Christmas Eve

Do you hear that?

That is the sound of baby A and the hubs both taking a nap.

That is the sound of silence before the craziness that is Christmas at my great Aunt's house begins.

That is the sound of me enjoying an entire bottle of beer with no interruptions.

This year I did less for Christmas. Partly because it was decided last year we are only doing presents for the kids. Partly because I forgot to bake cookies and make sweets. (Or partly because the Hubs ate all the sweets I made last weekend? There was some fudge and cookies leftover from the stash I sent to my brother in law and sister in law, and it's all gone. And well, the weather has been so nasty fudge wouldn't have set up. I made fudge once during a storm and ended up using it as cake icing.)

This year the Hubs got me a Fitbit Charge HR for Christmas. It came in the mail a couple weeks ago and I've worn it for the last week already. I am shocked/saddened by how little walking I do at work if I have meetings for a majority of the day. I am excited by how this little piece of technology encourages me to get in at least 10,000 steps per day. And (slightly embarrassed?) that sometimes that means jogging in place for 5 minutes at the end of the day. But at least I get my steps in. At least I'm not sedentary.

This year is the first year we've set up a big tree. The Hubs scored it on sale after Christmas last year.  A fake tree that looks surprisingly real, with lights already attached. Just plug it in and add ornaments. I am excited for new personalized ornaments each year. I am excited to start new traditions with our little A.

Tweet

It's been awhile

So the old man in my previous post... his house is being repaired by a local charity. He moved in with a family member while the home is being repaired. When I last visited, the living conditions were worse then they had been in May, and we started moving forward with getting him out of the house completely. But now things are getting better and I'm not so scared of him living there anymore

Baby A is 14 months old now. She is trying to talk. When I pick her up from the sitter, she runs to the door screaming "mama mama", and when the Hubs gets home from work she runs to the door yelling "dada dada". She is starting to repeat what we say to her now. She has a puzzle that has a horse, a cow and a sheep on it. I'll say "What does the horse say?" And she'll say "nay-nay" over and over again. She also knows that cows say "moo moo" and dogs go "bow wow wow". She knows where her belly, ears, eyes and and nose are. And she likes to lift up my shirt and show me where my belly is, too.
She is not sleeping through the night yet, and still wakes up around 1 and 4. Usually at 1 I can rock her back to sleep, but at 4 she needs a bottle. At least she goes to sleep better now. We have a routine now: pajamas, bottle, rocking/singing "Twinkle Twinkle" and then she goes to bed half awake. Sometimes she will cry a little, but usually she snuggles up with her bear and falls asleep. That's how she takes a nap, too.
She eats quite a bit now, and I am trying to diversify her meals, but it seems so hard when produce is out of season! She loves canned peaches and mandarin oranges, and she'll eat almost half a can of mixed vegetables in a setting. She also loves turkey lunch meat and cheese. And bananas. Sometimes she'll eat almost an entire banana for breakfast. She's a fan of cheese-scrambled eggs and sausage patties. And Grandma Betty's mashed potatoes.

The Hubs is out deer hunting today. I hope we get a couple deer for the freezer this year. One of his coworkers got a deer this morning; it was his first deer and he didn't know how to gut it. So he called the Hubs, who left his treestand on opening day to help the guy out. Sometimes I think he's a better person than I could be. I honestly would have told the guy to find other help, that I was busy. The guy told the hubs "This is good karma. You helped me out so you have to get a deer now."

Tweet

To My Baby Kangaroo - February 2015

In February, your dad and I finally decided to eat at a restaurant with you. You weren't quite big enough to sit in a high chair unassisted, so we took turns holding you while we ate Mexican for lunch. 

Your grandpa and uncle like teasing you... and usually make you cry. 

You are starting to be more mobile. You now "wiggle-worm" your way across the floor. You can move backward and forward, but you don't really push off with your legs yet. You seem to use your arms more.  You love jumping in your jumper, and also jumping while being held in someone's lap. 

Tweet

Peppers started

Edited to add: 

I figured I need to write down what I started so I don't have to squint so hard at the picture!

6 each (actually 12 seeds of each) of: 

Turkish Orange eggplant (Baker Creek)

Whitney pepper (long bell pepper)

Boris Banana pepper

Mama Mia pepper

Fooled You Jalapeno (taste of jalapeno without the heat)

Purple Tomatillo

Poblano

Chinese Giant bell (grew these last year and liked them!)

Jalapeno (for when we actually do want heat)

As of the morning of February 13, only the tomatillos had sprouted...

Tweet

to my baby kangaroo - January 2015

I don't call you my baby kangaroo very often anymore.  Usually you are "baby girl" or "chubby monkey" or i refer to your chubby chipmunk cheeks. 

This month you became a lot more vocal and sing and talk to us. It is not decipherable though.  

You also learned how to roll over. The first time,  I was home alone with you and actually got your second roll on camera. That was about three weeks ago. Last weekend you learned how to roll the other direction (from front to back).

You like to roll around on the floor and play with your toys.  You also like to lay on your back and play with your toes,  or chew on them. 

Bath time is in your bumbo seat since you can't sit by yourself yet. You usually get 2-3 baths per week. And then you get lotioned-up, as you have dry skin patches.

You are still exclusively breastfed.  Although you are starting to show an interest in our food at dinner.  At your four month appointment a couple weeks ago,  the doctor gave us some guidelines for starting solid foods.  We are waiting on you to sit up unassisted before we start rice cereal. At that appointment,  you were a little over 15 pounds, and your height and weight were both between the 75th and 90th percentile.

You are also still in cloth diapers. Here was a photo with them all clean. 51 total. I have since then bought some covers to use over disposables. We are going on vacation next month and I don't  want to deal with washing cloth diapers then, but you have major poop-splosions in disposables, so I am hoping we can put a cover over the disposables and contain the mess.

At dinner you sit in your swing. We started strapping you in this week because you squirm so much you fall out of it. 

You constantly drool and chew on everything, including your toys, blankets and me and your dad. Sometimes you chew on my shoulder or neck and I look like I have a hickey. You don't take a pacifier unless you are very tired, which is fine by me because then we won't have a bad habit to break.

Tweet

Seed starting: Brussels sprouts

Today,  I started 24 Brussels sprouts seeds. They are hanging out on the seed heating mat.

Tweet

To my Baby Kangaroo - week 16

This was the week of Christmas. We only had Christmas Day at our house. Christmas Eve at my Great Aunt's house was rescheduled to New Year's Eve because one of our cousins had the flu.

You received a ton of toys. I got some noisemakers for you. You got a sock monkey from one Grandma and a Raggedy Ann doll from the other Grandma. 

I love when you smile. Sometimes I can get you to giggle, but I have to make funny noises at you for several minutes before you giggle. 

Tweet

To my Baby Kangaroo -Week 15

I know, I know.... I am really behind with posting photographs. This week, Daddy went hunting again, bow hunting in alternative season. We didn't get a deer, though.

Here you were still standing on my old Art History textbook when in your jumper. Now, your legs are long enough that you touch the floor without needing the book. 

I wanted to post this picture to show how difficult it is to get a picture of you. You are always moving!

Tweet

To My Baby Kangaroo - Week 17

This week we went to my Great Aunt's for Christmas on New Year's Eve. Always tons of delicious food, and you received lots of presents. Here you are with your uncle Daniel. 

Here you are with your sock monkey. You like to chew on its ears. 

I love this onesie; it says "Mommy's little piggy" on it, which is so fitting because you snort when you eat sometimes. 

Tweet