Tuesday, not so lame.

A few weeks ago we announced that, to our shock, baby #2 would be here in September.  A few weeks after that we announced that baby #2 was due the day after Annabelle would turn one.  I have wrestled with this.  I really have.  Am I ready for this??  Can we handle this??  What the crack were we thinking??  We decided to cling to what we know is true and made a pack that we would laugh through it, just like we have done with everything else.

Today I went to meet my OB.  She was so kind and patient for all my questions.  I'm a wanna be at home birth momma but I'm a chicken.  There I said it.  I wish that I had the courage and discipline to do cloth diapers and eat all organic and birth at home.  But I don't.  But I love the idea.  I will again, give into the hospital birthing ways and regret it once again.  I will be outraged when that bill comes in October and the phone calls start, asking for money while I'm still healing and drugged up for the damage that is inevitable on my body.


But as for today, on this day, I'm so so thankful for my healthy little people.  I have one wild woman that squeals in public and "talks" to strangers.  I have another babe inside of me that has made me sicker than I have ever been and I love it already.  And a pup that thinks he is human and deserves to eat off our plates and that baby food is a treat.

So here are my healthy babes:

Our first baby.

Oh Annabelle, you taught us what "love at first sight" was.  And it was beautiful!
(please don't look at the mess in the back ground... )

Baby #2... we can't wait to find out what you are in 3 short weeks!  But mostly, we can't
wait for you to get here so we can all snuggle :)

6 month round up!

Oh sweet Annabelle, you turned 6 months yesterday!  Where has time gone??  You are so big now!  Here is what you like in your 1/2 a year of life:

• You love to people watch.  You are a Robertson, it is expected.
• You love to laugh- a lot!  
• You love Dallas, but you grab his fur and kick him any chance you get, can we work on that?
• You love to eat!  You started solids a few months back, you have become less and less interested in the bottle.
• You love apples, carrots, sweet potatoes, acorn squash and pears- those are your favorites.
• You like to watch big kids and when people are talking, you look at them like you are really listening to them.
• You do not like it when I am teaching you to sign.  If fact, you resist.  I'm okay with this for right now.
• When you are hungry, you let me know!!
• You LOVE bath time with your daddy.  You do this nightly and you play these silly games and it makes you laugh.
• Sleep:  You sleep 11-13 hours a night and you love it!  You love your crib and really love to nap.  Can I tell you how thankful that i am and I pray that this doesn't change?
• You love to snuggle, but then again, you are a Robertson, and that is what we do best, snuggling!
• Your grandma got you this lovey when you were first born, and you love it.  If fact, you are obsessed with it.  You will not sleep without it.  We have two and our house and there are 3 in the safe at her house... just in case!
• You started playing peek a boo and you think it's so funny.  You do it mostly when I come to get you out of your crib.  It melts my heart!
• At your last appointment with the Dr.  You were in the 95% for both height and weight... can I tell you how cute your little chubby legs are??
• You learned to sit up all by yourself the other day and you are so proud of yourself.  You are still a little unstable, but you work so hard at it!  
• You love to "stand up".  Any chance that you get!
• You "talk" and "sing" non-stop.  I spend most of our days just laughing at you.  You have so much to say for being so young.  I would really like to know what you are thinking half the time.
• Your daddy and i think that you say "hi" and "I love you"... while you don't come out and say it like an adult, your pitch is the same when you "talk" and the noise that you make is the same.
• You love being outside (thank goodness!!) and road trips.

I love you sweet Annabelle and can't wait for the next six months!

Baby food goodness

I started on the bandwagon to clean up what we eat at the Robertson house.  Some may argue what constitutes "healthy", I say, we are a work in progress so cut me some slack!

The easiest start was with Annabelle.  They say the first 5 years of eating habits will dictate the rest of her life... eek!  No pressure here, ha!  I started making her baby food.  To my utter shock, she liked it more than canned baby food.  I liked it because I know exactly what is going in her mouth and if she had an allergic reaction, I would know what I gave her.  

So people have been asking me and Cynthia how I do it.  It started in Cynthia's kitchen, so really, she should be writing this and taking all the credit!  But anyhow, this is the easy way that I do it!

1.  Go the store, farmers market, etc and pick out what you want to try.  This week I made/am making acorn squash, sweet potatoes, pears, peaches, carrots, apples and bananas.  I have not done the bananas or the peaches yet.  They are a first, but will post that soon!
Also, while you are at target spending all your money on diapers and other random things, get a bunch of these:

Make sure that they are freezer, microwave and dishwasher safe!

2.  Get your loot out and start peeling!

*don't but produce that is not in season by the bulk.  I made this mistake and had to cut off lots of bad parts.  

3.  Peel those jokers and put the yumminess in a steamer:

4.  Set the timer and go do something else, like peel more or empty the dishwasher or fold that never ending laundry.  Also, change the water out after each veggie or fruit that you cook.  You don't want apples with a hint of carrot.

When they are done, it should be really soft.

5.  Put the contents in the blender or the magic bullet and rock and roll.

6.  Store the goodness in those little containers.  I put about 2 tablespoons in each one.  That is about a serving size for my babe!

Okay, let's do the math here for a second.  I spend about $3 on the apples.  I am not including the cost of the containers because I will reuse them in the months to come.  It made 11 servings ( I had fed AB one already when I took this picture).  Gerber food is $1.39 for 2 packages at Harris Teeter.  A savings of around $6

Other produce:

Acorn squash

Carrots!  

*The carrots had the best savings. I got a bag of the small "ready to eat" carrots for just $1.37.  It made over 11 servings!!!

Some tips while making it:

• On thicker food, like carrots, sweet potatoes and acorn squash, you will need to add some water.  I use the water that is in the bottom of the steamer.  If you are baking or using the oven, use the water that is in the pan.  Just a little water goes a long way.  So be conservative and add it as needed.
• Make sure that you sterilize the containers.  Using the small ones as you can use them "per serving" it makes it soooo much easier.  
• I put a few containers in the fridge at a time and the rest stay in the freezer.
• Make sure that you label those jokers.  Apples and acorn squash look simpler in color and when they are frozen... Lord help us!
• Make sure that you have a good helper, it gets really messy sometimes.  Here's my "oh so faithfully" helper:  

• Mostly, have fun!  You are feeding your sweet babe these yummy foods and it's suppose to be fun for you guys.  AB woke up in the middle of the process, so I just fed her and left her in the high chair and dragged it over to where I was cooking and she loved watching me.  

If you have any questions, call me or email me.  I would love to help!  I don't know much, but do know I love making this stuff!