Merry Christmas

Boy, this Christmas season has been like no other.  Between work, first birthday planning on top of Christmas shopping, all while chasing around an 11 month old and sickness in our household every other week it has been bussssyyyyy.  I haven't done any baking, my house is a wreck and still have presents that aren't wrapped.  That is soooo unlike me.

I started my Christmas shopping the day after Thanksgiving.  So I should be done, right?  Not.  I still have to go pick up a few today.  Seriously!  Norah Kate is normally a good shopper, and bless her heart, she has been a trooper.  However, with Christmas shopping she has been quite the little diva.  Now that she has learned to walk, she thinks she is supposed to walk everywhere.  Riding in the buggy is no more fun for her.  She will tolerate the stroller a little better, but still gets ansty.  I am proud of myself because I have finally learned that I don't have to take her everywhere with me.  It's ok to let her baby sitter watch her for a couple of hours on my day off, or let Matt watch her, so that I can run into town.

Norah Kate had a cold, then I got mastitis, then I got her cold, then I got a clogged duct in the other breast, then she got bilateral ear infections.  Oh, then she had an allergic reaction to the amoxicillin they gave her for her ears and had to go BACK to the doctor. Whew.

Now, we are going to stay well until AFTER her first birthday!  I mean it!  I have been a hand sanitizing, Clorox using, germaphobe.

I still haven't finished decorating the outside of my house.  Haha!  Hopefully it will be decorated all nice and pretty for her party on January 5th.  I really underestimated how busy getting ready for both Christmas and a first birthday party would really be.

Regardless of all the hoopla, craziness, and sickness.  Jesus is still the reason for the season.  And I am embarrassed to admit that I had to remind myself of that a time or two.  It is so easy to get wrapped up into the present buying, house decorating, shopping extravaganza of it all.  This is a time we should be spending with family, making memories, and sharing the gospel of Christ.

Just to make mention of somethings I have loved about this Christmas:

 

-Norah Kate's reaction to the Christmas tree.

-Norah Kate pulling the ornaments off my tree and clanging them together.

-Norah Kate "helping" me wrap Christmas presents.

-Norah Kate finding her Christmas present and playing with it unwrapped but still in the box for a month.

-Her smocked Christmas dresses.  I will be sad when she can't wear them.

-Christmas music and fellowship at church

-Norah Kate's reaction to Santa :(

-Norah Kate leaning over to smell the Christmas candles, then trying to grab them from me so she can "taste" them.

-The bountiful blessings we have received this year and the fact that have presents under our tree for our loved ones!

 

I am so excited for Norah Kate's first Christmas and seeing my family that I didn't get to see on Thanksgiving!

Merry CHRISTmas, from our family to yours.  I hope everyone has a blessed and safe holiday!

 

"Then the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  For there is born to you this day in the city of David a savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be the sign to you; You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in  a manger."  Luke 2:10-12 NKJV



(Next year I am starting my Christmas shopping and party planning in July ;) )

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Entitlement

Let me just start by saying this is a vent session  and if what I have to say offends you, I'm sorry.  I do not get very involved politically, but I think this needs to be said. I stayed quiet during the election.... but here is my opinion in words.

Each year at Christmas I think we all get into a little bit of the "giving" spirit.  Really, that is the way it should be.  Giving to those less fortunate, spreading the Christmas cheer, educating those about the true meaning of Christmas.

My church always helps with the Toys for Kids for our community.  Each year you can select and "Angel" and buy clothes, toys, etc. for a less-fortunate child.  I have been buying for an angel for the Toy Drive for about 7 years now.  Even when I was in college I would take my part time money from my job and go buy an outfit or two, PJs, underwear, a couple of toys, socks, shoes, a jacket, and maybe a warm hat and mittens.  When it is all said and done, I spend anywhere between $75-100.  For a couple of years I would go and help set up during the week for the handouts.  One year my mom and I helped hand out the gifts the morning of and went and gave the groceries to some of shut-ins in the community.

The Toys for Kids is a wonderful thing that many people in the community plan and prepare for all year long!  Kudos for them for all their hard work! I am just a peon in the event by providing a few hours of community service and shopping for one angel.

Every year it is such a blessing for me and helps get me in the spirit of Christmas.  It always saddens me so much to think about these sweet children who have practically nothing.  I look around my house and in my child's room who has toys beyond toys, nice clothes, plenty of food to eat and a warm place to sleep.  This is something that I plan to make a tradition in my household and I think it will be a good experience for my kids to help with too as they grow.

.................................................................

This is where I ruin it.  This is where those who have been reading this thinking "how sweet" probably get upset with me.

I can't help but get aggravated.  A few years ago when I was helping hand out, there were those families truly grateful.  You could tell that didn't have anything and without the help of Toys for Kids, their kids probably wouldn't receive anything for Christmas.  How sad, right?  It really broke my heart.  I went to some houses where the floor was literally falling through.  Pitiful.  These people really need help.

Then there were those that had the Gucchi handbags and iPhones, smoking cigarettes in line, driving up in their cars with chromed out rims and door handles, grabbing the gifts for their children without a smile, Thank You, or anything.  Entitled.  That's what they were feeling.  That felt that they were entitled for those handouts.  They didn't owe us a thing. Grrrrr.....

What kind of generation are we creating?  This goes far beyond the toy and food drives at Christmas time.  This finger is being pointed at our government.  At our society. 

Maybe the way I am thinking is not very Christian like but I disagree.  When people are truly in need, give them gifts, let them benefit from my hard earned money, let our tax money go towards them.  Provide them insurance, housing, food.  That is fine.  I am really not trying to be a Grinch about it all.

It is hard for me to be crutch for someone that is perfectly capable of getting a job though.

I know that our country is in "hard times."  Jobs are short.  Money is small.  I know.  I think the main problem is that people have just gotten plain lazy though.

The people in this country feel that if The Jones' have a brand new Tahoe, and 2000 square foot house, nice clothes, and new phones that they should have all that too.  They do not take into consideration that "The Jones'"  also have jobs.  The Jones' get up every morning at 5:30 to go to work.  The Jones' have saved and worked hard to have those things.  Nobody just gave The Jones' their nice things.  They WORKED for it.

I can't help but wonder who these people were raised by?  Both my husband and I come from hard working families.  Our parent's raised us to work for what we wanted.  Fortunately I was blessed during childhood.  I always had a roof over my head and food to eat, but sometimes that was because my daddy was working two jobs.

So let me just say, I am proud to be a hard working American.  I am proud to say that I have worked for everything I have. So the next time you swipe your EBT card or talk on your Obama phone just know that I am spending time away from my child, working 12 hour shifts, to provide all that for you, along with providing for my own family and a roof over my own head!

If we aren't careful America, the money is going to run out, and unfortunately we have raised a society that thinks they don't have to work because the Government is going to give them everything that need.  Then what?

*11 Months Old*

I always have to recount the months when I am writing these things because 9, 10, 11 months just never seems right.  I mean, I just brought this baby home yesterday right?

Sweet, sweet Norah Kate: 

My oh my are you keeping us busy.  You have grown so much!  I had a "mommy moment" a week or so ago because I was looking back at pictures from the first few months.  I have packed up your swing, walker, and jumper because now that you are RUNNING you don't want anything to do with them!

She wanted to play with it after months of ignoring it when I was packing it up.

(Please excuse my mess in the background!)

 

I could cry just thinking about it.

If someone would have told me a year ago how crazy I would be about you, or how much I could/would love you... I don't think I could have wrapped my head (or heart) around it.  I was excited to be a mommy, but honestly had no clue.  I still can't put it into words how much joy your bring to my life.

Yes, there are tough days.  Days that I just want to sit in the floor and cry with you.  Or days where I question if I am cut out for this job (because believe me, this is the toughest job ever!).  But overall, when you wrap those little arms around me and pat my back and give me slobbery open mouth kisses... it makes every minute worth it.



What are you up to?

You are such a smart girl.  You can brush your hair, put your arms through your shirt, blow kisses, wave hey and bye.  You love to brush your teeth.  We bought  you a Dora toothbrush and training toothpaste.  You go to town chewing and knawing on that brush!  You have learned to feed Hoss from your highchair and you think it's hilarious.  You know which toys are his and you will shake them at him trying to play.

You love the Christmas tree... a little too much. You have gotten better about only pulling the ornaments off once or twice a day versus every 15 minutes.

You take two 1 hour naps a day, usually around 10am and 3pm.

Bedtime is between 8 and 9pm depending on if Mommy has been at work, and you usually wake up around 7:30am.

Our house hold has pretty well kept a cold for the past 2 months.  We keep swapping the germs back and forth. Despite handwashing, handsanitizer and Clorox wipes we keep getting the crud.

You are still nursing 3 times a day (morning, 2 or 3ish, and bedtime).  I have started introducing a little bit of cow's milk in your sippy cup. Last night you drank a whole sippy cup of cow's milk before bed!  Yay!!  You only take a bottle from Daddy on the mornings I am at work.  Otherwise you drink out of your sippy cup or nurse.  You still refuse nursey in the sippy cup though!

You love all things food!  Your favorite snacks right now are animal crackers, cheese, and yogurt.  You will open the pantry and bring us a yogurt snack and go "mmm mmm."  Haha!  So smart.  About the only food you don't care for too much is corn.  Otherwise you eat everything we eat.  We did find out that chili gives you a tummy ache :(

You are in size 3 diapers and 12-18month size clothes.  Size 4 shoes.

We are in full blown First Christmas and Birthday Party planning mode around here.  Things are very hectic and busy but I love it.





We love  you, Sugar!  We are so excited about this next month!

*10 Months Old*

It’s that time for another monthly update again!  Whew!  These things come up too quick!  Norah Kate is growing so fast and learning new things every day.

 



 

What she’s up to:

-Walking everywhere. Good. Without falling.  She took her very first independent steps at my mom’s house on October 06 (9 ½ months old!)

-Eating three meals a day, usually table food and finger foods.  She still gets baby food occasionally.

-She can push her arms through her sleeves, chase Hoss with his toys, and tries to brush her hair.

-She can hand you a toy when you ask for it.

-She knows what “no” means, even if she don’t like to hear it.

-We have discovered her temper, usually when it comes to the above statement.  When we tell her no, she will grunt or growl and slap her hands.  You can tell it frustrates her.  Oh boy… we are gonna be in trouble.

-She babbles and talks up a storm.  She can say “bye” and wave when she wants to.  She can blow a kiss sometimes. Mama, dada, dog, Sss (for Hoss), va, ba… are a few.

-She has learned to blow bubbles in the tub and make the Indian noise with her hand over her mouth.

-Her newest thing is hand holding.  She likes to hold our hand when we are rocking her, when I am nursing her, and when Matt is taking her to the baby sitter.

-She loves group hugs.  She has learned to pat you on the back when you hug her <3

 

 

-She feeds Hoss her finger foods and thinks it is hilarious.  Me not so much.  Hoss is enjoying it though!

-She loves digging in our cabinets and drawers.  She loves my fingernail polish, lotions, and hairbrushes in the bathroom.  The bottom two shelves of our pantry are hers… she tears everything out and I put it back up, but it keeps her entertained while I cook.

-She finally ate her first piece of dog food this week. Dangit. I knew it would happen eventually.

-She still loves stroller rides and loves her new carseat!  She is so cozy in it.

 

 

-She doesn’t really have a favorite toy right now.  Hoss is her best friend.

-She is turning more and more into a daddy’s girl, and I am pretty sure Matt is okay with that.

-She has four top teeth and two bottom ones; they are so cute.  She was biting my foot today and that was not cute.

-She has this real sweet way of smiling when you are getting on to her.  You can ask her, “Norah Kate, are you supposed to be in that cabinet?”  She just scrunches that nose up and smiles.  Rotten. Pure rotten.

-Sometimes I want to bring her in the bed with us so bad just to snuggle up to her at night, but I don’t want to start a habit.  When she was sick she slept with us and I could hardly sleep because she was all over the bed.

-She was a ballerina for Halloween and went trick or treating at our church.

 

 

Favorite Foods

Cheese

Yogurt

Applesauce

Vanilla Wafers

Bananas

Potatoes (sweet and white)

Mac & Cheese

Squash

Peas

 

 

She is still a breastfed baby.  She will not drink nursie from a sippy cup though.  We discovered this weekend that she will drink whole milk from a sippy cup though? Weird, right?  She knows where nursie is supposed to come from.  I don’t know how much longer I will nurse her… I reckon until she shows signs of wanting to wean.  The hardest ones will probably be morning and night.   It really isn’t inconveniencing me any to nurse her at those times. 

Goodness gracious, she is just growing too fast.  I love her more than I could have ever imagined!  We are starting to plan for the big first birthday!  Can ya believe it?

Pumpkin Carvin' at Nana's

Sunday, October 28th, we ate at my mother-in-law's house for Matt's birthday.  His sister and brother-in-law bought all the kids a pumkin to carve.  It was a messy, but fun, project for all the kids.  Well, it ended up being more of a project for the daddys.... haha!  The kids got to pull all the yucky stuff out of the pumpkin though and pick a design.

 

 

 

My little punkin'

And the Father of the Year reward goes to...

Matt carved this pumpkin!  Free hand too!  I was impressed!

 

Five little pumpkins sittin' in the patch...

 

Thanks Aunt Ashley for the great memories!!



First Fever

Yesterday, Norah Kate woke up with a fever of 101.6.  Let me be honest for a second.. I panicked.  My sweet baby doesn't get sick and has never run fever!  I called the pediatrician's office immediately (this was at 7:30) and left them a message.  I went ahead and gave her some Advil, but she was pitiful.  She had some clear drainage and just acted really tired.  She let me sit and rock her for over an hour.  She was not her usual playful self at all :(

We went to the pediatrician's office at 11 and they tested her for RSV.  She tested negative thank God!  Her throat looked good, her lungs were clear, and her ears were fine.  The doctor thought she had a cold or virus.

She ran fever on and off all day yesterday and didn't have much appetite.  She nursed real good though.  This morning her drainage is green (yuck!) and we were running low grade fever.  She still acts like she don't feel good, but I hope we are starting to get over it!

I take care of sick people on a daily basis, but it was totally different yesterday with my child.  My heart literally hurt for her!  She was extra clingy and wanted her mama, which was fine with me!  Yesterday was also mine and Matt's 2nd anniversary (Happy Anniversary babe, haha!)  and I was planning on cooking him a big breakfast, going to pick up a gift for him and then us going out for supper that night as a family.  Um, yeah, that didn't happen!  Life happened.  That's okay though... it's all part of being a parent, and I wouldn't trade it for anything!

Update:  Wednesday night, October 24, she woke up and sounded extra croupy and was still running fever so we called and made another doctors appointment for 9am Thursday.  I had to call in to work so that I could take her.  Dr. G gave us a prescription for Amoxicillin (antibiotic) and Bromfed (cough suppressant/decongestant) and went ahead and treated her for bacterial rhinitis and/or strep since I had strep a couple weeks prior. 

After leaving the pediatrician's office, I went to Walmart and stocked up:

 



 

 I was all prepared to go back to work Friday, but about the time I called the baby sitter to tell her that I was working Norah Kate spiked a temp of 102.8... even with Tylenol and Motrin on board (yikes!!).  I called her right back and went ahead and called in to work.  I figured the antibiotics just needed time to work...

Now, October 30, she is fever free (yay!), drainage is clear (yay!) but we still have a cough  (expected...).  She still doesn't have much of an appetite, but she is sleeping better at night.  I pray she doesn't get any worse.  My nerves were about shot with that fever!  It was pretty scary when nothing was bringing it down!

For all you mom's out there:  I LOVE the Vick's baby rub.  It seems to help her sleep better at night and has a really soothing smell.  I rub it on her back, chest, and even her feet before bedtime.  I would definitely consider it an essential when your little one has a cold.

 



Blue Ridge, GA

October 13-16th my mama was on Fall Break so we started planning a few months ago to go north and see the leaves.  When I was younger we used to go to the mountains EVERY fall.  Fall is my absolutely my most favorite time of year.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE the colors, the weather, the food... everything about it.

 

The leaves were perfect!  So pretty!

Mama, Daddy, Norah Kate, and I all piled up in Daddy's truck and went north. This was Norah Kate's first road trip north. We went south all summer. We went to Blue Ridge, GA and the weather was perfect!

 

This was the bear at the cabin.  Norah Kate loved it!  She kept calling it a "dog" though!

 As always, my little road tripper traveled very well! We stopped once on the way up and once on the way back for her to stretch her legs and take a break from her car seat. About a week before the trip, I switched her carseat to a covertible car seat. It is much more cozy with more room for her to grow. She is still rear facing though!

 



As always, my little road tripper traveled very well!  We stopped once on the way up and once on the way back for her to stretch her legs and take a break from her car seat.  About a week before the trip, I switched her carseat to a covertible car seat.  It is much more cozy with more room for her to grow.  She is still rear facing though!

One of our little pit stops for some leg stretchin'

 

Blue Ridge is a small little town.  They have a cute downtown and is home to the best fudge I have ever eaten! Three Sister's Fudge is a small little fudge shop with about 12 different fudges to choose from.  But, oh. my. gosh. it was melt in your mouth good!  We stopped by Tuesday on our way out to buy more...(embarrased to admit this!)... but they were closed!

We had a great time!  I wish Matt could have came with us.  Norah Kate was an angel.  She slept with me from about 3:00 every morning and woke up earlier than normal... but overall was very good.

Our God is truly a wonderful artist!  Isn't this beautiful??

9 Month Check Up

19lbs 5 oz (67th percentile)

27 1/2 inches long (40th percentile, probably gonna be short like her mama..)

 

2 shots (Flu & Pneumococcal)

 

We saw a new pediatrician and loved her!  Dr. G. said everything looks and is going great!



Baby Steps

Guess who is taking steps? 

 

 

That's right... my big girl!

 

(I keep trying to get a picture of  her standing, but she always lunges at me so they are really blurry)

 

Each day she is adding more and more... with a total of four steps yesterday!

 

I wouldn't officially say "walking" because it is more like "stumbling."

 

Take a step...flail her arms... wobble... catch her balance... take another step.

 

She is persistent, and it is amazing to watch.

 

I am so proud!

 

Also... she is saying "mama." Finally! After months and months of me trying to get her to say it she finally is saying it around me.  She would say it in front of everyone else but me.

Freezer Meals

A couple of weeks ago I put up several meals.  I have been meaning for a while now to blog about my experience, but haven't been able to get around to it.  Let me be a little honest too... it was kinda a chaotic (and expensive!) experience, so I have been hesitant to post about it.  Haha!

I have a friend who did her freezer meals and she did all of her hamburger recipes one day and then her chicken ones on another.  I would highly recommend doing that!  I tried to do it all at one time and ended up spending a day and a half in the kitchen !  One good thing though, I am finished with freezer meals for several months!  Our freezer is stocked up!

I didn't want to use freezer meals for every night.  Mostly on the days I couldn't make it to the grocery store that week or on the days I am working.  After all that hard work, I am kinda stingy with them!  I don't use them unless I absolutely have to!  (I don't know why I think like that, food is food and I can make more??)

I put up a stock pot of taco soup, 3 lasagnas, 3 teriyaki chicken, 3 baked spaghetti, chicken stock, shredded chicken, 3 roast beef (with carrots and potatoes), and 3 chicken pot pies.  Whew!

The recipe for the teriyaki chicken and chicken stock I got off of Pinterest (I LOVELOVELOVE me some Pinterest!).  You can find the recipe here.  The chicken stock has very good flavor and has come in handy for many things: chicken & dumplings, chicken & rice, soups, etc.

I will share my recipes for my baked spaghetti, lasagna, and taco soup on this blog post along with a grocery list.

Grocery List

5-6 lbs of hamburger meat
1 pack of spaghetti noodles

1 pack of Oven Ready lasagna noodles by Barilla

Ricotta Cheese

Shredded Parmesan, Mozarella and Cheddar Cheese

1 extra large jar of spaghetti sauce of your choice
2 cans of mushrooms (optional)

Italian spices (I like McCormick)
1 can Black beans

2 cans Red Kidney Beans

2 cans Kernel Corn

2 packets Taco Seasoning

2 packets Ranch Powder

3 cans of Rotel

3 cans Tomatoe sauce/paste
 

6 8x8 tin foil containers (these are perfect for me and Matt, usually allowing large portions for both with enough left over for lunch the next day!)
 

Soup containers (size of your choice, at least 3 of the bigger ones, or you can use small containers for one person meals)

 

 

Recipes

First, brown your ground hamburger in a large skillet, then divide it into three equal parts for each recipe.

-I went ahead and simmered my portions of hamburger meat (approx 3-4 pounds) with the large jar of spaghetti sauce and 2 cans of mushrooms(optional)

 

Lasagna

*I use the recipe on the back of the noodle box except I don't make quite as many layers (I can never seem to fit as many layers as the recipe calls for in my pans).
-Grease bottom of pan
-Spread approximately 3/4 cup of meat sauce on bottom of pan
-Spread out uncooked lasagna noodles
-Spread ricotta cheese/egg/spice mixture over the noodles (Mix the container of ricotta cheese with one egg and a tsp or so of Italian spices)
-Cover with thin layer of meat sauce
-Sprinkle with cheese blend (mozzarella and parmesan)
-Spread out another layer of noodles, ricotta chese, meat sauce
-Top with final layer of noodles, sprinkle with cheese (If you wish you can drizzle with about 1/2 a can of tomatoe sauce for extra-sauciness)

** To Cook: Thaw overnight or during the day.  Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until bubbly

 

 

Baked Spaghetti
-Cook your noodles according to box.
-When noodles are done, mix together approx 1/2 of prepared meat sauce used for lasagna & noodles
-Spread in greased pan
-Cover with cheese (mozarella, cheddar, parmesan

**To Cook: Thaw overnight or during the day.  Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
 

 

Taco Soup

-Mix together approximately 2 pounds of hamburger meat, canned corn (drained), canned Rotel tomatoes, beans (kidney & black), tomatoe sauce, and a cup or two of water (depending on how "soupy" you want your soup). Bring to simmer.  Add taco and ranch seasoning.  (A dash or two of Tobasco sauce will give you an extra kick if you like spicy!) Simmer for approx. 15 minutes.  Allow soup to cool then transfer to freezer containers.

**To reheat:  Thaw overnight in fridge or under dripping water in sink.  You may also defrost in microwave.  Warm in microwave or over stove top until simmering.  Enjoy!

- You may add sour cream and cheese if you wish.  It is super yummy with some Tostito chips!
- I love using the smaller containers to freeze it in for my lunches and such!

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*9 Months Old*

Sometimes when I am doing these blog posts, I have to count the months in my head... because it just never seems right.  My sweet darlin' is 9 months old.  I know I say this every time but I swear it feels like I just brought her home from the hospital!  I feel ridiculous because I have been taking monthly pictures with those onesie stickers... well I completely missed a month because it went by too quick!

 

Four days or so after she was born

 

 

Nine months old!

She is constantly surprising me... everyday.  She is crawling, standing, pulling, and cruising along furniture.  She will step while holding on, but she hasn't taken a step yet independently.  She is saying da, pa, sss, va, ba, hey, ha, and many other consonant sounds.  She will wave and say "bye-bye."  She will say "Ssss" for "Hoss." She loves the sound of her voice, and when I pick her up from the babysitters she talks the whole drive home.  I love every minute, she is truly the best part of my day!

She rolls and tumbles all over the floor,the bed, the furniture, us, Hoss...  She can be pretty rough sometimes.  She hardly cries when she falls down.

Norah Kate is still a chunky baby.  She loves to eat.  She eats breakfast (rice cereal, oatmeal, Cheerios or yogurt), lunch (fruit and veggie), and supper (fruit and veggie, or if I have something cooked she will eat tablefood).    I am feeding her more and more finger foods and she does great with them.  I will give her pieces of meat, small pieces of cheese, a chopped banana, peas, spaghetti, lasagna, rice etc.  She is drinking out of her juice cup pretty good, but still takes breastmilk from a bottle while I am working.  She nurses 3-4 times a day: morning, mid-day and bedtime.  This week she wouldn't take a bottle during the day while at the sitters... so I am wondering if she is starting to wean herself some.

She is wearing 9 month and some 12 month size clothes.  She can hardly fit into anything 6 month or 6-9 month anymore.  I haven't had to buy any clothes (not for necessity anyways) up until now.  I was so blessed to have received so many outfits as shower gifts that she was set for outfits through 6 months!  Let me just say that is has been challenging finding appropriate Fall and Winter outfits for her.  In South GA we don't have much a Fall and barely have a Winter, so the typical Winter clothes in stores are way too "cold weather."  Plus, I try to steer away from dresses because she gets all tripped up on them while she is crawling around.

Norah Kate's Quirks:

-She hums when she is sleepy in the car.
-She has started patting my back when I am holding her and patting her back while laying her down at night.
-She gets the giggles.  Mostly due to Hoss.
-She is the perfect grocery shopping partner.  She is on her best behavior 99% of the time.  She also likes to try to help me pull stuff off the shelves into the buggy and reach back to inspect what I have already put in the buggy.
-Two teeth on bottom, two breaking through up top, and two more on top about to break through!
-She is biting.. related to teething (above statement) I think (I hope!).
- She does not like shoes... She looks at her feet like "What in the heck are these?"  I am starting to put them on her just around the house that way she will be used to them by the time winter comes.
-She hates when I change her diaper... still... this is just getting worse every time.  I don't really know how to discipline this behavior?
-She has learned how to grunt/growl when she is angry or impatient.  Oh, boy...
-She LOVES my K-cups for my Keurig, my lotion bottle, and my hair brush.  She will open up whatever cabinet/drawer I keep them in and it's the first thing she drags out.
-She don't use her walker/jumper like she should.  She plays from her jumper from the outside and pushes her walker across the floor.  She don't like being put "in" them.
-We still use her swing...occasionally.  I don't know what we will do when she outgrows it.  It can be a lifesaver when she is fighting sleep or grumpy.  I was thinking today about packing it up, but she got fussy so I had to put her in it for a nap.
-She has found her temper and can be tenderhearted at times... then other times she just laughs and scrunches up that cute little nose when I tell her "No."  She hasn't quite figured out when I mean business.

Those are some big 'ole britches...

I got her ears pieced at the jewelry store on September 29th

I think it's time to start childproofing our drawers and cabinets!

 

She is such a good baby, and I love her so much!  I can't believe I will be celebrating her first Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Birthday allwithin a few months!  It is most definitely bittersweet.



Homemade Laundry Detergent

This summer I have been on a major "I wanna be a housewife" kick.  I have put up vegetables, made homemade baby food, made jams and jellies, attempted to pick up sewing, put up some freezer meals... so why not follow the trend and make some homemade laundry detergent?

I know people have been making their own detergent for a while now... especially with the new Pinterest fad, but my mama and I finally jumped on the bandwagon.

 

We got our "recipe" from a lady she works with. 

It SHOULD work with all this in it!!

 

Ingredients

Arm & Hammer Washing Soda

Arm & Hammer Baking Soda

Oxiclean

Borax

2 bars of Fels Naptha Laundry Soap

Purex Crystals (for scent, may use any crystal/scent of your choice if you want scented detergent)

 

Directions

1.) Grind your soap in a food processor until it forms fine crumbles.  Mom & I cut our soap up first so that it would process easier.

2.) We used a 5 gallon buck to mix ours with and a big metal spoon

3.) Layer a little of each powder at a time and stir as you go (makes mixing it all a WHOLE lot easier!)

4.)  That's it folks!  If I had known it was this easy I would have done it lots sooner!

 

How to use

Use 2 tablespoons (1oz) per load.

This detergent is HE compatible.

 

 

This made 274 ounces of laundry detergent for $24. 

 

That means 274 loads of laundry, it averages to only 8 cents a load! 

 

 I like to buy the industrial size Gain from Sam's Club which is about $20 for 225 ounces.  The Gain only makes 146 loads.  If you are a Tide user, it is about $26 for 146 loads.  So, if everything goes according to plan... I should save a little money.

 

I also figured up if you average about 1 load of laundry per day (which is the case for my little family of 3), this batch of detergent would last you for about 9 months!  That's crazy!

 

 Mama & I halved this batch to make sure we liked it.  I can't wait to see how it works! I was so excited I almost washed a load of clean clothes just to try it out!

 

Stay tuned... I plan on sharing my freezer meal making experience!



 





First Cold

While I don't consider it a good milestone, I guess it is one I may want to remember one day... Norah Kate has her first cold.  No fever, just runny nose, congestion, coughing and sneezing.

She had clear drainage two days ago, but this morning...let's just say it's yuck.

I have called the pediatrician's office to see if I should come in or not.  I don't want it to turn into something worse.

Even though I am a nurse, babies are not my speciality... especially my own!  Plus, because she has never even been sick... I have no clue what I can give her besides Tylenol and Motrin (which won't apply in this situation because she doesn't have a fever).

I still consider myself sooo lucky because she is 8 months old and we are just now getting "sick."  No ear infection, fever, cough, runny nose, virus... nothing until now!  Praise the Lord because it just breaks my heart!

Luckily, she still acts like she feels okay :)

*8 Months Old*

I can't believe it!  I can't believe I have been a parent for 8 months.  I can't believe I am already starting to roughly plan her first birthday.  I can not believe I am having to already "baby proof" the house.  I can not BELIEVE we are almost walking!  It is amazing :)

 

Mama's stinker

 



Here's what's happening now:

Norah Kate is crawling, standing, pulling up, letting go, squatting, walking while pushing stuff (i.e. laundry basket) across the floor, cruising along the side of the recliner, couch, cabinets, etc.  She is on the move!

She is pulling out electrical cords and putting everything in her mouth.  She is opening cabinets, drawers, and is on a mission to see how much stuff she can get into.  She has discovered Hoss's food and water bowl.

She loves all things electronic.  Computer, TV remote, camera, cell phones.  I even gave her my old Blackberry to play with in hopes that she would leave my iPhone alone.

I bought her a walker to play in, but she hasn't quiet figured it out yet.  She feels confined in it, but I have a feeling when she learns she can MOVE she will love it.  She can only go backwards right now.

We also are using her pack and play more now.  I just throw all of her toys in it, and she will play in if for about 30 minutes at a time.  Long enough for me to cook supper or get ready.

She will follow me all through the house crawling.  If Matt is watching her in the living room and she hears me in the kitchen, here she comes around the corner.  So precious!

She still just has the bottom two teeth....

See my two pearly whites?

 

Norah Kate will eat just about anything!  She LOVES the Gerber rice puffs and the baby cheetos things.  They are great finger foods to occupy her while I am warming up her supper.  Unfortunately, the same goes for what she finds on the floor.  Fuzz, hair, pennies, you name it, she has probably tried to put it in her mouth.  I have become OCD about sweeping and mopping our floors!

She is still a breastmilk baby!  She nurses about 3-4 times a day.  She isn't taking a bottle very well at the babysitters, but she makes up for it on my days off.

She is getting good at drinking out of her sippee cup.  I give it to her in her carseat and when she is in her high chair.  She likes to drink it and spit it back out.  She also likes to throw it on the floor just to see me pick it up.

She loves to talk, sing, make any kind of noise.  She sings along with the radio, and she tells me all about her day on the way home from the baby sitter (in baby talk of course).  Instead of crying when she wakes up in the morning, we hear her in her crib in the mornings just talking up a storm.  It is the sweetest noise.  Baba, dada, mmm, gaga, dedede, haha, heeee, heyyyy... are some of the sounds she is making.  She said "ma-ma" the other day clear as a bell... but she will not say it for me.  I still don't thinks he was referring to me as "Mama" but just babbling.  It still made my heart leap though...  Matt is the lucky one... everything is dadadadada....
 
She will squeal for no reason.

She is also getting to be very expressive.  She can make a suprise face, she will smile and scrunch her nose up, and when she gets mad or excited she will grunt and ball her fists up.

She loves smiling and scrunching that little nose up!

 

We play peek a boo and patti cake.  She loves patti cake.  She just learned to clap her hands too!

She is starting to test her boundaries a little bit, so "no" is becoming a frequent word in my vocabulary.  "No, no Norah Kate don't touch."  "No, no Norah Kate don't put that in your mouth." "No, no, no, no, no...."

Size 3 diapers, 9 month size clothes (some 6 months still fit... snugly...)

Our Schedule:

Usually goes something like this:

Wake up 8-9am
Nurse
Breakfast around 10am
Morning nap Nap around 10:30-11am
Lunch around 12-1pm
Nurse
Afternoon nap around 3-4pm
Sometimes she likes to nurse again around 6, but here lately we have been skipping it some.
Supper around 7 (when I am working, it is more like 7:30)
Bath 8-8:30
Bedtime 9-9:30

She is sleeping through the night for the most part.  We have random  wake ups some.... usually because she is hot or teething.  It's amazing to me because she will sleep through the night when I am off, but on the days I have to work she will wake up once or twice in the night!

I am so super blessed to have such a good baby.  She is my sweetheart!

Panama City Beach, FL

August 16-19th we went with Matt's family to Panama City Beach, FL. I must admit, I was pretty nervous about this excursion. After the Steinhatchee trip back in July, I was praying that Norah Kate wouldn't be so out of sorts. Also, it is about a 3 1/2 hour drive to PCB which is the longest amount of time Miss Priss has been in the car. I couldn't have asked for a better behaved baby though!

Our chauffeur!

We left at about 6pm Thursday evening. She took her a little hour nap while we were driving and woke up when we stopped for a bite to eat. We got her out of her carseat while we were eating, then I fed her while we were driving down the road. She just talked and played for about another hour. When she got fussy (about 9pm) I pumped her a bottle and gave her the bottle while she was still in her seat. She went right to sleep and slept until we got to the house we were staying at. I was so proud!

Friday morning we got up and went to the beach. There was a storm rolling in so we only stayed at the beach until about 2pm. We all came in and got us a nap, then we went out to eat at the Shrimp Boat Friday night. I highly recommend eating at the Shrimp Boat when you are at Panama City! It was SOOO good. It is a nice place to eat, kid friendly, around $20-$30 a meal, and has a spectacular view! Because it had rained, it was so nice and cool outside.

Kisses from Daddy

Sweet baby girl

 



I was craving ice cream after my meal and was bound and determined to find a creamery. We went to Pier Park and ate at the Marble Slab creamery. My ice cream was HUGE but very tasty. It has chocolate ice cream, Reese cups, and chocolate chunks all mixed up in it! Talk about a chocolate fix!

We didn't stay at Pier Park very long, because it was late and we were all pretty tired. It was neat though, it has a carnival/fair in the center of this outdoor shopping mall. Lots of good eating places and cute shops.

 

 

Saturday morning we were on the beach by about 10 or so and stayed out until about 2pm. It was a BEAUTIFUL day to be on the beach! I absolutely love the Gulf. The water is so clear. Norah Kate loves the ocean too. She would kick her feet and try to stick her face in the water. She wasn't afraid at all! I went to Walmart and bought the kids a little blow up swimming pool and we filled it with a few inches of water and set it up under the umbrella. It was a nice cool spot for them to play.

We came back to the pool and swam some more. We were all a little big water logged, but I think the big kids (us) had just as much fun in the pool as the little kids. My husband has a big family, and we always have a blast when we all get together.

 

I love my little family!

 

Saturday night we went to eat at Boatyard. It was another good place to eat. I swear, I think that was the BEST grouper I have ever put in my mouth!! It was along the same price line as the Shrimp Boat, and just as tasty! After that we went to find go carts for the kids (big and little alike :)) to ride. They had so much fun!

I wasn't joking when I said a big family!

 

I got to see one of my best friends too!!

 

Mother-in-law and her "girls"!

 

 

I guess I was a bad parent during this trip because we kept NK out waaayyy past her bedtime every night. She would usually go to sleep in the carseat, then I would just push her around in the stroller. She was out! But, hey, we don't go on vacation all the time. Of course, she would not sleep in her pack and play. She would start out there every night, then about 1 or 2 she would end up in bed with us. Oh well... At home she sleeps by herself just fine!

Norah Kate slept great on the way home. She woke up around Tallahassee, so we stopped and did a little window shopping in the mall. Then she slept the rest of the way! My idea of a perfect car ride!

 

I love, love, love my in-laws and we had a grand time!! I hope we make it a yearly thing! We are already planning a winter time trip. :)