Every Day is New

In the last 10 days Jack has started rice cereal, found his feet, rolled over and sits unsupported.for short amounts of time...and that's just what I can think of off the top of my head.

He's also really found his voice and his happy shrieks and babbling can be heard anywhere in the house.


I'm really enjoying this stage of babyhood. He loves to play on the floor exploring his toys and putting everything in his mouth.



Jack seems to have gained a bit of independence in the last couple of weeks as well. He is happy to play with his toys or sit in his booster seat or johnny jumper while I get things done around the house. He loves tags, so any of his toys that have a tag enthral him. He will diligently work until he can get the tag in his mouth.

The nonstop travel and busyness don't seem to have an end in sight but that's okay because it's all good stuff. Lots of family coming and going which we love.

I had a bad stomach flu last week and I think along with my insides the last of my brains seeped out with it. I have no energy for blogging or writing in general...

So, if I'm hit and miss the next few days, you'll know why!

We've Been Busy

We spent the weekend at White Pass with the same great friends who went to Utah with us.

We snuggled by the fire, read books, played with the kidlets, and ate way too many cookies. Libby has a good excuse to eat cookies...me not so much!

At one point on Friday, Libby and I looked at each other over the top of our books and asked if the other wanted to venture outside...you know, just to be able to say we left the condo that day...we decided against it and settled on making tea and eating more cookies. (On a side note, it is so awesome to have a fellow book nerdy friend! Love it!)

The guys skied a bunch, but the moms decided icy slushy snow just wasn't our thing. I was on deadline this week, so the weekend coming early was a blessing. I got my work done and didn't have to worry.

Amy snapped this cute photo of us, I love that Jack looks like he has no neck (or body), just a floating head. I didn't exactly pack appropriately for him, so we had to get a little creative in keeping him bundled up.

Hope your weekend was as relaxing and restful as ours was!

Edible

Couldn't you just eat him? I think I'll dip him in chocolate and have him for dinner. I need to scan some pictures of Aaron as a baby because more and more Jack is starting to resemble him. (I think it's in their facial expressions more than anything).

They certainly share one clear character trait and that is stubbornness. And it makes me laugh because I can't believe that just shy of 5-months, this kid has a stronger will than I do.

I thought before I became a mother that children were 90 percent nurture and 10 percent nature. Not so. I think best case scenario it's 50/50.

Take for example that my child is perfectly capable of rolling over from his tummy to his back and vice versa. When he's on his tummy, he pushes himself up on his arms and even rocks to the side but once he feels the pull of gravity he pulls himself back to his stomach. Or, when he's on his back, he can roll up onto his side and reach for toys but he refuses to actually roll all the way over. And of course, now I have something new to obsess over. Doesn't the universe know I'm still busy obsessing over a bunch of other stuff? (Which by the way, it looks like his tummy issues have resolved themselves for the most part...yea!)


I realize that I'm putting all these expectations on Jack's behavior that are completely inappropriate. He'll roll when he wants to and it's no big deal when he does it. But for me, who internalizes and stews on everything, it's hard not to have a reason and then a solution to this 'problem.' I like to fix anything that seems broken, whether it's a relationship, a work issue or a baby who doesn't want to roll over. Anne Lamott writes in Traveling Mercies that there are really only two prayers, Help me, Help me, Help me and Thank you Thank you Thank you.


I feel like I'm praying a lot of 'help me' right now. Help me not be such a stress case, help me not put so much pressure on my child already, help me be the kind of mom who can relax and enjoy the moment, help me not miss out on the joy that he is because I'm too busy worrying...the list goes on and on.

So, now that I've written out all my help me's, I'll finish this blog post with a few thank you's. Thank you for a boy who laughs and shrieks and talks all day long, thank you for sunshine and warmish weather, thank you for big blue eyes, for tulips on the verge of blooming, thank you for a husband who loves our son, good friends and the reminder that it's not my world to try and control.

Gratitude

Jack and I had a great weekend in Bellingham loving on soon-to-be-born Baby Lim and her mama. The college roommates have a tradition of gathering for a girls weekend to celebrate upcoming weddings or babies.

It always cracks me up how we can all pick up where we left off as if we were just living together yesterday. There is lots of laughing, a little bickering and that wonderful unspoken understanding that friends who really know each other just have.

Thanks ladies...now send me your pictures so I can post them on my BLOG!

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And as thankful as I am for my friends, I'm really grateful for my hubby. Why you ask? Well, as I was sitting on Snoqualmie pass in an awful snow storm waiting for avalanche control to finish up, I thought to myself, if Aaron was here I wouldn't have to drive...

There is so much I take for granted that my husband just does. He drives in the scary weather, he maintains the cars and almost always pumps the gas. He mows the lawn (I've never mowed a lawn), fixes the plumbing, calls the repair man when we need it and pays the mortgage. I wouldn't know up from down if he disappeared. I know I could do all those things, but I'm so thankful I don't have to, and even more thankful that I get to be married to my husband. He's the best (to me!).

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Aaron spent his free weekend knocking back projects around our house. He's so funny, I always encourage him to just relax and kick back whenever I leave town and instead he busies himself around the house fixing and tweaking things. Apparently, he is relaxed...

Anyway, he took a hand sander to our hardwood floors and re-verathaned then and they look fantastic! Several years of dog nails, high heals, and one to many times of dropping food on the floor and they were looking a little rough. Now, you can slide across them in your socks and Rem keeps slip sliding around as he tries to round a corner.

He also rotatiled a garden space in our side yard, so I'll keep you posted as things start growing.

Getting Ready

Okay...moving on...shall we?

It's bitterly cold here. The sun is out and my tulips and daffodils are peeking out from their winter blankets of leaves with such hope. Every time I walk past them, I think not yet little friends; wait just a little longer.

I'm ridiculously hopeful for spring. Stroller walks, gardening, shorts, flip flops, backyard barbecues, camping, SUN!

I almost bought Jackson sunscreen at Target today. But I decided that wasn't exactly a necessity just yet. Someday soon though...right?

I'm thinking about planting a vegetable garden this year. What should I plant? What's easy for a first timer? I don't have much room, so I'm thinking beans and peas are out but what about carrots, peppers and lettuce?

Talk to me people...the old blog has been a little quiet lately.

Your Blog is a Little Heavy on the Poop...

That is a direct quote from my husband.

I make no promises that this is the last blog entry about my sons bowel movements. It's a little all consuming these days.

I initially thought that the taking dairy out of my diet was helping, but I think I'm wrong. I don't think there's been any improvement yet and it's day five. I'm off to the natural foods store to buy baby probiotics. I'm sticking to the no dairy for a bit longer and I've also cut out nut products since my side of the family has that allergy and I eat peanut butter a lot.

I'm stressed.

Anyway...

I made really good chicken tortilla soup today. Here's the recipe:
(do you like how I'm now mixing my conversation about poop with food...I've hit new lows even for myself).

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1/2 can refried beans or more (trust me)
• can of black beans
• can of dices tomatoes
• can of green chilies
• 1/2 red pepper and 1/2 green pepper finely diced
• 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
• 1 box of low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 jar of good green salsa
• 3 tbsp. taco seasoning
• salt and pepper

Throw chicken breasts into your crock pot (frozen or fresh) with half jar of green salsa. If you really want to turn up the flavor add 1 cup of water and two chicken bouillon cubes. If you don't have the boullion don't worry about it. Let cook on high for about two hours or until the chicken is cooked through.

Shred chicken with two forks and leave in crock pot. Add chicken stock, black beans, tomatoes, onion, peppers, corn and taco seasoning. Stir in refried beans and let simmer for another couple of hours. Add salt and pepper as you see fit.

Top with sour cream, avocado, tortilla chips and cheese!

The refried beans add a touch of creaminess to the soup, which I love. Although I will warn you that it will separate in the soup (when it's been cooled) and make the soup look kind of gross. Just give it a quick stir and it will congeal the way it's supposed to.

Happy crock pot day.

What Do You Title a Post About Poop? (Again)

We're on day three of no dairy and unbelievably we are seeing a marked improvement in Jack's 'issues.' I don't know if it's related but he's also sleeping a little better.

Sad for me as I made my famous garlic mashed potatoes that have butter, cream cheese and sour cream blended into them for dinner with friends last night. I sadly passed them by and piled salad high on my plate.

I'll be interested to know if all the diarrhea we've been dealing with is legitimatly a milk intolerance/allergy or if his system is just having a hard time digesting it while it heals from a virus. Regardless, I'm hopeful we've rounded the corner.

This morning I made french toast with vanilla soy milk instead of milk and it was really good. I almost couldn't tell the difference. I added extra cinnamon to cover the soy aftertaste and it worked!

Aaron and I were laughing this morning that this is going to force me to get over my sweet tooth since just about every dessert I love has chocolate, butter or some other kind of dairy in it.

Those last two or three pounds that have so stubbornly hung on...I'm hoping they disappear. Which, can we talk about weight for just a minute?

What is the deal with post-pregnancy bodies? The weight is almost all gone but my body doesn't look like it used to. Some of my old pants are too big...others are too tight. Shirts still don't fit right. I'm not necessarily complaining and I honestly don't think it's noticable to anyone but me and probably my husband, but it's a little disconcerting.

In some ways, I feel more comfortable in my own skin than I ever have before...there's something about aknowledging what your body is capable of in carrying and birthing a baby that makes me feel a little more tender and forgiving towards it. On the other hand, sometimes I look in the mirror and see every flaw, real and imagined, and just feel gross. Womanhood is such an odd dichotomy of embracing and hating ourselves all in the same moment.

I do love this picture I'm posting of Jack and I. We both look so healthy and happy. And truly, as contrite as it sounds, means more to me than anything.

4 Month Update

We went to the doctor for Jack's well baby appointment this morning. Our big boy weighed in at 19 pounds 5 ounces and 27 inches. He is big!

The doctor was pleased to see him meeting all his milestones and Jack showed off his new found 'voice,' shrieking and babbling away. He was a champ with his shots and only cried for a minute.

Unfortunately, we still haven't gotten the diarrhea completely in check and which means this mama is going off dairy for a couple of weeks to see if it helps. The dairy thing is hard because he doesn't have any other symptom of a milk allergy, but I don't know what else to do other than wait.

We have two weeks before his diarrhea goes from 'no big deal' to labeled chronic. And chronic diarrhea required x-rays and scopes and other scary tests that I don't want to think about.

The doctor thankfully didn't seem overly concerned because he is so big, it's not hindering his growth and he remains in the 95th percentile for height and weight. But, I'll be honest I'm starting to feel pretty anxious about the whole thing. I just want him to be okay.

Jack slept for about an hour in his crib today and I'm off to attempt another one. We didn't have such a great day sleeping wise yesterday so I'm hoping today is better.

Grace in Small Things

1. A perfectly made americano this morning

2. Stripy jammies

3. Laughter floating from the bathroom as Aaron bathes Jack

4. A new book to read

5. Chocolate chip oatmeal cookies (warm!)

6. Not having to do the dinner dishes

Mom Gig

I love this boy.

Especially when he's only wearing a diaper and his pudgy rolls are that much more accessible for munching.

We are in sleep-training boot camp around here. Day three and I'm confidant we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Jack just slept nearly two hours in his crib. I think some of this is harder on me than it is him.

I'm leaning more on the Healthy Seep Habits Happy Child philosophy with a dash of Baby Wise thrown in. We are working on naps at 9am, 1pm, a cat nap at 5pm and bedtime at 7-7:30pm. At this point I'm getting a 30 minute nap out of him at 9am, 1 to 2 hour naps in the afternoon, nothing but crying at 5pm and he goes down easily for bed at night. I'm not sure if I'll keep the early evening nap, but at 4 months old, I think he needs it. Any suggestions or reccomendations are welcome...please throw your two cents in.

This mom-gig is so much harder than I ever thought. The sheer weight of responsibility, not just to keep him alive, but to raise him falls heavy on my shoulders. Not because it's too hard or because I don't like it...but because I love this little guy so deeply and with such intensity that I don't want any mistakes made. I don't want to hurt him, mess up or make a choice that leads us down the wrong path.

And I know I will...I already have.

But I look into those beautiful blue eyes and see nothing but infinite potential.

For him and for me.

Park City

We had a fabulous time on vacation. Of course, even with the best of inentions, we didn't take a single photo, so these are stolen from Libby's blog.

This was a perfectly timed escape from dreary Yakima. We arrived to beautiful sunshine, eager grandparents, good food and decent snow. Even better, it was a truly fantastic time with friends. We laughed a lot (mostly about bodily functions)...I swear some things never change! But we snuck in some great conversations as well. After a couple of lonely years in Yakima, we are blessed with rich friendships.