Tickle Toes and Houses

Now that I finally figured out that adding pictures to my post was why I couldn't post from my mobile app, I can post more often. So I thought giving a nice little update would be nice.

James and I have been looking for a house since we got here, and had our hearts set on one that just isn't going to work out due to potential ceiling issues and not being able to add on. So we started our preapproval process and found a realtor. Our realtor has not been helpful to us now is she communicating, and that has been frustrating! Our preapproval took forever to come through, but finally that is done and we were approved for a good amount...yay! So yesterday we went and found ourselves a new realtor and even viewed a few houses last night (none of which we liked), and we are going to look at a nice house this evening. I can't wait to see it! I just so badly want to have a house!!! (Not to mention the tax credit that comes along with it : ) hopefully we'll find the right one soon!

I cannot believe my son is already a year old! It is crazy how fast time flies! He is walking everywhere now and trying to talk. He knows where every single chime is at nanna's house and has to make them make "music" and it's cute. On sunday, the drummer at church sat with braedan in his lap and let him play, and he had so much fun! Braedan played on 2 drums, hitting them equal number of times and keeping tempo (one, two, three, switch, one, two, three)...I have a feeling we are going to have to get a real drum set someday for our little drummer boy!

Life is moving along, we just hope to have our own space soon, keep us in your prayers for that! James is finally starting to get paychecks, so hopefully our finances will be good soon (no thanks to unemployment that we never got). But overall we are doing well. I just wish I weren't living out of boxes and had my own stuff out!

Food Kick and Baby Face Updates!

I have been on a recipe food kick lately...since hubby and I pretty much make all of our own baby food, we have been opened up to a whole new world of combinations. There are so many fruits and veggies I have never tried before, and I love exploring! We just started using a new service called Door To Door Organics which allows you to purchase "boxes" of fruits and veggies for a great price. They have several different box sizes, and each week you can see what will be coming in your box, and you have the option to substitute items out. We ordered a "small" box for just $33, close to what we would have spent at the grocery store anyway on fresh stuff, only this is all organic and mostly local. In our box we received:

Bananas	4
Pluots, Dapple Dandy	1.25 lb
Strawberries	1
Valencia Oranges	3
Broccoli	1
Daikon, Bunch	1
Green Peppers	0.5 lb
Roma Tomatoes	1 lb
Romaine Lettuce	1
White mushrooms (8oz)	1
Yellow Squash	0.5 lb
Vidalia Onions	1 lb

 (and instead of the mushrooms we got 2 mangos).....The other great thing about this service is that you get in-season items, and it widely expands our cooking horizons.  So tonight for dinner I am going to make Roasted Daikon Radishes (radishes, carrots, onion, garlic, etc...sounds yummy!) and an Herb Chicken Bake. Can't wait to eat!

Now for my baby face updates! Braedan is getting so big! He is almost 10.5 months old, and at his last checkup he weighed 15 1/2 lbs. (under the chart), and I don't remember his height offhand. But his height jumped from the 22nd percentile to the 55th, and his weight dropped from 5th to under the chart. So doc was a bit worried about that. We are monitoring it and see where he stands at his year check up. He is just a picky eater. He likes to feed himself, and often, if he can't feed himself, he won't eat. He is eating finger foods, and other table foods, mashing things up pretty good even without teeth! Although, yesterday he started to cut his first tooth, and it looks like it hurts so bad! We have an amber teething necklace which we don't keep on him consistently, and I think we will now to see if it helps. My only worry is that it is a little loose, so it might now have the same effects if it were closer to the skin consistently. (For more info on teething necklaces check out my link to Inspired By Finn).

Our boy seems to be doing different things daily, and it's just amazing to watch him grow and get excited when he does something new. He says mom, mamma, bob, ktktktkt (we think he's trying to say kitty), and occasionally I catch him saying something close to "dat" (like da da), but some are far and few between. He's been crawling and walking around furniture like crazy since about 9 months, and now he is pushing up and standing all by himself! He also is learning how to hold objects and stand by himself. I am just waiting for those brave little steps! He is learning how to push a ball (both little and BIG!) and how to point, and spoon feed himself, although spoon feeding doesn't always happen lol. There are just so many changes I can't keep up with them all! I am so glad though that hubby and I finally bought a new camera charger, we weren't able to take pics (other than cell phone pics) for a while. Now we are clicking away!

Well this has been a long post, but some updates were essential! We have other updates to share, but I'll save that news for now until we know more facts! Let's just say we are excited for a change (and no I am not pregnant!) For now, enjoy my dinner recipe!

Roasted Daikon Radishes

2-3 daikon radishes
1 bag of baby carrots for less preparations
1 whole onion
salt
pepper
olive oil
1 clove garlic

Turn oven to 350 degrees. Drizzle and slather olive oil evenly on a flat baking pan.
Then peel and cut the daikons into 1/4 thick round slices. Try to be consistent with the cutting so that it can cook evenly. Spread it evenly on the baking pan.
Chop the onion into big chunks and spread it along with the baby carrots onto the baking pan
Mash the garlic and throw it on top of the vegetables.
Season the vegetables with salt & pepper and drizzle additional olive oil to cover
Put it in the oven and let it bake for about 45-60 min. uncover.
Good eats!

My Boy Is 8 Months...Wow!

Yeppers, that is true! I cannot believe how fast time is flying by! It seems like just yesterday we were in the hospital hoping and praying for B to be able to come home, and now he's sitting up, almost feeding himself, and on the verge of crawling! That's right...crawling! YIKES! James and I occasionally would work with B on "how to put up his hands and knees," but yesterday all of a sudden he just did it by himself! He mostly just scoots backwards right now, but he sometimes gets one or both knees up (and then falls shortly after) and sometimes he gets himself up in "pushup" stance. It's all too cute and funny. I will have to post videos once I upload them!

On another note, B is also starting to get more happier by the day. His times away from mom and dad seem to be getting much smoother/easier, and he is just so playful now; more playful than ever before. It's ust amazing! We thought he was on drugs a few days ago! He still has his moments though, and that's ok. He also does much better in a car seat (FINALLY!) except when he is really trying to sit up. He can't stand having to be half laying down in his baby car seat, but he's still just a little guy. Time for a new car seat soon I think!

I am hoping to start posting more on here now that we are settled into our new (rental) home. I was just thinking today of how nice it is to have a backyard and a deck where people can just come and relax, and I can have more than one person in my kitchen and not be crowded. It's amazing. Although, after having a kitchen of this size, I don't think that I could ever go back to having a smaller one. Especially not on my Betty Crocker days lol. 

Well, B is in bed (has been for over an hour, knock on wood!), so I think it's time for mommy to get a nap in while she can! So I think I may do just that. And I may upload a pic or two as well, just for cuteness sakes! Good night to all!

 

[caption id="attachment_89" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Braedan just being happy."][/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_90" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Braedan playing in the grass."][/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_91" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="And playing in the grass."][/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_92" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Time To Eat!"][/caption]

Always On Mondays...

That's the line...Sunday's and Monday's Lil' B does something new, every week. Never fails. This week it is screaming. It's actually kind of cute (but can be annoying to some I would assume!)He is so verbal now, responding a lot to everything...but instead of goo goos and gaa gaas it's AHHHHHHIIIIIIHHHHHIIIIII (that was a high pitched scream...). I think he can scream in a higher pitch than I could ever sing, but it's just so cute!

On another note, we're starting to see when he's "playing" us. It's cute too, but I am sure it will get old fast. We can definitely tell when he is faking a scream cry. The best is when he is "crying" but smiling at the same time, and he knows we caught him. 

We did find out what his fav food is so far, bananas! He loves em a ton! It's a long way from his apple reaction before...don't think we'll be trying those anyways, last time he ate em his arms broke out. But he loves those nanners! Today we gave him sweet potato for the first time, and he liked it alright...just had to mix it with cereal and milk first. 

Braedan gets his 6 month check up this Friday, and I can't wait to see how much he's grown! We already know weight-wise he's grown, last Thursday he had an appointment and he was already 14lbs. 2oz!! Just crazy. He's a ham though. I just can't imagine my life without my baby boy!!!!

Time To Eat!

About a week or two ago we decided it was time to start giving our little man some solids. We started out with the classic rice cereal mixed with breast milk, and he loves it! It started off a little rocky trying to get it in, but he's got it down now! Like all crazy camera parents, we decided to videotape the feeding. And, we hadn't posted in a while, so we thought it would be really funny to post some videos so you can see Lil B in action!

Today, we decided it was time to start pureeing some foods. So we tried to good ol' apple for the first food. Baby B helped mamma get everything ready, but I had to put him in the swing in another room when I turned the food processor on. He was not a fan of that. Too loud. Once we had all the food ready, we put him in his little seat and then...SEE BELOW! The faces he made when trying apples were just priceless! I just can't type it out. So, I have posted a video below. Let's just say that we won't be trying apples again for a bit. Maybe next time we'll try something a bit more bland! Enjoy!

Here's the rice cereal video: first time eating rice cereal

And here are the apple videos: first time eating apples doesn\'t like apples!

Sweet Giggles.

The sweetest sound you'll ever hear is when your baby giggles at you for the first time. And it was. I almost cried!

For a few weeks B has been doing these super huge grins and what we like to call "silent laughs". They are adorable. He opens his mouth really big and pushes his face forward and squints his eyes and it is just precious. Sometimes he even makes this sound that is like a half-laugh. But today I was bouncing him and singing him random silly made-up singy-songs and he just started giggling! It was so precious! he even did it again until he got tired, then it was nap time. I felt bad because daddy missed it, but he will do it again I am sure. We have been waiting for him to laugh and he finally has!

Braedan also rolled over again the other day. He seems to only do it when I am not looking at him. For instance, I put him on the floor and turned around to grab some toys and when I turned back around he was already laying on his back. Now he is working on getting his legs up under him when he is on his tummy. He holds himself up on his forearms sometimes and keeps his head high. He is just too cute.

I still have not gotten pics uploaded other than to facebook, and when I update here I am usually not on my computer...so...for another day.

Anyway, I am a happy mommy and love everyday with my baby boy. He is just amazing!!!

Lil' B's Perfect Arrival

So, this is a little late in posting, but OUR BABY IS HERE! Braedan was born on September 20th at 10:!3pm. He weighed 5lbs. 11.5ozs. and was only 5 weeks early! We like to call him our little miracle baby...aka the fighter, because had he come on time, he may not have made it. When he came out we saw that the cord was wrapped tight around his neck and around his body. Had we even noticed anything had changed, it would have been too late. But not to dwell on that, he is here, safe, and totally healthy!! I gave birth totally drug free, completely and comfortably natural (other than being on a hospital bed of course), and with the help of a friend to act as a Doula. I labored mostly at home which was awesome. The best part was my friend's little daughter (2 yrs. old) even helped to rub my back with a heating pad. It was so cute. She's a little mini chiro-doula! Labor was only about 6 or so hours for me. Pretty short I think. All in all, quite the experience. Now that I am out of it, I think I can do it again!

On another note, the week following was not so fun. Since our baby was preterm, he had to  stay in the nursery to be checked out and tested on to make sure he didn't have any infections etc. He did have fluid in his lungs, but that was about it. He ended up being on antibiotics for a couple of days, and then we didn't start even feeding him till after that. He was fed through IV initially. James and I were very frustrated because the nurses kept not telling us anything. The first thing that made us mad was that they didn't even let us know about the first time they fed him. We didn't get to know, and we didn't get to be there, and it was very upsetting. So we demanded to be told from there on out when he was to eat so we could do it. After birth the next time I even held my baby was around 24 hours. He had to stay in an isolette to regulate his temperature  for a few days, and we could only touch him through the holes in the side. It was sad to see him in there with things all hooked up to him, but we understood why. So as he progressed, we began asking when he would get to come home...what a roller coaster ride of emotions.

At first the doctors kept saying that Braedan would have to increase his eating and continue to eat a certain amount. He did that, and even kept increasing what he was eating, and then still no answer. Then they kept weighing him every night and said that he needed to stop losing weight. (BTW, all babies lose weight after birth and gain it back about a week or so after). Every ounce mattered. Everytime he got weighed and lost another ounce like a normal baby would, it would just break our hearts because we would get no word on when he could come home. I never even got to have him in my hospital room with me. Braedan was born on a Saturday night, and I was discharged Monday. But I decided to stay at the hospital every night in a room specially for moms. Of course no dads were allowed to stay, which made things even worse. Our entire, new family separated every day, every night.

Days kept going by and we would ask to speak to the head Doctor, but no communication was given. We weren't doing anything at the hospital that we couldn't do at home: feed him, change him, monitor him, and bring him in for weight checks. All we wanted to know was what the exact criteria was for him to be able to go home, and all we would get were "beat around the bush" answers. The worst was when they would threaten feeding tubes for him anytime he didn't meet a certain amount of food in a certain amount of time. No baby is going to eat the exact same amount in the exact amount of time every 3 hours around the clock. Not normal. We were just mad. Of course they also were saying that he had to maintain his weight before he could go home. So he needed to not lose any more weight. So James and I thought, "Ok, if he'll just weigh the same here then he can go home". Nope, some nurses started saying, "no he needs to gain weight." We were getting so angry now because it was always a different answer! It had been such a frustrating week already and a huge emotional roller coaster! Finally Friday night rolled around and he was to be weighed. He had gained a few ounces!! I was so excited. There was no reason now why he shouldn't be able to come home.

Saturday came, and hours kept going by, and I was waiting to hear anything about him being able to go home. No word, no communication. Finally a new set of nurses were here and one said "So they're discharging him today?" I had no idea. No one had said anything to me. I was excited and mad at the same time, so I decided to push the subject all day. Finally I was told that he would be discharged and was ready to go, and all we needed now was just our ride to go home. We were there an entire week.

Now I know that there are many mothers who might be thinking, "our child was in there for months, you have no idea," and they're right. But I do know that even that one week was torture, not being able to be the parent to your own child, having to be monitored all the time, someone else setting the rules. We hated it. And, I cannot imagine what other mothers have gone through being there for longer. I don't think I could do it. But I would if I had to.

The good thing is Braedan is home now, and is as strong and healthy as ever. Today he weighed in at 7lbs. 4oz. He is getting big! We couldn't be happier to have him home (even when he is up screaming through half the night or not cooperating...he is still our cute little baby boy). LIfe is good and we are adjusting. Although it's been a roller coaster ride, I wouldn't change it for the world!