Growth Spurt at 19 Months

I just want to say thank you to all of you that read about what I have to say here. I know it’s not all edge of your seat, gripping literature but it is what it is, like a little ma and pa shop. The blog hit over 11,000 views yesterday, that’s kind of sweet. If any of you have blogs, put your link in the comments and I would love to follow you.

As you know we have been trying to beef up Kaili per our Dr.’s orders. I have gotten a lot of good advice from friends {thank you} I don’t know if it’s a growth spurt, pure coincidence or that I actually stretched her stomach {<– can that really happen?} with all the smoothies and Carnation good-start breakfasts’ but her appetite has grown. She has actually been asking to eat more often and refusing to let me take her high chair tray away. I got her to eat tuna and eggs, both of which she denied in the past. Good sign people.

I thought she was ready to transition to one nap a day since she was fighting bed time the past few nights. Nope not yet, to my dismay she still wants her dual naps. I did push her bedtime back a little allowing her some playtime before nighttime videos. Yep, she gets to watch a handful of  short learning videos or songs before her bath. So far, that is making a difference and she is going straight down without a peep. Maybe the whole thing was a growth spurt, 18 going on 19 months.

Tomorrow we are heading out to take her Christmas pictures, fingers crossed the weather participates. I may as well get her pictures with Santa out of the way too,  since it’s been December for like…ever. Just for the record, I do not like Thanksgiving arriving so early, screws everything up.

19 months today

pondering life
SO stinkin cute!

Happiness is…

Seeing this mug everyday.

She’s so happy that I let her out of her cage the house.

Goody two-shoes has to “read” the rules..

before she plays.

Then there is music, something else I can not live without. I want to share this gem with y’all. My heart melts, Kaili loves it, it has to be good right?

The Most Exhausting December..

Oh, it’s not  December yet? Sure seems like it.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I don’t know about you but I am completely turkey’d out, all good for another year.

I am 2 gifts away from being completely done with my Christmas shopping, that feels nice. The the not so fun part is wrapping them all and with a toddler this year, oh boy I can’t wait.

Kaili is really getting enjoyment out of painting these days, however she is very particular with anything on her hands.

Q-tip painting
“OH”
Final product, Christmas spirit y’all

Black Friday

This is the first year that I have EVER gone out in public on black Friday. Ok maybe that isn’t true but it was the first time I ever battled the mall, good lord.

We parked about a mile away from the mall and walked off some of our Thanksgiving meal, which by the way was fantastic if I do say so myself. Shane and I whipped up some pretty awesome food. We splurged on a free-range organic turkey which was absolutley divine. It was cooked perfectly, perfectly seasoned and just perfectly perfect.

The mall was as crowded as we imagined it would be but Shane was able to get a great deal or some clothes. Kaili and I hit up the kids play area while he waited in line.

After doing some damage at a few stores we went back home and continued shopping online. I can’t wait to show you my Christmas present!

Our neighbors across the street just put up their Christmas lights {over achievers} now the pressure is on to get into the holiday spirit. I am trying to expose Kaili to Santa Claus via pictures and videos. Something is telling me pictures aren’t going to go as smooth as they did last year.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving fun

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone has a wonderful day full of  family love and delicious food.

Here is my menu for today with links to the recipes.

Sweet Potato Casserole with Evaporated Milk and Pecan Topping

Pioneer Woman’s Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Pepperidge Farm Stuffing, because why mess with what’s already great?

Green Beans Almondine

And the pièce de résistance, gobble gobble

Of course we will have pumpkin pie and all the other goodies but I have passed that baton on this year. Happy Thanksgiving!

Operation Christmas Tree and Fatten Up The Baby

To put some LBs on the little one I hit the store and bought bagels, cream cheese, peanut butter { I made my own and didn’t love the results so store bought it is } oatmeal, ritz crackers, cheese, noodles, Alfredo sauce and  vanilla Carnation instant breakfast to add to her milk. I am stopping short of giving her whipped cream with her fruit and ice cream for dessert. Hopefully this crap food does the trick.

I also got around to making this felt Christmas tree I saw on Pinterest months ago. After  $15 and 45 minutes this is what we have.

I cut it all free hand except the star, stars are hard. I bought double sided mounting  tape and it was a waste of money because it didn’t stick to the felt, even though I was told that it would. I found some sticky velcro and the rough part holds it up just great.

There you have it, our Christmas tree for the year!

18 Month Dr. Visit

Kaili is underweight and it’s affecting her height, crud! She eats like a bird, so now I have to make sure her birdseed is packed with calories. I wonder if she would like her fries with mayonnaise?

She weighs a whopping 19 lbs but in her defense she did just get over a bad cold and she still has a lingering cough. The Dr. said I can give her Zyrtec once a day to help. Then I stumbled upon this article and now my paranoia is at an elevated level, I am about to go sanitize all her pacifiers. I will admit I lack in that department because they don’t leave her room but that is no excuse.

We didn’t talk much about her speech since I have already taken the steps to get her assessed on my own. Her evaluation is next week. I had a packet of a gazillion papers to fill out that all asked the same questions in different ways. The questions were geared towards early Autism symptoms <— I am not sure that is the word I am looking for  but you get my drift, right?  The only 18- month developmental skill she doesn’t have is language.

Our Dr. said she wasn’t concerned with her lack of speech since her understanding was just fine, Kaili likes to show off!

We are scheduled to go back in 7 weeks for a weight check. I am hoping loads of mashed potatoes, stuffing and cuisine de Walla Walla will do the trick!

Kaili only had 2 vaccinations left to get and we threw in a flu shot, then I left the room. Nothing can make a mothers’ heartbreak like hearing your child screaming from the other end of a building. Shane said the gentle nurse stabbed her pretty hard and there was blood. I am glad I missed it, I may have smacked her. Luckily that is it until her Kindergarten shots!

Crafty {Thanksgiving} Fun

The teacher in me comes out every so often, especially around the holidays. We got out the paints and had  fun making festive art for Thanksgiving.

After I had my fun I let Kaili have a little fun too. I mean, sharing is caring. We have an abundance of wine corks, I have no idea where they are coming from. Ahem, anyway I thought it would be a good medium for Kaili to paint with.

Gobble Gobble!

The activity went well, she did great picking up the cork and putting it back onto the plate. Now to just keep her from rubbing her hands on her head. Baby steps!

Crispy Baked Tostada Bowls

A few years back I planned on getting these but I never did, so now I improvise. It actually turned out to be a blessing because I don’t  have room in my kitchen for much more and I really need a few other things. Like a mandolin, can you believe I don’t own one? Any way, making your own tostada bowls is a cinch, all you need is a muffin tin.

Place a warm/softened and lightly oiled tortilla {microwave for 10 seconds} in between the cups of an upside down muffin tin. Like this…

I put a cookie cutter in the center just to keep it in place

Bake in a pre-heated 425 degree oven for 8-10 minutes. Simple right?  While it cools you can make all the fixin’s to go inside. I like smoky black beans and ground turkey with homemade taco seasoning. Yum

I gave Kaili some  toys to sort  and string for a fine motor activity while I made dinner. It was fun to watch her brain and little fingers at work.

Being A Mom

Things I love about being a mom:

This beautiful face!

Getting her here was the hardest thing I have done and the proudest I have ever been.

Watching her eyes light up,  every little thing is a new adventure.

The way she wraps her legs tight around me when I hold her.

The way she picks a book, brings it to me and then climbs on my lap.

Her pure love of animals.

When you tell her to “be nice” she will give kisses!

Her laugh when I tickle her.

Watching her and her daddy. True love!

Knowing she is a pure and innocent part of half me and half Shane.

Her sense of humor, I don’t know if I should be proud or worried.

As amazing as being a mom is, there are some things I miss about my pre-kid life. Maybe it’s because I am solo during the week or maybe it’s completely normal…Some things we take for granted before we become parents, here are a few that I miss.

Things I miss now that I am a mom:

Sleeping pills. Some nights I just want to sleep sound and through the night.

Reading books during the day, in the sun.

Sleeping in on weekends and by sleeping in I mean at least until 7:30.

Taco Tuesdays, out of the house.

Daily gym time.

Completing simple tasks without being interuppted.

Lunch breaks. Alone! Very rarely am I all alone.

Although I miss these things, I don’t miss them as much as I love K bear. Some day I will get to do all these things again.