Help for Lazy Feeding

When it comes to feeding healthful food to my family, I try to do what is best for them as we all do. Hiding greens and flaxseed in smoothies, sweet potatoes in eggs or mac & cheese and fresh organic produce as often as possible.

Randall will eat anything dairy, oatmeal and as many bowls of cereal as we let her. She also likes almost any kind of fruit and gets plenty of apples, bananas, grapes and berries.

The problem is, it seems as though I have gotten lazy in what I give her. I want to get her to eat more veggies, but haven't found a good way to get her to try more than one little pea. There has to be plenty more things that she is willing to eat or that we could at least get her to try, but I feel like I have run out of ideas.

Here are the most common meals she eats:

Mac & cheese, (an obvious favorite!) oatmeal, cereal, eggs, grilled cheese & soup, bread/meat/cheese, (not in a sandwich, but separately) smoothies and lots of fruits.

Due to the logistics of life, we don't often eat dinner together as a family, but usually have breakfast and lunch together.

What do you feed your kids? Or, if your kids are older, what did you used to feed your toddlers? What tricks do you employ to get more veggies into your children?

As it is, I need to start making weekly dinner menus and I'd love to make similar menus for my kiddo.

Give me all your best advice!

First Lesson

Randi's Violin from Ada Bible Discovery Village on Vimeo.

My Girl

This post is not about Macauly Culkin. Though that movie definitely made me cry. No, today I need to think about my sweet daughter. Most of my day is usually taken up with the boy nowadays and while I try as often as possible to snatch moments with Randall, his needs often come first. What with the screaming and all. (Make. It. Stop!)

She's nearly 2.5 and full of so much life. Since the weather has been nice, every day she will ask if she can go, "oow-sigh?!" We are fortunate enough to live within walking distance of five different playgrounds as well as a beautiful walking path, so while we don't have much of a back yard to speak of, there is always something to do and somewhere to go in the great outdoors.

I noticed last week while walking the big hill behind the zoo (KILLER hill) that there is a great little stream that we may have to investigate together soon. Growing up, I spent hours every day in our many acres of woods and creeks and I can't wait to teach her how to hunt for crayfish and build little dams. I wish we had our own land that I could let her out on by herself, but that just isn't to be for us.

We just got a little sandbox so that when she is in our yard, she has something to do. It's the greatest little sand/water table and she has had a blast making all kinds of mushy messes out there. She scoops, pushes and drives her little car over the ramps. Here she is saying, "No cheese!" by which she means, "no more stinking pictures, Mama!"

This year she got to ride on a bunch of the rides at the annual carnival down the street. Every day we would watch as they set up more of the rides and games until finally Friday we got to ride a few. She wasn't tall enough for many, but loved the ones she could. It's funny because sometimes she is so very brave and other times, she is super shy and won't try anything.

Like her gymnastics class. Here she is posing in her little leggings ready for class. For the past six weeks, every Monday morning she would go with her Daddy to a parks and rec sponsored Tiny Tots gymnastics time. Some days he said she wouldn't do any of the little tricks they were learning and other days she would do them all and some she would do over and over. When she got home I always asked her what new tricks she learned, like the spider or the donkey or her pizza stretches. After she would show one, she would always say, "ta dah!" which generally sounded more like just, "dah!" but was darn cute nonetheless.

She will spend quite a bit of time happily playing with her little people or kitchen or legos. Or a porcelain frog. For some reason, she just attaches herself to something different each week and takes it with her wherever she goes. One day it was a little gnome. Then a few days later she will hardly look at that object. 

I know she has way more toys than any kid needs but she is generally pretty good about picking up when told to and making good use of everything. Every day we read piles of books and I'll admit to sending her to her father when I'm tired of reading the same one again. "Here, have someone else read this to you now..." 

Daily she is adding new words to her vocabulary and extending her sentences into something we can (usually) understand. She is still taking fantastic naps, often three hours or more and sometimes even lays herself down for said nap. We can always tell when she is tired or hungry because the whining becomes a bit more excessive. The girl definitely acts like a true two-year-old!

Her pony tails kill me. She is so great about letting me put her hair up to keep it out of her face and I just love the cuteness of the little fountain-like stubs. Currently, since we have been playing memory-matching-type games all of her clothes have to match in some way. There are days when I have to stretch a bit to get her into something I think is cute. "See, they both have stripes! They match!"

She loves to put her arms around you and give hugs, often patting you on the back as she does so and then leaning in for a kiss. This kid is the most affectionate girl around and I love it. Whenever her baby brother is crying she'll go hug and kiss him first and then look for his paci to try to rectify the situation. Every night before bed we'll read books and pray and then give kisses to everyone. Including whatever toy she is sleeping with that night. So often I feel bad that her brother is screaming while I'm tucking her in, but she rolls with it and seems to just be used to it now. "No worries mama, just kiss this here lego man, please." Many nights we have to remind her that she has to actually stay in her bed. I'll be downstairs and hear a mysterious noise to find her sitting at the top of the steps playing with something. She hates her door shut (even though she has a night light) but unfortunately for her, when she doesn't stay in bed, that is the consequence.

Recently, I did her first mani-pedi and she just loved it. Her nails are just perfect and so easy to paint. I got some insta-dry polish so she only has to hold still for a couple minutes before she can run off again and she does great. She's so very proud of her pretty pink nails and, "puh-puh" toes. Especially when she is wearing her little flip-flops and can show them off.

Randall loves her little brother and while there are times when his crying definitely seems to set off her whining and she hates to wait for me to finish feeding him before I can help her with something, she is fantastic with him. Though lately she has been trying to pick him up on her own, she's usually good about knowing that that is one of Mama's jobs and not hers.

She tells the cat all day long that, "kitty no outside"; she loves to listen for things like the busses, birds, dogs or the church bells; she knows that it is her job to throw away the dirty diapers and holds her nose the whole way to the trash can; she tells me every day when she gets up from her nap that she is dry, even on the rare occasions that she is not; she would eat oatmeal or cereal for every meal and loves her fruits but I can't get her to eat any veggies without trickery; she loves to smell flowers, hates bugs and her favorite toys are her dollies. In short, she is 100% girl. My girl.

Mother May I?

I cannot thank you all enough for the encouraging and commiserating from the last post. Some days I feel like I am absolutely drowning and the screaming definitely doesn't help that. What does help is knowing that you are not the only one feeling like that.

And while I feel like I am bumbling along at mothering lately, this weekend my husband did a fantastic job of making me feel like the best mom in the world.

Friday night he took Randall out to the store to pick out some presents and when they came home and I asked what she bought me she told me it was orange and said it was a, "bah." For her, this could mean box or ball or bell or even sheep for that matter. Articulation is not her strong suit at the moment.

Saturday was a dreary day, as it has been for a while now, and we all stayed inside for the day.  Andy decided it would be a good day to give me the gifts that he and my girlie had picked out.

So, up in our attic loft we sat with our coffee and our babies and he gave me flowers and a few fun games. We love playing card and board games and it is a tradition to get new ones as gifts. Now, while I loved the new games and flowers are always fabulous, I will admit to thinking that it was a little lame as far as mother's day gifts go. But I determined not to tell him and to be happy with what I got.

After the Saturday evening service, (during which it was lovely to be able to drop both of my kids off in childcare!) and after the girl had gone to bed, I was packing up her bag for the next morning so she could go with daddy to church while I went to another location. (Some days church work is logistically complicated in my family.) I was going to pack her mini dvd player so that while he was in rehearsal she would be busy and not running amuck.

In the closet where I keep said dvd player there was a box in the way. Confusion was the first thing that set in. I often use old appliance boxes to store toys or what-have-you but this was a box for a coffee maker that we didn't own. Maybe his parents had brought it sometime? And then all of a sudden it clicked. I had stumbled upon my real mother's day gift. I hurried up to the attic and peered around looking for the coffee maker, finally finding it hidden in the back of our closet.

I went down to the studio where Andy was working.

"I have bad news."

"What?!"

"I was just packing up Randi's bag for tomorrow...and I went in to get her dvd player."

"Ok..."

"Yeah. The dvd player."

"Yeah..."

"The dvd player that is in the closet in her playroom?"

"Oh. Crap."

I'm not sure how he forgot that that is where we keep the dvd player, but he needs to work on finding a better hiding place. He had wanted me to be surprised by waking to the smell of fresh coffee since he couldn't do breakfast in bed on a Sunday morning. Bummed as he was that I ruined the surprised (how do I always ruin the surprise!?) he still had specialty coffee and dark chocolates up his sleeve as one last gift. I was well spoiled.

The Messiness of Life

Have you ever felt like you just stink at life? Not that you aren't good at one thing or another, but that you simply aren't good at living life.

That's how I've felt lately. As though I can't do any aspect of life well. There is obviously the basic added complication of a second child and I won't say, "I didn't know it would be this hard," because I did. I even expected this kid to be more difficult than the last and he's lived up to that well!

But along with that I feel like I am just stumbling by day after day. Cleaning, washing, feeding, burping, changing, sleeping, rewind and repeat. All that without even adding in the forgetfulness. The balls being dropped. I'm pretty sure I have let down everyone I have come into contact with. I'm convinced that I have neglected more things than I can even count. And then as soon as I feel like I've got one thing under control, I find another that I have failed miserably at.

It's not like I'm not happy. I adore my husband and my children and life is basically pretty good. I'm just not holding up my end of the bargain. I'm a mediocre parent, wife, friend, coworker.

Maybe it's just that I want too much. We all want to be good at what we do, but I feel like I don't have the mental capacity or energy to even begin to strive towards that. So instead I just blunder through my days. Blah, blah, blah.

How do I ever catch up? Where do I start? Has anyone else ever felt this way? I want to think it's just a phase, but I've kind of felt like I've been in this phase for a while now, not just since the new baby, that's just exacerbated the whole thing.

Ugh. Maybe it's just the rainy, dreary day. Maybe I just need to be ok saying, "I'm sorry," more often. It's just getting old.

Comparisons

Month One

Just like your sister before you, I can hardly believe a month has gone by already! It seems like it has been much longer and much shorter all at once. We knew our lives would change drastically and boy were we right! How does one get two children ready and out the door to arrive somewhere on time, or at least less than half an hour late? 

I'm so glad you brought the spring with you, my little man. This time around, your big sis would not allow us to stay indoors longer than five minutes and we have already gone for lots of walks. In the wrap or in the stroller, you have loved going outside almost everyday. Granted, you are asleep most of the time, but it has been great to get out often. This spring has been so beautiful and we are trying to enjoy every moment. I always get lots of funny looks from people when they see me wearing your wrap but when they notice a teeny baby inside, it always elicits an, "awww." You love to be all snug and close to mama and I love wearing you around.

So far you have proven to be as good of a sleeper as your sis. Most nights, while not actually going to bed until around midnight, you will sleep for a good five hours straight. My fingers are crossed that you will start upping that number soon. It's lovely to sleep right next to you and be able to get you up whenever you need it, but it would also be nice for you to be in your own little room and bed. After your nighttime feeding, you tend to sleep best if snuggled in by me. Daddy gets up with your sis and you and I get to sleep in until about 9. I look forward to sleeping through the night but will miss our cuddle time. You tend to sleep best when moving--the car, the swing, or being held and bounced. We rely on your "snooze button" bassinet vibrator to help you when we want to sleep just 15 minutes more. 

Your first couple of baths you loved, but the last one you screamed through. Have I mentioned that you are a screamer? Scream. Er. As in, bloody murder, ear piercing, glass breaking, make me want to tear my hair out, screamer. You like to be bounced or jiggled or rocked and the paci must be just right and you must have a full belly and a clean diaper or the screaming will commence. We're pretty sure once the colicky season is over you are going to prove to be the sweetest, happiest boy in the world, but in the meanwhile Mama needs to buy some earplugs! 

Golly, you're the cutest little man there ever was. Unfortunately for you, you just broke out with a lovely case of baby zits. But you make the greatest grouchy man faces and you can pucker those lips like nobody's business. The pouty face and quivery chin kill me every time and you are so handsome in your blue camo diapers!

You are a much better eater than your sister was. Most of the time, anyway. Some nights it seems as though you've forgotten how to get what you want but you do love to eat. Most nights, we need to give you a little extra bottle to hold you over. 

Little Em, I can't wait to see who you become. You are already getting so chunky and have been kissable from your very first moment. You sweetly grab onto fingers so tightly and when you are awake your big blue eyes take in everything around you. 

Here's to all the firsts ahead of us! With hopefully less screaming...

Week One

Oh my little man. How you have already wormed your way into my heart. There's something easier about falling in love with the second baby. I know how much fun you are going to be and how we will know quickly that we could never have lived without you.


There's always something to be said for a full night's sleep, but in the meanwhile I am at least thankful that you are a good eater. You've got that one up on your sister. We are trying to settle into a rhythm of eating and playing and sleeping and frankly, you're doing quite well. You love to watch your sister prance around the room and already love looking at the fishies on your swing. I'm impressed with how alert you seem to be during your awake times.

So far you have been pretty content so long as your belly is full. You are great at all the typical baby things like poo-ing and wobbly-ing and generally being darn cute. 

I can't believe you were once in my belly. It's fantastic to have you out in the world and while I am anxious to have my body be back to some semblance of normal, it's just so amazing that in a way, we 'made' you. 

It seems as though spring sprang while we were in the hospital. Our view out the window was beautiful but didn't show how green the trees and grass were becoming. Easter Sunday I discovered that not only did I have my new baby boy to be thankful for, but the hope of spring had arrived. On our way to your doctor's appointment this week, I pointed out the green trees and leaves to your sister and she promptly turned to you and proceeded to tell you all about it as well. She loves you so much and wants every day to be with you and help take care of you. You get so many hugs and gentle kisses it make me melt. Now, the being quiet, she's not so good at. Luckily, you are great at sleeping through any noises!

We had our first test run in the wrap that I made for you. (a "faux-by" as one friend would call it) You loved being all close and snuggly and it was so good to get out of the house for a nice long walk in the sunshine. 

You have been well-loved already. I am so thankful for all the people who have sent you gifts and brought us food and generally just cared for us. You will grow up in a beautiful community with so many dear friends.

Happy one week, my little stud. 

Today

Today this sweet little thing will become a big sister. I read her a bedtime story before tucking her in and leaving for the hospital and got all teary-eyed and weepy. She has no idea how much her little life is going to change and no longer will she be an only child. My precious girlie, you will be a great big sis and I can't wait to introduce you to your baby brother!

On the First Day of Spring

Yesterday I went shopping without a jacket and today I will wear a scarf and coat to go out in the snow. Such is life in Michigan. We are going to the farm to get our milk this morning and then probably head back into cleaning/organizing/hibernation zone. The attic is done with only little touch-ups needed. I want it to be perfect before I do a little video... 

In the meanwhile, enjoy this video. It makes me laugh so much. 

Free Stuff with Coupons to Giveaway!

Today's freebie was an extra good one in my book. Generally, the samples I get in the mail are single-use sizes, which I am fine with--there is nothing better for travel than the small packets--but today was a surprise.

Pantene sent me a whole bottle of their new shampoo! I don't need it just yet, but when I run out of my current supply, I look forward to trying something new.

If you're interested in giving it a try yourself, let me know and I will send you a coupon. In the package I received, there were also three $2 coupons--a pretty good value! First three to ask will get them in the mail this week. Happy Shampooing!

Photo Shoot

We had the privilege a couple months ago to do a photo shoot with a good friend. Randall had never had professional shots taken and we also wanted to get some good family pics in before the arrival of #2.

Laurie did an absolutely amazing job and I completely teared up when I was looking through all the gorgeous shots she took. I'll try to post a few here and there for your viewing pleasure.

Seriously, give her a call for your next photo session!

Because Everyone Deserves Free Coffee

I love signing up for free stuff. At least once a week, something arrives in the mail that I did not pay for. And I'm not talking about junk mail, though I get some of that too.

A couple weeks ago, I was grocery shopping and the lady in front of me had a fantastic square freezer bag. It stood up on its own, held a large amount of groceries and kept them cold in the process. Perfect! I have a few from Aldi that are quite large as well, but are beginning to fall apart as I have had them for several years.

It was literally the next day that I received the perfect freezer bag in the mail. I sign up for so many samples and free things that I just don't remember what I'm getting half of the time. This was a Baskin Robbins sponsored bag and exactly what I needed.

If you don't already follow Free Stuff Times, you should. There are daily free things to sign up for and samples to receive. I have a junk email that I never check that I use to sign up for these things.

Today, go get yourself a sample of coffee!

Snow Day

It's a well-known unwritten rule that after playing outside in the snow, making a snow man and shoveling, a daddy and his girl have to have some cocoa.

Is there anything cuter than these two? I mean, really.

Reusing

I love to find new ways to use something. This weekend, we moved the girlie into a twin bed. The crib is shortly going to be used for a new resident so we figured it would be best to have her happily settled into a new bed so as to hopefully minimize any angst regarding said resident.

The mattress is an extra-long so I had to order a waterproof pad but didn't remember to order a bedskirt. So I tried my hand at remaking the crib skirt into a twin skirt. A little cutting and stitching later and there it is!

Matching little polka dots to the sheets as well.

Then I was looking at the little bit of fabric left over. (I didn't feel the need to go ALL the way around the bed, two sides seemed sufficient..) The easiest thing to do was sew a little ribbon along the top and make a twirly wrap-around skirt for the girlie. She seems to like it and hopefully it will fit easily for quite some time!

Here's the dilemma I am currently in. I want to make a headboard (something like this) for her bed as it feels as though it is missing something. Should I use the same fabric as her curtains or find something to go along with the polka dot theme? I already have more of the curtain fabric and it is a nice, heavy material, but I don't know if it would be too much of the same in the room. Opinions?

Fresh

It may be freezing and gray out today, but it smelled like spring to me when I walked outside this morning. Every year we all wait anxiously for it. While it may be at least another month before any buds arrive, it's the smell that gives me hope.

After at least three years, my blog has finally been freshened up a bit. Thanks to Abi, it looks new. She designed three different headers for me so I'll be able to keep it a little fresher around here and hopefully keep from being so stale. It doesn't smell different, but spring is still on its way.

Sad Little Sickie

There isn't anything harder for a parent than when your kid is sick or hurt. Last night while out with some friends we got the call from the sitter  than the babe had gotten sick. Poor little bug and I spent the day today snuggled on the couch and watching some tv. She hardly ate anything all day, which isn't surprising but didn't have any trouble keeping down what she did eat.

I have to be honest though. I am such a paranoid when it comes to other people being barfy. Not only did I not sleep all night last night, listening for her to wake up or for Andy to be sick too, but I get myself all worried and worked up. Isn't a mom supposed to be able to take care of her sick kid? When she spit up a bit after we got home last night, I handled it just fine and then helped her get cleaned up and everything, but I just freak out in the meanwhile.

She went to bed early tonight and hopefully I'll be able to sleep tonight as well. Every little noise on the monitor gives me the chills. I might have to take a unisom to get to sleep.

I Heart Dairy

A couple weekends ago I took a class at our milk farm on how to make your own diary products. The past couple weeks we have had extra milk from friends who were out of town, so I have been skimming and using up our cream like crazy.

We have already used up the first tub of butter and today I made those three little baby jars more. So far, I have been using a quart of cream for each time I make it and that is just enough. The easiest method is to just throw it into a food processor until it magically turns into butter. However, mine is much too small and also does not have an "on" button, but only a "pulse" button. Therefore, I have had to use my blender and have to do it in two steps, with a break in the middle to cool it all down in the fridge. For now it is working fine.

After making butter, there is a good two cups of buttermilk left over that I have used for banana bread and then pancakes this morning. Mmmm. I have two more cups ready for the next baking job.

Yesterday, I made up some yogurt and let it sit overnight with the yogurt cultures as they...cultured? Then today I threw in some strawberries so we have yummy strawberry yogurt!

And last, I made a big tub of sour cream that Andy used today on his burritos for lunch. I was hoping it would thicken a little more, but I think our kitchen is too cold for it to set up properly. It is pretty close, but next time I think I will leave it out in a warmer room.

Tomorrow, the plan is to make cream cheese and some peppermint ice cream. I wish I could make block cheeses, but I don't have all the equipment necessary to really do that well. For now, I will content myself with all the goodies that I can make and enjoy the fabulous milk we have been drinking!

Apparently, I have been feeling super domestic-y lately. Maybe it's the nesting phase, huh? I can't decorate or organize the nursery yet so I'm taking my time in the kitchen instead!

Attic Part 2

It's kind of long and not really all that exciting, but this is a little video of the attic with its new walls!

Attic Part 1 from Ada Bible Discovery Village on Vimeo.

The Magnificent Mudder will start on Monday. Along with many days of dusting. I think I am going to have to hire a cleaner when he's all done...

Day 1

Some before and afters from the first day of drywall.

Here is the main area coming up the stairs.

Walls in the same direction.

Looking at the dormer and my dressing area.

You can't see the dressing area here, just the dormer. This will be the sitting area and have a window seat as well.

This is looking into the bedroom area. Note the fab new skylights as well.

Walls! Real walls! They should be done hanging by tomorrow. Then Andy gets to take the scraps and put them up in one of the extra closets that we weren't going to drywall, but then decided we would. The joy of many closets!

The mudder comes next Monday and hopefully painting will begin the following week.