Nully Baby Blog

20 Week Ultrasound

2012-02-01T08:20:00.000-08:00

I was so fortunate to have my 20-week ultrasound yesterday. The baby looks good and all his little parts are growing properly! The technician said that he was yawning a lot, but still moving around quite a bit. I remember Ryan was doing so much tumbling during his ultrasound that our appointment was almost rescheduled! Perhaps this means NullyBaby #2 will be a sleepy little boy!?

All along I've been saying that I can't imagine what another son of mine will look like. All I know is Ryan. Well, based on the pictures below, maybe they will in fact be twins!

Ryan

Nameless NullyBaby #2

Or maybe all babies look the same at this point? I don't really know!

According to my due date, I was 20 weeks and 4 days pregnant at yesterday's ultrasound. But based on the baby's measurements, I was actually 21 weeks and 5 days! This might mean that my original due date of June 15th is wrong, and the baby will come sooner. Or, this baby will show up on time or late and weigh like 15 pounds. Eeek! The baby has been measuring large at each appointment, and when my midwife saw that Ryan weighed 8 lbs 6 oz at birth, she commented that I may be one of those women who just has big babies. I weighed 9 lbs, 11 oz at birth. Sorry Mom!

Nutella

2012-01-30T11:53:00.000-08:00

It was love at first bite!

20 Weeks

2012-01-28T12:52:00.000-08:00

Halfway there! Here is my belly pic as of 20 weeks:And just for fun, here I am at 20 weeks pregnant with Ryan:
I feel like my belly has popped out really fast this time, but these pictures look surprisingly similar to me! My belly is starting to get in the way a bit, particularly when I try to roll over in bed. I get pain in my lower sides if I roll over or move too quickly.

I'm not having any specific food cravings. My appetite has pretty much returned to normal. During the first trimester I was eating a lot....breakfast, snack, snack #2, lunch, snack....you get the picture. Now I'm back to 3 meals a day plus one snack. I bet this will change by the 3rd trimester!

I feel the little guy kick from time to time. Not as often as I'd expect, but I'm sure that will come soon enough. I remember Ryan's kicks feeling like little flutters or twitches in the beginning. With this baby, it's just full on kicking, but not as often.

Overall I'm feeling good. My headaches have decreased to about 1-2 per week, rather than almost every single day. My energy is pretty normal, except that I've had a cold this week and that has slowed me down. This better be the last time I get sick during this pregnancy!

Foodie Friday: Peanut Butter Balls

2012-01-27T08:44:00.001-08:00

This week's dinner recipes were a bit lackluster. Ryan and I are both sick, so I stuck with easy meals based on pantry and freezer staples....pot roast, pizza, chicken sausage pasta, and one night of Pho takeout.

My recipe for you this week is one I made a few weeks ago. It is actually a really old recipe, back from when my older brother was in Kindergarten. Everyone in his class had to contribute a recipe to be compiled into a recipe book for the Moms. Here is a picture of the original recipe.
I remember eating these peanut butter balls as a little kid and loving them. They were so sweet and peanut buttery. Now that I look at the recipe as an adult, I see how nutritious they are! So I made them. And well, they definitely taste nutritious. I think the fact that I used whole wheat graham crackers contributes to that healthy taste. They're not bad, just don't expect them to taste like a dessert. Or to look pretty or appetizing.

Peanut Butter Balls

1 cup Peanut Butter

2/3 Cup Honey

1/2 Cup Powdered Milk

16 Graham Crackers (Preferably Whole Wheat) - Rolled into crumbs

-Combine all 4 ingredients. Roll into balls. Refrigerate until firm and enjoy!

(I warned you they aren't pretty)

Ryan, however, loves them! I usually give him one with breakfast or for an afternoon snack. I froze the leftovers and just pop one out each day and microwave for a few seconds to slightly soften.

Chatter

2012-01-26T09:33:00.000-08:00

Now that Ryan has 4 regular words in his vocabulary, we have been carrying on some interesting conversations lately! They tend to repeat themselves throughout the day, kind of like a broken record player. Sounds something like this:

Ryan: "Di-Da. Di-Da. Di-Da. Di-Da! Di-Da! Di-Da!"

Mommy: "Daddy is at work. He will be home later."

Ryan: "Mama. Mama. Mama. Mama! Mama! Mama! Mama!"

Mommy: "I hear you Ryan! I will get you down in one second"

Ryan: "Di-Daw. Di-Daw. Di-Daw! Di-Daw! Di-Daw! Di-Daw!"

Mommy: "Yes that's our doggy. Please be gentle with him!"

Ryan: "Uh-Oh. Uh-Oh. Uh-Oh! Uh-Oh! Uh-Oh!"

Mommy: "What happened? Oh no, did you drop your food on the floor?"

And repeat. And repeat.

I enjoy "talking" with Ryan, although I wish he would learn a few new words. It's pretty cute right now! This is only a glimpse into what our house will sound like in the future, once he is chattering all day long.

Nervous About #2

2012-01-24T16:59:00.000-08:00

Looking back to my transition into motherhood with Ryan, I know that I had a harder time adjusting than the average Mom. There were many factors that played into this, including the personalities of myself and Ryan. I tend to be an anxious worrier and a planner who thrives on routine. Throw in a colicky baby and an incredibly painful recovery from labor, and suddenly life as a new mother was anything but enjoyable. Ryan used to scream for hours on end every single day, and nothing we did would make him stop. Sometimes it seemed like if he wasn't nursing, he was crying.
I was in a lot of pain for many weeks after Ryan's delivery. I remember nursing him in the middle of the night and one time not being able to stand back up. I was able to get down on all fours so I could lay Ryan on the floor, and then I had to yell for Adam to come lift me up. It was hard to enjoy my baby when I felt so miserable. I would even go as far as to say that I had a bit of post-partum depression, as I can remember myself crying almost every day out of pure exhaustion and frustration.
I also found it really difficult to take care of myself during this time, and that only further tainted my perspective of motherhood. Ryan was so demanding that I would often go many days without taking care of my basic needs such as showering and brushing my teeth. Sleep was scarce at best. And my eating habits were horrible. I vividly remember one day during those first few months when I looked at the clock at dinnertime and realized that all I had eaten that day was a string cheese and a slice of tomato. Obviously not enough for a breastfeeding mother.
So it may not come as a surprise that I am a wee bit nervous about baby #2.

I know how to take care of a newborn. And I know how to take care of a toddler. But together at the same time? That's what I'm nervous about.

I've been doing a lot of praying about it, and I know it will all work out. I will gradually figure out how to be a mother of 2. God won't give me more than I can handle, and He will guide me through the tough days.

But I'm still nervous!

Quick Trim

2012-01-22T13:09:00.000-08:00

Foodie Friday: The Food You Crave

2012-01-20T16:44:00.000-08:00

I LOVE getting new cookbooks. I read through them like a novel, dog-earing the pages that contain recipes I want to try. Unfortunately cookbooks can be expensive. Last week a lightbulb went off in my head. I can check out cookbooks from the library! Here's what I got this week: I then proceeded to cook 5 recipes from this book. And all 5 were really good! Here's what we tried:

Sole with Vegetables in Foil Packets (Served over couscous)

Tuscan Roasted Chicken and Vegetables (served over her parmesan mashed potatoes)Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs in Spicy Tomato Sauce

Steak Tacos with Cucumber-Avocado Salsa (with homemade refried beans)

Chicken Pot Pie with Phyllo Crust (I used pie crust and used bacon in place of chicken)

Later this week I checked out Pioneer Woman's cookbook. This could be a dangerous book to cook from!

Uh Oh!

2012-01-18T13:18:00.001-08:00

Ryan has finally figured out how to say "Uh Oh!". It is so cute. And he almost always uses it in the right context. He says it when his fingers get sticky, or when he shuts them in the drawer.

He says it when he drops something or spills crumbs all over the floor.
I usually come running when I hear him shout it from another room. It means some sort of mischief is going on!

Ryan's Quirks

2012-01-16T08:40:00.000-08:00

Many people have been telling me lately to document the cute things Ryan does, because pretty soon I won't remember them. A random woman at Trader Joe's this weekend told me she can't remember her 14-year old son ever being Ryan's age. Now, I truly can't imagine Ryan ever being anything but a little toddler. I try to imagine him as an older child or a teenager, and I just can't. But someday he will grow up and I know I will want to remember all the adorable things he did at this age.

So here are a few of Ryan's cute quirks at almost 21 months of age.

~He is constantly chewing on his fingernails. He does it so much that he creates hangnails. Then he runs up to me and show me his finger so that I can remove it for him. Recently, he has begun to remove his socks and chew on his toenails. Yuck!

~When we get up in the morning, Ryan almost always says "Dada?" to me, and holds up his hand, as if to say "Where's Daddy?". I tell him that he is at work. For the rest of the day he periodically grabs Adam's things and brings them to me, saying "Dada" over and over, until I acknowledge him and put away Adam's things. He's becoming a real Daddy's Boy!~Ryan has started going under the covers on our bed and trying to sleep that way. He will do this in the middle of the night, and I wake up scared silly that he is suffocating. Apparently Adam has slept with covers over his head almost his whole life, so maybe that explains it? I still think it's weird and dangerous.
~We've taught Ryan how to make a "stinky" face when he smells something bad. He scrunches up his nose and sniffs the air. Well I guess I do this sometimes when Adam starts his mustang because it does smell really bad. Now whenever Ryan sees Adam's mustang outside, he immediately sniffs the air and makes his stinky face. Yep, Daddy's car is stinky!

Foodie Friday: Vegetable Beef Lasagna

2012-01-13T16:50:00.000-08:00

I love lasagna. I love it with lots of rich meat sauce and gooey cheese. I also love making it in the summertime with a bounty of vegetables in place of the meat. So I thought, why not combine the two? I was craving a lasagna that was indulgent-tasting, but still full of healthy ingredients. I searched high and low on the internet, and just couldn't find the recipe I was looking for.

So I got brave and did something I rarely do. I created my very own recipe! I was so impressed with my result that I thought I'd share it with you. The best part is that the veggies are "hidden", so even pickier eaters (like my son and husband) might be inclined to try this. I used what I had on hand, but you could really add any vegetables you like.

Vegetable Beef Lasagna

9 Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles

1 lb Lean Ground Beef

24-oz Jar Spaghetti Sauce

2 Carrots, grated

16-oz Cottage Cheese

3/4 cup Grated Parmesan, divided

1/2 Head Cauliflower, steamed and mashed

1/4 Cup fresh Parsley, chopped

1 egg

Dash each of salt and pepper

1 Cup Grated Mozzarella

1) Brown ground beef. Once fully cooked, add spaghetti sauce and carrots. Simmer for a few minutes.

2) Meanwhile, boil lasagna noodles for 5 minutes.

3) Combine cottage cheese, 1/2 cup parmesan, parsley, cooled cauliflower, parsley, salt and pepper.
4) Starting with meat sauce, spread even layers in a 9x13 baking dish. I did sauce, noodles, cottage cheese mixture, mozzarella. Repeat 3 times. I ended with noodles on top, and sprinkled the remaining mozzarella on the very top.
5) Cover with aluminum foil. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup parmesan. Makes 6 servings.
*I hate when the cheese on top of a casserole sticks to the aluminum foil that you use to cover it with. Tonight I had the brilliant idea of coating the underside of the foil with cooking spray. The result? No stickage! Genius, I tell you.

Today's Observation

2012-01-12T16:55:00.000-08:00

Holding your toddler while he dry-heaves and cries at the same time is quite heartbreaking. =(

Don't Tell His Daddy

2012-01-09T13:35:00.001-08:00

Winter Vegetable Garden

2012-01-08T08:11:00.000-08:00

My winter garden is finally sprouting some vegetables! This week I picked and cooked brussel sprouts and broccoli. The broccoli pretty much tasted like regular store-bought broccoli. The brussel sprouts, however, were delicious! So small and tender.

Oh and the carrots? You be the judge:

17 Weeks Pregnant

2012-01-06T08:32:00.001-08:00

It feels like this pregnancy is going by so quickly! Just a few weeks and I'll be halfway to meeting NullyBaby #2. Here is my belly as of today. I also had a routine appointment with my midwife today. Here are my stats:

Total Weight Gain: 11 lbs

Blood Pressure: 126/73

Baby's Heartrate: 130

We talked about many things, including my headaches. She suggested they may be caused by stress, and even commented that she could sense I was "on-edge". I'm going to have to make an effort to relax and not worry about things so much. I also know I need to drink more water, which may help relieve my headaches.

Overall I'm feeling okay. Just fed up with all these headaches. Oh, and incredibly tired. The first-trimester fatigue seems to have come back. By about 4pm each day I am just suddenly so tired that I want to lay on the couch and never get up. I'm hoping this passes soon, since it's hard to rest when your toddler is trying to climb on your head.

My appetite is as strong as ever. But I'm finally craving healthier foods. Salads and sandwiches are sounding great, but I'm still lacking in the fruit department. It rarely sounds appetizing. I made an awesome sandwich the other day with whole wheat bread, 1/2 avocado, lettuce, cheddar cheese, tomato, cucumber, and herbed cheese spread. It was so delicious that I had it for lunch 3 days in a row. I didn't even miss the lunchmeat!

I am disappointed that I'm still not feeling this little guy kick. I first felt Ryan kick just after 20 weeks. I'm hoping to feel this one sooner!

Homemade Fruit Leather

2012-01-05T08:55:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I attempted to make my own fruit strips. Also known as fruit roll-ups or fruit leather. The recipe was incredibly easy, although I did run into a couple issues. But the ending result was pretty yummy! Ryan had absolutely no interest in helping me, but I bet older kids would love to help with this recipe.

Homemade Berry Fruit Leather

4 Cups Berries

2 Tbsp Honey
-Combine ingredients in blender and puree until smooth. I used frozen berries that I got for just a few bucks at Grocery Outlet (Bargain Market!).
-Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread berry mixture out onto sheet. (Make sure you spread evenly. I would recommend trying to make it thicker around the edges and thinner in the middle)
-Bake at 200 degrees for 4 hours. Mine took longer than 4 hours, so I'm thinking my mixture wasn't spread thin enough. My edges cooked faster than the center, so I had to peel it off in stages.

-Cool and peel off of parchment paper. Here is my tasty fruit leather!

It's good....not as sweet as the store-bought kind, but certainly much healthier! Be warned: it sticks to your teeth!

Happy Boy, Happy Mommy

2012-01-03T06:59:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd do an update on Ryan's development, since he has made a few improvements recently.Talking: Ryan played with his cousins a lot this past week, and I really noticed an increase in his verbal skills. Not necessarily new words (although he did very clearly say "Emma"). But lots of new sounds and an increase in his volume level when talking. Another exciting development is that Ryan now very deliberately calls Adam "Dada" and me "Mama". I have waited so long for him to do this!
Eating: Ryan's eating habits are still all over the place. Most days he is extremely picky and will only accept yogurt, crackers, fruit/veg squeeze pouches, breakfast cereals, and chicken nuggets. But every once in a while he will shock me with his appetite for new foods. For example, yesterday he ate hummus at lunch and grilled chicken and whole wheat couscous with dinner.Sleeping: If you read the last post, you know that we have officially transitioned Ryan back into his own room. So his sleeping habits may change a bit in the next few weeks. But lately he has been doing better. He will sleep longer stretches in his own bed (8 hours the other night!!). And once he wakes up and comes into bed with Adam and I, he usually goes back to sleep easily. Naps are still only in the car. Ryan's total hours of sleep in a 24-hr period are still below average for his age, but there has been some improvement, so I'm happy!
So there you go. It might not sound like much, but when Ryan sleeps and eats better, and is able to communicate, Ryan is a happier boy! And I am a happier Mommy.

Big Boy Room

2012-01-01T21:21:00.001-08:00

Call it nesting. Call it whatever you want. I've been having a serious itch lately to clean and declutter my house. I hate looking around and seeing things piled up. I'm not naturally an unorganized person. But when things don't have a place to go, it's easy for things to get messy. I love the idea of "A place for everything, and everything in its place". It makes it so much easier to keep a house clean when you know where to put things!

Unfortunately, our house is seriously lacking in storage space. We are constantly rearranging things, but somehow not making things better. So my new plan is to toss or donate anything we do not use or need. You might even call it one of my New Year's Resolutions.

One of our projects during this past week was fixing up Ryan's new "Big Boy Room". For the past few months his toddler bed has been at the foot of our bed. His room was basically only used when I needed to change him. His closet was a mess, and there were toys stacked in the corner that he had outgrown.

So on Friday, Adam textured and painted Ryan's closet and installed a new closet organizer! Then on Saturday I packed away all of Ryan's baby clothes into two bins (to be brought out soon for his baby brother!), and organized all his baby toys on one side of the closet (to be brought out soon!). On Sunday Adam moved Ryan's old crib into our guest room (which will be the nursery for baby brother). He then transformed Ryan's room into a "Big Boy Room" by moving his toddler bed in there, along with a few other new things. We've been talking to Ryan about it for a while, trying to get him excited. Here are the before and after photos!

Before...everything taken out of the closet.

Ryan helped me organize.....

And after!

At first Ryan couldn't figure out where his bed had gone......But pretty soon we could tell he loved his new room!As far as sleeping goes....he definitely fought it tonight. Adam and I sat in his room and put him back in his bed over and over and over until he finally fell asleep. It took over an hour, but that's actually pretty typical of most nights. I hope and pray that Ryan's new "Big Boy Room" will be a fun place for him that he enjoys playing and sleeping in.

Christmas and Beyond

2011-12-29T21:50:00.000-08:00

A few highlights from this past week:

1) We were so blessed this Christmas. In addition to receiving many generous gifts, we have been spending lots of time with my sister and her kids. I love my family!

2) Speaking of those kids, Ryan LOVES his cousins! He is so much more vocal when he's around them. They keep him entertained and help to tire him out too!

3) Unlike last year, Ryan didn't pull down the Christmas tree this time! He did however pull off all the lower ornaments, throw them at the tree, and shatter a few higher ornaments.

4) Adam has the week off. I have about a million projects that I want him to get done, but I'm also trying to be realistic. One of those projects is Ryan's new "Big Boy Room". More on that in a later post.
5) We enjoyed a turkey dinner the other night at our house with my family. Also on the menu was saffron butternut squash risotto, homemade popovers and roasted parmesan broccoli.

6) Ryan turned 20 months old today! How is he getting so big so fast?

Train Tracks

2011-12-24T12:02:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas Eve everyone! (And Happy Birthday to my big brother!)

We're spending time with family today and building choo-choo train tracks in the living room.

Foodie Friday: Veggie Week

2011-12-23T11:36:00.001-08:00

Here's a recap of our meals this week. I tried to incorporate more vegetables because we've been lacking in that area lately.

We had Shrimp Fra Diavolo with Spinach:

Courtesy of this healthy cookbook:Adam wasn't a fan (he doesn't like eating shrimp at home) so I made steak and potatoes the next night.Then we had roasted vegetable pizza (zucchini, tomato, bell pepper, onion):And finally Thai Chicken Curry!A few years ago we used to receive a box of fruits and vegetables from Farm Fresh To You twice a month. It was organic produce fresh from their farm...and it was a surprise each time what we were getting! I loved it because it forced me to cook with a new variety of vegetables each week. I'd love to sign up for something like that again, but preferably at a lower price. Anyone know of anything similar?

The Year She Said NO

2011-12-22T10:36:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but for me, December can be a stressful month. It's easy to lose sight of the meaning of Christmas while running from store to store, trying to find the perfect gift for each and every person on your list. When you add a pregnancy to the mix, that causes daily headaches and fatigue, it can be even harder to get everything done. Particularly when you are chasing around a little boy who now likes to undress himself.

So about a week ago I made a decision. I was going to take something off of my "To-Do" list. Just remove it and not give a second thought to it. And for me, it is Christmas cards. That's right, I'm saying NO to Christmas cards this year. At first I felt really guilty about not sending them out, because we've been receiving so many beautiful cards. And I love getting them in the mail and displaying them in my house. But the thought of making Ryan pose for a cute picture, then trying to find a cute card on Shutterfly, paying money to order the cards, and then address each and every one......too much! I just can't do it this year. So I apologize if you were expecting one from us this year. There's always next year, right?

Swinging Through the Year

2011-12-20T07:35:00.000-08:00

Ryan, first swinging experience at 7 months:

A few months later.....And yesterday, at almost 20 months.

Apparently orange is THE color to swing in.

Cold Headaches

2011-12-19T11:37:00.000-08:00

Overall I'm feeling pretty good now that I'm in my second trimester. But I do have two lingering symptoms that are getting to be pretty annoying. No, I'm not getting cold headaches, as the title may suggest. Actually, I've never had one in my life!

I have been super cold during this pregnancy so far. I remember being warm a lot with Ryan, but now it just seems like I can't warm up. I am costantly turning up the heat and bundling up in layers. Adam even asked me if I would like a maternity snuggie for Christmas!

The more annoying and painful symptom I'm having are headaches. I have literally had one at least every other day for the past two months. My most recent one lasted almost 3 days straight. Thank goodness, I'm not getting migraines. These headaches are not usually so bad that I have to lay down. But they are painful, frustrating, and rather draining. I've been popping Tylenol like crazy, and it does help temporarily. But then a few hours later the headache usually returns. So far no pain today....let's keep it that way for the next 6 months!

Foodie Friday: Easy Chicken Parm

2011-12-16T08:09:00.000-08:00

As you all know, I love to try new recipes. New cuisines, new foods, new flavors, and unfortunately for Adam, many recipes he doesn't like. Last weekend I was excited to make Greek Meatballs with a yogurt sauce and orzo salad. Adam wasn't quite as excited to eat it. I feel a little guilty whenever this happens, so I made a conscious effort this week to make at least a few dinners that I knew Adam would love. This included pot roast one night, and a new recipe the next:

Photo Source: Simply Alicia's Blog

I made this Chicken Parmesan recipe, which was super easy and delicious. Adam practically licked his plate clean. It's basically chicken breast placed in a baking dish, topped with marinara, mozzarella, parmesan, garlic, basil, and the "secret" ingredient, croutons! I thought this was a bit strange, but they really added a great crunchy texture to the chicken, making it seem like it was breaded and fried. I encourage you to try it!

If you're the cook in your house, do you plan meals based on your spouse's likes/dislikes? Or do you just make whatever you like? It's hard when you have picky eaters to prepare food for!

Gender Reveal

2011-12-14T06:45:00.001-08:00

Yesterday was the NT Scan for NullyBaby #2. This is where they check the spinal cord for signs of down syndrome. Last time we accidentally got signed up for this, but ended up finding out Ryan's gender at the appointment.....so of course we did it again this time! We are obviously not patient people.

Let me start by saying I have been thinking "girl" all along. Partly because I have felt worse this pregnancy. And partly because we already have a boy, so the 2nd must be a girl, right? (totally dumb logic, I know). I even wore a pink shirt yesterday because I was sure it was a girl.

The first things the Dr. commented on was the baby's large size. I am still measuring ahead by at least a few days, and the Dr. said the baby looks very big and healthy. No signs of down syndrome or any other issues. NullyBaby #2 was sleeping during the entire ultrasound. (A sleepy calm baby, perhaps??)

He then asked if we wanted to know the gender, and we both practically shouted "yes!".

And.....Ryan is going to have a little brother!! NullyBaby #2 is a BOY!!

I was absolutely shocked. I even asked him to double check. And I have to admit, I felt a slight twinge of disappointment. Mostly because I am worried that this little boy will be exactly like his older brother and present us with a few, um, difficulties. But I got over that pretty quickly once I started thinking about all the positives:

1) A buddy for Ryan just 2 years younger!
2) This will save us money! We still have all of Ryan's baby things.
3) We'll have to try for a 3rd baby at some point so we can get a girl!

I'm already thinking about a million things....boy names, room decor, and how the heck am I going to birth this giant boy?

Book Learning

2011-12-13T08:20:00.001-08:00

It's finally happening...Ryan is getting interested in books! This really excites me because I have always loved to read and I have great memories of all my favorite childhood books. Up until now Ryan has shown no interest in books, other than in throwing them across the room. But just in the past couple weeks, he has learned to love his books! Throughout the day he will run and grab a book, bring it to me, and then climb up onto my lap. I then "read" the book to him. Basically I turn the pages and point out things that he might recognize. Sometimes he tries to say the word after me, so I'm hoping that all this "reading" will help with his language skills!

Playing with Pot Pie

2011-12-11T08:41:00.001-08:00

This is how dinnertime typically looks for Ryan these days. I present him with a plate of healthy foods. He eyes suspiciously anything that resembles a vegetable, fruit, protein, or squishy carbohydrate. He cautiously takes a bite or two of any crunchy carbs that happen to be on the plate. (toast, crackers, or in this case, pot pie crust). He takes a sip or two of milk and then flings the rest of his food around, dumping most on the floor. He usually goes to bed with a pretty empty stomach. Last night was no exception.

13 Weeks

2011-12-09T06:17:00.000-08:00

The end of the first trimester! Overall I'm feeling much better. Almost no nausea and my energy is slowly returning. Here is my 13-week belly:Not too much going on there. I think my 10 week belly was bigger!

I had an appointment with the midwife this week and everything looked great! Here are my stats as of 13 weeks:

Weight Gain: 4 Lbs

Blood Pressure: 120/67

Baby's Heartbeat: 150 bpm

She surprised me by doing an ultrasound! I've mentioned before that I forget sometimes that I'm pregnant. When I don't see a big belly and I can't feel the baby kicking, it's easy to wonder if everything is okay in there. Well this little baby was bouncing around like crazy! (Please oh please do not have as much energy as your big brother!!) Here is Nully Baby #2, waving for the camera! Isn't the level of detail amazing for just 13 weeks? I could see the fingers and everything. He/She is still measuring a few days ahead, based on its size.

I talked to the midwife about how I've been getting sick so much, first with bronchitis and then with a cold. I asked if I could take Vitamin D, in addition to my prenatal vitamin, and she said that's fine. So I'm going to start that right away!

Gain Lose Gain

2011-12-08T06:46:00.000-08:00

When I got pregnant with Ryan, I was overweight. I gained 36 pounds during that pregnancy, which resulted in a number that I never want to see again on the scale. I was blessed to be one of those people who lost all the pregnancy weight in the first 6 weeks, and thanks to calories burned through breastfeeding, went on to lost another 40 pounds over the next 5 months. That put me at a very healthy weight for my height. (I'm not going to mention specific numbers).

I gained back a few pounds right before getting pregnant this time, and I have officially started this pregnancy exactly 31 pounds lighter than my last pregnancy. And while I know that I'm gaining weight for a very good reason (the best possible reason!), it's still tough to see the numbers on the scale go back up.

My old jeans are no longer buttonable. My maternity jeans from the last pregnancy are all size large and are too big for me now. I'm too cheap to go out and buy some new maternity pants, although I know I'm just delaying the inevitable. So for now, I switch back and forth between two pants. One day I'll wear my jeans with a hairband holding them closed. (It really works!). The next day I wear my black sweatpants. And repeat. And repeat. I hate this awkward stage of pregnancy!

Step-Stoolin

2011-12-07T06:56:00.001-08:00

I have a step-stool that I use in the kitchen to reach the tops of the cabinets. Ryan has recently taken it over, and he drags it around all over the house! He uses it to see what I'm doing at the kitchen counter, reach things he couldn't otherwise grab, and my least favorite.......
Unlock the front door to go outside!

Hosting

2011-12-05T08:46:00.000-08:00

I started a Bunco group earlier this year and I look forward to it every single month! Bunco is kind of like when old men get together, play poker, and smoke cigars. Except not really. It's not about winning tons of money, and it doesn't involve any strategy (or cigars, or cards for that matter). Our Bunco group is more of an excuse to catch up with each other and eat delicious food! Oh and play with dice and possibly win a few bucks. I am hosting our Bunco game at my house tonight. The more that I have people over for dinner or host things like Bunco, the more I realize just how much I enjoy it. I love sitting down and planning out my menu. Here is one of the appetizers I have already assembled for tonight.
Do you like hosting? In a perfect world, I would make lots of money hosting dinner parties and cooking for other people.

Cookie Dough

2011-12-02T12:34:00.000-08:00

Introducing Ryan to one of life's sweet pleasures.

2 Improvements

2011-11-30T12:29:00.001-08:00

This post isn't going to be about any of the naughty things Ryan has been doing. I'm not even going to talk about how I caught Ryan licking the bottom of his shoe this week. Nope, no mention of that.

Instead, I'd like to brag about Ryan's 2 latest accomplishments!

1) First, I have discovered another healthy food that he will eat....brown rice topped with parmesan cheese. I'm so glad I've found a whole grain that he will eat, that is really healthy for him. It's very messy, but that's ok.

2) Ryan's vocabulary now includes "Dada", "Daw" and his latest word....."Ball"! (Pronounced "Bawl" with an emphasis on the "W".) He has learned his 3rd real word, and uses it all the time now. I hope this trend continues!

I Keep Forgetting.....

2011-11-29T08:19:00.001-08:00

That I'm pregnant! I knew that I wouldn't have as much mental energy this time around to focus on the pregnancy, what with chasing this little monster around all day.
But I didn't think I'd actually go entire days without thinking about this little baby inside of me. I feel a little guilty for saying that, but it's true. I think once I'm showing and feeling the baby kick it will become more real for me.

Last night I sat down next to Adam at about 10pm on the couch, and said "Oh Wow, I'm pregnant! I almost forgot".

He responded "Yea I forgot too. Maybe you're not really pregnant".

Way to show me some support and encouragement husband!

Fun and Germs

2011-11-27T16:33:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed our Thanksgiving with Adam's family this year (Ryan and his Daddy dominated the mashed potatoes). Then on Saturday we went to get our Christmas Tree (in Castro Valley this year, a switch from our usual Santa Cruz Mountains destination).

I am thankful we got to enjoy these activities with our family before getting sick again. Yes, you read that right. Just a couple weeks after recovering from pneumonia and bronchitis, we are all sick again. This time it's just colds, but still no fun. I was reading online about getting sick while pregnant, and found some interesting information. Pregnant women are more likely to get sick because their immune systems are suppressed. This happens to ensure the mother's body doesn't "fight off" the baby. But as a result, she is extra susceptible to germs.

I also read that a pregnant woman can do a few things to prevent getting sick. A) Take her prenatal vitamin every day. I admit I am bad at remembering. B) Eat an extra healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables. Ummm healthy foods make me want to throw up right now. C) Get lots of rest, more than 8 hours each night if possible. HA!

What? Where?

2011-11-23T16:09:00.000-08:00

Whenever I ask Ryan a question that starts with "what" or "where", he gives me this response:
"I don't know Mommy. What do you think?"
Yesterday I asked him what Daddy was doing. He went to investigate.
We're starting things early this year!

First Haircut

2011-11-22T16:16:00.001-08:00

Ryan got his first hair cut today! He has needed one for quite some time, but I just didn't feel ready. Lately all of his "fluff" has been getting in his eyes and forming a tail down the nape of his neck. So we took him in. He did really well! He cried a little bit but then got distracted by the other kids there (and the disney movie playing).

Before:
During and After!

Timeout

2011-11-21T14:28:00.001-08:00

This is Ryan in timeout right now. He threw his cup at my head. I gave him a warning. He stared at me for a minute. Then picked it up, smiled, and threw it at me again.
I have been pretty darn consistent with timeouts for the past week or so. But see that look on Ryan's face? He enjoys timeout. In fact, when I say "OK now you're going in timeout" he immediately heads over to his playpen. Ha! And when he's in timeout, he just stands quietly waiting for me. Or he bounces around, giggling to himself. Something about this doesn't seem right.....

Like Daddy Like Son

2011-11-19T11:19:00.000-08:00

Foodie Friday: Crazy Variety

2011-11-18T08:34:00.000-08:00

Confession time. When I plan my meals for the week, I put a lot of thought into them. Probably more so than the average person. Probably enough to make some think I'm a little crazy. But I know exactly who I get this from....my mom! Growing up I remember she had a schedule (and probably still does) of proteins for our dinners, to ensure we got plenty of variety in out diets. It was something like: beef, vegetarian, fish, chicken, pork...she would rotate through the various proteins each night and then start back at the beginning.

When I plan my meals, I not only aim for a variety of proteins, but also carbohydrates. For example, if we have chicken and rice one night, I wouldn't make chicken or rice the next couple of nights. The next night would be beef and potatoes. Then Fish and pasta, or pork and tortillas or bread. Am I crazy? This past week's dinners are a perfect example of my neurotic menu planning:

Saturday: Chicken Sausage Jambalaya (Chicken, Rice)

Sunday: Pot Roast (Beef, Potatoes)

Monday: Salmon, Whole Wheat Couscous, Broccoli (Fish, Pasta?)

Tuesday: Mexican Chicken Casserole (Chicken, Tortillas (Corn))

Wednesday: Egg Foo Yung, Asian Noodle Salad (Vegetarian, Pasta)

Thursday: Italian Turkey Sausage & Pepper Calzones (Turkey, Bread)

I even go as far as to include a variety of cuisines. For example, if we have burritos one night, I wouldn't make tacos the next night because that's 2 nights in a row of Mexican. I told you, I'm a little crazy. Anyone else out there plan their meals like this? No? It's just me?

10 Week Belly

2011-11-17T08:03:00.000-08:00

I am technically not 10 weeks until tomorrow, but when I went to the Dr. a few weeks ago she said I was measuring ahead by at least a couple days. That makes me feel a little better about my growing belly. (Excuse the creepy hand holding onto nothing)

I mean, it's not huge. But it's definitely something. I just don't know yet if it's bloating, fat, or an actual baby growing belly. Probably a combo of all 3. I'll try to post a belly photo every month, if not more frequently throughout my pregnancy.

Recent Ryan

2011-11-15T16:34:00.000-08:00

Nully Baby #2

2011-11-14T10:40:00.000-08:00

In case you didn't figure it out from my last post, another little Nullmeyer Baby is due next year! (June 15th is the approximate due date). It has been SO hard to keep this a secret from everyone, since I've already known for 6 weeks. Because I had some complications in the beginning of my pregnancy with Ryan, I was a bit hesitant to share the news right away this time.

But the good news is that we saw and heard the baby's heartbeat last week! What a wonderful sound! It was hammering away at 160 bpm. Everything looked great, and there was no ominous dark blood clot on the ultrasound this time around.

So how have I been feeling? Here's a little summary from the first few weeks of my pregnancy.

5 weeks: I don't remember having any symptoms this early on with Ryan. But this baby is a different story! I am nauseous off and on all day. I'll eat something, and within 1-2 hours my stomach will feel sick and empty. I have to snack throughout the day to help with the nausea, but certain foods will sound good one minute and horrible an hour later. It's hard to eat a healthy diet right now. In the afternoon the fatigue hits me. From about 1-4 all I want to do is lay around and do nothing. By early evening I have enough energy back to do a little cleaning and cook dinner. But then by 9 I am ready for bed.
6 weeks: The nausea is still going strong! I have this new thing where I can't eat anything twice. I used to be the queen of leftovers, eating them every day for lunch to avoid wasting food. But now I can't even look at something if I've eaten it in the past week. Today I ate Taco Bell (gasp!) for lunch because everything in my refrigerator made me want to throw up.
7 weeks: Headaches and tummyaches! I have had a headache 3 times this week. Probably because I've been cutting back on caffeine, but they seem to be the kind that won't go away unless I go to sleep. And we all know that doesn't happen much! I was also sick this week, so this was generally just not a good week. Adam thinks I'm starting to "show" a little bit. I told him it's just some extra fat from all the snacking I've been doing. I have been getting a stomach-ache almost daily. Not sure why.

Now that I'm about 10 weeks along, the nausea is starting to fade. I still get a weird taste in my mouth after eating, and certain foods just taste "off". Example: this morning I made whole wheat pancakes and they tasted like soap. I can feel my energy starting to return, but I'm still taking advantage of every little break I get to sit down and relax more than usual. Growing a baby is hard work!

A Message From Ryan

2011-11-12T20:13:00.000-08:00

Foodie Friday: Recipe Collection

2011-11-11T16:22:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but my collection of recipes has always been an unorganized mess. I store them in a gallon-size ziploc bag. The recipes are a collection of magazine pages, internet printouts, and hand-written family recipes. It takes me forever to find what I'm looking for, so I've always wanted to organize my recipes into something prettier and more usable. This past week I finally did just that! I've been putting my recipes in an old binder I had and I'm really happy with the results so far. How do you store your recipe collection?After sorting through my recipes I realized I've been keeping many recipes that I've never even tried. My goal now is to try each one. If we like it, it will be included in my recipe collection book. Otherwise it's getting tossed. Last night I tried a new recipe: Skillet Chicken with Cranberries & Apples

I thought it was pretty good. Definitely sweeter than your typical chicken dish, but the tartness from the cranberries helped with that.

I think it tastes best when paired with a salty side dish, like the stuffing that I made. Adam wasn't a big fan of it, so I'm not sure if I'll put it in my recipe book.This meal definitely got my taste buds excited for Thanksgiving!

18-Month Checkup

2011-11-10T13:32:00.000-08:00

Ryan had his 18-month checkup today with his pediatrician. Here are his growth stats:

Weight: 23 lbs (13%)

Height: 31.75 inches (30%)

Head: 19 inches (64%)

Overall Ryan is a healthy 18-month old. However, his Dr. really gave me a lot to think about today. He is still concerned about 3 areas of Ryan's development: sleeping, eating, and speech. He believes that the difficulties we are having with Ryan are all somehow related to each other. And he believes that changing the way we treat Ryan can really be beneficial for his development. He basically wants Adam and I to get tougher. Not just with discipline, but also with how we feed Ryan and put him to sleep. His Dr. said he has seen similar cases where the parents gave in too much to their "difficult" children, and they ended up with more serious problems down the road. I certainly do not want to be responsible for any of Ryan's developmental issues, and I am willing to change the way I treat him if it means a happier and healthier Ryan. I still have a lot to digest from the appointment, and a lot to talk about with Adam. But here are the 3 main changes the Dr. suggested:

Sleep: I think everyone knows how horrible Ryan's sleep habits are. At this point Ryan's Dr. suggested we really crack down and let Ryan cry himself to sleep. We have tried many gentler methods and they just don't seem to work for him. Because Ryan is no longer in a crib, this makes it harder to keep him in his bed. His pediatrician went as far as to suggest we shut his door and use a video monitor to ensure Ryan is safe while falling asleep.

Eating: Ryan's eating habits are pretty unhealthy. I told that the Dr. that while I know Ryan's diet isn't good, I have a strong desire to just make sure Ryan is fed. Unfortunately that means his diet is lacking many important components. The only finger foods he will touch are chicken nuggets, crackers, and chips. Ryan's Dr. wants us to only offer Ryan healthy options going forward. If he eats them, fantastic. If not, mealtime is over. He said Ryan will likely become hungry and eventually will try the healthier finger foods. He also said no more baby food; Ryan is too old to be relying on Stage 2 purees for his nutrition.

Speech: We will focus more on this once the sleeping and eating habits are under control. Ryan should have between 15 and 20 words at this point, but he still only has 2. His Dr. suggested we pick a couple things/activities and withold them from Ryan until he says the word. Things like "outside" or "train".

I sincerely hope this new "tough love" method works. I often feel like Ryan is unhappy and fussy most of the time, and as a result, parenting him is often not very fulfilling or enjoyable. I am hoping that these changes will make all of us happier.

Weak Lungs

2011-11-08T14:36:00.000-08:00

I feel like it's been so long since I've blogged, almost like I lost touch with the world there for a while. And I kind of did, being sick for the past 2 weeks. Here's a recap of recent happenings in Nully Land.
1) We are all finally getting better. Ryan is still on antibiotics, which seem to be helping with his cough. But Adam and I in particular have noticed we have no lung capacity. Even the simplest activity leaves me out of breath and needing to sit down. The other day in Target Adam had to take a break from pushing the shopping cart because he was winded. This bronchitis stuff is not fun!
2) Ryan is officially weaned, as of about 3 weeks ago. It's been tough not nursing him while he was sick, because in the past that always provided him comfort. He has been making up for it by sticking his hand down my shirt at every opportunity.
3) Our house is a mess. Not surprising, since we've been sick. But lately it feels like I just can't stay on top of it. The minute I get things looking decent, hurricane Ryan comes through again. And I'm just talking about straightening up and keeping up with the laundry and dishes. Dusting? Swiffering? Forget about it.
4) Ryan's new favorite activity is hitting me. Not sure yet how to handle this. Timeouts are an option, although he seems a tad young for them. The word NO means nothing to him. I'm trying to at least teach him to give me a hug after he does something mean to me.
5) I have barely cooked at all in the past 2 weeks and I really miss it. I need to get back into the swing of things soon with some new recipes, once my energy is back. More about that on Friday.

Triple Sick

2011-11-05T11:06:00.000-07:00

Well our colds turned into bronchitis for me and pneumonia for Ryan, and a cold/stomach flu for Adam. Sheesh! This is definitely the sickest Ryan has ever been. He has been so lethargic and whiny, and I think taking care of him has made it a bit harder for me to bouce back from this illness. This past week has reminded me what it's like taking care of a newborn.....constant holding and sitting up all night trying to stop the crying. It's very tiring! I feel like I might pass along my germs just by typing this on my blog. So once we are better we'll be back with new pictures and updates. In the meantime we're watching a lot of TV and drinking lots of Tylenol and antibiotics.

Halloween 2011

2011-11-01T20:26:00.001-07:00

Most of Halloween this year was spent holding my sick toddler. Ryan caught my cold Sunday night and was on the decline all day Monday. He seemed particularly hot after waking up from an hour long nap (!), so I took his temperature. When I saw it was 103.7 I immediately gave him Tylenol, stripped off his clothes, and brought him outside to the porch to get some fresh air. Ryan was absolutely inconsolable, but the medicine finally started working about an hour later.

Needless to say, I didn't make the special dinner I had planned, and there wasn't much trick-or-treating done that night. We did manage to get Ryan into his costume for a few minutes while he was temporarily feeling better.

Over the weekend we visited with my sister and her kids. Here is Emma the rockster:

Jacob the Pirate:
And Ava the Green Dragon:

Hope your Halloween was less germy than ours!

Ryan: 18 Months

2011-10-29T08:12:00.000-07:00

Ryan,

A year and a half seems like such a big milestone! You have grown and changed so much since the last time I wrote you a blog post, when you were just 1 year old. Daddy's nickname for you these days is "Big and Tough". You are developing quite a goofy personality! You have regular spurts of silliness when you will break out into your "happy dance". It's pretty amusing to just sit and watch you entertain yourself. You are such an active boy, always running around, wrestling, and climbing.
Your eating habits have gotten a little bit better, and your chubby cheeks and belly are proof of that! Sleep is still a major issue for us. You end up in bed with Mommy and Daddy every single night and most days still do not take a nap. Your only words are "Mama", "Dada", "Baba" and "Daw". You do seem to understand a lot of what we say now. You have all 16 of your baby teeth now, except you're still working on your 2-year old molars. They may have already cut through but you bite me whenever I try to check. We recently spotted your first freckle on your arm, and you will proudly show it off when asked.

Likes:

Cars, crunchy salty foods, playing with "Daw", being whispered to, hitting, eating yogurt, choo-choo trains, stacking toys, playing outside, VeggieTales, screeching, throwing, dogs and cats, emptying the dishwasher.

Dislikes:

Sleeping alone, soft finger foods, staying still, being told no, diaper changes, playing alone.You make me smile every single day and you are truly one of the biggest blessings in my life. I love you, my sweet boy!

Painting Projects

2011-10-26T17:23:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I hinted at a green wall that was being painted in our house but I don't think I ever posted pictures. Last week we tackled another painting project, so I thought I'd share pictures from both rooms. First up, our family room. Here is a reminder from when we first bought it:
Right after we moved in:And today, 18 months later, with two accent walls painted green:Next up is our living room. Here it is right before we moved in:Right after we moved in:And today! Adam put up a chair rail and painted the lower half a chocolate brown color, keeping the upper half the same cream color.What room should we transform next?

Week of Adventures

2011-10-25T16:44:00.000-07:00

Sunday night I looked at my calendar and realized I had absolutely nothing scheduled for this week. No MOPS meetings, no Dr. appointments, no playdates. No major shopping or errands to do, and the house was even relatively clean. So I declared to Ryan that it would be a week of adventures!

I vowed to take Ryan somewhere new and fun each day this week. I had plans to take him to pet farm animals at our local Ardenwood farms, plans to walk him around my college campus, and lots of other fun things. I started the week off Monday morning by packing a picnic lunch for Ryan and I and going to a local park for lunch and some playtime. We had fun eating on the grass and then playing on the playground. Ryan even napped for 45 minutes when we got home! What a great start to our week!

But then right after Ryan woke up, I started feeling "off". Pretty soon I had a wicked sore throat and just wanted to collapse on the couch. And now here I am, still sick and too tired to do much adventuring. I am hoping Ryan doesn't get my cold, so that we can at least fit in one more adventure by the end of the week. Otherwise this is the kind of "adventure" Ryan will be getting himself into around the house.

Whispers

2011-10-23T11:03:00.000-07:00

For about the past week I have been "whispering" Ryan to sleep at night. I was laying down on our bed one night trying to make Ryan sleepy. I started whispering in his ear, and when I pulled away he immediately grabbed my head and yanked me back down to his ear. The tickling on his ear must have relaxed him so much that he drifted off to sleep.
So now every night when we lay down, Ryan grabs my head and pulls it to his ear. I whisper all sorts of things to him. I tell him what we're going to do the next day. I pray for him. I tell him bedtime stories. I'm sure it's just a temporary way to get him to fall asleep, but it's pretty cute!

Comprehension

2011-10-20T21:31:00.000-07:00

Ryan still doesn't say much, so it's comforting for me to know that he understands a lot of what I'm saying.

He can point to the following body parts upon hearing the word: eyes, nose, mouth, teeth, head, hair, ears, fingers, toes, belly button, chin, birthmark (on his wrist), owie (on his knee).

When I ask him to help me with the dishes he opens the dishwasher for me and unloads the dishes one at a time, handing each one to me. I timed us the other day and we unloaded it in 3.5 minutes flat. I like to call it dishwasher olympics.

When I tell him it's time for his bath he runs and grabs about a million washcloths to throw into the bathtub. (One for each body part I guess!)

When we're playing outside he can correctly point out the following things: trees, cars, grass, rocks, flowers, leaves, sky, airplane, truck, kitty-cat, doggy.

The other day I was lying on the couch and I asked Ryan to go get my cell phone and bring it to me. And he did! I'm beginning to think Ryan could talk if he wanted to, but he just chooses not to. He's a stubborn little guy!

Toddler Wrestling

2011-10-18T17:05:00.001-07:00

Ryan has learned the sport of wrestling. He absolutely loves tackling Adam and I if we dare to lay on the floor near him. He'll climb onto the nearest piece of furniture and then dive off on top of us. And of course Ryan thinks it is the silliest thing ever. His uncontrollable giggles are so cute! The other day Ryan's friend Eli toddled over from around the corner. Here they are below in my car a few weeks ago.
So when Eli came over, the two boys started wrestling on our front lawn and it was hilarious! They took turns "hugging" eachother, which always resulted in one falling over with the other on top of him. There were even a few choke holds. We've got a couple of future wrestlers on our hands!

Pumpkin Patch 2011

2011-10-15T22:23:00.000-07:00

I love comparing pictures of Ryan from one year ago to now. It's amazing how quickly babies grow into little people. One year they are babies who sleep during their first trip to the pumpkin patch.The next year they run around picking up and throwing pumpkins. Maybe running a little too fast.

Pantless Playtime

2011-10-13T08:54:00.000-07:00

Weaning Teething and Crying, Oh My!

2011-10-11T15:59:00.001-07:00

I have decided that I do want to wean Ryan. However, since he seems to be getting his 2y molars it may not be the best time to do this. And if I'm not going to nurse him to sleep anymore then I need a new strategy. And I've got nothing. The last 2 nights Ryan actually fell asleep with Adam, without being nursed. But in the middle of the night he was hysterical and would not go back to sleep until I nursed him. Teething pain? Who knows!?
I have also been thinking we should convert his bed back into a crib. While having it as a toddler bed hasn't made things worse, it also hasn't made things any better. And it has presented us with a couple new "issues". Like last night when Ryan woke up crying at 1:30am. I went into his room and found him underneath his crib. Stuck. Poor little guy!
So basically at this point I'm just really confused as to what my next step should be. Do I deliberately NOT nurse him before bed, and just let him scream and cry in the middle of the night? Do I go back to the crib? If so, how do I get Ryan to fall asleep in it? And maybe even stay asleep? I need a manual for this guy. He's so confusing.

Screen Time

2011-10-10T15:23:00.000-07:00

Ryan loves to watch TV/movies now. It's good and it's bad. I typically let him watch a 30-minute program in our bedroom while I'm getting ready in the morning: showering, getting dressed, making the bed, etc. Some of his favorites are Veggie Tales, Finding Nemo, and Lady & The Tramp.
But now whenever we go into the bedroom Ryan immediately races over to the TV and turns it on. He gets so focused on watching it that I can leave him alone and he usually won't budge an inch. I must admit that it sure comes in handy when I need to get something done! Like I said, it's good and it's bad. I often wonder if I'm letting him watch too much TV at such a young age.

Drip

2011-10-08T16:33:00.000-07:00

Here is my winter vegetable garden, complete with broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, purple and green cabbage, spinach, chard, and strawberries!
Adam and my Dad installed a drip system so I don't have to spend all day watering.I'll update with pictures in about a month. Grow veggies, grow!

Molars

2011-10-06T17:04:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty sure Ryan is teething....again. I thought he was done for a while, since he already has 16 teeth. The only ones that are missing are his 2-year molars, so I kind of thought we'd have about 6 more months until those surfaced. But then I remembered Ryan has been an early teether from the get-go. He got his first tooth at 5 months, so why wouldn't he get his 2-year molars at under 18 months?Ryan has been chewing on his hands a lot lately. And sticking weird things in his mouth, which he normally doesn't do. He's been rubbing his ear a lot and acting extra fussy, but nothing terrible. I have to say, Ryan has always been a pretty good teether. I've heard horror stories from other moms, so I think I'm pretty lucky. Ryan does wake up more at night when he teethes, but we're so used to that already.
By the way, when do most people take their toddler to the dentist? I "brush" Ryan's teeth once a day before his bath, but that's it.

Up and Running

2011-10-04T08:09:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned before how Ryan is my little "rooster", often getting up for the day well before 6am. Well let me elaborate on that just a little. He doesn't wake up gradually. Instead, he opens his eyes, immediately stands up, climbs down off our bed, grabs a dog toy, yells "DAW!" and runs out the door. ("Daw" means Dog)There is no falling back to sleep for just a couple minutes, or laying in bed next to Mommy to snuggle. Ryan is up and running from the second he opens his eyes in the morning, often not stopping until late that night!
Good thing God made me a morning person! Otherwise I might just stay in bed and let Ryan roam the house by himself. And who knows what he would get in to? His latest obsession is picking up things that weigh almost as much as he does.While we're on the topic of sleep, I should mention how things have been going with the Melatonin. It does work to get Ryan to sleep, but I still have to nurse him to sleep, usually around 8pm. He stays asleep for about 2-3 hours now. At that point I have usually just gone to bed, so I get back up and bring him in bed with us. We have tried and continually failed to get him to fall back to sleep in his bed. So from about 11pm on he's in our bed, waking up once or twice until he's awake for good around 5am. At this time I often nurse him in bed in an attempt to make him fall back asleep. But as I wrote above, that doesn't work! These are the only 2 times that I still nurse Ryan. I could probably wean him now if I wanted to, but I think I'll wait just a little longer. It's the only time I get to sit down with Ryan and just be still!

Choo Choo!

2011-10-02T07:16:00.000-07:00

Ryan isn't very good at playing by himself yet. He cries when I try to walk away from him while he is playing, and often demands that I am right next to or touching him throughout the day. So I am a little relieved to report that Ryan has found a new hobby that he enjoys by himself! Playing with his "choo choos".
I tell him to go get his choo-choo trains and play with them on the windowsill. He loves making them crash into each other and ride up and down the couch.It's so cute that I often find myself just watching him play instead of getting things done myself. I can't help it!

Foodie Friday: Dough Girl

2011-09-30T07:10:00.000-07:00

The other day Adam asked me why I don't make bread more often. I had no answer for him. So I got my hands dirty with some dough this week. And the results were amazing!! The breads that I made for dinner ended up being the stars of the meals, outshining their protein/vegetable counterparts. Here are the 3 recipes that I tried.

Monday night I made a white bean and swiss chard soup. I used a "secret" ingredient in the soup. Parmesan rind!To eat with the soup I made focaccia. So delicious and easy! Tuesday was turkey stuffed bell peppers, so we ate the leftover foccacia with them. Unfortunately the bread wasn't that great the second night. I would definitely recommend eating it all the day you make it!

Wednesday night we had Tandoori Mahi Mahi, along with rice and steamed broccoli. To go along with it I made naan. Oh my. Heaven in the shape of an oblong piece of flatbread. Adam and I both agreed this was our favorite bread of the week. Here is the recipe. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aarti-sequeira/naan-indian-oven-baked-flat-bread-recipe/index.html

Notice the baby finger trying to steal some?

Thursday I got brave and made filipino chicken empanadas! Here is the raw dough. Can I just say that I love raw pastry dough? It reminds me of being little and watching my mom roll out pie dough. I would always get a little pinch of the excess dough from the edges. Yum!

Rolled into discs, with extra to make a special one for Ryan.We all loved them! They were a lot of work, but the recipe made a lot so we have leftovers to freeze. Ryan devoured his, so I guess I'll have to make them again!

Have any good bread recipes? I'm excited to try more!

Super Cut

2011-09-28T17:11:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you just need a change, you know? Today Adam got off work early and I decided to get my hair cut down the street at Supercuts. I have had my hair long for a while now. Long hair is something that I like the idea of, but I don't necessarily think it looks great on me. And let's face it, I don't have the time to dry and style it, much less wash it regularly! So it was time for something more manageable.

Here is the before:

And the after!

Sitting Tantrums

2011-09-27T15:04:00.000-07:00

Lately Ryan has been having mini tantrums, particularly when we are outside. He loves being outdoors and we often walk around out front. But of course when Ryan tries to go into the street, I have to stop him. I start with a verbal warning but he usually ignores me, so then I have to pick him up to keep him on the sidewalk. At this point he will arch his back, kick his legs and scream. When I try to set him down he just lays down on the sidewalk instead.
Honestly it's kind of amusing. Ryan will be screaming until he sits down, and then he will get distracted by a rock, a leaf, an ant. The "tantrum" stops pretty quickly. For now!

Toddler Bed

2011-09-25T07:55:00.000-07:00

Adam and I have talked a little bit lately about converting Ryan's crib to a toddler bed. I know the "experts" recommend waiting as long as possible to make this switch. And maybe if Ryan slept in his crib, it wouldn't make sense to change things. But I decided it couldn't possibly make things worse, so maybe it was worth a try. Adam and his brother surprised me last night. I had just given Ryan his bath and walked in to see this:
Our hope is that Ryan will like his bed more when it doesn't feel so "cage-like".After checking it out a little bit we went out to the family room to play. A few minutes later Ryan got up, ran down the hallway, and climbed into his bed.Last night was Ryan's first night in his toddler bed. I was so nervous that he would fall out of his bed and be hurt or traumatized by it! I got him to sleep at 8:30 (with the help of Melatonin). Within an hour he was awake and crying, and we found him standing up on his bed. Adam and I were able to pat his back and get him back to sleep within 10 minutes. 30 minutes later he was up again, but Adam got him back to sleep quickly. Again, 30 minutes later, he was awake. Once again Adam managed to get him back to sleep by close to midnight. And then he slept in his bed until 5am! I hope as Ryan gets used to his new bed he will learn to like it and view it as a safe and cozy place. At least that's what I'm praying will happen!

Foodie Friday: What We Ate

2011-09-23T17:04:00.000-07:00

I love getting ideas from other people for easy weeknight dinners. So I thought I'd share our meals from this past week, which have been particularly yummy!

Sunday night was turkey burgers, chipotle sweet potato fries, and baked beans.

Monday night's dinner was Pioneer Woman's Cajun Chicken Pasta.

Tuesday was pork tamales from Costco, chips with guacamole and homemade salsa, and homemade refried beans. Sooo good!

Wednesday I made Herb Marinated Broiled Shrimp skewers with Risotto and broiled brussel sprouts.

Thursday's menu was Beef with Broccoli and Red Peppers, served over rice.

So what did you eat this week? I need new ideas for my picky family!

New Things

2011-09-21T20:45:00.001-07:00

Ryan's newest thing is sticking his hands down his pants. I can't figure out why he does it. At first I thought it might be a sign that he has to peepee. But now I'm thinking he's just doing it to be a silly boy. He knows it will get a reaction out of me.His other new thing is to randomly just lay down on the floor. I thought he was trying to tell me he was tired, but that was just wishful thinking.Ryan other new thing is to pick up little things off of the floor. Luckily he doesn't eat them; instead he brings them to me. He is constantly bringing me fuzz and random crumbs off the floor. The other day he brought me a dead bumblebee. My first thought: don't scream, don't scream, don't scream. My second thought: at least it wasn't alive! (And I'm so glad he didn't eat it)

Rooster

2011-09-20T08:16:00.000-07:00

This post could be about our neighbor's rooster who is a bit confused and likes to cock-a-doodle-do all day long. It could be about how Ryan tries to imitate the sound and it's really adorable. But it isn't. Instead this is about my own little rooster.
You see, Ryan used to "sleep in" as a baby until between 7:30 and 8am. As he has gotten older he has been waking up earlier, typically by 7am. Then it started creeping back to around 6:30, when Adam leaves for work. But ever since we started giving Ryan the melatonin at night and forcing him to go to sleep by 9pm, he has been waking up for the day as early as 5:15am, which is when Adam gets up for work.
I honestly don't mind getting up early as long as I have been able to get enough sleep during the night. But I'm not! And neither is Ryan. And because Ryan still doesn't nap, getting up so early means he is cranky and tired even earlier in the day.So how do I get my rooster to "sleep in" an extra hour?

What a Difference

2011-09-18T13:52:00.000-07:00

What a difference a year makes! I have been going back and looking at a lot of Ryan's young baby pictures recently. Everyone says that the time goes by so fast when you have young children. But when each day can be long and repetitive, I don't realize just how quickly Ryan is growing up. Looking back at how small he used to be has really put it into perspective for me. He's not going to stay small forever! Here is just one recent example. The first picture is from August 2010, at our friend Danielle's baby shower. The second picture is from yesterday, at her daughter Carly's 1st birthday party!Adam and I, well, we basically look the same. We age well. Ryan, however, looks like a completely different person! Wow. My baby has grown. Below is the adorable birthday girl trying out her cake. I'm not sure she was a fan.

Full

2011-09-17T16:26:00.000-07:00

If I had to use a word to describe my life right now it would be "full". Full in a good way. Obviously this little guy takes up most of my time, but in my spare time I have been doing some fun things.The most exciting use of my time is getting ready for MOPS! Our first meeting of the year is on Monday and I am really excited. As Finance Coordinator I do a lot of the background work of registering new moms and keeping track of our budget and expenses. I'm really enjoying it.
Ryan and I have been doing something really sneaky lately. We have become mystery shoppers! At least I have. Ryan just tends to tag along because he has nothing better to do. I heard about this company that offers mystery shopping assignments and thought it might be fun. And so far it is! I get a list of assignments to choose from, and I can do as many or as few as I like. Most of the ones I have done so far are fast food or local sit down restaurants. I don't make much money, but I do get free food!Finally, I have planted my winter vegetable garden! (With lots of help from my mother-in-law). We planted broccoli, cauliflower, green and purple cabbage, brussel sprouts, spinach, swiss chard, snap peas, carrots, and one lone strawberry plant.
Garden pics to come!

Foodie Friday: German Dutch Pancake

2011-09-16T20:48:00.000-07:00

These are either called German Pancakes or Dutch Baby Pancakes. Either way, they're delicious! I made one last weekend and the result was really special for not much effort. You should make one this weekend!

German/Dutch Pancake

6 eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

5 Tbsp butter

Powdered Sugar

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place a very large ovenproof pan or cast iron skillet in oven until oven reaches 450. Meanwhile, in a large bowl beat the eggs until light and frothy. Add milk, flour, vanilla, and cinnamon. Beat with electric mixer for 5 minutes. Remove the hot skillet from the oven. Add the 5 Tbsp butter, melting to coat the skillet. Pour the pancake batter into the skillet. Bake 20-25 minutes until puffed and golden brown. Immediately sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy with your favorite topping. (Mine is good old 100% maple syrup)

Just a note: The recipe above serves 4-6. I made half the recipe and used a pan that is probably 8 inches around. You can see that the pancake really puffed up, so make sure you use a large skillet if you make the full recipe!

Sugar High

2011-09-13T19:31:00.000-07:00

Ryan had his first M&M after dinner tonight. This is him 20 minutes later.

Mud

2011-09-12T09:59:00.001-07:00

My summer vegetable garden was a semi-success! I had an abundance of zucchini, chili peppers and cucumbers, and my tomatoes are finally ready to pick. On the other hand, my watermelon never got big enough to eat, and I only got one small bell pepper. I'm blaming it on the weird weather. Growing vegetables is a learning process for me, and now I am starting on my winter crop. I plan on growing broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, cabbage, and possibly chard or kale.Ryan and I have been preparing the soil, with some help from Grandma Nullmeyer. It's a muddy messy job!

Discipline

2011-09-10T21:10:00.000-07:00

Lately it feels like all I do is tell Ryan "No!". I have been trying to be really intentional about when I say NO and when I use my mean mommy voice. (I'm still perfecting it)I try to reserve the loud "NO" for times when Ryan is doing something dangerous, such as climbing over the back of the sofa or running into the street. Or when he is being disrespectful/hurtful towards someone else, such as hitting Mommy in the eye with the remote control. But the thing is, Ryan likes to do these things all day long. So I end up saying NO to him about a million times a day. I'm beginning to wonder if it even means anything to him.
Tonight at dinner Ryan threw his spoon at my face. I gave him a very stern and loud NO, and he immediately got a sad look on his face. Just when it looked like he was about to burst into tears, he looked at me and started giggling!I think I'm in trouble.

Foodie Friday: Granola Bars

2011-09-09T04:32:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to make homemade granola bars for a long time. I wanted something healthy to put into Adam's lunches, as well as to feed to Ryan. Sometimes I buy granola bars, but I know most brands are not healthy. Have you seen how many ingredients are in them? So I decided to make my own. However, this recipe is a bit more "dessert" than "healthy snack" or "quick breakfast". I plan on making them again, only tweaking them a bit. Next time I might use dried fruit instead of chocolate, or maybe try using whole nuts or other flavors such as shredded coconut. So many possibilities!
(Obviously we didn't like them very much)

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Granola Bars

2 cups oats

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup white flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 T ground flaxseed

3/4 cup milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup honey

1 T vegetable oil

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup natural peanut butter

Combine oats, flour, sugar, salt, flaxseed and chocolate chips. In another bowl combine honey, oil, egg and vanilla. Stir into dry mixture. Mix in peanut butter. Spread in greased 9x13 inch dish, flatten down with wet spoon. Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes, until very lightly browned.

Spaghetti

2011-09-06T19:20:00.000-07:00

In case there was any doubt, Ryan is definitely my son! Spaghetti is now one of his favorite foods. I was shocked at how enthusiastically Ryan ate his dinner tonight.The first picture is my favorite. Love those chipmunk cheeks!

PS: Somehow Riley ended up with spaghetti all over his fur. I wonder who was responsible for that?

Controversial

2011-09-04T15:41:00.001-07:00

I had almost reached the point of just wanting to give up on ever getting Ryan to sleep consistently. Or nap. At all. Ryan has become so anti-sleep I think he has developed a phobia of his crib. The other night I couldn't get Ryan to fall asleep so I put him in his crib for just a few minutes. Just so I could do something simple like use the bathroom. After exactly 4 minutes he got so worked up that he threw up all over himself, his sheets, his crib, the floor, his crib skirt, his lamby skin......it was a mess. This is what Ryan looks like when I dare place him in his crib for a second.
I am trying so hard to be a sensitive Mom who recognizes that she has a very sensitive son who requires extra attention. But I'm only human, and I am so frustrated. But then recently there was one tiny glimmer of hope. We got in to see a Pediatric Behavior Specialist at Kaiser. I was hesitantly optimistic to talk to her and get a professional suggestion on what else we could do. What method would she suggest we try? After evaluating Ryan and talking pretty extensively with me, she suggested something pretty controversial. We are now drugging Ryan in order to get him to fall asleep.

I guess it's not as bad as it sounds, but I realize it's not something every parent would do. The Dr. told us to give Ryan melatonin before bed to aid in the falling asleep process. She said it isn't usually suggested for someone his age, but she felt that in his case, it was worth a try. So what did I do? Drove straight to the store and bought melatonin. And gave it to Ryan that night. And guess what? After nursing, rocking, and patting, Ryan fell asleep in his crib!! And then woke up 1 hour later!! Oh wait, that's not good.
See, melatonin provides a short burst of sleepiness, but then quickly wears off. So he's still up 2-4 times per night after waking up 1 hour after falling asleep. And after that initial wake up, he refuses to sleep again in his crib. He will only go back to sleep in bed with us. So we obviously still have some issues. But my hope is that by falling asleep in his crib initially, it will become a less-threatening place for Ryan. And he will gradually learn how to put himself back to sleep upon waking. It's my tiny glimmer of hope that I'm clinging to. Let's hope the drugs work!

Date Night

2011-08-31T08:47:00.000-07:00

I like the idea of a date night in theory, but in reality it just doesn't happen very often. Last Saturday night Adam and I attended a wedding of a good friend of mine. It was an opportunity for us to go somewhere together without Ryan, and thus, it was a date night!

Since Ryan was born we have been fortunate enough to go out together a few times, just Adam and I. We went out to lunch last September for our anniverary, Adam's work party in January, dinner for Valentine's Day, attended a wedding in March, and then this one on Saturday. There are probably one or two other occcasions that I am forgetting. I have heard how important it is to maintain a healthy marriage once you have kids, and I think planning regular time together, such as a monthly date night, is a great idea. It's just hard to actually execute, with budget limitations and a little boy who can be difficult to watch. So tell me, how often do you get out with your spouse, without your children tagging along? What do you think about having a designated "date night?"

Good Friends

2011-08-30T12:37:00.000-07:00

We have been having a lot of fun lately having friends over and going on playdates. I'm trying to take advantage of every opportunity for Ryan to interact with other kids. I have noticed it tires him out more, and I am also hoping he will pick up some good habits from them (like talking and eating!). Hopefully no bad habits!

Here are Ryan and Carly. They wouldn't sit near each other long enough for a joint picture.
Then yesterday we had 2 playdates in one day. Ryan clung to me during the first one. But the second was at our house, so he felt more comfortable running around with his friends. I am so blessed to have so many Mommy friends in my life!

What's Working Right Now

2011-08-28T14:03:00.000-07:00

If someone said "Raise your hand if your toddler is a picky eater" I would not only raise my hand, but also my other hand and both my legs. I don't know if Ryan's eating habits are normal toddler behavior, but he's definitely very particular about what he will put in his mouth. So I've had to be creative about feeding him. Fortunately I have found a few things lately that work. Here are my top 3.

1) Semi Self-Feeding/Distraction - Ryan wants to be in control of his utensils, but this can become really messy really quickly. When I let him feed himself, about 90% of his food ends up on his head, ears, highchair......So now I use 2 spoons with every bowl of food. One for him to hold and "feed" himself with, and the other for me to feed him with. This works pretty well because he is so distracted by his own spoon that he just opens his mouth when I bring the spoon to his mouth. I have a feeling this one won't last, but it's working for now!

2) Costco! - Seriously, this is really strange. I think it's the novelty of eating in a shopping cart at a store where there's lots to look at. But for some reason, Ryan really chows down when we go to Costco. I went yesterday and offered Ryan all of the samples. Here is what he ate: 1/2 Pizza Bagel Bite, 2 Pita Chips w/ white bean hummus, 1 slice Havarti cheese, 1/4 Chicken Burger, 1/2 Madeline cookie, 1/2 GoGurt yogurt. That is easily the amount of food he eats in an entire day! And most of those are foods he would never even try if I offered them to him at home in his highchair.

3) Squeezable Fruit Pouches - A few months ago I thought these were just a new overpriced way to package baby food. What I now know is that yes, they are overpriced, but they serve a purpose. Ryan loves eating these because they give him all the control. I love them because they don't make a mess! (Unless he turns them upside down and squeezes out the contents. But shhhh he hasn't figured that out yet!) Most that I have seen are just a combination of fruits, but there are a few that also contain vegetables. I will pay the $1-$1.50 per pouch for these because they guarantee Ryan eats some fruits and veggies!

So that's what works for me right now. Any other tips I should know about?

Ponytail

2011-08-25T19:08:00.000-07:00

I've gotten a lot of comments lately about Ryan's hair.Adam wants to get it cut soon, before Ryan starts looking like a girl. That got me thinking.....what would a daughter of ours look like?

****Insert photo of Ryan with his hair in a ponytail****

It was a really cute picture but Adam wouldn't let me post it because he thought it was too embarrassing for Ryan! You'll just have to use your imagination.

To the Glory

2011-08-24T21:06:00.000-07:00

I hear it when I'm in the trenches of motherhood. The times when I'm wrestling Ryan to the floor in order to clean his bottom. Those hours in the middle of the night when we're crying together because he just won't sleep. That is when I have the thought, the whisper. That little whine inside my head. It sounds something like this:

"Does any of this really matter? Nobody can even see me right now. My job as a mother feels so unimportant at times. I don't get a paycheck and I don't accrue vacation hours. My role as tummy-tickler and block-stacker doesn't make a difference in the world. Motherhood is so frustrating at times because I don't see many results for the work I am doing. What is the purpose of all this?"

I love listening to K-Love because I get so much encouragement from the messages in the music. I love the new song by Steven Curtis Chapman called "Do Everything". Here are the lyrics to the first verse:

"You're picking up toys on the living room floor for the 15th time today. Matching up socks and sweeping up lost Cheerios that got away. You put a baby on your hip and color on your lips and head out the door. And while I may not know you I bet I know you. Wonder sometimes does it matter at all. Well let me remind you it all matters just as long as you....Do everything you do to the glory of the One who made you. Cause He made you to do every little thing that you do to bring a smile to His Face. And tell the story of grace. With every move that you make and every little thing you do"

It reminds me of Colossians 3:23. "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men"

I hope that encourages you somehow, no matter that your "job" is.

A Boy and His Dog

2011-08-23T08:26:00.000-07:00

Back when Ryan was just crawling I noticed Riley showing a little bit of aggression towards him. He tried to snap at him a couple times, which really made me nervous. Since then, I have put a lot of effort into keeping my two boys separated. I use the baby gate every single day to ensure they aren't in the room together. Honestly, it kind of stresses me out to not be able to just put Ryan down anywhere in the house. I am constantly shutting doors, holding Ryan, and ignoring Riley for a good part of the day. I have even thought about what it would be like to give Riley away, and not have to worry about this issue.

But just recently, after much urging from Adam, I have been allowing Ryan and Riley to interact a bit more. It still makes me incredibly nervous, and I watch the two of them together like a hawk. But I have noticed a few things. First, Riley mostly just runs away from Ryan. As long as Ryan is throwing a toy for him, the dog is happy to keep his distance. Secondly, Ryan absolutely positively adores dogs. He really seems to come alive when he is around a dog. He squeals and shrieks with joy.....something he rarely does otherwise! Riley, or as Ryan calls him, "Daw!"

Toddler Torture Device

2011-08-21T20:11:00.000-07:00

I took Ryan to the Dr. on Thursday because I was hearing a slight wheeze when he breathed in and breathed out. I was concerned about asthma, since I had it as a child and a young adult. Ryan was pretty miserable while we waited, with his glassy eyes, flushed cheeks, and bad cough. The nurse checked his oxygen levels and they came back at 95%. Because they prefer them to be between 97% and 100%, they decided to give Ryan a chest x-ray to rule out pnemonia. Little did I know it would involve a toddler torture device!In order to get Ryan to keep his chest still, they had to place him on a little seat sitting upright, and then enclose him in a giant clear plastic tube. His feet were dangling in the air and his arms were up above his head. I got to stand next to him, but I could do nothing to comfort him. He screamed the entire time.I know it traumatized him a little bit, because just a few minutes afterwards he fell asleep in my arms, which never happens. It kind of traumatized me too, and I commented to his Dr. that I, too, felt like laying down and taking a nap. Fortunately the x-ray looked good and Ryan was only prescribed an inhaler to help with his cough. He is still very congested, but definitely on the road to recovery.I know Ryan is feeling better because he's been outside doing lots of mowing this weekend.
PS: Ryan LOVES his inhaler. It's comical just how much he enjoys using it!

Snot and Peepee

2011-08-18T12:29:00.000-07:00

My poor Ryan is sick. I'm pretty sure he's on the 2-month cycle. A cold seems to hit him exactly every two months. This time it's a fever, persistent cough, and lots of congestion and snot. He had a lot of energy yesterday, but last night was horrible. He was up all night either coughing or crying, and he was really hot from a fever. I hope this goes away soon!

I do have some fun news to report.....I bought Ryan his first potty yesterday and he peepeed in it 5 times yesterday! I just took off his diaper, sat him down on it, and told him to put his peepee in the potty. I am so proud of my little guy! I realize that what he is doing is a long way from him being able to tell me he has to go before it happens. But it's a great first step, right? And maybe just maybe he will be a great potty-trainer and make up for all the lost sleep he has caused us. A mommy can hope.

Potty Time

2011-08-16T20:45:00.000-07:00

Call me crazy, but I want to buy Ryan a potty. I realize he is a bit young to start potty-training, especially for a boy. And he doesn't yet have the verbal skills to be able to tell me when he needs to "go". And having a wet diaper never seems to bother him. And he doesn't have the patience to listen to me read him a book about using a potty. But still, I want to get him one. I know a few toddlers his age who have started the process of potty-training and are having lots of success. My idea is that I will put it in the bathroom and Ryan will get used to seeing it. Maybe I will let him sit on it when I use the bathroom. Hopefully it will be the start of something good.Or, you know. Maybe he'll put the potty on his head and run down the hallway. It's worth a try, right? (I will try anything to get out of changing his diapers! It's a wrestling nightmare.)

Yum?

2011-08-15T15:45:00.000-07:00

OK So I can't get my son to eat watermelon. But the rind? He's all over it.

Playing With Cars

2011-08-10T13:38:00.001-07:00

I must admit, when I found out at just 13 weeks pregnant that I was growing a little boy inside of me.......I was slightly disappointed. I felt like I wouldn't know what to do with a boy. I've never been good at sports, or interested in "boy" things like cars and tools. I knew I would love my baby regardless of their gender, but I also felt a little uneducated in terms of how to raise a boy. How would I play with him?It's amazing how quickly God can change a heart. I can't imagine having a little girl right now. I mean, what would I do with her?

In Case You Thought I Had It All Together

2011-08-09T11:17:00.000-07:00

Oh yes, the dirty laundry is practically stacked to the ceiling and Ryan's toy box has exploded all over the family room. Just another day in mommyhood!

***EDITED TO ADD***

This just happened:

Self Feeding

2011-08-08T08:05:00.000-07:00

It's a tough (and messy) job.

15-Month Checkup

2011-08-06T10:11:00.000-07:00

Ryan has his 15-month Dr. checkup this week, and here are his growth stats:

Weight: 22 lbs, 12 oz (24%)

Height: 30.75 inches (37%)

Head: 18.75 inches (62%)

We talked about a lot of things during the visit, including Ryan's continued problems with sleep. Because of this issue and a few others, Ryan's pediatrician has referred him to a behavior specialist. While he said he doesn't think Ryan necessarily has a problem, some of his behaviors are so far on one end of the spectrum, that it couldn't hurt to talk to an expert. One of Ryan's other "issues" is his picky eating habits. He still only has a few foods he will eat. His Dr. decided to have his iron levels checked, and I was not surprised to discover that they are low. So I need to work extra hard to get some iron-rich foods into Ryan's tummy.Ryan's Dr. said that an average 15-month old has a vocabulary of 10 words. Ryan still only says "Dada", "Mama", and "Baba". He makes other sounds but nothing that I would consider a word. I hope the specialist can give me some tips on how to increase Ryan's language skills. I'm not terribly worried about this, because I know it can take a bit longer for boys to develop their speech. (One of these days I'm sure he's going to open his mouth and just start blabbing).Ryan's Dr. appt was pretty rough for him. The night before he had fallen and hit his head on a rock, so he had a big bruise on his forehead when we went in. Then, right after the Dr. left the exam room, Ryan picked up and dropped a little chair on his toes. I have never heard him scream so loudly in pain! Then the nurse came in and gave him 3 vaccination shots. And finally after that, we went to the lab to get Ryan's blood drawn. All I'm going to say is that it took 3 nurses plus myself to hold him down and draw the blood. Poor Ryan.The good news is that Ryan's Dr. said his gross motor skills are excellent. (I obviously knew that already!). Now I just need to work on getting him to sleep, eat and talk!

Foodie Friday: Pot Roast

2011-08-05T08:14:00.000-07:00

Pot roast is one of those meals that makes me think of my Mom, so I guess it's only fitting that this is technically her recipe. It's actually more of a technique than an actual recipe. I'm sharing it because I think people my age probably don't make pot roast very often because they don't know how. Also, everyone makes it differently. Maybe you'll try this method and like it! (Ryan likes it.....watch the video at the end!)

Mom's Pot Roast

Chuck Roast or Tri-Tip, about 2 lbs

3 Russet Potatoes, chopped

4 Carrots, chopped (Or a bunch of baby carrots)

1 onion, chopped

1/2 Bottle BBQ Sauce

Here's what I do. (Based loosely on my Mom's recipe) I put a bunch of aluminum foil in a 9x13 inch glass baking dish. Enough so that you can fold it over and wrap up the entire roast. Place half the potatoes, carrots and onion in the bottom of the dish. Cover with 1/4 bottle BBQ Sauce. Place roast on top, sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Tuck the remaining vegetables around the edge of the meat. Pour remaining BBQ sauce on top. You might want to add about 1/2 cup water or broth if you want more sauce. Bake at 300 degrees for 4 hours. At this point I let it cool a few minutes, and then trim any fat off of the meat. Then I shred or chop the meat and place it back into the baking dish and mix it around with the sauce and vegetables. I like to serve it in a bowl so that I can easily eat the delicious sauce.

Monkey Business

2011-08-03T19:17:00.000-07:00

Now that Ryan is a full-fledged monkey, we have to do things like this:
He loves to climb onto the dining room chairs and then up onto the table. He fell twice yesterday and cut his lip in the process, so this is what I have resorted to. I'm having a hard time finding things to keep him occupied while I'm in the kitchen. And I'm in the kitchen a LOT, between preparing breakfast, lunch and dinner, and doing about 10 million dishes a day. Ryan is constantly pulling on my legs and whining/crying. He no longer enjoys his toys, and he is tired of playing with kitchen utensils. I just read that a child his age should be able to play by themselves for up to 45 minutes at a time. I'm lucky if Ryan focuses on one thing longer than 45 seconds. So I have 2 questions for the moms out there: First, how do you keep a 15-month old entertained for more than a few seconds? And how do I prevent him from climbing on everything?

Wading Pool Fun

2011-07-31T11:10:00.001-07:00

Foodie Friday: Non-Dessert

2011-07-29T07:57:00.000-07:00

I gave up dessert for the month of July. Not to necessarily lose weight, but to curb my increasingly problematic cravings for sugar. You see, I wasn't just eating dessert after dinner. Cookies and ice cream were also making their way into my mouth after lunch. And in the afternoon. And after breakfast. Yes, it was bad. So I gave up all dessert for July in the hopes of taking away my sugar cravings. (Except my birthday weekend, during which I consumed 9 donuts). So far I can honestly say it hasn't been that bad. I'm really not craving dessert like I thought I would. But now that the end is in sight, I'm definitely looking forward to August 1st and trying this recipe for Maple Bacon Ice Cream. Speaking of ice cream, I made a non-dessert version of it last night. I've wanted to try this technique for a while, and figured now was the perfect opportunity. We'll call it Banana Non-Ice Cream.

Step 1: Chop up and freeze 2 bananas.

Step 2: Place in blender or food processor. Blend 1 minute.Step 3: Scrape down sides. Blend 1 more minute until smooth.Step 4: Either serve and enjoy, or mix in other ingredients. I added 1 tsp of peanut butter and a drizzle of maple syrup. Mine was a little thick so I added 1 Tbsp almond milk.To be honest, it was quite banana-ish. I don't know why I was expecting it to taste like something else. My tastebuds were not satisfied so I snacked on some chips. Until a certain toddler stole them.....Let me know if you try this "ice cream"!

Hugs

2011-07-27T18:06:00.000-07:00

Ryan has learned some really cute tricks lately, including how to give a hug! He can be selective about who he will hug, so don't be offended if he doesn't hug you the next time he sees you. you see him. Another cute thing he can do now is sing. He has a little doggy piano and whenever I play the notes, I sing "lalala" along with the tune. And now Ryan has started doing it, especially when I turn the radio on. I love it! Of course his version of singing "lalala" is very monotone and off-key, but it is the sweetest singing I've ever heard.
This is what Ryan and I look like when we blog. (He's watching VeggieTales on the computer)

Bumps and Bruises

2011-07-25T14:57:00.000-07:00

Ryan doesn't just love to walk, he loves to run! Pair that with his 15-month-old clumsiness, and you gets lots of falls and accidents. Just this weekend he fell into a doorframe and immediately got a big goose egg lump on his forehead. It looks a lot better today. But then this morning he opened the door to our entertainment center and slammed the corner under his eye. I guess this comes with the territory of having a toddler who is constantly on the move. Seriously, this little boy never stops! Do kids his age ever just sit down and play quietly? Ryan will not let me hold him on my lap for even a second of cuddling. There is too much to do and see!