Late Father's Day Gift

If you're friends with me and Tony on Facebook, you know that we are constantly posting new photos. Me and Des, Daddy and Des, family/friends and Des... Des, Des, Des. First Time Parent Syndrome, what can I say. So I was shocked to realize recently that we had yet to capture a single photo of the three of us together. Travesty!

So one of Tony's father's day gifts was a picture frame and a note inside that said: Reserved for Family Photo. I had requested the services of our friend Scott who dabbles in photography (check out some of his impressive work here), who mentioned that he was looking to get some experience with portraits. Then we spoke with our neighbors who maintain a beautiful, lush garden to request the use of their yard as a backdrop. Our yard is a bit... dry. Overgrown. There may or may not be an old transmission hiding under a bush. Landscaping is a skill we have yet to master.

Right around Desmond's 6-month birthday we finally captured our family together. Despite the extreme humidity (as my auntie would say, 'I was in a lather'), and a baby who WOULD. NOT. NAP... we had a fun time and Scott got some really great shots. Here's a preview of just a few of our favorites:









Now the tough part is picking the few we want to frame and display.

The Adventures of Making Baby Food

I know, I know. Homemade baby food is just soooo trendy these days. Like cloth diapers, Sophie the giraffe, or :ahem: mommy blogs. But with the guilt-ridden recent end to breast feeding, I had to shove all those emotions into some kinda project. Preferably one that involves cost savings. You're welcome, dear frugal husband.

So hey, my baby may be drinking synthetic chemical poison powder (not reeeeally), but at least I can give him organic, locally grown fruits and vegetables pureed with love and kisses from Mama!

Step 1... Look online for help. Because the internet has all the answers! And I am utterly clueless! Many thanks to my baby food making bible: WholesomeBabyFood.com

Step 2... Dust off the food processor that is still in box and wrapped in plastic.

Step 3... Purchase the goods. I decided to start with peaches and pears. They seem easy enough and they supposedly aid in digestion. Des needs all the help he can get in that area, poor guy.

Step 4... Get to work!

All in all, it is a very easy process. Wash, peel, chop into cubes.



Firmer foods need to be steamed so they get soft. With softer foods like plums, mangos, avocados, there's no need. Then the cubes get pureed in the food processor until nice and creamy.




The mixture is then poured into ice cube trays for freezing. Once fully frozen, dump the cubes into a labeled ziplock bag and DONE.

Truthfully, if you're working with a lot of fruits at once, it can take a while. Lotsa peeling, chopping, steaming, pureeing, freezing, etc. You gotta clean the processor in between different fruits. But as a person who is decidedly UN-Martha-esque, I found it extremely easy. Fun and relaxing, even! Especially with a glass of wine and no breastmilk to worry about tainting.

Cheers!

*Let me end by saying, I am by no means against the store-bought jarred foods. In fact, we use them quite a bit. Sometimes it's just easier. Peas, for example, are a big PITA. You have to cook the heck out of them and there's the extra step of straining the skins, and you don't get much for the cost. Plus they make the whole house stink like feet. But Desmond loves them, so jarred peas it is! Among many other things when I get lazy.

**Also, let me really end with this conversation with my mom:

Me, feeling all proud: "So I've been making my own baby food."
Mom: "Oh cool! When you were little I used to mash up fruits and veggies and then put them in ice cube trays to store."
Me: "That's what the internet told me to do!"
Mom: "Well, how do you think they come up with that?"

Whenever I need to google something, I should really just call mom.

Oh wait, here's the end!

mmm...

From the Mountains...

In light of the fact that my vacation time is all but depleted (thank you, extended maternity leave... totally worth it), as well as the fact that traveling with a baby poses certain challenges, we are working on perfecting the art of the local weekend getaway. If we can get there by car in >3 hours, we're in!

So when my family proposed a long weekend in the mountains of New Hampshire, we were so there. It took a lot of planning (see previous post), both among my extended family and within our little 3 person pack. But it was pretty much the perfect weekend. The weather cooperated, the home we rented was beautiful, the company was a blast as always (my fam would have fun in a paper bag, I swear... as long as there was wine ;-), and we took full advantage of everything the mountains have to offer.

The only mission that went unaccomplished was a hiking trip for the 3 of us. When we tried to put Des in the hiking backpack for the first time, his head was too low and his arms too high. He's a big boy, but not quite big enough. Perhaps in the fall.

So far on these day trips and weekend getaways, Des has put his toesies in the ocean, a river, a lake, and a pool. A trip to Walden Pond has been added to the list!

And perhaps the warm waters of the Carribean? Can't get there in a weekend. Sigh...

An Exercise in Packing

I've written about the packing situation with baby before. This weekend was our first real vacation with the kiddo. For a 4-day, 3-night trip, I started The Master List a week in advance. I have to show you this thing. It is epic:

Equipment
x - Bumbo with tray
x - Jeep stroller
x - Exersaucer
x - Bouncy chair
x - Hiking backpack
x - Bjorn
x - Pack 'n play
x - monitor

Food
x - bowls and spoons
x - bottles, covers, and nipples
x - pump and parts
x - formula
x - breastmilk
x - babyfood
x - prune juice

Toys
x - froggy
x - monkey
x - scout
x - teething rings

Toiletries
x - shampoo and conditioner
x - razors
x - face wash
x - face lotion and body lotion
x - make-up
x - hairbrush and hair dryer
x - elastics and bobby pins
x - medicines
x - toothbrushes

Baby clothes
x - short sleeve onesies (6)
x - long sleeve onesies (2)
x - shorts (3)
x - pants (2)
x - sweatshirt
x - PJs (3)
x - sun hat
x - bathing suit and surf shirt
x - sunglasses
x - bibs, burpies, face cloths
x - diapers, wipes

Mommy clothes
x - jean shorts, tank, cardigan, birks (wear)
x - tank tops (4)
x - t-shirts (2)
x - long sleeve shirt
x - skirt
x - sweatshirt
x - cargo pants
x - yoga pants
x - white socks (2)
x - flip flops, sneakers
x - underwear and bras (4)
x - army hat

Etc.
x - beach towels
x - pillows
x - bug spray
x - bug net
x - sun screen (baby and adult)
x - motrin
x - baby blanket
x - Nintendo DS
x - ipod
x - both cameras
x - phone chargers

I hope most of you skimmed through that, as I would have too. I just had to show the sheer insanity of leaving home with kid(s). And my obvious sick pride in how organized I was in planning for this. I am by no means a type-A personality. My mind is a bit of a frazzled mess most of the time. Come to my home or look at my desk on any day of the week to see for yourself. I rely on lists like this to organize the chaos. If it weren't for The List, most of this stuff would not have made it and we'd be running around last minute throwing whatever we could grab into the vortex of the car. We'd get to the destination and think, "Wait.. why did we bring the blender? 8 bathing suits, but no toothbrushes? OMG WHERE'S THE BABY?!"

No, I did not put BABY on the list. It's a miracle we remembered him.

Tony was in charge of his own clothes. Yes, sometimes I let him dress himself. His wardrobe is basically grown-up sized Garanimals anyway.

Oh, and the x's denote that it is packed. Not in a bag, or on the landing of the stairs. I would not mark it with an x until it was IN THE CAR.

We had a beautiful trip to the mountains with the Cawley clan. Photos and stories soon to come.

6 Months

Dear Desmond,

You are six months old today. I can't even believe it. Every day that passes seems to be better than the last.

You are rolling over like crazy now. You started rolling back to front early on. Took a while for you to get the hang of the other way. But now that you got it, we can't take our eyes off you for a second! We've made it 6 months without any injuries. If you're anything like your mother, that streak could end any day now...

You started eating solids recently. Francesca (your daycare provider and great friend) said, "I can't imagine him not liking anything." And it's true, you took right to it! You love oatmeal and peaches and pears and avocado. Pretty soon we'll introduce peas and squash and mango. And like Francesca says, I can't imagine you not liking them too.

You are a giggling fool! Every day we find a different tickle spot. And when we do, daddy and I will sit there and listen to you laugh forever. We laugh to the point of tears, give you a break, and then do it again.

Your smile is so big and wide. Any time you hear our voices or see one of us, you show us that beautiful grin. I will miss those gums and those puffed out cheeks when you start to get teeth.

You suck your thumb a lot. Never really took to the paci, which is fine with us. The thumb is always there, even if it can sometimes take a while for you to find it. When you're fussing in your crib, we'll stand outside the door whispering "Find it... find it." And you always do.

Des, you are such a joy. Easy, laid back, and quiet... (most of the time). A lot like your parents. Every morning you wake up smiling. You fight sleep sometimes, but you give in soon enough. Daddy and I have spent so much time watching you sleep. (Is that creepy? Sorry if it is.)

We say to eachother all the time, "I love him, you know." God we really, really do.

Here's to the next 6 months, and a lifetime of smiles, laughs, and milestones.


To the moon and back, little man.

The Day Before

Six months ago from this moment, I sat in my cube at work and started thinking, "Hmm.. I wonder if something is going on. Maybe I'll start timing just in case."

I opened up a new email and typed the time. Then again a little bit later. In between work, chatting with coworkers, walking to and from the bathroom (hello trampoline bladder!), I'd jot the times of those somethings in the email. Again and again.

I still have it saved in my draft email folder at work. I refuse to delete it, but I don't know what to do with it. I open it up every once in a while, recalling that day and those moments.

In honor of The Day Before, here's the body of that email:

841
900
914
936
1000
1007
1023
1035
1053
1101
1109
1123
1132
1138
1155
1211
1222
1229
1237
1246
1253
100
125
132
139
151
159
214
234
240
252
307
313
320
331
345

To everyone else it's just a list of numbers. To me, it's anticipation, excitement, and having NO IDEA how much life would change so soon.

Like just before dawn after a long, exhausting night. There's nothing like the light of day that can change your entire perspective.

What a Difference a Week Makes

I grew up with a pool in my backyard. It was such a huge part of my childhood summers. Luckily, my sister Maureen and her family have a beautiful pool. When I thought about Desmond in the summertime, taking him to the pool in Braintree was the first thing that came to mind.

But before we threw him in the deep end, baby steps are in order. Time to fill up the kiddie pool!

Unfortunately, Des's first attempt was on a hot, cranky, 'DEVIL-HORNS-ARE-BURNING-THROUGH-MY-GUMS' teething kinda day. Hence...

Deanna is a brave woman for even attempting.

Needless to say that didn't go so well. But my dreams of having a pool baby were not dashed. We would not give up! One week later, and in a much better mood, we tried again.

Whoa whoa whoa

Wait... Is this the same stuff from tubby time?

Dude it is SO the same stuff! KICK-KICK-KICK-KICK.

So fun even mom had to join in:

The second time around was much better. He even went in the big pool! In mommy's arms of course. Lots of curiosity, splashing, and no tears. Hoorah!

Next steps... Swim lessons, olympic medals, endorsement deals, and early retirement for mom and dad. Dream big kids!