Making Baby Food

I’ll go ahead and say it, I’m not a good cook. I don’t usually burn anything, I just don’t like flavor and don’t have patience to do step heavy recipes. Therefore, making baby food is right up my alley! Granted, I’ve only made two vegetables.

I researched a lot about baby foods on Wholesome Baby Food site; and I bought a recipe book because I like paper. 

I steamed my carrots (I had to have the process of steaming spelled out to me because I didn’t know how), but I’ve read microwaving actually holds in the nutrients better.

Once soft, I pureed them using a Cuisinart Stick Blender. I got it as a wedding gift, and it works perfectly. Plus it’s easy to use and easy to clean.

I used Babies R Us frozen food trays, but I don’t like them. You think you close them with plenty of room to expand but then once in the freezer the lid pops. Plus, they give you two cups per food when once carrot takes 4+ cups. I will probably switch to regular ice cube trays.

I’ll keep y’all updated!

Carrots

To save money, I am going to make all* of Ethan's baby food. So far, it's not difficult. But I've only made carrots, butternut squash and mashed up bananas. On Monday, Ethan had carrots for the first time. Some people say it's a "first food," some don't. But I hadn't bought the squash yet, so carrots it was!

Here are some pictures and a video:

Before. He was eying the carrots.

After. I think he enjoyed them.

Next: Butternut Squash.

*only if it's easy and doesn't stink

Am I the only one?

This morning around 5:45 when my husband was getting ready for work, I looked around our bedroom at laundry that needed to be washed, laundry that needed to be put away, toys in one corner, dust on the furniture and it got me thinking… when older people talk about having kids and a clean house, was it a different time then when those things were expected? Are they in denial and their house really looked like mine? Or am I just a really bad housekeeper?

I feel like I do a lot. I may not do it all well, but I take care of Ethan and Emmitt and Jay, cook, clean, coupon, grocery shop, attend weekly bible studies, work from home, and more. I found this list and it makes me feel better because I can honestly say I do everything on this list, but how do people do it better? I need more energy. I need to manage my time better (i.e. should be working right now).

I see signs and quotes on Pinterest that say things like “sorry for the mess, kids live here” or whatever (of course I can’t find them now that I’m looking for them) and think “oh good! I’m not the only one!” And then you have to think “hmm… I wonder how bad their house really looks?!” You hope it’s not like Hoarders. And then there are those people who say “I am so sorry for the mess” and you look around and can’t find a single speck of dust. I guess my big question is how do people really, truly live? Think about it, you’ll only know that answer if A. you’re very best friends (Molly) or B. you show up completely unannounced (rude).

However, I did find this gem:

Thanks, Eden! http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/35msdg/

 

 

How do you do it?

Hypotheticals

One of my favorite things to do is to name hypothetical babies.

Ethan was “Ethan” long before Jay and I accidentally conceived him :)

We have no immediate plans on having another baby. I REPEAT I AM NOT PREGNANT!

However, we are already thinking about what if we have a second boy. We already have a girl name, Jillian Kennedy, but what if we have a boy?!

We have gone thru the alphabet, name things as we drive down the road, paid attention to names as we watch football and this is all we’ve come up with… Evan Cooper Strode.

Molly brought up a good point that Evan is awfully close to Ethan, but who knows maybe he’ll go by Cooper (or Coop for short).  And Emmitt is awfully close to Emily.

We may never use this name, but with so many people around us having babies, I just wanted to throw it out there. If you steal it, that’s fine, but just know I have proof we came up with it first :)

I tried to get Jay to come up with a second girl name, but that’s where he drew the line with hypotheticals.

Do you have any suggestions?!

I’ll leave you with a quote/paraphrase of a FRIENDS episode I saw the other day…

Rachel: I think about what we are going to have for dinner or whose place we’re going to stay at. Not what our future child’s name is going to be. Oh [no]! You know what our child’s name is going to be!

Ross: Well, I was reading a book and I really liked the name Emily.

Rachel: What book were you reading, Ross?

Ross: The Big Book of Baby Names.

Hehe.

Trying to keep my Resolution

One of my goals for 2012 is to blog more. Unfortunately, since I’m not at work staring at a computer screen 40 hours a week, my mind doesn’t wander as much. (Also, it took me like 5 minutes to write those two simple sentences because I’m used to my small work laptop keyboard and my fingers aren’t lining up with the keys.) I’ve realized, however, I don’t have to write a lot each day; I can just write simple thoughts. That’s what most of the blogs I read do anyway. So, unless something really profound and poignant enters my mind, don’t expect much from me. I really hope I don't lose my two readers.

For now…

I haven’t been training for my 5k but my mom wants me to run/walk one in March! Eik!

Yes, I got my Mint floor cleaner. I want to take pictures of the results before I blog about it. (hint: love!)

I’ve started working 20 hours from home. It’s going well. Coincidentally, I don't have any fingernails left though... maybe subconsciously I'm stressed...

I am about to start Ethan on solids. I’ll take pictures and blog about our experiences.

I have one cute outfit I may blog about. That makes me really nervous because I am always scared that people think I think I look good…which I don’t.

I still haven’t started the Declutter Calendar of 2012. Oops.

I L.O.V.E Skinny Cow Dreamy Clusters.

One of the biggest changes in our house is we gave our female Boxer, Maggie, to Jay’s aunt and uncle. Jay and Emmitt are still grieving. But Maggie is loving being spoiled at her new home. I took a picture of Ethan with Emmitt and Maggie.

Per Bridget’s request, here are Lil E's 5 month pictures:

Declutter 2012!

One of my goal/resolutions is to get organized and blog more... so my solution... the Declutter Calendar!
I found it (and last years) on Pinterest. I'm obviously already behind, but I think I can catch up... next week I'll start. My mom is coming into town tomorrow (yay!). We're going shopping and such. But after she leaves, I have two new pieces of furniture to assemble and move one piece of existing furniture to another room to help organize!

P.S. I got my Mint floor cleaner! Very exciting! I've used it on the kitchen and living room so far. Today I'm going to use it on my bathroom floor. Yesterday, it went under my couches. That was crazy.

Welcome, 2012!

I love this…

It’s a week into the new year and I haven’t done much. In fact, I just took down our Christmas tree today. It’s a lot easier to take down than put up, that’s for sure!

However, going into 2012 I was thinking…. I don’t really have a resolution. I’m content and happy with life. I am constantly wanting to change some aspect of me; and I always want to be better today than yesterday, but I’d be happy if not a single thing changed.

Due to society pressure, however, the only “resolution” I made was to run a 5k this year. I didn’t do well when I started the C25K so I’m going to have to start over with week 1. Someday…soon….maybe….

Oh yeah, and I want to blog more and be more organized. With Target gift cards from Christmas, I bought a bookshelf and storage cabinet to better organize our mail and bills. How about I blog about that once it happens? Ok, deal.

I’m starting to work part-time from home. So far it hasn’t worked out because of the computer programs are being buttheads, but when I actually get a nice (relatively) paycheck I’m going to buy a Mint floorcleaner. Ok, as I’m typing I convinced Jay to let me put it on our interest free credit card and I promise to pay it back!! YAY!!! I’m such a nerd. But with two dogs and a soon-to-be crawling baby, I’m going to need it.

 

Ok, I’m going to go ready  to watch the Saints play. (Can you tell I want to get out of the house?!)