Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Collin-6 Months Old

I'm so embarrassed. I was really behind on Collin's monthly posts. He keeps me so busy and I'm exhausted at the end of the day so these posts get put on the back burner. But! Now I'm caught up. Here's to keeping up to date!

Dear Collin,

Oh my oh my. You have been keeping me very busy this month! You have learned all sorts of new skills and are no longer content to be in one spot. You are on the move mister. You learned to sit up all by yourself! But the biggest most craziest trick you learned this month was...... crawling! I am shocked and astonished that my little baby is already crawling. You want so badly to keep up with your big brother that you use every waking minute to practice your mobility skills. Boy, you are a quick learner. One week you were on your knees, rocking and trying to figure out the hand coordination and the next week you were full on crawling. This new skill has changed our house forever. I have to trap you in your play pen if I need to step away for a minute. You are not pleased with this arrangement. You still enjoy jumping in the jumper but not for long. You'd much rather be on the ground looking for your next adventure.

You are so fun to watch. You sit up, look around the room to see where all the exciting stuff is, assess your priorities and dart toward your destination. You love to get into Evan's stuff, of course. You are a busy baby, for sure. All the excitement from your new found freedom has made it even more difficult for you to settle down for naps and to sleep at night. I rock and nurse you and that seems to do the trick. You still wake up only once at night to eat, but I've stopped bringing you back to bed with me to nurse because you kick and squirm and sit up at 5 am and that's not nice.
Our days are packed with play, singing and dancing, chasing big brother around the house and venturing outside. You are really starting to like riding in the stroller. When you and Evan are riding in the double stroller, you reach over to him and pull his shirt or hair and you try to take his toys. It's hilarious!
You are talking a lot more which is neat to hear. You laugh and squeal and hum. I like to listen to you through the baby monitor just after you wake up because you talk to yourself for a bit. 
Oh my boy, these 6 months have been a dream. You are so awesome and I'm loving every minute of it.

Love,

Mama

Monday, September 10, 2012

Collin-5 Months Old

Dear Collin,

My sweet little baby is changing and growing so quickly. I blink my eyes and you discover something new, it's amazing. I'm late writing your 5 month post because there have been some changes going on around the house. This month I left my job to stay home with you and Evan. We are trying to find our groove and our days have been full.
This month you have discovered your ability to protest. I mean really protest. You speak your mind and tell us like it is. You don't like when we leave the room. If I put you in your jumper and walk away to get a drink or do the dishes, you yell and holler to let me know this is no longer an acceptable arrangement. Putting a diaper on you is now the most difficult task EVER. You squirm and roll all over. We are quickly saying goodbye to the days where you mostly stay put. You are developing your skills in mobility more quickly than I like. Already you make your way over to Evan and wreck his cars. It's the beginning of brotherly love.
You are sleeping pretty nicely at night but it's hard to get you to settle down to go to sleep. You refuse to call it a night before 8:15. You are chewing on everything. You love to watch Evan and he makes you laugh. Bath time is really tough because you splash a ton of water out of the tub (we still do your bath in the sink) and we get soaked every time.
I think our days of quiet, immobile baby are gone. It will be exciting to watch you move through the next milestones but don't grow up too fast!

Mama Loves You

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Collin-4 Months Old

My Dearest Collin,

You are such a good baby. This month you really began exploring the world around you. It has been so much fun watching you play and move. You love to play with your crunchy book and are grabbing, like crazy, at the hanging toys on your carseat and bouncy chair. You roll around a bunch and most enjoy being on your belly and pushing up. I noticed you like tv a lot....we also tried out the jumper this month and it's a success! You are really getting the hang of jumping.
At your 4 month doctor appointment you weighed in at just under 15 pounds. You are in the 76th percentile for height! The doctor was impressed at how strong you are and that you already roll from back to front and front to back. We are still going strong in the nursing department. You are growing like crazy and the time is flying by. Soon enough you'll be running around the house with Evan.
Something really exciting happened! You laughed. Like a real bubbly, adorable laugh. Grandma, Dad, Evan and I can all make you laugh by pretending to sneeze or smiling at you. It warms my heart each time I hear it. I see the bond between you and Evan growing each day as you begin to interact. Evan brings his toys to you and plays right next to you. You stare at him with amazement and awe.
Thank you for being such a cool little one. I so enjoy our snuggles. Now, on to month 5!

Love always,

Mama

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Collin-3 Months Old

My Dearest Collin,

You are such an amazing baby. Your personality is just like Dad's. You are calm, adaptive, observant, patient and, of course, adorable. Our time together during my maternity leave from work has been perfect. I have enjoyed our time together. We do everything together and you are a great little side kick. We go to the mall, grocery shopping and on walks and you never express anything but joy and happiness.
This month you really got strong. You can hold your head up super steady and you get way up on your hands or elbows when you are on your belly. You really love being in your baby gym either on your belly working out those arms or on your back kicking your legs and waving your arms like crazy. It's so much fun to watch you.
You are smiling a lot and respond to us when we talk to you. Your smiles are these big open mouthed smiles that can bad days disappear. We have conversations where I ask you a question and you coo back and it's the sweetest sound ever. 

You are totally getting big. I mean super tall. I'm guessing you are about 14 pounds now. You recently had a growth spurt where you grew out of size one diapers and 3 month clothing. I had to dig out the 6 month clothes because you were stretching the 3 month ones to their limits! It's neat to see you change and grow. Another big development: you are deliberately reaching for and grasping toys. It's fun to watch how focused you get when you want to grab something. You are totally into your hands now. Eating them, waving them, grabbing my hair and necklace etc. 
You are such a cool kid. You are so much fun and soooo adorable!

Love you lots,

Mama


Saturday, May 5, 2012

What's New

Hi there,

I started a new blog a few weeks ago! I needed a fresh start. It's more general and mom based. I'm keeping it really simple and straight. I'm going to keep My Sunshine going as well, with a focus on my family and experiences and stories, more of a journal, if you will. My new blog, The Dizzy Mom will be more inspirational, instructive and idea driven. I'll be writing about things related to the crazy lives mom's lead including categories like kids, finances, the home, food and more. I hope you'll pop over and check it out!

Love,

Mel

P.S Here is my first post

Friday, May 4, 2012

Collin- 2 months old

Dear Collin,

You are 2 months old. It's incredible how much you've grown in such a short time. You went from wanting to sleep and snuggle all the time to being interested in your surroundings and being awake more often. You are so much fun!
You love to be held and perched on our shoulders or held facing away from us so that you can see what's going on. We walk around the house and outside and you observe the goings on. You've also taken an interest in the hanging toys on your bouncy chair. It's fun to watch you start to bat at them.

Another huge development: you smile! It's totally adorable and heart warming.
You've been working really hard on your muscles this month. Your head control is good an steady now. You can also raise yourself up on your elbows when you are on your tummy.

You are so much fun and it's neat to watch you change and develop your skills each day. The doctor says you are super strong and she is impressed. You are just under 12 pounds now and 23.5 inches (the 73rd percentile!) so you are growing fast!

You are an awesome dude!

Love,

Mama

Monday, April 16, 2012

i am...

sitting on the couch watching Grey's Anatomy after a relaxing shower. It's quiet. The kiddos are sleeping...this is rare. Last night Collin cried for 3 hours before falling asleep for the night. The dishes are done, my clothes are set out for tomorrow. This is rare.

Monday's are my most productive days. I wake up feeling refreshed, motivated, eager to get a jump on the tasks on my to-do list. Today I did just that. I pinned a cleaning schedule, followed it, pinned an article about habits to form for stressed moms, followed it. I worked out. I ate a salad for lunch.

I'm feeling good.

This could all be gone tomorrow, excuse me while I enjoy this.

Sunday, April 8, 2012

The Juggling Act

I have a 20 month old and a 1 month old. This is crazy. Crazy to me and crazy in general. It's quite possibly the hardest thing I've ever done. I'm not known for my patience and I like things to go smoothly and perfectly. My world has been turned upside down. Not by my newborn. Not entirely by my toddler. But by the combination of the two.

I'm changing Collin's diaper while trying to keep Evan out of trouble. I'm making dinner while Evan is pulling on my clothes and Collin is fussing in his bouncy chair. I'm at the grocery store with my list in hand, trying to keep the toddler occupied long enough to complete the list and crossing my fingers that the baby stays asleep and doesn't wake up starving. I'm trying to get myself ready for the day while the baby starts crying to be fed and Evan is whining for breakfast. I'm trying to get us out the door to take Evan to school and Evan needs a diaper change then the baby needs one too and while I'm changing the baby, Evan goes again....some days I can't believe this is my life. Most days I can deal with this. But then there are those tough days when I open my eyes in the morning and feel exhausted just thinking about all the juggling I'll be doing that day.

Yes, this was my decision to have kids close together. I want them to be close, to have things in common, to be friends. I knew it was going to be tough. Daily I have to remind myself that this is just a stage....a season in life that will pass. It won't always be this hard. There will be a time when Evan can follow directions. There will be a time when I won't have 2 in diapers. I have to remind myself of this to keep my sanity and keep going.

I go to bed feeling really tired and feeling awful about how my house looks like I did nothing or how I didn't get to work out...again. I have to tell myself that it doesn't matter right now. It's not the time to worry about that stuff. All that matters is surviving these years with babies and toddlers in the best way we can and to create memories to hold on to. I have to remember that I'll think back to when my babies were babies and I want to remember me being with them, playing, paying attention, reading, singing, dancing...not cleaning and fussing over a basket of laundry while they play alone.

So, I have to juggle. I have to precisely plan our routine to make it work. For today, it works. I have to practice this juggling act everyday. Some days, I'm not so good at it and others....well, it's bumpy but I keep at it.

I'll have to re-read this when I have to toss a 40 hour work week into the juggling mix. Wish me luck.

Friday, March 30, 2012

Collin- 1 Month Old

My sweet little newborn is growing fast. I remember this feeling. It's quick and you try to hang on to each moment as tight as you can. This boy is so cuddly and so adorable, he makes my heart flutter. This time around I am going to do a monthly picture of baby boy on a different pattern to make it fun. It's not perfect (his socks don't match, woops) but it's fun!

My Dear Collin,

Our first month together has been nothing short of wonderful. I can't help but smile when I look at your sweet face. Dad says I must kiss you 100 times a day. He's wrong. I don't. It's more like 1000 times a day.

Your first 2 weeks all you did was sleep and sleep. I wanted you to wake up so we could play! You let me rest and get my strength back after delivery. You let me sleep at night. It was amazing. In your 3rd week you started to be awake a bit more, maybe a few hours a day but still sleeping great at night. In the 4th week you wanted to play at night.....

You are a calm little man. You love to be cuddled and carried in the moby or front carrier and you don't mind trips to the store and car rides. You like to be on your tummy my than your back and you love to be perched on my shoulder so you can look out at the sights. 

At your one month doctor's appointment you clocked in at almost 10 pounds! It's because you are a pro at breastfeeding. You've had it down pat since we came home from the hospital. The doc says you are super strong. You can lift and turn your head already!

Since about the 2nd week, I got the idea to do the side lying feeding position because I was tired. It worked out really well but now you sleep next to me each night. It wasn't my intention to co-sleep but that's where we are now. This means you don't like your bassinet anymore. It's sweet to wake up and see your little face next to me but it also means I don't sleep deeply because I'm paranoid about your breathing or positioning etc. I'll be moving you to your crib in the next few weeks...

Everyone says you look just like Dad. I see it in your eyes and nose. Your personality is also similar to Dad's. You are calm and adaptable. It's kind of amazing how well you sleep through Evan's ruckus and you can even sleep through a diaper change!

I love watching you grow and develop each day. You are awesome and I can't believe you're mine!

Love,

Mama


Sunday, March 4, 2012

Collin's Birth Story

They say that every pregnancy/birth/child is different. It's true. Everything has been so different this 2nd time around. From pregnancy to the first few days together at home, everything has been different.

Thursday morning on February 23rd I went to the hospital to be checked out because I was having really bad belly pain. Not contractions, just sharp knife like pains all across my belly, continuously. They said it was ligament pain and I should take it easy and drink a ton of fluids. I was still only a 3...I had been a 3 for over a week. I went home. Bummed.

Contractions had been going on for a couple weeks, off and on. Thursday afternoon they started up and I tried to ignore them but they were strong...they were irregular though so I went about my day. As I was typing my last blog entry, I was in some pretty terrible pain. I started tensing up and becoming anxious with thoughts on having the baby at home or in the car on the way to the hospital...they say 2nd babies come quick! I was freaked out.

I went to bed and slept for about 2 hours. I woke up at 12:30 am and thought I should start timing the contractions just in case. All through the night I timed them. They started to be regular and by 4:00 am they were excruciating. I explained it to John like it's a horrible charlie horse in your cervix and just when you think it's going to let up, it gets sharper and worse. I was so tense and unfocused that I could feel my body freaking out with each contraction. By 5:00 I said lets go I can't go on like this.

I got up, dressed, brushed my teeth and got loaded into the car all while hoping the baby would wait till we got to the hospital. My emotions were out of control. Scared, anxious, guilty because I didn't get to kiss my Evan good bye, excited, worried, etc.

We arrived at the hospital at 5:30 am and each step hurt. I stood at the check in desk, keeled over and crying from the pain. I couldn't take it. They sent me back to triage since they need to monitor you and make sure you are in true labor before admitting you to the hospital. I changed and got into bed, got hooked up to all the monitors and got checked. I was still a 3 (maybe a tad bit more). The nurse explained they could not admit me until I could show cervical change (since my water hadn't broken) which would prove true labor. If I couldn't show anything, I would be sent home....I thought I was going to die hearing these words. Induction wasn't an option because I was only 37 weeks and 6 days. They don't induce until 39 weeks. If I was sent home, I would surely die.

They made me walk. It was cruel. I walked the halls and could barely get a couple steps in between the waves of pain. My poor husband walked with me and held me up when I couldn't go any further. I was a mess. Crying, holding my breath. Everything you're not supposed to do. After only a short time we went back to triage because I couldn't walk. The nurses saw my discomfort and heard my pleas for help. It wasn't enough proof. I laid in bed for another hour for monitoring and then they checked me. I was a 4! I begged that this be enough change to prove I was in labor. It was! Oh happy day!

The best words I've heard my whole life: "You're in labor, lets go have this baby."

I was moved to labor and delivery and my heart jumped with excitement as I was wheeled into that beautiful room where I would soon get to meet my baby. I'm sure John was relieved because I would soon be getting that lovely epidural and I would stop grabbing his hand and trying to rip it off his body.

I got into bed, got hooked up to the monitors and immediately requested the epidural. I admire the women who can live through the pain of child birth, I am not one of them though. The experience this time around was miles better than the first. The anesthesiologist placed the catheter quickly and painlessly and before I knew it, I was comfortable and focused. Collin's heart rate was a bit worrisome though. It had been ranging from normal to low for a couple hours. They gave me some oxygen and I had to lie on my side for awhile. I started picturing these awful scenarios like the umbilical cord being around my poor baby's neck. So each time his heart rate dipped, I felt light headed and sick.
They hadn't given me any pitocin to start with so things moved a bit slow for a few hours. I was stuck at a 6 for a while. Then around 11pm they gave me the pitocin and things moved right a long. By 12:45 I was ready to push. my epidural seemed to be wearing off or only numbing one side. It was painful and I wanted relief but my nurse helped me see that feeling the contraction so I could push was beneficial to me. So, I started to push and within 30 minutes we met our new baby boy! It was amazing. He was laid on my tummy and he showed us how powerful his lungs were with his cry. It was such a beautiful sight to see the baby that was growing in my tummy. I couldn't stop staring at him and stroking his full head of hair. There was no umbilical cord around his neck, he was healthy and strong.

Collin was 6 pounds 15 ounces and 20 inches long. After 13 hours of labor , Collin was officially born at 1:13 pm on 2/24/12. He has dark brown hair and very dark eyes. We all think he looks exactly like John in the cheeks, eyes and nose.
I had some 2nd degree tears but the doc said they were superficial and I would heal up quickly. Baby was healthy and strong and I was in love with our new addition. After Collin was cleaned up and his testing was complete, I got to snuggle with him and begin our breastfeeding journey. I was elated to feel his warm little body on mine and see his dark eyes looking up at me and this strange new world.

Shortly after reuniting, we were moved to the mama/baby room to recover. I was a bit nervous because John was going home to care for Evan which meant I was going to be alone with baby Collin. I felt confident in my ability to feed and diaper my newborn, I was just nervous about getting around and being so tired. Collin was awesome though. He cluster fed for about 3ish hours and by 1:30 am we were both sound asleep. He let me sleep until 4:30! I awoke feeling refreshed and excited to get to know my boy. I couldn't believe he let me sleep.

John returned late that morning and I dozed a bit. I was really surprised that they gave me the option to be discharged after 24 hours of delivery. So, Collin and I were back at home by 4:00!

It was such a different birth than my first. Even though this time around was considerably more painful, we survived and came out of it with a healthy and strong baby boy. It was amazing. I feel really lucky that everything went so well and that I got awesome nurses and a great doctor.

Now we are just settling into our new family of four. I am really enjoying this.


Monday, February 27, 2012

Meet Collin

Collin was born Friday, February 24th at 1:13 p.m. He was 6 pounds 15 ounces and was 20 inches long. He is a handsome and awesome little guy. We are so excited to have him. We love him to pieces!

We are just resting, recuperating and enjoying are new family of 4.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Update- 37.5 weeks

I went to the hospital today. I had sharp belly pains all night last night and contractions this morning. It turned out to be ligament pain (this baby is going to be bigger than my first) and the contractions were irregular and not indicative of real labor. Oh my word they felt (and still feel) like real labor. They checked the fluid around the baby and all is well. They were concerned about his heart rate and used a buzzer to wake him up and get him moving. Oh boy, it worked. So, babies fine, mama is hanging on by a thread....

Clearly I have a low tolerance of pain. Every time the baby moves it feels like knives in my belly and like my insides are being ripped apart. This is proof that no 2 pregnancies are alike. I don't remember feeling like this with Evan. Even as I sit here and type, the pain is terrible.

I'm going to attempt sleep.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Sunday Scoop

Oh boy am I exhausted and ready to get the show on the road. I am HUGE. Anyways...here's the scoop:

1) Bags are packed. I got a wake up call this week at my checkup. I am dilated 3 cm already. I know people can walk around like this for a while but it made everything real. This baby is on it's way whether it's tonight or 3 weeks from now. Life is going to change.

2) Evan loves Shrek. It's the only movie that holds his attention for more than 2 minutes. He actually sat with John for 30 minutes watching it while I cooked dinner tonight. I'm not one for using the tv as a baby sitter but it's nice to get a little break when I need to get dinner on the table. He usually sits in the kitchen with me and whines and cries because I'm not giving him 100% of my attention.

3) My last day of work before maternity leave was Friday. It's nice knowing I don't have to work tomorrow. I have a nice long list of to-do's but I've made sure to include rest on that list.

4) 2012 is the year of saving. We have been sooo good with keeping to our budget, paying off debt and saving. To keep my mind off of being huge and uncomfortable, I've taken to "window shopping" online, on pinterest and on blogs. I'm remodeling our house and making plans for it in 2013. It's been fun and a great way to change my focus from my discomfort and be creative. You can check my boards out here if you'd like.

5) I haven't posted pictures in a while. Here are some for fun!

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Word on the Street

So. Had my checkup today (i'm 36.5 weeks) and baby could really come any time. I am dilated to a 3 which is funny to me because last time I was in the hospital way before I was a 3 since my water broke. I thought I was so far along and requested my epidural since the pain was so intense. I was only a 3 at the time I requested it....

I've been busy preparing for the baby's arrival. All the clothes are washed and folded, crib is cleaned and made with a fresh new sheet and his very own new blanket along with a little love (a giraffe). Originally I was going to do all kinds of cooking and freezing of foods and goodies. Truth be told. I'm too tired. Instead I've been making DIY baby books and creating a photo book at tinyprints.com  and watching tv with John and generally soaking in the routine we've gotten so use to. Since all that is going to change. Soon.

So that's that. Our world is going to be turned upside down again and I'm excited and nervous all in one.

Friday, February 3, 2012

February Focus: Get Ready for #2!

January went okay for us. My focus was strong in the first week of the 21 day yoga challenge but slowly tapered off....midway during the 2nd week I started skipping days and by the 3rd week wasn't practicing at all due to a cranky, teether, sleepless toddler and a family stomach bug. It wasn't pretty. And I totally missed my practice. January showed me how much I love and need yoga to boost my energy and loosen up my tense and overworked body as well as a way to rest my mind. I hope to incorporate yoga at least 3 times a week. We also ate more vegetarian meals and I felt really good about it. I didn't do so hot in the area of getting more sleep. There's just so much to do and I only made myself go to bed 30 minutes earlier than usual but that's a start! Thanks January, for making me remember the importance of focusing on health.

February: time to get ready for baby #2. This means on the weekends and after Evan goes to bed, we'll be washing baby clothes, getting the hospital bag packed, making freezable meals and cleaning up the baby gear (swing, crib, carriers, car seat etc). I've again added the need to get sleep by turning in earlier since I'll wish I had in about a month!

Truth be told, I started a side project....I was totally hooked when I saw the Young House Love DIY baby book and had to do one for both boys. Each night for about 30 minutes, I have been working on making my own little baby books and I've really enjoyed it, too. I forget how being creative helps reduce stress, too. Once those are closer to being done, I'll show you.

So yeah...it's not part of the get-ready-for-baby-#2 focus but I'm having fun doing it and it keeps my mind off how uncomfortable I am feeling these days.

Here's to February! What are you focusing on this month?

Monday, January 23, 2012

Lessons from a bad haircut

I got a terrible haircut. It was supposed to be a trim. Just a trim. I look like I've been through a blender. I don't do short layers. There are a ton of short layers now. Ick. I've had LOTS of awful haircuts in my day so I'm an expert on how to deal with them!

Some things you can do to deal with your messed up mane:

1. Pin it. Use bobby pins to pin up the icky parts so only the bottom (longest layer) shows. Then it looks like you have longer hair all over, even when you don't. This is my number one plan of attack. I'm actually doing it right now. I pinned the top layers back and let the longest layers down so it looks like I didn't even get a haircut!

2. Use a flat iron to flip it out. Take the messy hair route and use some pomade to make it look messy. Then you take the focus off how short it is or how badly cut the layers are. People just notice your new messy look which is always in.

3. Wear a big and pretty necklace or a big colorful scarf. Takes the focus off your head.

4. Pretty headbands. Sparkles, wide or with a little embellishment, these will push the short layers back and away from your face, again, hiding the icky parts.

5. Blow dry it flat. Don't try to get volume on top right now, it'll just make the top layers look even shorter.

6. Take care of your hair. Eat healthy foods and drink a lot of water. Oh and brush it really well each night because scalp stimulation aids in hair growth.

7. Fedora. Snag a cool fedora for the weekends, you'll look stylish and hide the mess underneath.

8. Visit with a different stylist for a consultation and see if there's any hope in morphing your 'do into something you CAN do. Explain your ultimate goal (to grow it out etc), you don't want to take off much more but maybe there are adjustments that can be made to make it easier to handle. Better yet, scour the internet or hair magazines and bring the pics to consultation. Look for 'dos that are similar in length.

Good luck. Remember that hair grows. It won't be this way forever! Yes, I'm reminding myself to keep from crying.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Sunday Scoop

1. Had Monday off with the little dude and had a wonderful day. Play date, no whining, lots of play time. It was awesome.

2. Freaked out because I realized I am 33 weeks and not at all prepared to have this baby! I haven't been practicing relaxation techniques, no bag packed, no going home outfit for baby. Eek. I am feeling anxious, large and overwhelmed.

3. Started my project DIY baby book. Going to re-do Evan's so it's more personalized and gathering materials for the new baby's. Then they can see the love and creativity that went into their baby books.

4. John installed the new baby's car seat this weekend. It hit me. This is real. I am going to be toting around 2 kiddos. Oh my.

5. Got a hideous haircut this weekend. I asked for a trim off the bottom since I am growing it out. Somehow that translated into, "give me way too many layers that are way to short and don't listen to anything I say." I vow to cut my own hair from here on out. I've had more bad haircuts than I can count.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Sunday Scoop

1) I'm 32 weeks. I can't believe it. We are getting close! Time to haul in the baby stuff, wash everything and start thinking about the sleepless nights.

2) Are nursing tops worth the money? I can't decide if I want to buy some. With Evan I just used my regular shirts but I remember it was annoying at times because the fit was too tight or the material wasn't stretchy enough.

3) I learned this week that ignoring Evan when he's being mischevious helps stop his actions quicker than saying "No," or "Don't touch that." He was standing on the couch messing with the lamp shade and looking at me with that mischevious smile. I turned away and didn't say anything. He stopped, hopped off the couch and went to play with his toys!

4) I don't like small talk. Small office talk, like at the copy machine. I'll do it to be polite but it is painful and annoying. I don't like when people give human traits to inanimate objects. Like when the copy machine stops working and someone says, "Oh, it's just tired, haha." Drives me nuts. Ok, I'm glad I could get that out.

5) I want to read some new blogs. Any suggestions? What's your favorite? I like blogs that pertain to cooking, mommy stuff, inspiration, decorating, DIY etc.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

January Focus: 21 Day Yoga Journal Challenge

This month I am choosing to focus on the 21 day yoga challenge. Each evening after Evan goes to bed, no matter what (with the exception of headaches and nausea) I will do a yoga practice (whether it's the practice that is part of the challenge or my own) and attempt to meditate.

To expand on this focus, I'll be more aware of my family's health, eating habits and stress levels. I hope to reduce our consumption of meat and sugar, increase our consumption of water, veggies and fruits and to increase our physical activity (to as much as I can handle at this point...) I also hope to reduce our stress levels by slowing down to get rid of that rushed feeling as well as getting more sleep. This means getting things ready the night before (lunches, bags, clothes etc) and planning better and going to bed earlier.

In focusing on these things, I'll put aside my hobbies like baking and reading and my concern for the dishes in the sink. Those things can wait. The laundry might not get folded, oh well.

I am 2 days in and I feel really good! I also feel calm and patient which is rare for me. I think this focus is going to a good one to prepare me for the dark days of having a newborn!

I hope you are on your way to achieving your 2012 goals!

Monday, January 9, 2012

Sunday Scoop

1. Evan has been getting up and crawling into bed with us at 4:00 off and on. He plays, makes his doggie bark, pokes our faces and kicks our stomachs. Not fun.

2. I'm really excited about the 21-day yoga challenge that starts today! They email you a daily practice, meal and meditation tips.

3. I saw a bumper sticker that said, "I bet Jesus would use his turn signal." Hilarious!

4. Watched The Help. LOVED it. Makes me want to write a book.

5. After a week of healthy eating, reduction in sugar in-take and increase in water consumption, I feel great!

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Lentil Edamame Soup

After indulging in the holiday treats of sugar and butter topped with more sugar, I am ready to eat healthy. My taste buds feel worn out and my body is in need of serious nourishment. Since my January focus is health, I am excited to try out recipes that are chocked full of goodness. I'm looking to reduce the amount of meat we eat, increase the fruits and veggies and lay off the sodium. Even if I get only a couple healthy dinners in each week, I'm happy and feelin' good.

I was thumbing through an old issue of Cooking Light, looking for inspiration, and found a recipe for lentil soup. The picture made it look so yummy, I had to try it. I changed it a bit to fit our taste preferences and also to use what I had on hand. It was awesome and I had leftovers for lunch. Score.

This soup is so good AND versatile AND cheap! The edamame and lentils together make it so hearty that I'm not hungry an hour later. It packs a protein punch. Here's the surprising thing: my 17 month old devoured his bowl! I was not expecting that at all. (cut the edamame in half for the little kiddos)

I usually top everything with cheese. Ever since I was little, it's been a habit. I'm trying to stop that. So, I didn't put any cheese on this and instead, I focused on the different flavors and textures and guess what? I didn't even miss the cheese. Good riddance.

Like many soups, you can toss in, substitute or omit stuff to make it work for you. You could totally toss in any veggies you want and play with the seasonings to make it yours. Next time, I'm throwing in roasted butternut squash. I love flexibility.

This meal cost me around $5 and took 45 minutes to prepare BUT you could cut that down to 15 minutes with some night-before prep.

Lentil Edamame Soup
Ingredients:

1 c of brown lentils
1 c frozen shelled edamame
1 tbs olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 tbs parsley, chopped
1 tbs fresh mint, chopped
1 c water
1/2 tsp of salt
pepper to taste

Make it:

Put the lentils in a saucepan and cover with water about 2 inches above lentils. Bring to a boil then simmer for 20 minutes, drain. Place edamame in a saucepan of water and boil for 5 minutes, drain.

In a dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat then add onions and sauté for 6 minutes or until slightly tender. Add garlic and cook for 3 more minutes. Add tomatoes and remaining ingredients along with the lentils and edamame. Stir to combine and cook for 5 minutes over low-medium heat.

Get it on the table faster with some night-before prep:

  1. Cook lentils and edamame.
  2. Chop onions and garlic.
These 2 steps can save you a boat load of time to get this hearty meal on the table quick!


Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Test

I'm attempting to set up Facebook comments for this blog. This is a test post.

Monday, January 2, 2012

lessons from a toddler christmas

I ordered most of Evan's gifts online. Reading the reviews and consumer comments helped me pick out some stuff that looked really fun and interesting. I was so excited to see him playing with some new toys and puzzles. Boy, I was way way off base with my gift choices! He really only likes one thing, which was not even from Dad and I! So here's my list of gifts to Evan:
  1. A tent that was MUCH bigger than I thought. It stands about 4.5 ft tall and takes up half of his room. He crawled through it a couple times and walked away....It's going back to Costco.
  2. An easel with a chalk board and white magnetic board along with easel paper, markers and crayons. He's not really tall enough to use it well. He drew on it a little bit then started to eat the crayon and draw on the couch. I looked closer and the easel is for 3 years old and up....I didn't see that when I ordered it. It's going in the garage for 2 years....
  3. An little chair made just for little people. He uses it sometimes but mostly to stand on and give me heart attacks. He'll sit in it to eat his snack for like 5 minutes. I'll keep it around but I should have given this more though before dropping $70 on it....
  4. A ball popper push toy. He likes this for a few minutes a day. Usually in the early morning...It's loud. I trip on it. I'll keep this in his room but it's not an attention keeping or learning type toy. I wasted more dough here :(
  5. A climber/slide contraption for the backyard. Now, this was from the Grandparents. It's sweet. Evan climbs up the ladder throws balls off the top and slides down the slide all by himself (of course I'm standing right there so he doesn't fly off or tumble down the slide) all while laughing and squealing and staring over the side in awe at how tall he is. He plays on this for 45 minutes or more and gets really upset when it's time to go inside. Clearly he is an outdoorsy type kid and I should have focused on that when gift buying. The kid loves to be outside and run around.
The big lesson here: I don't need to spend a lot of money on toys that don't suit my toddler's personality. They'll just clutter up the house and serve no purpose. Just because I thought the toys were cool, doesn't mean my child will. Focus on what he already likes and build on that. Also! Pay attention to age limits!

Evan is a 17 month old who likes being outdoors or in the kitchen playing with pots and pans and spoons. He's really active and loves to climb and run. He's not into drawing and making forts just yet. I need to be more observant and stop making him grow up faster than he is!

Oh, the lessons of parenting. Did you get your kid something they aren't interested in?

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Sunday Scoop

Here I am for another edition of the Sunday Scoop:

1) Speaking of scoops, I discovered Ben and Jerry's 3.6 ounce containers of deliciousness. It's enough to satisfy your sweet treat craving but ensures you don't eat an entire carton of ice cream. Yum!

2) Evan has learned to take us by the hand and guide us to what he wants. For example, if he wants to go outside he will grab your hand and pull you to the door. He cracks me up.

3) I learned some important lessons for toddler gift giving. I'll post more details soon but lets just say that most everything I picked out could be returned and he wouldn't miss anything. The one thing he LOVES involves a slide.

4) John and I had the week off from work and it was lovely! Except for the 3 hour glucose test I had to endure last Thursday...ick. Other than that, we spent time together, playing. getting outside, going on walks (it was in the 70s for the most part!) and John exercised his carpentry skills to make us another piece of custom furniture (more to come on this)!

5) I'm now 30 weeks pregnant and times are getting' tough. I can't get comfortable. I have achy hips, sciatic pain, cramped stomach and lungs and I'm just plain tired. On the bright side I have 10 weeks to go, I can't believe it!

6) For a while now, Evan has been making diaper changes something I dread. I was at my wits end this week and decided to post a question in the MOM365 forum. I got some great feed back with ideas and tricks from other mom's in the same boat. Check this out if you need ideas for taming your toddler during a diaper change.

Happy New Year!

  © Blogger template Writer's Blog by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008

Back to TOP