Anyway, here's what I've read.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Reading Resolution
I don't typically make New Years resolutions but this year I made a goal to finish at least 1 book a month. As of today I've finished 3! Before you get all impressed though the first 2 had been previously started so I just needed to read the last half. I said my goal was FINISH a book :)
Anyway, here's what I've read.
Shepherding a Child's Heart was the last book I finished and has left me with a lot to think about. I feel like Pat and I have just begun the process of parenting with Owen. I feel like the first 9 months of his life were all about keeping him alive and now we've needed to begin the training and disciplining process. This book talked about how we as parents on God's ambassadors to our children and are raising them on his behalf. It also talks about not getting caught up in adjusting your child's behavior but rather focusing on the heart issues that are causing the behavior. I became overwhelmed with the weight of what we have been called to do as parents but am reminded that God gives us the tools and resources we need in his Word and that as long as I'm seeking his wisdom this whole parenting thing can be done. I'm sure I'll be reading it again!
Anyway, here's what I've read.
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Baby Cakes
I made this recipe this morning:
Read more:http://www.homemade-baby-food-recipes.com/finger-foods-for-baby.html#ixzz2J7DCDhCZ
Owen LOVED them. I used sweet potato and an apple/banana blend, some pumpkin puree that I had in the fridge (maybe a 1/4 cup), a bunch of cinnamon, some nutmeg and some cloves. I also used whole wheat flour and a whole egg since I didn't want to divide it and Owen hasn't had a reaction to egg whites. The mistake I made was using coconut oil. My brain didn't put together that coconut oil gets hard at a pretty low temp (like 70 some degrees) and I was pouring cold milk into this mix. I ended up with hard chunks of oil that I tried to break up into smaller pieces. It ended up okay but I'll do it differently next time. I wanted to have something in the freezer to give him for breakfast or snacks that he can feed himself when we're in a hurry (i.e. Sunday mornings). It made quite a few so I'm hoping that Owen continues to like them. He's been a little picky lately. I think he ended up eating something like 3-4 pancakes. Not sure if they were that good or he was that hungry. He was up for a while last night then woke up at 6:40 this morning which was too early for a Saturday so I nursed him and put him back down hoping he would play for a little bit then get up. Well, he decided to take his morning nap then and not wake up until 11:30.
And just because he's so dang cute here's a picture of what he likes to get into now...
(He didn't get there all on his own. He'll walk while holding my hands and stand if he has something to lean on.)
Finger Foods for Baby - Veggie Cakes
From Jannah in the United States
1 cup (4 oz) flour
1 egg yolk
3 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp oil
3/4 cup (6 fl oz) milk (or formula)
2 jars of your choice of veggie baby food (note from editor - you could substitute an equivalent amount of homemade veggie puree here)
1 egg yolk
3 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp oil
3/4 cup (6 fl oz) milk (or formula)
2 jars of your choice of veggie baby food (note from editor - you could substitute an equivalent amount of homemade veggie puree here)
Just mix all the ingredients together and then pour onto a hot griddle (medium), turning them when ready just like you would a regular pancake!
Read more:http://www.homemade-baby-food-recipes.com/finger-foods-for-baby.html#ixzz2J7DCDhCZ
Owen LOVED them. I used sweet potato and an apple/banana blend, some pumpkin puree that I had in the fridge (maybe a 1/4 cup), a bunch of cinnamon, some nutmeg and some cloves. I also used whole wheat flour and a whole egg since I didn't want to divide it and Owen hasn't had a reaction to egg whites. The mistake I made was using coconut oil. My brain didn't put together that coconut oil gets hard at a pretty low temp (like 70 some degrees) and I was pouring cold milk into this mix. I ended up with hard chunks of oil that I tried to break up into smaller pieces. It ended up okay but I'll do it differently next time. I wanted to have something in the freezer to give him for breakfast or snacks that he can feed himself when we're in a hurry (i.e. Sunday mornings). It made quite a few so I'm hoping that Owen continues to like them. He's been a little picky lately. I think he ended up eating something like 3-4 pancakes. Not sure if they were that good or he was that hungry. He was up for a while last night then woke up at 6:40 this morning which was too early for a Saturday so I nursed him and put him back down hoping he would play for a little bit then get up. Well, he decided to take his morning nap then and not wake up until 11:30.
And just because he's so dang cute here's a picture of what he likes to get into now...
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| Dad said that Saturday's are for playing video games. |
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Ear infections and teething
To say that this week has been difficult would be an understatement. We took Owen to the doctor on Monday for the cough that doesn't end and found out he had an ear infection. He seems to be feeling better for the most part. The antibiotic was not so nice to his digestive system yesterday so we went through several outfits. Owen hasn't had any trouble today which I'm glad for. The worst part of yesterday was all of the tantrums I had to deal with. Owen throws a fit during almost every diaper change so having to change him more than usual as well as having poo everywhere made it even more difficult. Did I mention he'd been up from 12:15-1:45 the night before? Yeah, that was great. Fortunately he napped well yesterday so I was able to make it through the day. I think Owen's eye teeth are working their way in which I'm told can be a nightmare. The left side looks a little swollen and he keeps chewing on his bottom lip. He let me feel around in his mouth yesterday but I couldn't feel anything. Owen's waking and sleeping has been all over the place this week and the unpredictability is wearing me down. He's woken up between 6 and 8am this week which then means that his naps are not at the same time. I've tried to keep bedtime around the same time but there have been a couple of nights where he was down at 6:30 because he was so tired.
I've decided that as soon as Owen is done with the antibiotics we're going to work on weaning him off his middle of the night feeding. The reason I was okay with it was because he was waking up later with it but now that he's waking up earlier with it it's time to drop it. My other reason for wanting to end it is that it's taking a lot longer than the 10-15 minutes that it was. Now it seems to consist of me going in for 10 minutes then trying to go back to bed but then having to go back in there at least once. It's exhausting.
Owen has started throwing his pacifiers out of the crib when he wakes up. It's kind of comical because he's always in the same position when I go in to get him: on his stomach with an arm out of the crib pointing at the paci's on the floor and whimpering.
Over Christmas Owen started soaking through his diapers so we bought a box of overnight diapers and now that we're home he's barely wet in the morning. Ah well...
Here's a little video to show how could Pat and I are as parents...
I've decided that as soon as Owen is done with the antibiotics we're going to work on weaning him off his middle of the night feeding. The reason I was okay with it was because he was waking up later with it but now that he's waking up earlier with it it's time to drop it. My other reason for wanting to end it is that it's taking a lot longer than the 10-15 minutes that it was. Now it seems to consist of me going in for 10 minutes then trying to go back to bed but then having to go back in there at least once. It's exhausting.
Owen has started throwing his pacifiers out of the crib when he wakes up. It's kind of comical because he's always in the same position when I go in to get him: on his stomach with an arm out of the crib pointing at the paci's on the floor and whimpering.
Over Christmas Owen started soaking through his diapers so we bought a box of overnight diapers and now that we're home he's barely wet in the morning. Ah well...
Here's a little video to show how could Pat and I are as parents...
Sunday, January 13, 2013
11 months
One more month and Owen will be 1! I did a little reminiscing over the last few days since it was around this time last year that pregnancy got a little more eventful. January 6th was my 34 week appointment and when the blood pressure issues began and I had my first NST. It's so hard to believe that it was that long ago.
Here are a few updates on Owen since I haven't updated in a bit:
Owen has 2 more teeth on the bottom that are almost completely through.
Owen learned how to clap on Christmas Eve and has decided that it is more fun than waving. He's also started this cute little bashful face when people say hi to him. He'll tuck his chin into his chest for a bit then flash a big smile. It's super cute.
Owen loves pointing and especially loves lights and fans. He's learned how to sign fan so wherever we go he immediately locates the fans and tells me. He's pretty good about pointing to the lights when I ask where they are.
Pat taught him about light switches so we have to stop at every one in the house.
He's learning to get around more and more. He'll take steps if I hold his hands while he stands in front of me. He loves standing too and will let you know when he doesn't want to sit. It cracks me up. He'll bend his knees but hold the rest of his body straight and will stay that way until I either stand him up or lay him on his back. I've caught him up on his hands and knees a few times lately. Usually he leans forward and is on one knee and the other turned under him and as soon as he gets that other leg out from underneath him he straightens out. He's learned how to scoot forward in the last couple of days. It takes a lot of effort and is pretty slow going (I would liken his movement and speed to a snail). He's great at spinning in circles on his belly and rolling all over but I am still his preferred mode of transportation.
Owen now has a Flipper laugh when he's being silly. He also started making this silly sound with his mouth. I think he's squishing his spit through his teeth. I just know that I can't replicate it. I've tried!
I've been trying to give Owen more table foods now. Mostly because it gives me a chance to eat at the same time. The other night I made turkey burgers that had green onions and parsley in them and I didn't think he'd like it but he ate half of a burger! I bought some avocado's this week so he's been scarfing those down. He seems to like foods that have a little more flavor.
I learned over Christmas to not give Owen pineapple. He had maybe two or three pieces and then one night before bed he was just crying and crying and he had a terrible rash that was bleeding. I tried to put him in a bath but he just screamed so I had him lay on a towel with no diaper for a while and he seemed better after that.
The not so fun development is the tantrum. We're still trying to figure how to handle them. He's been using the Bumbo during meal times and if he throws a fit he throws his head back and hits the chair which then causes more crying.
Owen did great while we were gone for 3 weeks over Christmas and New Years. He slept in 5 different rooms but was very flexible every time we had to move him. The last couple of nights while we were at my parents were the worst. He was waking up 1-3 times and would be awake for 45 minutes to 2 hours. He would wake up and just want to play and would only be still if I nursed him. Needless to say I was exhausted. I think it was mostly due to being tired of sleeping in a pack 'n' play but I think he was also wanting to practice all of the things he's been learning. The last night we were there he woke up at 4am and was awake until I put him in bed with Grandma at 5:30 so I could get a little more sleep.
Last night I made the mistake of putting Owen on the bed while I went into the bathroom to fill his humidifier. I thought that since I could see him that I could get there quick enough if he started rolling. Well, he started rolling faster than I expected and I made it just in time. It turned into a pretty dramatic event with me banging me knee into the space heater (which was incredibly painful) and then slipping on the floor because I was wearing socks while grabbing him off the bed. The things you go through to protect your child. Sheesh!
Here are a few updates on Owen since I haven't updated in a bit:
Owen has 2 more teeth on the bottom that are almost completely through.
Owen learned how to clap on Christmas Eve and has decided that it is more fun than waving. He's also started this cute little bashful face when people say hi to him. He'll tuck his chin into his chest for a bit then flash a big smile. It's super cute.
Owen loves pointing and especially loves lights and fans. He's learned how to sign fan so wherever we go he immediately locates the fans and tells me. He's pretty good about pointing to the lights when I ask where they are.
Pat taught him about light switches so we have to stop at every one in the house.
He's learning to get around more and more. He'll take steps if I hold his hands while he stands in front of me. He loves standing too and will let you know when he doesn't want to sit. It cracks me up. He'll bend his knees but hold the rest of his body straight and will stay that way until I either stand him up or lay him on his back. I've caught him up on his hands and knees a few times lately. Usually he leans forward and is on one knee and the other turned under him and as soon as he gets that other leg out from underneath him he straightens out. He's learned how to scoot forward in the last couple of days. It takes a lot of effort and is pretty slow going (I would liken his movement and speed to a snail). He's great at spinning in circles on his belly and rolling all over but I am still his preferred mode of transportation.
Owen now has a Flipper laugh when he's being silly. He also started making this silly sound with his mouth. I think he's squishing his spit through his teeth. I just know that I can't replicate it. I've tried!
I've been trying to give Owen more table foods now. Mostly because it gives me a chance to eat at the same time. The other night I made turkey burgers that had green onions and parsley in them and I didn't think he'd like it but he ate half of a burger! I bought some avocado's this week so he's been scarfing those down. He seems to like foods that have a little more flavor.
I learned over Christmas to not give Owen pineapple. He had maybe two or three pieces and then one night before bed he was just crying and crying and he had a terrible rash that was bleeding. I tried to put him in a bath but he just screamed so I had him lay on a towel with no diaper for a while and he seemed better after that.
The not so fun development is the tantrum. We're still trying to figure how to handle them. He's been using the Bumbo during meal times and if he throws a fit he throws his head back and hits the chair which then causes more crying.
Owen did great while we were gone for 3 weeks over Christmas and New Years. He slept in 5 different rooms but was very flexible every time we had to move him. The last couple of nights while we were at my parents were the worst. He was waking up 1-3 times and would be awake for 45 minutes to 2 hours. He would wake up and just want to play and would only be still if I nursed him. Needless to say I was exhausted. I think it was mostly due to being tired of sleeping in a pack 'n' play but I think he was also wanting to practice all of the things he's been learning. The last night we were there he woke up at 4am and was awake until I put him in bed with Grandma at 5:30 so I could get a little more sleep.
Last night I made the mistake of putting Owen on the bed while I went into the bathroom to fill his humidifier. I thought that since I could see him that I could get there quick enough if he started rolling. Well, he started rolling faster than I expected and I made it just in time. It turned into a pretty dramatic event with me banging me knee into the space heater (which was incredibly painful) and then slipping on the floor because I was wearing socks while grabbing him off the bed. The things you go through to protect your child. Sheesh!
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| I went to my first KU game while Owen stayed with Grandma & Grandpa |
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| We saw Martina McBride with Pat's mom and sister |
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| Pat with Eric Winston - he plays for the Chiefs hence the huge smile on Pat's face |
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| Serious conversation with Grandpa |
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| Who's hiding under this hat? |
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| The cutest sheriff I've ever seen! |
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| I think he was telling someone to slow down |
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| We maybe shouldn't teach him that bears are friendly... |
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| "not the shark mom!" |
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| "hi everyone!" |
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| "Are all of those presents for me, mom??" |
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| Our Christmas bouncer |
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| More interested in snacks than opening gifts |
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| Cheerio free for all with his cousins |
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| Little shepherd boy for the nativity skit at Grandma and Grandpa McFarlands. I grew up doing this at my grandparents with all of my cousins. So happy that the tradition is being carried on! |
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| All five cousins - Emma 2, Max 15 months, Owen 11 months, Ella 3, Weston 18 months. Family gatherings are just going to get more fun the older they get! |
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| No matter how many games the Chiefs lose they will always be number 1 in our hearts. |
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| Meeting some book characters at a library event |
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| Curious George |
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| Berenstain Bears |
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| Not so sure about Llama Llama at first.... |
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| ...but he warmed up. We love the Llama Llama books |
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Merry Christmas!
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| Owen learned to clap yesterday and it's his new favorite thing to do. Love it! |
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| Meeting Santa |
Sunday, December 9, 2012
10 Months
Owen is getting more vocal these days which is lots of fun. I'm pretty sure he said Mommy today! He likes to say "dad" a lot although I don't think he knows what it means. I hear lots of ba, da, ga, ma and I think I heard lalala yesterday. He had a pair of pants on the other day with a bear on them and Pat would point at it and say "bear" and Owen would either say "ba" or just point at it and look at Pat. He's also learned how to remove the battery covers on the remote controls.
Owen likes to "dance" when he hears music. He just sits on the floor bouncing and waves his arms up and down. Super cute.
He's learned to scoot backwards on the hardwood floors. The other day he went from the middle of the living room to the kitchen but complained the entire time. We've been helping him practice standing which he loves. He's gotten pretty good at pulling himself up if I'm holding his arms. I can tell when he's done most of the work because he gets this really proud look on his face.
We're feeding him more table food but he's not quite sure what to think of it. He acts like he wants what we're eating but then looks disappointed when I give him some. He mostly just likes to mush it in his hands or flick it on the floor so it's usually just one meal a day and the rest are pureed foods.
3 nights this week he has slept for 12 hours straight. I'm kind of torn about it though. He had been waking up between 5-6:30, nursing, then sleeping until 8 so in the last week or two I decided to stay up after that first waking and have some quiet time to read or get some housework done. It was working out quite nicely. The disadvantage to him sleeping through the night is that he then wakes up at 7 and the rest of our day just feels off because he wants to nap at 9 and 1 instead of 10 and 2 and is a wreck by 5. This morning he woke up at 6:45 but I put him back in his bed after nursing him even though he acted like he was ready to be up for the day and he stayed there until 8:15. I might give that a try this week and see what happens. Just when you think you have it figured out! I should know by now that I'll never figure it out.
All 4 top teeth are now visible! I'm still having a hard time picturing him with a tooth-filled smile though.
Owen get some new toys that he's having fun playing with. One is a giraffe that when you push on its head it makes little balls pop and spin; another giraffe that has 3 holes to put balls in which he's figured out in the last couple of days; and a pat-a-cake puppet book with Curious George.
We still like to go to the library on Fridays and Owen is learning to share toys. I'm also learning how to deal with kids that crawl up to him and rip toys out of his hands. Owen's favorite time at Book Babies is when they pass out bells and he gets to shake them/chew on them. His least favorite time is when those bells have to be put away. The last 2 weeks he's freaked out when I had to take them away. He just cried and cried and cried. This last time the little boy next to us didn't like having his bells taken away either so he and Owen cried together. I chatted with his mom a while after the program was over and he is a couple of weeks older than Owen. They also live somewhat nearby and her husband is in a Ph.D program as well so I think we're going to get together sometime for a playdate.
I'm excited for Owen's first Christmas! I got all of the Christmas decorations out when we got home after Thanksgiving and Owen likes the lights. I'm thankful that he's not mobile yet and I don't have to worry about him getting into the tree. I put everything out a little earlier than usual this year since there's a possibility that I'll have to take it down early if Owen starts crawling or walking.
We're going to be gone for about 3 1/2 weeks for Christmas so I'm hoping that Owen (and Pat & I!) do okay being away from home and normalcy for that long. I'm really excited to see family though and see Owen play with his cousins!
Owen likes to "dance" when he hears music. He just sits on the floor bouncing and waves his arms up and down. Super cute.
He's learned to scoot backwards on the hardwood floors. The other day he went from the middle of the living room to the kitchen but complained the entire time. We've been helping him practice standing which he loves. He's gotten pretty good at pulling himself up if I'm holding his arms. I can tell when he's done most of the work because he gets this really proud look on his face.
We're feeding him more table food but he's not quite sure what to think of it. He acts like he wants what we're eating but then looks disappointed when I give him some. He mostly just likes to mush it in his hands or flick it on the floor so it's usually just one meal a day and the rest are pureed foods.
3 nights this week he has slept for 12 hours straight. I'm kind of torn about it though. He had been waking up between 5-6:30, nursing, then sleeping until 8 so in the last week or two I decided to stay up after that first waking and have some quiet time to read or get some housework done. It was working out quite nicely. The disadvantage to him sleeping through the night is that he then wakes up at 7 and the rest of our day just feels off because he wants to nap at 9 and 1 instead of 10 and 2 and is a wreck by 5. This morning he woke up at 6:45 but I put him back in his bed after nursing him even though he acted like he was ready to be up for the day and he stayed there until 8:15. I might give that a try this week and see what happens. Just when you think you have it figured out! I should know by now that I'll never figure it out.
All 4 top teeth are now visible! I'm still having a hard time picturing him with a tooth-filled smile though.
Owen get some new toys that he's having fun playing with. One is a giraffe that when you push on its head it makes little balls pop and spin; another giraffe that has 3 holes to put balls in which he's figured out in the last couple of days; and a pat-a-cake puppet book with Curious George.
We still like to go to the library on Fridays and Owen is learning to share toys. I'm also learning how to deal with kids that crawl up to him and rip toys out of his hands. Owen's favorite time at Book Babies is when they pass out bells and he gets to shake them/chew on them. His least favorite time is when those bells have to be put away. The last 2 weeks he's freaked out when I had to take them away. He just cried and cried and cried. This last time the little boy next to us didn't like having his bells taken away either so he and Owen cried together. I chatted with his mom a while after the program was over and he is a couple of weeks older than Owen. They also live somewhat nearby and her husband is in a Ph.D program as well so I think we're going to get together sometime for a playdate.
I'm excited for Owen's first Christmas! I got all of the Christmas decorations out when we got home after Thanksgiving and Owen likes the lights. I'm thankful that he's not mobile yet and I don't have to worry about him getting into the tree. I put everything out a little earlier than usual this year since there's a possibility that I'll have to take it down early if Owen starts crawling or walking.
We're going to be gone for about 3 1/2 weeks for Christmas so I'm hoping that Owen (and Pat & I!) do okay being away from home and normalcy for that long. I'm really excited to see family though and see Owen play with his cousins!
Owen's newest skill.
I was fake coughing and he thought it was hilarious.
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| Helping with dishes |
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| Helping with laundry |
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| This is where my pants go? |
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| Owen got to meet Mickey when we were in Kansas! |
Friday, November 23, 2012
More teeth
Owen is getting 4 teeth in right now and it has been brutal the last couple of days. I noticed them on Tuesday and then Wednesday night was awful. Poor baby was up at least every hour so I think I got a combined total of 3 hours of sleep. I ended up giving him some Tylenol around 3am because he'd been whimpering in his bed for 15 minutes straight and I could tell he was in pain. The only reason I waited that long was because I thought he was waking up because he was over tired but not the case. He slept in bed with us the rest of the night but still woke up several times. He ended up sleeping through most of his first Thanksgiving. He was really clingy and whiney all day Thursday and it was so hard to see him in pain. He would cry every time he coughed so I'm not sure if he had a sore throat as well or if it just hurt his mouth. Last night and today were better so I'm hoping we're over the worst of it. He barely ate anything yesterday and had no interest in breakfast this morning. He's nursed a lot though so at least he's getting something. I would've preferred for this to happen while we were at home but I guess the good side is there were other people to take him so I could get some rest. This week has been great but I'm looking forward to getting back to our beds and routine.
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