. He knows how much I LOVE birds!

And I had to let a little more Christmas creep in. I pulled out my wooden reindeer.

Seriously cute outfit I bought for Gabbi on Friday from Old Navy




A little project I have been knitting this weekend



We had a friend stop by on Saturday evening and I taught her how to knit. She learned very fast and knit this up. I told her she should put it in her scrap book.

We spent the morning at the beach. It was probably the last really warm day for quite a while and we wanted to soak it up.



Worms eye view of the autumn colours.