Tonight was Lasagna Night. Do you think maybe Graham enjoyed it?
Why yes, yes he did!!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Mommy's Little Helper
Having two kids under the age of two is going to be a piece of cake, thanks to the little Mother's Helper I have at home:
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Happy Saint Patrick's Day!
Whether you're Irish or not, we hope you had a great time celebrating St. Patty's Day :-)Now if you'll excuse me, my husband just walked through with a 6-pack of beer for him and a box of popsicles for me, so any words I had planned to type will have to wait for later .... mmmmmmm, popsicles.....
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Halfway there!
Last Monday marked my 20th week of pregnancy. For you non-preggo types, that's the halfway point, as most typical pregnancies are 40 weeks long. I cannot believe I'm now closer to the end than the beginning - I have no idea where the time went!! So now, as I'm writing this at 21.5 weeks pregnant, we're now counting DOWN to the day we meet our little girl, as opposed to counting UP to the date.
We've been busy, still getting the house in order, painting, light construction and updating. And one of the rooms in desperate need of paint is the nursery. It was a gawd-awful shade of banana peel yellow (I wish I would have taken a picture of it in all its hideousness). And I just couldn't look at it any longer, especially since we had the furniture all in and set up. So last weekend, while Erik was in Miami on business (rough life, huh?), I got ambitious and decided to paint. And I have to admit, it was a little nerve-racking -- it's definitely AQUA. Really, really aqua. But now that I'm over the shock, I love it.
It's serene and calming and I can't wait to see how it looks with Baby Girl's bedding, which is on backorder until May (boo). The nursery is still a work in progress, obviously, and there are a ton of half-finished projects (like the paper mobile hanging above the chair) that'll keep me busy for the next 18.5 weeks. But it's getting there, and I'm loving it. Now it just needs a sleeping, beautiful little girl :-)
Because I've had a couple of requests from friends far away or those I may not see on a regular basis, here's a 20/21 week belly shot. I'm enjoying my pregnant belly much more this time, with Graham I carried much lower and wider, aka "not so cute or flattering". This time around, my bump is higher and definitely protrudes more, and I'm having fun looking pregnant this time around!
So here's hoping the last half of the pregnancy goes as smoothly (and as quickly!!) as the first half did
We've been busy, still getting the house in order, painting, light construction and updating. And one of the rooms in desperate need of paint is the nursery. It was a gawd-awful shade of banana peel yellow (I wish I would have taken a picture of it in all its hideousness). And I just couldn't look at it any longer, especially since we had the furniture all in and set up. So last weekend, while Erik was in Miami on business (rough life, huh?), I got ambitious and decided to paint. And I have to admit, it was a little nerve-racking -- it's definitely AQUA. Really, really aqua. But now that I'm over the shock, I love it.
It's serene and calming and I can't wait to see how it looks with Baby Girl's bedding, which is on backorder until May (boo). The nursery is still a work in progress, obviously, and there are a ton of half-finished projects (like the paper mobile hanging above the chair) that'll keep me busy for the next 18.5 weeks. But it's getting there, and I'm loving it. Now it just needs a sleeping, beautiful little girl :-)
Because I've had a couple of requests from friends far away or those I may not see on a regular basis, here's a 20/21 week belly shot. I'm enjoying my pregnant belly much more this time, with Graham I carried much lower and wider, aka "not so cute or flattering". This time around, my bump is higher and definitely protrudes more, and I'm having fun looking pregnant this time around!
So here's hoping the last half of the pregnancy goes as smoothly (and as quickly!!) as the first half did
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Um...'scuse me, but where's mah behbey?
I think it's official -- my baby is no longer a baby. He's a toddler. Because, well, he TODDLES. EVERYWHERE! When you put his coat on, he toddles over the to door to the garage and reaches for the knob. If you open that door, he toddles over to the door of the car and waits for you to lift him into his carseat. He toddles through malls, parking lots and into daycare holding your hand. Just like he's, you know, alittleboyandnotababymama. Sigh. So sweet and so exciting to watch him grow up, but so sad to see the little vestiges of babyhood slowly disappearing; his little leg rolls, his chubby fingers and clumsy hands, the way he looks to mama for everything - they're all more of a memory than a reality now. But really, I can't complain too much, because I get to see this goofball every morning:
We had Graham's 15 month appointment with the pediatrician earlier this month, and as usual, Graham was more fascinated with playing with the paper on the table than being examined. But for once, it wasn't all "Yup, looks great, see you in 3 months." Don't get me wrong, it wasn't awful, but we do need to keep an eye on his weight for the next few months. Graham only gained 0.75 pounds over the last three months, throwing him off his growth curve, so we need to work on getting him to eat more, or at least more often. His stats this appointment were:
length: 31.25" (55 percentile)
weight: 23 lbs (30 percentile)
head circumference: 47 (45 percentile)
So, project "Fatten Graham Up (the healthy way)" has begun. And so far, the most success we've had is by getting him to dip his food - ranch dressing with breadsticks, carmel dip and apples, and ketchup with...well, anything. I'll save those pictures for another blog post, but trust me, it's adorable. And so very grown up looking. Again...Sigh. Bye bye baby. Hello, ketchup dipping toddler.
We had Graham's 15 month appointment with the pediatrician earlier this month, and as usual, Graham was more fascinated with playing with the paper on the table than being examined. But for once, it wasn't all "Yup, looks great, see you in 3 months." Don't get me wrong, it wasn't awful, but we do need to keep an eye on his weight for the next few months. Graham only gained 0.75 pounds over the last three months, throwing him off his growth curve, so we need to work on getting him to eat more, or at least more often. His stats this appointment were:
length: 31.25" (55 percentile)
weight: 23 lbs (30 percentile)
head circumference: 47 (45 percentile)
So, project "Fatten Graham Up (the healthy way)" has begun. And so far, the most success we've had is by getting him to dip his food - ranch dressing with breadsticks, carmel dip and apples, and ketchup with...well, anything. I'll save those pictures for another blog post, but trust me, it's adorable. And so very grown up looking. Again...Sigh. Bye bye baby. Hello, ketchup dipping toddler.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Grateful
It's February 8, 2010, and I'm sitting here amazed and oh so grateful for everything I have. Two years ago today, Erik and I were sitting in the doctor's office with our fingers crossed, hoping and praying that our IUI would work. We'd undergone testing, injections, and numerous ultrasounds to get to this point, all in hopes of starting our family.
Through it all, Erik's patience, his optimism, and his concern reminded me how incredibly lucky I was to have such an outstanding partner. And today, two years later, I am still so grateful that I get to share the rest of my life with such a wonderful man.
Two years ago today, as we were sitting in that procedure room, I knew there was the possibility that I might never be a mother. And yet, I'm sitting here today watching my toddler waddle around the family room, pulling his wooden puppy behind him and jabbering excitedly to his daddy. My adorable, goofy little boy, the little miracle I prayed and hoped for so desperately two years ago, is more perfect than I ever could have imagined, and I am so proud and grateful to be his mommy.
I'm grateful for my family, even the pain-in-the-butt dogs. And today, I have one more thing to be grateful for. Two years ago today, I didn't know if I was ever going to be a mommy, and today, I can say I'm so profoundly grateful to be mom to one incredible little boy, and his gorgeous little sister.
It's a GIRL!
Through it all, Erik's patience, his optimism, and his concern reminded me how incredibly lucky I was to have such an outstanding partner. And today, two years later, I am still so grateful that I get to share the rest of my life with such a wonderful man.
Two years ago today, as we were sitting in that procedure room, I knew there was the possibility that I might never be a mother. And yet, I'm sitting here today watching my toddler waddle around the family room, pulling his wooden puppy behind him and jabbering excitedly to his daddy. My adorable, goofy little boy, the little miracle I prayed and hoped for so desperately two years ago, is more perfect than I ever could have imagined, and I am so proud and grateful to be his mommy.
I'm grateful for my family, even the pain-in-the-butt dogs. And today, I have one more thing to be grateful for. Two years ago today, I didn't know if I was ever going to be a mommy, and today, I can say I'm so profoundly grateful to be mom to one incredible little boy, and his gorgeous little sister.
It's a GIRL!
Monday, January 18, 2010
My dryer has balls... does yours?!?!?
Laundry. It's my nemesis, my never-ending story, my dreaded nightly chore, and oddly enough, something that gives me a sense of accomplishment (however short-lived) with I'm done.
When we started cloth diapering Graham, I really began to pay attention to the chemicals and additives that are in cleaning agents - laundry detergent included. It's amazing how many harsh soaps, fragrances, additives, preservatives, brighteners, well, GUNK is in so many of our day-to-day products. So I started trying to cut down. We try to use more earth-friendly, biodegradable detergents to protect our water supplies. I've eliminated fabric softener, opting instead for vinegar in the rinse cycle, which does a fantastic job (and no, there's no acidic smell when it's done).
Dryer sheets were another obvious chemical-leach that we needed to cease. As an alternative, I made these felted wool dryer balls. They roll around in your dryer, and reduce the static buildup. And They.Are.Awesome! My first load of towels came out so fluffy and soft! The next load, down blankets, were bouncy and downy and snuggly. Seriously. These things rock!
You can find instructions on how to make them here. Probably the hardest part of the whole process was picking out which yarn to use. I would say my first two balls took about an hour each to complete. Once I got the hang of it, the other two went quickly, maybe 25 minutes each?
If you don't fancy yourself a Martha Stewart type, you can always purchase some Fuzzy Wuzzy Dryer Balls here. They'll run you around $12 each after S&H.
Erik even thinks that our laundry smells better now, as we think the wool absorbs any residual skinkies left on the clothes. Or you can add a few drops of essential oils (lavender, almond, lemon and orange) to the balls for some real, non-synthetic frangrance.
Seriously, for $5 each, why not give them a try? Of course, you might become the addict that I am and start scoping out prettily colored wool skiens everywhere you go, but hey, wouldn't three (or seven or nine) more just gorg all stacked up on top of the dryer?
Another perk to having these around the house? The dryer's not the only one happy to have a few spare balls laying around :-)
When we started cloth diapering Graham, I really began to pay attention to the chemicals and additives that are in cleaning agents - laundry detergent included. It's amazing how many harsh soaps, fragrances, additives, preservatives, brighteners, well, GUNK is in so many of our day-to-day products. So I started trying to cut down. We try to use more earth-friendly, biodegradable detergents to protect our water supplies. I've eliminated fabric softener, opting instead for vinegar in the rinse cycle, which does a fantastic job (and no, there's no acidic smell when it's done).
Dryer sheets were another obvious chemical-leach that we needed to cease. As an alternative, I made these felted wool dryer balls. They roll around in your dryer, and reduce the static buildup. And They.Are.Awesome! My first load of towels came out so fluffy and soft! The next load, down blankets, were bouncy and downy and snuggly. Seriously. These things rock!
You can find instructions on how to make them here. Probably the hardest part of the whole process was picking out which yarn to use. I would say my first two balls took about an hour each to complete. Once I got the hang of it, the other two went quickly, maybe 25 minutes each?
If you don't fancy yourself a Martha Stewart type, you can always purchase some Fuzzy Wuzzy Dryer Balls here. They'll run you around $12 each after S&H.
Erik even thinks that our laundry smells better now, as we think the wool absorbs any residual skinkies left on the clothes. Or you can add a few drops of essential oils (lavender, almond, lemon and orange) to the balls for some real, non-synthetic frangrance.
Seriously, for $5 each, why not give them a try? Of course, you might become the addict that I am and start scoping out prettily colored wool skiens everywhere you go, but hey, wouldn't three (or seven or nine) more just gorg all stacked up on top of the dryer?
Another perk to having these around the house? The dryer's not the only one happy to have a few spare balls laying around :-)
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