Thursday, December 30, 2010

11 months

ian turned 11 months old on december 20. wow.  just one more month, and i won't have a baby anymore- i'll have a toddler. 

ian still hasn't gotten any new teeth- but it looks like he is working on at least 4 on the top.  all the signs are there- diaper rash, insane amounts of drool..  just waiting on the teeth. 

this has been a big month for ian as far as milestones!  ian did show us that he can crawl on his hands and knees- but still army crawls 99.9% of the time.  a few weeks ago i went to get him up from a nap and he was kneeling in his crib- so we lowered the mattress.  2 days after that, i went in and found him standing in his crib, so we lowered the mattress all the way.  now he's constantly standing in the crib, pulling up on furniture, will take "steps" if you're holding his hand, and tries to pull himself off the ground once on his feet.  i can't believe all this has happened in a just a few short weeks.  i know that cruising and standing and walking are right around the corner!  of course, this has brought lots of falls- poor kid seems to have bruises all the time now..

ian is still eating well, and eating more and more table foods.  we're moving towards more independent eating!  he is down to nursing only 3 times a day, has 1 bottle a day, and 3 meals a day.  we've introduced only a few more fruits and veggies- as there aren't many left (most of the ones that are have to wait until after he is 1 year).  i think the only thing we've introduced since is cantaloupe.  while we were at my mom & dad's we did jarred baby food for convenience, but he really didn't seem to care for a lot of it- i can't blame him- i tasted some of it - blech!  

we celebrated thanksgiving w\ dave's family the weekend before thanksgiving since dave's sister was going to be having a baby the week of thanksgiving.  then we headed to ft. wayne to have thanksgiving w\ dave's grandmother.  it was nice b\c we got to see a lot of dave's cousins.  i also did my first black friday- ian had no clue i was even gone! 

ian has gotten better about clapping- he just claps at random intervals and anytime you say "yay" plus he has started waving and saying "bye" and blowing kisses.  he also is now saying "uh oh" if he drops something (and he is dropping things all the time- mostly on purpose)...  he is changing so much- i just can't believe he'll be a year old!  ::sigh::

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Friday, December 24, 2010

merry christmas!

merry christmas!  love, dave, melissa & ian
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Friday, December 17, 2010

just an old sweet song

...keeps georgia forever on my mind.

hello warmer weather. 

tonight we head to husband's christmas party and then we will either leave late tonight or get a few hours of sleep and head out early saturday morning.  thoughts and prayers as we make the 12+ hour drive to georgia.  you'll hear from me once we've arrived! Pin It!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

oh baby, it's another baby?

no, sillies.  you must be effing crazy.  i am not having another baby right now, or anytime soon.  so, don't get your hopes up, and stop asking...

also, this isn't directed to anyone, or meant to insult anyone.  when people want to have babies is their business.  this is my disclaimer!

i did want to write on this because it seems a hot topic now- ian and all of his friends are nearing 1, and siblings are already on the way or in the works!  i on the other hand feel sometimes as if i am being looked at like i have 2 heads because i'm not in the process of making a sibling for my child...

my niece was born 3 weeks ago, and if you've been following my blog for quite some time, you'll remember that my other niece was also born the week of thanksgiving the previous year...  they are 1 year and 5 days apart.  and as much as this thrills some people to no end the thought of another cute cuddly baby in the house, all i can think about is my terrified sister-in-law who has a 1 year old that needs her, and she has a 3 week old that needs 100% of her attention.  she can't even pick up her 1 year old b\c she just had her 2nd c-section in as many years- and she lives 225 miles away from here, and her husband works all day, and their other daughter is in school.  she's tired, she's experiencing the baby blues, and she's trying to figure out this new baby, and she's trying to figure out nursing, and my niece doesn't get why mommy won't pick her up- and it's hard.  i know she'll figure it out, because she's awesome, but i think she would rather have spaced them out further.  and that's reason enough for me...

reasons for me to have another baby:
1.  they are cute and cuddly, and smell like babies, and tiny, and they have tiny cries, and clothes and yawns
2.  the actual experience of having a baby is awesome
3.  i love being pregnant, most people actually give a crap about you- plus it's fun to eat.
4.  my biological clock is ticking (i am under 35, so this does not apply to me)
5.  i have a lady condition that requires me to rapid fire babies (this does not apply to me- luckily b\c sadly i have many girlfriends with this issue- and it's just not fair)

reasons not to have another baby
1.  i would love to be pregnant again, but i must constantly remind myself that the experience of being pregnant is temporary
2.  babies grow up too fast- when i first had ian, i kept thinking about how he was going to grow so fast, and i wanted him to stay a baby forever.  yes, he has grown fast, and i wish he would stay a baby forever, but guess what, they all grow.
3.  i am not michelle duggar
4.  having a baby is a financial burden (yes, burden b\c you have no money- the baby itself is NOT a burden).  dave and i do not use credit cards (unless they say "ann taylor loft"...), so debt is not an option for us- however, after  not having credit card debt for 3 years, we have found ourselves having to use our 1 card b\c sometimes the money runs out before the month does, and another baby would be 2x the struggle.
5.  we are still paying for having ian after the insurance shenanigans
6.  i'm just enjoying ian.  i'm enjoying the hell out of him.  just.  him.


i had a friend who told me shortly after ian was born (she had just had her own baby as well) that if she never had another baby besides the one she had just had, that she would be content.  i thought she was crazy.  now, i can understand where she was coming from.  although i would love a little girl, i am perfectly content with ian- i even told dave that i would be happy if i didn't have another boy because i wanted ian to be our only boy- he's just that special.  first born babies are lucky:  they get mommy & daddy all to themselves- no sharing with siblings or competing for time.  i want ian to get as much one-on-one time before he has to share me with someone else.  i also don't want 2 babies in diapers, but that's another story.  so don't plan on me seeing yes or 2 pink lines or a plus sign or whatever your test reads for at least another year- or more.

and that's my take. Pin It!

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

here we come a-wassailing

one of the funest (not-a-word) things about marrying into another family is blending in their christmas traditions with yours, and one of my favorite things from my husband's family- wassail at christmas time, or as the family likes to call it (and i believe this phrase was coined by my bnl)- phw (piping hot wass)- i hope you enjoy it!
wassail

64 oz. apple cider
20 oz. unsweetened pineapple juice
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 t. nutmeg
3 T lemon juice
1 t. lemon zest
1/4 c. honey

put the cider and cinnamon stick in a pot and bring to a boil, then simmer, covered for 5 minutes
add the remaining ingredients and continue to simmer for at least 5 more minutes
optional:  you can also add orange zest and float sliced oranges on top!  so pretty

this is so easy- go make it, now!
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Monday, December 13, 2010

a date night in my future?

i honestly cannot remember the last time that husband and i went to see a movie... sadly it may have been winter 2008- we caught 2 movies with husband's best friend- gran torino & the curious case of benjamin button.  or maybe it was public enemies.  who knows.  sad times.  i'm not really into movies much anymore.  most movies seem to just be remakes of others with few new original ideas.  i live for classic film though.  i can safely say that most of my favorites were made prior to 1970- most way before that.  there have been a few movies that have caught my eye lately- so i'm hoping to somehow finagle a date night in my near future!  here's what's on my list of "like to see" movies.

love & other drugs:  i am wishy-washy on the rom-com genre.  some i like, and some are just way to much cheese for my liking.  this looks like it could have potential.

burlesque- i love singing and dancing and costumes and flashy!  i'm hoping this has modern-day moulin rouge potential.  plus, kristen bell is just so cute and little!

and finally

black swan- a psychological thriller (more up my alley) about ballet with gorgeous costumes by rodarte.  if i could see one of these movies, this would be my choice.

what about you?  do you make it to the movies often?  have you seen any of these movies- or are any of these movies on your list?  if not, what's on your list? Pin It!

Monday, December 6, 2010

nice to meet you, santa

ian met santa for the first time friday night.  he was really distracted by the whole set up and all the people walking around the mall.  we actually had to sit under the camera to try and get him to look in our direction- it didn't really work.  they did manage to get 2 pictures of him looking, but none of him smiling.  it was so fun for me to have him meet santa, i am just so excited to celebrate our first christmas with him!  i'm sure next year with santa will be a totally different story- so i'm glad things went well this time!

(santa looks a little drunk, no?)
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Tuesday, November 30, 2010

alright, you win

that's it, i give up.

it's been at least a year now.

by this time last year i had gained almost all my pregnancy weight.

currently i have lost almost all my pregnancy weight.

so i'm smaller than i was this time last year....yet i still can't get my engagement or wedding rings on my finger. 

so i'm biting the bullet and having the things re-sized.  my fingers are tired of being naked, and i keep thinking everyone thinks i'm teen mom... 

so goodbye size 4.5 rings.  we'll see what new size awaits Pin It!

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

mommy cooks: indian summer turkey chili

temperatures are getting colder here in the midwest.  it may be nearly 70 today, but it's not supposed to get over 40 as the week wears on, and i even heard the word "snow."  ::shudders::  to me, a perfect winter meal is a soup or chili- there's just something about the hot liquid that warms you right up.  to me, it's comfort food.  now, i make a mean chili, but we are trying to eat healthier, so we have been making a lot of meals with turkey meat instead of ground beef- turkey is a great replacement for beef in burgers, and it's the perfect meat for this awesome chili that's colorful and full of veggies!  enjoy!

indian summer turkey chili
courtesy of rachael ray's big orange book

3 T extra virgin olive oil
1 package ground turkey (i buy the leanest)
3 T dark chili powder
1 T grill seasoning
1 T cumin
2 T worcestershire sauce
2 T hot sauce
1 medium-large onion, chopped
2 large bell peppers, any color combination (orange, red, green, purple, yellow), ribs and seeds removed, chopped
3/4 cup of beer (alcohol cooks out)
1 28-oz can of tomato sauce
1/2 cup smoky bbq sauce
1 cups corn kernels

heat a pot over medium to medium-high heat.  add  evoo and the turkey.  season meat with chili powder, grill seasoning, cumin, worcestershire and hot sauce.  crumble up meat and let cook about 5 minutes.  chop the bell peppers and onion, reserving 1/4 of onion for topping chili, if desired.  add veggies to meat and cook 10 minutes more.  add beer and deglaze pan, scraping up drippings while the alcohol cooks off.  add tomato and bbq sauce, and bring to a bubble.  add corn.  let simmer for 10 minutes.  adjust to taste.  

chili toppers (use all or some according to what you like)

shredded cheese: white cheddar, colby jack, pepper jack
sliced jalapenos
salsas
sour cream
chopped onion
chopped green olives
chopped cilantro
diced tomato
(i love a little bit of cheese, sour cream, green olives and cilantro on mine)


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Tuesday, November 23, 2010

wean green cubes review



about wean green the company:  founded in canada in 2008 by melissa gunning, wean green is dedicated to providing parents with safe and environmental baby products that fit into every parent's diaper bag.
"we love researching environmentally friendly, modern, and unique baby products. we also love it when our diaper bags match our shoes! with this in mind, we created a company devoted to combining eco and chic in all of our products. our eco-chic designs make it possible for parents to choose environmental products without sacrificing style.  wean green grows with your baby, too. our wean cubes were designed with many secondary uses, including keeping cereal from spilling all over your purse!  our goal is to ensure that your eco-footprint does not grow faster than your baby's sweet little feet. the wean green team continues to design products that will meet the expectations of our weaners and their proud parents."  wean green means it when they say they are keeping their eco-footprint as small as your baby's feet:  their packaging is environmentally friendly and contains NO paper!  all of their invoicing and media kits are done electronically.

about wean green cubes:  wean green cubes are a safe way to store and transport food for your little one- they're bpa, pvc, phthalates and plasticizer free!  they are made from 100% recyclable glass that's durable enough for the dishwasher and to stand the heat of a microwave and the cold of the freezer (from my personal experience, don't accidentally send one flying off your kitchen counter onto your tile floor, b\c i'm pretty sure no glass can handle that).  wean cubes have smart clip lids that lock into place keeping air out of your food, and food out of your bag!

about my experience with wean green:  these cubes have changed our lives in the baby food department.  every night we were taking out our bowls, filling them with baby food, and covering them with plastic wrap that didnt' stick to the bowls.  heating food took forever... and traveling with the bowls, forget it.  we were using food storage containers that i'm sure weren't bpa free.  the wean green cubes eliminate all this mess.  we take the food straight from the freezer, pop 2 servings in the cubes and either go straight to the microwave or the refrigerator to thaw.  the cubes not only heat the food faster and more evenly- they also don't get hot!  i did manage to break one of my cubes by accidentally slinging it off the kitchen counter (there were tears involved), but that was more of a clumsy mommy thing.  they are also extremely easy to travel with- put the food in the cubes, clip the lid- and drop them into the diaper bag (they fit perfectly in the side bottle pockets.  no spills, no worries.  they clean easily and don't stain.  my husband raves about them EVERY TIME he uses them.  his words:  "these are totally awesome, i love them!"  i definitely wouldn't want to go back to life without them.  if you feed your baby, these are a MUST!

wean green cubes in action:


wean green cubes come in 4 delicious colors:  blueberry, raspberry, carrot & peas

up close and personal- tight fitting lids prevent spills and keep food fresh!

ian's food for the lunch & dinner- easy as can be!  (ian was eating plums & pumpkin for one meal, and mango & cauliflower for the other)

from the microwave, straight to the table!

interested in buying wean green cubes for your little weaner?  go to their website and during checkout enter the promo code "ohbaby"

disclaimer:  the opinions stated here are mine and mine only.  i was not compensated for this review, however, i did receive a sample of the product to try and review. 
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Monday, November 22, 2010

she's here!

my newest niece, madison eloise "ellie" roberts was born @ 8:30 this morning weighing 8 lbs, 8 oz & 21" long.  proud parents willie & shannon roberts and big sisters grace & annabella

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10 months

ian turned 10 months old on november 20.  it's scary to think that my baby is in double digit months.  where has the time gone precious boy?

ian now has  2 teeth on the bottom.  they're really cute, and really sharp- and he does bite fingers.  biting while nursing hasn't been a problem yet though- it's the top teeth i'm worried about- and i think he's working on one!

there isn't much new going on.  ian is still army crawling, although he is trying to work on a regular baby crawl- he usually just rocks back & forth and then plops back down on his belly.  he's still not really pulling up- he'll pull on us, and can crawl over our legs, but that's about it.  a friend gave us her baby jumper, so we have been putting him in there and trying to strengthen his core.  he's also not interested much in standing, but has stood up a couple times with us on the bed or couch. 

he is still eating well, as always.  he should be a poster child for an "eat your vegetables and fruits" campaign.  he nurses 4 times a day, has 1 bottle a day, and 3 meals a day.  we've introduced a lot more fruits and veggies including pineapple, pinto beans, brussels sprouts, beets, eggplant, cauliflower, sugar snap peas, spinach, potatoes.  he's also started eating finger foods: cheerios, puffs, rice, barley, edamame, grapes, banana, and turkey.  this kid can put it away! 

we celebrated halloween.  ian dressed as a pickle.  we were going to go trick or treating, but he had his first accident and was inconsolable for quite a while.  next year it will probably be a little more enjoyable, but mommy was pretty sad. 

he loves to laugh- he thinks the dogs are hilarious, he loves being tickled, he's working on clapping his hands- if you say "yay" he will clasp his hands together, he loves to blow raspberries and makes the "sucking in your breath" sound (i don't know what else to call it), he imitates you- ie: you cough, he coughs.  still more interested in books than toys, but likes his musical toys.  oh, and he's totally working on a mullet.  blech.

::sigh:: he's really growing up...  ha.  i say this at 10 months...

and pictures...

 socks?  we don't need no stinkin' socks

comfy casual.
they keep putting me on their shoulders

sock monkey boy
halloween pickle


10 months old!!
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Friday, November 19, 2010

in decent order: my fridge!

i love people who are creative and craft- because i am neither of those things!  my friend tara runs a blog called in decent order (or indecent order) where she talks about what it's like to actually be organized and crafty!  a little more background on tara: we were camp counselors and roommates at camp skyline (go nightriders) nearly 10 years ago.  not only is she my favorite former camp roomie, she's a mother of 2 boys, funny, a southerner turned northerner who is now a southerner, always has something wise to say, and she does a mean michael jackson dance impersonation! 

anywho, a couple days ago tara opened the doors of her fridge for all to see, and she asked for her readers to do the same!  so, i took to my fridge with a camera, and shared a peek inside! 

you can view what's going on in the mcfridge here

what's your always stocked fridge item(s)? Pin It!

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

nappy roots pt. 2

so remember here where i talked about doing this (again)?  it has now been 11 weeks (nearly 3 months!!) since i have last shampooed my hair.  how's it going?  it.  still.  sucks.

the oily stage is over.  my hair is now no longer completely greasy, and that is a relief... but...  it just still seems so.. dirty.  my hair has the consistency of straw- it feels like i could twist it into dreadlocks at any second and that they'd stick.  it seems like it's full of build up (of what, i don't know).  when i straighten it, it straightens well, but needs to constantly be brushed.  when i wear it curly, i have more springy curls, but it hangs so limp and the crown gets frizzy!  i don't know what's going wrong.

i started doing the baking soda wash once it got too oily, and it seemed to help, but now doesn't seem like it's working as well.  the simple mom article recommends washing daily with baking soda, while the mother nature network article says not to use it more than once every few WEEKS.   i've also started doing a once weekly "wash" with my conditioner.  since i color my hair, i'm supposed to use the conditioner once weekly anyway, so this has been a big help as far as making my hair a little more manageable.  and on the hair coloring front- i know these two aren't related, but it seems like my grays have multiplied!  aaaaah. 

i hate that i feel relegated to wearing a pony tail almost EVERY day.  especially with the holidays around the corner, but i don't know what else to do.  i don't want to give up.  i've come this far- i can't give in! 

 Seven months later, my hair has never looked better. It’s shinier and has more body, and my ordinarily flake-prone scalp is noticeably healthier. Plus, I get the self-righteous buzz of having beaten the system: I washed The Man right out of my hair and it stayed clean anyway.

so it's possible that i have 4 more months of crazy hair to put up with, but in the end i have the satisfaction of knowing that i did it. ::sigh::

here is my hair a few weeks ago.  ian seems disgusted, but it's not that bad!
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so sorry

i've been so busy lately, i've really been neglecting the blog.  but i've got a lot of things in the pipe.  i'll get to work on that... right now! Pin It!

Friday, November 5, 2010

cute as pie

besides colder weather, sweaters, great boots, and football... one thing i think of when i think of fall is all of the delicious food and baked goods that come with the holiday season.  one of my favorites: pie.  i am a fan of pie- pumpkin, apple, cherry, etc.  i'm not picky.  when i came across this pie pan at macy's, i just had to have it


absolutely adorable.  it's from the martha stewart collection- which always has new and interesting kitchenware, gadgets and accessories (i have her to thank for outfitting my kitchen in "martha stewart blue").  the bottom of the pie pan reveals a recipe for pumpkin pie!  you'll want to start serving pie asap just to cut away and reveal the bottom of your pan!  we went ahead and purchased this for a family member for christmas, but if i accidentally ended up keeping it for myself... oops.  there was also an accompanying apple pie dish, but i can't seem to locate it anywhere, which is really upsetting because macy's has a habit of discontinuing it's msc, and this is a relatively new item (i'm still upset about the kitchenaid mixer discon.).  it sure beats a boring old glass or metal pie pan!  get it now while it's available, and on sale for only $14.99- what a steal!

i also saw this pan, and couldn't resist showing it...

happy baking!  what pies (or other goodies) are you looking forward to making this fall?
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Wednesday, November 3, 2010

christmas is coming- shutterfly promotion

every year around this time, things start to get busier and busier.  it's the beginning of what the retail world calls "the holiday season."  yes, it's only november 3rd, but christmas decorations are up in stores (and some have been for weeks), seasonal employees are being hired, and people are getting started on (or finishing) their holiday shopping.  obviously, we have big changes this christmas- we have a sweet baby boy celebrating his first christmas, and then we get to turn around 3 weeks later and celebrate his birthday.  to say i have a lot on my plate is an understatement.  i'm already busy buying gifts, throwing lists together, and getting plans for ian's birthday on paper.  the list grows longer every day, and one of the biggest items on that list- christmas cards- i wish they would address and stamp themselves...

one tradition that started when dave & i got married was to send a holiday photo card.  it's a little cheesy, but it's what we do.
 here we are in 2007, 2008 & 2009.  notice my pregnant face couldn't even fit into the last picture...

i can't wait to add sweet little ian into the mix of things this year.  i've already been busy on shutterfly checking out their huge assortment of christmas cards.  not wasp-y mcwasp (as seth cohen described his mother)?  they also have hanukkah cards, invitations (for that huge holiday bash you're throwing), and if you're really, really into the holidays- thanksgiving cards.  

i'm not sure where we ordered our cards from in '07 or '08, but we chose shutterfly for our photo cards last year, and i was really pleased.  the cards were easy to customize and arrived quickly and to our exact specifications.  i also use shutterfly all the time to make photo books.  i've probably made at least 5 since ian was born, and each time they come out better than i expect them to!  so, being that i'm on the ball already- i've narrowed down my christmas card choices to 5 options, all i've got to do is get the husband's input and take the perfect family photo!






seriously, it could go in any direction right now, but i think i'm leaning toward 2, 3 & 4 right now!  i love the simple designs- nothing too busy and i love cards that aren't just "happy holidays."   i also like that with most cards you can specify the amount of pictures you want.  i will opt for either a one picture card with a family photo or a two picture card with a family photo and photo of ian being all cute.  you're going to want a christmas card from me...

right now shutterfly is offering 20% off all holiday cards- (the promotion ends today, but they do promotions throughout the holidays)- check it out!

disclaimer- i was not compensated for this post.  i did however receive 50 free holiday cards for blogging about shutterfly and passing their promotional information on to you.  all opinions are my own.  want 50 free holiday cards for yourself, just by blogging?  go here
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Tuesday, November 2, 2010

halloween

our halloween didn't exactly turn out as we expected- ian got hurt, and we weren't able to take him trick or treating. 

but, he was the cutest pickle ever.  ever.

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Saturday, October 30, 2010

mommy reads: book review- can you keep a secret?



i was lucky enough to participate in a book swap over at a pretty place to play.  i was eventually paired up with elsie from little sprout growing, and i anxiously and excitedly waited for my book to arrive.

the book i read for the swap was can you keep a secret? by sophie kinsella.  i hate to admit this, but i am going to start off by saying this:  i was very, very nervous when i first opened the package and saw this book.  my husband had bought me confessions of a shopaholic (also by sophie kinsella) a few years ago- and i read it and i really didn't like it.  it was supposed to be a cutesy story, but i found myself absolutely loathing the main character- i was totally unsympathetic to her plight and it ruined the entire book for me.  i dreaded i would feel the same way about this book..

about the book:  can you keep a secret centers around the main character, emma corrigan.  emma is single (but with a "perfect" boyfriend), working for a marketing company (hoping to get a promised promotion), and always living in the shadow of her cousin.  after blowing a big presentation on her first solo business trip, she boards a plane back home, feeling pretty dejected.  fate finds her bumped to business class- and when the plane experiences turbulence, feeling that she's going to die, emma shares every last secret from the funny to the serious with her handsome seatmate.  emma's world is turned upside down when that stranger turns out to be the ceo of her company.

my thoughts:  i needed this book.  i have acquired a lot of  books about babies, and my rule has been to alternate those books with books of my choice.  my last 2 personal non-baby/parenting picks have dealt with really serious subject matters, and i needed something light.  i also enjoyed that it was a quick, easy read (it took me a week instead of months to finish).  once i started, i had a hard time putting it down!  i found myself reading a couple nights after 1 am... oops.  i thought the book asked some good questions- what would you do if someone divulged every one of their secrets to you?   would you tell all your secrets to your spouse/best friend/significant other?  do you keep secrets from your spouse/bf/so?  is it safe to keep secrets like emma kept because she knew that telling the person would hurt their feelings?  is anyone without secrets?  while i can only answer these questions for myself- i do think that everyone has different answers to these questions.  i don't think that anyone can ever be "secret-free" for too long.

so to elsie, thank you for sending me this book!  i really enjoyed it...  and i learned (again) to not judge a book by its cover author! Pin It!

Friday, October 29, 2010

pumpkin farm

dave had monday off a few weeks ago so we decided to take ian to the local pumpkin farm.  i had never been before, and dave hadn't been in years.  we were also thrilled to take ian (it's safe to say that it was more fun for us, than him)...  ian was a trooper though.  we had fun munching on pork sandwiches and apple cider donuts, petting the giraffes (yes!) and picking out the perfect pumpkin!






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Wednesday, October 27, 2010

mommy reads. book review: babywise ii


on becoming babywise book ii is the follow up to the successful/controversial on becoming babywise.  people can say what they will about it, but it is a healthy and for me a very successful parenting method.  people hate it, but whatever.  i don't criticize your parenting, so keep your nose out of mine. although i don't find as much controversy on it now as in the past, there are still people who are very anti-babywise.  i don't agree with other people 100%, and i don't expect them to agree with me 100%, but claims that these books are "child abuse" are immature and outlandish.  i have a very happy, healthy 9 month old who sleeps and eats better than most babies i know (maybe i'm just lucky)!

with all that said, now for the book review.  this book definitely didn't have all the information that book one has, but by the time you are at the point to move onto book two, sleeping and eating habits are most likely set in stone.  the book goes back and reviews the basics, reminds you the importance of keeping your marriage a priority and not just making the baby #1 while completely neglecting your spouse.  it then gets into information that you will need to parent your "pretoddler" which it considers to be 5-15 months.  yes, 5 months old is way too early i would say to consider your baby a pretoddler, but around 5 months they are no longer considered a newborn, and considered an infant, and an infant is indeed a pretoddler.

there are 5 main chapters in the book.

1.  mealtime activities.  this chapter talks about when to introduce cereal, how to do it, and how to introduce fruits and vegetables into your child's diet.  it also talks about finger foods, juice, snacks, weaning your baby and dealing with finicky eaters.

2.  highchair manners.  this chapter covered verbal instruction, methods of correction, common highchair problems (flipping plate, hands in mouth, raspberries, etc).

3.  waketime activities.  alone playtime, starting roomtime.

4.  thoughts on discipline.  how to consistently discipline and setting boundaries.

5  naps and nighttime sleep.  basically a refresher on common sleep issues.

to me, the most helpful chapters were the chapter on highchair manners and the chapter on discipline.  meals are a time where your child just doesnt' know what to do and they need the proper instruction.  i followed some of the methods in the highchair manners chapter from the get-go and ian is very well behaved while eating.  we don't have a lot of problems that parents seem to have.  he is pretty good about eating and staying clean.  we usually only have to correct him once or twice during a meal.  the discipline chapter was beneficial because i have a very curious baby.  ian is into EVERYTHING.  now that he's crawling, he's all over the place, so we have had to really set boundaries on where he can be, what he can touch and not touch.  this book provides correction methods that are safe for young children.

the book also contained an appendix, which was probably the most helpful section of all, and made reading the book worthwhile.  the appendix contained a section on child language development and teaching your baby sign language.  there were 14 signs with written and illustrated instructions.  so helpful.  i have been working on some with ian (please, all done, more, i love you, hungry, thank you, no and stop) and slowly integrating in the rest (eat, drink, thirsty, mommy, daddy, and milk (not in the book)).  as i said before, this section alone would make the book worth the buy.

so overall, it was just a reiteration of babywise, but there were a few helpful sections in dealing with your child as they get older.  it wasn't a must read, but for any babywise moms out there, you would probably find it very beneficial!

3 out of 4 stars (just for the sign language section) 2.5 or 2 without!

**special thanks to lulu from lulu in los angeles for sending me this book!!  Pin It!

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

9 months

omg- i totes have a 9 month old!

ian turned 9 months old on wednesday, october 20. 

finally, a tooth has reached the surface- as i found out the hard way.  it's yet to fully surface, but it is sticking through the gums.  so cute!!

ian is also finally sitting it- he mastered it fully while we were in atlanta- and perfected it once we returned home.  he just looks like such a big boy when he's sitting!!  i can't even imagine once he's standing.

boy, can he crawl fast.  we have been on the lookout for a "baby jail" because he just wants to be everywhere he shouldn't be!

this kid likes everything-  we've added black beans, asparagus, broccoli and mango to the menu

9 month stats from his dr's appointment:  16 lbs, 2 oz.  (below 5th percentile), and 29 1\8" (up to 75th percentile)!!  he also had a flu shot.  i also finally bit the bullet and packed away all of ian's 0-3 month, 3 month and 3-6 month clothing.  it was time.

 in my news...  so much for 9 months on, 9 months off.  i'm pretty much stuck with 10 lbs... i think i'm going to have to hold onto it until i'm finished nursing...  i also still can't wear my wedding/engagement rings.  our next cleaning is in december.  i think i'm going to have to bite the bullet and have my rings re-sized.  i guess you can't have size 4 fingers forever...  although, i can't figure out the problem.  b\c i weighed more than what i weigh now and still had my rings on this time last year...  oh well.

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Friday, October 22, 2010

crazy busy weekend

i wish we could have more relaxing weekends, but those days are gone i fear.  it's always something, and with the holiday season just around the corner, i don't foresee it stopping anytime soon!  this past weekend was no different.  we packed up everything we owned and headed just south of indianapolis to stay in a hotel for the burial of dave's grandparents.  his grandmother passed away over labor day weekend and his grandfather died the week before we got married back in '07.  they were cremated and wanted to be buried at the same time. 

first.  illinois sucks.  people always want to leave, and that's why traffic is so terrible on friday afternoon/evening.  the number of people trying to leave illinois for indiana or michigan is astounding.  our trip to plainfield should've taken about 3 hours.  it took 6.  i wish i was joking.  we rolled up to the hotel around midnight (back in the eastern time zone).  we unpacked our car and our tired baby (who was now wide awake and overly tired) hung out with the in-laws for a bit, and then tried to sleep.  tried.  first off, wyndham hotels have the WORST cribs ever.  completely metal with giant spacing in between the slats.  not only was ian constantly knocking his head against the side, he kept trying to stick his appendages out of the slats.  we ended up putting him in the bed w\ us, but he wouldn't sleep between us, he had to sleep on me.  he probably slept only an hour at a time all night.  it was pretty miserable.

the next day we prepared for our drive to bicknell.  public service announcement: never drive through southern indiana.  what should've been a 2 hour drive was a 4 hour drive.  we went through every dumpy small town in indiana and we were late for the burial...  luckily, so was everyone else.  public service annoucement 2: never trust a detour in indiana.  the road we were taking was closed for about 5 miles, yet we were forced into taking a 30 mile detour.  wtf.  we can laugh at it now, thank goodness. 

we headed to a church in town afterward for dinner- it was nice to be together w\ the entire family- and we got a little surprise while there- we're going to have another niece or nephew!!  dave's sister is due on his birthday!  we're very very excited! 

monday, dave had time off, and we took ian to the pumpkin farm- but that is way too much cute- it needs an entry for itself!

some photos from the weekend...

 our youngest nephew, J.  they came out wearing these shirts, and when we saw he was wearing one, we knew something was up!

 ian and his cousin, annie.  she's going to be a big sister in about 4 weeks!  ian won't be the youngest grandchild anymore!

 i'm not sure this is completely true


i'm not sure this is completely p.c.
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Friday, October 15, 2010

bathroom remod

there isn't much you can do when living in a rental house as far as remodeling goes.  we've been very lucky so far though- despite previous issues- we've decided to stay put for another year- so we will be here at least 13 more months.  we didn't do much the first year- painting ian's room and taking down hideous curtains is about as far as we've gotten.  believe me, there's a lot more we'd love to do- but we don't own the place- and even though it's been offered for us to buy the place- it's a space we'd be outgrowing in only a few years.

we do have plans for the next year- the first is waiting for the plants in the jungle backyard to die.  when that happens - we plan on digging everything in that space up, and waiting for spring.  this past spring lots of hideous was growing within the pretty- and as far as plants go- hideous usually wins.  i don't know what they were, but luckily, the neighborhood landscapers offered to chop them down- they probably thought they were about to attack, but that still didn't solve the entire problem.

our biggest plans are for the 2 upstairs bathrooms.  they both have (broken) sliding shower doors, and they're both, well, ugly.  sliding doors pose a couple big problems for us- 1.  they're disgusting.  there are about 1,000,000 places for grody germs to hide.  i took an old toothbrush to ours a few weeks ago, and was dry heaving all over the place.  just, gross.  2.  it's not going to be convenient for bathing a child.  leaning over that metal track- ouch.  plus, i just  have nightmares of falling on that thing.  we're hoping to get approval to remove them- and get to work.  we'd like to just take them down and put in a rod & curtain.  i just need to figure out what i like.

here are our current curtain options from our former home in atl.

master bathroom:

i love this curtain.  it's a pale green w\ brown- and we had our bathroom painted this delicious chocolaty color.  we have the towels hanging in our bathroom currently, but our landlord redid this entire place in black & white- so we have white tile floors and black tile walls.  it just won't work.

guest bathroom
i love the floral on this curtain (and i'm not big on floral).  we currently have all the pieces to this in ian's bathroom right now.  this will probably stay in the guest bath, but eventually, I want ian to have a bathroom of his own.

here's what i'm looking at.

master bath:

i like that it's so simple, and would take simple accessories to match it.  from bed bath & beyond.  you could go with black and white, or choose any color for a nice pop.

or

how cute is this?!  about a year or so ago, lenox came out with their chirp collection, and i fell in love with the china- i even devoted a post on my old blog to it, (4 pc set- $100- boo).  i think this would be so cute in the bathroom.  i'd like to see it in person though, because i'm afraid that it just won't go with the black/white.  from bed bath and beyond.

guest/ian's bathroom

i think this whale curtain is too cute for a little boy's bathroom.  plus how cute would it be with this?!  from target

this little forest-y curtain is really cute.  i really like the little squirrel.  also from target

and finally

i saw another blogger mention this curtain, and it is just too cute!  i think the red would be perfect in the all white bathroom, and unlike the whale curtain, it won't be too baby-ish after a while.  i like it with navy blue accessories- so cape cod!  also from target

as you can tell, i can't wait to get in and start decorating!!  hoping for permission.  i definitely think it would be easier maintenance for any renter or owner in the long run. Pin It!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

mommy cooks (bakes) - oatmeal chocolate chip lactation cookies

yes, you heard it right here.  there is such thing as "lactation cookies."  not only are these cookies good for helping to boost your milk production, they're also delicious!!  they taste just like oatmeal chocolate chip cookies!  need a little boost?  give these a try!  don't need a boost?  remove the brewers yeast.  they aren't the healthiest cookies, but I am definitely planning on tweaking the recipe next time around

ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
4 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons flax seed meal
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups oats
1 cup chocolate chips
2-4 tablespoons brewer's yeast

directions:
preheat oven to 350°.
mix the flaxseed meal and water and let sit for 3-5 minutes.
beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar well.
add eggs and mix well.
add flaxseed mix and vanilla, beat well.
sift together flour, brewers yeast, baking soda, and salt.
add dry ingredients to butter mix.
stir in oats and chips.
scoop onto baking sheet.
bake for 12 minutes.

enjoy!






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