Saturday, September 25, 2010

Giving Til It Hurts

Today Robert got two breakfasts, sneaky boy! He woke up at 6:30 and M gave him fruit and cereal, but Robert was obviously still quite tired, so M was more than happy to lay him down again and go have some more sleep himself. Robert woke again at 9, and this time I got up with him, (this being M's day to sleep in, since his classes are M-Th this term). I didn't know Robert had already gotten breakfast, since M usually just gives him a bottle, so I gave him fruit and rice as well, and also a bottle, when he still seemed hungry. He ate it all! I can't believe this kid is still in the 35th percentile for weight, except that when he is not sleeping, he is in constant motion!

Once we were all up and fed and dressed, we headed out to the blood donation center in the next town over (which is about three minutes away). I had gotten a call earlier this week because they're critically short on my blood type, so I said I would try to drop in. This is the first time either of us has donated since Robert was born, I was breastfeeding and then just too darn busy. We took turns, I gave first while M was on baby duty, then vice versa. I was very impressed with my phlebotomist, she got me on the first stick, which not too many can do! It was a fast and easy donation, and I felt fine afterwards, just a bit wobbly for a few minutes. M donated and did fine as well, and Robert charmed the pants off everybody at the center. Afterwards, we informed Robert than Mommy and Daddy are superheroes, saving ten lives with a single hour's work!

This afternoon M had a meeting, so Robert and I stuck around the house. We watched a little Caillou, which I don't think is as bad as some people say, and went outside to blow bubbles. It was very windy, and all Robert really wanted to do was chew on the wand, but it was fun anyway. The neighbor kids came over, they are very fond of Robert and like to play with him. It rained then, which cut at least a little of the horrible oppressive heat. I am so ready for some fall! I stayed on points today, though barely with the horrible choice of snacks they had available at the blood center. I helped myself liberally to salsa sandwiches throughout the day, which is whole wheat bread, butter spray, and salsa. Only two points, tasty and filling. It's also a serving of veggies!

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Back Home and Busy!

Okay, now we're back home and back into our routine, and I need to start blogging again! It's hard for me to pick up my good habits again after falling out of them, but now that we are far away from family once more, everyone needs their daily dose of Robert! You can find lots of new Robert pics on the Flickr photostream, to help make up for my long absence.

I've decided it's time to get started with Weight Watchers again. I never lost that baby weight, and added a few more pounds besides, which is just ridiculous. Coming up with the money is going to be interesting, but I think I can do it if I cut back on some other things I've been doing with our money. It means cutting back on the recreational couponing, the things I get super-cheap and end up donating. I donated a ton of stuff this past year and I feel good about it, but now I need to repurpose the money for awhile into the membership dues and paying for more produce and healthy foods.

Today has been my third day on Weight Watchers, and so far, so good. I have been to my first meeting, and stayed on plan every day so far, even though yesterday we went to a biergarten for M's orientation mixer and there were  fried sauerkraut balls. Holy cow. But I displayed some moderation, and also saved my points all day for it, so I was okay. Not drinking beer definitely helps! I also went to the mall and walked around for an hour on Monday, earning some activity points, and today I actually went down to the exercise room and hopped back on the eliptical. I totally wore myself out in fifteen minutes, but it is a start! Fifteen today, sixteen tomorrow, and on and on... Eventually I will be able to keep up with Robert as he learns to crawl and walk!

Today I had a really hungry day for some reason. I ate all my points throughout the day, then went and exercised and ate those points in the form of a turkey and pickle sandwich! (A piece of provolone cheese costs three points, but pickles are free, free, free!) It was surprisingly tasty. Robert had a hungry day as well, including an entire extra bottle even though he had his daily fruit breakfast, veggie lunch and bean dinner. Maybe it's the weather. I can't believe it's still ninety degrees out! When it cools down, we will walk again, and earn points from it! Woo-hoo!

Oh, and today after Robert had eaten his fill of the steamed pureed peas I made for him, I let him have the bowl and spoon for a little self-feeding practice. Not a lot was accomplished, but it was very funny. And then he got a thorough bath!

Friday, September 10, 2010

Baby Music

Today was an exciting day because it was the start of Robert's baby music class! He slept so well last night, very happy to be back in his own bed, and didn't wake until 7am. M got up with him and let me sleep till 8, which was awesome. At nine, we went to the music class, where Robert and five other babies near his age got to hit sticks together, shake bells, and rattle rattles, as well as dancing with the mommies and playing clapping games. Robert is too little to clap or sing, but he really liked the instruments, and he was totally interested in all the other babies. I think he had a really good time. We are very lucky because we got a scholarship to the Kindermusik program for this semester, because otherwise we just couldn't afford it at all. I think we are really going to have a fun time with it.

After class, we stopped by the thrift store on our block because they are having their summer clearance sale! Woo-hoo! I pretty much cleared them out of their 18 month old summer stuff for boys. At ten cents per item, why not? I also got him a backup Halloween costume for a dollar, and some twenty-five cent sleepers. All in all, I got two bulging grocery bags of clothes for five bucks. Not bad at all! Robert was very tired and hungry by the time we got home. He didn't want solid foods much today, he took a bottle and a nice long nap. It was great, and allowed me to get a little nap as well. M even cooked lunch, making sloppy joe spaghetti. That was kind of odd, but pretty good! We're eating a lot out of the stuff we brought back from my folks, they let me do a freezer raid before we left. I left them the prepared meals but took some snacks and a bunch of raw ingredients out of their two stuffed-full freezers. The ground turkey went into the spaghetti, and then for supper, we had cheesy potatoes. My mom makes them and freezes them just because they are M's very favorite. It is her way of bribing him to want to come visit more often. ;)

I found a way to get half my continuing legal education credits for this year for free, by going to a guardian ad litem seminar a few towns away. That would be great, because CLE credits can be very expensive. I just need to do some paperwork and send it in tomorrow so I can get a space. It's a little weird to be getting CLE when I haven't worked in two years now, but it's important to keep my license current. If I can do it without paying an arm and a leg, so much the better!

Oh, and regarding yesterday's picture, my dad turned down the temp on the hot tub so that it was like bathwater, and then we took Robert in. He thought it was just awesome, like a giant warm bathtub. He splashed everyone and did his faux-swimming moves and played in the little waterfall. Even when we turned on the jets, he wasn't a bit scared. I gave him a real bath right afterwards, just to be on the safe side with chemicals and all that, but he was fine and had a great time.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Home Again!


I haven't blogged in a whole week, because we have been sooo busy! We spent the past week with my folks and my extended family up in Illinois, and it was great. I'll probably try to drop in a few stories in the next few days, but trying to tell the whole trip in one entry would just be too long! It was  a really fun time, though. We drove home this morning, early early so that M could get his grades done. It was sad to leave, but I'm so happy to have had the time with them. Robert really got to know them more, now that he's so much more alert to the differences between people. It was kind of interesting to watch him not only as he got to know Mimi and Papoo, but to see how he recognizes M and I as different from any other people. He definitely knows who we are and wants us around. That's pretty cool.

While we were up north, I did tons of grocery shopping and cooking. The cupboards were pretty bare when we got there, with my mom being laid up and my dad trying to take on all the stuff she couldn't take care of, so I went on a rare solo shopping expedition and bought almost three hundred dollars worth of groceries. I saved more than 50 dollars from coupons and sales, but that's still definitely the most money I've ever spent on groceries. But hey, it was food for five adults and a baby, a big box of diapers, extra food for a party, so it wasn't anything like my normal shopping expeditions. I used that stuff to do a whooooole mess of cooking.


This week was fun because I got to show off some of my best recipes. I made Philly cheesesteaks, pulled pork, baked fish, chicken-bacon-artichoke pizza, and barbecue, among other stuff.  We froze a bunch of leftovers, so when my sister has her surgery next week, there will be meals in the freezer for them to warm up. Hurrah! There is more to tell, but M wants to go to bed, so I will post this and go with him. Later for more posts!

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Good Night and Good Luck

Happy September, everybody! We're too busy for a post tonight, so here is a picture instead!