It's round, squishy and soft.
When you touched it, you would laugh and laugh.
For ten minutes you sat and touched your tummy, then your belly button and laughed
with delight.
Who needs television with entertainment like this?
Friday, May 27, 2011
New Discovery
Today you discovered there's something under your shirt.
It's round, squishy and soft.
When you touched it, you would laugh and laugh.
For ten minutes you sat and touched your tummy, then your belly button and laughed
It's round, squishy and soft.When you touched it, you would laugh and laugh.
For ten minutes you sat and touched your tummy, then your belly button and laughed
Monday, May 16, 2011
A Perfect Weekend
Sure it was raining with blustery winds but this was a weekend I long for. We had no obligations, no parties, no birthdays. It was fantastic.
Friday I made a delicious breakfast casserole courtesy of one of my great book club gals. So Saturday morning Abby and I woke up at 6:30am and I started the casserole. Abby dined on cheerios, bananas and yogurt while we waited. It was delicious - spinach, ham, mushrooms, onions, cheese and more cheese. We played for a few hours until Tim woke up and then she started getting cranky. It had been a rough week in our home with ridiculous temper tantrums and screaming fits so we decided for the weekend she was going to nap whenever she wanted. From 10-12 she napped, I took a nap, Tim ate breakfast and got ready for the day. Abby woke up in great spirits so we went out to lunch - all three of us.
She was in such a good mood, smiling at everyone in the restaurant. She ate more than half her grilled cheese and all her applesauce and didn't get restless until 5 minutes before we got the bill. We then went to a rummage sale at the church we have been attending. We happened to get there when it was closing up so for $2 you could carry out anything you wanted. Abby walked around and said hello to a buddy from daycare while I searched through all the children's clothes. We ended up with a grocery store paper bag full of clothes for Abby, some board books, some items for a special boy friend of hers and a booster seat for the table when she is older. Next we stopped at the farmer's market just to see what plants are out. This whole time she was an angel. Then we headed home for her second dinner and cleaned and prepared dinner while she rested.
Bed time went smoothly, Tim read her a new story and then we got to watch a movie and have a drink in our almost clean house.
It may not sound like much but to me it was perfect. The opportunity to be a family, to do whatever we want for a whole day. The time to make our house liveable and then relax. The time to just be together and smile and laugh. The chance to be doting parents all day and then just be Tim and Jess that night. It was perfect. I can't wait for our vacation.
Friday I made a delicious breakfast casserole courtesy of one of my great book club gals. So Saturday morning Abby and I woke up at 6:30am and I started the casserole. Abby dined on cheerios, bananas and yogurt while we waited. It was delicious - spinach, ham, mushrooms, onions, cheese and more cheese. We played for a few hours until Tim woke up and then she started getting cranky. It had been a rough week in our home with ridiculous temper tantrums and screaming fits so we decided for the weekend she was going to nap whenever she wanted. From 10-12 she napped, I took a nap, Tim ate breakfast and got ready for the day. Abby woke up in great spirits so we went out to lunch - all three of us.
She was in such a good mood, smiling at everyone in the restaurant. She ate more than half her grilled cheese and all her applesauce and didn't get restless until 5 minutes before we got the bill. We then went to a rummage sale at the church we have been attending. We happened to get there when it was closing up so for $2 you could carry out anything you wanted. Abby walked around and said hello to a buddy from daycare while I searched through all the children's clothes. We ended up with a grocery store paper bag full of clothes for Abby, some board books, some items for a special boy friend of hers and a booster seat for the table when she is older. Next we stopped at the farmer's market just to see what plants are out. This whole time she was an angel. Then we headed home for her second dinner and cleaned and prepared dinner while she rested.
Bed time went smoothly, Tim read her a new story and then we got to watch a movie and have a drink in our almost clean house.
It may not sound like much but to me it was perfect. The opportunity to be a family, to do whatever we want for a whole day. The time to make our house liveable and then relax. The time to just be together and smile and laugh. The chance to be doting parents all day and then just be Tim and Jess that night. It was perfect. I can't wait for our vacation.
Monday, May 9, 2011
What I've learned - the first year
1) Aluminum foil is a fantastic window treatment.
2) Oxy-clean can almost always save the day.
3) No matter how much your husband loves you and your child, when things are real hard it's other mothers that will get you through.
4) A child can always do more than you give her/him credit for.
5) Every home needs a glider or rocking chair.
6) Sometimes children are hysterical for no reason
7) Baby food in a jar is disgusting. Try it then try to make your kid eat it.
8) My house will never be clean again.
9) My patient husband has even more patience than I could ever imagine.
10) No matter how early I go to sleep I will NEVER feel refreshed before 6am.
11) Spoons make amazing toys
12) I did not know what a true friend was until I became a mother and was supported by all of you. Happy Belated Mother's Day and thanks for all your help.
2) Oxy-clean can almost always save the day.
3) No matter how much your husband loves you and your child, when things are real hard it's other mothers that will get you through.
4) A child can always do more than you give her/him credit for.
5) Every home needs a glider or rocking chair.
6) Sometimes children are hysterical for no reason
7) Baby food in a jar is disgusting. Try it then try to make your kid eat it.
8) My house will never be clean again.
9) My patient husband has even more patience than I could ever imagine.
10) No matter how early I go to sleep I will NEVER feel refreshed before 6am.
11) Spoons make amazing toys
12) I did not know what a true friend was until I became a mother and was supported by all of you. Happy Belated Mother's Day and thanks for all your help.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Easter Fun
I think when we were growing up we went to Grandma Pindel's. All I really remember about Easter is our basket always being on our assigned kitchen chair filled with Quality Candy chocolates, my old favorite Peeps, and that delicious coconut jelly bean nest. I am not a fan of coconut but those are really good.
After negotiations we decided to have Easter with the Grutzmacher/Grudzinski/Bartl clan. Abby napped in the car as planned and we ate pretty much right after she woke up so she only wore her Easter dress about 20 waking minutes.
The Easter Bunny set up the annual egg hunt. The little boys had a great time, Abby didn't really get and Kai was too big to pretend this year. We had a delicious meal as always and spent most of the afternoon playing outside.
Tricia made a lamb cake for us this year, which I forgot to take a picture of and of course I forgot to take pictures of Abby's Easter basket. It had an adorable stuffed rabbit, two books (one of which is already destroyed), a t-shirt, bubbles, and a ball. It was perfect. Abby even went to church and was well behaved for Daddy while Mommy worked in the morning.
"Why don't you look for the eggs Dad? I already have two"
Kayden trying to figure out why Abby doesn't want to pick up the eggs in plain view.
The dress
The only front view of the dress
After negotiations we decided to have Easter with the Grutzmacher/Grudzinski/Bartl clan. Abby napped in the car as planned and we ate pretty much right after she woke up so she only wore her Easter dress about 20 waking minutes.
The Easter Bunny set up the annual egg hunt. The little boys had a great time, Abby didn't really get and Kai was too big to pretend this year. We had a delicious meal as always and spent most of the afternoon playing outside.
Tricia made a lamb cake for us this year, which I forgot to take a picture of and of course I forgot to take pictures of Abby's Easter basket. It had an adorable stuffed rabbit, two books (one of which is already destroyed), a t-shirt, bubbles, and a ball. It was perfect. Abby even went to church and was well behaved for Daddy while Mommy worked in the morning.
She didn't pick these eggs up, don't let her fool you.
"Why don't you look for the eggs Dad? I already have two"
Kayden trying to figure out why Abby doesn't want to pick up the eggs in plain view.
The dress
The only front view of the dress
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
What's for dinner 2?
One of the reason's I love Tim is that he loves food. He's not too picky. I made one of his favorite dishes tonight because in between school and work he washed a ton of dishes. I asked him to wash one little pan and he washed several drying rack full loads. Secondly I made it for him because it is one of the easiest recipes ever. It also freezes great and has been a favorite of everyone that I have made it for.
Pasta Bake
1# ground beef ( I usually use ground turkey)
3/4 a box of rotini or penne
1 bag of mozzarella cheese
1 jar of spaghetti sauce
about 1/2 cup of parmesean cheese
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Boil water for the noodles and start browning the meat. Once the noodles and meat are cooked combine in a 9x13 pan with the sauce and parmesean cheese. Stir so that sauce is evenly distributed and top with the mozzarella cheese. Bake for 15-18 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbley.
**I usually put some red pepper flakes in and sometimes add mushrooms and onions or maybe spinach to change it up. But Tim always likes it best just the 5 ingredient recipe above. I feed this to Abby for the first time today and she ate almost as big a portion as I did!!
What's your go to easy meal? I'm running out of ideas.
Pasta Bake
1# ground beef ( I usually use ground turkey)
3/4 a box of rotini or penne
1 bag of mozzarella cheese
1 jar of spaghetti sauce
about 1/2 cup of parmesean cheese
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Boil water for the noodles and start browning the meat. Once the noodles and meat are cooked combine in a 9x13 pan with the sauce and parmesean cheese. Stir so that sauce is evenly distributed and top with the mozzarella cheese. Bake for 15-18 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbley.
**I usually put some red pepper flakes in and sometimes add mushrooms and onions or maybe spinach to change it up. But Tim always likes it best just the 5 ingredient recipe above. I feed this to Abby for the first time today and she ate almost as big a portion as I did!!
What's your go to easy meal? I'm running out of ideas.
Hugs and Kisses daycare
Today was another day where I heard about some cute or great thing Abby did at daycare and smiled and then cried in the car. When I first put Abby in daycare I asked a lot (I mean every mom I know with a child in daycare when the sadness/guilt subsides), no one answered me. Now I know why, it never gets easier to let some stranger raise your kid but you just suck it up and savor the moments you have. Today she walked half way across the play room by herself. I would quit my job to have seen it. I would sell my car. I would follow a renal, gluten free diet to be with her for moments like that. We haven't seen more than 4 steps. The first of many major mile stones I'll never see.
Lori is fantastic and so are all the kids and families that use her service. She had a Christmas party so we got to meet most of the other parents and she even got a gift for each child and each family. Every year she has a Halloween party, we weren't able to go last year but hope to this year. So don't get me wrong, Abby's in a great place. It's just not my arms or Tim's arms or our house. That is not the kind of mother I had hoped to be and I feel guilty about it everyday.
So what do I love about Hugs and Kisses daycare:
-When we get to the porch Abby is already excited to get in and play (of course I also really hate this because she doesn't always notice I left and I want her to miss me a little bit)
-When Abby comes in a little later the older kids get so excited she is there and shout "Abby's here, Abby's here".
-There are different toys to explore and play with then at our house.
-Lori's mother and 2 daughters (20 and 18 years old) adore Abby and it is obvious she is favorite whenever I go to pick her up.
-Lori is so flexible and will do anything you ask without any kind of hassle or debate
-We can walk there from our house.
-When Abby was younger and in the carseat you can carry them in she would cry when I would put her in and the two girls that are about 3 years old would come talk to her and pet her hair so I could get her ready.
-Whenever she wears her fleece with bear ears, the oldest girl at daycare sings "Abby's a bear, Abby's a bear" and twirls and dances around her and makes her smile.
-Lori does a craft with the older kids every day. I can't wait to get those things soon.
-Lori says when she has the learning circle Abby always comes to sit down and listens very intently like she knows what's going on.
All and all I feel blessed that we found Lori and the love that her family has shown to Abby eases the guilt but not the heartache. Hopefully by the time she starts school I'll have accepted that I can't spend every day with my sweet girl.
Lori is fantastic and so are all the kids and families that use her service. She had a Christmas party so we got to meet most of the other parents and she even got a gift for each child and each family. Every year she has a Halloween party, we weren't able to go last year but hope to this year. So don't get me wrong, Abby's in a great place. It's just not my arms or Tim's arms or our house. That is not the kind of mother I had hoped to be and I feel guilty about it everyday.
So what do I love about Hugs and Kisses daycare:
-When we get to the porch Abby is already excited to get in and play (of course I also really hate this because she doesn't always notice I left and I want her to miss me a little bit)
-When Abby comes in a little later the older kids get so excited she is there and shout "Abby's here, Abby's here".
-There are different toys to explore and play with then at our house.
-Lori's mother and 2 daughters (20 and 18 years old) adore Abby and it is obvious she is favorite whenever I go to pick her up.
-Lori is so flexible and will do anything you ask without any kind of hassle or debate
-We can walk there from our house.
-When Abby was younger and in the carseat you can carry them in she would cry when I would put her in and the two girls that are about 3 years old would come talk to her and pet her hair so I could get her ready.
-Whenever she wears her fleece with bear ears, the oldest girl at daycare sings "Abby's a bear, Abby's a bear" and twirls and dances around her and makes her smile.
-Lori does a craft with the older kids every day. I can't wait to get those things soon.
-Lori says when she has the learning circle Abby always comes to sit down and listens very intently like she knows what's going on.
All and all I feel blessed that we found Lori and the love that her family has shown to Abby eases the guilt but not the heartache. Hopefully by the time she starts school I'll have accepted that I can't spend every day with my sweet girl.
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