Mellissa's Musings

Such sweet sounds!

2010-04-12T10:48:00.003-05:00

* EDIT & UPDATE BELOW *

My little G-Man is talking up a STORM! I think month 13-now (he will be 15 months next week) has been amazing in language and large-motor development. (He started walking at 13 months, 2 days.) Here is a list of words (phonetically) that G-Man uses regularly and appropriately (along with translation):
aanj’ = orange
nana = banana
cree or cree’kur = cracker
up = up
see = see
hot = hot
dada = daddy
mama = mommy
daa or diggy = dog or doggy
keee-keee or caa = kitty or cat
baa = ball
go = go (said with determination usually!) ;-)
hi = hi (the newest word!)
cow = everything that’s an animal right now (except for cat and dog)
a-gool = apple or circle, we’re not certain yet but it’s definitely purposeful!
waar = water (he still signs this one too as he says it)
I forgot to list these words in the original post:

shoe = shoe

ark = ark for his Fisher Price Noah's ark playset

And, about 3 weeks ago he started connecting words! He will regularly say, “See up” if he wants to see something above his level and needs us to lift him. Or, “See hot” if we are cooking. He started out asking to “see” what I was cooking and I would respond with, “No honey, this is hot. Ouchy.” It took 1 night of hearing that and the next night it was,
G - “See up!”
Me- “No sweetie, it’s hot.”
G- “See UP!” (with demand in the tone!)
Me – “Sorry sweetie, it’s hot. Ouchy.”
G- “SEE UP HOT!!!!!” with much demand and a grrr thru clenched teeth and red face afterwards! It was awesome! I scooped him up (away from the stove) and told him how much I love his words! Good job baby!

Many of you will notice one word conspicuously absent from this list.
NO.
That’s right; he’s 15 months old next week and has never once said “no”. I am proud of that! He does hear the word from us, but sparingly. We will say, “No honey, that’s a pretty. Let’s play over here!” (or similar if something is dangerous) and redirect him to something or somewhere appropriate. I was in the parent room at church yesterday and one grandfather said no to his 9 month old grandson more than 50 times in a 10 minute period. Seriously!?!?! Are you kidding me? And then, in a few months when that’s all the boy says the parents and grandparents will be soooo frustrated! Yes, kids do need to hear the word no, but say it once and follow it up with what they CAN do! Set your child up for success rather than a constant verbal beating!

Anyway, my little G has been a sponge and I love sharing words with him! I know that he is soaking up all of these words even though he cannot say them all yet, one day, all too soon, I am sure he will!

Some random pics

2010-04-04T21:11:00.004-05:00

I've been pretty neglectful in the bloggy world lately. Here are a few pics from our latest happenings.

On Fridays I work long days. I am usually up at 4 and get home around 5 or 6. So, Friday while I am at work. Kyle texted me this picture, it's G-Man still sleeping at 8:15am. Ya, totally unheard of. Naturally, then next day when I was home and desperate for sleep, that G-Man was up at 5:45.

G-Man and Dog having an after daycare snack as we play outside.

G and his new veggie this week - asparagus. Yum!!!!

A very Happy Easter to all

2010-04-04T20:51:00.007-05:00

Jesus our Lord is Risen today! What a glorious day to celebrate we had here in Minnesota. It was sunny, warm (high 60's) and a day spent with family. Here are a few, unedited pics from our day. Enjoy. I hope you all had a fun day!

Little G-Man checking out the Easter basket and sand and bubble goodies that the Easter Bunny brought for him.

Mommy and G-Man, yep, that's the dress I made! My first attempt at garment sewing.

Me and my handsome boys!

G-Man checking out Grandpa's "new" tractor.

In case you didn't know, there's a war going on

2010-03-30T13:37:00.005-05:00

And it's the most fierce war ever waged. It's a war for souls. In the last few months two different girlfriends of mine have found out that their husbands were having affairs. Both of these women are strong Christians, believing and raising their children to love the Lord. Both of them had/have husbands who are ambivalent at best, about Christ and his love of us - for all of us. Marriage is sacred to God, it's a covenant we enter into with Him and someone we love and cherish. God wants marriage to last us our lifetime, he directs husbands to love their wife and wives to respect their husband. When someone sins in a marriage it hurts not only the marriage but God. I so clearly heard this today as I was leaving one of these friends' home: "Satan is busy, but God is stronger." Satan is not going to give up on a single soul without a fight. He sees both of my friends as a strong threat to him. These women are strong, loving Christians, they don't preach at or to their hubby's, they don't drag them to church. They simply live as women of God, living by example of His love for us. They are sinners, (we are ALL sinners) and they know it. They don't put on airs about being "perfect Christians". Because of this and their gentle love, slowly, their husbands will see God in their marriages. It may take 15 or 20 or 40 years, but I believe that with time and prayer that their partners will turn their hearts over to God. Satan cannot have that so he attacks their marriage, tempting with alcohol, false promises, adultery and the "rush" of sin. Then he covers it with lies. I found this in my bible today as I was praying for my girlfriends and it really hit home:

Ephesians 6:11-20 (this is only 11-13) Put on all the armor that God gives you, so that you will be able to stand up against the Devil's evil tricks. For we are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, and the cosmic powers of this dark age. So put on God's armor now! Then when the evil day comes, you will be able to resist the enemies attacks; and after fighting to the end, you will still hold your ground.

It continues, and I encourage you to look it up in your bible to read. It's a good one! So, if you find yourself under attack, discouraged and fearful, know that Satan is busy, but God is stronger. Surround yourself with prayer warriors and lift up your eyes to the Lord. He is our Salvation, strength and hope.

Where has all the talent gone?

2010-03-25T21:29:00.004-05:00

Seriously, what kinds of stars do we watch on TV and in movies these days. Most of our entertainment is computer generated. At the risk of sounding ridiculously old fashioned, there are not any fantastic stars like yesteryear. Take Gene Kelly. That man could act, sing, dance and yes, TAP DANCE ON ROLLER SKATES! Check out this video. It's long and the last 2 minutes are so worth it!

So, like I was saying, where is the talent for our kids to watch and idolize and try to emulate?

still here!

2010-03-25T08:52:00.004-05:00

Just incredibly busy! I still haven't started sewing my Easter dress...ya, no time like the present, right? I think tonite I have to get that underway.

G-Man fell last Friday at home with daddy while walking. He cracked his little head on the newel post (the big post at the bottom of the stairway banister) and it bled quite nicely, thru 2 bandaids. Hubby felt compelled to tell me a few times during the day that head wounds, though not severe still bleed alot. I thought it was cute how he didn't want me to worry. He must have forgotten that I was a first responder...

We have been busy getting home from work and daycare and then heading outside to play for an hour! The weather has been awesome and our snow is finally gone. All that's left is a little mud, perfect for playing! the hill in our backyard is quite steep (despite the view from the video) and G-Man's first time crawling in the back yard he crawled right up to it, (after having done some walking), turned around like he does to go down steps and proceeded to scoot down the hill the way he does down the stairs. Such a smart boy! Hope you are all enjoying sunshine and a wonderful first week of spring.

This was shot earlier this week. I was hoping to catch him saying aadio (radio) and annge (orange). I didn't but it's still cute!

I only have a sec

2010-03-16T20:26:00.002-05:00

So, here's the latest.
My G-Man is walking more and more each day! Today he showed off for our chiropractor and took 5 steps all on his own. He is also talking up a storm! My video camera is busted (grrr!) so I have to figure out a new option. He now says SEE HOT! We tell him no, he can't see the stove when we're cooking, it's hot, ouchie. He has picked up that several things are hot and ouchie and now he demands to see them by saying SEE HOT! He says SHOE as we get dressed and put shoes on. Today as I was singing Old MacDonald he started chiming in on the EI-EI-OOO parts! It was sooo darn stinking cute!

We played at the park yesterday and G-Man totally enjoyed the textures and dirt in the peagravel! I think he spent 35 minutes just playing with it with his hands and crawling in it. I loved watching him experience something new and just revel in it!

We went to the MN Zoo on Sunday afternoon with our friends Chad and Melis. We had a great time enjoying the unseasonably warm 64 degrees! (For those who don't live in MN that is sooo not normal.) The grizzly bears were the best on Sunday too. Two of them were wrestling and playing righ in front of the glass! G-Man saw them coming at us and as one fell into the pool, spearated from us only by the 2" glass, he almost crawled over my head. From that moment on, G-Man stayed wrapped around my neck, head nestled into my shoulder and eyes as big as saucers fixed on the bears. Again, no pics...ya, I know. I suck.

I have my dress all cut out, but haven't sewed a stitch yet. I am planning on starting that part of the project tomorrow.

Hmmm, I think that's about it. I hope to be back soon with some pics and video! For real!

So... or, rather Sew...

2010-03-06T21:00:00.005-06:00

I have been hankering for a proper Easter dress this year. That turned into a thought that the family should have matching or at least, coordinated, Easter clothes too. Then I had to sell Hubby on the idea. Then, I had to find THE dress. It proved impossible within the budget I had set. Naturally, all the shopping was done via the internet. Who has time to run to all the stores anyway? So, I harkened back to my childhood, when Mom would sew an Easter dress for my sister and I each year. Ah yes, I can sew! At least, I can quilt. If I can cut apart fabric, reassemble it into various shapes and sew it into a quilt, I can certainly sew a dress, right?

I spent hours the past few nites browsing thru the pattern web sites and finally came across a spectacular dress at McCalls. What do you think? (it's here) Then, I had to find just-the-right-fabric. Ya. I know. Hard! However, I grabbed my friend Melis, and we hit the quilt stores. They have high quality cottons and cotton blends with fabulous new spring lines that are hitting the stores now! I couldn't decide between two of the fabrics that we found though...so I got BOTH! Yes, I am planning on making 2 dresses! Both fabrics are quite different. I will be using the narrow band of fabric as the spaghetti straps and for a top edging around the dress. The red, white and blue fabric is from a 1930's reproduction line. It reminded me of my Grandma Johnson, Americana, patriotism...I love it! The brown with pink flowers is just plain fun! I plan on topping off each dress with a cute, lightweight coordinated cardigan sweater.

The hard part is going to be deciding which dress to wear for Easter! I think the red, white and blue...then I can put Hubby and G-Man in blue shirts and we will all "go." Of course, that fabric may require that I have a hat too! I am excited!!! Wish me luck! I'll model them here once they are finished.

"WOW!"

2010-03-06T08:35:00.001-06:00

Thursday morning I was waiting for G-Man to wake up so we could go to daycare. I had turned on some lights, uncovered him and was talking quietly to him. (he was sleeping in our bed)

He stretched sooooo long! I was shocked at how big his was, arms outstretched over his head...legs straight and toes pointed. It was a great stretch!

Then, his beautiful blue eyes popped open, his face exploded into a HUGE grin and he said as clear as day, "WOW!"

Then, G-Man rolled over to his tummy and slid out of bed and crawled to Monster Dog to say good morning, smiling all the way! It was awesome!

He loves to say "wow" and "see". He's never said "no"...yet! Here is some video of him with a few wows...this is about 2 weeks old.

So much to catch up on!!!

2010-03-05T08:10:00.007-06:00

I love this one! He had been jumping in bed. Hubby blames me for all G-Mans new bad habits cuz I was laughing at his antics! Oh well... ;-)

G-Man had pneumonia, he was awful rattley & sick...but he's all better now!

(G-Man at daycare, Tam - our daycare provider - texted this to me!)

I had bronchitis at the tail end of his pneumonia. I am getting back to better now!

Hubby got a wicked BAD BAD cold with sinus infection at the middle of my bronchitis...just yesterday is he starting to feel alive again!

G-Man took his FIRST STEPS at age 13 months, 2 days!!! He walked between me and Daddy! It was soo cool! I teared up, we all cheered and he repeated it! Since then we have been offering our hands and encouraging more walking. He has taken 5 steps all by himself with out any support from us or furniture. Running by Easter????

My G-man is also a chatter box! I love listening to him talk! I will try to get video this weekend. I need to get fresh batteries in the video camera. He will reach for something and say quite clearly, "see, see"! It's awesome! He also says, "whas at" for what's that.

G-Man loves to try to assemble things too. He is always trying to fit things together, put lids on bowls, match screw tops with our water bottles, put caps on bottles and then build towers with them.

And, he is brushing his teeth! I started sitting on the floor and brushing my teeth and helping him brush his. He took over and now will crawl to the bathroom, open the drawer where his toothbrush is and brush his teeth all on his own at least 2x a day! I love it! (At least once a day we do a re-brush for him and get all of his gums and teeth, just so nothing is missed.)

Our internet has been down at home almost every nite when I have tried to blog. We are looking at different providers now, so hopefully there will be more pics and video soon! Thanks all for your patience! Have a spectacular weekend!

G-Man's not just sick, he has pneuomonia!

2010-02-18T10:09:00.004-06:00

Ya, how icky is that? I hate it. I hate seeing him so sick. I hate the 3 prescriptions he is on, 2 of which cause sleeplessness. One of which gives him coughing fits so bad he coughs so hard he can't breathe and he clutches me in fear. I hate this! He's at home with Daddy while I am at work, I hate that too. I want to be with my baby. Don't get me wrong, hubby is an amazing Dad and he is wonderful for G, but let's all admit it-Mommy is the best medicine.

Sigh...this just stinks!

I need to get my homeopathic medicine cabinet all stocked up for things like this...if you have any suggestions for me please fire away!

I.Am.Frustrated.

2010-02-16T21:04:00.002-06:00

My poor 13 month old G-Man is sick, AGAIN! Runny nose, wicked wet cough (not croupy or whoopy) and a fever that was up to 104 when he woke up last nite. Needless to say he is a friend of infant Motrin the last 24 hours. This really frustrates the crap outta me. I am doing everything as right as I can to build up his immune system and make him a healthy, strong boy and he has been sick so much this winter. I mean really. I am still nursing him. He eats only organic whole, unprocessed foods. He doesn't get juice or anything with sugar. He is gluten and dairy free. He gets adjusted by the chiropractor 2x a month...WHAT GIVES? Ya, I can already hear several of you who think I am ridiculious for doing these things and making these choices..."See, all that weird stuff doesn't work. Does it?" or "Ya, you are doing those things just to be different and it's not helping your child at all."

But, how much more would he be sick or how much longer would these bouts of illness last if I was filling him with processed, sugar-laden crap? Or if he wasn't getting adjusted by Dr. Pam? I guess there is some comfort in those realizations, but it's hard so see him so sick. Hard to hold his little body with a raging fever and feel him shiver. My poor punkin.

I cannot believe this!

2010-02-10T08:58:00.003-06:00

I am livid, enraged, fearful, and out of my freaking mind! First, let me tell you that I started listening to talk radio this month. I figured that since I was now old enough to listen to talk radio, I probably should just bite the bullet and do it. Anyway, I have been listening to KTLK 100.3 FM in the Twin Cities, MN. I like it, it's conservative. Mostly my kind of thing, mostly. I am amazed at how much I have been learning too. Now, remember I don't just hear something and believe it, but it gives me the opportunity to learn about a few new things and do a little research of my own to check facts. It's really been enlightning, and at times, it gets me all ramped up. This morning was one of the latter...

"A new report by the International Planned Parenthood Federation is advocating that children as young as 10 be given extensive sex education, including an awareness of sex's pleasures.
The report, "Stand and Deliver," charges that religious groups, specifically Catholics and Muslims, deny their young access to comprehensive sexual programs and education.
"Young people's sexuality is still contentious for many religious institutions. Fundamentalist and other religious groups — the Catholic Church and madrasas (Islamic Schools) for example — have imposed tremendous barriers that prevent young people, particularly, from obtaining information and services related to sex and reproduction. Currently, many religious teachings deny the pleasurable and positive aspects of sex." the report states..."

HELLOOOO???!!!! NO way in hell are you gonna tell my child at age freaking-10 that sex is pleasurable!!!! Are you kidding me!??? Agghhh! I am so not ok with this sexualizing of our children. THEY ARE KIDS! Here's more:

"The report demands that children 10 and older be given a "comprehensive sexuality education" by governments, aid organizations and other groups, and that young people should be seen as "sexual beings.""

Ok, really I am going to freaking lose it here. NO! My child is a CHILD, not a sexual being, not an object. I am not ok with this kind of education. Not ok with it on a religious front and on a moral front. Parents of school-age kids, be aware of what's being taught to your child in public schools. Get the curriculum and protect your child from views that can damage your child. To read the entire report (if you can get thru it in one sitting without screaming) go here.

Our busy weekend: a recap

2010-02-09T09:46:00.001-06:00

Lotsa random things here...G-Man was helping Daddy cut holes in the wall to put in a new cold air return.
We stayed in our jammies until noon this weekend and we worked on "IN" and "OUT" for the blocks and our containers.

We visited the Minnesota Zoo on Sunday. Since we have a membership we try to go at least 2 times a month. It's best to get there as soon as they open because the animals are more active first thing in the morning and there are way less people. We spent the first 1/2 hour visiting the outside animals since we were still bundled up. It was a balmy 18 degrees so it was great to be outside in the sunshine. I was wearing Griffin in one of our slings so he was toasty warm! We visited the tigers and it was so cool to see them up close!

G-Man also ate at a restaurant for the first time! I think we've been in a restaurant with him once or twice before, but this time G-Man got to eat the food! Of course I had to ask if the chicken breasts were hormone and antibiotic free. They weren't. So, I ordered a buffalo meat (not sauce) burger which is hormone and antibiotic free and steamed broccoli. He did a great job of feeding himself some bites. By the way, we were there to celebrate my 37th birthday. Ya...that's a whole 'nother blog post.

Sooooo close to walking!

2010-02-08T21:06:00.005-06:00

I think my little G-Man is getting ready to walk...in fact I think that tonite he *may* have taken a first step! He is standing for a minute or longer without leaning on anything or holding on to anything. Tonite when I refused to open a drawer for him to rummage thru he pitched a little fit and stepped towards me! I cheered and laughed and he stopped crying. It was pretty neat. Of course, when hubby walked in there was no repeating it...hopefully tomorrow.

Also tonite, I realized that we have a second-generation climber on our hands! He saw the baby monitor on the top of his bookshelf in his room tonite. Of course, he wanted to play with said baby monitor. I wouldn't give it to him so here's what happened. He reached up and held the top shelf with both hands, then he put both feet on the bottom shelf, then he stepped up on top of the books on the bottom shelf and let go of the top shelf with one hand and he used that hand to grab the monitor. Then, he stepped down gracefully and played with the monitor. I was in shock and was holding the shelf so it wouldn't tip. Needless to say, the shelf is getting screwed to the wall tomorrow! Uh, yeah. So, here's a pic of my strong-standing-all-by-himself little boy!

Ya, we're still here

2010-02-04T21:12:00.003-06:00

We are just very, very tired! And there is no particular reason why. Except that I got older this week. No more "mid-thirties" for me. According to Ms. Payne, my 7th grade math teacher, I *have* to round up. Ya, I'm now in the "upper thirties," knocking on the door of 40. I was bemoaning that fact earlier this week when a girlfriend asked me what my reaction would be to reading an obituary of a mom who was 37. I was aghast, (appropriately) and shuddered as I envisioned a baby of about 1 year old and a hubby without their Momma and Wife. My first thought was, "Oh that is sooo young!" Ahhh, yes, THAT IS SO YOUNG! Thank you Gina for helping me shift my thinking and perspective. 37 is young! I am proud to be 37! I will enjoy 37! I will *rock* 37!

Today is also my little sister's birthday, so Happy Birthday to you B! I love you so much and am blessed to have you for my little sister. When we were in our teens she loved to try to get people to believe that she was the older sister and I was younger. It bugged me to no end. However, I think it's time I let her win that little charade. So, B? It's all yours you can start telling people you are the older one now, I won't even flinch!

G-Man is working up 2, yes that's right, 2 molars! Poor punkin is dealing great with the pain though! He is also trying to climb EVERYTHING! We have some pics that I will get posted this weekend. It's awesome watching him try to put things together on his own and figure out how to get up on top of things. Each day with him is a gift....truly I am blessed beyond comprehension to have him and Hubby at my side!

It won't be long now...

2010-01-28T19:04:00.003-06:00

Gramma and Papa J gave this push cart to G-man for his birthday. He didn't need us to show him how to work it! He is getting pretty good at chasing the cat with it now too!

It's Party Time!

2010-01-23T21:45:00.009-06:00

Monster dog dressed to party, and Gramma getting G-Man dressed and ready! He took a great almost 2-hour nap just before the festivities.

G-Man had his First Birthday Party today. It was a great day! He was feeling cuddly, yet social and played quite happily with his uncles, auntie and friends and of course, Grammas and Grandpas. I have a thing with hosting parties and am always afraid that I won't have enough food...then I end up with TONS of leftovers. Again, same thing today! At least it all freezes! So, here are some first birthday shots. Let's not forget the gratutious baby with cake shot. I made gluten free, dairy free, egg free cupcakes with gluten free, dairy free, egg free frosting. The Grammas had requested a messy dessert for him. I don't think I disappointed! Naturally, G-Man's best friend was pretty happy today too...you'll see what I mean as you scroll down.

Above, playing with friends and cousins. The push cart that G is leaning on was a birthday present from Gramma and Papa J. Without anyone helping him, G grabbed the handle, and took off walking across the living room ALL. BY. HIMSELF. He has done that a few times today. Sooo, cool!

G and Mommy and a messy cupcake all for him!

G and Daddy and what's left of the cupcake, with chocolate frosting all over his face!

"Mmmmm," that was after G let the dog lick his hand! Hehehehe!

Cleanup!

It was a spectacular day for celebrating, wishing and reflecting

2010-01-21T21:33:00.008-06:00

Today my baby, my little boy, my Bug turned one year old. Well, technically, he doesn't turn one until 11:40pm (CST), but you get the idea. Every time I have looked at the clock today I was immediately brought back to where I was and what I was doing exactly at the moment one year ago. It wasn't until after 6:00pm that things got fuzzy and I don't have a time to attach events, feelings, progress to. It was perfect. My last day and hour being pregnant and G-Man's entry into the world was so perfect, so peaceful, so powerful and so beautiful. It was an experience that has changed me forever. And this past year has continued to change me. G-Man has not been the only one to grow and learn! To read more about this time last year, check out this blog entry.

Today we started the day with kisses and playing! G-Man *loves* his baths so when he crawled into the bathroom this morning and tried to get into the tub, I said "Sure, we can start your day with a bath!" We usually save baths for bed time, but today his HIS day, so we had a fun splashy bath! Then we played some more, napped and took off to meet Daddy for lunch at Panera. It was nice to see the Hubby in the middle of the day and I treasured that we were all able to spend that hour together for G's birthday lunch. G-man even ate some of the antibiotic-free chicken from my sandwich! From there G-Man and I hit Stride Rite to get him measured for shoes since he is starting to walk a little (furniture surfing and holding our hands and stuff). Then, off to our chiropractor, Dr. Pam who was also at my house with me while I was in labor! She was a lifesaver!!! We had quite a few good laughs that afternoon.

Finally, back home to play and play! Gramma and Papa J. came over to visit and wish G-Man happy birthday. It was a wonderful day and there is a party on the horizon!

in case you missed it...

2010-01-20T07:00:00.000-06:00

Seriously, if you live in Minnesota how can you *not* book a photo session with Tina? These are just the sneek peek from my little boy's one year old pictures that Tina came over & took last weekend. You really need to check these out! I can't wait to see more!!!!!

an unexpected rite of passage & roots

2010-01-19T22:26:00.004-06:00

I was kinda giggly (well, almost) tonite. See, I was making the first birthday treat for G-Man to take to daycare! I WAS MAKING A BIRTHDAY TREAT FOR MY SON! Ya, it totally took me by surprise how big of a deal this was to me. Naturally, they are gluten free cupcakes too. Unfortunately, they are not dairy or egg free (or sugar free) so poor boy gets to bring them to daycare, share them with his friends and he doesn't get any. I don't even want him playing with one. He will have a truly gluten free, dairy free, egg free one to demolish at his party this weekend though...

I was such a "mom" tonite too. I made more baby food and prepped what looks to be a great soup for dinner tomorrow. I have really been into root veggies lately and they are just so delish! Next time you are at the grocery store, treat yourself to the carrots that are not peeled and cut up. Get a bag of carrots, they way they look when they come outta the ground. Then take them home, cut off the tops and scrub them with a kitchen scrubbie. Don't peel them, just eat them! You will be amazed at how good they taste! The baby carrots that are already peeled and everything taste almost sterile in comparison. And it really is no time at all to lop off the tops and wash them. Then, pick up a bunch of beets. Ya, that's one of the foods I made for G-Man tonite too. He loves 'em! Be sure to pick up the smaller beets, they are yummier. Peel them, cut into smaller pieces, and boil until they are soft. Then enjoy! Yum!!! So, back to my root veggie thing...when I saw this in the grocery store I didn't think twice! I washed and chopped everything up tonite so it's a matter of sauteeing with some onion, oil and garlic then adding some veggie broth and simmering. Yum! Talk about an easy, wayyy healthy dinner!

Some early edits back!

2010-01-17T21:53:00.005-06:00

Tina was back to our home on Saturday to shoot pics of G-Man for his first birthday. She is busy working on edits and posted some on Facebook. I can't wait to see the rest of them! This one is in my craft room. I picked up the white G at Michael's Crafts for $2.99. I think it makes a great prop! And, he's wearing the "1" shirt that I made for him. Love that wild hair! Heheheheh! Have a great week everyone! It's birthday week here and we are going to celebrate his first birthday like baby rock stars!

p.s. Just a cool fact, the coverlet that is behind G-Man draped across the top of the sofa belonged to my Grandmother. I think it's cool that it is in the photo with him!

What a great Saturday!

2010-01-16T22:21:00.007-06:00

It was a fabulous day! The day started with some morning playtime at home. Then our family photographer, good friend and scrapbook (Creative Memories brand) supplier (K calls her my 'dealer') - Tina came over! She got some fun one year pictures of my G-Man! We were even her first model with one of her new props (scroll down on her blog to see it!)! I can't wait to see how the pictures turned out! Tina had blogged earlier this week about some First Birthday Props. I was motivated by the cute t-shirts, and I just happened to have some fun Sock Monkey quilting fabrics. I picked up a couple of $3 tees at Walmart and some fabric paint. It took about 20 minutes to make both shirts. G-Man wore one of them today for the pics. I think this will be a birthday tradition for as long as G-Man lets me make them for him. It will be fun to pick out the print fabric together and make the shirts with him as he grows!

This afternoon it was off to Gramma and Papa J's for some playtime while the hubby and I went on a nice long walk in the snowy woods at a county park. It was spectacular. It was unseasonably warm, at 34 degrees F and sunny. A delightful day to be outside tromping thru 12" deep snow in the woods.

The hubby indulged me with a trip to Ikea. Really, going to Ikea on the weekends is NOT for the feint of heart. It's sooo stinkin' crowded and crazy. But we did pick up a new Expedit tower for toy storage. I love these things. They can be set up horizonally or vertically. I think it turned out pretty nice!

By the way, the black horizontal stripe near the top of the shelf is a strip of chalkboard paint. We have it going all the way down the wall. I love it! We have more fun with parties here seeing the artwork and commentaries from friends and family. You can pick up green or black chalkboard paint at your local hardware or home improvement store.

Tomorrow morning it's church for G-Man and I then some playing! I have to move a ton of pics and my scrapbooking software to a different laptop too, that will probably consume my evening once he gets to bed though. Have a great start to the week everyone! It's G-Man's birthday week, so we'll be celebrating as I reminisce about where I was and how I was feeling one year ago. Sigh...

Research time...again.

2010-01-11T21:23:00.002-06:00

So, my little guy is turning one year old next week...ONE! I can't stand how fast it's flown by! Among the millions of things that I have on my to-do list are re-researching vaccinations, his current health status, his exposure risk, and the homeopathic remedies and alternative remedies for the diseases for which we vaccinate. We have thus far, chosen not to vaccinate our little boy. It's a purposeful decision. Likely, one that you may not have made. So, if you have vaccinated your child(ren) why did you do it? Was a purposeful choice? I don't mind if you make a different choice from me, but please folks BE PURPOSEFUL! Don't vaccinate because the dr. says to.

Some of the things we take into consideration are our sons' diet. He eats whole, organic foods, nothing out of a box or jar. The food you give your body makes a huge impact on how it can respond, keep you healthy and fight illness. We also read the manufacturers research on each vaccine they make, the drug study that they did, including the ages of children in the study and the duration of the study. We also look for what other drugs were given at the same time by the manufacturer in the study. At most dr. visits your child is scheduled to get 3-6 vaccines, are any of them studied at the same time to see if there are drug interactions? So far my research says NO!

Last year one of the elementary schools in our school district had a chicken pox "outbreak." Their response was to encourage parents to re-vaccinate their kids. I found it really interesting that some of the kids who were vaccinated once and re-vaccinated in this outbreak did get chicken pox. It bothers me that there is a vaccination we are giving our kids that DOES NOT WORK. Worse yet, we know it doesn't confer a lifelong immunity. So, we will see what, in 15 years or so a HUGE outbreak of chicken pox in 20 and 30-somethings. 20 and 30-somethings who will be very, very sick with chicken pox - much more sick than they would have been as children.

So, it's off to continue research, see what else new stuff there may be for me to read...we've logged dozens and dozens of hours researching vaccines, and we're not done yet.

I wanted this to be longer...

2010-01-07T21:34:00.007-06:00

Yum, I still love beets!

G-Man playing in "his" drawer in the kitchen (wearing his MN Wild Hockey sweats!)

...but I am tired! I am processing a blog about G-Man's up coming first birthday and his one year well-baby dr. appt, and vaccines...or not vaccines...it's not an easy decision to make, at least it shouldn't be an easy decision for any parent to make regardless of the side they come down on. So, enjoy a picture or two and I'll gather my thoughts, get some sleep and post it later this weekend. Have a great weekend!!

(this was taken by my mom last week while he was playing at her house)

We are having sooo much fun!

2010-01-05T21:21:00.008-06:00

I cannot believe how many things my little boy learns to do in a week! It is just mind boggling! I kinda expected this:

I just didn't expect it so soon! Last night G-Man had been "practicing" with finger food. He pushes it all over the table really well! So far it has yet to make it to his mouth, but he is having some wonderful tactile experiences so I really don't care if he isn't self-feeding yet. Anyway, Monster Dog has figured out that G-Man drops food and drools food and spits food and it all lands in the general vicinity around G-Man. So where does Monster hang out? Ya, right under G. G loves this and is getting a little distracted by Dog. Dog had finished cleaning up the immediate mess under G-Man and was walking away when G screeched and said "da" and reached out for him. Needless to say, Monster Dog smelled food on that sweet toddler little hand and was more than willing to lick it clean. This elicited squeals, real squeals of happiness from my little boy and howls of laughter from me. Needless to say my camera was not nearby. Fortunately for me, they figured it all out again today and at least my camera-phone was close!

I figured since we were playing with our food we may as well try different modes of eating it. Today was the first time G-Man took a bite from a banana. Of course, when it got set down in front of him he proceeded to poke it to death. Like I said, tactile learning!

And lets not forget to do our indoor gardening this winter, ok? We have 2 live plants in our house, that's almost 2 too many for me. Thankfully they are snake plants and they can survive even me! I have high hopes for more plants if G-Man keeps up with his gardening skills! Who can be upset with a baby playing in the dirt? Certainly not me!

He started splashing with deliberate action this week in the tub too, both arms, both legs totally going! And of course, we were both laughing pretty hard. I thought it was cute enough to get his Daddy (which is pretty much a constant) so I yelled, "Hey, K!" I had barley finished when a little wet parrot echoed clearly, "haaayyy ki!" as loud as he could! My head snapped around and I said, "It's Daddy to you little man!" I mentioned that to our daycare provider and she said that he echoed her when she said "hey hey hey" to some of the kids earlier that day too! Also in his verbal repertoire, Mama, da (dad), daa (dog) and caa (cat). He uses all 4 of those words appropriately and without prompting. Quite often when the cat walks past him he will look at her and say "caa" all by himself. It's just incredible!

A great find for baby wearing mommas (& daddy's too)

2010-01-04T09:28:00.001-06:00

I love my Mothering magazine. I read it cover to cover when it arrives and get so much great info and resources from it. It's a more natural alternative to Parenting and those kinds of main stream mags. There are no ads for formula or disposable diapers. Instead there are ads for cloth diapers, natural supplements and vitamins. It's FULL of homebirth stories, breastfeeding support and research, non and delayed vaccinating information, baby wearing and other naturally focused things. This month' issue has a product review that completely caught my eye! This is something that I cannot wait to purchase. I think it may, in fact, be the present I buy myself for my birthday. I wear G-Man alot! We have a new Ergo baby carrier and we use it so much! Even at home, when G is having a tough time and needs to be snuggled, I put him in, he snuggles close and we are both happy! Baby wearing is wonderful for so many reasons, but it gets bulky in the wintertime. This rocks! You can check this great vest out here. It comes in lots of great colors too! Oh, and they make a softshell jacket too...hmmm.

And, it's completely reversible (front to back) so you can wear it with a back babycarrier too!

Gramma's Coffee Pots

2010-01-03T09:21:00.000-06:00

Gramma Nancy loves old things-and they love her! She says they follow her home from flea markets, garage sales and stuff like that. Little G-Man just loves her collection of old coffee pots! These generally sit on the hearth surrounding the wood burning stove, but since there was a fire in the stove we relocated the coffee pots. G loves taking the lids off, making music with them, and reassembling them. Gramma is making it even more of an adventure by putting "stuff" in them for him to discover...clothes pins, snow globes...things like that. They had great fun playing coffee on Saturday afternoon!

winter fun!

2010-01-02T21:08:00.007-06:00

Today, little G and I went to visit his Great Gramma in the nursing home. It was cold when we left the house at 9:45, even by a lifelong Minnesotans perspective, it was cold...a brisk -19 degrees F! Yes, that is MINUS 19 and that was without the windchill. So, needless to say these pics were NOT taken today! You can get frostbite in less than 15 minutes on exposed skin on a day like today. We got a great big snowfall the day before Christmas so after playing inside for a few hours that morning, G-Man and I donned our snowwear (right over our jammies) and we went out to play! The little sled he is in has a nice back and a belt to secure him into it. He loved it! We stayed outside for 20+ minutes and had a great time!

ya, I'm a delinquent~

2009-12-29T21:26:00.013-06:00

Daddy reading G-Man, Monster and Cat (crawling into the stuffed animal box) a bed time story.

The week before Christmas G-Man had his first (and hopefully last!) ear infection. We found out during the course of antibiotics that he is allergic to ammoxicillin. Ugh, poor punkin was a trooper though.

Helping Daddy install the baby gate at the top of one set of stairs. "Ohhhhh, power tools!"

We had a WONDERFUL 1st Christmas with G-Man! He met Santa at my mom's house, took in huge noisy crowds all in stride, played with toys that Santa left at our home on Christmas Eve, played again on Christmas day all day...it was the best! K is sick and has been for a week now, sick enough that he hasn't gone into work at all this week.

G-Man is helping Santa with jingle bells at my mom's house the week before Christmas!

I have not started a single page of G-Man's baby album (scrapbook) and I was hoping to be at least thru 6 months by the time his first birthday rolled around. I am not thinking that can happen in 24 days...

Meeting Santa with Mommy & Daddy!

G is also not a great sleeper, never has been so 11 months of sleep deprivation are taking it's toll. I am tired! And no, I REFUSE to let him cry himself to sleep. I believe that is cruel and bad parenting. Again, I stick to my attachment parenting philosophy...so I checked out a book by the Drs. Searses called The Baby Sleep Book. I LOVE IT and I have only read 1 chapter. (By not a great sleeper, I mean if we have less than 8 wake ups in a 12 hour period it's a great nite of sleep!)

So, enjoy the pics, know that none are edited! Hope you and yours have a safe, blessed, happy 2010!Christmas Eve at our home, here with my Mom.

Christmas Morning at our home and presents from Santa

Playin with Grandpa's slot car race track Christmas Day.

It was beyond awesome~

2009-12-11T20:49:00.004-06:00

Above, the OR, just getting started and ready for two new babies...

I was honored to be a doula for my friends Kris & Erik and the birth of their twins this week. I was so consumed by so many emotions, thoughts, preconceptions as the due date crept closer and closer. I didn't have time to resolve any of them though because the babies were born in an unscheduled (almost, but not quite emergency) Cesarean section on Wednesday, 12/09.

Kris is a wild-fire type of woman, there is nothing that she can't do if she sets her mind to it. And, once she makes up her mind there is NO changing it! She did ask me several times throughout her pregnancy for advise, what to do about this or that, what to eat to reduce the size of a fibroid tumor, how much water to drink, what prenatals to take...I was frustrated with the fact the she would ask, start those conversations and then not do the "right" things. She constantly talked about a c-section as if being pregnant with twins relegated her to it. That frustrated me to no end because I knew she was filling her head and her body with the message that she could not do a natural birth. I knew that once she believed that that it would become her reality. I was frustrated with the fact that she'd be in surgery and I am sure that many of my frustrations were directly tied to my opinion that a c-section was as bad as death for me. My biggest fear, one that I refused to acknowledge (except for the one time my midwife talked to me about it) was the possibility that an emergency would happen and I would need a c-section. I do understand that sometimes they are medically necessary. But not nearly as often as they are performed in the US. Soooo...all of my baggage leads me to Wednesday...when Kris called me and said that she was having a c-section (c/s) at 3:30 and could I be at the hospital by 2:30?

"Yes! I will be! How are you? Nervous? Hang in there honey! It will be ok! I'll see you in a few hours!"

And I was. I was her doula. I don't know if I did what she expected of me, we still have to talk about that, and I know that Kris will be honest with me. I think I did ok for my first birth, especially for a birth that was the stuff of MY greatest fears and was appalled by. I rubbed Kris' feet, back, shoulders and hands for a few hours, (they delayed her c/s for an hour)braided her hair and chatted with her and Erik. I rolled up a washcloth for her to bite and squeeze when they did her spinal block. I was so scared for her, she was wheeled down to the OR all alone. Nurses and Dr's don't count...she was alone, (without someone who cared for her) for the spinal block part, the part she was petrified about. Then, after her hubby, other friend and I were all gowned up, and Kris was prepped, the anesthesiologist opened the OR doors and waved us down.

Erik sat by her and held her hand so tight and rubbed her arm. It was so touching to see him so obviously scared for her, worried and knowing he was helpless. He was a gem comforting her and trying to take it all in. I stood over Kris' head and talked to her, made sure that she was not feeling any pain. Her oxygen mask was driving her crazy so I held it above her face and put my other perpetually cold hand on her hot forehead. I told her as her babies were being born, told her to listen to that beautiful little cry....it was incredible watching...the busy OR, full of 2 neonatalogist teams, 2 OBs, surgical nurses, anesthesiologist, 2 nurses for anesthesia and friends and hubby. I rubbed her shoulder as it started to hurt; they had to go "digging" for baby girl and that stress on the uterus really does translate up to the shoulders. Then, quick as a flash, babies were out and stable. I followed them and Daddy to the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit). I was told by Kris and Erik that my job was to be the advocate for one of the babies. They didn't want either baby to have the vitamin K shot unless it was preservative free. They didn't want any vaccines until the following days when mom and dad were both present. My job was to be sure that happened.

I did my job...then I got kicked out.

First let me tell you that the NICU nurses and pediatrician teams were great! They were quiet, calm, gentle and spoke kindly to the babies. Both babies were in separate rooms, hence my presence with one baby. I heard the nurse say something about vitamin K and get a syringe. At that point I spoke up and asked if it was preservative free. I got a quizzical look and the answer "no." I explained that I was there because it was important to the parents that baby not get the shot unless it was preservative free. They didn't give the shot, but looked for a supervisor. The nursing supervisor found me, was quite rude in asking who I was and what I was doing there. I explained it all to him (I later found out that Kris and Erik had met with him about 5 hours earlier and told him that I was going to be with one of the babies and why!) and he kicked me out. At that point I was ok with being kicked out even though I was hopping mad, because I had done my job. I advocated for baby and her parents.

I am saddened by the hospital procedures, not allowing a patient advocate appointed by the parent to be with a baby in parents absence and in not having an informed consent or permission to administer non-emergency medication (shots, like vitamin K). That just outrages me! They were about to give a non-medically necessary, not legally required medication WITHOUT PARENTAL CONSENT! HELLO!?!?!?! Does anyone else see a problem here?!?!?!?! It just fuels my fear, distrust and apathy for hospitals. Now, let me explain that I do know what the vitamin K shot is for, we had it given to G-Man, preservative free when he was a day or 2 old. It can also be administered orally.

So, my day was full of facing my own fears, dealing with a system that I think has big faults, meeting incredibly nice nurses and doctors, holding a friends' hand and being overwhelmed. I am still having a hard time sorting it all out.

I am so happy for my friends and their new babies! I am so happy that everyone is healthy and doing well! I am honored that I got to witness the entrance of two new lives into this world. It was a gift that I will never be able to repay, a trust placed with me that means the world to me. Kris taught me alot, and I never asked her to. Now I need to listen...Thank you Kris and Erik. I love you guys!

A few happy tears have been shed

2009-12-05T09:00:00.000-06:00

I no longer can say that I have an infant, a baby...he's an undeniable, fearless, fast-moving, inquisitive, attentive TODDLER! Check out this action:

He pulls himself up using everything he can! He loves to turn over toys, try to figure out where the sound comes from, turn screws, and just general exploration. While I was at work Friday, he was playing in the living room with daddy, then just crawled away, crawled to the stairs, went right up them (with daddy behind him) and he bee lined for the bathroom and tried to get into the tub to play with his tub toys! All without skipping a beat! I miss my baby, but so love each day with my new toddler. He is giving me a new appreciation for life and the discovery and wonder of learning!

I was missing my girlz scrapping weekend, until tonite.

2009-12-04T20:28:00.003-06:00

This picture was taken one year ago this weekend by Tina!

So, there is this group of women that I have scrapbooked with every December and many spring weekends for years. This is the weekend of the December crop. A year ago this was happening there, and this, and this too! Typically, Susan and I tease each other, Mary helps me tease Susan, Crystal and I moan about the endless Christmas music sometime on Saturday and we eat fabulous food from Tina. There is a TON of idea and layout sharing, talking about families, what we've been up to the past year and of course, scrapbooking, both digital and traditional. Tina hs been my "dealer" for years! I have now converted to digital and still buy my electronic doodads from Tina, you can check out her web site here.

So, I was missing this stuff after seeing some Facebook posts from Tina and Crystal. Until tonite...I worked 11.5 hours today, was away from my baby and hubby for just over 13 hours and I could not get home fast enough!!! Tonite I held my little G-Man in my arms in the dark living room. The soft white lights on the Christmas tree casting perfect shadows across his ear and nose and he fell asleep nursing. I could hear the Christmas carols playing softly in the other room and I just knew that nothing in the world could top this feeling of complete peace and quiet bliss. So, sorry ladies, even though my baby is not really a baby anymore (see tomorrow's blog for those details!) I am sooooooooo not ready to be away from him for a weekend. I know he'd be safe and have fun with daddy, but my heart could not handle the separation yet.

p.s. Tina, I HOPE that you are documenting funny quotes again this year! I can't wait to live vicariously thru them and your stories!

Obscure Ingredients

2009-11-25T06:49:00.000-06:00

So, I have posted several recipies, here and here. Some of the ingredients are not very main stream so here are some places to find what you'll need:

Citric acid for the dishwasher soap can be found at places that sell canning ingredients. It's commonly used as a canning preservative. Or you can find it at a brewery store, where you would get home beer making or wine making kits.
Borax can be had at Walmart. If it's not on the shelves of your local Walmart in the detergent aisle, you can order it from Walmart online and shipping to your local Walmart store is FREE! I purchased mine at the local grocery store. It was on the bottom shelf in the laundry detergent section.
Arm & Hammer Washing Soda can also be had at some of your local stores. Once again, I got mine at the local grocery store in the laundry section, again on the bottom shelf. If you can't find it, you can always get it online from Amazon.com.

If there is anything else you need, just let me know! Happy mixing!

By popular request another video!

2009-11-24T13:42:00.001-06:00

I posted a video three weeks ago of the little G-Man crawling, er scooting. Here is now (taken last week) really moving. Even the step up to the kitchen/dining room doesn't slow him down.

Ya, he's just too amazing!

Keep track of all recalled products!

2009-11-24T09:51:00.001-06:00

Many of you have heard that there is a HUGE crib recall in the USA and Canada. For more info on this recall and all product recalls in the USA visit the Consumer Produce Safety Commission website. It's one that I have bookmarked and check periodically.

Each day a new adventure

2009-11-24T09:24:00.000-06:00

This picture freaked me out, it shows a LITTLE BOY, not a baby, but a growing LITTLE BOY! Yikes, this ten months has gone waaaayyyyyyy too fast!

I should be used to it I suppose. I should expect the unexpected. I don't. I love the newness of looking at the world thru my son's eyes. I love seeing wonder, awe and exploration just unfold in his eyes and hands. Each day is such a gift! Today's new thing was little G realizing that he could (gasp!) STAND UP in his crib!!! And not just stand up, mind you, but stand up AND JUMP!!! Yes, we have a monkey jumping on the bed! See, I just started putting G-Man to sleep in his crib last month. I nurse him and rock him at bed time, say prayers and then when he is asleep or very nearly, I set him in his crib. I usually bring him back to bed with me at the 4am wakeup. It helps me get that last 1.5 hours of sleep in the morning and he crashes well too. Plus, I get my baby snuggles! So, because of those reasons, G-Man doesn't get much awake time in his crib.

Tonite, I set G in his crib to play for a few minutes while I was going to re-pack his bag for daycare tomorrow. I got across the room, turned around and there he was,

standing up, giggling with such delight and bouncing! And bouncing. And bouncing. And squealing with more delight! What a joy my son is! (even with his only sleeping in 3-4 hour stretches all nite long)

This week G-Man is big on pulling himself up to stand. He uses laundry baskets, toy baskets, furniture, mommy and daddy's legs, you name it! It is AWESOME!!! Oh, and he loves to read too!

A little late, but still cute as a button!

2009-11-23T20:14:00.005-06:00

I was copying a bunch of pictures from memory cards to my backup drive and came across these that I forgot to post earlier! These are from mid-October, when it was colder than it is now! Silly seasons are all messed up here in Minnesota.

Poor baby started to cry, don't worry, it's not Loch Ness Pup behind you! I promise!

What do You Dream of?

2009-11-18T21:35:00.003-06:00

Ya, I know, I ended the sentence with a preposition. Deal with it (it's ok to do that if you live in Minnesota, really).

My daydreams (in mostly no particular order):

Winning enough $$ in the lottery to pay the entire mortgage so I can be a SAHM (Stay At Home Mom)
Build a "green" house that is off the grid. Off the grid means totally self sufficient, no public utilities needed. We'd have solar and wind power generators, heat and cool with geothermal and wood burning stove, use a well for water and recycle and collect rain water. Have at least one self composting toilet (they don't stink!). Garden and harvest, can and freeze tons of our own food.
Buy my in laws farm when they are ready to sell it. It's the coolest place in the world for raising a family! (and we could do a lot of #2 there too!)
Go back to school and become a midwife.
Go back to school and get a degree in religious studies.
Have another baby.
Home school my child(ren).
Own a few horses.
Go back to New Zealand with my hubby and child.
Take more Tai Chi classes and master the 24 Form.

Ya, that's about it. How 'bout you?

More Homemade $$ Saving Recipes

2009-11-14T20:32:00.002-06:00

Do you remember my homemade laundry soap blog? We are still using that batch that I made way back then. It cost about $6 to make 5 gallons. And it works~! It's all we've been using on our laundry - daily wear, delicates, DIRTY DIAPERS, K's greasy garage and workshop clothes. It has been a great recipe. I was tired of spending so much on dishwasher detergent so I googled a recipe for that recently. I made up the first batch this afternoon and after 2 loads thru the dishwasher I am pretty sure we have another homemade winner! It's super simple, and costs about 3 cents (yes, you read that right!) per load! Cascade by comparison costs about 12 cents per ounce . To make this powder recipe you'll need an empty 40 ounce container (I used the old one that I had just emptied of commercial dishwasher powder).

1 cup Borax
1 cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
1/2 cup Kosher salt
1/2 cup food grade citric acid

Mix it all together, stir or shake well. Done. Yup, that's it! Add 1tablespoon per dishwasher load. Oh, and as for the expensive JetDry and other no spot products, just use plain white vinegar instead. Super duper cheap and spotless! This dishwasher powder will tend to clump, but that doesn't affect performance. Also, it's phosphate free, another bonus for your glasswear and crystal.

The next recipe I am going to try is for REAL vanilla extract. You do realize that you are paying a ton for a tiny bottle that is mostly alcohol and water when you buy vanilla, right? So, why not make your own? The recipe is easy and you can use either rum or vodka for the alcohol part.

Homemade Vanilla Extract

3 medium vanilla beans, or 1 1/2 fat ones
1 cup rum or vodka
Have ready a 1-cup glass jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid; I used an empty (and clean, obviously) jar of jam. Pour boiling water into it, let rest for 10 minutes to sterilize, and pour out the water.

Using a sharp knife, slice the beans open lengthwise to expose the seeds. Tuck the beans in the jar and fill with liquor. Close the jar, shake it a few times, and place it in a cool, dark cabinet; you may have to whisper a few words of reassurance if the jar is, understandably, a little frightened.
Let the jar rest in there for 8 weeks, shaking it again once or twice a week, or whenever you remember to. The mixture will get darker and darker over time.

You can start using your extract by the end of the eighth week. Use however much you need, and when you notice that you're running a little low -- that you've used, say, 20% of the extract -- top it off with more liquor (preferably of the same type) and shake again. And every once in a while, when you're using a fresh bean in a recipe, you can add the empty pod (rinsed off and dried if it's been steeped in milk or cream) to the jar. If you continue to "feed" it this way, the extract will keep forever; just remove some of the older beans if the jar becomes too crowded.

It's nice to be back in the saddle

2009-11-11T21:58:00.006-06:00

I have my road bike (bicycle, not Harley - sold that a long time ago!) up on a trainer stand in the family room. I missed doing triathlons the past two years and want to 1) get back in shape and 2) get back to participating in triathlons. Let's get one thing straight, I participate, I do not compete! Very different levels of athletic ability there, very different! So tonite, with the kick in the pants that Toni gave me, I got my shoes on and got pedaling. Then I did 50 crunches. My feet hurt. I have a pretty nice tri bike for a weekend warrior and the shoes are a totally rigid sole that has hardware on the bottom and they clip into receivers instead of having pedals. They allow you to pedal the full circle, pushing down and pulling up so that you have 360 degrees of power at all times going to the bike. It's way more efficient and powerful than the simple piston motion of regular pedaling. Since the soles are completely rigid though it takes about 2 weeks of every day riding to get my feet used to not flexing at all. That and the pelvis bones are a little tender. The racing seat is pretty small and not all that cushioned. I do have aero bars on the front too. I love them!!!! You rest your forearms on the lower cushions and your hands go up in front. It's very relaxing posture and once I hit my rhythm and find my gear that's where I go. So, tonite I did a few miles, tomorrow a few more. I want to work up to 15 miles a day 6 days a week before the new year. Why? Because this is waiting for me!!!!

Below, me (facing shore) getting used to the lake temp pre-race.

Me on the run.

(That's me after the race and our neighbor. I talked him into doing this tri just 6 weeks earlier, yep, he manned up and trained for his first tri for only 6 weeks and did it!)

Of course, I have to add in the dreaded running too. Ugh...So, feel free to send me electronic kicks in the butt, hold me accountable. I want to be a hot momma who models a healthy active lifestyle for her family.

I am so glad that Monster Dog is a good dog!

2009-11-10T20:35:00.004-06:00

The time spent training Monster Dog and working with him as a therapy dog has been rewarding. The hours and hours we spent volunteering at the women's shelter with children of abused women, the hours spent cvolunteering at the VA Hospital in the polytrauma unit were some of the most rewarding moments of pet ownership ever...until this morning. See what I mean:

G-Man and I went upstairs later this afternoon to change a diaper; when we came back down, ChewToy had decided to hang out in on of the toy boxes. So, G-Man played with her! He got several fistfulls of fur before kitty took off. We are so fortunate to have 2 good tempered pets. Chewy even has all of her claws still and she is great with G-Man. He loves his animals!

(again, forgive the lack of quality here, it was taken with my phone)

G-Man's Crazy 2 weeks.

2009-11-09T19:59:00.002-06:00

It's absolutely crazy how much G-Man has grown the past 2 weeks. Not only is he a total crawler, but he is a FAST crawler! He can also crawl up one step into our kitchen (from the living room). Two or three times he has pulled himself up on furniture to stand! He signed his first word: "Milk" or "Nurse" and he uses it at daycare too! He can stretch out while sitting and reach toys without falling or tipping and he rolls all over and sits up on his own. It is amazing watching him develop and grow! He has also started sleeping in his room, in his crib, across the hall from us.

ya, everyone gets all excited about that one and says, "Oh that's great!" or "Well, good, it's certainly time." Really, why? Why is 9 months of co-sleeping wrong or weird? Why is it not right for me to not want to sleep next to my still nursing baby? I don't like that he is across the hall from us. I don't like hearing that it's great, it's not. I am only doing this because he doesn't get much sleep at daycare the 2 days a week he is there. That lack of sleep is so hard on him! I want him to be able to sleep there, so we are doing this arrangement here. I don't like it. It doesn't feel right to me.

Many of my parenting philosophies have changed (and I am sure will continue to over the months and years) but for now, I find that many of the things I believe in are rooted in Attachment Parenting. (You can learn more about it here.) I belive that my emotions and experiece of labor and birth affect my child. I am not surprised that I loved being pregnant, being in labor or birthing my son. I knew I would. I am saddened by people who talk about them as if they are a burden, or scary or fearful. They are not! It's a beautiful gift! I think that babies should be nursed, and nursed on demand never on a schedule! I think that skin to skin is essential for babies and for mommies too. I am heartbroken when I see babies carried in those car seats. They must just hunger for touch! I wear my son. He has a sling he just snuggles down into and off we go! He has never sat in the seat of a grocery cart, never been carried around in the car seat from place to place. I think that closeness is essential. I have slept next to or with my baby for the past nine months, following all safety precautions and guidelines. I can smell if my baby is too hot, I can sense him at night just before he wakes to nurse. At least, I could. Now he is across the hall. In a crib. It stinks. I don't like it. Don't bother telling me it's for his own good. At this age, it's not.

Did YOU see the chariot races this weekend?

2009-11-08T21:28:00.010-06:00

Above is Hubby and his team's chariot. Yes, those are little unicorns on the front of the chariot, definite style points, don't you think?

Hubby is an engineer . He works with engineers. They get bored easily. They create challenges for themselves. They write their own rules. Mostly they have to write their own rules because they do things no one else has done.

Above, all three chariots.

This weekend was the 2nd JunkYard Wars vehicle build. The challenge was to build a chariot and race it. The chariot had to be powered by pedal bikes, (2 of them) and the chariot had to hold 2 people. Construction could only be between 10am and 3pm the day of the race, there was a dollar limit to what they could spend on materials, and using Nerf and water was allowed to distract or derail opponents. Oh and the chariot could only be steered and braked by the chariot driver, not by the bikes. I know there were lots more rules, but you get the idea. Needless to say, the event was hilarious! About 20 relatives and friends of the chariot designers showed up to cheer (and laugh) them on. There were 3 teams and the team that won was the only team whose wheels didn't totally collapse. I love that my hubby is creative like this, that he loves to create and invent and build. I hope that G-Man takes after daddy...what a lucky little boy he will be as he grows up and they make stuff in the workshop together

This is the team that ended up winning.

This team broke first, as soon as guy #2 jumped on here it overstressed the wheels on the cart.

Hubby's team racing their *heavy* chariot. The thing is a lot of steel! They did plenty of welding.

The race!!

Hubby with the broken chariot!

I think it's hilarious how they trust their designs and the design of their competitors. Did you notice the variety of protective gear they had on? Everything from hockey breezers and helmets to motorcycle helmets to motocross chest protectors and Rollerblade gear. I do think that hubby's team had the best water delivery system. You can see a silver tank hanging from a backpack on the chariot. That's an old fire extinguisher; the kind you fill with water then pressurize with air. They nearly knocked their opponents off their bikes with it!

Random Cuteness!

2009-11-05T07:54:00.000-06:00

These were all taken by my mom and I love them!

Above G (Eeyore) with his only real Auntie.

Some are from early/mid October, some from Halloween. Most of them are while G-Man is at Gramma's house. It's nice to see what they've been up to! Thanks Mom! I love them all!

He is sitting in what was my highchair!

Mmmm, naptime with Mommy at Gramma's. I just love snuggling up with my baby! This is my heaven on Earth!

Family Fun with a value lesson!

2009-11-04T14:25:00.004-06:00

www.veggietales.com

I am starting to learn about a whole new world of media, the kid-centered media. Most of it, in my opinion, is garbage. I have discovered Veggie Tales though and love it! It's Christian based music, videos and games for young children. Another thing I love is that on their web site they have a section for parents and it lists many games that are sorted into 2 catagories, 1 parent & 1 kid games or group games. The best part is these are not computer games, they are real interact together games! I just took a quick look at a couple...here is one I really liked. Not only is there a game, but is provides a talking point and a lesson that is easy to teach too. Great resource that I want to remember! They also have lesson guides for their show episodes too, and if you have questions, they have FREE customer suport!! How great is that?!!!

The growing/exploring/learning/playing continues~

2009-11-04T08:44:00.000-06:00

Our friend and G-Man's 'Auntie Melis' gave the little boy some puzzles for Halloween. We love them! We started out playing Tuesday morning (at 6:40!) with them and they were a favorite all day long!

(Mommy/photog disclaimer: photos taken with my cell phone and they are unedited. I was too tired!)

Martha Stewart's got nothin' on me!

2009-11-03T21:31:00.003-06:00

I found a recipe on http://www.epicurious.com/ tonite and had most everything on hand. I did make a few modifications to it though...just because I felt like it!

Wild Rice and Squash Pilaf (original recipe)

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 cup chopped onion

• 1/2 cup chopped peeled carrot

• 1 tablespoon minced peeled ginger

• 1 tablespoon curry powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 3 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled seeded butternut squash

• 1 cup wild rice

• 1 cup long-grain brown rice

• 1 Fuji apple, peeled, cored, diced

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 3 3/4 cups water

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Method: Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and carrot; sauté 5 minutes. Add ginger, curry powder, cumin, and garlic; stir 1 minute. Stir in squash and next 4 ingredients. Add 3 3/4 cups water and salt. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until water is absorbed and rice is tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in cranberries. Cover; let stand until cranberries soften, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand uncovered at room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap; rewarm in microwave.)

My modifications:

• replace curry powder with red curry paste (because it’s what I had on hand)

• leave out cumin (I was out)

• replace 1 cup wild rice with 1 cup red quinoa

• used 1 cup already cooked (leftover) brown rice

• reduce water to 3 cups

• use dried cinnamon (again, it’s what I had on hand)

• left out cranberries (hubby doesn’t care for them)

I still think it was a little sweet, the next time I make it I will reduce the cinnamon drastically and probably the onion by half. I will be sure to add the cumin, I think that will make a difference. By substituting quinoa for wild rice you actually get 18 additional grams of protein! You can find quinoa in the health foods or organic section at most grocery stores. (quinoa pronounced keen-wa) All in all though, it was good, vegan and gluten free! (bonus!)

G-Man's First Halloween!

2009-11-01T12:33:00.007-06:00

We had a fun day! It started out with a visit to G-Man's great grandma then off to see Kyle's folks. Then we trekked down to see my sister and her family and my mom met us there. G-man helped me carve a pumpkin; I hadn't done that for at least 10 years! G loved his Eeyore costume and wore it well! He was in bed by 7:30 and missed out on all the trick or treaters coming to our door.

A very tired Eeyore in Auntie B's arms.

Our friend, Melis - she is "auntie" to G-Man too!

Red Head!!

2009-10-30T20:33:00.002-05:00

So, G-man is obviously a red head. Earlier this week I was chatting with a family friend who is a doctor and she mentioned that little G may be more sensitive to pain due to his red head gene. We chatted some more and then, instead of getting sleep, I stayed awake until 1am researching this gene. Turns out she was only telling me part of the story! Only 2% of the world population has natural red hair (I am one of the unnatural ones, so I don’t count!) Red hair appears in people with two copies of a recessive gene on chromosome 16 which causes a change in the MC1R protein. It is associated with fair skin color, freckles, and sensitivity to ultraviolet light, as the mutated MC1R protein is found in the skin and eyes instead of the darker melanin. MC1R is short of melanocortin-1 receptor. At least 80% of red heads have this genetic mutation. It makes them more susceptible to pain, and less receptive to anesthesias! Yes, they are more prone to wake up during surgical procedures. Yikes! I am glad that we are aware of this. It’s one of those “file that info away” things. If you are a red head, how would you rate your pain tolerance? Have you had surgery, and how did the whole anesthesia –thing turn out?

Soooo close to crawling!

2009-10-28T13:17:00.005-05:00

The little G-man is so close to crawling! He is inch-worming and getting places! It's so much fun to see him go and to watch him develop and grow. This is the most amazing journey! The difference from this to the video below is amazing! Only 11 days between the two!

Also, we had G-man's 9 month well baby check up today. Yup, he's a well baby! Dr. S walked in said, "Hey there happy boy! You're on patient who will like me, no shots today!" (because we are not vaccinating yet) G is 28 3/4" tall which puts him in the 75% (his head circumference is in the 75% too) and he weighs 19# 5 oz which is in the 25%. Dr. S is not concerned about that, he's just tall and he did say that boys are very inefficient at using calories. I think he'll just be tall and healthy and buff like Daddy!

I'm always just one prayer away from an anxiety meltdown.

2009-10-24T07:36:00.002-05:00

Nine months, three days ago I was a secure, certain-minded, assertive professional woman who could assess a situation, research if necessary, and make a decision. And stand by said decision. And be happy with said decision. I was fearless too. I rode my Harley without a helmet for years. I climbed Devil’s Tower in Wyoming (and other tall rocks too). I did triathlons. I enter burned out homes for work. And I never worried.

That all changed 9 months and 2 days ago…forever!

Is his car seat fastened into my car tight enough? Did we get the safest car seat? Is he warm enough? Is he too warm? Is he hungry? Am I producing enough milk for him? Did I buy him the right educational toy for his age? Am I singing and playing the right songs to him? Am I missing something and not helping him develop the right skills for his age level? He’s asleep, but I can’t hear him breathing...is he breathing??? Am I going to be able to teach him to stay away from strangers and to tell me if someone hurts or touches him? What if kids tease him and bully him because of his red hair? Are the roads too wet, is my hubby going to be safe getting to and from work? Are drunk or distracted drivers going to go out of control on the interstate and kill one of on the way to work today? Are we in jeopardy of losing our jobs? What if the water heater explodes? The chimney for the fireplace runs outside baby’s bedroom wall; are we sure it doesn’t have any cracks and won’t start a fire? What if we hit a deer? Will we roll the vehicle? Are all the outlets covered? Will his allergies to the dog suddenly get worse and make him stop breathing? Is he crying because something hurts? Am I living as a good example of Christ’s love? Am I being the wife and mother I should be to these 2 men in my life? Have I denied Jesus like Judas did? Am I brave enough to tell those I love, and strangers alike about Jesus and His love for them? What if the Rapture happens today? What will happen to those I love who have not welcomed Jesus into their hearts?

Here are links about the Rapture:
http://www.bible-truth.org/myst-3.htm
http://www.bible-knowledge.com/The-Rapture.htm
http://www.rapturechrist.com/rapture2.htm

And this is all in my head before I get out of the shower in the morning. There is so much more that continues to play on a continuous loop in my head, softly running in the background, darkening each moment, threatening to overtake the joy in my heart as I hold, play with, snuggle my baby and touch, smile and kiss my husband. It’s a scary darkness and there are times when I seriously wonder if I could just stay home all day, every day, and play and teach my son there.

Then I take a deep breath, pray to God on high that we will be protected, safe and that my family will return home together each nite. I pray for peace and calm so that I can enjoy the moments we have. And I remember this:

Matthew 11:28-30 NIV "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Philippians 4:4-8 NIV “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.”

Psalms 119:49-50 NKJV “Remember the word to Your servant, Upon which You have caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, For Your word has given me life.”

Psalms 103:10-14 NKJV “He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, So the LORD pities those who fear Him. For He knows how we are formed; He remembers that we are dust.”
1 Peter 5:6-7 NKJV “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”

God does love YOU! Good deeds aren’t enough to get into heaven. Let’s face it, none of us are good enough. The best part is God doesn’t care! (Ok, He does. He does want us to try) But He knows we’ll fail. We’re human, we do that. What we have to do is turn our hearts to God and ask Him to forgive us. Ask him to come into our hearts. He wants us to love Him. He loves us. He loves you, more than you can imagine. And yes, it IS that simple! I love you all and am praying that you will decide to turn to Jesus today.
-Mellissa

this is a Friday smile!

2009-10-23T08:37:00.002-05:00

Silent Monks sing! You really need to watch this, trust me on this one, ok?

This post is all over the place!

2009-10-22T21:33:00.003-05:00

** post edited and links added 10-23-09 8:30am **

Hey there bloggy friends! It seems like it's been a crazy busy week and it's only Thursday!

We had a fabulously fun play date with my high school friend Jen and her son, E who is only 2 months older than G-Man. It was awesome fun! It's hard not to compare babies though and I have to admit, I am intimidated by Jen's parenting and her smart-as-a-whip baby! At 11 months he is signing 2-3 words APPROPRIATELY! He holds up his hands to say "so big" and can low crawl so fast!!! I feel like I have let G-Man down by not teaching him enough. but hey, my kid has more teeth, ya, that's right, more teeth! :-) It was fun anyway and I am trying not to get too down on myself and tell myself that all babies develop and grow at the rate they are supposed to grow at.

I made more baby food tonite, beets and pears. G-Man is on his 2nd day of carrots and is going for his second nite (conicidentally?) of terrible sleep. I think we'll skip carrots tomorrow and see how that nite sleep goes. We are introducing all new foods one at a time and for 3 days so we know if each food causes food sensitivities, allergies, rashes or just doesn't agree with him. It's a slow process and we are using a guide from our ND (naturopath dr.) that lists what foods are ok to introduce during what months starting with the most hypoallergenic foods. I like that we are doing this and it makes a lot of sense to us.

We hit a HUGE indoor baby and kid consignment sale today. It was a big score! I am done with garage sales and will just be doing these from now on. Yes, it was that amazing! Super-duper organized, well laid out, they screen all items as consigners bring them in to be sure they are in good, clean working condition. Each consigner sets their own prices and each item is clearly tagged. It was nice when we found a Fisher-Price toy we wanted, we saw 3 or 4 of the same one, tested each one and walked away with the cheapest one! I recommend you click here to see if this chain hosts one of these sales near you. It really was incredible!

My girlfriends' dad died this week. He was a gentle, caring, giving man and will be so missed! It's not right that we are old enough to lose our parents yet. It's a very scary thought and reality staring at me. I don't like it.

I used the broiler on my oven for the first time, actually, I broiled for the first time in any oven tonite! And....(drumroll please) it was delish! Yes, I am becoming domesticated, scares the hell outta me even as I type it! I made some creamy parmesan crusted tilapia using a Whole Foods recipe. I will be making this one again too! Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm!

Our washing machine died tonite; Hubby thinks it's drain and motor assembly. I have already looked up and have the phone numbers for 4 parts places and will be calling at 8:01 when they open. (sigh...that's a pain with cloth diapers!)

I'd best wrap up. It's gonna be a L---O-----N------G nite, poor G-baby has been up just crying and crying like his heart is breaking every 20 minutes.

too busy playin' to post!

2009-10-20T13:04:00.003-05:00

(taken today)

Bye! I'm "it" so I have to get chasin'!

Lotsa motion, but no moving.

2009-10-15T06:03:00.000-05:00

Little G-Man is trying soooo hard to crawl! He does inch-worm occassionally now, so I'd better get that on video too. This was taken last week:

I feel so bad for him when he gets frustrated and just wants to go! We keep encouraging him and working with him. I know all too soon he'll be crawling all over the house (and dog, and cat and...)!

I am such a dork!

2009-10-14T19:53:00.003-05:00

I know, you've heard me say that before. But this time it's true again. I was talking to the hubby the other day, it went like this, "So, when we take G-Man to see Santa this fall, I think we should go on Tuesday or Thursday when I am off work. We can go during the day and you can maybe meet us at the mall. I just want to do some talking to folks to see where a really good Santa is."

There was a long silence so I looked up to see Hubby looking at me with the "oh, aren't you just so cute and weird" smirk on his face.

me - "What?!"

hubby - "Ya, because G-Man will totally know he is visiting Santa and will remember it. Admit it, you are just doing this for you, not him."

me - "No, I *am* doing this for him. He won't remember it, but there will be pictures of it, he will see that he got to do this! It's the start of a tradition!"

hubby - "Mmmmhmmm, you just want to scrapbook it."

me - "No...not 'just scrapbook' it! Besides, I picked up a totally cute onesie at a garage sale that is cream colored with candy cane striped sleeves and it's embroidered with 'Dear Santa, I was really good!'"

hubby - "Ok honey, whatever you say."

Seriously, I know I am dork for having his visiting Santa outfit picked out in October. But the visiting Santa part, I am excited about! In fact (here comes another dork part) as I was thinking about it today I got a few tears. So many firsts are happening this year. it makes my head spin. I don't want to forget any of them. I want to freeze it all in time so I can soak it all in. I'd better get my tail in gear and get scrapbookin' and journalin'!

A Sneak Peek!

2009-10-13T10:00:00.001-05:00

Tina has posted some sneak peek shots! It was a FREEZING cold day (literally, it was below 32) and windy so my poor little G-man was less than thrilled about the whole event. Still, Tina managed to get some great shots! I cannot wait to see the rest! Check them out here.

The sound Daddy HATES!

2009-10-11T07:41:00.001-05:00

G-man discovered that he can make a funny sound when he sucks in air. It's a lot like the sound of someone who cannot breathe. I think it's hilarious and the Hubby hates it! It kinda freaks him out. I'm not "allowed" to make this sound to encourage G-Man, but I can giggle at him when he does it!

It's Winter

2009-10-10T20:31:00.003-05:00

I think we had 2 weeks of fall. I woke up to snow on the ground and on my car. By 10:00am it had not melted off my car! I had to use the snowbrush to clean over 1" of snow off my car. It was a fun day with playing and napping, then this afternoon we all braved the 29 degree windy outdoors for a family photo session with Tina. It was a blast! We had a great time at the best location EVER! (One that we have pretty much unlimited access to, one where the food is beyond incredible too!) G-Man was not real fond of the cold, despite the layers he was bundled up in. On the way there and on the way home G-Man had settled into his car seat, wiggled a little and his hat slid down on his face...and he was completely zonked out!

I'm sure we've all been there...

2009-10-04T20:47:00.007-05:00

G was really sinking his teeth into the apple! You could hear them scraping. He covered it in drool in short order!

I can't be the only one who has been pretty peeved at the driver behind me who is doing some serious tailgating. I know that I got upset enough on more than one occassion so I "taught" them a lesson...I slowed waaaaay down. There, that'll teach them to drive so close behind me. Of course that only proved to tick them off and make the situation worse.

Today, however, I was the tailgater. It started like this:

I was at the apple orchard with G-Man and my parents, my sister and her hubby and 2 of her kids. We had gone on a hayride, picked some apples, looked at pumpkins, fed some furry animals (llamas and sheep) and we were just making some purchases and winding down our fun little adventure. The Hubby missed our fun because he was at his folks' farm cutting wood for our stove and taking care of some trees that had gotten a little out of control. He was using a chainsaw and he is the most mindful, careful person with power tools. He really respects them and uses them properly down to the ear and eye protection ALL THE TIME!

So, as I said, we were winding down at the orchard when I get a phone call from Hubby. "Where are you?" he asks kinda sounding weird. "Um, at the orchard still, why?" "Oh, (long pause) um, ok" Alright, now I know something is up! It takes 4 or 5 times of me asking why and what's up before I finally say, "Did you get cut by the chainsaw?" long pause, "Yes, but only a little."

Ok folks, a little cut is from paper, is there such a thing as a little chainsaw cut? At this point I start making goodbye motions and tell my mom that K got hurt (she knew he was cutting wood) and I start hightailing for the car, of course remaining calm (really, I was calm). So I ask Hubby, "would a normal person be considering going to the hospital right now for stitches?" He instantly answers in the affirmative. I love him, but he's so not normal when it comes to this kind of thing. So ya, I was tailgating to get home to him. I was trying to go 70 in a 65 and someone took it upon themself to "teach me a lesson". It upset me, I backed off, then when it was safe I passed them on the left and kicked it back up to 70. I won't go faster than that with my little G-Man in the car. Anyway, I got to my inlaws, and played nurse. He should have gotten stitches, the cut is on the outside of his knee. It's about 1.5" long, as deep as a chainsaw chain and ugly! We have it butterflied shut and clean. In a day or 2 we may use the medical super glue to hold it closed, but for now, I'd like to leave it more open to keep an eye on it.

Yes, lumberjack chaps are SOOOOO on his Christmas list, at least they are on the list I am making for him! I am so grateful that he was not hurt worse, thankfully, it was just a chainsaw kiss. This could have been really bad. Oh, and I'll never try to "teach someone a lesson" if they are tailgating me. I'll just move outta their way and pray that their loved ones are ok.

My Nephew Rocks!

2009-10-03T21:37:00.005-05:00

My nephew is a rock star, well almost. His band played at a Battle of the Bands tonite and they were so great! It was so much fun to watch him perform and listen to him play and sing. I am so proud of him! He is the musician in the family, he also plays keyboard and is learning the violin. He was in the spring musical at school last year too. You rock C! I love you bunches & tons!

photographer's note: I really need to get a good low-light lens...sigh...

Wow, it's October already & random things

2009-10-01T13:07:00.005-05:00

Little G-Man is really loving his NASCAR scooter! He will see something he wants to get and he will get there all on his own. He loves to explore the kitchen, thank goodness we have a counter-height table! He giggles when we move the chairs and he gets to go under the table. I just marvel at everything he does. Oh, and tooth #5 popped thru yesterday too!

Ok could someone please tell me where the past 10 months have gone? Wow, time is screeching past me, I know for certain that it never ever moved this fast when I was in school (especially math class). It's so strange how our perception of time changes as we age and in different phases of our lives isn't it? Right now, I want time so slow down to a turtle's pace just so I can soak in more of my baby while he is still a baby.

We sampled a new Betty Crocker product: gluten free brownies! Oh, my, I think I have to make them again just to be sure they tasted ok...ya, that's what I'll do! We enjoyed them while watching one of our favorite shows, Castle. It's on ABC on Monday nites. Great, witty writers, good one liners, great actors.

So, I've been making tons (ok, not tons, but dozens of ounces) of fresh baby food this week. Most of it produce from the farmer's market so it's fresh, local and pesticide and herbicide free! Perfect for building a healthy little boy! This week I mass produced acorn squash, apples, carrots, green beans, bananas and avocados mixed together and beets are still left to do. I hate peeling them so I procrastinate and leave them for last. By the way, since G-Man doesn't like cauliflower we have been mixing it in with other foods. The fav so far seems to be bananas and cauliflower with a 1:2 ratio. Some folks have asked how I make his baby food, it's easy! Clean and bake, steam or roast everything (except bananas and avocados- those can be raw). Then puree, scoop into ice cube trays, freeze. Once frozen transfer into long term freezer storage containers. Most ice cube trays make 1 ounce size cubes so it's easy to portion and know how much you are serving. Be sure to peel things like apples & beets prior to cooking. Yup, it's that simple. We don't serve G-Man any fruits on their own, we are cautious about giving him a sweet tooth so all sweet stuff is mixed with veggies. So far there is nothing he refuses, other than plain cauliflower. He does love beets and beets and apples actually taste great together!

The hubby and I also got new cell phones this week. I have been playing lots with mine...yup, it's an iPhone! LOVE IT! I have downloaded a baby sign language application, baby flash cards and my favorite from elementary school: Oregon Trail! That one is for me to play! If you have an iPhone or iTouch and have a fav app let me know what it is! I love Urbanspoon and have that one too for searching for restaurants, not like I'll be using it much...but it's nice to have. Hope you are ready for fall and all the business that comes behind it. Be sure to take the time though to stop and live in the moment, hug your kids, snuggle your spouse and just take time to "be."

the crud

2009-09-28T14:05:00.003-05:00

Regardless of what the calendar says, it officially became fall at house this weekend. Little G-man got his first cold of the season and he lovingly shared it with momma! We are both boogery and stuffy. He started feeling crummy Friday midday so when I got home from work we called our acupuncturist and got an appointment for Saturday am. He is a *great* acupuncture patient and we have a fab. acupuncturist! (here he is in case you are looking for one) I am thinking I need to get in to get needled some time soon too. We are hydrating, I am taking extra vitamins (since they also pass thru breast milk) and we are both taking some Chinese herbs too. Hopefully this will pass soon.

Lil G was feeling a bit better by Sunday so we hit the Farmer's Market in St. Paul to stock up on more fresh local produce so I can make more of his baby food. So far, it's working out well and I have made all of his baby food. I hope I can keep it up! Here's to a healthy and well autumn to you all!

My little boy is alredy 8 months old!

2009-09-22T08:30:00.000-05:00

I cannot believe how fast the past 8 months have flown by! My little man is 8 months old and I never could have imagined how crazy in love I could be. I also never imagined how scared, petrified, worried, anxious I could be at the same time! I have never been an anxious person but having a sweet little guy who depends on me had changed me in so many ways. All of them for the better. I do find myself getting worked up and fearful of so many of the "what ifs" that surround us. There is so much to fear in the world. I don't want my son to be raised by a fearful mom though or in an environment of fear. I want him to explore, play, search, learn, be joyful, successful, to love and be loved. So, each nite as I nurse him to sleep I pray out loud. I give thanks to the Lord for our wonderful day, for our health and family and friends. I pray for wisdom as a mom and wife. I pray that I can teach our son about God's love and be a good role model for him. I pray that he grows healthy, well, strong and happy. I pray for guidance thru all of the scary parts of life and then I drop that bag of burdens at the foot of the cross and I kiss my beautiful, sleeping boy goodnight. I am blessed beyond words!

Have you had your daily dose of radiation today?

2009-09-21T20:25:00.003-05:00

The hubby and I are searching for new cell phones. One of the things we take most seriously (after cost) is the SAR rating. It stands for Specific Absorption Rate of the radio frequency (radiation) given off by your cell phone. You did know that your cell phone gives off radiation, right? To minimize the radiation don't wear your cell phone, if you do, make sure it's in a case. Try using a headset instead of holding the phone to your ear. And when it's time, refer back to this list when you are in the market for a new cell phone. The research isn't conclusive, but why radiate your body any more than necessary? Here is one link to help you out:
http://reviews.cnet.com/cell-phone-radiation-levels/

the end of summer

2009-09-20T21:54:00.004-05:00

We spent the last official weekend of summer camping, it was G's third camping trip and he is a FABULOUS camper! More fun discussions later this week. Have a great start to fall everyone!

Ya, we're still alive!

2009-09-09T20:43:00.012-05:00

It's just been a terribly busy end to August and start of September. Rather than bore you with the details (or my thoughts about Socailist Health Care in the USA) I thought you may enjoy some pictures of the gorgeous G-Man.

G-man and Gramma at the Minnesota Zoo Butterfly Garden. Gramma brought him to the zoo for the first time and he loved the butterfly garden. (of course I had to tag along!)

Eating sweet potatoes at the dinner table with the whole family. Yum! No, he doesn't feed himself already, he was just doing great with the spoon and it's the first time I let him hold it. So smart!

Really, he loves beets, really!

Grampa Don souped up the old walker that he and Gramma Nancy found in their basement. Now it sports Nascar stuff. G-Man takes it seriously zooming (albeit only in reverse and laterally) around the deck; so many fun things to see in the backyard! We try to spend at least 30 minutes each evening out here. Yes, he zoomed over to the railing all on his own to see.

Every morning when I get G-Man dressed I can't help but tickle and kiss his tummy and toes. We giggle and laugh and he pulls my hair and ears. Lately, I have been getting lots of full belly laughs from him. It is truly the sound of angels!

G-man is so curious and loves to explore. This little Haba toy was studied for a good 10 seconds before he popped it into his mouth to taste test for further analysis!

I just took this one tonite (9-9-09) and yes that is an oak tree in the background that is already turning colors...however, more importantly...i don't think it's possible to love 2 people more than I love my boys. I am so blessed it leaves me speechless.

Do you text while driving?

2009-08-28T12:48:00.004-05:00

This is a PSA, a very well done PSA. Please watch it then continue reading. Thanks...

The whole thing is pretty gripping. I lost it when the little girl was asking Mommy & Daddy to wake up and then again, when there was a shot of a baby (close to G-Man's age) and the voice over was saying that the baby is unresponsive. Please, if you have young drivers (or even 20-something drivers) in your life, watch this video with them. Please implore them not to text and drive, we are all at risk...sigh, I have to go dry my tears now. THIS is why I pray for safety everytime I am in the car with my baby and why I pray fervently when I know someone else is driving with him.

Has it really been four years?

2009-08-26T20:14:00.004-05:00

Four years ago today my sweet hubby and I were married in our backyard. It was the wedding of my dreams, and now I am living in the marriage of my dreams. I am so blessed to have a husband who is my partner, best friend, lover, champion ~ my everything. It's cheesy and sounds so trite, but words truly cannot explain the depth of love I have for K. And since he's become the father of my son, that love which was so deep and unending has grown even stronger. The way K holds and comforts little G-Man, sings to him, reads books to him, snuggles me when I am so tired I cannot find the energy to roll over and kiss him goodnight...oh I am so blessed! Happy fourth anniversary my love, you are my Prince Charming! I love you!!!! XOXOXO!

Avocado Part II

2009-08-25T13:38:00.006-05:00

I think it went much better the second time around! My little G-Man actually ate at least 6 small spoons of the fresh mashed (and slightly watered down) avocado this morning. He has been coughing a lot more than normal this afternoon, I am wondering if it's a more dramatic cough for fun or if his throat feels funny and there is a food sensitivity there. I had a brief period of my life where eating an avocado would cause my throat to swell and my lips too. It was funny until it got to be hard to breathe. So, we'll be carefully watching for any other food sensitivity signs.

The dear hubby and I were talking about food sensitivities, how the body reacts by engaging your immune system and things like that. Going by the list of physical symptoms of food sensitivities, and looking at childhood pictures of my hubby he had A LOT of food sensitivity issues. He says that looking back, he completely believes it too. Then, when K was 12 or 13 years old he was diagnosed with type I diabetes. Unlike Type II, type I is an autoimmune disorder. Basically, your body's immune system decides to attack the body and for him, the pancreas (which produces insulin) was attacked and killed. We were speculating about the relation to food sensitivities and how his immune system was already freaking out, then he got the flu and right after that, type I diabetes. The docs have thought for years that it was something related to the flu that caused his immune system to flip out and attack the pancreas. Now we are wondering if the food sensitivities contributed to that. For those reasons we are following a naturopathic doctor recommended hypoallergenic food introduction method. We are optimistic that G-Man will have a healthy relationship with food (soooo important!) and that his body will work optimally, providing him with a long, healthy life!

If you are wondering about food sensitivities, check out the Alcat test.

Avocado is NOT a hit.

2009-08-23T21:04:00.005-05:00

My little G-Man tried his first food today. He is not thrilled with it, there was some gagging and spitting, but we did get him to at least try a few spoonfulls of pureed, fresh avocado. We'll try again on Tuesday. One food at a time, for a few days just to be sure there are no food sensitivities. Even gagging my baby is sooo cute!

Yes, I am alive!

2009-08-22T21:34:00.005-05:00

Sorry, after I started to recover I started reading the 3rd book in the Twilight series, then I had to finish it and read the fourth and final book in the series. I am like a bulldog that way with books, NOTHING else happens until I get done reading. My days belong to my baby and the evenings with the books. Sigh, now that I am finally done with that series (and OH. MY. GOODNESS. was it great!) I can get on with life!

G-Man turned 7 months old yesterday! I cannot believe how fast this is flying by. I just want to reach out and stop time. I spent the day at work looking at the clock and reliving his birthday each hour. It was wonderful!!! I am thinking we'll start him on his first food tomorrow. Avocado pureed with breast milk. Yum! I picked up two books that will help us along the way with healthful eating: Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron and Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. Between those two and the handouts from our Naturopath doctor I think we will do great. Of course, I won't be "following" each book exclusively, but I will be picking out the parts I feel are important and incorporating the information into what K and I have already researched for a healthy start to food for G-Man's growing little body. Speaking of which...here are some pictures I took last week. The last step G-Man had to achieve before starting on food was to be able to sit without assistance. Whaddya think?

This should frighten you!

2009-08-12T14:58:00.003-05:00

The House of Representatives recently passed a "Food Safety Bill," sounds like a good bill to have, doesn't it? Unfortunately, like many things in government, only the title is pretty. There are some frightening things in this bill. It's expected to go to the Senate soon. I urge you to contact your Senators (click here to find out who they are and how to e-mail them) and I urge you to tell them to vote NO on this ridiculious bill. Please, please contact them today. Take just 5 minutes. Here are some of the insane things they are proposing as law:

CROP REGULATIONHR 2749 would empower FDA to regulate how crops are raised and harvested. It puts the federal government right on the farm, dictating to our farmers.WTO "good farming practices" will include the elimination of organic farming by eliminating manure, mandating GMO animal feed, imposing animal drugs, and ordering applications of petrochemical fertilizers and pesticides. Farmers, thus, will be locked not only into the industrialization of once normal and organic farms but into the forced purchase of industry's products. They will be slaves on the land, doing the work they are ordered to do - against their own best wisdom - and paying out to industry against their will. There will be no way to be frugal, to grow one’s own grain to feed the animals, to raise healthy animals without GMO grains or drugs, to work with nature at all. Grassfed cattle and poultry and hogs will be finished.
My comment - WHOA! That means that the FDA could *REQUIRE* certain pesticides, chemicals, irradiation or anything they want in our food! Doesn't this freak you out?????

GEOGRAPHIC QUARANTINEHR 2749 would give FDA the power to order a quarantine of a geographic area, including "prohibiting or restricting the movement of food or of any vehicle being used or that has been used to transport or hold such food within the geographic area." Under this provision, farmers markets and local food sources could be shut down, even if they are not the source of the contamination. The agency can halt all movement of all food in a geographic area.
My comment - ya, our local farmers markets generally provide the SAFEST food source, but now could potentially be shut down indefinately!

WARRANTLESS SEARCHES*HR 2749 would empower FDA to make warrantless searches of the business records of small farmers and local food producers, without any evidence whatsoever that there has been a violation. Even farmers selling direct to consumers would have to provide the federal government with records on where they buy supplies, how they raise their crops, and a list of customers.
My comment - I thought we lived in the United States of America, WARRENTLESS SEARCHES? This is a huge slide down a slippery slope! NO ONE in America should have the power to perform a warrantless search! This really angers me!

TRACING SYSTEMHR 2749 charges the Secretary of Health and Human Services with establishing a tracing system for food. Each "person who produces, manufactures, processes, packs, transports, or holds such food" would have to "maintain the full pedigree of the origin and previous distribution history of the food," and "establish and maintain a system for tracing the food that is interoperable with the systems established and maintained by other such persons." The bill does not explain how far the traceback will extend or how it will be done for multi-ingredient foods. With all these ambiguities, it's far from clear how much it will cost either the farmers or the taxpayers.
My comment - Again, our local farm stands and Farmers Markets would have to do this too, how insane, costly and ridiculious!

SEVERE PENALTIESHR 2749 creates severe criminal and civil penalties, including prison terms of up to 10 years and/or fines of up to a total of $100,000 for individuals.
My comment - I can already see the FDA making an example of a struggling local farmer with this one and leaving the huge corporations alone. Why? Well, you see the FDA is lobbyable. Yes, that's right. If you are a large corporation like Monsanto (produces GMO foods and pesticides) you can give loads of money and gifts to FDA members while you lobby them to support bills you favor. After the FDA takes money from these big interests do you really think they are going to then turn on them?

REGISTRATION FEEHR 2749 would impose an annual registration fee of $500 on any "facility" that holds, processes, or manufactures food. Although "farms" are exempt, the agency has defined "farm" narrowly. And people making foods such as lacto-fermented vegetables, cheeses, or breads would be required to register and pay the fee, which could drive beginning and small producers out of business during difficult economic times.
My comment - Once again, going after the small local farmers, the larger corporations don't blink at this amount.

Sources:
http://www.farmtoconsumer.org/docs/hr2749_talkingpoints.html
http://www.infowars.com/hr-2749-totalitarian-control-of-the-food-supply/

I have the flu...

2009-08-11T06:42:00.004-05:00

...and it hurts bad! I woke up sunday morning feeling like I had been hit by a fully loaded Mac truck ~ everything hurt! My throat is killing me, my ears hurt, and my temp has been consistently over 103. It only makes it worse that this is one of the busiest weeks we've ever seen and I had to work a full day yesterday. By the time I got home from work it was less painful to spit than to swallow and my temp was 103.5. Ya, this stinks! I am asking you to pray with me that my little G-Man and dear hubby K do not get this! I am glad that I am still exclusively nursing, all of the anitbodies that my body makes in response to this ick are passed directly to Little G. Hopefully that helps keep it away from him. I have to work a half day today too...pray for me that this passes quickly.

I do find the humor on how I blogged last about the flu and here I have it! I kinda do hope it's H1N1, then I will be immune to it and so will my little G! And, I'd rather have the flu than an unproved vaccination with possibly long-term effects. (see Guillian-Barre syndrome below)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guillain-Barr%C3%A9_syndrome
"GBS is a rare side-effect of influenza vaccines, with an incidence of about one case per million vaccinations.[9] Other estimates suggest the incidence of GBS among those receiving the vaccine was one case per 105,000 and that the GBS was not directly due to the vaccine but to its being contaminated with a bacterium that triggers GBS.[10]

There were reports of GBS affecting some people who had received swine flu immunizations in the 1976 U.S. outbreak of swine flu. Overall, there were about 500 cases of GBS—25 of which resulted in death from severe pulmonary complications—which, according to Dr. P. Haber, were probably caused by an immunopathological reaction to the 1976 swine flu vaccine. Other influenza vaccines have not been linked to GBS, though caution is advised for certain individuals, particularly those with a history of GBS.[11][12]

Serum sickness can rarely manifest as the Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), one of its most serious complications. The most serious complications of serum sickness are nerve conditions and peripheral neuritis. Serum sickness is of itself a type of delayed allergic response.
GBS is a form of autoimmune disorder with a delayed hypersensitivity reaction, or a rare manifestation of serum sickness, or transient syndrome resembling serum sickness with loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain accompanied by weakness (tired feeling), chills, low grade fever and possible evidence of brain involvement, indicated by lethargy and migraine headaches, although one theory of the cause of migraine is a central nervous system (CNS) disorder, or Bickerstaff's brain stem encephalitis, a regional variant of GBS. Typical pain is occipital or in the back of the head. Alterations of consciousness go with this headache type affecting the brainstem implicated in the maintenance of arousal, but is a worrisome feature of this type of headache called a Bickerstaff migraine. Other features of Bickerstaff migraine go with involvement primarily of the brainstem including clumsiness and gait unsteadiness, e.g. "pulling to the right"."

H1N1~ Really people get a grip!

2009-08-04T22:10:00.002-05:00

“A world health official said the first vaccines are expected in September and October. The United States expects to begin testing on some volunteers in August, with 160 million doses ready in October.” AP News 7-25-2009

“Following immunization, safety will be measured by assessment of adverse events... for 21 days following the last vaccination; serious adverse events (SAEs) and new-onset chronic medical conditions for 6 months post the final vaccination (Day 180 after second vaccination). http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00944073”

My note about the above paragraphs, yes, they will be monitoring for chronic conditions, but how many millions of people will have already taken this vaccine?!?! Will you? Will you give it to your children without knowing the potential for danger?

"CNN reports that drug maker GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) on Wednesday announced how the company's antiviral drug Relenza experienced a major sales boost as "governments around the world stockpiled in preparation for a swine flu pandemic ... Glaxo also said that by the end of the year, it expects to have an annual production capacity for Relenza of 190 million treatment courses, more than a threefold increase to its previously announced maximum capacity," CNN writes (7/23).”
My note, convenient, that we are scared so easily. The big pharma companies are completely cashing in!

"Let's not beat around the bush on this issue: The swine flu vaccines now being prepared for mass injection into infants, children, teens and adults have never been tested and won't be tested before the injections begin. In Europe, where flu vaccines are typically tested on hundreds (or thousands) of people before being unleashed on the masses, the European Medicines Agency is allowing companies to skip the testing process entirely.And yet, amazingly, people are lining up to take the vaccine, absent any safety testing whatsoever. When the National Institutes of Health in the U.S. announced a swine flu vaccine trial beginning in early August, it was inundated with phone calls and emails from people desperate to play the role of human guinea pigs. The power of fear to herd sheeple (sheep-like people) into vaccine injections is simply amazing...” Naturalnews.com

My note: Let’s step back and think about this. Testing (albeit limited) will begin in the USA this month. Then by October there will be 160 million doses ready. That means that the vaccine is already in production. Do you really think there is going be a no-pass on this testing? And, obviously, we aren’t even going to know the long term effects of this vaccine if the testing is starting in August and they have announced its availability already. The FDA has already green-lit this vaccine. Doesn’t this scare you? Do you even know how many drugs have been approved by the FDA and later recalled? I do, since 2004 at least 21 drugs and 6 vaccines have been recalled. In 2007, Merck (a pharmaceutical manufacturer) had their infant vaccine pulled from the market (the HiB vaccine) for contamination issues. Read more here: http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/SafetyAvailability/Recalls/ucm053289.htm and so far in 2009 Wyeth had their Prevnar Pneumococcal vaccine pulled and Novartis has has their FluVirin vaccine pulled off the market. (My source for the recalls: http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/SafetyAvailability/Recalls/default.htm)
Are we getting any vaccines this fall? No. What ever will we do to try to maintain our health? Simple, eat whole foods, that means stuff the way God created it, not out of boxes or bags or with chemicals. We’ll be eating fresh and mostly organic fruits and veggies and LOTS of them. We’ll be eating meats that are from free-range, antibiotic and hormone free animals. We’ll be drinking water and herbal teas, not sodas with high fructose corn syrup. We’ll be taking our supplements (vitamins) and getting our vitamin D levels check in our blood so we can be sure we are getting enough vitamin D. It has been proven effective in the reduction of influenza, cancer, heart disease, strokes, autoimmune disorders, rickets…

“Vitamin D malnutrition may also be linked to an increased susceptibility to several chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, tuberculosis, cancer, periodontal disease, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, seasonal affective disorder [32][33], peripheral artery disease [34], cognitive impairment which includes memory loss and foggy brain,[35] and several autoimmune diseases including type 1 diabetes (see role in immunomodulation).[8][21] There is an association between low vitamin D levels and Parkinson's disease, but whether Parkinson's causes low vitamin D levels, or whether low vitamin D levels play a role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease has not been established.[36] A resurgence of interest in vitamin D deficiency has led to continued studies on the topic and a focus on educating the consumer on the prevalence and degree of deficiency among the general public.[ A 2006 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, reported evidence of a link between Vitamin D deficiency and the onset of multiple sclerosis; the authors posit that this is due to the immune-response suppression properties of Vitamin D.[58] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_D

Check out the resource footnotes for more information on each of these items. And please folks, whatever you decide to do about vaccines, do it INFORMED! Research it yourself; you are your child’s only advocate!

Another successful camping trip!

2009-08-02T20:35:00.005-05:00

Baxter (such a stoic dog!), K, G-Man nursing and me along the shore of Lake Pepin.
K, G-Man, Me and the dog along the trail. Yes, that's 16# 13 oz of baby on front, and about 20# of diaper & camera bag on my back!

Little G and I enjoying the wind in our hair.

We spent the weekend at Frontenac State Park, along the shores of Lake Pepin (you may recall that lake if you read the Laura Ingalls Wilder series). It was a spectacular weekend with great company! We joined K's cousins for a relaxing, social time. There was just enough wind so we had no mosquito issues at all. However, this park is INFESTED with Daddy Long Legs spiders. They were everywhere and creeped me out. Other than that it was spectacular!

Check this out!

2009-07-29T21:17:00.002-05:00

Tina, (ya I know, I'm a little obsessed lately) posted a coupla' pics that she took of the sweet G-Man last week on her blog. The first two are us. Take a peek here.

That first picture, took me offguard. It really captures so much of how I feel about my lil punkin. Sigh, *this* is why I like her pics and find the typical studio stuff so sterile.

just to recap

2009-07-27T20:56:00.005-05:00

Where we were 6 months ago...

Where we are now!

An amazing change! I love my boy sooo much! Sorry, no time for a substantial post but thought you would enjoy the pics. Please continue to hold baby Stellan (just 3 months older than G-Man) and his parents up in prayer. The link to read more about this very, very sick little boy is to the right, "Praying for Stellan," just click on his picture.

praying

2009-07-27T08:57:00.003-05:00

I am praying for little Stellan and his family right now as I am at work, knowing that my little G is safe, healthy and well at daycare. To see more details about Stellan, click on the Praying For Stellan link to the right or click here.

Oh, ya, I am sooo spoiled!

2009-07-25T21:17:00.005-05:00

K and little G-Man and I went to a photo studio today. A close friend told me about a $10 package with no sitting fee and how great they were. I am of the opinion that a person can't have too many photos of their kids or the family, so we went. The photographer was professional, the space was clean, the equipment was nice. But, she wasn't Tina. She made me feel rushed and there was NO ONE else in the studio, no other appointments, and there were photographers standing around! She wasn't as creative as Tina. The poses are just that, we're all "posey" and our family pics look just like everyone else who has gone to a studio for family pics. I guess that some of the pics were ok, but that's it, just OK. Tina's pics of my little G-Man and our family make me exclaim, "Awww, that's the smile I get every morning!" or "ohhhh, look! She got us with that perfect smile!" or "Hey, I didn't even know she took that one!"

I learned a very important lesson today, the rest of our family pics will be with Tina. I'm spoiled, I have a photographer!

Play date!

2009-07-23T18:36:00.003-05:00

Well, sorta'....Tina came over with her camera and a coupla' bags of fun new toys and took some pictures of the G-Man. She already has them posted on her blog here. I just can't get enough of this gorgeous little boy! Tina is so talented, she captures him despite all the wiggles! Thanks again Tina~!

If you are in the Metro area of Minnesota, you would totally be doing yourself a favor to book a family photo session with her. You will love the memories she can capture on film and even if you don't like photos taken of yourself you still have fun with her! And, as a bonus, you'll even find that you like the pictures of yourself too! Check out her website here, while you are there see if you can spot G-Man and I in the various galleries. I think we are in four different ones!

6 month photos, take 3

2009-07-22T21:16:00.007-05:00

I took 51 more pics tonite in a different setting, edited the group down to 4 or 5 that are ok. Not bad for a few minutes of camera fun with my silly boy! Too tired to blog about anything else with substance. Too tired and just too in love with my boy!

I have a confession to make...

2009-07-22T07:23:00.000-05:00

I am not the best at labeling things. I had some spray bottles of vinegar that weren't labeled, and my homemade laundry soap (here) was in recycled containers that I had not labeled. Not a great practice ever, but really bad when we have a baby in the house.

Anyway, a few weeks ago when we were still struggling with G's rash one of the home remedies was to use a vinegar dilution in water. 1T vinegar to 1C water and then use a cotton ball to dab it on his skin 1-2x a day. Well, K mixed up some...except that what he thought was vinegar was my new laundry soap in an unlabeled container. Fast forward three days, the rash was GONE! Nothing else had worked, this did! We were taking about it and I told K that I need to pick up more vinegar since we are out. He said, no there are 2 or 3 gallons on the counter in the laundry room. I looked at him, "No, those are all the new home made laundry soap...." long pause as we looked at each other..."Is that what you used on his skin?" "Yes. You didn't label the bottles?" I felt terrible! but then we realized that nothing toxic was in the home made soap and most of the ingredients settle out to the bottom, so it was really, really dilute. Then when K mixed just 1T of it with a cup of water it was even more diluted. In the end it was a wonderful discovery. The homemade laundry soap is the cure for his rash. And I have learned my label lesson!

6 month photos, take 2

2009-07-21T17:00:00.006-05:00

I am sorta happy with the concept here, but I need to get some baby sunglasses for my sweet boy. It's just too bright, even in the shade as we were here. I think without the squinty eyes these would be much better. Don't get me wrong, I am crazy about my wiggly subkect, and I love his eyes, but photographically, for a better shot, I need some baby shades for my boy. I will have to try to re-shoot this this weekend once I pick some up. By the way, I did have a cushion under his head, I just photo edited it out.

6 month photos, take 1

2009-07-21T14:46:00.008-05:00

These are the fruits of what I am anticipating will be several photo sessions for my sweet little G's 6 month old pictures. I took these in the neighbors yard this morning. They have the most beautiful yard and gardens! Us, well, not so much! Enjoy!

Above, this is one set in progress...I need to let the sun get a lower on the horizon so there is a nice block of shade over the G. I have high hopes for this...tune in tomorrow or later tonite to see if it worked!

The Half Birthday!

2009-07-21T08:08:00.002-05:00

I am stunned at how fast the last 6 months have sprinted past! My little G is six months old today! I have some ideas for pictures I want to take today, but the weather is sooo not cooperating! There is no natural light, or at least, not enough for how much he moves when I take a picture. I hate using the flash, so I am hoping it will lighten up this afternoon. We've already sung happy birthday a few times today. ;-)

Yummy gluten-free, dairy free sweet zucchini cake!

2009-07-20T21:54:00.001-05:00

I made this for a friend's birthday party and was happily shocked to hear so many people ask for the recipe; and not in a polite "um, ya can I have the recipe" as they roll their eyes kinda way. A genuine, "wow! This is great! I love zucchini bread and this is a treat! You *have* to give me the recipe!" So, here it is...
Sweet Zucchini Quinoa (keen-wa) Cake

You can make an egg-free version of the recipe by replacing the eggs with flax-gel. The texture will be denser and heavier but it will taste just as good.

Enjoy this cake plain, garnished with fresh berries or dusted with powdered sugar.
· 2.5 cups all purpose gluten free flour blend (available at Cub, one brand is Bob’s Red mill)
· 1 cup quinoa flakes
· 2 teaspoons xanthan gum
· 2 teaspoons baking powder
· 1 teaspoon baking soda
· ½ teaspoon salt
· 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
· ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg (fresh if possible)
· 1 ½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter or dairy-free butter spread, room temperature
· 1 ½ cups light brown sugar, packed
· 3 large eggs or flax gel
· 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
· ¾ cup low fat buttermilk, vanilla soy milk, or vanilla rice milk (or milk of choice)
· 2 cups finely grated zucchini

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease a 10 or 12 cup bundt cake pan.
2. In medium bowl, combine flour, quinoa flakes, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda salt and spices. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Add brown sugar and beat until mixture is light and fluffy. Add eggs or flax gel, one at a time, mixing well after each one. Add vanilla and beat to combine.
4. On low speed, beat dry ingredients into butter mixture, alternating with buttermilk and ending with dry. Fold in zucchini. Batter will be thick as additional moisture comes from the zucchini as it bakes.
5. Spoon batter into prepared pan, smoothing it out to fill all crevices in the pan. Place in preheated oven and bake for 65-75 minutes or until golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes and then invert onto a serving plate and cool completely.
Serves 12. Each serving contains 355 calories, 13g total fat, 8g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 84mg cholesterol, 345mg sodium, 55g carbohydrates, 1g fiber, 4g protein. Recipe by Beth Hillson and featured in Living Without magazine August/September 2009 issue. www.livingwithout.com

I can't be the only one!

2009-07-16T22:54:00.000-05:00

Above, pic of my belly, full of G-Man at 35 weeks pregnant, just 2 weeks before he was born...sigh...I miss this!

I see pregnant women everywhere and it makes me think back to this time one year ago. I was newly pregnant. I certainly didn't look pregnant, but I was. I didn't actually look pregnant until the late fall. Even in early December one friend who hadn't seen me in awhile said, "You don't look pregnant! You just look like you enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner!" (Thanks Sunny!) I love being a mom, I love my son more than I ever imagined was possible, and I loved being pregnant! I loved my labor and delivery too, but I attribute that to 8 months of positive meditation and being at home for all of the labor and delivery. I would love to have the financial resources to just stay home full time and have another baby or two! But, for now it's more than I can ask for to have my gorgeous son! Tell me there are more women out there who *LOVED* their pregnancy, labor and delivery...am I that "unique"??? This is another link to a blog and photo just 1 week before I had G-Man...I love this pic of my tummy!

Want some Pesticides with those fresh fruits?

2009-07-16T13:26:00.004-05:00

I just received one of my indulgences in the mail today...this months issue of Mothering Magazine. (click here to see it online or to subscribe) This is the penultimate in parenting mags, there are no ads for Johnson & Johnson products, Huggies, Gerber or any of that stuff. Their ads are for fish oils, supplements, cloth diapers, organic and wood toys, baby wearing slings. They don't have inane articles that bore you or could come from Vogue. Instead, it's solid and packed full of attachment parenting info, breastfeeding support and encouragement, nutrition information, earth friendly solutions, vaccine information and literacy. One quick blurb that caught my eye this month was on the Environmental Working Group's "Shoppers Guide to Pesticides." They make a great wallet size reference so you can check while you shop and see what produce you really should try to buy organic. A free printable file is located here. Or you can view the complete list of worst (full of pesticides) to best (least chemically laden) here. The Environmental Work Group is a great organization with an informative web site...you should check it out! (again, here I go with the whole being informed thing...) ;-)

04 July 2009 pics as promised

2009-07-08T21:10:00.010-05:00

K, Me and G-Man with the Monster dog in front of our tent.

I *finally* got to look at the 4th of July pics and do some editing. All-in-all I am not to disappointed in the pics I got (or had taken). I wish I would have grabbed my camera more often, but this does give a pretty accurate representation of our weekend. We all had a wonderful time!

Grandma, G-Man and Grandpa hanging out!

The family on the famous Jay Cooke State Park Swinging Bridge.

Grandma and G-Man making faces and giggles!

Ahhh, Mommy and G-Man taking a nap in the screen tent, aka G-Man's play room.

Daddy and G-Man on the trail (paved, stroller friendly trail).

Models!

2009-07-08T07:53:00.003-05:00

Yep, G-man and I are models on a professional photographer's web site! Check it out here. Then click on Flash or HTML at the bottom of the page click on Life. Then go to the top of the page and click on Families, we are on the 2nd page. If you click on Bellies all those pics are me too from last December, just 7 weeks before G-Man was born. Of course, there are pics of G-Man in the Babies section too! Look for the cutie pie in a cloth diaper. Back to the sections on the bottom of the page and click on Love. I am in Weddings 1 gallery. I am the bride on the railroad tracks and also there is a garden shot of the lower half of me too. This was while I was 12 or 14 weeks pregnant and Tina and I were having fun doing the Runaway Bride photo shoot. If you are located in the Twin Cities area in Minnesota and you want some really fun, personal touching photos of you and your family you NEED to call Tina. Click here to schedule a shoot or get more information.

It's been crazy!

2009-07-08T07:45:00.003-05:00

Last week was INSANE!!!!! Monday, G-Man had an allergic reaction to our dog. He got terrible hives after being licked by the Monster. Then Tuesday he had an allergic reaction to a prescription cream for a rash he's had for 3 weeks. It was the first time we used the cream; we applied it after he fell asleep and within 20 minutes he was awake screaming like I have never heard before. I ran to him and there was blood on his onesie, he was clutching both cheeks and it looked like he had a chemical burn on his cheeks and neck. That was all it took to make me cry! We got him into a bath and poured water over the affected areas for 15 minutes. He calmed down and we just snuggled and soothed until he fell asleep around midnight. His poor little body had been thru the ringer both days!!!! Wednesday we got an appointment with a dermatologist and a new cream that we tested on his arm to see if there would be a reaction. Thursday we left for camping with much hesitation on my part. I was worried that with the week G-Man had that this would just be too much. I was worrying needlessly however, he LOVED camping! He slept for 12 hours each nite (waking to nurse only 2x each nite) and we played outside all day. It was wonderful! I don't have any pics to post yet...I hope to get to my camera tonite. G-Man has sprouted another tooth also! His front bottom two teeth are now visible and sharp! He's also working on a couple more. Pics to follow soon, I promise!

I think G is allergic to the Monster!!!

2009-06-29T23:13:00.003-05:00

Yep, the hubby and I finally figured out where the hives are coming from on our sweet little boy...they are coming from the Monster dog's saliva! Monster dog came up to little G-Man and I this evening and was quite friendly, he (the dog) licked me, then little G-Man's face and hands. less than 15 minutes later big red blotches with raised bumps in them were covering my baby's face and hands and forearms. I was stumped! I had K look at it and we started going thru everything we had just done in the last hour...he hit on it first. It ties in well with what happened about 2 weeks ago when it was sooo hot here too. I had played frisbee outside with the dog while G-Man was sleeping in his diaper inside. The frisbee always gets muddy and slimey and so when I went inside G-Man was starting to fuss and I didn't wash my hands, I mean what harm is a little dried mud? I picked up G-Man around the torso and held him while he was standing on my lap and sitting. Then I went to wash up. I noticed about 10 minutes later that where my right fingers touched G-Man there was a terrible looking hivey-rash. So, after a quick Internet search tonight we found out that the protein in dog saliva is a know allergen. Dried and wet it causes a reaction on my baby. So, now we have to be sure that anyone who gets licks or kisses from the dog scrubs up before touching G. We are also going to try to train out the "kiss" command from the Monster's repertoire. I am planning on calling the dr. tomorrow to see if this kind of allergy can get worse without warning. If so, I'll be getting an epi pen. I don't want to be unprepared out camping or in the middle of nowhere if the monster dog licks G-Man and he has a bad reaction. Hopefully, this is something G-Man will outgrow!

If you could have a super power...

2009-06-22T21:51:00.002-05:00

Even before I was a Mommy I thought that the coolest super power to have (assuming you could just pick one out and have it!) would be that I would be able to function and be totally healthy without having to sleep. That's not saying I wouldn't be able to sleep, I still could if I wanted to, but to be able to do without would be super cool! Imagine the scrapbooking that I would be caught up on, the quilting that I could do, the cleaning of the house...ya, well that is getting a little carried away! Now that I am a Mommy I realize that somehow there is a little bit of superhero in me (it's gotta be the mom-thing) and I am functioning on less sleep. Not quite what I dream of, but close. How about you? If you could have one super power what would it be?

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-21T18:19:00.003-05:00

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there! We spent a great morning with my in laws and the afternoon at my folks place. It was a little grey and rainy but we had a great time visiting and G-Man loved showing off all his new tricks! I got G-Man and his Daddy matching shirts, yes, I am incorrigible, but I think it's hilarious! I told K that if anyone gives him a hard time to say that it's in support of his wife who is breastfeeding their child and to point out that it was the wife who bought the shirt in the first place. And yes, they are both wearing tan cargo shorts. My hubby lives in them in the summer and I swear he has 10 pairs of identical tan cargo shorts. I giggled when I bought 2 pair for the G-Man this summer. Aren't they just too darn cute!?

Praise the Lord!

2009-06-20T12:02:00.004-05:00

We had an uneventful night of sleep with just one episode of ear tugging/pushing by G-Man. Today, he is back to his old self; happy, smiley and wiggly. No screaming or ear issues. THANK YOU ALL FOR PRAYERS! I truly believe that the Lord healed his pain. We are continuing with some homeopathic ear drops by Hylands (click here to see them) one more time today. I just wanted to give praise to the Lord and thank you all for your help!

Prayer for my little G-Man please

2009-06-19T07:59:00.003-05:00

On Wednesday G-Man started to mess with his left ear while at Gramma's house. Later Wednesday night he was holding and pushing on his ear while crying and screaming. So yesterday I brought G-Man to the chiropractor for an adjustment then we went to our Naturopath Doctor. Both docs looked in his ears and there is no redness or fluid buildup to indicate an infection. But, there is something that hurts him in there or near there. I have been using an herbal ear oil (click here) that I heat up; it brought relief for him on Wednesday night and early Thursday, but last nite it didn't help. Neither did the hot compresses, neither did the teething tablets (they ROCK! Click here to see them). He doesn't have a fever. I am stumped. I am heartbroken for him. I just want to make it all better. My poor little man needs your prayer. Please pray that God heals the pain in or near his left ear and brings him comfort. I know prayer works.

Cloth diapers are sooo easy!

2009-06-19T07:44:00.001-05:00

Below, the G-Man taken by Tina (go here to see more!) in a cloth diaper, size 0, at 1 week of age. He's now in a size 1 (at 5 months of age) and we have probably 1-2 more months in this size.

Below, our Happy Heinies cloth diapers, one open, one snapped closed. Love the gathered legs! By the way, we've had more leaks with disposables (which we use when we are out and about) than on our cloth diapers.

Below, 2 of our diaper covers, the cute velcro print and the cheap, easy pull on water proof pant.

We entered into the idea of cloth diapering with the attitude of "let's just try it and see." And we were fortunate to have some friends who cloth diapered that gave us some of their supplies to try out. We purchased some Happy Heinies off of eBay and here we are 5 months later still cloth diapering and we've not had any discussions about quitting. Dirty diapers go in a dry pail, no water or anything in there, we don't have anything to flush or rinse out because G-Man is totally on breastmilk. Once we start him on foods (sometime after he's 6 mo. old) then we can flush out the poop into the toilet but still keep the diapers in a dry pail. launder them (in their own load) first on a prewash cycle with 1/8 c soap and on hot. Then we wash them (again, just the diapers)on a regular cycle on hot with another 1/8 c soap. We have 2 kinds of diaper covers and they both work great and just pop into the wash with the diapers. If you want to add a little booster to the wash, just add 1/2c of baking soda. To get out poopy stains after they are washed clean, just hang them on the line in the sun. Seriously, 1 sunny afternoon and ALL POOPY stains are totally gone. What is great about cloth diapering from our perspective?

There are no pins! It's velcro or snaps to fasten.
We never have to run to the store at midnight to get more diapers
We are not putting bleached and chemically laden stuff on our son's bottom (how do you think all that pee is absorbed?)
Cloth diapering reduces chances of any diaper rash (haven't had any yet) the skin can breathe
Can you say waaayyyy less money spent on diapers???
Reduction of waste in the landfill
Reduction of pollution caused to produce diapers
Hubby even says cloth diaper washing is not a big deal at all, it's easy!
From what I am told, potty training is easier, kids know when they are wet!

Now the the G-Man is growing (and growing and growing!) we need to start looking for more cloth diapers in a larger size. I am going to try these. I found them on eBay and will probably order just 2 or 3 to test drive them. They are called All In Ones (or AIO) or Pocket Diapers for short. There is no separate diaper cover, they come in great colors and are adjustable from birth to 28ish pounds. Yes, I am thinking photo ops here folks!

If you are interested in trying cloth diapering feel free to let me know. I would love to share my thoughts and help set you up for success! If you just want to try and not put out a lot of cash on the front end, check your local Criagslist or eBay. Please be sure you are buying safely, never go to a strangers home alone! For our 18 diapers and covers that we purchased, G-Man has worn them for 3 months and still has 1 or 2 months left in them, we paid $98. Yep, $98 for 5 months worth of diapers. Oh, since he was born, our water bill went up $12. So I guess you can add that in too.

As of Yesterday He's mobile!

2009-06-18T11:16:00.003-05:00

Below, G-Man just a second after rolling over!

Yup, just one week shy of his 5 month birthday the G-Man rolled over! It was a very exciting moment for this Mommy! He was kind enough to give an encore performance; I was hoping it was real so I put him back onto his back, ran for my camera and in seconds he rolled back onto his tummy. I teared up and forgot to take pictures. Again this morning he rolled over one time. G-Man also loves grabbing toys and bringing them to his mouth for the taste test. He will take toys from our hands, from the blanket his is lying on on his back, and he reaches for things when he rolls to his side. Another new thing is did just this morning was to push his little butt up into the air while on his tummy. He is great at using his legs to push and is getting so strong. I am sure he will be propelling himself quite soon. He is already great at turning in circles and wiggling all over while on his back. Now that he can roll...look out!

Below are part 1 and 2 of rolling over this morning. Then I put the camera down and we played!