My Tootsie Pop

Jadyn & Momma
May 2010

Meals for a Month – May

I’m still loving my month-at-a-time meal planning. Like with any planning, it has saved me a bundle of time. But doing it for a month seems to save me even more time.

Once I plan my menu, I lay out a grocery list for the needed items each week. Recipes requiring special, more pricey ingredients, I plan to have at the end of the month so I can hopefully find what I need when it’s on sale.

Then, I schedule a cooking plan of meals I can make ahead, double the recipe, and freeze.

After that, it’s sit back and relax time. I love that!

Here’s what May shaped up to be:

1. Out of town
2. Out of town
3. Out of town
4. Chicken | Asparagus Casserole
5. Spaghetti, Salad, Focaccia 
6. OUT – Birthday dinner!
7. Pizza, Green Smoothies
8. Cilantro Chicken, Rice, Corn Casserole
9. Tacos
10. Turkey Loin, Veggies
11. BLT Pasta (I used orzo instead and topped with croutons baked in bacon fat – Yum!), Applesauce
12. Spaghetti, Salad, Focaccia 
13. Rotisserie Chicken, roasted potatoes, veggies
14. Pizza, fruit
15. OUT – Birthday picnic – Curried Tuna Wraps – YUM!
16. Dinner with friends
17. Shredded BBQ Chicken Sandwiches, homemade buns, leftover salad
18. Spaghetti, Salad, Focaccia 
19. Asian chicken, rice, stir-fried veggies
20. Tuna medallions, guacamole
21. Pizza, fruit
22. Leftovers
23. Tacos
24. Crab legs, garlic mashed potatoes, sautéed spinach
25. Chicken | Asparagus Casserole
26. Steak, veggies
27. Spaghetti, Salad, Focaccia 
28. Pizza, fruit, leftovers
29. Out
30. Out
31. Out – Happy Memorial Day!

Double, Double... Toil and Trouble?

I got me some bravery earlier this week. :-) Many of you may laugh at my heroic efforts, but the truth of it is... I gave both the girls a bath at the same time.

Oh, yeah. I = awesome.

Or not.

‘Tis true that many before me have done this and more. I’m sure my sweet aunt, the mother of twins that she is, is reading this and smirking at me. Oh honey, if only you knew.

But I did it. I’m pleased no one drowned. And I have the pictures to prove it.

Does it count if each girl was in her own bathtub?

Celebrating Love... and New Life

Twenty-nine years ago today the love of my life was born. He arrived here before I did, but I know the Lord had recorded all his days on this earth... and on one of them, 21 years later, we would meet for the first time.

Not as husband and wife. But as friends.

And we’re still friends.

What better way to celebrate the gift of love and new life than to indulge in the beauty of spring in the great outdoors?! I packed a yummy picnic lunch of curried tuna wraps, brie & crackers, chocolate-covered bananas and strawberries, and peanut-butter cookies and we headed for the trail.

The trail at Red Rock Wilderness, which overlooks the Potomac River.

We basked in the beauty, munched on yummy food, considered the ant, and celebrated the gift of each other.

It was a wonderful afternoon!

The beautiful Potomac overlook!

 

Yes... just some subtle advertisement.

We had so much fun watching these ants!

Doing the manly thing. Showin’ off to the ladies. Er, lady.

Happy birthday to my best friend!

General Life Update

Life with two has been such a joy and a challenge. I’ve always heard it’s tough to adjust to two... or three (depending on who you ask)... and at least for me I think the former is the truth. I’ve struggled to live without sleep, find time to use the bathroom ALONE, and care for my family with grace and patience. It’s been a tough journey, one far from over, but I’m finally feeling more on top of things.

And I’ve had time to focus on all the joys of living life with two growing girls!

Morenna  - 25 months

Morenna continues to amaze me with her vocabulary. She definitely takes after her father in that regard. When Matt was five he was amazing people in grocery check-out lines with properly used words like “obstreperous” and I’m just waiting for Morenna to do the same.

She chatters constantly and will dialog with short conversations on the phone. And also by herself. Her capacity for imagination has definitely grown... which is something I’m thrilled about!

She can sing the entire alphabet and recognize the letters “O”, “M”, and “B”.  And she can almost recognize all colors.

Numbers-wise she can count to 10... and counts objects, too.

Dancing and music are definitely her forte, so I’m sure we’ll be looking into ballet or tap lessons in the near future. And dresses. She loves dresses with a passion!

And recently she’s mastered summersaults all by herself.

A haircut might be coming soon for her, too.

Potty-training still is a taboo subject. She will pee on the potty if we sit her on it, but other than that she has no desire. And I’m ok with that.

I’m also ok with they fact she still sleeps in a crib, with no apparent desire for the contrary.

Today we moved Jadyn into Morenna’s room... so we’ll have to see how that goes. :-) As a big sister goes, Morenna has definitely started to show more of an interest in Jadyn, but mainly to take her toys or let me know when she’s spit-up or lost her beloved binkie. There is the occasional kiss, but I’ve been a bit disheartened at her lack of gentleness or care towards her. Oh well, I shrug it off in light of her age.

Food wise she is my vegetarian in training. She’s not a huge meat lover, but will gladly pig out on beans, cheese and eggs... in addition to yogurt, fruits and veggies and crackers. Don’t forget the crackers.

She finally has both canine teeth on the bottom. Just two more to go and then we’ll be waiting for the last of her molars. I’m not at all saddened to see that phase of growth pass us by. I’m not big on teeth. :-)

 

Jadyn – 5.5 months

My little tootsie-pop. What a joyful spirit Jadyn is... despite how little she sleeps. Which is more than I can say for myself. :-)

At halfway through her fifth month she has taken to eating cereal like a pro. She. Loves. It. Funny how I’ve failed to make it to the six month mark with both girls before introducing them to solids. But both have been ready, so who am I to deny?

Jadyn can’t stand to be on her tummy, so about a month and a half ago she mastered rolling over from tummy to back on demand. Simply lay her on her tummy and before you blink, she’s flipped over and is giggling back at you.

Her latest accomplishment, though, is to sit unassisted. And she really likes this position. She does well with reaching for toys and keeping herself from toppling over.

Jadyn continues to act like she’s teething... as she has since month number one. Her favorite activity is to gnaw on daddy’s finger as he totes her around the house. Spoiled? Maybe. Adored? Yah.

And what a drama queen! I thought Morenna was passionate... boy, we’re in for it with Jadyn. Her version of a temper-tantrum is to cease breathing until her face turns bright red and then to squeal. A funny thing to behold!

In as much as Morenna is a Daddy’s girl (BIG time), Jadyn is a Mommy’s girl. She simply lights up whenever I’m around and thus far has belly-laughed really only for me. I’m not complaining. Such adoration is a small payback for the number of sleepless nights I’ve spent with her.

Morenna was a great sleeper right off of the bat. But Jadyn continues to get me up several times a night. I finally wised up to the fact she wasn’t waking in order to eat, but rather to cuddle with me... every three hours. Still not too sure how I’m going to handle that one... but I’m hoping it goes away soon.

For the Love of an iTouch

There are two kinds of people in this world: those who like Apple® and those who don’t.

I’ve always been a proud member of the latter category and even went so far as to marry a fellow member. We lived in ignorant bliss until just a few months ago.

Last year my husband announced it was time for him to get serious about studying to take the bar. A few hundred thousand dollars later, my husband relayed to me the shocking news: personal bar studies were only available through the use of an iTouch or iPhone.

My first thoughts were not pleasant ones. The words “disgusting monopolistic garbage” may or may not have floated through my mind.

But we had to do what we had to do.

And now... I’m a believer.

So why devote a blog post to such a topic? Just this: I’ve discovered another device that has saved my life. And I know several other mommas who just might be tempted by what I’m about to share.

Our iTouch now joins with our iRobot Roomba, Mosie, (which I could swear I wrote a post about but I can’t seem to find it now) as a couple pricey, but well-worth-the-money technologies.

Though my iTouch has allowed me to significantly increase my ability to maintain a social presence (through facebook and email), most importantly it has helped me stop wasting time on the internet.

It’s nothing new. I’ve mentioned internet addictions in the past. And I’m sure many of us mothers continue to have some moments each day that we’ve blithely tossed into the internet-surfing void.

And that’s precisely where the iTouch comes in. I’m able to manage my blog subscriptions, check and respond to email, browse and update facebook, and be consistent with devotions all through the use of this handy... TINY... device. I emphasize tiny because that is precisely what keeps me from over-doing my internet time. I mean, who wants to stare at such a small screen with such small font for more than 5 minutes?

My point exactly.

Blogs and facebook are browsed while I’m nursing, after devotions. Email is check multiple times during the day, but only long enough to see what’s new and if a timely response is needed. I’m more organized and MUCH more attentive to my girls this way.

And that, for the record, is what works for me!

What works for you?

An Evening with Daddy

Matt has great work hours in my opinion... he gets home early and takes the girls while I get dinner.

A-W-E-S-O-M-E.

Most of the time they tromp off to the neighborhood playground to swing and slide.

Morenna has become more and more courageous in what she’ll do by herself at the playground. So last month I decided to bypass dinner in lieu of venturing out to snap some pictures of all their fun. Here are my favorites:

View Full Album