On The Move!

Carson has been on a mission this week.  When he isn't nursing (which he has been doing constantly since we returned from NYC) he is moving.  He opens all the cupboards and drawers, pulls up on everything (trash cans, island stools, legs, etc.), and most recently walks behind a wagon/push toy. 

Here is a little video I caught of him today....

I sure do love this little guy!

Grandparent Daycare

 Christmas arrived early! 

Laying sod with his John Deere digger.

Riding her pink balance bike slooowly! (She will figure it out eventually but was disappointed she couldn't go super fast immediately!)

Drinking (or rather chewing on) bottles.  Carson didn't sleep well for my parents, I think most likely because his milk consumption was probably close to 60% of normal plus he has a cough.  Mom was up a lot!

Gingerbread man escaped from the oven.  He left clues around the house.  His feet got chopped off when they found him so he couldn't run away again!!

 Dad got a new DSLR and was practicing taking shots of the kids.

Thanks Mom and Dad!

NYC

This weekend Victor and I left the kids for 48 hours with my parents.  We spent the "weekend" by ourselves in NYC.  It was wonderful.  I really felt like we were truly on vacation for the first time since having kids. Ahh! 

We were very busy but relaxed.  Thursday morning we left our house at 6 AM, flew from DCA to JFK, and were checked in our hotel by 10:45 AM.  We spent the morning/early afternoon walking from our hotel (94th street) to the top edge of Central park (110th St) all the way to Times Square (40th Street).   Approximately 90 blocks, plus some unaccounted for wandering.

I had been in Central Park before but never really spent any time exploring it.  We stopped at all the sights this time.  It was a beautiful day and now I can say I have seen every attraction in Central Park (except for the zoo)! 

We ate lunch at an excellent restuarant owned by chef Todd English, located in the Plaza Hotel.  Everything was great but I can still taste the carmelized brussel sprouts.  Yum!! 

We spent the late afternoon/early evening in Times Square.  We ate a piece of NYC cheesecake at Roxy's.  We finished out the day at Top of the Rock.  Victor suggested we walk back to the hotel.  Ha!  No thanks! 

Friday we walked over to "the" shopping district and updated our wardrobes a bit.  Fun!  Then we took a cab to Wall Street.  We saw a small group of protesters marching and visited the 9/11 memorial.  We then walked over to China town and ate dinner.  I found my two favorites -- red bean cakes and pork sticky buns.  I asked a Chinese shopkeeper where I could find those and she told me where to find them but suggested neither of them were really Chinese.  I found a new favorite food as well - green tea coconut cakes.

Friday night we saw the Tony Award winning show, "War Horse."  It was a play based on WWI.  During that war the soldiers rode horses during battles.  Apparently 10 million horses and 8 million soldiers died during WWI.  Unimaginable to me.  I just pray there are no major wars during my lifetime or my kids.  It must have been so awful.  The play was fantastic and the horse "puppets" were amazing.  You truly could almost forget they weren't real. 

We got back to the hotel around 11pm that night and were up at 5 AM to get ready for the airport on Saturday. 

Erik, Lainey and Carson had a great time with Grandma and Papa.  When I asked them today if they missed us I got a very affirmative, "NO" as an answer.   Good thing there were two of them to take on the trio as sleep was fairly limited while we were gone.  Ha!  Photos to come in the next post.

Food Challenge: Week 3

Well, I am actually switching weeks because I am not prepared for week 3's task of eating meat raised within 100 miles of our house.  It is available but we were out of town this weekend so I didn't buy any yet.

We are going to tackle the original week 4 this week and get back to the meat next week.

So for this week....

Week 3:
No fast food or deep-fried foods – No fast food or any foods that have been deep-fried in oil.

We are going to be adding this onto the 2 fruits/veggies with every meal and restricting liquids to coffee, tea, water, and milk.

We do not eat out often compared to most Americans but I do take the kids out for lunch about once a week which we will probably not do anymore since the food needs to be fast if I am going to take all 3 out on my own. :)

Happy Anniversary (To Us)!

Today is Victor and my 6th anniversary.  I've been thinking about the past 6 years a lot this week. They have been busy!  I kind of recapped the years highs and lows in my head and thought I would share them with you....

Year One:  (Nov '05-Nov '06)
We get married! Victor starts a new job at GE that require longer hours and LOTS of travel.   We build our house in Waukesha, sell Victor's town house, live temporarily in an apartment, move into the new house.  We try to get pregnant, unsuccessfully.  Given the amount of travel and stress one can only imagine why it took close to a year to conceive Erik.

Year Two: (Nov '06- Nov'07)
Tell immediate family we are struggling to get pregnant.  Next month --Get pregnant!!  Victor gets activated and relocated to Washington DC.  I spend 6-7 weeks with him during the initial 4 months of activation.  We go home to have Erik!  We move back to DC shortly after Erik is born for an anticipated 7-8 months.

Year Three: (Nov '07 - Nov '08)
Savor being new parents.  Tired (Erik is up every 2 hours for 8 months) but overwhelmed with the joy of being a mom!  Victor is working at the pentagon (12 hours a day) and asked to stay for an additional 3-4 years.  We agree.  Move home to WI for 2 months, try to sell our new, never lived in house but find renters instead.  Move back to a new house (rental) in Alexandria, VA.  Find out I am pregnant with Lainey! So blessed but a bit shocked since this time it happened immediately!

Year Four: (Nov '08- Nov'09)
Get settled in Alexandria. Blessed to get to know a really good group of friends which makes it feel like home to me.  Victor switches positions at the Pentagon but this doesn't disrupt things at home.  Meet our sweet Lainey!  Struggle to adjust from one kid to two.  This was a really difficult transition for me.

Year Five: (Nov' 09-Nov 10)
Lainey struggles with constant ear infections.  She is a really grumpy baby.  We go on a fun Disney Cruise (which was canceled originally due to kids with croup/bronchitis).  I am still struggling to adjust to being a mom of two.  Things seem easier when she turns one.  Victor was offered a new civilian job in Southern Maryland.  Try to sell Waukesha house again, no luck.  Make plans to build a new house in southern Maryland, plans fall through.  Find out I am pregnant with Carson!!  Very excited and blessed!  Find a new renter for the Waukesha house and stumble upon a spec house that will work perfectly for our family.  Terri and Austin meet and say goodbye to Jake (this impacts me significantly). Move to southern Maryland.  Victor starts a new job.

Year Six: (Nov 10-Nov 11)
Adjust to our new hometown and job.  Victor starts reserve duty again.  So thankful for Victor's new works scheduled (10.5 hours a day instead of 12 and every other Friday off)!  This makes a much bigger difference than I realized! Lainey gets tubes in her ears after 8-9 ear infections.  She is SO much happier!  Meet our sweet baby Carson.  Much easier transition from 2 to 3.  Happy baby and kids!  Lovely neighbors and new friends.


These past 6 years have been filled with lots of wonderful things (3 kids, need I say more), lots of stressful things (7 addresses, 9 moves), and lots of learning (if not parenting, marriage should definitely come with a rule book!).  Ha!

I am so thankful to be where we are today!  I love being back in a small community, being able to be stay at home with my kids, and  am thankful for a less intense job for Victor.  I look forward to many new lessons, trials, and blessings in the future and am glad to have Victor by my side as we walk through life together!

It was really interesting to think back through the major events of the past 6 years!  If you haven't I challenge you too!

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving!

From My Little Turkeys to Yours!

Lainey at 4 months

Carson at 8 months - less mohawk more fuzz

Always smiling

Erik wishes you all a happy thanksgiving too but he had a thick head of "perfect" hair when he 

was born so no mohawk photos of him!

Two "Things" I am Quite Grateful For

Food Challenge: Week 2 results

Well, I survived.  It was actually harder than I thought it would be.  I am still craving diet coke which surprises me!  I do like tea and it substitutes the caffeine okay but doesn't make up for the actual diet coke. Oh well!

I am not sure what I will do regarding diet coke consumption in the long run.  I do know I won't buy it for the house again but I haven't decided whether or not I will drink it on occasion when at parties or out to eat.

This is our "free week" with no rules but I am still planning on sticking to the beverage rules (water, milk, tea, coffee).  I can't say Victor has the same plan.

The kids did fine with this!  I had been sending Erik to school with a juice box 1-2x a week but stopped this a month ago. Instead, I have sent with with a glass and swirly straw.  He refuses to drink out of it and tells me he isn't thirsty.  Ha!  He hasn't really complained about the lack of juice but clearly misses it a bit. 

I should mention that Lainey still drinks Almond milk rather than cows milk as cows milk has always upset her stomach.  I am not ready to try switching her over yet.

It's Going to Be A Long Winter!

Poor baby Carson!

Ready for Winter

Well, at least we have the winter gear now.  I am more than happy to have this

60 degree weather stick around for another month.

Carson hated the hat with passion (stood solo because he tried taking the hat off with two hands).

Hopefully, his mittens will force him to leave it on.  We'll see.

Food Challenge: Week 2

Well, we made it through the week one goal of eating 2 servings of fruits or vegetables at every meal without any difficulty.  In the past I think we probably were eating 3-4 servings a day instead of 6-7.  The kids adjusted without any problem as did Victor and I.  I did notice I felt full (or bloated) more than normal.


Week 2 Challenge: "Real Beverages"  

Beverages will be limited to coffee, tea, water, and milk (only naturally sweetened with a little honey or 100% pure maple syrup). One cup of juice will be allowed throughout the week, and wine (preferably red) will be allowed in moderation (an average of one drink per day).

This will not be a challenge for Victor, but I have to give up my daily diet coke.  I have been thinking about this for a while but haven't tried since I really "need" my morning jolt.  I do know it will be better for me though.  Not to go completely crazy I did get some black tea which apparently has more caffeine that diet coke! I am 2 days into this challenge and miss the diet coke more than I anticipated.  We will see how the week goes!

We are planning to continue week one still in addition to week two.

For more info on healthy beverages go HERE.

I tried 2 new recipes this week, homemade humus and crock pot "refried" beans.  Both were great although I made the humus a little spicier than Erik would prefer. 


Easy Slow Cooker Refried Beans

• 1 onion, peeled and halved
• 2 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed
• ½ fresh jalapeno or other hot pepper, seeded and chopped (I used 4-5 small peppers from our garden)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¾ teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• cumin and chili pepper to taste
• 6 cups water (or 2 cups of chicken broth plus 4 cups water)

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.  Cook for 7-8 hours (until tender).  Mash up or blend 25% of the bean mixture.  Serve.

I have made these twice.  Once I made them more of a chili flavor and served them over home made cornbread and topped with cheese.  The other time I used more cumin for a "taco" flavor and served them in burritos with avocado, red peppers, cheese, sour cream, and cilantro.  Yum!!

All 3 kids love these beans and they are easy and super cheap!  Enjoy!!  If you are participating in this journey at all how did you do this week?

Carson- 8 months

Photos by Jen Neal

 Happy, Busy, and Loud

Carson is still the happiest baby I have ever met. 

He bounces with joy and is so much fun to be around.

Carson is very, very busy!

He crawls everywhere very quickly!

He is able to pull to a stand and cruise along couches and chairs! 

I have seen him let go of the couch and stand independently for 10 seconds a few times.

I anticipate he will be taking steps by his 9 month update. 

Carson is noisy! 

He doesn't babble a ton but he loves to shriek. 

He plays a game with Erik and Lainey.  

He shrieks at them trying to get their attention, 

when they shriek back at him he giggles and laughs.

Annoying and cute at the same time. 

Carson loves banging his hands on the counter, hitting pots and pans with spoons, 

pulling all of the magnets off of the fridge and banging them on the floor.

Carson is still passionate about nursing.

I nurse on demand, probably every 3 hours or so. 

He is eating solids a little better and is up to 19.5 pounds.  

 So far he has been offered.....

sweet potatoes

butternut squash

 black beans

kidney beans

Avocado

applesauce

brown rice

bananas

pear

One hunk of french bread (he was excited about this)

One frozen bagel (equally excited!)

 

 Carson is still wheezing although this has improved

significantly after starting him on budesonide nebulizers 2x a day.

He will likely be on these the entire winter as he has been wheezing since September.

He hates the nebulizer but will tolerate it if we let him watch a movie during it. (Awesome!)

Carson is still on Prevacid, 15 mg a day.  

He is still spitting up some but it doesn't bother him.

Carson is still getting up 1x a night most of the time.

He did sleep through the night 4-5x this month, he also got up more than 2x a night 4-5x this month.

Generally speaking I am only willing to nurse him once a night.

If he continues to increase his solid intake I will cut out the night feedings completely.

This month Carson struggled with bronchiolitis, went to Philadelphia to hang with his cousins,

and spent lots of time being drug from activity to activity for his siblings.  

Carson is such a joy!

I am so thankful for him!

Notable Quotes

Erik:

We went on a hike today through a local sculpture garden.  Erik was doing a "dance" so I asked him if he needed to go to the bathroom.  He responded, " Mom, stop bothering me!  I don't need to go to the bathroom this is just part of my walking process."  Okay, honey.

Lainey:

When getting her ready for bed the other day she told me, "I don't want these PJ's I want to wear my sassy pants."  Ha!

When I was Old/Twinkle Twinkle

"When I was old...."  is the way Erik starts almost all of his pretend stories.  They can be about anything... being a farmer, being a parent, shoveling snow, digging for dinosaurs, etc.  He tells me at least 2-3 "When I was old" stories daily and has been for 3-4 months now.  At times I remind him that he hasn't ever really been old but most of the time I just savor his creativity and the fun stories.

One of his buddies James is 6 and not quite as amused by Erik's imagination.  One afternoon James came over to verify with me that Erik hadn't ever been old before.  That night, he told his mom he wasn't sure he could be friends with Erik anymore because he wasn't a fan of "When I was old" stories! Ha!!  The next morning they were out digging for fossils under James' deck though.

It is interesting to see the developmental differences between a 4 and 6 year old surface from time to time.  They are both quite interested in rocks, diggers, guns (it's innate I swear), dirt and most recently Tae Kwon do so those common interests seem to win out these days.  James is a great neighbor and friend so hopefully Erik was give up the "When I was old..." stories before he really irritates his bigger buddies!



Little Lainey LOVES music!  She always has and I love it!  She sings herself to sleep most of the time.  She is very opinionated about what music I play in the van.  She also sings throughout the day.  Her two favorite songs to sing are the ABC song and Twinkle Twinkle.  Her favorite song to listen to is the "Monkey Song."  I don't know the actual name of this song but it is number #1 on the CD we got from Cullen's 2nd birthday party.  She insists we put the CD on repeat for first tract every nap and nighttime.  Lots and lots of the Monkey Song!

I have been trying to capture her singing for a month or so.  As you can see she has been a bit camera shy.  I finally was able to get her to sing through a song or two.  Of course, sibling rivalry had to kick in for that video. Oh well.  Enjoy!

Food Challenge: Week One

Goal: Eat a minimum of two different fruits or vegetables (preferably organic) with every breakfast, lunch, and dinner meal.

This seems like it should be an easy week!  That being said, I probably only offer our family 3-4 servings of fruits and vegetables a day so 6 is a big change!  We all like fruits and are fairly tolerant of veggies so I am looking forward to this change!

We are halfway through day 1 and have 5 servings in so far.  Anyone joining us this week?!  Will it be a big change for you?  What will be the biggest challenge, if any?

I am writing this while sipping on my Diet Dr. Pepper so while this week's challenge won't be too hard in this house, next week will be (at least for me!)

Determined!

Photo by Jen Neal

That is a good word to describe my sweet little girl!

This afternoon when we set out for our daily walk Lainey

insisted on riding her trike.

I decided to let her try, assuming she'd give up after 4-5 blocks.

Our neighborhood is safe enough that I felt comfortable leaving her trike on the

side of the road and picking it up on the way back.

Well, I was wrong.  

This little girl was determined to go the whole way on her trike. 

With a smile on her face, she pedaled the entire 1.5 miles.

I was, and still am, completely amazed!

She is quite certain she needs a pink balance bike so she can go down the hills FASTER!!

Watch out world!  

On a side note: When we got to the playground some of our neighbors were there.  Their 6 year old had ridden to the playground in a stroller.  Seriously people?!

Food Challenge Schedule

I am not sure if anyone is planning on joining us for this journey or not.  A few have expressed interest in at least part of it so I am going to post the schedule I plan on following during the next few months.  Join us for as much or little as you would like!

11/6/11  Week One (Two fruits and/or vegetables per meal)
11/13/11 Week Two ("Real" beverages only)
11/20/11 Take the Week Off for Thanksgiving! 
11/27/11 Week Three (Meat)
12/4/11 Week Four (No fast food or deep fried foods)
12/11/11 Week Five (Try Two New Whole Foods)
12/18/11 Week Six (No lite, low-fat, or non-fat foods)
12/25/11 Take the Week Off For Christmas!
1/1/12 Week Seven (100% Whole Grain)
1/8/12 Week Eight (Stop Eating When You are Full)

*I plan to have weeks one through eight be cumulative, meaning I will have them add upon each other each week. *
        
1/15/12 Week Nine (No refined Sugars) 
1/22/12 Week Ten (No refined oils)
1/29/12 Week Eleven (Eat Local Foods)
2/5/12 Week Twelve (NO sweeteners!!)
2/12/12 Week Thirteen (Nothing Artificial)
2/19/12 Week Fourteen (No More than Five Ingredients)  

For weeks 9-14 I do not plan on eliminating sugars completely beyond the weeks it is designated.  I am planning to cut out all artificial sweeteners from week 9 on.  With the exception of weeks 9 and 12 I do plan on baking at home as I think cutting out sugar completely forever is unnecessary, difficult, and a bit ridiculous.

Weeks 10, 11, and 13 are things I will try to incorporate cumulatively.   I am excited about this journey and hope a few more people will join us!  

Family Photos by Jen Neal

We had family photos taken by our neighbor/friend/colleague (she works in Victor's department) about a week ago.  The sneak peak is available here....Photos

We love them!  Hope you do too as they will likely be part of the Christmas card and presents (for grandparents).  If you have any specific requests let them be known in the comment section.

Thanks again Jen!

Happy Halloween

From Batman, Pooh, and Tinkerbell.

Erik dressed up as Peter Pan for trick-or-treating and batman for a party we went too.

I am kind of a Halloween scrooge, don't love it, don't hate it.

I let the kids eat 5 pieces of candy on Halloween and then promptly got rid of the rest (sent it with Victor to work).

Lainey was up until 11:00 pm the night of candy.  Ha!

Good stuff I guess!