More Tub Toys!

It's hard to find cool tub toys for Monster's age group. Plain and simple.

I really really enjoy the fun the Munchkin Squirters has brought to our half an hour a day ritual in the tub. Monster knows that it's almost bed time, so he really enjoys his splash time in the tub. And I love squirting water at Monster with the cute little squishy animals.

Alas, seeing the same old toys everyday gets tiresome, so when I was Christmas "window shopping" in our local big box store's baby aisle I came across a simple little toy (toys, rather). A bag full of foam letters and numbers! The packaging suggests 3+, and anyone who knows why I'm welcome to hear the reasoning! The foam is relatively hard, making it difficult for a baby to chew a piece off and choke. Maybe it's just the fact that it's unrealistic to expect your 8 month old to know how to count to 10 and say the alphabet?

Anyways, I bought the big bag of letters and numbers that day and brought them home. They are awesome! Just for the shear fact that when they're wet they stick to the sides of the tub and shower! Monster wont sit still in the bath, and part of the reason could be the colorful letters and numbers plastered all around him in his bath? I like them, because if he's reaching for the letters that means he is not reaching for the bath tub plug!

Not only are the cool right now, but they are a toy that can grow with Monster. As he started speaking more and more, we can teach letters, numbers and colors in the tub. As for right now, I do all the talking and he does all the chewing.

Here's Monster showing me his name.

Cute baby face in the tub!

Chewing on the blue number one!

Adventures in Healthy Eating - Part two!

I'm hard pressed to find a way to cook my veggies that Hubbs will actually enjoy eating them.

Don't get me wrong, he eats his veggies, he just does not like eating them as much as say... Steak! It's my quest in this life to make healthy eating as enjoyable as I can for us and our growing family. It's important to me to instill those choices in my children so they live a long and healthy life!

A couple days ago I decided to make a "stir fry" with some left over veggies in my fridge to go with our no so healthy roast beef. I tossed broccoli, cauliflower and corn into a pan (with just enough oil in the bottom to cover the pan... Approximately a teaspoon) along with 3 chopped up garlic cloves!

Obviously if you don't like garlic, you're not going to like this idea but it's perfect for us because Hubbs and I are slightly obsessive when it comes to garlic. Stir up the veggies every few minutes until they're soft. If you find they're cooking too fast on the outside, just pour some water in the pan (half a cup) and let it help steam them a bit.

I added salt and pepper to taste and voilà! A super enjoyable side dish! I welcome you to try it, and explore your spice rack while doing so!







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Badge of Honor

Right the very minute my Grandpa - one of the most important men in my life - is undergoing testing to see if he is a candidate for surgery.

I'm not going to go into too much details because this blog is not for pity but for support! On Sunday I was visiting my mom, and she gave me a few old tee shirts asking if Hubbs wanted them. They are vintage style baseball tees right from my Grandpa's closet! I took them for myself!

I've worn one every day this week as a badge of honor. Showing how lucky I am to have my Grandpa in my life and to support him on his journey! The tees are older then I am but are in "like-new" condition because they were likely in the deep dark depths of his closet for 20-plus years.

Today's tee is almost 30 years old, and says something like "I survived the P.B.D Fishing Derby" and has a couple silly cartoon guys on it, fishing off their boat.

But when I look at it in the mirror all I see is "I love you Grandpa!"

Crawling Maniac!

So, it's official! I have a crawling maniac on my hands!

It was a little over a month ago I posted photos of Monster on all fours in the crawling position. I had heard from a couple other moms that once the baby gets the balance down pat you can expect your little one to be crawling within two weeks.

Well, two weeks came and went and Monster was not crawling. We kept practicing but ultimately I wasn't overly anxious to have a baby "running" around and getting into everything. The issue stemmed from our laminate flooring. A baby trying to crawl + Pant-covered-knees slipping around on a laminate floor = One frustrated baby.

Sunday evening I decided to remove Monsters pants and see what happened. After a couple sold tries he was finally off and crawling! The best inspiration? The dog food in the dog food dishes!

He's not quite as fast with his pants on, but he's mastered crawling fully clothed too! It's been eventful around here to say the least, but so far I always know where Monster is because he laughs the whole time he's crawling as if to say "Just call me the KING!"

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Adventures in Eating Well - Part One

Because of my gallbladder issues, my weight issues and the health risks that go hand in hand with being over weight I am constantly on the look out for better eating options.

Today I am making good ol' fashioned spaghetti sauce and pasta. My favorite thing about spaghetti sauce is that it is essentially a veggie dumping ground. I can add almost any vegetable into the sauce and it makes little difference to the taste. Perfect for hiding extras!

Tonights sauce has chopped spinach, grated cauliflower and celery as it's extras. That is over and above the regulars like tomato, onion, green pepper and mushrooms. Whole wheat pasta smothered in said sauce.... MmmMmm, is it just me or did it just get hungrier in here?

Dishes like this, chilli, homemade soups and stews are perfect for picky eaters and toddlers. As long as you cut everything small enough and don't let it slip about what's really in there. ;)





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Nap time! (Photo Blog)

Ahhhh... Sweet, sweet relaxation!











(PS: Thanks for the awesome swing/rocker Auntie and Uncle GM! Still works like a charm at putting Monster to sleep for a nap!)

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Early Christmas Preparation

Hubbs and I have a huge family, and a lot of people to shop for at Christmas time. Therefor Christmas preparation usually starts in October for us.

By this time last year we already had half of our shopping done. This year, not so much. This year is the most important Christmas of my life so far, and that's saying a lot considering I got engaged three Christmases ago. This Christmas is Monster's first Christmas, and first Christmas as a parent.

Is it difficult to see why I am heart-racing-at-the-thought-of-Christmas excited? I didn't think so. I've already walked around the Christmas aisles of our local big box store a few times, dreaming about decorating.

Now, I'm not insane, I have not actually started to decorate... Unless you count the Christmas Countdown App on my phone, or the Countdown Chalkboard hanging on my front door? We're merely in the shopping and planning stage.

I apologize in advance for the many Christmas related blogs to come! :)

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