Monday, April 30, 2012

Big Kid Stuff...



This should come as no surprise, but DnA have been doing some "big kid" stuff in April. It can be difficult to remember how far they've come each month because they are constantly developing mentally and physically and are ever-changing, exploring their world and language in so many new ways. Hopefully in this short post I can capture the essence of these vegan toddler/big kid extraordinaires known as Astral and Defy.

The boys are still eating really well, but now they are starting to happily accept so many foods that they once disliked, such as hummus (I know, I know... All vegan kids are supposed to like hummus!), mushrooms and broccoli. They're using yummy vegan food for fuel so that they can keep up their exercise routines. Well, they don’t really have exercise routines, but they have been stretching, sprinting around the house from room to room, doing yoga-like poses (although they've never seen yoga... it must be a natural vegan thing!), chin-ups and attempting to copy daddy’s push-ups while he works out.

DnA really love imitating us and participating in whatever we do. They love pretending to cook and are so excited when they can help us out in the kitchen. They helped us roll dough for periogies a few weeks ago and it was so fulfilling to see how simple experiences in life can make them so joyful. Afterward they used their dough to make frozen dough cubes in an ice tray in the freezer. Turns out that's not very tasty, but they were so proud, and it was all about the experience. They always want to sprinkle nooch and spices on their meals as a way for them to assert their independence.“I do it, mommy... I dooo iiiit”... Such big boys!

We often mention the new things Astral and Defy say, but they are full-time talkers now. They spend a lot of time demanding and commanding, but, hey, they’re two! They can recite the alphabet, though it’s not always in order or complete. They can count to about 15, though sometimes that gets all mixed up too. They make full sentences and can say almost whatever they want. Daddy or I can get out an animal picture book and name the animals, and DnA will remember every single one and proudly identify them when asked. They even know the difference between an Emu and a Cassowary. Do you? The transition was super fast, but all of a sudden they just seem so grown up in their use of language and in their physical presence.
Astral and Defy love shouting, "ALL ABOARD" when they ride the train!









So this is a short post, and I won’t make any excuses besides laziness. I just wanted to get this April post posted. Overall the boys are doing great and are so healthy that even Nina Planck would have to acknowledge how well they're doing being raised as vegans...

Some Things Our Vegan Toddlers Eat
(along with a big fat kale or collard smoothie)
barley crusted seitan, green beans, and cheezy noodles

brown rice and lentils

tempeh fingers

baked tofu, hummus with veg, salad


All photos are of Astral Defiance and Defy Aster at 25 months old!

4 comments:

  1. Your boys are so adorable! Every time I read your blog, I tell my husband how much I would love to have twins ;)

    Our baby boy will be born in about two months!

    Thanks for posting pictures of your sons' meals for us to see. I think it'll be fun coming up with tasty vegan meals for our own when the time comes.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Paulina! I'm happy that everything is going well with your vegan pregnancy. How exciting!! I remember the anticipation and excitement during your current stage fondly...

    We aren't very great food photographers so we don't usually focus on vegan food photos, but I felt like posting a few to call attention to the fact that our vegan toddlers eat a healthy and diverse diet of simple foods with different textures and flavors. Clearly your little guy will have plenty of awesome dishes to enjoy... :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi! I just found your blog! My husband is vegan and I am about 60% vegan, slowly making the switch from vegetarian to vegan! I love seeing the things you feed your boys- would you mind sharing how you make tempeh fingers?

    It's inspiring to see another vegan family!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you, Nicoolmama!

    We just take a package of tempeh, cut it into 1/4 of an inch-thick strips, and cook them with a little salt, pepper (or whatever spices), and oil in a cast iron skillet until light brown. That's it. Quick and easy and delicious!

    ReplyDelete