Masterful Weekend

Well, I survived parent teacher conferences, open house, and a field trip. Talk about an exhausting week. It all ended, and I was looking forward to enjoying some family time this weekend. Then, I remembered we wouldn't be leaving the house since it was Masters weekend. As in golf. As in my hubby is obsessed and has talked about it all week.

Now, I love me some golf too, but my hubby is too obsessed that it is borderline intervention worthy. And if Phil isn't in the final pair on Sunday, then I usually feel disappointed.

Saturday, we ran around all morning. Running errands with your family makes running errands so much more fun. After running errands, we stopped for a bite to eat.

These two with their vests are so sweet!

And this one is going to be having a bite to eat soon with these two teeth that have popped through!

Then, we spent the rest of the weekend with family. The Masters was one of the most exciting ever with Adam Scott getting his first green jacket. I still have a gallon of things to do, but I guess they will have to stay on the to-do list until next weekend. Hope you had a beautiful weekend!

Busy, Busy, Busy

I've been one busy momma. I have so much to write about a fierce growth spurt that left me questioning my milk supply, two new teeth cutting through, Friday night family time, spontaneous trip to Ocean City to enjoy a beautiful day, and the bleakest of all Sundays that included cleaning, cleaning, food shopping, baby food making, and more cleaning.

Too bad, I am too tired and I have too much school work waiting for me to tell you about these things. They will have to be put off another day. I will leave you with some pictures from our weekend.

Sissys sharing a bath

Heading to Ocean City

Beautiful Ocean City Bay

 Hopefully, I will have a better grasp on this week so I can get back to blogging!

Easter

Happy Easter everyone. I hope you and your family had a beautiful day full of love. This Easter was full of love and fun for our family.

Earlier this week, we headed to Duffield's Farm to visit the Easter bunny. Kay was not feeling the Easter bunny love last year. I was skeptical this year, but she was with her buddies so I was hoping she would follow suit. She was a brave soul with Santa this year.

So we bundled up, and we headed out for a chilly, windy hayride. It was supposed to be spring break, but it was cold. My sweet girl loved the hayride so much. She was hanging with her buddies and loving life. The cold didn't bother her one bit.

 She even let me throw her on the Easter bunny's lap. Why do we do this to our kids? At least this is one of the least scary bunnies that I have seen. She let me take a picture then she had her fill.

The Easter bunny. Ridiculous. I wish the Easter bunny bartered a trade for the binkie, but I wasn't quick thinking enough for that. Maybe next time.

Easter morning was a treat. We were up before 8 which is early for us in this house. Kay loved her Easter basket stocked with goodies. A book, a rubber duck, slinky, shovel for her sandbox, Minnie Mouse socks, and some other goodies waited for her along with some hidden eggs.

We had a wonderful day with family eating good food, playing, and celebrating a big engagement! Great

Happy Easter to you and yours!

Spring has Sprung

We are starting to turn the corner to spring. It is staying lighter a little later. The warmer weather is slowly starting to creep in. I can feel the energy in my bones...unless that was just a week off of work. We had a great few days. This has been such a great week with my family. 

To get ready for the Easter bunny, Kay colored and decorated some Easter eggs. She went to town dumping the eggs in and taking the eggs out. Our eggs look like a million bucks.

What Easter bunny wouldn't be happy with these eggs? 

The past two days, we were able to spend a lot of time outside because the sun was shining. My little girls loved the warm sun. We played, did some yard work, and enjoyed some fresh air. As I weeded the back, Kay tried to build a rock tower on my ankle. 

Gaga just jumped and entertained herself...happy as a clam.

After working in the yard and having a lunch (or staring at our lunch and saying "I don't want to eat), we headed to the park to play. This little girl LOVES the park. She goes crazy when we get there, kicking her feet and squealing with delight. 

Today, we had a serious family fun day. Fresh sand in the sand box, bounce house blown up, after dinner trip for ice cream. Our day was pretty much perfect. 

As I wind down tonight, I am worrying about lesson plans that need to be done. I had such a wonderful week making memories with my family, and I wish every week could be like this. I am having anxiety thinking about being away from girls and the rush of a busy work week.

Leading up to every spring break, I make a million plans to get organized, get ahead in school work, and clean my house. I am not doing it anymore. As this break comes to an end, my house is more of a mess than when we started and my lesson plans are exactly where I left them last Friday, but my heart is full after spending a week snuggling and laughing with my family. This is exactly how it should be.

Homemade Baby Food

Spring break is quickly coming to an end. I have enjoyed being with my girls and doing a few special things, but I am trying to clean up the house and get some things done while I have the time. One of the things on my list - stock up on baby food.

Now, I don't know where I went wrong with Kay. I must have done something horribly wrong because homegirl will NOT eat. She will not eat a lick. I continue to mix it up and make healthy lunches and dinners, and they continue to go untouched. Usually, she will not even take one bite. No snacks for you my friend. Don't even think about opening my pantry door. Most nights, she goes to bed hungry. It is horrible, but I refuse to make her anything different. I WILL NOT give up. I WILL NOT give up. I WILL NOT give up. It is especially hard because I am not in control of what she is given everyday since I am at work. This makes my job a million times harder. My. Worst. Nightmare.

I am so fearful to have another child that will NOT eat. My sweet Keira is a little different. She has not cried at any feedings yet and she already seems much more open to feedings. She has only had breast milk up until now (minus her hours in the NICU), and I am hoping we continue on this path to eating the very best. Unlike her sister, she has been open to the varying textures that comes with making your own baby food thus far.

So far, Keira has enjoyed pears, apples, and bananas. She has also had avocado, sweet potatoes, and peas.

Making homemade baby food is so easy, and I like to make big batches to freeze it. No fancy equipment needed. I use an old stock pot with a steamer basket insert (I'm talking like 30+ years old) and my food processor. For pears and apples, I simply peel, cut, steam, and throw in the food processor. They are so juicy that I never need to add any extra liquid.

For sweet potatoes, simply rinse, poke some holes in them, throw them in a 400 degree oven until they are cooked. Make sure you put a cookie sheet under them because they will leak sugary goodness and your oven will smoke and your fire alarm will continue to go off. You can even buy one of those handy dandy oven mat/liner things because if you are like me, you don't want things dripping in your oven so your smoke alarm goes off and your dog goes nuts. Even wrapped in foil, they leak like crazy! Consider yourself warned.

Pea are just as easy. Buy your favorite bag of organic frozen peas, throw them in the steamer, blend those suckers with some of the cooking liquid. It is so ridiculously easy. I have had some trouble with getting the peas to nice texture, and I noticed I had to add quite of bit of liquid or I add breast milk as I prepare it for her.

I think the thing I like best is the price tag. I bought a box of sweet potatoes on sale for $2.99! I got over 15 servings of food for Keira. If I bought 15 jars of Earth's best sweet potatoes, it would have cost me over $15.00. So much cheaper.

So we are stocked up for a few weeks. Next up, I am looking to buy some reuseable pouches to take this homemade baby food on the go. I saw some here from Mama OT's blog. I think amazon will be my friend for this one. Do you use any? Which brands are your favorite?

Spring Snow

It's official... spring break is here! I am home with my girls and I couldn't be happier. After a busy, fun weekend, a strange spring storm was embraced around here. We enjoyed a snow day in our pajamas, playing in our fort, playing outside, snuggling, and cooking. It was a much needed rest after a crazy work week and a weekend full of fun.

This weekend was a whirlwind. On Saturday, we spent the day with our friends celebrating with an early Easter egg hunt. Angela outdid herself again with a Mexican menu that put Chipotle to shame. I made some homemade guacamole and brought not enough chips and salsa. Fail. Thank god Angela always has plenty to go around and tops it off with a dessert that is to die for. 

Kay loved the day. She played with all of the toys at Angela's all day. The only time she stopped was to go looking for eggs. Look at this crew...

We are missing the boy of our group, but he was probably off and running.

On Sunday, we visited a preschool for next year. That is another post in itself. So exciting, sad, and nerve wracking all at the same time. 

Today, we woke up to snow. Ridiculous - yes. Much needed - yes. We stayed home ALL day. We were in our pajamas all morning watching tv and playing. I was able to make some food for sweet Keira. She is really starting to do well with taking her foods. This morning, I made her some apples and sweet potatoes. Later this week, I will do a baby food post. I am no expert by any means, but I have definitely learned some valuable lessons. Unfortunately, those lessons were all trial and error.

My freezer is so jam packed with food and milk for Keira that I don't have any food for our family. 

After a little cooking, we went outside to enjoy the snow while Baby Gaga napped. The snow was heavy and wet. It was perfect packing snow. We had a great time playing with the dog, pulling the sled, and building our very first snowman. 

What is it about playing in the snow? It brings out my inner child. Playing with my daughter today, it made me feel a sense of nostalgia. Dumping the basket of winter clothes, getting all dressed, and heading outside is a pain in the ass, but it brings back so many wonderful memories of my own childhood. Playing in the snow. Wrestling with the dog (or chasing the dog after he steals the snowman's arm for the hundredth time). Snow happens so occasionally around here that you have to make the most of it. And today, we did just that.

6 Months Old

Look who just turned 6 months old! She has been here for half of a year. 6 months of pure happiness and joy. The happiest, easiest baby has seamlessly joined our family like she has been here all along. Our family of four is figuring it out, and it has been easier than I ever imagined. Tiring ... don't get me wrong.... but easy. 

At 6 months, this blue eyed angel...

* is still nursing like a champ! Except for her first few hours in the NICU, she has only had breastmilk to drink. I am so proud of the two of us. 

* has FINALLY started taking to some food. The past few days, I have noticed she is showing more of an interest in eating. She has had oatmeal, apples, pears, sweet potato, and avocado. 

* slept through the night last night for the first time in a LONG time. She wakes up once or twice a night typically. Usually when she wakes up, I bring her in bed with me to nurse, cuddle, and snuggle. She easily falls asleep on her own between 7:15-7:30. I love our bedtime routine. A warm bath, usually with her big sissy and Daddy in the big tub, lotion, nurse, book, snuggles, and bed. It is the best time of the day for both of us.

* is starting to wear 12 month clothing. She is a long girl.

* weighs 15 pounds 6 ounces 

* rolls over every chance she gets. She can push herself up so far, and she does the worm. Rocking on the floor. She is going to start army crawling soon... I can feel it! Now, I have to really work on getting her to sit up on her own! She is working those abs and she is constantly trying to pull herself up to sit. 

* grabs for everything!!! She is just starting to put everything in her mouth. Her hand eye coordination is getting better every day. You should see her reach and grab things...especially those toes! I love a happy baby curled up grabbing her toes. 

* is just a gorgeous baby with gorgeous eyes. Her little chubby cheeks...I want to eat them.

Keira just loves watching everything. She watches Teddy boy and she watches her sister.

We are coming to the end of a VERY LONG week, and I am so thrilled to have a break next week. I am looking forward to being with my girls for the week and to recharge. This long week has left me exhausted, sick and missing my girls. Spring break is a day away and I will be spending it filling up my love tank with baby love.

TGIF!