Chillin' with mom

September 26, 2010
Here's Cole chillin' with me on the front porch this afternoon... after our naps. Yep, we both got a nap! Too bad the banshee-screaming, super tired, test-your-limits, three-year-old that you can't see in the picture didn't.

Meat and potatoes man

September 25, 2010
You know our country has a serious problem with food when your pediatrician tells you they've got new feeding guidelines in an effort to combat infant obesity. Seriously, at four months?

With Pearl we were told to start out alternating rice and oatmeal cereal, then add in yellow veggies and fruits every 3-4 days. Followed by the green veggies and then the nasty meat stuff. No eggs until after 9 months and juice was ok in limited quantities after about a year. Well, with Cole we've been told no rice or oatmeal cereal at all. The focus is on protein instead of carbohydrates so we're eating whole wheat cereals. And instead of veggies and fruits, he gets to eat chicken/turkey, beef, and pork. Yuck... the grossest smelling baby food out there. Cole is going to be a "meat and potatoes" man right from the beginning. There's also loads of new research saying to avoid allergies, you feed babies egg proteins (noodles, pasta) before six months of age. You also can advance through yellow veggies, fruits, and green veggies quickly - no need to separate every 3-4 days. And as for the juice? No juice until age two. This might be a hard one for us, especially if Cole continues to emulate his big sister when it comes to NOT taking a bottle. Pearl would only take apple juice (from a sippy cup no less)... no formula, no breast milk, no cow's milk... just apple juice. I remember going on a business trip for a few days and Jeff said it was the only liquid she had the whole time I was gone.

So today we had our first try with chicken baby food and cereal. I think you can tell from Cole's reaction how well it went.

Giggles

September 24, 2010
Cole had his four month check up today, which meant shots. Four shots at four months. Poor little guy. Needless to say he was pretty unhappy for the rest of the day and didn't smile, talk, or play until we went into Pearl's room to read stories and say goodnight. I have no clue what she did that was so funny but she had him rolling with giggles for a good 10 minutes. I figured it was pointless to keep reading because these two were lost in their own little world. It's amazing to me that Cole finds his big sister so intriguing, well most of the time. He has tried to punch her a couple of times and squawked at her when she ticked him off. But here's hoping they stay friends forever.

And for everyone who keeps asking how much Cole weighs (I must be the only mother in the world who has no clue how big her baby is other than knowing his rolls keep growing), here's the four month stats:

Weight: 15 lbs. 14 oz (66%)
Height: 25 1/2 inches (67%)
Head circumference: 41.4 cm. (24%)

And the doctor said he is a solid month ahead of other babies his age in terms of motor development, physical milestones (like rolling over, standing up, sitting, holding his head up), and muscle strength. And he laughed that "that double chin means he's healthy!" Now if we can just keep it that way all through the cold and flu season!

Raw end of the deal

September 23, 2010
Jeff and I both looked at each other tonight waiting for the other one to make the first move... dinner that is.

The next thing I know, he's grabbed the pack and is headed out the door telling me "because I'm taking the kids on a walk, you get to make dinner."

I think I got the raw end of this deal. That or I'm way too slow.

The return of Fort Johnson

September 22, 2010
If any loyal blog readers are still out there, you may recall our first Fort Johnson built by Jeff about two years ago.

Well, tonight it returned (thank heavens we didn't have any "incidents" like the last time). Only this time it was contained to Pearl's bedroom instead of the entire living room. Jeff has got some mad fort-making skills. It must be a guy thing.

Sister date (plus two tag-a-longs)

September 21, 2010
I miss my sister. She's all grown up working as a CNA and going to nursing school.

Boo.

So tonight we had a sister date. Well, a sister date plus Cole and Pearl. Jeff needed some alone time to watch Glee. I can't understand why he likes that show. I never in a million years thought he'd go for something like that.

But anyway... we went to Jamba. We forgot our buy one get one free coupon but I insisted we still go. We didn't talk much - two kids were ready for bed and I didn't have anything to complain about - but it was so nice to just hang out for a few minutes. I can't believe we HATED each other growing up because now I go through Kimmy withdrawals if I don't see or talk to her at least a couple times a week. And so do my kids.

Oh, and Happy Birthday Mom!

Tooting my own horn

September 20, 2010
These may not win a blue ribbon at the state fair but I am oh so proud of myself! For the past who knows how many years, I've been telling Jeff I WILL learn how to bottle peaches. But I never did... until today. I bought myself a box of peaches that cost me a whooping $22 (please don't tell me I got ripped off!) on Saturday and set to work tonight bottling them. I figured how hard could this be? I mean, I've watched Jeff bottle tomatoes and make grape juice a million times before.m And I vaguely remember my mom and grandma steaming up our entire apartment one afternoon bottling peaches.

Little did I know.

By the time I decided whether to try the hot or cold method (note to self: DO NOT use cold method ever again), it took a good four hours (with a break to nurse Cole to sleep) to peel, slice, pit, bottle, and seal these beauties. Not to mention making several batches of syrup. And the clean up... we won't even go there. Twenty-six pints in all. Well, technically 22 because these four didn't seal. I spaced putting a lid on one of them, screwed the lid on crooked on the other, and the last two I forgot to let the air bubbles out before sealing them.

But no matter. Not only do I get to enjoy yummy peaches all winter long but I finally get to cross off one of my "bucket list" projects before I die!