Happy New Year! 
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Tagged again....
I've been tagged yet again, this time by my (newly engaged!) friend Mel. This time, I must tell you 6 random facts about myself. I am a pretty random person, so this should be easy......should......
1. I have the memory of an elephant when it comes to random, useless facts and events that have happened to me, and/or other people. My friends don't doubt me when I say what they wore when, and what happened on a certain show or whatever. On the other hand....if it's something important, I won't remember! This is completely frustrating to my husband.
2. I apparently know most, if not all, of the words to "If I only had a Heart" that the Tin Man sings in the Wizard of Oz. A little bit of the dance too! I didn't know this until I was watching it with my mom recently, and she kept looking at me as I sang along, asking me "How do you know this?" I don't know. I'm not a huge fan that watches it all the time.....must be that memory thing...... :)
3. I LOVE British Chick Lit books! I've read so many that I pretty much know the formula of how they are written, what will happen, and who the heroin will end up with.....but I still love it!
4. I am really proud of my driving skills. I can back into a parking spot like a pro, without turning my head, just using my mirrors. Yeah, I know. I'm awesome. :)
5. I have had over 20 jobs....I think 23 exactly. 18 employers. One year, I had 6 W2's to file in one year. :) I have been a butcher (hairdresser) a baker (Cookies By Design) and a candlestick seller (Partylite). And so much more.....
6. Despite my claims at having an awesome memory and "I'm so random this should be easy"........I can't think of a 6th thing. I'm sure there are 7, 8, 9, 20 and so on, but none of them are coming to me. A day later, after I started this blog, and I can't think of anything. Everything I come up with seems too normal: I'm an annoyingly picky eater, I cry a lot watching Animal Cops, sometimes my perfectionism with writing texts is almost OCD-like. OH, theres a good one! I don't know why, but I have to have perfect grammar and spelling when I text. I am trying to break free of those chains, but until I do.....be prepared to wait several minutes for my response to your text! :)
Ok, there we have it. I tag anyone who reads this and has not done this already. It's kinda fun and neat to learn kooky things about your friends!
Alright, I WILL post at least one new picture of Declan by the end of this year. I would promise more, but.......resolutions aren't necessary until Thursday! :)
1. I have the memory of an elephant when it comes to random, useless facts and events that have happened to me, and/or other people. My friends don't doubt me when I say what they wore when, and what happened on a certain show or whatever. On the other hand....if it's something important, I won't remember! This is completely frustrating to my husband.
2. I apparently know most, if not all, of the words to "If I only had a Heart" that the Tin Man sings in the Wizard of Oz. A little bit of the dance too! I didn't know this until I was watching it with my mom recently, and she kept looking at me as I sang along, asking me "How do you know this?" I don't know. I'm not a huge fan that watches it all the time.....must be that memory thing...... :)
3. I LOVE British Chick Lit books! I've read so many that I pretty much know the formula of how they are written, what will happen, and who the heroin will end up with.....but I still love it!
4. I am really proud of my driving skills. I can back into a parking spot like a pro, without turning my head, just using my mirrors. Yeah, I know. I'm awesome. :)
5. I have had over 20 jobs....I think 23 exactly. 18 employers. One year, I had 6 W2's to file in one year. :) I have been a butcher (hairdresser) a baker (Cookies By Design) and a candlestick seller (Partylite). And so much more.....
6. Despite my claims at having an awesome memory and "I'm so random this should be easy"........I can't think of a 6th thing. I'm sure there are 7, 8, 9, 20 and so on, but none of them are coming to me. A day later, after I started this blog, and I can't think of anything. Everything I come up with seems too normal: I'm an annoyingly picky eater, I cry a lot watching Animal Cops, sometimes my perfectionism with writing texts is almost OCD-like. OH, theres a good one! I don't know why, but I have to have perfect grammar and spelling when I text. I am trying to break free of those chains, but until I do.....be prepared to wait several minutes for my response to your text! :)
Ok, there we have it. I tag anyone who reads this and has not done this already. It's kinda fun and neat to learn kooky things about your friends!
Alright, I WILL post at least one new picture of Declan by the end of this year. I would promise more, but.......resolutions aren't necessary until Thursday! :)
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Bros
Today, my brothers turned 32. Not so much a significant birthday, but two very significant men. Twin boys born a minute and a half apart, fraternal in every way. A righty and a lefty. A blonde and a brunette. Husbands and fathers of two. One an OC Sheriffs Deputy, the other a Nurse (studying to get his Masters in Nursing). Both have a beautiful wife that have been a wonderful sister to me. They have given me gorgeous nieces (maybe a nephew?) The past 28 years that I have known them have been wonderful and trying, but what I know now is that they love me, without obligation, and they respect me, as their sister and as an adult. I have ALWAYS been so proud to be their sister, and I ALWAYS will be. Happy Birthday, Chris and Danny!
(That's the best picture I have of them right now, it was from June 2007, and they had just finished the San Diego Rock-n-Roll Marathon.)
6, and now 7, Months
I totally missed my 6 month blog, as Declan was 7 months this past Saturday. Oh well! You've read the tooth blog, you've seen the crawling video, what else is there? Food! Milestones! And stats from his 6 month appt.
Food:
We have officially started real solid foods! My first attempt at making baby food did NOT go well at all! I wanted to try out peas first, thinking they would be easy. We couldn't find fresh peas at Ralphs, so we went with frozen peas. The recipe I have for making baby food is from "What to Expect the First Year", so it's pretty generic, which is fine for me! It said to boil about an inch of water and simmer 1 cup of peas in a steamer basket for 7-10 min, then puree for younger babies and wala...you have baby food! My hang ups: should I have thawed the peas first? How many cups are in this bag? 3?! Are the peas steamed enough? How much water or breastmilk should I use to puree with? Is it completely blended? Let's just say it was NOT a good experience, and I was feeling quite out of my league making BABY FOOD! What?! But...my poor son....we tried to give him some anyway! :( I have video of it, but let me tell you about it first and you can tell me if you would want to see it! His face was REALLY cute when he first tasted it, you know that face: "eeewwww, what is this?!" Then I was "smart" and put a whole spoonful in his mouth.....to which he immediately gagged on and proceeded to throw up! I doubt he ingested any of the peas! I was really worried he wouldn't take to other foods after that, but the next day I bought a fresh sweet potato, diced it really small, steamed it with an appropriate amount of boiled water, pureed it with plenty of filtered water, added a little breastmilk for familiarity for D, and he was great! Still made the "eeww what is this" face, but he ate it! And no throwing up! I've since done carrots, and hopefully I will do green beans soon! We'll have to give peas another try someday. I also gave him oatmeal cereal the other day and he loved it....from what I can tell! :) So he gets cereal in the morning and a vegetable in the evening, and in a couple weeks we'll try fruit at lunch! I have to say, before starting solids, I was excited, but nervous about making my own baby food, thinking this was a daunting task. But it hasn't been bad at all, in fact it's pretty easy! And CHEAP!! I made about 18 servings of carrots from a $4 bag of baby carrots. That's about half the price of pre-made food. I encourage all mothers to do it! It's really not that hard, ask for help if you need it....I know I did!
Ok, these are now almost a month old, so figure he's a little bigger than this! So he was 16 1/2 lbs, and......crap, now I can't remember his length....I think 27 1/2 in? That sounds right.... :) And his head was like 17 or something. Still about the same percentages. I thought he would be bigger, weight-wise at least, but the doc said all was great!
I definitely have pictures, but they are all on the desktop tower and unreachable at the moment. As soon as that is all set up, I WILL post pictures of our big boy!!
Food:
We have officially started real solid foods! My first attempt at making baby food did NOT go well at all! I wanted to try out peas first, thinking they would be easy. We couldn't find fresh peas at Ralphs, so we went with frozen peas. The recipe I have for making baby food is from "What to Expect the First Year", so it's pretty generic, which is fine for me! It said to boil about an inch of water and simmer 1 cup of peas in a steamer basket for 7-10 min, then puree for younger babies and wala...you have baby food! My hang ups: should I have thawed the peas first? How many cups are in this bag? 3?! Are the peas steamed enough? How much water or breastmilk should I use to puree with? Is it completely blended? Let's just say it was NOT a good experience, and I was feeling quite out of my league making BABY FOOD! What?! But...my poor son....we tried to give him some anyway! :( I have video of it, but let me tell you about it first and you can tell me if you would want to see it! His face was REALLY cute when he first tasted it, you know that face: "eeewwww, what is this?!" Then I was "smart" and put a whole spoonful in his mouth.....to which he immediately gagged on and proceeded to throw up! I doubt he ingested any of the peas! I was really worried he wouldn't take to other foods after that, but the next day I bought a fresh sweet potato, diced it really small, steamed it with an appropriate amount of boiled water, pureed it with plenty of filtered water, added a little breastmilk for familiarity for D, and he was great! Still made the "eeww what is this" face, but he ate it! And no throwing up! I've since done carrots, and hopefully I will do green beans soon! We'll have to give peas another try someday. I also gave him oatmeal cereal the other day and he loved it....from what I can tell! :) So he gets cereal in the morning and a vegetable in the evening, and in a couple weeks we'll try fruit at lunch! I have to say, before starting solids, I was excited, but nervous about making my own baby food, thinking this was a daunting task. But it hasn't been bad at all, in fact it's pretty easy! And CHEAP!! I made about 18 servings of carrots from a $4 bag of baby carrots. That's about half the price of pre-made food. I encourage all mothers to do it! It's really not that hard, ask for help if you need it....I know I did!
Milestones:
Teeth update: Yes, TEETH! Plural! There is a second little tooth just popping up right next to his first one. He is no longer a one-tooth hillbilly! I had started calling him Cletus! :) (I apologize for offending anyone named Cletus who may be offended by being referred to as a hillbilly.......and to any hillbilly who does not like the name Cletus. :)
Just this past weekend, Declan has started pulling himself up! In fact, right now he is STANDING next to me while holding onto the coffee table and playing with a coaster. Let me make a clarification though: he's not necessarily successful at pulling himself up, I have to help him....mainly because his socks slide on the carpet and his bottom half goes under the table! But once I help him, he stands there holding on and playing! What a big boy! He can also pull himself up to his knees too, but the coffee table is too tall to enjoy from being on the knees! :) So he still hasn't mastered crawling, but standing supported is now a favorite!
The stats:Ok, these are now almost a month old, so figure he's a little bigger than this! So he was 16 1/2 lbs, and......crap, now I can't remember his length....I think 27 1/2 in? That sounds right.... :) And his head was like 17 or something. Still about the same percentages. I thought he would be bigger, weight-wise at least, but the doc said all was great!
I definitely have pictures, but they are all on the desktop tower and unreachable at the moment. As soon as that is all set up, I WILL post pictures of our big boy!!
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
On the Brink
Our little boy is this close to crawling! In fact he may have technically crawled, but he's not necessarily getting places yet. He likes to get up on his hands and knees and rock, and then he may inch forward, or lunge, or he'll army crawl to a toy. It's so crazy to watch, he's growing up so fast. I feel like this next development is a big one. Sitting up is one kind of independence, but crawling is HUGE!! It's coordination and intention.....and my baby is almost there! I'm really starting to miss his little-ness. It's almost like it was a completely different baby that we had a few months ago, and now we've been given an upgraded bigger model! :) I guess we have the rest of his life to experience this feeling over and over and over and over and over.......
So here he is, in all his almost crawling greatness!
So here he is, in all his almost crawling greatness!
Sunday, December 7, 2008
"It's like a razor in his mouth!"
Yes, Declan has a tooth! A couple weeks ago, I was letting D gnaw on my finger and I suddenly felt something I had not felt before: a TOOTH! It was barely sticking out, and not at all visible, but you could definitely feel it! At first, I couldn't feel anything while breastfeeding, which I was quite happy about......but unfortunately, that did not last. It was a rough couple of days.....but it has gotten better. And now you can actually see it!
See, if you look really close...... :)
70 Years
Gary Edward Gill turned 70 years old this year! To celebrate, he and his lovely wife, Nina, took a cruise to and around Hawaii......do they know how to celebrate or what!! Since the trip took place on his actual birthday, we had dinner with them a couple weeks earlier at the Olive Garden, Gary's favorite! Again, I didn't bring my camera (seriously, I don't know what's wrong with me sometimes! ;) ) but Nina had hers and took some great pictures.
Declan and the birthday boy
The cousins playing together. Ethan had Declan laughing SOOOOO much!
Not from the birthday dinner, but another shot of Papa and grandson
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)