What Sound do Giraffes Make?

Happy Halloween Friends! We are dressed and waiting for our first trick-or-treaters to arrive. Well, Eli is snoozing away in his little costume, but that little guy needs all the sleep he can get so he can fully recover from his virus--we are almost all better, and he has slept almost through the night the past two nights! I feel like a new woman! It's amazing what consecutive hours of sleep will do for your body and sanity!

We worshipped our Lord this morning and enjoyed the beautiful afternoon at lunch with friends. Hope you get lots of treats and not tricks tonight!

We've been stung by our little bee.

Sorry for the absence. Some nasty bug has taken over our house. Instead of blogging, we are doing a lot of hydrating:

A lot of cuddling:

and a little infant Motrin (generic) and Little Noses saline drops.

His temp. is a steady 103 and one degree more and we're off the the doctor. We had a lot of guests this week, and I guess some sick germs too! I hate seeing my sweet boy sick, but knew it was bound to happen some time. Right now, I'm typing one handed because my little bee isn't content anywhere else. I do love the cuddling since he is usually such an active little guy. Hopefully his fever goes down soon, and we can get back to normal in time for our new store opening this week- a post on that coming soon!

Cook Much?

Do you cook? I do. I love to, matter o' fact. I get bored very easily and like to try new recipes a lot. I get this from my momma. She is always "trying out" new recipes on us. Some are big hits, like this butternut squash recipe she tried out on us for Thanksgiving one year. Some are not, like a red beet and leek salad that is not even worth finding the link for. My husband is the only one who ate some, but not because he liked it. More so because he is a sweetheart.

Anyway, one of my college roommates had a boyfriend who liked to cook. He made this recipe one day, and I've made it ever since. It's easy, very filling, and I think it's even better the next day straight from the fridge.

What You Need

1 env. GOOD SEASONS Asian Sesame Dressing Mix, prepared as directed on envelope

2 Tbsp.  soy sauce

1-1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

2 Tbsp.  crunchy peanut butter

2 Tbsp. honey

1/2 tsp.  crushed red pepper

1 pkg. (1 lb.) thin spaghetti

2   carrots, shredded

4 green onions, sliced

1/2 cup  chopped cilantro

 

Make It

MIX dressing and soy sauce. Pour 1/3 cup over chicken in bowl; toss to coat. Refrigerate 1 hour to marinate. Meanwhile, mix remaining dressing mixture, peanut butter, honey and crushed red pepper.

COOK spaghetti as directed on package. Meanwhile, transfer chicken and marinade to skillet; cook and stir on medium-high heat 8 min. or until chicken is done. Place chicken in large bowl.
DRAIN spaghetti. Add to chicken mixture with peanut butter mixture and all remaining ingredients; mix lightly

Now, that's the actual recipe. However, I've made a few changes over the years. I cannot find that Good Seasons packet for the life of me anymore. So, I buy some version of thai peanut dressing in the dressing section at Kroger. I usually just make sure it has peanuts, sesame seeds, and soy sauce, so I can skip that portion of the recipe.

Next, I add extra of everything--dressing, cilantro, carrots, onions, etc. Matthew likes to add extra red pepper flakes to his, but not for me! Too hot- I'm a wimp.

Really, it is so very easy, and I usually know something is pretty good if Matthew is willing to eat leftovers of a dish. He's kind of a leftover snob if you will, and if he thinks something is good enough to have it twice that week, I make a mental note to make it again!

And here's the little stinker who's literally killing me at night. I know, I KNOW, at almost 7 months, this little guy is capable of sleeping through the night. He's done it before! And I truly am not opposed to him crying it out, but then I also know those mean ole' teeth are coming in, and I feel bad for my hurting baby. Last night, he was conked out at 9. I went to bed soon after and was asleep by 10. At 1, he was screaming his head off. Matthew and I were up for an hour consoling him back to sleep. The fun new stage is that he doesn't want ANYONE other than his momma. While that seems awfully sweet, what that really means is even if I'm in the same room with him, I have to be the one holding him. What a stinker!

Help a Girl Out.

I could eat his raised, arched, eyebrows to pieces.

Eli and I have two things to say.

1. For those of you who sew (this include those of you who are stalking and not officially "following"), where can I find some cute fabric prints for little boys. I want to make some shorts for next summer (the Bonnie Blue Jillian to be exact), and I'm tired of the good ole' seersucker and gingham. I want some fun prints! Anyone know of any? Preferably cheap! (MaryMo, isn't this like...your career?)

2. For those of you who do stalk, follow me! It's easy, your pretty face appears in the bottom right hand corner, and it makes my heart feel good. Like I have friends in this little blog world of mine, since ya know, I almost never get out of my house anymore. go ahead...follow me! :)

Neh Neh.

At 6 months old, this big boy can sit up unassisted for a few minutes before toppling. He's learned how to do it without using his arms to prop him up too. Sometimes his big massive brain gets too heavy for him to carry, and it topples him over. The woes of a prodigy baby. :)

His legs are still very long, although at his last check-up, he wasn't taller than average. He's 26 1/4 inches, which is what he was one month ago too, so I'm assuming he'll hit his 6 month growth spurt soon. He was in the 50th percentile for height.

If you've been reading this blog for a little while, you've heard all about our weight "issues" with Eli. And by issues, I mean, his doctor wants him to be really fat. And I have an issue with that. :)

Not really, I love a baby with some rolls (hello Daniel!), but Eli just doesn't have them. He's a lean thang, and we'll take him however God decided to make him. He weighed 14.8 on the 1st of Sept. and of course, we are now shoveling bowls of rice cereal and oatmeal in him, so we're assuming he's packing on a few pounds since then.

If he's had a nap, he is a smiley smiley baby. He will beam that smile at me all day long, and I could just eat him up. Sometimes I almost do. Both bottom teeth are breaking through the surface. Did you teeth usually came in pairs? I certainly didn't, but here they both are...cutting skin and making us lose a little sleep. I thought Eli would be a little fussier than this, but he's handled it pretty well so far. It has made nursing a bit of a painful process- those new teeth are sharp!

He is into everything. His new interest is paper. He wants to eat every piece he sees.

He's learned how to make a smacking sound with his mouth. He will do this for about 15 minutes with you, smiling all the while.

Those teeth also bring a constant stream of drool. He soaks through about 5 bibs a day at least. See him getting up on all fours? He just learned last week or so to get up on all fours and rock away. He does so with that giant smile on his face, proud as a peacock. Any day now, he's gonna figure out how to crawl, and I really will be in trouble.

He loves to stand, and isn't content to sit still. Bottle time has become a battle-field. He squirms, twists, and rolls in our arms while we try to dance with him and keep a bottle in his mouth. I think I will take a video in to the dr. to show her what I mean by "active". :)

And here's the traditional end-of-photo-shoot pic. He wanted to be picked up at this point, and I was too busy trying to get a good pic of him!

What else for month 6:

-he's eaten peaches, apples, sweet potatoes, avocado, plums, and carrots. He would gag on the carrots.

-he's wearing anywhere from 3-12 month clothing. Huh? Stores need to get together and come up with a universal measuring system.

-he loves his jumparoo.

-he's cutting two teeth.

-he still naps twice a day, for usually 2 hours each.

-not sleeping through the night, but getting close. (teeth come on through, so we can work on that)

-he loves his daddy. he makes him laugh the most.

-he talks more. his fave is "neh, neh, neh..." I think that means "I love you momma."

-he is still a screamer, just for fun though, not when he's upset.

-we don't have to stand AS much with him at night. he'll play in his jumparoo for awhile, but then we have to stand. :)

-loves his Baby Einstein dvd. He watches it every morning while momma makes a bottle.

I think that does it. Matthew said so far this age is his favorite b/c he feels like Eli is getting "sturdier" and they can bond more and play together more.

So my question is, how did you safety-proof your house for your crawling baby? I.E. what am I in for?

Babies, babies everywhere.

All my friends got together and decided they should all get pregnant at the same time. They also decided to all have little girls, so they could all grow up together and be best friends like we all did. Perfect plan, right?

Just kidding. But, all my friends ARE pregnant, and almost every single one is having a little girl!! Crazy!

Christa at 17, Corinne at 23, and Ashley at 26 weeks.

First, meet Ashley. Ashley has never met a stranger. Seriously, the girl has about one million friends. I've never gone to a function where she didn't know at least ten people in the place. She is one of the friendliest, sweetest people I know, and she hands out compliments left and right. (Maybe that's why I like her.) :) Ashley is having baby Luna, due around Jan. 1. Oh, and Ashley above goes with the belly below.

Meet Ashley's belly. This is 6.5 months pregnant. It's okay to hate her.

Next is Allison. She is one of the first friends I made when I moved to Knoxville. She has lived here and gone to church here her whole life, but still makes it a point to reach out and befriend the newbies like me. She already has a little girl, but is having a BOY around Jan 28.

Here's Allison's little fam. No baby bump picture yet, because she's tiny.

Third, we have Corinne. She is stay-at-home momma/entrepreneur extraordinaire. She not only takes care of her home, but plans weddings, consignment events, and other activities. I don't think she sleeps. She is having a baby girl Ava, who is joining big sis Olivia, around Feb. 1.

Cute girl. cute dress. cutest baby bump eva. I never looked this cute pregnant.

Fourth, we have Miss Missy. She and I became friends through our hubbies, who weren't lucky enough to be called hubbies at that point. Then, we only called them that in our minds. :) They would've called themselves boyfriends. Anywhoo, Missy has only ever been the sweetest person since I've met her. She is incredibly thoughtful and generous, and always seems to think of other people. She brought me the sweetest necklace after Eli was born. It's a gold circle with the initial E on it. I had bought one with an M on it when we were vacationing together, (M for Matthew, not Missy. That would just be awkward.) She took note, and got me one for the next love in my life. I wear it just about every day. Oh, back to babies. She is having a little girl Ellie around Feb. 28th. Ellie Rose- don't you want to eat her up just from her name alone?



here we are two years ago. we were visiting our house before we ever moved in. Missy's on the left. she swears she has a baby bump now, but I won't believe it until I see it. :)

 Okay and last, we have Christa. One of my very bestest friends since the 6th grade. That's like 15 years...yikes I'm old. She, like Missy, is also one of the most thoughtful people I know. She visits new babies, calls on birthdays, sends gifts, etc. She is also one of the most stylish things ever. I try to channel her when I get dressed, but never really succeed. She's also tiny- and so is her belly. She having a girl, but not quite settled on a name around March 10th. Here she is probably pushing her belly out with all her might.

So, there you have. 5 friends having 5 babies, four girls and one boy, all from January- March. If I have a slight case of baby fever now, I will have it full-blown when all these beautiful women bring these babes into the world.

Maybe you could say a little prayer with me that all of my sweet friends continue to have safe, healthy pregnancies, and that their babies are all born just as perfect as can be. Oh, and a quick, easy labor wouldn't hurt either. :)

P.S. I stole all of your pictures off FB. I really hope you don't mind!

Oh. those. lips. I better lock them up. No girl besides me can ever kiss them. :)

Half a Year. 6 months. That's how long my little boy has been here in the world. I've known him longer than that though. Sometimes I feel like I've known who he would be my whole life. God has been holding this little gem for me...for ME!! He held him, waiting until he could put Matthew and I together, and give him to us. He's perfect for us. He's happy almost all the time, unless he's sleepy. He's funny. Matthew and I laugh at his little antics every day, like how he is starting to learn how to throw a tantrum. If you are sitting down with him, you may possibly be ruining his life. He arches his back, lets out his high-pitched squeal, and straightens his legs in attempts to stand. Matthew and I eventually give in and stand with him, but not before we are laughing at how hard he's trying to defy us.



He has a hard time opening his eyes outside. He and his daddy share the same sleepy look. I will have years ahead of me saying, "smile with your eyes OPEN." Eli can join his father in saying, "Just take the picture."


He has his daddy's smile. A giant, wide-mouthed beautiful smile. I hope he gets those nice straight teeth from his daddy too. I hear braces are kind of a pain. He will flash that smile in the morning when we wake up, usually in our bed together. He will flash it through sleepy eyes when I get him from his naps during the day. He will flash it just about every time I talk to him. And he will flash it to just about everyone who stops me to talk to him when we are out and about. He's my little joy-spreader. We'll call that his spiritual gift for now. :)




Look at those dimpled hands and wrist roll...LOVE.

 He still has light blonde hair. I was born with darker hair, but it quickly turned light blonde when I was around one. Matthew looked like the little Cherokee Indian that he is. Dark hair, olive skin, and dark eyes. Eli has zero resemblance to the skin tone his daddy has. Sorry baby, but you inherited your momma's German influence--light hair, light eyes, and fairer skin. You've got years of sunburns ahead of you.

Hmmm. How can I get back to eating that grass that is under this blanket?

He also seems to have my build. Apparently, I started out tall and thin, and have somehow managed to stay that way (give or take) since birth. I would like to thank my Dad's genes for that. My dad (Pop-pop) can down about 3 giant bags of potato chips in one sitting, and not gain a pound. Seriously, my mom said she used to buy snacks for the week and hide them from him because he would eat them all that day. One of their big fights was when she discovered he had eaten her Milano cookies, her "special treats". She would have one a day with her coffee, savoring each bite. One day, she came home, and Dad was down to the last one. Oh the travesty.

Hey Mom, it's hot as heck. I don't care that you and Daddy were trying to enjoy some fresh air, I'm going to scream until you find me some a/c.

Unfortunately for Eli, the doctors don't seem to take heredity into account. Every time I've gone, since he was 4 months old, I have been told he doesn't weigh enough. He's "not following the usual curve", "he's not emaciated, but needs to be fatter", "he may have kidney problems", "or maybe a digestive disorder"...and so on. Literally, I think it's time to switch pediatricians. My little boy is ACTIVE. I mean, extremely. He NEVER will sit still. He will scoot and roll his way across the living room floor all day, jump like a mad man in his jumparoo, kick constantly, push-up, sit-up, stand-up...everything. He's going to crawl any day now. He's up on all fours rocking away. I told my dr. this, but she wasn't convinced. She basically told me the internal problems he could have and even if I try not to worry, of course I will when his doctor mentions them. I seriously just think he burns almost every calorie I put in him. It would be hard for me to pack on any pounds too if I "worked out" all the time like Eli does. Unfortunately, I don't do a thing but the occasional walk, so looks like those darn pounds are here to stay. :)

These are the faces I get when we try to shoot outside. Scrunched up, squinty-eyed smirks. Oh, and precious too.

Long story even longer, I have to take him back in two weeks AGAIN for ANOTHER weight-check. Since I don't want them to have to run any tests on him, Matthew and I are shoveling food in our baby's mouth. Instead of mainly milk with a teeny tiny bit of fruit or veggie, we are back to the rice cereal, and we are making big ole' bowls of it. I had been not really feeding him much since I wanted him to have mainly milk until he was 6 months old, but looks like my active little guy just "needs" more. Now we are doing bottles of milk, AND 3 bowls of rice cereal with fruit 3 times a day. He is gobbling it up, so hopefully these extra calories will pack on the pounds, and he can become fatter, and the doctor can leave me alone. :)

And here's one that makes me laugh. Trying hard to open those eyes, but just. can't. quite. do. it.

Dear Tooth:

Dear Big Ole' Bad Tooth:

Please, please, please break on through, so my little boy and his momma can have some relief...and sleep. We just met your brother last week, and he wasn't any nicer than you are.

Thank you.