Menu Monday

 

Happy Monday!

 

Weekend Highlights:

Everett made his debut at the beach this weekend!  We headed to New Smyrna Beach around 9am on Saturday morning and after a few stops for food and drink we met up with our friends around 10:30.  Not knowing how he would do we left our leave time up in the air and decided to play it by ear. 

Well, the little dude was a trooper.  We ended up leaving the beach around 5:30 and didn’t stop there.  We headed to our friends Lynn and Tuller’s for a cookout.  Luckily, we brought his bath necessities and pajamas and kept his nighttime schedule somewhat routine and put him down at his normal time at Lynn’s. The planner and worrier in me was nervous that he wouldn’t take the change well, but he proved me wrong.  He was a champ!

 

Exhausted after a long day at he beach!

 

• Once at Lynn’s we assembled the most delicious kebabs and feasted on grilled corn on the cob and yellow rice accompanied by Pinot Grigio (a fave!).

 

• Sunday was packed full of even more fun – Everett got to meet his Grandpa Terry (my dad) and his wife Vicki. They made the trek down from Gainesville and treated us to lunch while hanging out with our little man.  Everett gave them tons of smiles and coos which I know melted their hearts.  I think they were in love right away.

• After a family nap in the afternoon we had a little more playtime before it was time to get ready for Monday (my last one of the school year!).

 

 

Our menu isn’t very creative this week, but I’m sure it will still be tasty!

 

M:  Hot Dogs and Carrot Sticks

T:  Baked Potato Soup

W: Girls Night at Kamrin’s!

Th: Grilled Chicken w/ Tomato Chutney and Balsamic Mushrooms and Pressed Potatoes (new recipe)

F:  Pesto Pizza

Sa:  Ham, Cheese and Broccoli Baked Potatoes

Su:  Grilled Chicken Chopped Salad

 

Have a great week!

The It List–Baby Showers

 

If you’re tired of buying the same old, same old for every baby shower and wonder what a cool but useful gift might be, here are some great ideas.  I would love any and all of these!

 

1.  Wee Gallery – Art Cards for Baby

 

Wee Gallery animals are made of high-contrast repeating patterns to stimulate visual development in infants.

The animals on these cards are designed to interest a baby differently at different stages.  At birth he or she is fascinated by the details of the design and as he or she grows older he can point out the animal by name.

I fell in love with the swirly designs and can’t wait to get some for E!

 

 

 

 

 

2.  Jellycat Stuffed Animals

 

I found out about Jellycat stuffed animals from my friend Kamrin whose daughter Keltin fell in love with one of the lions when she was teeny tiny. 

Everett just got his first Jellycat (see below) and we call him Lyle the Crocodile.  They are all SUPER SOFT and the company deems them the world’s “most sophisticated soft toys”.  I just might agree.  They are not only the softest around, but they offer the coolest types of animals; aardvarks, ostriches, and even flamingoes.

 

 

 

 

3.  Waterproof Stickers

Waterproof nametag stickers are a must when you have a baby; especially when your itty bitty starts daycare!  Obviously, if you don’t know the baby’s name before they are born this wouldn’t be a great shower gift, but this would be a great “Welcome to the World” gift for any new mom.

They are perfect for bottles and sippy cups and the round ones can even fit on a pacifier.  Genius!

 

 

 

Everett’s came just the other day and we love them!  We ordered ours from this Etsy shop and love the polka dots!

 

 

 

4.  Citrus Lane

Give a gift that keeps on giving!  Citrus Lane is a company that offers monthly gift boxes to little ones tailored to your baby’s age and stage.  You can give one box, get a 3 month or 6 month gift “subscription”.

Every product that is included in each gift box has been recommended and reviewed by the Citrus Lane advisory board and community. No marketing gimmicks, no paid placements -- just real recommendations from real parents for products that solve real problems.

 

 

 

 

 

5.  Personalized Board Book

With a lot of our family living so far away (Wisconsin) I fell in love with the idea of making a personalized board book for Everett to recognize family faces that weren’t nearby.  When I started researching this possibility I found two different companies that seemed pretty worthwhile.

 

 

I haven’t started my own yet, but love the fact that My Custom Story offers gift certificates.  Perfect for a mom-to-be to save for later!

 

 

 

Menu Monday

Happy Monday everybody!

Weekend highlights:

• This weekend we headed to my mom's house for our first "roadtrip" with Everett.  With Mike's mom in tow, we packed the car to the brim and headed two hours northeast to Gransie's.  Besides a blow out diaper half way up there and a quick change E did a great job in the car for that long.  We figure the more we cab get him used to getting up and going, the more we can get up and go!

• Everett met my mom's dog Hurley for the first time.  It was so funny watching him watch Hurley.  He has seen dogs before, but he was so little that he didn't pay any attention.  This time he kept watching Hurley everywhere he went.  He coudn't quite figure out what he was!

• Mike got a haircut...by yours truly!  If you know my husband, you know he can be quite frugal (which I do love about him), but for Christmas he asked his mom to get us a set of hair clippers so I could start cutting his hair instead of paying for someone else to do it.  Sidenote - I had NEVER cut hair before and was so nervous the first two times.  Well, this was the third time and I must say, although it isn't perfect...it is MUCH better than the first two attempts.  Thank goodness for youtube videos!









• We spent all day yesterday on my mom's riverside porch.  The weather was beautiful and the breeze was amazing.  We even put E in the Baby Bjorn for some more practice at baby wearing while we explored the yard.  He defintiely likes seeing out instead of being smooshed against my chest.  He's already very inquisitive.

• I bought myself a "to me from me" Mother's Day gift - the two Duck Dynasty books.  I love the show and am intrigued by their family.  These books are are a funny and easy read so far!  I also got the sweetest cards and gifts from my boys.  Mike got me my first Chewbead necklace (love the color) and Everett picked out an adorable book called "Mommy Kisses".  Yes, I was in tears - so sweet.

• Best of all, we got to spend Mother's Day with both of our favorite laides - our moms.  We couldn't be more blessed to have such amazing role models.  Thank you both for loving us (and Everett) so much!

As for this week, back to the grind.  Only 3 more weeks of school left for me (yay!) and our friend Noelle is starting her 3 week stint at being Everett's nanny.  We are so excited to have "Nanny NoMo" at our house every day and can't wait to hear the stories she will have for us when we get home!


M:  Taco Salad
T:  Black Bean Soup and Chopped Salad
W:  Hawaiin Steak Kebabs w/ Veggies and Corn on the Cob
Th:  Chicken and Veggie Fried Rice
F:  Veggie Omelettes w/ Hashbrowns
Sa:  Baked Potato Soup

Su:  Leftovers

Have a great week!

Menu Monday

 

Hi everybody and Happy Monday!

 

Weekend highlights:

• Grandma Pam is here from Wisconsin!  Mike and Everett picked her up Friday from the airport and E has been smitten ever since (I think the feeling is mutual – she fell in love right away). 

 

 

• We went on a walk and Grandma even got to “walk him” with her scooter.  It was awesome!  I can’t wait to show him this when he’s older – he will think it is so cool!

 

 

 

 

• We also headed to the Winter Garden Harvest Festival (put on by our friend John) on Saturday.  The weather was a little dreary, as was I, still sick from the day before, but we wanted to check it out and support John.  There seemed to be a great turnout and despite the rain, there were plenty of people there milling about.  Pam loved the town of Winter Garden and I think Mike and I will definitely be back to their Farmer’s Market – such great looking produce!

 

 

 

 

 

• Everett celebrated 3 months!  Part of me can’t believe it and part of me is thinking…it’s only been 3 months?!?  So funny how time can fly but stay still at he same time.

 

 

• Other than that, we did a lot of the same old, same old with our little time waster.  Hearing him “talk” never gets old…nor does walking into his room and seeing this face in his crib.  My heart turns to mush every time.

 

 

 

• We were supposed to head to Palatka this past weekend to visit my mom and family, but I unfortunately was sick and they were inundated with rain.  Fortunately I’m feeling better and we’re heading up this weekend instead for Mother’s Day.  I can’t wait to spend my first Mother’s Day with all of the important ladies in my life – it should be a blast!

 

As far as this week goes, it’s somewhat normal.  Grandma Pam is watching E for us during the weekdays (she’s so excited to have him all to herself), while I’m still on the hunt for the best daycare center around our area.  I have toured two so far with positive results and am going to see a few more before we make our final decision.  August will be here before you know it and I will be so relieved when we finally decide! 

We might even fit in a date night this week thanks to GP.  Here’s what will be on our plates, I hope you’re having something tasty as well!  Have a great week!

 

M:  Broccoli and Cheese Baked Potatoes

T:  Pasta e Fagiole (possible Date Night!)

W:  Steak w/ Sautéed Mushrooms and Sweet Potato Fries

Th:  Baked Spaghetti

F:  Pesto Chicken Pizza

Sa:  Palatka

Su:  Brinner – Pancakes w/ Eggs and Turkey Sausage

Baby On–2 Month Review

 

 

Month 2 Review:

Here are my highlights and thoughts about Everett’s second month alive.

 

 

• First and foremost – I can’t believe how much he has grown.

 

 

• After the initial first six weeks – which were very hard for me emotionally, the next six have been much better.  I still have my ups and downs like all new mothers (anxiety/guilt), but I can definitely say it has been mostly ups. 

 

• I feel as though Mike and I are still (and will always be) “in the trenches” and parenting is such hard work – it is definitely not for the faint of heart. My mom always said that if you do it right it’s the hardest job you’ll ever have – but also the most rewarding.  Boy was she right.  It is a nonstop job that can sometimes seem unappreciated yet has benefits that are beyond your wildest dreams, especially when you get a laugh or a smile.  Those are the most precious moments.

 

 

• There is nothing like being able to soothe your baby. Knowing that sometimes all they need is you to feel comforted is such a sweet feeling.

 

 

• Suggestion from another mom (of twins): always ask the doctor/pharmacist for dye free meds. That way when they throw it up the meds are clear and don't stain.

 

• E’s 2 month shots weren’t as bad as I thought they would be.  Poor thing.  I had baby Tylenol and a bottle waiting which seemed to help!

 

 

• Sleep- I am convinced that God created sleep so that we can fall back in love with our children on even the most frustrating of days. They look like little angels.  Speaking of sleep he’s getting much better at his nighttime stretches.  His “normal” schedule now is to go to bed about 9-9:30 and he’ll usually sleep 7-8 hours in a row before waking up.  Compared to the exhaustion/sleep deprivation in beginning of infancy 7 hours in a row is AMAZING!

 

• Comparing your experience with others can be cathartic, but also tricky.  I believe that it is human nature to compare any situation you have with what others are going through, whether you know their whole story or not.  It’s hard not to compare your situation with others, but try not to do it – it will drive you crazy.  In some delusional way we, as humans, want others to have it as bad or worse than we did at the time. Don't let it get to you, each baby and family dynamic is unique. Enjoy your own journey and worry about what works for you on that day at that moment. You're not doing it wrong you're just doing it differently to fit your baby’s needs. 

 

 

• Going back to work for me was not bad at all (I went back after 9 weeks).  I know much of the reasoning was because I knew Mike would be caring for E for the month of April and he wouldn’t be starting daycare (he won’t have to until August), but personally I also crave routine and structure.  I was ready to get back to some semblance of that.

 

• I am now secretly in love with the song It Won't Be Like This For Long by Darius Rucker.  Just thinking about the lyrics got me through some rough nights and baby meltdown sessions.

 

• Nursery must haves:  clock, floor pillows, adult afghan.  Since there were many nights in the beginning that Mike and/or I spent sleeping on the nursery floor, the pillows and afghan were a must.  Now the floor pillows are great for tummy time activities and stories (I actually wrote this suggestion on my iPhone at 4:30 am while laying on the nursery floor).

 

• Pandora Radio app is a must!  You can pick any children’s station-nursery rhymes, folk songs, toddler radio, lullabies, etc with no CDs to worry about!  Wherever we are I have my phone and can play any music on the spot.  Speaking of music, I love playing Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles when I go into get E in the mornings.

 

 

• I have learned…If you are in the car and your baby starts crying just find a staticky station and use it as a make-shift white noise machine and turn it up!

 

• Everett has somewhat of a "schedule"-ish now.  It is usually an eat, play, nap sequence and seems to work for him.  Mike and I have gotten much better at detecting his cries and know his tired cry pretty well.  When we see the first yawn we know that pretty soon he will need to start calming down, swaddle and rock.

 

 

• I can honestly say that although I can’t believe E will turn three months this Saturday, weeks 6-12 seemed long to both of us. I think because in the beginning stages of the second month, or actually after the first six weeks, we/I seemed to be excitedly waiting for things to happen (smiling, laughing, grasping, cooing, etc) which can make time slow down.   It's so cool how much he's grown, and to watch him as he has started to do all of those milestones, but at the same time to realize how little he still is!

 

Everett at 10 days and at 11 weeks – same outfit!

 

• Although I still have those days where I feel insecure and worry about the newness of being a mom, I think that as a couple Mike and I feel that instead of doing what all of the parenting books say is the "right" thing to do that we are confident enough to do what we think is right for our baby and our family.  It’s kind of liberating after not knowing what you’re doing in the beginning!

 

• Don't forget dad! Mike is so amazing and I have found that just picking up a 6-pack (or twelver) of his favorite beer at the grocery store makes a great thinking of you gift anytime.  Goodness knows you both deserve it!

 

<3