Updated Baby Needs List

Today, June 10th, we did another update to our lists of what Baby Golding Page has and needs. Here are the links:

What Baby Golding Page Already Has

What Baby Golding Page Still Needs

Baby Gifts from Golding Grandparents

Julie's parents, Gary and Nancy, have sent Baby Golding Page several gifts, big and small. Their two large gifts are a regular-sized crib and this portable mini-crib (pictured). It will be perfect for our extensive car travel for work and personal reasons.

In the crib, you can see an assortment of smaller items - some clothing from the bilingual Gagou Tagou line, a Noah's Ark bank and storybook to match our nursery décor theme, a cute rattle toy and an irresistible monkey that we can't help but rub on the head, whenever we pass.

Stay tuned for more gifts...

Our Gifts for Baby Golding Page

Since we are showcasing the gifts that all you kind friends and family are sending for Baby Golding Page, we thought we would show you a few of the things that Mummy and Daddy (aka J&S) have bought. :-)

In the photo, you'll see Mr Crabby, the hooded towel (Daddy's find), and a soft little lamb (Mummy's find). Also, one of the outfits we bought (both of us chose that one).

We also have a Beginner's Bible, with bright pictures, and stories appropriate for toddlers.

But the pièce de résistance is our full Bible, our most important gift. This Bible is the New International Version - for all you translation nerds like us, it's unfortunately not the 2011 updated version, but we'll get one of those in time, too. (Mummy insists that 1st Corinthians must be read in the new NIV's Gordon-Fee-influenced translation from the Greek.) And it is a great children's Bible, for about up to age 11 or 12, as it stars some of our favourite kids' characters - Veggie Tales! You can see Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber there on the bright green cover.

Baby Gift from Sister in Sweden

Another fantastic international package has arrived - this time from Julie's sister, Cecilia, in Sweden. See, Julie and Cecilia have been writing since they were both 11 years old. They've met 3 times (twice in Canada and once in Sweden), and they now consider each other sisters.

The green coat is velour and came with matching pants- and note the "born 2011" tag. :-) The red and blue outfit is inspired by the famous Swedish children's character, Pippi Longstocking.

Oh yes, and not pictured are some goodies for Mummy and Daddy...some wonderful Swedish candies, including giant Marabou chocolate bars to feed our addiction.

Gifts are coming fast and furious now...stay tuned!

Updated Baby Needs List

For everyone who has asked what Baby Golding Page already has, and what is still needed, here is the updated list.

If you have any particular questions, feel free to ask us directly. Thanks! :-)

Cinnabun Recipe

By popular demand, here is our favourite recipe for cinnamon buns. We especially like the no-butter, low-fat filling. 
For the rest of the step-by-step photos, go to our flickr photos. 

Dry Ingredients:

• 3 cups (750 ml) flour
• 3/4 cup (185 ml) granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) baking powder
• 1 tsp (5 ml) salt

Gryffin is our eager kitchen helper.

Wet Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (125 ml) shortening
• 1 cup (250 ml) milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla

Cinnamon Filling:

• 1/2 cup (125 ml) brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) ground cinnamon
• a little milk 

Icing (optional):

• any icing you like, any colour, homemade or store-bought

Instructions:

1. Mix dry ingredients with a whisk. 
2. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles small, pea-sized crumbs.
3. Add egg, milk and vanilla. Mix until well combined. 
4. When dough sticks together into a ball, roll with rolling pin on floured surface until in a rough oval or rectangle shape, 1/4 inch (1/2 cm) thick.
5. Combine cinnamon filling ingredients, adding milk 1 Tbsp (15 ml) at a time, just until it makes a paste. (You will probably only need the 1 spoonful of milk, so mix very well before deciding to add more.)
6. Pour cinnamon mixture over dough, then use a brush to spread it evenly.
7. Roll up the dough slowly, keeping the roll fairly tight. The direction you choose to roll will determine whether you make many, small cinnabuns or fewer, large cinnabuns.
8. With a sharp knife, cut the roll into a few large pieces. (We cut it into 4.) Then cut each large piece into the number of cinnabuns you want to make, in the size you like. (We ended up with 16.)
9. Place cinnabuns on baking sheet and shape into rounds, as necessary.
10. Bake at 375 F (190 C) for 10-15 minutes, checking after the first 10, until golden.
11. When buns have cooled slightly, frost with icing (we used store-bought) and allow to melt.

- Modified from "Nanny's Cinnamon Buns" in Kyla Pierik's Treasured Recipes from Home, 2006.

1st International Baby Gift!

Today, we received our first baby gift from our many friends overseas. And from an exotic location, too - Macau, a former Portuguese colony that is now part of China. Thanks, Audrey, for the great gift! :-)

Check out these cool socks she sent:

For anyone else planning to send Baby Golding Page a gift, please check back in the next few days...we are updating our lists of What We Have, and What We Need, this weekend. Au revoir et à bientôt!