Gone Hikin'

Sorry for the absence! It's funny, when people hear I'm staying home with Emmett, they think I'm getting to take more time to blog. Now that he is almost 10 months old (whoa!), free time in front of the computer is rare indeed.

What I HAVE been spending a lot of time doing is hiking. I've always wished I had more time to be outside, with with a desk job and a long commute, I didn't get to spend nearly as much time outside as I would have liked. Luckily, Emmett seems to love the outdoors as much as I do, so we spend a good 1-3 hours outside everyday on the move, usually a long walk just the two of us in the morning, and then a family walk with Luke and Benji in the evening after dinner. I'm so thankful for the chance to enjoy nature with him, feel healthy and have that time when I know we both will be calm and happy.

Checking out the ducks and turtles in Town Lake on a hike

I was so excited to discover Hike It Baby, a free meetup group that gets families outside. Hike It Baby is kind of a misnomer though, as there are older kids and many of the hikes are more just walks. But still, it's been a great way to socialize and encourage me to drive outside the neighborhood to enjoy the outdoors! We participated in the September Hike It Baby 30 challenge that encourages families to hike 30 miles in 30 days. Emmett did 75 MILES in September, primarily with me (a few solo hikes with Luke while I was at Body Jam), and also many included Luke and Benji. It was cool tracking our walks and hikes to see just how far we're going (and how much faster I walk pushing the stroller versus our meandering walks with Benji).

Scenes from our latest adventure to Enchanted Rock. Fun!

My friend is vegetarian, so I packed us some sandwiches with pumpkin hummus, cilantro sunflower seed pesto and veggies! Baby approved :)

Speaking of the outdoors, we DID get a new grill this summer and have lots of dinners cooked outside. It means less mess to clean up, less time chopping AND I didn't heat up the kitchen this summer. But, I was a little lazy, so it also meant less bloggable meals. Sorry!

Emmett is pretty much down to just one long nap a day, so I'm able to do my dinner prep (and sometimes cook the whole thing) during that time and then cook it while he's playing with wooden spoons and his baby mirror in the kitchen when Luke is on his way home. My main goal these days is making something all three of us can enjoy so I'm not making Emmett something separate, and that either doesn't require tons of dishes or has dishes that can be cleaned as I go. We love to have a quick 5 minute cleanup after dinner so we can start our family walk!

Now that Emmett has two teeth, he's enjoying solid foods more than ever before! He's still nursing, so solids are just for fun, but it's amazing what that kid can eat. He enjoys carbs (grains, bread, pancakes, pizza dough), meat (steak, chicken, salmon), Cheerios, peas, blueberries, peaches, all kinds of squash, beans, lentils, Greek yogurt, cheese, almond butter and more. I've been trying to expose him to a wide variety of spices and flavors so hopefully prevent a picky palate, but I'm sure he'll become a picky eater at some point no matter what.

Simple late summer salad of mixed greens, quinoa, millet, buckwheat and brown rice, roasted butternut squash, feta and salmon!

Food blogger baby date! Bess and Amity joined Emmett for a good time at the Toybrary

Easy summer breakfast - Greek yogurt topped with a banana nut muffin and fresh berries

I got to try these at a media event and take them home - OBSESSED! Loved on the grill and crumbled over a salad

Family hike to celebrate Hike It Baby Austin's first anniversary

Fun with bubbles at Gymboree

E eats mostly whole foods, but lots the occasional treat like queso! Enjoyed at TacoDeli with Aunt Lauren, Uncle Brian and Cousin Ben!

Some lick smacking after trying mint ice cream on a visit to Grandma's house