Thursday, December 30, 2010
Christmas Family Photos
Taken back in late November, I've been meaning to post these for weeks. :) Enjoy!
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Milk is milk is milk?
We are facing somewhat of a challenge with Sam. He continues to breastfeed at least 5 times a day, and has recently started drinking some liquids (i.e. water, juice) from a cup or sippy cup. In fact he's taken to one particular sippy cup the "Take and Toss Little Learner" sippy cup (5 oz) size. They're great, because they are small enough for Sam to handle and drink from on his own. Interestingly, these are the only disposable sippy cups that are recyclable. I picked them up when we were going away on a trip, and believe me, I looked through all the disposable ones there. And the Take and Toss brand is the only one out there that you can recycle. So kudos to Learning Curve, the makers of Take and Toss. Anyway, I digress.
Very soon I will be returning to work part time, and Sam will be spending three days a week at daycare. Ideally, I'd like to be able to send breastmilk with him every day as an option for him to drink. So on the weekend, while I was away, Tim tried giving Sam some breastmilk in a sippy cup. Back in September Sam started outright refusing to take a bottle, so we were hopeful that the sippy cup would do the trick. Not so. Sam did the same head turning, throwing a fit, throwing the cup on the floor that he did when he stopped taking the bottle. The next day we tried some regular homo milk in a sippy cup to see if maybe it was just the breastmilk. Same reaction. Sigh.
For the next couple days Sam was completely resistant to the sippy cup, even with juice in it. Thankfully this evening he started taking it again. Sort've.
Interestingly, I was feeding him lunch and drinking a glass of milk, and he wanted it. So I let him take a sip of my milk. No resistant reaction, in fact he wanted more. What a goof. Obviously he's trying to manipulate us. Maybe I'll have to start pretending to drink his milk, then give it to him. We'll see. :)
Very soon I will be returning to work part time, and Sam will be spending three days a week at daycare. Ideally, I'd like to be able to send breastmilk with him every day as an option for him to drink. So on the weekend, while I was away, Tim tried giving Sam some breastmilk in a sippy cup. Back in September Sam started outright refusing to take a bottle, so we were hopeful that the sippy cup would do the trick. Not so. Sam did the same head turning, throwing a fit, throwing the cup on the floor that he did when he stopped taking the bottle. The next day we tried some regular homo milk in a sippy cup to see if maybe it was just the breastmilk. Same reaction. Sigh.
For the next couple days Sam was completely resistant to the sippy cup, even with juice in it. Thankfully this evening he started taking it again. Sort've.
Interestingly, I was feeding him lunch and drinking a glass of milk, and he wanted it. So I let him take a sip of my milk. No resistant reaction, in fact he wanted more. What a goof. Obviously he's trying to manipulate us. Maybe I'll have to start pretending to drink his milk, then give it to him. We'll see. :)
Friday, December 10, 2010
Things I Don't Want to Forget
- From 8 to 10 months of age, every time you sang "Ba-Ba-Ba-Ba Barbara Ann" to Sam (envision from the song Barbara Ann with the same tune and everything) he would say "Ma-ma" when you finished. Every time. Without fail. Now he's moved on and says "ba-ba". :)
-When Sam was really little he would dance his thumb along the top of my breast (in a sort've thumbs down way) while he nursed. Now he still caresses and strokes my chest, that is at least during the sessions that he's half asleep. :P
-Leg lifts -ever since Sam was probably about 3 months old, he's been doing leg lifts. He'll do them for extended periods of time, especially in his crib before naps.
- His sense of wonder about everything. How he'll suddenly get excited and point at something and yell. And you look at it, and it's a light...
- His fascination with ceiling fixtures (especially fans!) and how he can pick them out anywhere.
- His fascination with birds. Sam can literally pick out a bird flying in the sky that you wouldn't have even noticed if he hadn't pointed it out.
- The smile that he gives me or Tim when we walk into the room.
- How I can be totally exasperated by him because he's been screaming/throwing a tantrum all morning. And then one sweet smile makes all the exasperation disappear.
- His joy/excitement when he learns something new.
-When Sam was really little he would dance his thumb along the top of my breast (in a sort've thumbs down way) while he nursed. Now he still caresses and strokes my chest, that is at least during the sessions that he's half asleep. :P
-Leg lifts -ever since Sam was probably about 3 months old, he's been doing leg lifts. He'll do them for extended periods of time, especially in his crib before naps.
- His sense of wonder about everything. How he'll suddenly get excited and point at something and yell. And you look at it, and it's a light...
- His fascination with ceiling fixtures (especially fans!) and how he can pick them out anywhere.
- His fascination with birds. Sam can literally pick out a bird flying in the sky that you wouldn't have even noticed if he hadn't pointed it out.
- The smile that he gives me or Tim when we walk into the room.
- How I can be totally exasperated by him because he's been screaming/throwing a tantrum all morning. And then one sweet smile makes all the exasperation disappear.
- His joy/excitement when he learns something new.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Sam's first Boo-boo
Recently Sam discovered how to open and close drawers. Now it's one of his favorite past times. Any time he is near a drawer, especially one at his level, he wants to play with them. I try to keep him away from drawers if I can because who knows what is in them that he could get into, but I do let him open and close his dresser drawers. I figure if he pulls out the clothes, it's inconvenient, but they aren't going to hurt him. And it teaches him how to be dexterous.
This afternoon after changing Sam's diaper, I put him down on the floor for a minute while I put a few things away in the closet. Sure enough, he scooted himself over to the dresser drawer and proceeded to start opening and closing it with some vigor. I told him to be careful, that he didn't want to pinch his fingers. He pulled open the drawer again, looked up at me, grinned, and pushed it closed. There was this moment where his smile went from sheer delight to a realization that something was wrong, and then he started to wail. Sure enough, he had closed his middle finger in the drawer. I went over, released his finger, gathered him in my arms and cuddled him, kissed his boo-boo, and told him it would be all better. He cried for a couple minutes, pointing his little red finger straight in the air. But then it passed, and he wanted to go play. What a boy. :P And so, with the smooth glide of a dresser drawer, came the first of many boo-boos to kiss.
This afternoon after changing Sam's diaper, I put him down on the floor for a minute while I put a few things away in the closet. Sure enough, he scooted himself over to the dresser drawer and proceeded to start opening and closing it with some vigor. I told him to be careful, that he didn't want to pinch his fingers. He pulled open the drawer again, looked up at me, grinned, and pushed it closed. There was this moment where his smile went from sheer delight to a realization that something was wrong, and then he started to wail. Sure enough, he had closed his middle finger in the drawer. I went over, released his finger, gathered him in my arms and cuddled him, kissed his boo-boo, and told him it would be all better. He cried for a couple minutes, pointing his little red finger straight in the air. But then it passed, and he wanted to go play. What a boy. :P And so, with the smooth glide of a dresser drawer, came the first of many boo-boos to kiss.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Back to the Snowy North
Our holiday was wonderful. :) Lots of sun, and salt water. Sitting on the boat, feeling the wind in our faces, the salt spray in our hair (and occasional big splashes all over us!). The food was tasty, the company superb, it really was a great time. I came back feeling relaxed and rejuvenated. One major highlight was scuba diving - earlier this fall Tim and I got our open water scuba diving certification, so we were able to partake in several fantastic dives. We saw shipwrecks, shark, stingrays, spotted rays, turtles, and many, many fishies. I'm hoping to post some pictures from our diving sometime soon.
We learned quite a few new things about traveling with an infant - traveling with a very young infant (>2 months) is one thing, traveling with an infant when they're alert and active is something very different. Here's a few things that we learned:
1. Whenever possible, travel with others. It is a HUGE help to have many hands to help with feeding, changing, soothing, and giving mom and dad a break!
2. Invest in a good travel high chair - Tim's mom found the Chicco 360 Hook On high chair, which came in handy for mealtime, playtime, when going to restaurants, and even as a secure environment to put Sam when the seas were rough. This little chair is extremely versatile and sturdy!
3. Bring whatever baby stuff that you need with you (i.e. baby food, diapers etc) - the way we pulled this off was that Tim and I shared one suitcase and the other was dedicated solely to Sam's stuff. Baby items are available most places you go, but tend to be quite expensive unless you are traveling to continental US or Canada.
4. Handy way to transport your car seat: Bungy cord it to your suitcase while rolling it through the airport, then leave it at the airplane door. This way you know it's going to be handled safer than if it's put with all the luggage.
5. Bring a sturdy umbrella stroller with a basket. We got ours from Walmart, it was Cosco brand. I think we spent about $25 on it, and it had a little sunshade and two reclining positions. It came in handy for travel through the airport, for getting around at various destinations, and in a pinch we could use it as a highchair and/or place for him to snooze when dinner went late. Also, you can leave it at the door of the airplane along with your car seat, you are allowed to bring a stroller AND car seat.
6. We found our moby wrap invaluable last time we traveled with Sam, but this time we hardly used it at all. I think it would still have been useful had we not brought the stroller.
That's all that I can think of for now, more tips may come to mind. We sure had fun! Can't believe the snow that we came back to! :)
We learned quite a few new things about traveling with an infant - traveling with a very young infant (>2 months) is one thing, traveling with an infant when they're alert and active is something very different. Here's a few things that we learned:
1. Whenever possible, travel with others. It is a HUGE help to have many hands to help with feeding, changing, soothing, and giving mom and dad a break!
2. Invest in a good travel high chair - Tim's mom found the Chicco 360 Hook On high chair, which came in handy for mealtime, playtime, when going to restaurants, and even as a secure environment to put Sam when the seas were rough. This little chair is extremely versatile and sturdy!
3. Bring whatever baby stuff that you need with you (i.e. baby food, diapers etc) - the way we pulled this off was that Tim and I shared one suitcase and the other was dedicated solely to Sam's stuff. Baby items are available most places you go, but tend to be quite expensive unless you are traveling to continental US or Canada.
4. Handy way to transport your car seat: Bungy cord it to your suitcase while rolling it through the airport, then leave it at the airplane door. This way you know it's going to be handled safer than if it's put with all the luggage.
5. Bring a sturdy umbrella stroller with a basket. We got ours from Walmart, it was Cosco brand. I think we spent about $25 on it, and it had a little sunshade and two reclining positions. It came in handy for travel through the airport, for getting around at various destinations, and in a pinch we could use it as a highchair and/or place for him to snooze when dinner went late. Also, you can leave it at the door of the airplane along with your car seat, you are allowed to bring a stroller AND car seat.
6. We found our moby wrap invaluable last time we traveled with Sam, but this time we hardly used it at all. I think it would still have been useful had we not brought the stroller.
That's all that I can think of for now, more tips may come to mind. We sure had fun! Can't believe the snow that we came back to! :)
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Vacation time
We are spending a week in the British Virgin Islands with Tim's family. We arrived here on the 26th of November and are here're until Saturday December 4th. We are sailing around in a 46 foot catamaran. Internet connectivity is scarce, so posts might be minimal between now and the end of the week. I posted one entry I wrote earlier but hadn't been able to post until today.
Our trip has been an adventure thus far, especially traveling to get here. Sam was easier to travel with when he was a couple months old and still slept in any and all situations. Our flight here was a challenge as Sam slept very little and was only happy when we were walking up and down the aisle of the airplane. So Tim and I spent the majority of our flight taking turns walking with Sam. An important lesson learned: travel with friends and/or family, it was wonderful to be able to pass Sam off to an aunt or uncle on occasion.
Tomorrow we head to the island called Anegada - very excited about this adventure, it's about a 3 hour sail. It will be interesting to see how things go. I'll do my best to keep you posted. :)
Our trip has been an adventure thus far, especially traveling to get here. Sam was easier to travel with when he was a couple months old and still slept in any and all situations. Our flight here was a challenge as Sam slept very little and was only happy when we were walking up and down the aisle of the airplane. So Tim and I spent the majority of our flight taking turns walking with Sam. An important lesson learned: travel with friends and/or family, it was wonderful to be able to pass Sam off to an aunt or uncle on occasion.
Tomorrow we head to the island called Anegada - very excited about this adventure, it's about a 3 hour sail. It will be interesting to see how things go. I'll do my best to keep you posted. :)
Copy cat
Sam is the master of mimicry. He's always been good at imitating what others do, but lately it seems like left, right and center he is coming out with new tricks. Recently he started tilting his head when he looks at people, I wasn't sure why at first until one day I was looking at him and he tilted his head. At that moment I realized my head was tilted slightly while I looked at him. What a clever boy! We've also started a game where we go through his repertoire of skills: clapping, pointing his index finger, motorboats, waving etc to see how many he can get right. It's pretty impressive, he's probably right about 80% of the time. I am amazed at how quickly my son is growing and changing. It doesn't seem that long ago that Sam was born, and now he knows how to wave goodbye! What a guy. :)
Monday, November 22, 2010
Funny boy
Sam's teeth are coming in fast and furious, #4 is through, #5 will be through any day, and #6 is working its way in . With the arrival of teeth, some odd side effects have emerged.
1. Sam has a funny little rash on his face, especially on both cheeks (it makes them look rosy) and on either side of the crown of his nose. It doesn't seem to bother him, and some days its worse than others, but I find it rather curious that teeth can have this effect.
2. Sam has a terrible, terrible diaper rash. It's so bad I have been soaking him in a baking soda bath every night for the last several evenings. In fact, it was so raw on Saturday night there was actually a little blood when I wiped his bottom. My poor little guy. Every morning the rash seems a little better, and then by the end of the day, with all the pooping (because my son is a poop-a-diaper kind of guy), it's all raw again. But on the whole it seems to be improving. Again, an odd side effect from teeth, but nothing in his diet has changed....and I've heard from other moms they experienced the same.
3. The weirdest side effect is his demeanor. Lately Sam has been much more clingy, and not necessarily just with me, but anyone who will give him attention. He doesn't want to be left alone, and as long as someone is playing with him/sitting with him/carrying him, he is ok. A perfect example of this happened this evening...
I was trying to get a few things together for his meal, so I put some cooked chopped veggies on his tray along with some pieces of cheese. I was working in the kitchen, running downstairs a couple times, but always within earshot and never out of his sight for more than a minute or so. At one point, I looked over at Sam to see how he was doing, fully expecting he'd be done. He gave me this little wave that he's started doing recently that I think means "come here". So I went over to him. He had quite a bit of food left on his tray. He looked at me and made a sound - "num-num" - which is a sound he makes to indicate he's hungry. So I showed him the food on his tray and tried to give him some. He turned his head in refusal and made the sound again. I wasn't about to waste perfectly good food, so I went and got a bowl and spoon, put the food in the dish, sat down and just as an experiment, tried to feed him. He took the food without complaint and proceeded to eat every last morsel that I fed him. The little goof! All he wanted was for me to feed him! He wanted my attention. It's cute, but at the same time made me realize that my son is learning not only the importance of social interaction, but also how to manipulate mommy!
Anyway, it's an ongoing adventure, and hopefully the teeth will come in quickly and I'll get back my easy going, independent little man.
1. Sam has a funny little rash on his face, especially on both cheeks (it makes them look rosy) and on either side of the crown of his nose. It doesn't seem to bother him, and some days its worse than others, but I find it rather curious that teeth can have this effect.
2. Sam has a terrible, terrible diaper rash. It's so bad I have been soaking him in a baking soda bath every night for the last several evenings. In fact, it was so raw on Saturday night there was actually a little blood when I wiped his bottom. My poor little guy. Every morning the rash seems a little better, and then by the end of the day, with all the pooping (because my son is a poop-a-diaper kind of guy), it's all raw again. But on the whole it seems to be improving. Again, an odd side effect from teeth, but nothing in his diet has changed....and I've heard from other moms they experienced the same.
3. The weirdest side effect is his demeanor. Lately Sam has been much more clingy, and not necessarily just with me, but anyone who will give him attention. He doesn't want to be left alone, and as long as someone is playing with him/sitting with him/carrying him, he is ok. A perfect example of this happened this evening...
I was trying to get a few things together for his meal, so I put some cooked chopped veggies on his tray along with some pieces of cheese. I was working in the kitchen, running downstairs a couple times, but always within earshot and never out of his sight for more than a minute or so. At one point, I looked over at Sam to see how he was doing, fully expecting he'd be done. He gave me this little wave that he's started doing recently that I think means "come here". So I went over to him. He had quite a bit of food left on his tray. He looked at me and made a sound - "num-num" - which is a sound he makes to indicate he's hungry. So I showed him the food on his tray and tried to give him some. He turned his head in refusal and made the sound again. I wasn't about to waste perfectly good food, so I went and got a bowl and spoon, put the food in the dish, sat down and just as an experiment, tried to feed him. He took the food without complaint and proceeded to eat every last morsel that I fed him. The little goof! All he wanted was for me to feed him! He wanted my attention. It's cute, but at the same time made me realize that my son is learning not only the importance of social interaction, but also how to manipulate mommy!
Anyway, it's an ongoing adventure, and hopefully the teeth will come in quickly and I'll get back my easy going, independent little man.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Santa Claus Parade
Well, I really wanted to take Sam to the Santa Claus Parade. Here in Barrie it's lots of fun because the parade runs in the evening after the sun has gone down, and all the floats are lit up with hundreds of little Christmas lights. There's lots of wonderful music and everyone is so happy. I've gone the last couple years and really enjoyed it.
Yesterday was the Santa Claus Parade, and the plan was to go. However, my mom was here to visit and we spent a good chunk of the day running around doing errands, dragging Sammy all over the place. He didn't get a proper nap all day, and it was very cold and windy. So when we got back to my house at 4:30 and the parade started at 5, and Sam needed to eat dinner, as did we, I figured we wouldn't be able to make it. The parade isn't exceptionally fast, so I knew in my head that as long as we made it downtown by 6, we'd still get to see the floats pass by (it ends in the downtown, so it usually takes about an hour to get there). To make a long story short, by 5:30, Sam had eaten and we were just starting to make our meal. I told my mom not to worry, we wouldn't bother going because it was too late. I was sad, but figured I was tired and hungry and needed to eat. However, the whole time, stewing around in my brain was the thought that Sam would love it....and I felt bad I wasn't taking him. So around 6 pm, while we were sitting down eating our meal and Sam was playing with some Cheerios on his tray, I turned to my mom and said "Do you mind finishing later? We should go."
She laughed, and then we proceeded to grab Sam, bundle him up, grab our coats, toques and mitts, and run out the door. I sped downtown, hoping to catch the floats as they passed by the end of their route. As we passed the No Frills, I noticed a float sitting in the parking lot being dismantled. Mom yelled out "Maybe there will still be some floats, let's try!"
We continued along our route until we came to a police car with flashing lights blocking off the road. We pulled over to the side of the road as some brightly lit floats passed by. My mom took Sam out of his carseat and rolled down the window and held him up so he could see. He was SO excited! He looked left to right to left and back again, eyes as wide as saucers, yelling at the floats and waving his little hands. He was thrilled. Little did he know that he only got to see about 6 floats, that they were in the process of starting to dismantle, that several floats went a different route, including the grand finale Santa Claus. It was wonderful to see his excitement. I'm glad he got to see a bit of the parade. Next year, no matter how hungry I might be, we'll be in the front row when Santa comes rolling through.
Yesterday was the Santa Claus Parade, and the plan was to go. However, my mom was here to visit and we spent a good chunk of the day running around doing errands, dragging Sammy all over the place. He didn't get a proper nap all day, and it was very cold and windy. So when we got back to my house at 4:30 and the parade started at 5, and Sam needed to eat dinner, as did we, I figured we wouldn't be able to make it. The parade isn't exceptionally fast, so I knew in my head that as long as we made it downtown by 6, we'd still get to see the floats pass by (it ends in the downtown, so it usually takes about an hour to get there). To make a long story short, by 5:30, Sam had eaten and we were just starting to make our meal. I told my mom not to worry, we wouldn't bother going because it was too late. I was sad, but figured I was tired and hungry and needed to eat. However, the whole time, stewing around in my brain was the thought that Sam would love it....and I felt bad I wasn't taking him. So around 6 pm, while we were sitting down eating our meal and Sam was playing with some Cheerios on his tray, I turned to my mom and said "Do you mind finishing later? We should go."
She laughed, and then we proceeded to grab Sam, bundle him up, grab our coats, toques and mitts, and run out the door. I sped downtown, hoping to catch the floats as they passed by the end of their route. As we passed the No Frills, I noticed a float sitting in the parking lot being dismantled. Mom yelled out "Maybe there will still be some floats, let's try!"
We continued along our route until we came to a police car with flashing lights blocking off the road. We pulled over to the side of the road as some brightly lit floats passed by. My mom took Sam out of his carseat and rolled down the window and held him up so he could see. He was SO excited! He looked left to right to left and back again, eyes as wide as saucers, yelling at the floats and waving his little hands. He was thrilled. Little did he know that he only got to see about 6 floats, that they were in the process of starting to dismantle, that several floats went a different route, including the grand finale Santa Claus. It was wonderful to see his excitement. I'm glad he got to see a bit of the parade. Next year, no matter how hungry I might be, we'll be in the front row when Santa comes rolling through.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Christmas Baking!
The Christmas season is just around the corner, and it's my favorite time of year. I love the music, the smells, the sounds, the way that people all of a sudden seem a littler cheerier. It's wonderful. Last year I went overboard with Christmas baking, partly probably because I was pregnant and nesting, and some of the cookies never got eaten. So this year I am trying to be more selective about what I make. I'm trying to decide what I will make and what I won't.
The last few years I have been making fudge for gifts and for eating. I think I'm going to try and make some yummy chocolate peanut butter layered fudge I saw in a cooking magazine I get. And I plan to make shortbread, because that is Tim's favorite. But other than that, I can't decide. There's yummy icebox cookies, there's almond bark, there's gingerbread, there's these wonderful almond shortbread crescents, mmmmmmmm.....I love Christmas cookies. Oh, and I've already made Christmas cake. But that's more for gift giving....Anyone have some good suggestions for Christmas baking? What is your favorite?
The last few years I have been making fudge for gifts and for eating. I think I'm going to try and make some yummy chocolate peanut butter layered fudge I saw in a cooking magazine I get. And I plan to make shortbread, because that is Tim's favorite. But other than that, I can't decide. There's yummy icebox cookies, there's almond bark, there's gingerbread, there's these wonderful almond shortbread crescents, mmmmmmmm.....I love Christmas cookies. Oh, and I've already made Christmas cake. But that's more for gift giving....Anyone have some good suggestions for Christmas baking? What is your favorite?
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Onesie Extenders
A friend of mine found these great little pieces of cloth with snaps that prolong the life of onesies by increasing the crotch length. And really, it's always the length of the onesie that baby outgrows first! Check them out!
http://www.cheekymonkey.ca/IplayGarment.htm
She gave me a package and they work great!
http://www.cheekymonkey.ca/
She gave me a package and they work great!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Things I've learned since becoming a mom...
1. Pajamas are completely suitable daytime attire.
2. Showering is an under-appreciated luxury
3. Talking about bodily functions (bowel movements, pee, vomit) becomes a daily conversation piece
4. There are three kinds of diaper poop - rabbit turds, bum pyramids and EXPLOSIONS
5. Having the "ABC" song in your head is just part of a normal day
6. Any opportunity to go out with your baby should be seized and enjoyed.
7. Any opportunity to go out without your baby should be seized and enjoyed.
8. You can never have too many pictures of your baby
9. There's nothing worse than waking up to the sound of a crying baby at 2 am.
10. There's nothing better than the sound of a baby's laughter.
2. Showering is an under-appreciated luxury
3. Talking about bodily functions (bowel movements, pee, vomit) becomes a daily conversation piece
4. There are three kinds of diaper poop - rabbit turds, bum pyramids and EXPLOSIONS
5. Having the "ABC" song in your head is just part of a normal day
6. Any opportunity to go out with your baby should be seized and enjoyed.
7. Any opportunity to go out without your baby should be seized and enjoyed.
8. You can never have too many pictures of your baby
9. There's nothing worse than waking up to the sound of a crying baby at 2 am.
10. There's nothing better than the sound of a baby's laughter.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
Daycare Update
Well, I've done a couple interviews so far for home daycares. I was able to find some thanks to some great tips from friends. I thought I'd share...
1. Post an ad for "seeking daycare" in your section of town on kijiji. Believe it or not, you get a lot of responses and at least some of them will be potentials.
2. Check out the local Ontario Early Years Centre. They typically have list of home daycares available specific to different regions of town.
3. If you get a "no" from someone that you call, ask if they have any colleagues that have spaces available. I'm learning that there's somewhat of a network among home daycare workers and they can often point you in the right direction.
It will be a couple weeks before I decide on who will care for Sam. I can't lie, I am struggling with this, but it will come. And it's part of life. I just have to get used to it...
1. Post an ad for "seeking daycare" in your section of town on kijiji. Believe it or not, you get a lot of responses and at least some of them will be potentials.
2. Check out the local Ontario Early Years Centre. They typically have list of home daycares available specific to different regions of town.
3. If you get a "no" from someone that you call, ask if they have any colleagues that have spaces available. I'm learning that there's somewhat of a network among home daycare workers and they can often point you in the right direction.
It will be a couple weeks before I decide on who will care for Sam. I can't lie, I am struggling with this, but it will come. And it's part of life. I just have to get used to it...
Friday, November 5, 2010
King of the Jungle!
Here are some pictures of Sam from Hallowe'en. What a cutie! Can you guess what Tim was supposed to be?
Monday, November 1, 2010
The "Perfect" Mom
I think a lot of women enter into parenthood with expectations of being "supermom". We hear warnings from our friends and family that we can't do it all, that some things will have to be sacrificed, but I think deep down we all think "nah, not me, I'll be able to manage".
I don't know if it's a pride thing, or a fear thing, but once we enter into parenthood, become a mom, have a little person in our care, all of a sudden we feel like we need to put on appearances that all is ok. Because after all, if everything wasn't ok, would we really be good moms? I mean, do I really want anyone to know that there are dishes piled up in my sink right now? That occasionally I have a "blue" day? That I'm often stressing about whether my baby is meeting his developmental milestones? That some days, despite all my efforts to eat healthy and/or organic, we end up eating KD for dinner? There just seems to be this gap between what I aspire to be and what actually takes shape in reality. And there's this nagging fear that if I don't measure up, somehow my son will miss out. And if I share these thoughts with others, then am I failing at appearing to be all together?
I think sometimes we look at things backwards....Does my son care that he's a little slow with his gross motor development? Probably not. Does my husband mind eating KD now and then? Really, if I think about it, it's one of his favorite things to eat. Am I a bad mom when my house is messy? It depends on what is being slotted into the time that could be used to clean. If I spend all that time investing in my son, playing with him, nurturing his growth, then maybe, just maybe I can reconcile the messy house. So I guess the issue isn't am I a perfect mom; because nobody's perfect. I guess the issue is being satisfied with my imperfections.
I don't know if it's a pride thing, or a fear thing, but once we enter into parenthood, become a mom, have a little person in our care, all of a sudden we feel like we need to put on appearances that all is ok. Because after all, if everything wasn't ok, would we really be good moms? I mean, do I really want anyone to know that there are dishes piled up in my sink right now? That occasionally I have a "blue" day? That I'm often stressing about whether my baby is meeting his developmental milestones? That some days, despite all my efforts to eat healthy and/or organic, we end up eating KD for dinner? There just seems to be this gap between what I aspire to be and what actually takes shape in reality. And there's this nagging fear that if I don't measure up, somehow my son will miss out. And if I share these thoughts with others, then am I failing at appearing to be all together?
I think sometimes we look at things backwards....Does my son care that he's a little slow with his gross motor development? Probably not. Does my husband mind eating KD now and then? Really, if I think about it, it's one of his favorite things to eat. Am I a bad mom when my house is messy? It depends on what is being slotted into the time that could be used to clean. If I spend all that time investing in my son, playing with him, nurturing his growth, then maybe, just maybe I can reconcile the messy house. So I guess the issue isn't am I a perfect mom; because nobody's perfect. I guess the issue is being satisfied with my imperfections.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Sam in action
That's a pretty cool tower...
...it's very tall...
...I wonder if I could reach it...
...and push it...
...oh! oh! There it goes...
Yes!
Monday, October 18, 2010
The Daycare Dilemma
In a few months, I will be heading back to work. I had hoped to send Sam to a French home daycare so that he would continue to learn the language that I have been trying to teach him since birth. However, thus far I have had very little luck finding a daycare with space available. What's more, even the English day cares have minimal spaces available. I'm really struggling with what to do. Here are the main problems:
1. Many day cares do not take infants until they are a minimum of 16-18 months old. Sam will be 12 months old when I go back to work.
2. If a day care takes an infant of 12 months of age, most do not take them part time. I will only be working part time, so that's all we need and can afford.
3. Many day cares will not take children who wear cloth diapers. This is a big issue for me, because not only do I believe that using cloth diapers is the most environmentally conscious choice, but we've also invested time and money into cloth diapers. To have to start buying disposables would be a huge issue for me both financially and ethically.
4. The person or people I leave Sam with I need to trust and feel comfortable with. They will be taking care of someone very precious. I'm struggling with having to send Sam to someone else for care.
So the battle continues. I'll find someone eventually, but in the meantime, it's definitely a huge learning curve. I'll probably post some tips on how to find a great daycare, when I find it. :P
1. Many day cares do not take infants until they are a minimum of 16-18 months old. Sam will be 12 months old when I go back to work.
2. If a day care takes an infant of 12 months of age, most do not take them part time. I will only be working part time, so that's all we need and can afford.
3. Many day cares will not take children who wear cloth diapers. This is a big issue for me, because not only do I believe that using cloth diapers is the most environmentally conscious choice, but we've also invested time and money into cloth diapers. To have to start buying disposables would be a huge issue for me both financially and ethically.
4. The person or people I leave Sam with I need to trust and feel comfortable with. They will be taking care of someone very precious. I'm struggling with having to send Sam to someone else for care.
So the battle continues. I'll find someone eventually, but in the meantime, it's definitely a huge learning curve. I'll probably post some tips on how to find a great daycare, when I find it. :P
Friday, October 15, 2010
Sam never ceases to amaze me. Just last week he learned how to roll from back to front, which I had concluded he was just not going to do. And then without any warning, and little effort, he did it. Now he rolls from front to back and back to front with little effort. Although he does only roll in one direction. Ha ha. I call it his fish flop, it really is quite cute actually.
He's also now waving at people when they come into a room and when they depart, and he's even figured out that he should wave when someone says hello or goodbye (or in his case bonjour or au revoir). He really does amaze me. The amount that babies learn in the first year is astounding.
He has also learned how to pull apart the foam flooring that we put I'm down on to play and his favorite past time is to pull it up and chew on it. What a silly boy!
He's definitely going to be a busy boy! The most amazing of his recent feats is that he managed to pull the space bar off my laptop in a matter of minutes (less than two to be exact). Tim put him down in front of the computer, too close for that matter, and I noticed within a minute or so that he was too close to the computer. And he was mashing the keys and I could see things moving around on the screen. I walked over to move him away from the computer and noticed something long and thin in his hand. It was the space bar! And he was happily waving it around in the air. What a guy.
He's also now waving at people when they come into a room and when they depart, and he's even figured out that he should wave when someone says hello or goodbye (or in his case bonjour or au revoir). He really does amaze me. The amount that babies learn in the first year is astounding.
He has also learned how to pull apart the foam flooring that we put I'm down on to play and his favorite past time is to pull it up and chew on it. What a silly boy!
He's definitely going to be a busy boy! The most amazing of his recent feats is that he managed to pull the space bar off my laptop in a matter of minutes (less than two to be exact). Tim put him down in front of the computer, too close for that matter, and I noticed within a minute or so that he was too close to the computer. And he was mashing the keys and I could see things moving around on the screen. I walked over to move him away from the computer and noticed something long and thin in his hand. It was the space bar! And he was happily waving it around in the air. What a guy.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Thanksgiving
I am so thankful for family. We are blessed with amazing parents, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents. There's something great about coming together with family and spending time laughing, catching up, dreaming about the future - we spent Thanksgiving weekend with Tim's family. It made me appreciate all the more my own family and my wonderful family that I joined when I married Tim. We had a beautiful weekend of eating and celebrating (not only was it Thanksgiving, we also celebrated Tim's Didi's 85th birthday). We got out and enjoyed the weather doing some hiking and even sitting by a bonfire. It was a great weekend. And I am thankful. Here's a video of the hike we took, courtesy of my hubby. :)
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Monday, October 4, 2010
Roasted Goodness
Roasted Fall Veggies
One two pound butternut squash (or whatever you have at your disposal)
6 medium sized fresh carrots
One medium onion
3-4 Tablespoons virgin olive oil
Ground cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon
Pinch of salt
Preheat oven to 425 F. Peel, seed and cut squash into ~1 inch cubes. Wash and cut carrots into segments ~1/2 inch (or so, I wasn't too worried about the size of these). Cut onion into 1 inch chunks. Spray a 9x13" glass pan with PAM (or grease with a bit of the oil).
In large glass bowl, combine squash, carrots, half the oil until coated. Add a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves to taste. Add a pinch of salt. Spread evenly in pan, place in oven and bake for 20 minutes.
Add onions and drizzle with remaining oil. Stir gently. Return to oven for another 20 minutes or until veggies are tender. Serve warm. Excellent with BBQ steak and red wine. Enjoy!
Sunday, October 3, 2010
How quickly he changes...
My son is becoming a very social being. And it's amazing to see how aware he is of when attention is turned to him, and when it is turned elsewhere.
Lately Sam has been showing an increased interest in snuggling, in being held and snuggling up to people. And not just myself or Tim, but others as well. He wants to be held and snuggled. Maybe it creates an increased sense of security, I don't know. But it's neat to see the change. When he was younger, he was content to lay on the floor and play, look around, smile at you. Now he plays for a limited amount of time before he looks up at you, and reaches up to be picked up. (He just started doing that this week, and I have to say, it's pretty cute! However, I can see how it could make it harder to get anything accomplished...)
And just this afternoon, I was sitting on the floor with him, right next to him, and he was playing with one of his favorite toys. I had my laptop off to the side and I was checking something online. Not once, but twice when I was trying to do something online, he reached over with his hand and grabbed my arm, as if to say "Stop that mommy, I want you to play with me." Of course, he was thrilled when I pulled him to me and nuzzled his neck - one of his favorite things which always gets a few giggles. I love being a mom. :)
Lately Sam has been showing an increased interest in snuggling, in being held and snuggling up to people. And not just myself or Tim, but others as well. He wants to be held and snuggled. Maybe it creates an increased sense of security, I don't know. But it's neat to see the change. When he was younger, he was content to lay on the floor and play, look around, smile at you. Now he plays for a limited amount of time before he looks up at you, and reaches up to be picked up. (He just started doing that this week, and I have to say, it's pretty cute! However, I can see how it could make it harder to get anything accomplished...)
And just this afternoon, I was sitting on the floor with him, right next to him, and he was playing with one of his favorite toys. I had my laptop off to the side and I was checking something online. Not once, but twice when I was trying to do something online, he reached over with his hand and grabbed my arm, as if to say "Stop that mommy, I want you to play with me." Of course, he was thrilled when I pulled him to me and nuzzled his neck - one of his favorite things which always gets a few giggles. I love being a mom. :)
Friday, October 1, 2010
Tick Tock Goes the Clock
Today is October 1st. In just a few short months, my son will turn a year old, and I will return to work. I've heard it said that many women look forward to returning to work, to more "adult time" and "adult conversation". It's funny, I don't feel that way at all. Every day is like an inescapable step towards a destination I don't want to reach. I feel like I am slowly but surely being pushed in the tide towards a distant, unfriendly shore, and I am powerless to escape it. Ok...enough with cliches, but really, I don't want to leave Sam and go back to work.
The thought of leaving my son in the care of another person wrenches my heart. I love him. And I want to be with him when he learns to walk, when he speaks his first word; when he falls and scrapes his knee, I want to be the one who scoops him up and kisses him all better. Going back to work means I might miss some of those moments. And friends keep telling me, "oh, it will be good for him. It will help teach him social skills with other children." I guess that's true, but it doesn't stop the aching feeling in my heart.
The thought of leaving my son in the care of another person wrenches my heart. I love him. And I want to be with him when he learns to walk, when he speaks his first word; when he falls and scrapes his knee, I want to be the one who scoops him up and kisses him all better. Going back to work means I might miss some of those moments. And friends keep telling me, "oh, it will be good for him. It will help teach him social skills with other children." I guess that's true, but it doesn't stop the aching feeling in my heart.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Separation Anxiety
Yep, you guessed it. My little man is starting to exhibit signs of separation anxiety any time I leave a room. Even if it's just going to the kitchen to get a drink, or to go to the bathroom. If he sees mom leave a room, or realizes after a few minutes I've managed to sneak away when he's not looking, he starts to cry. And he continues to cry, even escalate to a point of bawling loudly and occasionally screaming, until I return to him. And then he puts his hands in the air to be picked up.
Sigh.
I don't want to reinforce a bad habit, but I also don't want to see him keep crying. Not sure how to deal with this one. Anyone have some suggestions?
Sigh.
I don't want to reinforce a bad habit, but I also don't want to see him keep crying. Not sure how to deal with this one. Anyone have some suggestions?
Saturday, September 25, 2010
What a Beautiful Day
Last Saturday my sister Alissa got married. She married a great guy named Derek.
It was a beautiful day, and a beautiful celebration. It made me reflect on what a wonderful person my sister has become, and how proud I am of her.
I remember countless times playing together as children, dreaming of the future and all that it held. I remember getting into trouble as teenagers, and fighting, and making up. They were turbulent times. But I knew that if anyone ever messed with me, no matter what kind of argument we may have had, my little sister loved me fiercely and would defend me. I remember difficult times, and times of tears and sadness. But also times of joy, and growth, and discovery.
And as I watched my sister walk up that aisle, and saw her glowing beauty and excited eyes, I could feel a thousand memories well up inside me and tears came to my eyes.
I am so happy that Lissy has found the man that suits her perfectly. What a beautiful day...
It was a beautiful day, and a beautiful celebration. It made me reflect on what a wonderful person my sister has become, and how proud I am of her.
I remember countless times playing together as children, dreaming of the future and all that it held. I remember getting into trouble as teenagers, and fighting, and making up. They were turbulent times. But I knew that if anyone ever messed with me, no matter what kind of argument we may have had, my little sister loved me fiercely and would defend me. I remember difficult times, and times of tears and sadness. But also times of joy, and growth, and discovery.
And as I watched my sister walk up that aisle, and saw her glowing beauty and excited eyes, I could feel a thousand memories well up inside me and tears came to my eyes.
I am so happy that Lissy has found the man that suits her perfectly. What a beautiful day...
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Busy Times
The past couple weeks have been quite busy for our family.
On Saturday September 11th, Tim and I competed in our second (and final) triathlons of the season. The triathlon was in Wasaga beach. Tim competed in the Sprint distance triathlon and I completed the "Give-it-a-tri" distance (400 m swim, 10 km bike, 2.5 km run). It was challenging for me, the swim didn't go very well, I had a lot of swimmers around me that I couldn't seem to get away from, and they were bumping me from all sides. Quite frustrating. However, I felt that my run went better than the first tri I competed in, and I finished, so that's all that matters. Now I have motivation to complete more and do better next year!
On Sunday I headed to Belleville where I stayed over for the night at the in-laws. We had a nice little visit and then on Monday I made my way down to Ottawa for the week. My sister Alissa got married on September 18th (more about this in the next post), so I went down for the week to help out in any way I could. I found myself driving all over the place in Ottawa picking up items, dropping things off, sitting in traffic, making fudge, sitting in traffic, washing rocks (don't ask ha ha), sitting in traffic, etc etc. There was a great bachelorette on Thursday night, good food and lots of celebrating. It was a wonderful week overall. But I won't miss the driving, or the traffic.
We got back to Barrie on Sunday night, and this week, every evening we are busy taking our SCUBA certification. This is something we've wanted to do for a long time, so it's exciting to finally do it. However, I can be quite apprehensive about the water and tonight we have to take our masks off and breathe underwater without the mask (but still with regulator in mouth) for an entire minute!!!! YIKES! I am pretty nervous about that one. Sigh. The things I put myself through. And all this week, Sammy is with a babysitter in the evenings. Lots of fun for all this week. I'll keep you posted.
On Saturday September 11th, Tim and I competed in our second (and final) triathlons of the season. The triathlon was in Wasaga beach. Tim competed in the Sprint distance triathlon and I completed the "Give-it-a-tri" distance (400 m swim, 10 km bike, 2.5 km run). It was challenging for me, the swim didn't go very well, I had a lot of swimmers around me that I couldn't seem to get away from, and they were bumping me from all sides. Quite frustrating. However, I felt that my run went better than the first tri I competed in, and I finished, so that's all that matters. Now I have motivation to complete more and do better next year!
On Sunday I headed to Belleville where I stayed over for the night at the in-laws. We had a nice little visit and then on Monday I made my way down to Ottawa for the week. My sister Alissa got married on September 18th (more about this in the next post), so I went down for the week to help out in any way I could. I found myself driving all over the place in Ottawa picking up items, dropping things off, sitting in traffic, making fudge, sitting in traffic, washing rocks (don't ask ha ha), sitting in traffic, etc etc. There was a great bachelorette on Thursday night, good food and lots of celebrating. It was a wonderful week overall. But I won't miss the driving, or the traffic.
We got back to Barrie on Sunday night, and this week, every evening we are busy taking our SCUBA certification. This is something we've wanted to do for a long time, so it's exciting to finally do it. However, I can be quite apprehensive about the water and tonight we have to take our masks off and breathe underwater without the mask (but still with regulator in mouth) for an entire minute!!!! YIKES! I am pretty nervous about that one. Sigh. The things I put myself through. And all this week, Sammy is with a babysitter in the evenings. Lots of fun for all this week. I'll keep you posted.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
CIO
Ever hear of the "Cry It Out" philosophy? The basic idea is that if a child refuses to go to sleep, and just cries, that you need to let them cry it out, and then they'll put themselves to sleep. I've never been a subscriber to this idea, I feel like if my son is crying, he needs something and I should try and address that need.
However, in the last week, every time we put Sam down for a nap and/or bed, he screams. Not just cries, but screams. Works himself up into a frenzy and will cry/scream for prolonged periods of time unless you pick him up. Predominately this behaviour is only exhibited in his room, sometimes even as we approach his bedroom, or more often the crib, he starts to cry in your arms. It's very challenging. And I've been picking him up and comforting him, because it feels right and because my gut tells me it's the right thing to do. But this behaviour is continuing, and may actually be getting worse. Yesterday he didn't nap at all, and REALLY cried/screamed for at least 30 minutes before bed last night.
I was talking to someone about this issue last Wednesday, and they said that around 8 months a child begins to understand the concept of cause-and-effect. That their actions have consequences. So if he cries/makes a fuss, he will get attention OR won't have to go down for a nap. I've been pondering this idea all weekend, and even though Sam is only 7 1/2 months AND is teething, I think he's manipulating us. Every time a toy is taken away from him (i.e. his spoon because it needs to be cleaned), he'll scream. Every time he's put down from being carried, he'll scream. Every time he's put down for a nap, even if he's been rubbing his eyes and yawning, he'll scream. So now I am faced with a dilemma. I don't want to ignore him if something is wrong, but I also don't want to reinforce bad behaviour.
Last night when we put him down for the night, like I said, he screamed for at least 30 minutes. I went in and soothed him periodically, but didn't take him out of the room. Eventually I just had to leave him and let him cry. It was really hard. The same thing for this morning's nap. As far as I can tell, nothing is wrong. But it's really hard to just let him cry.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Adventure Baby
Baby in Action: Taking on the Jolly Jumper
Trying out a little wakeboarding....
Having a little "Sam Time" - and Hudson came out for a visit!
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Maggie Strikes Again...
We spent the week at my in-laws cottage and hosted my husband's colleague Jeff and his family from Tuesday to Friday of the past week. We brought Maggie and Edwin along because we didn't want to leave them alone for too long and because they both enjoy the view from the screened in porch. It's almost like being outside for them, without the worry for me about where they are, what they're into if they were actually outside. All through the week Maggie was trying to escape every time the screen door opened.
Near the end of the week, Maggie escaped a few times outside when people left the screen door open, or were too slow shutting it. Then on Saturday morning, we noticed Maggie was outside. We couldn't remember seeing her slip out the door, but there she was, prancing around on the porch. So we caught her, and brought her back inside the cottage. About five minutes later Maggie was out again. At that point, we started to get suspicious. We went outside to catch her, and she bolted around towards the back of the screened in porch. As we chased her, I looked up and noticed a gaping hole in the screen, and Edwin's nose sticking out the hole. Tim caught Maggie, and I rushed inside the porch to stop Ed from jumping. It appears that Maggie had torn her way through the screen of the screened in porch. Bloody claws and all. I guess she really wanted outside!
There was no way for us to patch up the hole at the time, so for the rest of the weekend during the day the cats got to roam about outside. And they actually did very well. They came back to eat and believe it or not, Ed came back to use the litterbox!Monday, August 16, 2010
Adventures in Baby Food Making
So far I'm really enjoying making Sam's food. It's great knowing exactly what he's eating, how it's been prepared, and there's a certain satisfaction in seeing him enjoy it. I've been doing some reading on and off about how good it is for your baby to consume organic foods, mainly because their systems are so susceptible to the toxins that can linger in foods that have been grown in environments that use pesticides, chemical fertilizers etc. So I've been making an effort to seek out locally grown and/or organic foods to make Sam's baby food. Sometimes I'm successful, sometimes I wash his food really well and pray the toxins wash off. :P
Anyway, a couple days ago we introduced carrots, which Sam really likes. I'd only made enough servings for about 3 days, and I'd used organic carrots I'd bought at the farmer's market. Since I won't be able to get more till the weekend, I went to the Sobeys here in town because my mom had told me they had a decent organic section. Sure enough, I was able to pick up a 2 lb bag of organic carrots. (They have a pretty decent selection of organic produce, as does Zehrs, however both are lacking in the LOCAL produce department)
This evening I peeled the entire bag of carrots, and then left Tim in charge of cutting and cooking the carrots as I was going out for a workout. When I returned from the gym, I found out Tim had had his first adventure in baby food preparation. I guess he didn't realize how quickly water can boil off a pot of veggies, and he had put the carrots on to boil and then set about doing some other things around the house. When I got home, there was a funny smell in the air which I couldn't identify. I went into the kitchen and on the counter was a small pot with only a small portion of the cut up carrots. Then I noticed in the sink that there was a larger pot with a very burned bottom....it turns out when Tim came back to check the carrots, they had completely boiled off and were cooking to the bottom of the pot. My sweet husband had picked through all the carrots to find the non-burnt ones and kept them while discarding the rest. Unfortunately the ones he kept still tasted burnt, but it was the thought that was sweet. And in the long run, he learned a valuable cooking lesson that I think all of us discover at one time or another. :P
Anyway, a couple days ago we introduced carrots, which Sam really likes. I'd only made enough servings for about 3 days, and I'd used organic carrots I'd bought at the farmer's market. Since I won't be able to get more till the weekend, I went to the Sobeys here in town because my mom had told me they had a decent organic section. Sure enough, I was able to pick up a 2 lb bag of organic carrots. (They have a pretty decent selection of organic produce, as does Zehrs, however both are lacking in the LOCAL produce department)
This evening I peeled the entire bag of carrots, and then left Tim in charge of cutting and cooking the carrots as I was going out for a workout. When I returned from the gym, I found out Tim had had his first adventure in baby food preparation. I guess he didn't realize how quickly water can boil off a pot of veggies, and he had put the carrots on to boil and then set about doing some other things around the house. When I got home, there was a funny smell in the air which I couldn't identify. I went into the kitchen and on the counter was a small pot with only a small portion of the cut up carrots. Then I noticed in the sink that there was a larger pot with a very burned bottom....it turns out when Tim came back to check the carrots, they had completely boiled off and were cooking to the bottom of the pot. My sweet husband had picked through all the carrots to find the non-burnt ones and kept them while discarding the rest. Unfortunately the ones he kept still tasted burnt, but it was the thought that was sweet. And in the long run, he learned a valuable cooking lesson that I think all of us discover at one time or another. :P
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Community Supported Agriculture
When we lived in Hamilton we used to receive a fresh veggie basket every week as a part of a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program that friends of ours had gotten us involved with. The idea behind a CSA is that you (the consumer) pay a set price to the farmer to buy shares in their farm for a season. In return, you receive a share of the harvest throughout the growing season.
It's a great way to get fresh fruits and veggies and to get to know local farmers. And it's great for supporting a vital local industry. Anyway, when we moved to Barrie we were really missing our veggie basket, and last summer I did what I could to get stuff from the farmer's market. But I missed the convenience of a basket every week, and the creativity required to cook with whatever came in your basket.
Happily, I discovered a website about a month ago, the Ontario CSA Directory which has a list of all the farms in Ontario that offer this option. We were able to locate an organic farmer here in the Barrie area that still had shares available for the season! We've been getting a veggie basket every week for the past month, and really have been enjoying it! You should check it out to see if there are farmers available where you live! :)
It's a great way to get fresh fruits and veggies and to get to know local farmers. And it's great for supporting a vital local industry. Anyway, when we moved to Barrie we were really missing our veggie basket, and last summer I did what I could to get stuff from the farmer's market. But I missed the convenience of a basket every week, and the creativity required to cook with whatever came in your basket.
Happily, I discovered a website about a month ago, the Ontario CSA Directory which has a list of all the farms in Ontario that offer this option. We were able to locate an organic farmer here in the Barrie area that still had shares available for the season! We've been getting a veggie basket every week for the past month, and really have been enjoying it! You should check it out to see if there are farmers available where you live! :)
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Goal Accomplished
Well, Tim and I made our way down to Grimsby this weekend and today we both participated in a triathlon. In the morning Tim took part in the sprint triathlon (which was 750 m swim, 25 km bike and 7 km run) and he set a personal best! He did his race in 1 hour 44 minutes and 42 seconds. YAY Tim!
In the afternoon I participated in my first triathlon, called a "Try-a-tri" which is basically a mini triathlon. It included a 375 m swim, 10 km bike and 2.5 km run. I was hoping to do the race in less than an hour, but I didn't think I would. However, when I crossed the finish line, the official clock read 57 min, 15 sec!!! It felt so great to finish. :)
In the afternoon I participated in my first triathlon, called a "Try-a-tri" which is basically a mini triathlon. It included a 375 m swim, 10 km bike and 2.5 km run. I was hoping to do the race in less than an hour, but I didn't think I would. However, when I crossed the finish line, the official clock read 57 min, 15 sec!!! It felt so great to finish. :)
Friday, August 6, 2010
Five Years
On August 6th, 2005 I was a part of a wedding that has lingered in my mind......It was a glorious day, everyone says that the bride was beautiful, but all I can remember is how handsome the groom was. The food was great, the dancing was fun, heck they even partied on a local cruise boat! It was quite the party. :) I haven't been to a wedding quite like it since.
Happy Anniversary honey. :)
Happy Anniversary honey. :)
Thursday, August 5, 2010
The 100 mile diet
Have you ever stopped to consider where your food comes from? Like, how far did it travel to arrive on your plate? Or in your cupboard? Or fridge? How much of our food is imported from abroad? These are questions in previous years I hadn't put much thought to. But in the past couple years, the idea of trying to eat locally, to eat more whole foods and to have a better idea of where my food comes from has been a more pertinent thought in my mind.
I've been doing a lot of reading online about this topic, and came across some references to the "100 mile diet" - which is a book written by a Vancouver couple that decided to eat only local foods (as they defined, grown within 100 miles of their vicinity) for an entire year. Think about that for a minute. No coffee. No bananas. No mangoes. Nothing that needs to be imported. So if you can't find locally made baking soda or baking powder, you're out of luck for baking for a year. Or it becomes a lot more challenging. Same thing for wheat, yeast, tea, peanut butter (gasp!)....the list goes on and on. When you start to think about all the items that fill our cupboards that are imported from the US, Mexico, South Africa, China - it starts to make you think about the gallons and gallons of fossil fuels fuels that are burned up for our eating pleasure. It also makes me wonder what kind of growing rules the farms in China or Mexico or California follow. Do they have the same rules and ethics that our farmers have?
I don't think I can give up my tea, or peanut butter. But it does make me feel motivated to start researching local things - like flour, meat, dairy - I don't even know if there are farms that supply flour in this area. But I'm going to find out. And I'm going to get out to the farmer's market more often!
I've been doing a lot of reading online about this topic, and came across some references to the "100 mile diet" - which is a book written by a Vancouver couple that decided to eat only local foods (as they defined, grown within 100 miles of their vicinity) for an entire year. Think about that for a minute. No coffee. No bananas. No mangoes. Nothing that needs to be imported. So if you can't find locally made baking soda or baking powder, you're out of luck for baking for a year. Or it becomes a lot more challenging. Same thing for wheat, yeast, tea, peanut butter (gasp!)....the list goes on and on. When you start to think about all the items that fill our cupboards that are imported from the US, Mexico, South Africa, China - it starts to make you think about the gallons and gallons of fossil fuels fuels that are burned up for our eating pleasure. It also makes me wonder what kind of growing rules the farms in China or Mexico or California follow. Do they have the same rules and ethics that our farmers have?
I don't think I can give up my tea, or peanut butter. But it does make me feel motivated to start researching local things - like flour, meat, dairy - I don't even know if there are farms that supply flour in this area. But I'm going to find out. And I'm going to get out to the farmer's market more often!
Monday, August 2, 2010
A goal
I haven't posted an exercise log in a while, but not because I haven't been exercising, moreso because we have been at our parent's cottages and not frequently in front of the computer. Gotta love summer holidays!
Tim has been encouraging me to try doing a mini triathlon (try-a-tri or give-it-a-tri they're called!) this summer. And for quite a while now I have been exercising regularly, running, biking and swimming, and considering the possibility of attempting one. The "idea" of doing a triathlon is a great motivator, it keeps me exercising, because if I were to do one, I'd need to be in shape. But to actually take the plunge and register for one, well that makes it real. That makes the idea become a goal.
This Friday will be Tim and my 5th Anniversary, and in honour of 5 years of marriage, we are heading down to Niagara region on Saturday to *gulp* do a triathlon on Sunday. It will be in Grimsby Ontario, here is the link if you want to check out details.
Hoping it will go well, and even that maybe a few friends/family members might come cheer us on. We'll see.
Tim has been encouraging me to try doing a mini triathlon (try-a-tri or give-it-a-tri they're called!) this summer. And for quite a while now I have been exercising regularly, running, biking and swimming, and considering the possibility of attempting one. The "idea" of doing a triathlon is a great motivator, it keeps me exercising, because if I were to do one, I'd need to be in shape. But to actually take the plunge and register for one, well that makes it real. That makes the idea become a goal.
This Friday will be Tim and my 5th Anniversary, and in honour of 5 years of marriage, we are heading down to Niagara region on Saturday to *gulp* do a triathlon on Sunday. It will be in Grimsby Ontario, here is the link if you want to check out details.
Hoping it will go well, and even that maybe a few friends/family members might come cheer us on. We'll see.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Little Angel
Sometimes I feel like I'm partaking in a love affair....My son is just so sweet, so innocent, I just love him. :) He makes me smile, and it's so fun spending time with him.
I love watching him while he nurses, how he gently strokes my breast, or takes his little thumb and kind've dances it along my chest. How he sometimes falls asleep while he nurses, and his little face is so peaceful, even as he continues to eat.
I love watching him sleep, with eyes so perfect, so angelic, I hate to wake him, so as to spoil the moment.
I wish I could take each moment and capture it forever in my mind. I wish I could keep him this age forever. But not really, because I know there are many, many good memories to come. :)
I love watching him while he nurses, how he gently strokes my breast, or takes his little thumb and kind've dances it along my chest. How he sometimes falls asleep while he nurses, and his little face is so peaceful, even as he continues to eat.
I love watching him sleep, with eyes so perfect, so angelic, I hate to wake him, so as to spoil the moment.
I wish I could take each moment and capture it forever in my mind. I wish I could keep him this age forever. But not really, because I know there are many, many good memories to come. :)
Friday, July 30, 2010
Food Update
Well we tried chicken puree with Sam. As I was preparing it, I was thinking, this is pretty gross. It looks gross, it smells gross, if Sam likes this, it will be a miracle.
Sam did NOT like chicken. In fact, after he tried chicken, his aversion to lentils lessened significantly. He ate several spoonfuls of lentils without any difficulty at all. We tried mixing chicken with sweet potato at the next feeding with limited success.
Tim did discover however, if you let Sam hold the spoon and guide it into his mouth, he'll take the chicken more willingly. :P
Sam did NOT like chicken. In fact, after he tried chicken, his aversion to lentils lessened significantly. He ate several spoonfuls of lentils without any difficulty at all. We tried mixing chicken with sweet potato at the next feeding with limited success.
Tim did discover however, if you let Sam hold the spoon and guide it into his mouth, he'll take the chicken more willingly. :P
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Taste Adventures
On July 20th Sam turned 6 months old (wow! I can not believe how fast it's gone!). Reaching this milestone means that Sam can now start trying solid foods. So far, it has been quite an adventure.
The first food we tried with Sam was sweet potato. He was a little bit perplexed by what to do with the food at first, and he played around with it in his mouth for a while. Eventually he got the hang of "this eating thing", and within a day or two he was readily opening his mouth when the spoon approached with sweet potato.
The next food we tried was avocado. Now Sam wasn't quite a big a fan of avocado as he was sweet potato, I think the creamier and slightly denser texture was a bit harder for him to figure out. But after a day or two of working with the texture, Sam was still fairly eager to eat off the spoon. The only difference was that when he got tired of the avocado, he would just start pushing it out of this mouth onto his face, the bib and everywhere else it landed.
Banana was the next food on the roster, and let me tell you, Sam LOVES banana. I've never seen my son open his mouth so eagerly or willingly as when you offer him banana. It was a hit from the start.
Food #4 wasn't quite the hit that I had hoped. I decided to try brown lentils with Sam next, as it is a good source of iron, fibre and an assortment of other nutrients. The first time I gave lentils to Sam, he eagerly opened his mouth, expecting his favorite food banana. He was sorely surprised and taken aback by the pasty, different-flavoured food that he received in his mouth. All versions of facial expressions, shudders and even some gags followed as I attempted to feed him his lentils. Sam learned some tricks very quickly. Such as clenching his mouth closed and sticking his tongue out ever so slightly to sample the food on the spoon, just to see if it was lentils. Or demanding to hold the spoon so that he didn't have to eat the offensive food. Or stuffing the bib in his mouth so that the lentils couldn't fit. Crying, turning his head away and/or sticking out his tongue and letting the food fall out altogether. Quite an adventure. :P
I tried mixing lentils with sweet potato or banana, and both had limited success. He'd eat a few bites, and then all of a sudden realize that there were lentils in the food, and the behaviors listed above would come out. However, I did learn a few tricks.
1. Alternate less appealing foods with mouthfuls of yummy foods. That way you get in half a dozen spoonfuls of the offensive food before he catches on and starts "taste testing" each bite.
2. Put a little bit of yummy food at the front of the spoon and the offensive food further back to fool the "taste testing" ploy.
3. Be patient. He seems to become a little more tolerant of the food with more attempts.
It's definitely an adventure! Today we will try some chicken. :P
The first food we tried with Sam was sweet potato. He was a little bit perplexed by what to do with the food at first, and he played around with it in his mouth for a while. Eventually he got the hang of "this eating thing", and within a day or two he was readily opening his mouth when the spoon approached with sweet potato.
The next food we tried was avocado. Now Sam wasn't quite a big a fan of avocado as he was sweet potato, I think the creamier and slightly denser texture was a bit harder for him to figure out. But after a day or two of working with the texture, Sam was still fairly eager to eat off the spoon. The only difference was that when he got tired of the avocado, he would just start pushing it out of this mouth onto his face, the bib and everywhere else it landed.
Banana was the next food on the roster, and let me tell you, Sam LOVES banana. I've never seen my son open his mouth so eagerly or willingly as when you offer him banana. It was a hit from the start.
Food #4 wasn't quite the hit that I had hoped. I decided to try brown lentils with Sam next, as it is a good source of iron, fibre and an assortment of other nutrients. The first time I gave lentils to Sam, he eagerly opened his mouth, expecting his favorite food banana. He was sorely surprised and taken aback by the pasty, different-flavoured food that he received in his mouth. All versions of facial expressions, shudders and even some gags followed as I attempted to feed him his lentils. Sam learned some tricks very quickly. Such as clenching his mouth closed and sticking his tongue out ever so slightly to sample the food on the spoon, just to see if it was lentils. Or demanding to hold the spoon so that he didn't have to eat the offensive food. Or stuffing the bib in his mouth so that the lentils couldn't fit. Crying, turning his head away and/or sticking out his tongue and letting the food fall out altogether. Quite an adventure. :P
I tried mixing lentils with sweet potato or banana, and both had limited success. He'd eat a few bites, and then all of a sudden realize that there were lentils in the food, and the behaviors listed above would come out. However, I did learn a few tricks.
1. Alternate less appealing foods with mouthfuls of yummy foods. That way you get in half a dozen spoonfuls of the offensive food before he catches on and starts "taste testing" each bite.
2. Put a little bit of yummy food at the front of the spoon and the offensive food further back to fool the "taste testing" ploy.
3. Be patient. He seems to become a little more tolerant of the food with more attempts.
It's definitely an adventure! Today we will try some chicken. :P
Monday, July 26, 2010
Breastfeeding
It's a funny thing, breastfeeding. It's the best thing we can do for our children, if we are able, and yet, it is something that very few women are familiar with before they have children of their own. Before I had Sam, I had very occasionally seen a friend or family member breastfeed their child. I had seen a few women in Africa comfortably breastfeeding their children in public. But other than that, I had had little exposure to this very natural part of life. I had always assumed that because it's something our bodies are designed to do, that it wouldn't really be that difficult.
Man was I wrong. Learning to breastfeed has to be one of the biggest hurdles I have ever encountered. And this is coming from someone who went through intensive challenging training in school, exercises and partakes in several fairly risky sports, AND delivered her child without medication. From trying to figure out how to hold a flailing, squirmy, often frantic baby to dealing with painful, bruised, cracked, white nipples (I was diagnosed with Raynaud's syndrome in my nipples) it felt like an uphill battle. Thankfully, I had the support from family and friends (especially my husband Tim!) and I was able to persevere. Now I have a healthy, glowing six month old baby, and he's been brought up solely on breastmilk.
I have wondered a lot along the way why there isn't a better support system for nursing moms, why we don't support each other as much as we should, why we don't use the resources available to us as much as we should. There are a lot of resources out there, like La Leche League and the local health unit.
A good friend of mine has a four week old son, and she is currently going through a lot of the same struggles I experienced. I am thankful that I am able to share my experiences and be a listening ear if nothing else. But it's made me realize how essential it is for moms to be resources not only for other moms, but other potential moms - sisters, daughters, friends, strangers even. With so many women out there that have breastfed their children over the years, it truly is strange that most of us have no idea how to do it. I think the biggest thing I've learned is that I can be a resource. And I hope that the women around me will feel comfortable using me as one.
Man was I wrong. Learning to breastfeed has to be one of the biggest hurdles I have ever encountered. And this is coming from someone who went through intensive challenging training in school, exercises and partakes in several fairly risky sports, AND delivered her child without medication. From trying to figure out how to hold a flailing, squirmy, often frantic baby to dealing with painful, bruised, cracked, white nipples (I was diagnosed with Raynaud's syndrome in my nipples) it felt like an uphill battle. Thankfully, I had the support from family and friends (especially my husband Tim!) and I was able to persevere. Now I have a healthy, glowing six month old baby, and he's been brought up solely on breastmilk.
I have wondered a lot along the way why there isn't a better support system for nursing moms, why we don't support each other as much as we should, why we don't use the resources available to us as much as we should. There are a lot of resources out there, like La Leche League and the local health unit.
A good friend of mine has a four week old son, and she is currently going through a lot of the same struggles I experienced. I am thankful that I am able to share my experiences and be a listening ear if nothing else. But it's made me realize how essential it is for moms to be resources not only for other moms, but other potential moms - sisters, daughters, friends, strangers even. With so many women out there that have breastfed their children over the years, it truly is strange that most of us have no idea how to do it. I think the biggest thing I've learned is that I can be a resource. And I hope that the women around me will feel comfortable using me as one.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Being blessed
It feels like only yesterday that Tim and I found out that I was pregnant. Today I was reflecting on the fact that next week my little guy will be starting solid foods. He will be six months old. I'm reeling from that fact. I've already been off work for over 6 months, my son has been a part of our life for almost 6 months. I've been a mommy for almost six months. It's amazing that in such a short period of time my heart has been completely stolen, captivated, enthralled with our baby boy. He is the sweetest, most fun, interactive, intelligent little guy. And I am totally in love.
I didn't think it was possible to love anyone as much as I love my husband Tim. I didn't know that my love could grow and expand. But here I am, a mere 6 months into motherhood, and I feel sometimes like I could burst with all the love I feel in my heart. Where did it come from? It's not like I've always wanted children and the love has just been building up in my heart over the years to pour into my son. In fact, not so long ago I used to say I wouldn't have children. Even when Tim and I got married, having kids wasn't a sure thing. And yet now, I can't imagine my life any other way. It is such a blessing, such a gift to be able to invest in a child's life, whether it's a biological child, an adopted child, a niece, a nephew, a grandchild...they are a gift. And I am so thankful for our little Sam.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Exercise log while away
Sunday - biked 7 km with Tim (who was towing Sam) for a fun Father's day
Friday - 3.4 km run
Saturday - 11.4 km bike
So I slacked off a bit last week, mainly because I was away....but I'm working hard this week at getting back on track!
Friday - 3.4 km run
Saturday - 11.4 km bike
So I slacked off a bit last week, mainly because I was away....but I'm working hard this week at getting back on track!
A week away...
Well, Sam and I spent most of last week two and a half hours away from my husband. We went and visited grammy and grampy (my parents) and hung out there to play and help grammy do some sorting at her house. My parents are not retiring in the near future, but will retire in the next several years. Mom is starting the process of de-cluttering, so I went up and helped her sort through some of her stuff. It was a wonderful visit. I really enjoyed being there and seeing how Sam interacted with his grandparents. I learned a few things too.
1. No one can make Sam laugh like his grammy can (not even me!).
2. Sam likes animals and is aware of them in his surroundings (especially when he gets a big doggie kiss).
3. A jolly-jumper stand CAN be broken down and transported in a car trunk without taking up too much room.
4. During an earthquake, you do NOT want to run to the basement of your house. If you're not in the vicinity of large buildings, go outside. (This info was shared with me by my sister after the earthquake out of Quebec last week)
I really enjoyed my time away, it was fun hanging out with my parents and seeing Sam get to interact with them. He seemed to have a fun time too!! :)
1. No one can make Sam laugh like his grammy can (not even me!).
2. Sam likes animals and is aware of them in his surroundings (especially when he gets a big doggie kiss).
3. A jolly-jumper stand CAN be broken down and transported in a car trunk without taking up too much room.
4. During an earthquake, you do NOT want to run to the basement of your house. If you're not in the vicinity of large buildings, go outside. (This info was shared with me by my sister after the earthquake out of Quebec last week)
I really enjoyed my time away, it was fun hanging out with my parents and seeing Sam get to interact with them. He seemed to have a fun time too!! :)
Friday, June 18, 2010
Exercise log for the week
Monday - ran 3.4 km in 22 min 33 sec (YAY! the farthest I've run since Sam was born)
Tuesday - Yoga!! I'm really enjoying this, and Tim is kind enough to babysit. :)
Wednesday - Swam 40 lengths at the YMCA pool - getting better everyday!
Thursday - took a break
Friday - Swam another 40 lengths at the Y
I'm going to try and get my exercise log up regularly so that I can stay accountable. :)
Tuesday - Yoga!! I'm really enjoying this, and Tim is kind enough to babysit. :)
Wednesday - Swam 40 lengths at the YMCA pool - getting better everyday!
Thursday - took a break
Friday - Swam another 40 lengths at the Y
I'm going to try and get my exercise log up regularly so that I can stay accountable. :)
Predictably Unpredictable
People are always saying how as soon as you think you know your baby, as soon as you are getting used to some sort of "pattern", they change it. For the past month at least, Sam has been eating every 3 hours during the day, waking up between 7 and 7:30 am, and taking three short naps (45 min-hour, sometimes one nap would be hour and a half). The past few days he has started changing his schedule. And mommy doesn't like it. It messes with my routine that I have been getting used to. He's been waking up around 5:30 am (ugh), eating at unpredictable intervals (3-4.5 hour stretches) and taking one or two (if I'm lucky) longer naps during the day. It's crazy. I feel like my world is being turned upside down. And I'm tired. :(
But I guess that's life when you have a baby. Predictably unpredictable. :P
But I guess that's life when you have a baby. Predictably unpredictable. :P
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Mommy brain strikes again...
I would never trade in being a mom, I love Sam and I don't regret it for a moment. But sometimes the side effects of pregnancy and motherhood can be slightly annoying. Like "mommy brain" - a term I'd never heard, and certainly could not relate to until I entered the realm of motherhood. It astounds me at how absentminded and forgetful I can be, especially since Tim used to tease me and tell me I had the memory of an elephant....This afternoon mommy brain really got me.
I arrived at the park in downtown Barrie around 12:30 to meet some friends for a picnic with our babies. One of my friends had already arrived and she walked over to my car to greet me. I chatted away with her as I took the stroller out of the trunk, pulled gear out of the car, stuffed it in the stroller, attached Sam's carseat into the stroller, put my purse in the trunk, grabbed my diaper bag and locked the car. As we walked away from the car I realized I had forgotten Sam's hat. Now normally when I leave my purse in the trunk, I put the keys in the diaper bag. I reached into the diaper bag, but found no keys. I distinctly remembered throwing the keys into something, but since they weren't in the diaper bag, I must have put them in my purse. Which was locked in the trunk. And the car was locked. Sigh.
Thankfully my friend Ashley had a cell phone, so I called Tim and asked if he could bring the spare key to open the car. I felt awful because Tim has a HUGE project due tomorrow and was in work mode. While we were waiting for Tim to arrive, we set up our picnic and started eating. I kept my eyes open for Tim, and when I saw his car I went to meet him and get the spare key. After a quick hello Tim went on his way and I went over to the car to retrieve my keys. I checked my purse in the trunk first. No keys. I opened the driver's side door, checked the ignition, under the seats. No keys. I checked the rest of the car and my purse AGAIN. No keys. I walked back to the picnic spot a little perplexed and tore through my diaper bag. No keys. In desperation I emptied the bottom of the stroller. Sure enough, I had thrown the keys into the basket on the bottom of the stroller and then proceeded to pile all sorts of blankets and other baby paraphernalia on top. Don't ask me what I was thinking, because obviously I wasn't....at least my keys were safe! :)
I arrived at the park in downtown Barrie around 12:30 to meet some friends for a picnic with our babies. One of my friends had already arrived and she walked over to my car to greet me. I chatted away with her as I took the stroller out of the trunk, pulled gear out of the car, stuffed it in the stroller, attached Sam's carseat into the stroller, put my purse in the trunk, grabbed my diaper bag and locked the car. As we walked away from the car I realized I had forgotten Sam's hat. Now normally when I leave my purse in the trunk, I put the keys in the diaper bag. I reached into the diaper bag, but found no keys. I distinctly remembered throwing the keys into something, but since they weren't in the diaper bag, I must have put them in my purse. Which was locked in the trunk. And the car was locked. Sigh.
Thankfully my friend Ashley had a cell phone, so I called Tim and asked if he could bring the spare key to open the car. I felt awful because Tim has a HUGE project due tomorrow and was in work mode. While we were waiting for Tim to arrive, we set up our picnic and started eating. I kept my eyes open for Tim, and when I saw his car I went to meet him and get the spare key. After a quick hello Tim went on his way and I went over to the car to retrieve my keys. I checked my purse in the trunk first. No keys. I opened the driver's side door, checked the ignition, under the seats. No keys. I checked the rest of the car and my purse AGAIN. No keys. I walked back to the picnic spot a little perplexed and tore through my diaper bag. No keys. In desperation I emptied the bottom of the stroller. Sure enough, I had thrown the keys into the basket on the bottom of the stroller and then proceeded to pile all sorts of blankets and other baby paraphernalia on top. Don't ask me what I was thinking, because obviously I wasn't....at least my keys were safe! :)
Sunday, June 13, 2010
The Sam Dance
Sam started using the Jolly Jumper this week! And he LOVES it!!! Check out the video Tim made of Sam goofing off in his Jolly Jumper...
Healthy Banana Muffins
I've been trying to experiment with and use a variety of grains when I'm cooking and baking because they provide a variety of flavours to recipes, and are often healthier than plain old refined wheat. :P Some of the grains and flours I've been experimenting with include Kamut flour, quinoa, 7 grain flour (great for substituting in bread recipes!), flax and oats in various forms. I found an interesting website called Versagrain that provides you with lots of recipes and info on various grains. I've also been using a book called "Quinoa 365" to find some yummy recipes. The following is a recipe I tried off the versagrain website for healthy banana muffins. Give them a try!
Healthy Banana Muffins
(Makes 12)- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (I used 3/4 cup WW, 3/4 cup Kamut flour)
- 1/4 cup oat bran
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt (I used a healthy pinch!)
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 egg whites (I used 2 eggs)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce or pumpkin puree (I used pumpkin, it was GREAT!)
- 3 TBsp ground flaxseed
Directions
Preheat oven the 375 deg F, spray muffin tins with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, sift together flour, oat bran, spices, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together bananas, brown sugar, egg whites, vanilla, and applesauce. Add banana mixture to the flour mixture. Using as few strokes as possible, mix until everything is moistened (lumps are okay). Spoon banana muffin batter into prepared muffin cups, 2/3 full. Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove from oven and sprinkle muffin tops with ground flaxseed.
One thing I did differently was that I mixed the ground flaxseed in the recipe instead of sprinkling it on top the warm muffins. These muffins were excellent, very hearty, very yummy. You'd probably be able to decrease the sugar to 1/2 cup and/or substitute it for maple sugar for a different taste. They freeze very well. This one's definitely a keeper!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Lap Swim
So it's been 4 1/2 months since Sam was born, and I have been trying to get back to my active lifestyle that I had before Sam existed. It's hard, because I don't always have the energy to be active, AND I'm so much less fit than I was. It's also a little discouraging because even though I've been exercising vigorously at least 4-5 days a week for the past month and a bit, I haven't lost an ounce. I think I may have actually gained a few pounds....I'm trying to keep things in perspective because I know that I will be gaining some muscle and I can now fit one pair of pants besides my yoga pants. But it's hard when you just want instant results. It's hard when your clothes don't fit. Sigh. The other challenge is that I have to make sure I'm consuming enough calories to keep up with breastfeeding, which makes it very difficult to lose the baby weight. Someone once told me that breastfeeding was the BEST weight loss plan they'd ever tried and that it just melts the weight off...they were LYING!!!
Anyway, now that my little rant is over...today I went swimming. I've never been a very good swimmer, so I actually took up swimming when I was about 5 1/2 months pregnant with Sam to try and improve my skills. I took a swim class and did at least one lap swim a week for the remainder of my pregnancy. Swimming is good exercise, and I enjoy the feeling of weightlessness. I'm hoping that I can improve my skills enough to compete in a tri-a-tri (mini-triathlon) this summer. Today I swam 34 lengths. It went pretty well. Hope to build that number up. I'll keep you posted. :)
Anyway, now that my little rant is over...today I went swimming. I've never been a very good swimmer, so I actually took up swimming when I was about 5 1/2 months pregnant with Sam to try and improve my skills. I took a swim class and did at least one lap swim a week for the remainder of my pregnancy. Swimming is good exercise, and I enjoy the feeling of weightlessness. I'm hoping that I can improve my skills enough to compete in a tri-a-tri (mini-triathlon) this summer. Today I swam 34 lengths. It went pretty well. Hope to build that number up. I'll keep you posted. :)
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Monday, June 7, 2010
Little Hands
...They bunch up the covers and thread fingers through the holes,
...Grasp unto shirt, face, lips when he suckles at the breast,
...Pull at hair, earrings, necklace when you get in too close,
...Clutch tightly to rubber giraffes and plastic rings.
...Wave in the air with excitement upon seeing a familiar face,
...Hold one another as he ponders something new,
...Grab at the diaper, penaten and wipes, making change time messy,
...Stroke soft objects, including passing cats.
Oh how I love these little hands, that God has entrusted into ours.
...Grasp unto shirt, face, lips when he suckles at the breast,
...Pull at hair, earrings, necklace when you get in too close,
...Clutch tightly to rubber giraffes and plastic rings.
...Wave in the air with excitement upon seeing a familiar face,
...Hold one another as he ponders something new,
...Grab at the diaper, penaten and wipes, making change time messy,
...Stroke soft objects, including passing cats.
Oh how I love these little hands, that God has entrusted into ours.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Maggie strikes...
Maggie, our sometimes unruly adolescent cat, loves to chase things. It may be a stray piece of paper, our cat Edwin, Sam's toys, a housefly. If it will move, she will chase it. Which leads me to two events that have happened in our home in the last 48 hours, both leading to a fair amount of frustration.
The first occurrence involves a roll of 100 stamps. I am in the process of writing and sending out thank you notes to all the wonderful people who blessed us with gifts for Sam before and after he was born. Now there isn't 100 cards to send, but there were enough that I figured buying stamps from Costco would be a good plan. Anyway, Wednesday morning I had a stack of about 10 cards to send out, and I went down to our entryway table where I keep the stamps to address them and then I was planning to send them out. On Tuesday morning Tim had done some cleaning, including tidying up the entryway table, so when I went to look for the stamps, the only thing on the table were our car keys. I figured Tim had relocated the stamps and went to ask him. He said he hadn't, which lead to frustration on both our parts (me not totally believing him, he being annoyed with me) and a day's worth of searching. Wednesday evening, after Sam was in bed, Tim and I started talking about the possibilities of where the stamps might have gone. That is when Tim said, "Do you think Maggie could have found them and chased them off somewhere?" To which I replied "It's possible". With that, we started deducing if we were Maggie, and got hold of a roll of stamps, where would we chase it? The first place we thought of was our entryway closet, a long shot we figured, but nonetheless, worth checking. I went down the stairs, and got down on my hands and knees to look in. I found two things that were out of place. 1. Our beloved Maggie and 2. Our missing roll of stamps. Maggie 1 Adults 0.
The second occurrence involves Maggie's love of chasing live creatures, such as flies. Last night, we had our windows open because it was a nice cool evening. Maggie was perched on the window ledge watching something outside. All of a sudden, and with full use of her claws, she began attacking the screen with fervor. I scolded her and immediately chased her off the window ledge. To prevent Maggie from wrecking the screen overnight, I closed the window until there were only a couple inches left, just enough to let the air circulate. Or so I thought. I was wrong. This morning, after feeding Sam, I walked out into the main room. I looked over towards the window, and what should I see, but our juvenile cat squished between the window and the screen. I imagine she had been there for a few hours, because she couldn't turn around, although she was trying. And with each attempt, she was further tearing our screen away from it's frame. I guess I'm lucky that I found her when I did, because if she had been there much longer, she may have torn the screen sufficiently to fall out the window (and a storey and a half to the ground).
Maggie 2 Adults 0
And now Tim has to replace a screen!
The first occurrence involves a roll of 100 stamps. I am in the process of writing and sending out thank you notes to all the wonderful people who blessed us with gifts for Sam before and after he was born. Now there isn't 100 cards to send, but there were enough that I figured buying stamps from Costco would be a good plan. Anyway, Wednesday morning I had a stack of about 10 cards to send out, and I went down to our entryway table where I keep the stamps to address them and then I was planning to send them out. On Tuesday morning Tim had done some cleaning, including tidying up the entryway table, so when I went to look for the stamps, the only thing on the table were our car keys. I figured Tim had relocated the stamps and went to ask him. He said he hadn't, which lead to frustration on both our parts (me not totally believing him, he being annoyed with me) and a day's worth of searching. Wednesday evening, after Sam was in bed, Tim and I started talking about the possibilities of where the stamps might have gone. That is when Tim said, "Do you think Maggie could have found them and chased them off somewhere?" To which I replied "It's possible". With that, we started deducing if we were Maggie, and got hold of a roll of stamps, where would we chase it? The first place we thought of was our entryway closet, a long shot we figured, but nonetheless, worth checking. I went down the stairs, and got down on my hands and knees to look in. I found two things that were out of place. 1. Our beloved Maggie and 2. Our missing roll of stamps. Maggie 1 Adults 0.
The second occurrence involves Maggie's love of chasing live creatures, such as flies. Last night, we had our windows open because it was a nice cool evening. Maggie was perched on the window ledge watching something outside. All of a sudden, and with full use of her claws, she began attacking the screen with fervor. I scolded her and immediately chased her off the window ledge. To prevent Maggie from wrecking the screen overnight, I closed the window until there were only a couple inches left, just enough to let the air circulate. Or so I thought. I was wrong. This morning, after feeding Sam, I walked out into the main room. I looked over towards the window, and what should I see, but our juvenile cat squished between the window and the screen. I imagine she had been there for a few hours, because she couldn't turn around, although she was trying. And with each attempt, she was further tearing our screen away from it's frame. I guess I'm lucky that I found her when I did, because if she had been there much longer, she may have torn the screen sufficiently to fall out the window (and a storey and a half to the ground).
Maggie 2 Adults 0
And now Tim has to replace a screen!
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Ordinary days
I find as a new mom that sometimes I can get a little lonely. So to combat this I have occupied many of my days with going to "mom's groups", walking with other moms, hanging out with friends. But you know, sometimes I find the week flies by and I haven't had much "slow time" with just me and Sam. Just an ordinary day, with no errands to run and nowhere I have to be.
Today is one of those days. I woke up, had a muffin and some orange juice. Then I went in to feed Sam and was greeted with his sweet smile. He did a little body wiggle as if to say "I'm so glad to see you, thanks for thinking of me". He gave me another little smile and then began to cry, as is per normal when he first wakes up in the morning: hungry. He ate, I changed his diaper, and then we began our daily routine. Play on the blankets on the ground with his favorite toys while mommy ate the rest of her breakfast (sitting on the ground with him!). Sit in his bumbo and play with the rings while mommy did some work at the table. Take a nap. Eat. Play. Repeat.
You'd think the predictability of these ordinary days would drive a person crazy. But every smile, every giggle, every discovery is fresh. And I think I might just like these "ordinary" days best. :)
Today is one of those days. I woke up, had a muffin and some orange juice. Then I went in to feed Sam and was greeted with his sweet smile. He did a little body wiggle as if to say "I'm so glad to see you, thanks for thinking of me". He gave me another little smile and then began to cry, as is per normal when he first wakes up in the morning: hungry. He ate, I changed his diaper, and then we began our daily routine. Play on the blankets on the ground with his favorite toys while mommy ate the rest of her breakfast (sitting on the ground with him!). Sit in his bumbo and play with the rings while mommy did some work at the table. Take a nap. Eat. Play. Repeat.
You'd think the predictability of these ordinary days would drive a person crazy. But every smile, every giggle, every discovery is fresh. And I think I might just like these "ordinary" days best. :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)