Linna helps make her first pie.

Tonight, we're going to a friend's house for dinner, so I decided to make an apple-cranberry pie.  Linna loves being in the kitchen with me when I cook, so this baking experience was no exception.  I got this recipe from one of my mom's co-workers, after she made this pie for a pie contest that I happened to judge. It's so yummy, and made with fresh cranberries and apples from the apple orchard!  The recipe is below.  I hope it tastes as good as it smells!

My little helper! Baking is exhausting!

Crust:

2 1/4 cup flour
2/3 cup shortening
1 tsp. salt
8-10 TBSP cold water

Mix flour, salt and shortening together with a fork until the mixture forms into pieces the size of peas. Then, add water little by little until the dough becomes moist. Form dough into two balls and roll each out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll one of the layers around the rolling pin and lay into your pie pan. The second layer will cover the pie once you put the filling in (see below). Pinch the edges, and cut a couple slits on the top to vent.

Filling:

2 cups sugar
1/4 orange juice
1/4 cup corn starch
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp apple pie spice
1/4 tsp lemon juice
4 cups sliced and peeled apples (I didn't peel mine)
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
2 TBSP butter

Mix first seven ingredients into a bowl.  Add apples and cranberries and toss. Pour mixture into the top of the pie crust. Drizzle with the butter. Then, cover the filling with the second layer of dough.

Finished product. A little rough looking, but smells good!

Bake the pie at 425-degrees for 10 minutes, and 350-degrees for 50 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling.

What should Linna be for Halloween?

Baby Linna wants to know what you think.  Lady Bug or Baby Gaga?

Lady bug costume. I found this at a garage sale!

Baby Gaga costume given to Linna by
Auntie Julie G.!

Tough decision.

Over the last three months of my maternity leave from TWIN CITIES LIVE (KSTP), I've been struggling with the decision of whether or not to go back to work at TCL. After a LOT of discussion, tears, stress, and advice from others, I've made the decision to leave the show, and focus on being a mom.

This decision is incredibly bittersweet, as TCL has become a HUGE part of my life, and my co-workers have become part of my family. As a new mom, I found myself having major anxiety when I thought about putting Linna in full-time daycare. I'm sure this is something every new mom struggles with. I've literally gone back and forth about this decision, and after weighing the pros and cons with my husband and family, I've decided that this is the right decision for me and my family. I LOVE being a mom, but I also LOVE my career. My career has been my life for the last eight years.

I can't express how difficult of a decision this was to have to make.

From the time I was six weeks old, I was a daycare kid  My mom didn't have a choice, as she was a single-mom raising two kids. I loved daycare, and I think daycare is a great way for kids to learn socialization skills (among other skills). While, eventually, I could see myself being comfortable putting Linna in daycare... I'm just not there yet. I don't want to miss out on the things I get to experience with Linna every day.

And let's be honest... daycare is EXPENSIVE!

You'll still see me on TCL, as I plan on freelancing, and focusing on my blog (minnesotababy.blogspot.com). I'll always have a passion for fashion, beauty, and telling stories... AND I hope to share some of the new things I find with all of you! I've been with the show since the very beginning, and it's a place I can't just leave, and/or "forget". Plus, I'll always be a fan of the show, and hope to be back to my career in TV one day.

Baby steps.

Xoxo,

Mama Saigh

Two months old.

As Linna gets older, we're noticing that she's developing her own little personality!  She is SUCH a good little baby.  She only cries if she's tired, hungry, or has a poopy diaper.  When she's awake, she's perfectly content just hanging out by herself, and she loves to "talk" to people, or play with her Baby Einstein play mat.  When she's on her tummy, she can hold her head up almost 90 degrees, and she loves standing up (she's so strong).  Her favorite book right now is Green Eggs and Ham... I think she likes the bright bold colors!

Sparkle band-aids after her shots

We took her to her two-month check-up with the pediatrician today, and yes, she had to get her shots.  I have been dreading this moment since the day she was born.  AJ came with, held her hands when she was laying on the table to get the shots, and I picked her up as soon as it was over (I got to be the "good guy")!  She got three shots, and the nurse did them all in a row (really quickly), so she just screamed for about a minute.  Her face turned all red, she shook her head back and forth, and she screamed so hard that she almost forgot to breathe (poor baby)!  She's doing really well today, so overall the experience wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  I hear the four and six month shots are the worst!

Linna in her Boppy

Linna spends a lot of time in her Boppy, so she can strengthen her tummy muscles.  It teaches her to sit up too!  She's such an easy-going baby and just kind of goes with the flow.  We're still using reusable diapers during the day and night while I'm home, and although the laundry gets a little annoying, I really think it's a great fit for us.  We do disposables when we're out and about.  She's drinking between 3-4 oz. every three hours or so, and ever since we put her on Raniditine for her acid reflux, her spit-up problem has almost completely disappeared, and she's a happy little lady!  She's also sleeping an average of 4-6 hours at night, and actually slept an eight-hour stretch two nights in a row (we're hoping this becomes a habit)!

With Grandma and Grandpa Saigh
(MeMaw and PePaw) at the apple orchard

We took Linna to the apple orchard last weekend with her grandparents on both sides.  We hope to make this a tradition with both of our families!  I can't wait until she can actually pick apples and eat the recipes we make with the apples from the orchard:)

Linna's debut on TWIN CITIES LIVE

Chef Daniel Green, from TWIN CITIES LIVE (where I work), came to our house to shoot a "Kitchen Takeover" segment last week and it aired today! Thanks to photographer/editor Kerry Klatt for setting this up and doing a great job putting it all together. We love pad thai!

Watch the segment HERE!