I woke up today to pee-free, poop-free, puke-free sheets.
It's going to be a good day.
Although Baby J decided to wake at 0645, I welcomed the early rise because it meant we were able to spend a little time with the daddy before he headed to his office.
I was drinking my coffee, talking to MM while he shaved and dressed, and Baby J was playing with his stacking rings on the floor. Yesterday MM spent the entire day (well into the evening) at work dealing with a soldier so the time together this morning was nice.
Due to a stomach bug Baby J has been battling over the weekend [hence the excitement over clean sheets this morning] his appetite has been virtually non-existent. But that hasn't stop me from trying to feed him, nurse him, and/or get him to drink water from a straw- something in which he usually (but not right now) finds great excitement.
Operation: Please Baby Drink Some Milk...
As I position him on my lap in hopes he will nurse I smell dirty diaper. I glance at the side of his thigh and notice that the poop is barely being contained and I tell MM how lucky I am to have caught it at this point before we ended up with a giant poop mess. But as I am moving the baby to stand up, MM starts yelling and pointing. I'm oblivious to the massive amount of leaked poop that has come up and out the back side of the diaper, coating my stomach and the boppy pillow in a stinky, yellow smear. I rush to the changing table, peel off Baby J's clothes, and start wiping his arms and legs off while trying to keep him from rolling around. MM and I tag-team him. He holds Baby J's upper half while I clean the lower half, both of us have our noses tucked into our shirts!
He is clean. I am clean. The pillow covers and clothes are in the washing machine. We are on the couch to try again at Operation: Drink Milk and as I settle him back into the nook of my arm he begins vomiting. All over me, all over himself, all over the pillow I have propping him up, all over the beach towel that was luckily laying on the floor near me and I grabbed in a rush to contain some of the mess. This time Baby J goes straight into the bath tub and MM finds his window of opportunity to leave for work. Just as the bathtub is filled with warm water and Baby J starts splashing the door bell rings. I consider ignoring it, but decide I shouldn't. Scooping J out of the tub I wrap him in a towel and run downstairs to answer the door, leaving a water droplet trail. It's MM at the door with a sheepish grin on his face. He had forgotten his keys, locking himself out of his truck and the house. Keys delivered and I am following the water trail back upstairs, praying for no more drama. I let Baby J play in the clean water before soaping him up. He chews on these little sea creature squirt toys that I always try to remember to empty after bath time so they don't have stale water sitting inside them for days, and as I squeeze out the crab I'm not paying attention to the direction it is facing and end up soaking my shirt.
What did you do before 8am today?
*For those concerned (all the grandmas!) Baby J has a doctor appointment this afternoon.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
I want a carrot puff for my next birthday cake.
Ingredients:
2 bags shredded carrots
1/3 cup butter
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 Tbs. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
Instructions:
Cook carrots in water until tender.
Drain.
Blend all ingredients in a food processor (or blender), adding carrots a little at a time.
Puree.
Pour into greased 8 inch pan and bake @ 350 degrees (325 degrees if using a dark pan) for 45 minutes or until firm.
Let stand 5 minutes.
Serve hot.
2 bags shredded carrots
1/3 cup butter
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 Tbs. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
Instructions:
Cook carrots in water until tender.
Drain.
Blend all ingredients in a food processor (or blender), adding carrots a little at a time.
Puree.
Pour into greased 8 inch pan and bake @ 350 degrees (325 degrees if using a dark pan) for 45 minutes or until firm.
Let stand 5 minutes.
Serve hot.
Monday, June 20, 2011
We do what the daddy wants.
My first Mother's Day was full of grief. MM's Nana who I have known for the last 6 years and have grown to think of as my own grandma was losing her battle with liver cancer. We spent the day gathered at Nana & Papa's Sapulpa house, whispering with family (she was very sensitive to noise) and snacking on grilled hamburgers. Nana was so weak at this point and we all knew it was a matter of days or even hours until she would be gone. Thankfully goodbyes were able to be said and Nana expressed her desire to leave this world and enter into the glorious kingdom of Heaven. A whisper of I love yous would be the last words that we would speak to one another. I know the hurt my heart was feeling and I know that the hurt in MM's heart must have been much worse, but he is a man of few words when it comes to talking about emotions. Years of friendship and partnership have given me the ability to [usually] tell what's going on in his heart by the look in his eyes. Nana passed away 3 days later on May 11, 2010; she is missed everyday. Now we hold on to the love, life lessons, and memories she gave.
When MM's first Father's Day came around I really wanted it to be a happy day. I am a sentimental sap.
The day started with a brightly wrapped surprise [He thought he had already received his father's day gift the previous week- that story to follow] package sitting on the kitchen counter Sunday morning. It was a Tervis Tumbler [These things are awesome. You should buy some. www.tervis.com] with "The Best Dad Ever" patch and inside of that a Starbucks gift card. We went to church. For lunch we finally tried Five Guys Burgers and Fries. For months we have heard how good this place is and MM has been dying to try it... what better way to celebrate being a dad than with an awesome burger?! That afternoon he wanted to wash his truck. While this seems like a dull chore to me, it's fun for him. Instead of staying inside like I usually would I put on a bikini and helped him wash and wax the cars. The day was simple and relaxing and most importantly made the daddy happy.
The Ruined Gift (again!) Story...
MM is the worst at ruining the surprise element of gifts! It's like his super power. Without fail a week before a holiday or birthday he will go out and buy or announce to me that he is planning to buy the EXACT thing that I have chosen to give him! How does he do it? I'm stumped, because usually the gift idea is something he hasn't mentioned in months. Or something I noticed would be useful/enjoyable to him, but haven't dared to utter a word about. His Father's day gift was no different [I really should have known]. This winter we moved 1100 miles across the country, while setting up our new home we noticed project after project that could have and would have been simplified with the use of a power drill. It had been 5 months since we discussed the usefulness of a power drill and I just loved the "Father's Dayishness" of the gift. You know, because all dads are to receive ties or tools on Father's day.
At the beginning of June MM received a job promotion and along with it came his very own office which he decided needed a makeover (it really did, the last occupant was a pack-rat slob). So he spent hours cleaning and organizing, decluttering and rearranging. He found himself a new desk; abandoned in a back room of the hospital sat a big, beautiful, oak desk. Out went the bulky, way too tall, ugly, metal desk that came with his new office and in came... nothing. The new desk was too wide for the doorway and no amount of turning, sliding, or taking doors of hinges was getting it into the office. The solution: take it apart and then reassemble it inside the office. A task that can't be done without the use of... you guessed it, a power drill!
And this is how another gift surprise was ruined.
MM proclaimed (just 1 week before Father's Day) that he was going to Lowe's to finally purchase that power drill we had talked about,
"Remember honey when we talked about how helpful having a power drill around the house would be?".
Anyway, he did get the power drill. Picked it out and paid for it himself. And he did get that desk put back together in his office.
 |
| A cherished moment: Nana meeting her great grandson moments after he was born. |
When MM's first Father's Day came around I really wanted it to be a happy day. I am a sentimental sap.
The day started with a brightly wrapped surprise [He thought he had already received his father's day gift the previous week- that story to follow] package sitting on the kitchen counter Sunday morning. It was a Tervis Tumbler [These things are awesome. You should buy some. www.tervis.com] with "The Best Dad Ever" patch and inside of that a Starbucks gift card. We went to church. For lunch we finally tried Five Guys Burgers and Fries. For months we have heard how good this place is and MM has been dying to try it... what better way to celebrate being a dad than with an awesome burger?! That afternoon he wanted to wash his truck. While this seems like a dull chore to me, it's fun for him. Instead of staying inside like I usually would I put on a bikini and helped him wash and wax the cars. The day was simple and relaxing and most importantly made the daddy happy.
 |
| Rad like Dad |
The Ruined Gift (again!) Story...
MM is the worst at ruining the surprise element of gifts! It's like his super power. Without fail a week before a holiday or birthday he will go out and buy or announce to me that he is planning to buy the EXACT thing that I have chosen to give him! How does he do it? I'm stumped, because usually the gift idea is something he hasn't mentioned in months. Or something I noticed would be useful/enjoyable to him, but haven't dared to utter a word about. His Father's day gift was no different [I really should have known]. This winter we moved 1100 miles across the country, while setting up our new home we noticed project after project that could have and would have been simplified with the use of a power drill. It had been 5 months since we discussed the usefulness of a power drill and I just loved the "Father's Dayishness" of the gift. You know, because all dads are to receive ties or tools on Father's day.
At the beginning of June MM received a job promotion and along with it came his very own office which he decided needed a makeover (it really did, the last occupant was a pack-rat slob). So he spent hours cleaning and organizing, decluttering and rearranging. He found himself a new desk; abandoned in a back room of the hospital sat a big, beautiful, oak desk. Out went the bulky, way too tall, ugly, metal desk that came with his new office and in came... nothing. The new desk was too wide for the doorway and no amount of turning, sliding, or taking doors of hinges was getting it into the office. The solution: take it apart and then reassemble it inside the office. A task that can't be done without the use of... you guessed it, a power drill!
And this is how another gift surprise was ruined.
MM proclaimed (just 1 week before Father's Day) that he was going to Lowe's to finally purchase that power drill we had talked about,
"Remember honey when we talked about how helpful having a power drill around the house would be?".
Anyway, he did get the power drill. Picked it out and paid for it himself. And he did get that desk put back together in his office.
All things baby [8m]
Baby J is growing up quick, right before our eyes. Just as every parent we have ever known warned! He is 8 1/2 months old, full of personality and energy!
His current stats:
Weight 17lbs. - 25th percentile
Height 28 inches - 80th percentile
1 Tooth - This was the newest milestone to be reached; with a tooth on the bottom pushing through in the last few days.
From birth he has been a laid-back and happy baby and thankfully his attitude has not changed. He is a self entertainer, but loves interaction especially if it includes clapping! He is currently obsessed with clapping. Even when he is fussy. If someone starts clapping he will probably continue to fuss, but with a smile on his face!
Speaking of smiles, Baby J has a great big one! MM (Medical Man aka my husband/baby daddy) and I still catch ourselves saying, "Awww" aloud when we see his big gummy smile. It never loses it's heart melting power.
Besides smiling, another common facial expression is the bottom-lip-out pouty look. He does it all the time, no sadness needed. It's just one of his normal expressions. If sadness does occur the pout just grows a little.
A couple months ago we started the baby food phase of life. He eats a good serving every evening, and we are currently trying to get him to eat a 2nd serving mid-day. This week being the first week he has cooperated. He is a great eater once he gets started. Sometimes we have to be a little forceful with the first spoonful of the meal, but soon he is opening up before we can get the next spoonful ready. [Inside joke: "Like a fish after the bangominnow"] On days when eating is off to a slow start, it's nothing a few claps and cheers won't fix! Again with the love of claps!
He has tried many fruits, vegetables, and combinations. Only once did he absolutely refuse something and that was a spinach, peas, and carrots mix... too many vegetables at once for him I suppose. In his defense it did smell pretty awful! His favorite food seems to be sweet potatoes, he gobbles them up fast each and every time.
He loves to jump! And is developing some very strong legs! This bouncer is worth every penny our friends spent on it (fab shower gift idea). I love it as much as Baby J loves it. It gives me a chance to get things done around the house without worrying about what the baby is doing, or better yet what the dogs are doing to the baby. Holding him can be more difficult now as he wants to bounce constantly giving my arms a workout. Even when he is sitting on my hip his legs are kicking non-stop.
He is at the everything goes straight into the mouth phase of life. Needless to say this is a house of slobber. And when I say everything goes into his mouth, I mean everything including any body part of mine or daddy's that he can manage to get a hold of, such as (but not limited to) noses, shoulders, fingers, chins, cheeks, collarbones, etc. The kid actually gave me a hickey the other day! When he gets a good latch he likes to shake his head back and forth, we call this the "Shark Attack"! With the new addition of a tooth this game is going to be retired.
He has started "talking". While the jibber-jabber has been around for awhile, recently he has started making recognizable sounds such as "da da da da" and "ma ma ma ma" and once even "na na na na". Of course "da da da da" is the most used sound (because it's the easiest to make) and his Dada is loving it. I'm starting to think that he might actually be figuring out the connection between the "da da da da " sound and his Daddy. The few times I have heard him make the "ma ma ma" noise has been a joyful experience even though I know it's just noises and there is no connection being made to me... YET! Now when I try to coax him into saying "momma" he grins real big and then says "da da da da". He also enjoys yelling. Not in an upset manner, just in a did you know my voice could get this loud? I just made this discovery and it is fun! manner.
He loves the dogs!! I think he used to be confused about the small furry creatures that roamed the house, but now I'm pretty sure he believes they exist simply for his entertainment! I am grateful that Wrigley & Ruby are very patient dogs because he has learned to grab their fur and hold on tight! The first time this happened Baby J was laying on the couch and Ruby was hovering over him. When I yelled for her to get down she tried jumping off the couch, but he had her floppy ear in his chubby-fingered grasp. She shrieked and is now a little leery of getting so close. If he does manage to grab one of the dog's fur, they freeze (silently willing J to let go). The dogs run back and forth through the house playing and chasing one another and Baby J just watches and laughs. While he is in his bouncer Wrigley likes to lay underneath and attempt to lick his feet while Ruby prefers to stand up against it and attempt to lick his face.
He makes a single "duh" sound when the dogs come around. It's a different sound from "da da", which uses the A sound and tends to be multiple syllables. So I wonder if he is learning the word dog, which I repeat over and over and over throughout the day.
GAMES. Peekaboo is fun. I hide behind pillows or cabinets or my hands and then pop out and J always giggles without fail. Stinky Feet is also a popular game. I grab his feet and put them to my nose then yell "phew-ehhh stinky feet!!" while shaking his feet in the air, that one always gets a good laugh too. Big-Strong-Baby (BSB) and Don't-Shake-The-Baby (DSTB) are the other everyday games we play. BSB is played by him laying down on his back while he grabs my fingers and I pull him up to the standing position with one quick motion while cheering "big strong baby!" and DSTB is simply me shaking him a little while signing "don't shake the baby".
He is ultra ticklish, which shouldn't surprise me too much because so am I. The slightest poke to his rib cage or squeeze of his thigh and he is in a fit of laughter sometimes laughing so hard he gets choked up.
He can roll from his stomach to his back with ease. And although we know he can roll from his back to his stomach, he Very Rarely does. He still gets his arm caught when rolling that direction and it makes him mad so he just won't do it. I'll put him on his hands and knees and he can hold himself up really well, but when he tries to make a move he plops down on his belly and kicks his feet, gets annoyed, and rolls over to his back. He can sit up all by himself now! This is such a helpful milestone for him to have reached! And because of it he can ride in grocery carts without his car seat and he can sit in restaurant high chairs.
His current stats:
Weight 17lbs. - 25th percentile
Height 28 inches - 80th percentile
1 Tooth - This was the newest milestone to be reached; with a tooth on the bottom pushing through in the last few days.
From birth he has been a laid-back and happy baby and thankfully his attitude has not changed. He is a self entertainer, but loves interaction especially if it includes clapping! He is currently obsessed with clapping. Even when he is fussy. If someone starts clapping he will probably continue to fuss, but with a smile on his face!
Speaking of smiles, Baby J has a great big one! MM (Medical Man aka my husband/baby daddy) and I still catch ourselves saying, "Awww" aloud when we see his big gummy smile. It never loses it's heart melting power.
Besides smiling, another common facial expression is the bottom-lip-out pouty look. He does it all the time, no sadness needed. It's just one of his normal expressions. If sadness does occur the pout just grows a little.
 |
| non-sad pout |
 |
| prunes + apples |
He loves to jump! And is developing some very strong legs! This bouncer is worth every penny our friends spent on it (fab shower gift idea). I love it as much as Baby J loves it. It gives me a chance to get things done around the house without worrying about what the baby is doing, or better yet what the dogs are doing to the baby. Holding him can be more difficult now as he wants to bounce constantly giving my arms a workout. Even when he is sitting on my hip his legs are kicking non-stop.
He is at the everything goes straight into the mouth phase of life. Needless to say this is a house of slobber. And when I say everything goes into his mouth, I mean everything including any body part of mine or daddy's that he can manage to get a hold of, such as (but not limited to) noses, shoulders, fingers, chins, cheeks, collarbones, etc. The kid actually gave me a hickey the other day! When he gets a good latch he likes to shake his head back and forth, we call this the "Shark Attack"! With the new addition of a tooth this game is going to be retired.
 |
| feet make the best chew toys |
He has started "talking". While the jibber-jabber has been around for awhile, recently he has started making recognizable sounds such as "da da da da" and "ma ma ma ma" and once even "na na na na". Of course "da da da da" is the most used sound (because it's the easiest to make) and his Dada is loving it. I'm starting to think that he might actually be figuring out the connection between the "da da da da " sound and his Daddy. The few times I have heard him make the "ma ma ma" noise has been a joyful experience even though I know it's just noises and there is no connection being made to me... YET! Now when I try to coax him into saying "momma" he grins real big and then says "da da da da". He also enjoys yelling. Not in an upset manner, just in a did you know my voice could get this loud? I just made this discovery and it is fun! manner.
 |
| hanging out with his DaDa |
He makes a single "duh" sound when the dogs come around. It's a different sound from "da da", which uses the A sound and tends to be multiple syllables. So I wonder if he is learning the word dog, which I repeat over and over and over throughout the day.
GAMES. Peekaboo is fun. I hide behind pillows or cabinets or my hands and then pop out and J always giggles without fail. Stinky Feet is also a popular game. I grab his feet and put them to my nose then yell "phew-ehhh stinky feet!!" while shaking his feet in the air, that one always gets a good laugh too. Big-Strong-Baby (BSB) and Don't-Shake-The-Baby (DSTB) are the other everyday games we play. BSB is played by him laying down on his back while he grabs my fingers and I pull him up to the standing position with one quick motion while cheering "big strong baby!" and DSTB is simply me shaking him a little while signing "don't shake the baby".
He is ultra ticklish, which shouldn't surprise me too much because so am I. The slightest poke to his rib cage or squeeze of his thigh and he is in a fit of laughter sometimes laughing so hard he gets choked up.
He can roll from his stomach to his back with ease. And although we know he can roll from his back to his stomach, he Very Rarely does. He still gets his arm caught when rolling that direction and it makes him mad so he just won't do it. I'll put him on his hands and knees and he can hold himself up really well, but when he tries to make a move he plops down on his belly and kicks his feet, gets annoyed, and rolls over to his back. He can sit up all by himself now! This is such a helpful milestone for him to have reached! And because of it he can ride in grocery carts without his car seat and he can sit in restaurant high chairs.
 |
| 1st time in a high chair @ Mellow Mushroom, Columbia, SC |
He is an avid reader. Big Rex and Squishy Turtle are his top picks.
Other Tidbits...
- He puts himself to sleep. Yay-Parental high five! We have been training him to go to sleep in his crib instead of letting him fall asleep on us and then laying him down in bed. I would say 85% of the time he is put into bed awake.
- Pretty sure he prefers to sleep in the big bed with Momma and Daddy, but we try to limit this to early morning only. He tends to wake between 5-6am, wants a little milk and then goes right back to sleep until 7ish. At this time we will let him lay between us in our bed. We also partake in Family Naps all together, usually on Sunday afternoons.
- He loves bath time. The splashing, the chewing on the rubber toys, the trying to drink the water. Induces great sleep as well.
- He enjoys being outdoors. We sit on blankets outside to play in the fresh air when it's not too hot. And he likes going on walks, rarely complains when being pushed in his stroller. If running with him in his stroller he always falls asleep.
- Favors his left hand when picking up toys, not sure if that means anything at this early of an age, but it's an observation we have made. His grandpa is left-handed.
- "Healthy as a horse!" He is right on track with his physical and mental development, it's easy to take this for granted. We are so thankful for it.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Sick baby. Weekend to Papaw & Gigi's house.
Poor Baby J, on top of not feeling well he had to have a thermometer stuck in his hiney. And with his first ever fever my "momma of a sick baby" anxiety kicked in.
Momma: "His fever is 101.7, do we need to go to the ER?"
Daddy: "He's ok. We'll watch him closely, no need for an ER trip"
Momma: "Are you sure? Did you hear me? 101.7!"
Daddy: "If it gets up to 103 we will take him to the ER"
Momma: "102"
Daddy: "102.5"
Momma: "Deal!"
His fever never rose above 101.7, and after about 36 hours of extra sleepiness and tons of cuddles his fever broke.
While he ran a fever he didn't show any other symptoms of sickness. So we continued on with our plan to visit Gigi and Papaw the Great for the weekend. Uncle M & Aunt S were going to the grandparents house too and Baby J hadn't seen them since he was 6 weeks old.
We took our 2 dogs down with us, while M & S brought their 3 dogs up with them. 6 adults + 1 baby + 5 small furry animals in one house = fun loving chaos. We ate delicious meals together, we went to church, we sat around sipping coffee and catching up, we walked downtown by the harbor and ate ice cream, we went to the beach... it was a great weekend!
The one negative to the weekend was Baby J started acting sickly again. He never ran a fever, but he became very congested and at night while laying flat on his back he couldn't breath, which meant he couldn't sleep, which meant his momma and daddy couldn't sleep either. We took him to an urgent care center where he was prescribed Claritin (what a wonderful little medicine) and Amoxicillin. BJ couldn't keep the Amoxicillin down (allergic reaction? we don't know, but we stopped giving it to him) and because we had mixed it with his baby food to try to get him to take it he went on a week long baby food revolt! Refusing to open his mouth for even his favorite foods. But all is well, that ends well and the baby is well again!
Momma: "His fever is 101.7, do we need to go to the ER?"
Daddy: "He's ok. We'll watch him closely, no need for an ER trip"
Momma: "Are you sure? Did you hear me? 101.7!"
Daddy: "If it gets up to 103 we will take him to the ER"
Momma: "102"
Daddy: "102.5"
Momma: "Deal!"
His fever never rose above 101.7, and after about 36 hours of extra sleepiness and tons of cuddles his fever broke.
While he ran a fever he didn't show any other symptoms of sickness. So we continued on with our plan to visit Gigi and Papaw the Great for the weekend. Uncle M & Aunt S were going to the grandparents house too and Baby J hadn't seen them since he was 6 weeks old.
[Side Note] Amelia Island, Florida... it's a nice place to have grandparents! Going to a grandparent's house is always nice for a visit, but put your grandparents' house on an island and you get quality family time PLUS a little vacation getaway all rolled into one! Did I mention that Papaw is a deep sea fisherman and Gigi has her own facial salon in a local spa? AND they are fabulous, loving grandparents who truly enjoy family.
We took our 2 dogs down with us, while M & S brought their 3 dogs up with them. 6 adults + 1 baby + 5 small furry animals in one house = fun loving chaos. We ate delicious meals together, we went to church, we sat around sipping coffee and catching up, we walked downtown by the harbor and ate ice cream, we went to the beach... it was a great weekend!
The one negative to the weekend was Baby J started acting sickly again. He never ran a fever, but he became very congested and at night while laying flat on his back he couldn't breath, which meant he couldn't sleep, which meant his momma and daddy couldn't sleep either. We took him to an urgent care center where he was prescribed Claritin (what a wonderful little medicine) and Amoxicillin. BJ couldn't keep the Amoxicillin down (allergic reaction? we don't know, but we stopped giving it to him) and because we had mixed it with his baby food to try to get him to take it he went on a week long baby food revolt! Refusing to open his mouth for even his favorite foods. But all is well, that ends well and the baby is well again!
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