Are you as cold as I am? I think we’ve got the winter itch. The weather in Atlanta lately has ranged from cold to colder. This season it seems like we get a warm day every now and then when the sun decides to pop its’ shiny face out from behind the clouds and raise our thermometers 10 degrees here and there. Sadly spring has not quite sprung yet though, but we are close! It is only March so we must give Mother Nature her time I suppose. Our temperatures have averaged from 30′s at night to 50′s during the day and strangely recently even colder, soooooo when the opportunity presented itself to visit the sunny skies and beaches of Captiva, Florida after months of sweaters and scarves, we jumped on it! John’s father or “Grandpa G”, as he has been so aptly named, has a condominium there and invited us to join he and his wife Molly or ”Za Za” as Sara says, for a long 5 day weekend in the sand.

    Captiva is simply gorgeous! Check out the photos if you don’t believe me or if you just need a little mental vacation in your day. Can’t you just feel the warmth? The sun on your face? The sand between your toes? Sorry… got a little carried away there with my little mental vacay but you get the picture. Located near Naples and Sanibel on the Gulf Coast of Florida and a balmy 78 degrees today(yes I regrettably just checked that online) it is similar to being in the Caribbean minus the crowded cruise ship or extended plane flight, which can be loads of fun with a 2 year old. But imagine the water is a beautiful shade of blue green and watching the waves roll onto white sandy beaches as our little one runs around freely with a smile on her face and you can understand why we feel so lucky to have this spot to visit. Everything on Captiva is conveniently located due the fact the island is roughly 12 miles long and 3 wide and the beach is almost always within walking distance. Talk about de-stressing. Sara loved our time there. She had some wonderful bonding experiences with her grandparents as they helped her suit up for the beach with her little sandals and bikini, got to share meals together and let’s not forget the outdoor activities! She is still talking about her golf cart rides with them which I’m pretty sure for a 2 year old is the equivalent of a roller coaster ride at Six Flags, and is still a couple weeks out pushing her stuffed animal friends around on her Dora the Explorer car calling it her golf cart. Pretty darn cute I have to admit especially when her stuffed flamingo rolls off mid lap around the downstairs and needs a band aid…we’re big on boo boo’s right now. Seeing her with them though, hugging and laughing, especially now that she is becoming so verbal, was a gift in and of itself. It’s so neat to see the development of her coordination as she dug in the sand A LOT, or her communication skills as she asked for the things she needed at dinner with a “please”, and even her emotional maturity wanting to holds hands with those around her as we walked. Overall it was a great trip with great company. The two of us got to spend some important time with our little girl and each other as well creating some wonderful memories I hope stay fresh in my mind for a while. These thoughts remind me of how lucky we are to have each other and how important it is to be thankful for them everyday.

Recipe of the Week:

Who doesn’t love Cookies? Healthy cookies at that! We just started making these 4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies which have been a hit, AND THEY ARE ONLY 36 CALORIES EACH! You will only need peanut butter, honey, baking soda and one egg for this. Combine 1 cup of peanut butter with 1 cup of honey in a bowl. We use 1/2 cup honey to cut down on the sugar intake(a few less cals btw) but they taste so good either way. Then add 1 TSP of Baking Soda and 1 egg to the bowl and mix. Dollop spoonfuls of the cookie dough onto a nonstick cookie sheet or lay tin foil down first like we do and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes(keep an eye on them near end so they don’t get too brown). There you have it, pretty much the easiest cookies ever and much healthier without all the extra butter and additives. Throw in some shaved coconut, raisins, chocolate chips or other goodies to take them over the top. Enjoy!

As I think Ive mentioned in a previous blog Sara’s imagination has been taking flight at a rapid pace and it is fascinating to see. Pablo Picasso once said that,”Everything you can imagine is real”, and for Sara this is very true to life right now. She has a new doll house upstairs and yesterday she had the whole miniature family dancing “ballet”, as she hummed an uneven 2 year old tune. In the bath last week she told me her wind up puppy was thirsty and then proceeded to take a small cup and pour water on his face haha, then she beamed “All better”.

Of all the toys, she seems to be displaying the most creativity and bond with her stuffed animals. She does refer to them as her friends, as we all do now, and its funny I never pictured myself holding a stuffed flamingo and having a full conversation with him…it…him…see what I mean…in order to have those precious memories with her. As parents we encourage this imagine and creativity as much as possible right now because soon enough it will not be as easy for her to become engulfed by a book about a little mouse or put her stuffed bear, named Bear Bear appropriately, in a chair for a dinner party. She did have a dinner party for her friends the other day by the way, complete with spoons, drinks and her little stuffed fabric cupcakes, it was precious as well as entertaining. Research shows that the evolution of a child’s imagination is imperative for cognitive development and learning how the world works around them. The Wall Street Journal published an article entitled, “The Power of Magical Thinking”, and it does a great job of explaining this very idea. The article says, “In preschool children, for example, those who have imaginary friends are more creative, have greater social understanding and are better at taking the perspective of others, according to Marjorie Taylor, a psychology professor at the University of Oregon and author of the book “Imaginary Companions and the Children Who Create Them.” We are happy she seems to be happy and developing the way she is. Aside from all of the science behind this, sometimes after a long hard day, sitting down with our little girl and having a cup of “tea” with her and violet the stuffed dog, is one of the best things a Daddy or Papa could ask for.