Sunday, May 13, 2012

MOTHER'S DAY


Last year I was 6 months pregnant on Mother's Day.  I pranced around our backyard, giddy with excitement, posing awkwardly for Philip...so eager to show off my emerging bump.
6 Months
My day mostly consisted of preparation for Addison's arrival & daydreaming of the future & what it would be like.

This year I spent the day with such gratitude as I reflected on the last 8 months...
the moment my life changed forever

1 day old
7 days old


2 months




3 months



4 months



5 months



6 months

7 months
8 months
Philip & Addison gave me flowers, cards, a lovely Pandora charm with Addison's birthstone to add to my charm bracelet, took me to lunch & affirmed me being a mother all day long. Philip made me feel so special. I feel like I should be the one saying thank you. I have been given the greatest gift.  It wasn't too long ago I didn't think I'd ever this opportunity. I am blessed beyond measure.  She We've done a lot of growing these last 8 months. She is teaching me something knew EVERY day.  I am learning patience; to enjoy the small things; I am learning to see things more simply, through the eyes of a child; I am learning about love; I am learning true joy & happiness.  I mean it when I say that I am the luckiest & that I have all I will ever need. Every day that I think it's reached it's pinnacle, the next day is better than I could have ever imagine.  This is by far the greatest adventure I have ever been on.

Graycie Harmon said "My mom is a never ending song in my heart of comfort, happiness, and being. I may sometimes forget the words but I always remember the tune." I pray that I am that for Addison. I pray that I am a source of comfort & happiness. I pray that she knows the joy she brings me & what a gift she is to me.  I pray that I can be everything she needs me to be.

Friday, May 11, 2012

THIS WEEK

This week....

this got a lot of use
i realized she can wear almost any color
this prompted baby proofing
Philip FINALLY hung the frames I ordered from ETSY & painted myself
I made my favorite dinner
we lowered her crib to the lowest setting after finding her like this
this face melted my heart daily

  • Addison tried salmon & pineapple...we have winners
  • while pulling out clothes for Addison to bring to Hawaii, I started packing away clothes she has outgrown...sad day
  • we skyped with Aunt Sherry...what a treat
  •  I found out there is literally an app for everything (the Ipad is loaded for Addison for the trip to Hawaii)
  • Philip had trouble with the Saab so he had to take my car so me & my sweet girl stayed home most days...fortunately it was great weather so we spent a lot of time outside
  • I registered for a mud run

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

BABY PROOFING


Yup, it's way past that time.  I am actually a little embarrassed to admit that up until this point our baby proofing has been minimal.  If you asked me 3 weeks ago I would have totally said our house was baby proof.  I walked in from the gym today to find Philip on his iPad & Addison quietly in the corner across the room chewing on the iPad charger that was plugged into the wall...awesome. In this moment it became completely evident to me that nothing is off limits to her now & we are not baby proofed at all.  I did what they said to do, I got down on all 4's & looked at things from Addison's view.  "Oh a cord to a lamp that I can pull down & knock myself out with", "Oh, a heavy metal letter T that has still yet to be hung on the gallery wall that can crush my fingers", "oooooooh Hampton's toys with lots of strings that I can put in my mouth & choke on", "mmmmm, Hampton's food/water", "this vase filler & pottery vase sure taste good". YIKES.


So I made a list...and put Philip to work to fully baby proof the downstairs. I have socket plugs being plugged in as we speak. As for the rest of the stuff, I made a list. What I can pick up from the store tomorrow I will & the rest I am ordering online.

So far my list contains:
  • cabinet locks
  • gate for bottom of stairs
  • non skid pad for entryway runner
  • finger pinch guards for hinges on doors
  • toilet lock
It kinda just crept up on us.  She is into EVERYTHING now & I definitely want to make sure she is safe. 

Monday, May 7, 2012

HAPPY NURSES WEEK

{in the ER it's pee but it still fits}
One of the best ways to celebrate nurses week is to recognize a nurse you know.  While it's an incredibly rewarding profession it's physically demanding & emotionally taxing & sadly we don't here "thank you" enough.  Make sure to let a nurse you know how much you appreciate them & the impact they are making by serving in the community.



Friday, May 4, 2012

THIS WEEK

This week:
  • we had gloriously hot weather (it wasn't really 113 degrees but that is what my car read from being in the sun)
  • we did the "lemon test" with Addison & the kid loved it! I realize more & more everyday how much she is like me
  • I started my Hawaii packing list...oh Lord, help me.
  • we took Addison to Pullen Park for the first time & she rode the carousel. We had a mini picnic where we all noshed on some apple slices
  • Addison practiced her "America's Next Top Model" pose as Philip refers to it...crazy kid.
  • She finally fits into a pair of sandals my Mum bought her ages ago...she was completely obsessed with the flower
  • she darted across the living room floor after the camera & anytime it was in sight today she raced to it; something familiar since it's pointed at her all the time

  • I caught her cuddling her caterpillar that attaches to the crib...this girl loves to cuddle; so sweet!
  • she had leeks for the first time & devoured them
  • we had to squeeze our runs in early in the morning to beat the heat so I took her in her jammies before her morning nap
  • I made Addison a few new headbands & clips
another shot of her tackling the camera
  • She had oatmeal for the first time mixed with blueberries & she loved it.  we went back & forth for a long time on weather or not we would introduce her to any grains at all & decided that right now since it's fortified with iron that we would. 
  • We lit the fire pit & enjoyed the evening outside for the first time
  • I was reminded to laugh in many ways
  • I threw my back out in the beginning of the week after 2 intense workouts & the 2 hour cycle on Saturday but I am completely back to normal now
  • I tackled a few Pinterest projects I had wanted to do
So thankful for another week I was able to spend with my sweet baby girl at home.  I am super blessed to have a husband that works hard & that I have a career that allows me to work so flexibly.  

Thursday, May 3, 2012

GRAIN FREE PAD THAI

I go through "food phases".  A few months ago I wanted everything curry & before that anything Mediterranean.  While Indian & Mediterranean spices still find their way into the majority of the meals I make, I have been on a big spicy kick lately.  A few weeks ago I made a yummo grain-free Pad Thai using spaghetti squash. My mouth has been watering since.  We didn't have a spaghetti squash in the house so I julienned some zucchini & the result was just a pleasing to the palate.

First I marinated 2 vegetarian fed, free range chicken breast for approximately 5 hours in a tamari/almond butter marinade.  Here is what you need for that:

Once it was time to start cooking dinner, I sprayed the wok with a sesame oil spray & turned it up to medium/high heat.

For your "noodles" you'll need a julienne peeler & a couple zucchini.  The farmers market only had little baby zucchini.  I am guessing this would equal the size of 2 large zucchini.  Don't forget to peel them first.
I am so used to cooking the spaghetti squash separately from the chicken that I wasn't thinking & added the zucchini in right before I threw the chicken in to cook.  Next time I won't add the zucchini until 6-10 minutes before the whole meal is finished cooking. 

Next add your chicken & marinade.
I wound up throwing in a few mushrooms & julienned carrot slices we had hanging out in the fridge that needed to be used. After it was finished cooking I plated it onto of some fresh spinnach & pea shoots.
It was really good. Despite the zucchini cooking a little too long it was the perfect spaghetti squash and/or noodle sub.

Addison enjoyed her turkey that was cooked in a sweet potato, leek & asparagus stock. Her veggie was turnips spiced with tumeric & she had a few banana slices with it.


  She enjoyed it so much that she proceeded to suck the remnants off her bib.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

HAPPY 8 MONTHS

Hello 8 months! 
 This past month was an eruption of new developments. While this is truly a rewarding stage, I find myself holding on extra tight as her “babyness” is fading. It is the most amazing thing to watch the evolution of this tiny person but I am not ready for the baby stage to be over {insert sappy music here}.

As bad as I wanted to be a mum I still wouldn't have believed anybody if they would have told me how much fun it is, especially the older she gets. She brings me pure joy & there is nothing in this world that can make me smile like her. 8 months later & still my favorite part of the day is seeing her sweet face light up with the most contagious smile first thing in the morning.
 She is still contently settled in her routine of waking up around 7am & going to bed around 7:30pm.  She takes an hour morning nap, usually around 9am & a 2 hour afternoon nap around 2pm. Every now & then she sneaks a mid-morning cat nap in but isn't cranky if she misses it. The older she gets the more adaptable she is & the easier it is to deviate from her routine...good thing because our trip in 2 1/2 weeks to Hawaii is going to rock her world.


During her 7 month she got her 1st tooth & the second made it's appearance just a few days later. This no doubt has contributed to her loosing her baby-ish appearance...that gummy smile is fleeting. Overall you wouldn't have even known she was teething despite the drool.  She did have a couple days where she ran a low grade temp, had a runny nose & was a little more wakeful with the 2nd (I actually took her to the doctors because I thought maybe she had a cold)...that was no fun.
I think I may have a foodie in the making. She isn't shy about letting you know what she likes & doesn't like, much like her Grandma Tabor.  We have always teased Philip's mom because she ENJOYS food & gives a commentary on it as she eats.  Addison gets so excited when she is really digging something, saying "mmmmmmmm" louder & louder as she eats, She giggles, bounces in her highchair & hits her hand on the tray. When she isn't sure, she pauses with the food in her mouth, gets a perplexed look & either opens her mouth for more or as of lately spits it out. Fortunately she isn't a picky eater & the latter doesn't happen often. She definitely does not like avocado or the combination of chicken & carrots (although she enjoys them separately). Fruits she has tried: banana, apples, plums, peaches, blueberries, mango, papaya & pears. Veggies she has tried: kale, asparagus, rutabaga, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, leeks, carrots & turnips. Meats she has tried: chicken & turkey.
Her favorite mealtime is breakfast (a girl after my own heart). She reallllly loves snack time too, especially since we recently introduced finger foods. She likes to share her snacks with me. She will nosh on it for a few seconds & sweetly stick out her hand & hand me what she is eating or try & put it in my mouth. She loves to suck on frozen apple slices, dried papaya, freeze dried mango, banana chunks & puffs. She continues to be a pro at nursing & the plan is continue until she is a year.
She babbles NON-STOP. Words are starting to make an appearance in her babbly vocabulary.  We can definitely add "mumma" to her word list.  I am pretty sure she says "duck" too.  While blowing raspberries is still one of her favorite things to do, she has learned to click her tongue & loves when you do it back to her.

We've been working on waving & clapping lately.  When you say "bye-bye" she puts her arm up in the air.  She laughs when you clap & rocks back & forth when you clap her hands together for her but doesn't understand how to do it herself quite yet.
She is super active- crawling & rolling everywhere, though she is still mostly scooting & rolling.  She puts herself in a sitting position from all fours & is pulling herself up from sitting to standing. Talk about freaking out when I walked in her nursery to find her standing in her crib. In the last week or so she has become infatuated with climbing. She is all over the place.  Good thing she has a fast mamma.

The weather has been amazing & we take advantage of any opportunity we have to be outside. She loves to be outdoors, going for walks, running in the BOB, swinging on the swings but is just as content sitting in grass.  She LOVES the grass. 

One of her new favorite indoor activities is knocking down stacked blocks. We stack them & she knocks them down with glee. It's usually followed by giggles & taking 2 blocks (one in each hand) & smacking them together. She has been really interested in her stacking rings & this abacus type thing that glows. 

She is so curious. She touches & examines everything.  She is completely obsessed with noses & eyelashes.


She doesn't like to be too far from me, and I hate being apart from her. She has a bit of separation anxiety & is definitely developing "stranger danger".  On the same token she is as social as ever especially with kids.  She LOVES kids.

She definitely grew this past month but is still super petite. She weighed 14.6 lbs last week & is approx 26.5  inches long.  She still wears a size 2 diaper.  While 3-6 months are still big on her the length is now perfect.


Things she loves: baths, Hampton, MUSIC, Sophie the giraffe, McQuacken, her blankie, Philip singing to her, Emma, peek-a-boo, being held upside down, having her hair brushed, dancing, ducks, cuddling, being tickled, crawling around on our bed and couch, swinging.

Things she doesn't like: sunscreen application, a wet diaper, being ignored, having something taken away from her, socks, avocado, being told no.

She is miss INDEPENDENT & wants things done her way.  She'll let you know if she doesn't like it. Oh & take something away from her that is captivating her....my goodness. What a temper!!! She is so stubborn & intense.  When she sets her mind on something she is completely bound and determined & gets insanely frustrated. 
I love her to the moon & back. What are you going to delight us with 8 months?