Is anyone still out there? Did I lose my audience?
I've got a new blog. Out with blogger and in with wordpress!
Follow me here: wearehammonds.wordpress.com :)
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Memorial Day 2011
Rather than hitting up Home Depot and planting some new flower beds this Memorial Day weekend, we found ourselves at the hospital welcoming our newest addition to the family!
Welcome Sutton William Hammond, born May 29th at 12:14am! 5 pounds, 12 ounces and 19 inches long!
Welcome Sutton William Hammond, born May 29th at 12:14am! 5 pounds, 12 ounces and 19 inches long!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Stocking the Freezer
Going into labor 5 weeks early last time has taught me a thing or two about being prepared. I'm really trying to stay ahead of the game this time. I'm definitely not FULLY prepared, but I'm getting there.
Last pregnancy, I hadn't even thought about getting my hospital bag ready at this point. This time, I've got a half packed bag sitting on my bedroom floor. That's a start, right? I keep telling myself every night that I need to finish packing it... but every night my body tells me that I should just go to sleep instead.
Last time, we hadn't even purchased the car seat yet and Andie had to make a quick run to Babies-R-Us the day after Luke was born so that we could actually take the little squirt home! This time, the car seat parts and pieces have been located, washed, and are ready to be installed in the car!
Since we just moved a few weeks ago, the baby's room (and entire house, really) are not fully put together... but at least the essentials are in place. The room has been painted. The crib is assembled. All of Luke's old baby clothes have been washed and neatly put away in the dresser. The rocker is in place.
Just yesterday I cleared a shelf in the kitchen to place all the feeding bottles, breastmilk storage bottles, etc. Now I just need to get all that stuff washed, sanitized, and put away.
The newest step in preparedness (that I never even THOUGHT about doing until an article that I read yesterday) is to stock the freezer! Brilliant!! Cooking dinner was definitely LAST on my priority list when Luke was born, so I have a feeling that this is going to be a lifesaver! This week I'm going to tackle these items for the freezer: Italian Sausage and Spinach Stuffed Shells, Rice-Bean-Cheese Burritos, Meatballs, and Pulled Pork (for sandwiches). I found a jackpot of "freezer recipes" on another blog, and will be basing most of the prep on these (with a few tweaks here and there). I think these will be great additions to the Turkey Chili and Red Beans and Rice that I've already got stowed away in the freezer.
I'm really (overly) excited about the freezer becoming my new BFF - maybe I'm just nesting a bit?!
35 weeks along and things are falling into place.
Last pregnancy, I hadn't even thought about getting my hospital bag ready at this point. This time, I've got a half packed bag sitting on my bedroom floor. That's a start, right? I keep telling myself every night that I need to finish packing it... but every night my body tells me that I should just go to sleep instead.
Last time, we hadn't even purchased the car seat yet and Andie had to make a quick run to Babies-R-Us the day after Luke was born so that we could actually take the little squirt home! This time, the car seat parts and pieces have been located, washed, and are ready to be installed in the car!
Since we just moved a few weeks ago, the baby's room (and entire house, really) are not fully put together... but at least the essentials are in place. The room has been painted. The crib is assembled. All of Luke's old baby clothes have been washed and neatly put away in the dresser. The rocker is in place.
Just yesterday I cleared a shelf in the kitchen to place all the feeding bottles, breastmilk storage bottles, etc. Now I just need to get all that stuff washed, sanitized, and put away.
The newest step in preparedness (that I never even THOUGHT about doing until an article that I read yesterday) is to stock the freezer! Brilliant!! Cooking dinner was definitely LAST on my priority list when Luke was born, so I have a feeling that this is going to be a lifesaver! This week I'm going to tackle these items for the freezer: Italian Sausage and Spinach Stuffed Shells, Rice-Bean-Cheese Burritos, Meatballs, and Pulled Pork (for sandwiches). I found a jackpot of "freezer recipes" on another blog, and will be basing most of the prep on these (with a few tweaks here and there). I think these will be great additions to the Turkey Chili and Red Beans and Rice that I've already got stowed away in the freezer.
I'm really (overly) excited about the freezer becoming my new BFF - maybe I'm just nesting a bit?!
35 weeks along and things are falling into place.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Nice Little Saturday
A lot of times, my blog topics are chosen simply because I have photos that I'd like to share. Today is one of those days.
Here are some photos from our Saturday morning. We got an early start and headed over to the old house to cut the grass before two showings that day. Dad started cutting the grass and Luke immediately had to locate HIS lawnmower to help out. That kid never misses a beat - it was just SO precious. I think Luke really thought that he was cutting the grass too!
All that grass cutting got us fired up to head over to Home Depot and Lowe's to "test drive" riding lawnmowers. I'm not sure who was more excited about the lawnmowers - Andie or Luke. This will be our first big purchase AFTER we sell our house!
We picked up some needed items at the home improvement stores, then headed over to Firehouse Subs for lunch.
My poor boy has a "Chandler Bing smile". Have you seen that episode of Friends where Chandler and Monica are getting engagement photos taken and Chandler has the most ridiculous smile? Well, this is the face that Luke makes when you tell him to "smile!" (see photo above). Of course, I still think it is the most adorable thing in the world!
The rest of the day was spent sorting baby clothes, washing baby clothes, installing a ceiling fan, getting the nursery put together, and prepping for baby!! :)
Here are some photos from our Saturday morning. We got an early start and headed over to the old house to cut the grass before two showings that day. Dad started cutting the grass and Luke immediately had to locate HIS lawnmower to help out. That kid never misses a beat - it was just SO precious. I think Luke really thought that he was cutting the grass too!
All that grass cutting got us fired up to head over to Home Depot and Lowe's to "test drive" riding lawnmowers. I'm not sure who was more excited about the lawnmowers - Andie or Luke. This will be our first big purchase AFTER we sell our house!
We picked up some needed items at the home improvement stores, then headed over to Firehouse Subs for lunch.
My poor boy has a "Chandler Bing smile". Have you seen that episode of Friends where Chandler and Monica are getting engagement photos taken and Chandler has the most ridiculous smile? Well, this is the face that Luke makes when you tell him to "smile!" (see photo above). Of course, I still think it is the most adorable thing in the world!
The rest of the day was spent sorting baby clothes, washing baby clothes, installing a ceiling fan, getting the nursery put together, and prepping for baby!! :)
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Bluer and Bigger
The baby's room is getting bluer:
And my belly is getting bigger (33 weeks):
Gotta love the old "self portrait in the mirror while holding your phone" - haha! I always think people look pretty ridiculous when they post pics of themselves like that on facebook, but I just had to document the large belly! I was on my way to work and the boys had already left. If I didn't snap the pic then, I probably wouldn't get around to taking one for another few days... or weeks! Self portrait was my only option!
Also, ignore the messy room! :)
And my belly is getting bigger (33 weeks):
Gotta love the old "self portrait in the mirror while holding your phone" - haha! I always think people look pretty ridiculous when they post pics of themselves like that on facebook, but I just had to document the large belly! I was on my way to work and the boys had already left. If I didn't snap the pic then, I probably wouldn't get around to taking one for another few days... or weeks! Self portrait was my only option!
Also, ignore the messy room! :)
Sunday, May 8, 2011
First Things First
We have SO much to do in our new house. :) Overwhelming... but fun!
We seriously have projects lined up that will keep us busy for years. We've been categorizing our to-do list into things-that-we-will-tackle-immediately and long-term-upgrades (more like a 5 or 10 year plan).
So, first thing on the "immediate" list was to get started replacing all the GOLD! Our house is full of gold doorknobs, gold switch plates, gold vent covers, gold faucets, and gold fixtures. Not our style. Upgrading everything all at once really adds up, so we are slowly making the transition. So far, we've replaced all the knobs and handles on the kitchen cabinets, all of the vent covers, and all of the outside doorknobs (the ones that lock). It is already making a huge difference!
Second order of business was to get started painting. I want to paint... ummm... pretty much every room in the house. First up - baby's room!! Out with the desert, southwest orangy color and in with pale blue!
Things are happening and it is so exciting!
We seriously have projects lined up that will keep us busy for years. We've been categorizing our to-do list into things-that-we-will-tackle-immediately and long-term-upgrades (more like a 5 or 10 year plan).
So, first thing on the "immediate" list was to get started replacing all the GOLD! Our house is full of gold doorknobs, gold switch plates, gold vent covers, gold faucets, and gold fixtures. Not our style. Upgrading everything all at once really adds up, so we are slowly making the transition. So far, we've replaced all the knobs and handles on the kitchen cabinets, all of the vent covers, and all of the outside doorknobs (the ones that lock). It is already making a huge difference!
Second order of business was to get started painting. I want to paint... ummm... pretty much every room in the house. First up - baby's room!! Out with the desert, southwest orangy color and in with pale blue!
Things are happening and it is so exciting!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Moving
Ok, I guess I'll go ahead and give a few more details on this topic since it is somewhat out of the blue. Not out of the blue for us... just something I guess I haven't really mentioned on the blog before.
We've been looking to move for several years now. No rush - but we've always said that we wanted to move before Luke hit kindergarten. We've been looking off and on for 3 or 4 years now.
A few weeks ago, I was searching around on the internet and I found a cute little house. We decided to take a look at it as a last ditch effort before pausing the house hunt for probably another year (since baby number two is looming and there's no way I can even think about buying/selling a house with a newborn!)
The new house that we looked at seemed to have all the things that we were missing from our current house. Our short list of things that we were looking for in a new house is as follows:
1 - in Murfreesboro. We currently live in Smyrna (about 10-15 mins closer to Nashville than M'boro) but we are in M'boro ALL THE TIME!! It will be SO much more convenient when we just live there! Luke's daycare is there, Andie works there, we go there on the weekends for shopping, eating out, parks, etc.
2 - bigger lot! New house is a little over half an acre (compared to our current lot of .18 acres)
3 - more privacy. The new house backs up to a horse farm - so NO neighbors in the back!
4 - good school district. It is zoned for some of the best schools in town!
BONUS - it has a pool!!
The new house is about the same size as our current house, but instead of having a bonus room it has an extra bedroom (so, master, two kids rooms, and a guest room).
We close on the new house this Friday and are SO excited to make this move and start the next chapter of our family in this house!
We've been looking to move for several years now. No rush - but we've always said that we wanted to move before Luke hit kindergarten. We've been looking off and on for 3 or 4 years now.
A few weeks ago, I was searching around on the internet and I found a cute little house. We decided to take a look at it as a last ditch effort before pausing the house hunt for probably another year (since baby number two is looming and there's no way I can even think about buying/selling a house with a newborn!)
The new house that we looked at seemed to have all the things that we were missing from our current house. Our short list of things that we were looking for in a new house is as follows:
1 - in Murfreesboro. We currently live in Smyrna (about 10-15 mins closer to Nashville than M'boro) but we are in M'boro ALL THE TIME!! It will be SO much more convenient when we just live there! Luke's daycare is there, Andie works there, we go there on the weekends for shopping, eating out, parks, etc.
2 - bigger lot! New house is a little over half an acre (compared to our current lot of .18 acres)
3 - more privacy. The new house backs up to a horse farm - so NO neighbors in the back!
4 - good school district. It is zoned for some of the best schools in town!
BONUS - it has a pool!!
The new house is about the same size as our current house, but instead of having a bonus room it has an extra bedroom (so, master, two kids rooms, and a guest room).
We close on the new house this Friday and are SO excited to make this move and start the next chapter of our family in this house!
Monday, April 18, 2011
Recently
30 weeks pregnant.
Stomach bug hit us HARD (well, Luke and I) last week.
MOVING on Friday!!
Still no name for the new baby.
Lots and lots of to-do lists that need conquering.
B-U-S-Y! To say the least. The very least.
Stomach bug hit us HARD (well, Luke and I) last week.
MOVING on Friday!!
Still no name for the new baby.
Lots and lots of to-do lists that need conquering.
B-U-S-Y! To say the least. The very least.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Meat Pizza
I had a funny realization about two weeks ago. We were at Mellow Mushroom deciding on what pizza to get. I had my eye on the one with feta cheese and artichoke hearts... Andie had his eye on the meatiest, meat extravaganza with extra meat. We were discussing our options when Luke exclaimed "I want meat pizza!"
Andie smiled and gave Luke a high five.
I was over ruled by the boys!
That got me thinking... "meat pizza" is the new metaphor for my life! It's about to be THREE boys vs. ONE girl! What am I gonna do?!? :)
Let's be honest though... I wouldn't change it for the world!
Oh, and for the record, we got a split pizza - half my choice, half Andie's choice :)
Andie smiled and gave Luke a high five.
I was over ruled by the boys!
That got me thinking... "meat pizza" is the new metaphor for my life! It's about to be THREE boys vs. ONE girl! What am I gonna do?!? :)
Let's be honest though... I wouldn't change it for the world!
Oh, and for the record, we got a split pizza - half my choice, half Andie's choice :)
Monday, March 7, 2011
For the Love of Spinach
We have a new favorite side dish at our house - cheesy spinach bars!!! That's right... I said SPINACH! I had to share this recipe as it is seriously kid friendly and seriously delicious!
(With the exception of about 4 bites, Luke ate ALL that is missing from this pan by himself!)
(He went to the bathroom to get a stool so that he could reach the island and dig in while I was finishing up the chicken and rice!)
First off, I must give credit where credit is due - this recipe came from Meal Makeover Mom's Kitchen. I tried it on a whim and have made it several times since! It is very easy to make and uses regular old ingredients that you probably already have on hand. Here is the blurb and recipe from their site:
Cheesy Spinach Bake
Makes 8 Servings
Frozen spinach rocks: It’s inexpensive, nutritious, and a convenience ingredient you can feel good about. On its own, it’s far from appetizing—and one could argue that from a child’s perspective, it’s kind of gross. But combined with Italian bread crumbs, Cheddar cheese, and grated Parmesan, this simple side dish takes on a flavor and texture that appeal to kids. With 20 percent bone-building calcium in each serving and a boatload of vitamin A, we hope you’ll add these gooey, cheesy spinach bites to your lineup of favorite family sides.
* One 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed
* 2 large eggs
* ½ cup 1% low-fat milk
* 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or melted butter
* ½ cup Italian style seasoned bread crumbs
* ½ teaspoon baking powder
* 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
* ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
* Kosher salt
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil or coat an 8 x 8-inch baking pan or dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. Drain the spinach very well by pressing in a colander with the back of a large spoon and using paper towels to remove excess moisture. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and olive oil until combined. Whisk in the bread crumbs and baking powder. Stir in the spinach, Cheddar cheese, and Parmesan cheese until well combined.
4. Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared pan. Bake until the mixture is set and the top is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Slice into 2 x 4-inch rectangles and serve. Sprinkle the tops with a few pinches of salt to taste.
Nutrition Information per Serving (1 slice): 120 calories, 7g fat (3g saturated), 340mg sodium, 8g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, 9g protein, 90% vitamin A, 20% calcium
More proof of the deliciousness:
Make this recipe - you will not be sorry!!!
(With the exception of about 4 bites, Luke ate ALL that is missing from this pan by himself!)
(He went to the bathroom to get a stool so that he could reach the island and dig in while I was finishing up the chicken and rice!)
First off, I must give credit where credit is due - this recipe came from Meal Makeover Mom's Kitchen. I tried it on a whim and have made it several times since! It is very easy to make and uses regular old ingredients that you probably already have on hand. Here is the blurb and recipe from their site:
Cheesy Spinach Bake
Makes 8 Servings
Frozen spinach rocks: It’s inexpensive, nutritious, and a convenience ingredient you can feel good about. On its own, it’s far from appetizing—and one could argue that from a child’s perspective, it’s kind of gross. But combined with Italian bread crumbs, Cheddar cheese, and grated Parmesan, this simple side dish takes on a flavor and texture that appeal to kids. With 20 percent bone-building calcium in each serving and a boatload of vitamin A, we hope you’ll add these gooey, cheesy spinach bites to your lineup of favorite family sides.
* One 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed
* 2 large eggs
* ½ cup 1% low-fat milk
* 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or melted butter
* ½ cup Italian style seasoned bread crumbs
* ½ teaspoon baking powder
* 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
* ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
* Kosher salt
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil or coat an 8 x 8-inch baking pan or dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. Drain the spinach very well by pressing in a colander with the back of a large spoon and using paper towels to remove excess moisture. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and olive oil until combined. Whisk in the bread crumbs and baking powder. Stir in the spinach, Cheddar cheese, and Parmesan cheese until well combined.
4. Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared pan. Bake until the mixture is set and the top is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Slice into 2 x 4-inch rectangles and serve. Sprinkle the tops with a few pinches of salt to taste.
Nutrition Information per Serving (1 slice): 120 calories, 7g fat (3g saturated), 340mg sodium, 8g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, 9g protein, 90% vitamin A, 20% calcium
More proof of the deliciousness:
Make this recipe - you will not be sorry!!!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
24 weeks
Well, one day early... I'll be 24 weeks tomorrow.
I had my 22 week appointment and ultrasound about a week and a half ago. Baby #2 was one pound, 2 ounces - 46th percentile for size. Right on track! At the time of the appointment, I was 22 weeks, 4 days and the little one was measuring 22 weeks, 3 days. Perfection! Next appointment is Rhogam shot and glucose test at 27 weeks - oh boy!
I had my 22 week appointment and ultrasound about a week and a half ago. Baby #2 was one pound, 2 ounces - 46th percentile for size. Right on track! At the time of the appointment, I was 22 weeks, 4 days and the little one was measuring 22 weeks, 3 days. Perfection! Next appointment is Rhogam shot and glucose test at 27 weeks - oh boy!
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Just a Random Good Day
Today has been a good day. One of those days where you just feel like you are on top of it and quite possibly - the best parent in the world. I'm trying to savor these moments before our life gets turned upside down again with the birth of baby #2! Ha!
To start off with, I gave the house a good cleaning last night (vacuumed, removed some spots on the carpet, picked up all toys, washed dishes, scrubbed counter tops, put away clothes...) SO the morning began with a spotless house. Man, that feels nice!! The first thing I hear coming out of Luke's room is "you've got a friend in me... you've got a friend in me..." Yep, he just busted out into song (from Toy Story) - love it!!! He woke up in a cheerful mood and immediately requested "flakes with almonds" for breakfast (aka: Special K with almonds). We didn't have any... but he was fine to substitute "flakes with oats" (aka: Special K with honey & oats). This kid is crazy for his cereal! We got off to school in a timely manner and Luke even put all of his toys away before we left the house. Score!
fast forward through the day - that was just filled with work.
Time to pick up Luke from daycare. He's transitioning from the Tugboat room to the Starfish room this week. Today was day two of the transition. When I picked him up this afternoon, he was still in the Starfish room (as opposed to just visiting the new room for an hour or two that day). The teacher said that he did so wonderfully that he just stayed over there all day! He was having so much fun playing with his new (and old) friends and he even got to play outside on the big playground! The teacher in the Starfish room told me how Luke was an absolute delight to have in class and that he was one of the most polite kids she had ever seen!! She said she'd never heard so many "please", "thank you", "can I do this?", or "may I do that?" from one kid in one day!
Ahhhh, what a proud moment!
To keep the good day momentum going, we went home and made a BBQ chicken pizza. This qualifies as "good day" material because I'm always excited to put a new spin on something that incorporates a few more veggies for the little one. So, instead of making pepperoni pizza, we made BBQ chicken - with red onions, yellow bell pepper, diced tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese. Luke LOVED it and ate a really good dinner!!!
Now time for the icing on the cake. Luke has been doing AMAZING with potty training (no accidents in weeks!) but he still struggles with going #2 on the potty. Usually, during the weekends, he'll just wait to poop until naptime or night time (when he's wearing a pullup).
So, before he gets in the bathtub, Luke said that he needed to go potty and he wanted to SIT (whoa... big step!! He's usually insists that he DOES NOT want to sit... only stand!). The little guy sits on the potty and while we are looking at a sheet of stickers, lo and behold, he poops in the potty!!! It was a big deal!
So, to summarize, the things that make me have a good day now that I'm a mom are: having a clean house, having a kid that wakes up in a cheerful mood, being praised for my kid's good behavior and manners, seizing the opportunity to make a meal a bit more healthy, having my kid eat well, and pooping in the potty. HAH!!!
It's the little things, right?
To start off with, I gave the house a good cleaning last night (vacuumed, removed some spots on the carpet, picked up all toys, washed dishes, scrubbed counter tops, put away clothes...) SO the morning began with a spotless house. Man, that feels nice!! The first thing I hear coming out of Luke's room is "you've got a friend in me... you've got a friend in me..." Yep, he just busted out into song (from Toy Story) - love it!!! He woke up in a cheerful mood and immediately requested "flakes with almonds" for breakfast (aka: Special K with almonds). We didn't have any... but he was fine to substitute "flakes with oats" (aka: Special K with honey & oats). This kid is crazy for his cereal! We got off to school in a timely manner and Luke even put all of his toys away before we left the house. Score!
fast forward through the day - that was just filled with work.
Time to pick up Luke from daycare. He's transitioning from the Tugboat room to the Starfish room this week. Today was day two of the transition. When I picked him up this afternoon, he was still in the Starfish room (as opposed to just visiting the new room for an hour or two that day). The teacher said that he did so wonderfully that he just stayed over there all day! He was having so much fun playing with his new (and old) friends and he even got to play outside on the big playground! The teacher in the Starfish room told me how Luke was an absolute delight to have in class and that he was one of the most polite kids she had ever seen!! She said she'd never heard so many "please", "thank you", "can I do this?", or "may I do that?" from one kid in one day!
Ahhhh, what a proud moment!
To keep the good day momentum going, we went home and made a BBQ chicken pizza. This qualifies as "good day" material because I'm always excited to put a new spin on something that incorporates a few more veggies for the little one. So, instead of making pepperoni pizza, we made BBQ chicken - with red onions, yellow bell pepper, diced tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese. Luke LOVED it and ate a really good dinner!!!
Now time for the icing on the cake. Luke has been doing AMAZING with potty training (no accidents in weeks!) but he still struggles with going #2 on the potty. Usually, during the weekends, he'll just wait to poop until naptime or night time (when he's wearing a pullup).
So, before he gets in the bathtub, Luke said that he needed to go potty and he wanted to SIT (whoa... big step!! He's usually insists that he DOES NOT want to sit... only stand!). The little guy sits on the potty and while we are looking at a sheet of stickers, lo and behold, he poops in the potty!!! It was a big deal!
So, to summarize, the things that make me have a good day now that I'm a mom are: having a clean house, having a kid that wakes up in a cheerful mood, being praised for my kid's good behavior and manners, seizing the opportunity to make a meal a bit more healthy, having my kid eat well, and pooping in the potty. HAH!!!
It's the little things, right?
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
This is how we roll...
... on sick days.
I know that the huge smile on Luke's face is not typically indicative of a "sick day" - but he was on the mend and feeling a lot better. Children's Tylenol is a miracle worker!
Luke was playing "nie-night" on mom and dad's big bed. He was going to sleep... he put all of his dinosaurs to sleep... he told mommy to get in and go to sleep... then all of a sudden he popped up as a brilliant idea hit him.
This party needed MORE PILLOWS!!
He wiggled off the bed and grabbed the four throw pillows that were sitting on the floor.
While that helped the situation, it was clearly not enough pillows for his vision.
So, he ran into the living room and grabbed all the pillows from the couch. Yes, all NINE pillows!
At this point, the bed was getting pretty full. As he brought in the last pillow, he exclaimed "I'm gonna go get all my animals!!".
And that he did!!
Sully, the Grinch, alligator, Crush, two monkeys, and countless bears later, his masterpiece was complete!!
We had lots of fun spending our morning amongst a sea of pillows and buddies!
I know that the huge smile on Luke's face is not typically indicative of a "sick day" - but he was on the mend and feeling a lot better. Children's Tylenol is a miracle worker!
Luke was playing "nie-night" on mom and dad's big bed. He was going to sleep... he put all of his dinosaurs to sleep... he told mommy to get in and go to sleep... then all of a sudden he popped up as a brilliant idea hit him.
This party needed MORE PILLOWS!!
He wiggled off the bed and grabbed the four throw pillows that were sitting on the floor.
While that helped the situation, it was clearly not enough pillows for his vision.
So, he ran into the living room and grabbed all the pillows from the couch. Yes, all NINE pillows!
At this point, the bed was getting pretty full. As he brought in the last pillow, he exclaimed "I'm gonna go get all my animals!!".
And that he did!!
Sully, the Grinch, alligator, Crush, two monkeys, and countless bears later, his masterpiece was complete!!
We had lots of fun spending our morning amongst a sea of pillows and buddies!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Baby #2's Name...
... is still completely unknown!! Did you think I was about to make a big reveal?? HAH!!
The hubs and I just continue to go back and forth with "do you like this name?"... "no"... "do you like this name?"... "no"...
We've been asking Luke to contribute his ideas for baby brother's name. My favorites so far are:
1 - Chicken.
ummm... why??
"because I like chicken" was his response. Yeah, it was pretty close to dinner time when this was said. Maybe he thought I asked him what he wanted for dinner? It still goes on the list, because it is just as valid as any other name that we've come up with - hahah!
2 - Baby Sister
yes, he is fully aware that he's having a little BROTHER! I think this little stinker wants baby bro to live a life full of ridicule.
3 - Luke Hammond
Real original!
-----
Here are a couple of pics of baby #2 from about a month ago (15w)
The hubs and I just continue to go back and forth with "do you like this name?"... "no"... "do you like this name?"... "no"...
We've been asking Luke to contribute his ideas for baby brother's name. My favorites so far are:
1 - Chicken.
ummm... why??
"because I like chicken" was his response. Yeah, it was pretty close to dinner time when this was said. Maybe he thought I asked him what he wanted for dinner? It still goes on the list, because it is just as valid as any other name that we've come up with - hahah!
2 - Baby Sister
yes, he is fully aware that he's having a little BROTHER! I think this little stinker wants baby bro to live a life full of ridicule.
3 - Luke Hammond
Real original!
-----
Here are a couple of pics of baby #2 from about a month ago (15w)
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
the Circus!
We all had SO MUCH FUN at the circus!!
Enjoy some pics!
WAIT... I need to preface these pics with a statement about Luke's hair. We took him to get a haircut the day before the circus. It was miserable (just like the past three haircuts have been). The gal kinda hacked his hair and gave him some pretty severe bangs. At the time, I wasn't complaining at all... I was just glad it was O-V-E-R! :)
Try not to laugh at Lloyd (his new nickname... ya know, from Dumb and Dumber)
trapeze lady warming up during the pre-show
Luke watching the trapeze lady
clowns
trying to see the elephants during the pre-show
elephants!!! Luke was in heaven!
At our seats anxiously awaiting the show! You might have noticed that Luke is not smiling in any of these photos. I promise, he WAS having fun... there was just so much to take in and he was very serious about absorbing it all!
The show begins!
Tigers
Walking the tight rope
There were SEVEN motorcycles in there! How did they not wreck?!
YAY!! Elephants!!
More amazing balancing tricks!
Trampolines - the last act
so fun!!
Enjoy some pics!
WAIT... I need to preface these pics with a statement about Luke's hair. We took him to get a haircut the day before the circus. It was miserable (just like the past three haircuts have been). The gal kinda hacked his hair and gave him some pretty severe bangs. At the time, I wasn't complaining at all... I was just glad it was O-V-E-R! :)
Try not to laugh at Lloyd (his new nickname... ya know, from Dumb and Dumber)
trapeze lady warming up during the pre-show
Luke watching the trapeze lady
clowns
trying to see the elephants during the pre-show
elephants!!! Luke was in heaven!
At our seats anxiously awaiting the show! You might have noticed that Luke is not smiling in any of these photos. I promise, he WAS having fun... there was just so much to take in and he was very serious about absorbing it all!
The show begins!
Tigers
Walking the tight rope
There were SEVEN motorcycles in there! How did they not wreck?!
YAY!! Elephants!!
More amazing balancing tricks!
Trampolines - the last act
so fun!!
A Little More Potty Talk
We went to the circus on Sunday and I just remembered a funny little conversation. Luke is full of funny anecdotes - I just need to get better about posting them (or anything these days!).
So, as I mentioned, we are potty training the little guy and he's doing SO WELL!!! The first day that he wore big boy undies to school (this past Tuesday) he had ZERO accidents!! It was such a proud moment! Since then, he has continued to do fabulously - a few accidents here and there - but I've been shocked at how quickly he's picked it up! Really, it's just whenever he has to go #2 that he gets a little thrown off... but we are working on it.
Since we were attending the circus (unfamiliar territory... a long outing... he had only been wearing big boy undies less than a week...) we decided that it would probably be a good idea to put a pull-up on Luke rather than risking the undies.
We stopped at the store on the way to the circus to grab a pack of Toy Story Pull-Ups and decided to just change him in the parking lot once we reached the Bridgestone Arena.
Upon arrival, I climbed into the backseat and got Luke out of his carseat. Andie proceeded to have a conversation with a bum on the street (random), while Luke and I conversed in the car.
Luke: "I wanna go to the circus and see the big elphants" (yes, in Luke's vocabulary, it is elphants - or maybe L-phants - but definitely not elEphants)
me: "we are going, buddy, we just need to put on a Pull-Up first.
Luke: "were'd Thomas go?" (referring to his Thomas the Train undies... his FAV!)
me: "we are gonna leave Thomas here in the car. Check out these Pull-Ups though... they've got Buzz and Woody on them!"
Luke: "Mommy, I wanna poop on Woody! I like pooping on Woody"
I was dying laughing. Oh, the things that toddlers say!
So, during this past week, I've really started to realize how potty training a toddler brings about a whole new host of bathroom issues when out in public. Having a kid in diapers is so easy!! He can basically pee or poo whenever he wants, then all I have to do it carry him into the bathroom, plop him on the changing table, change the diaper, and walk out. EASY!!
Now there are sooooo many other things to consider!
1 - Bathroom location
When you are changing a diaper, it is totally fine to leisurely stroll around until you stumble upon the nearest bathroom. When you have a 2.5 year old, you need to KNOW where the potty is because they have to go NOW!
We were in Best Buy this past weekend and after being there for about 10 minutes, I saw Luke kinda slow down and take a couple of funny steps, so I immediately asked him if he needed to use the potty. My question was met with a quick "no!" (hindsight, I should have scooped him up and made him at least try). I thought, ah, no problem - I didn't even know where the bathrooms were located anyway. Plus he said "no", so it's all good!
About 5 minutes later, as we were all walking toward the front of the store, I saw a huge sign that said "restrooms". I turn toward Luke, ask him if he wants to pee before we leave, and he slowly nods his head "yes" while taking a wide stance as his pants start to darken from the pee saturating the fabric.
NOOOOOOO!! Rookie mistake.
2 - Why must they touch everything in the stall?!??
Public bathrooms are sooooo gross, so why does Luke think that he needs to touch it all? He wants to immediately flush the potty, then pull up the lid, then roll down the toilet paper...
It all happens so fast - I'm trying to tell him "no", isolate him so that he can't touch anything else, all while digging in my purse for hand sanitizer and wipes!
3 - Positioning
I'm talking about positioning the kid on the potty.
So, at home, I have a lovely little stool that stays in front of the potty. Luke climbs up on said stool, performs his business, all is well.
In a public bathroom, there is no little stool for my convenience. I don't know if this is the preferred method, but I just got Luke to stand on seat while I held him up. He was hesitant at first, but it worked.
Sitting on the potty is another nightmare in itself! Luke said he had to go poo poo while we were out getting pizza (after the circus). My mind was racing as I was trying to figure out the best way to handle this situation. I quickly wiped down the seat and layed down some tp. Luke just looked over at me and shook his head saying that he didn't have to go anymore.
C'mon man, let's give this a try!
I hoisted Luke onto the front edge of the giant potty (again, at home I have a convenient little toddler seat that sits right on top of the big potty) and he's terrified. He's leaning forward - completely uncomfortable - and gripping me with all of his might while insisting "all done, all done, all done... I wanna get DOWN!"
Poor guy!
How do most people handle this?!?
I think when I was pregnant with Luke, I got a portable potty seat that folds up... I need to locate that thing STAT!
So, as I mentioned, we are potty training the little guy and he's doing SO WELL!!! The first day that he wore big boy undies to school (this past Tuesday) he had ZERO accidents!! It was such a proud moment! Since then, he has continued to do fabulously - a few accidents here and there - but I've been shocked at how quickly he's picked it up! Really, it's just whenever he has to go #2 that he gets a little thrown off... but we are working on it.
Since we were attending the circus (unfamiliar territory... a long outing... he had only been wearing big boy undies less than a week...) we decided that it would probably be a good idea to put a pull-up on Luke rather than risking the undies.
We stopped at the store on the way to the circus to grab a pack of Toy Story Pull-Ups and decided to just change him in the parking lot once we reached the Bridgestone Arena.
Upon arrival, I climbed into the backseat and got Luke out of his carseat. Andie proceeded to have a conversation with a bum on the street (random), while Luke and I conversed in the car.
Luke: "I wanna go to the circus and see the big elphants" (yes, in Luke's vocabulary, it is elphants - or maybe L-phants - but definitely not elEphants)
me: "we are going, buddy, we just need to put on a Pull-Up first.
Luke: "were'd Thomas go?" (referring to his Thomas the Train undies... his FAV!)
me: "we are gonna leave Thomas here in the car. Check out these Pull-Ups though... they've got Buzz and Woody on them!"
Luke: "Mommy, I wanna poop on Woody! I like pooping on Woody"
I was dying laughing. Oh, the things that toddlers say!
So, during this past week, I've really started to realize how potty training a toddler brings about a whole new host of bathroom issues when out in public. Having a kid in diapers is so easy!! He can basically pee or poo whenever he wants, then all I have to do it carry him into the bathroom, plop him on the changing table, change the diaper, and walk out. EASY!!
Now there are sooooo many other things to consider!
1 - Bathroom location
When you are changing a diaper, it is totally fine to leisurely stroll around until you stumble upon the nearest bathroom. When you have a 2.5 year old, you need to KNOW where the potty is because they have to go NOW!
We were in Best Buy this past weekend and after being there for about 10 minutes, I saw Luke kinda slow down and take a couple of funny steps, so I immediately asked him if he needed to use the potty. My question was met with a quick "no!" (hindsight, I should have scooped him up and made him at least try). I thought, ah, no problem - I didn't even know where the bathrooms were located anyway. Plus he said "no", so it's all good!
About 5 minutes later, as we were all walking toward the front of the store, I saw a huge sign that said "restrooms". I turn toward Luke, ask him if he wants to pee before we leave, and he slowly nods his head "yes" while taking a wide stance as his pants start to darken from the pee saturating the fabric.
NOOOOOOO!! Rookie mistake.
2 - Why must they touch everything in the stall?!??
Public bathrooms are sooooo gross, so why does Luke think that he needs to touch it all? He wants to immediately flush the potty, then pull up the lid, then roll down the toilet paper...
It all happens so fast - I'm trying to tell him "no", isolate him so that he can't touch anything else, all while digging in my purse for hand sanitizer and wipes!
3 - Positioning
I'm talking about positioning the kid on the potty.
So, at home, I have a lovely little stool that stays in front of the potty. Luke climbs up on said stool, performs his business, all is well.
In a public bathroom, there is no little stool for my convenience. I don't know if this is the preferred method, but I just got Luke to stand on seat while I held him up. He was hesitant at first, but it worked.
Sitting on the potty is another nightmare in itself! Luke said he had to go poo poo while we were out getting pizza (after the circus). My mind was racing as I was trying to figure out the best way to handle this situation. I quickly wiped down the seat and layed down some tp. Luke just looked over at me and shook his head saying that he didn't have to go anymore.
C'mon man, let's give this a try!
I hoisted Luke onto the front edge of the giant potty (again, at home I have a convenient little toddler seat that sits right on top of the big potty) and he's terrified. He's leaning forward - completely uncomfortable - and gripping me with all of his might while insisting "all done, all done, all done... I wanna get DOWN!"
Poor guy!
How do most people handle this?!?
I think when I was pregnant with Luke, I got a portable potty seat that folds up... I need to locate that thing STAT!
Sunday, January 16, 2011
when potty training...
is it normal for your kid to want to remove all of his clothing - even his socks - when he's using the potty? :)
Potty training is actually going pretty good this weekend! He's been in "big boy undies" all weekend. There have been several accidents - even pee on the recliner in his room - but overall I'm starting to see some improvement!
Since he plays in the living room most of the time, we set up his little potty in the corner so that he would have easy access if he needed to go. The little potty also plays a song when you pee pee in it, so that's an added bonus for Luke!
This afternoon, Luke actually used that potty all on his own!! What I mean by that is that I didn't have to ask him if he needed to go - I was actually in the kitchen and when I walked into the living room he was muttering to himself about having to go pee pee while yanking down his pants! It was such a big moment (at least, I thought it was!!)
I just hope we can keep the momentum going!!
Potty training is actually going pretty good this weekend! He's been in "big boy undies" all weekend. There have been several accidents - even pee on the recliner in his room - but overall I'm starting to see some improvement!
Since he plays in the living room most of the time, we set up his little potty in the corner so that he would have easy access if he needed to go. The little potty also plays a song when you pee pee in it, so that's an added bonus for Luke!
This afternoon, Luke actually used that potty all on his own!! What I mean by that is that I didn't have to ask him if he needed to go - I was actually in the kitchen and when I walked into the living room he was muttering to himself about having to go pee pee while yanking down his pants! It was such a big moment (at least, I thought it was!!)
I just hope we can keep the momentum going!!
SNOW!
We got a solid 4 inches (maybe 5??) at our house! Playing in the snow with Luke was sooooooo much fun! He could NOT get enough of the snow and wanted to be outside the whole time! We made two morning trips out in the snow, then two afternoon sessions (after lunch and nap). We had a great family day!
He kept wanting to build a "snowmen". Yes, that's "snowmen" (like it was Frosty's last name) as opposed to snow-MAN!! Too funny!
He kept wanting to build a "snowmen". Yes, that's "snowmen" (like it was Frosty's last name) as opposed to snow-MAN!! Too funny!
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