Park Hopping

On Friday, Keller, Bo and I took a walk down to the park.  It was Keller's first official time ridng in his stroller like a big boy without the carseat.  He really seemed to like being able to see the world around him.  It was cute because he kept his arms stuck down at his sides the whole time...like he was all confused and forgot that he had them....cute.  So Keller hung out in the stroller while I threw the ball for Bo to release some of his energy and then when we were leaving I put Keller in the swing for the first time.  Very cute.  He was very serious at first, not sure what was going on, but then he got into it.  Unfortunately, the pictures didn't come out great because I was pushing the swing, holding the BoBo leash, and trying to focus and take a picture of a moving object.  You get the idea though...He liked it:)

Then on Saturday, we met our friends Jackie and Justin and their little boy Joseph to walk down to the park by their house.  
Bo was a naughty dog and disobeyed the posted sign:  (or maybe he was encouraged to do so by his daddy...)--click on the picture to read the sign--

Keller listened intently to Baby Joe tell him all about what it's like being a big 1 year old.  I think the conversation went something like this:  "Hi"....."Hi"...."Hi"

BoBo got to chase the tennis ball in the pond while Vinny wished he could go in too...That was fun until the lady came over and told us about the giant snapping turtles that killed the ducks in the pond...of course Trav wasn't worried by this, but I sure as heck wouldn't want to "swim with the snappers."
And after all of the excitement of the park, the boys zonked out on the way home.  Keller of course slept his signature 30 minutes for a nap while Jackie texted me 3 hours later to let me know that Baby Joe just woke up...grrrr...
Trav and I did a few "drive-bys" of houses for sale in the area...just keeping an eye out in case the right one comes along at just the right price.  And on Sunday we went to Shannon and Dave's baby shower for the already born niece.  Keller got to stay home with Grandma and Grandpa while Trav and I went to the shower...not quite what I would consider a "date" unfortunately.  We'll have to plan one of those soon though.  It was nice that my parents were able to enjoy their pleasant grandson after so many cranky, borderline colicky visits that we've had in Keller's earlier months.  He's becoming so much fun!

Busy Week

Well first of all, the pizza went over okay it seems, though there was an increase in spit ups, it was nothing like what it used to be.  I still will not be eating dairy for awhile, but I least I know that I can get away with a little now and then...unless of course the dairy is the reason why Keller had a less than stellar sleep-week...or maybe it was the antibiotic I was on or maybe it was a growth spurt or maybe he just felt like screaming and visiting with us in the night--we'll never know--luckily Wednesday night was a sleep straight through and last night Trav was able to rock him back to sleep within 15 minutes both times he woke up last night...very nice:)  We ned to keep training him to be able to fall asleep not on the boob AND to be able to get himself back to sleep in the night...eventually:) 

Keller's Escape Artist manuevers.

 As for our general business this week, Sunday we had a couple of friends by for breakfast and then went for a nice walk down by the sound again.  Trav and I were able to hash out some of our options for Keller's wakeful nights---it's hard to do such hashing in the middle of the nights when there's a screaming baby and exhausted  mommy and daddy--I like our family walks.  Monday was a get back into the swing of things day for me and Keller after last weeks full week of sick.  We went on a couple of errands together and had a "lunch date" at Babies R Us in the special mommy room.  We checked out all the toys since the Easter Bunny needs to pick out a cool truck or car or something like a big-boy-toy for the Easter basket...the current toys seem to be getting boring...I also picked up a diaper champ in anticipation of smellier diapers when we start big boy food in a couple of weeks.  I love that I'm still able to use my BRU gift cards and store credits to get what we need.  On Tuesday we went up to my mom's so she could watch Keller and I could work on my resume...for no particular reason other than to start thinking about an update and getting ideas for how I can market myself when the time comes...I play with teaching a few classes at the community colleges...we'll see...in no rush for a job now, particularly since I'll be watching my sisters kids for most of April, May, and June.  Should be some interesting stories once that starts...three kids and Lisa!!!  We actually visited Jill and Chase and Cali on Wednesday in the midst of their packing up to move into the new house they've been building...Keller was able to see what it was like in a house where both kids napped simultaneously in their respective spaces...novel!  At least he slept in the car an hour there and an hour home!  And Thursday was visit the brand new niece in the hospital...Trav's sister had a baby girl, Piper, three weeks early.  So she now gets to have pink girlee stuff after her two boys.  After our visit to the hospital we had a nice dinner out at a Vietnamese place we like in Danbury and made it home just in time for Keller to turn into a pumpkin!  And there you have it...it's now Friday and we've just got a few errands and some hanging out to do...next week is our last week home before watching Cali and Chase so hopefully we can get a visit in with friends sometime soon! 

Keller's finest Jiu Jitsu move with Teddy...

Cross Your Fingers

I ate two pieces of delicious cheesy pizza today as a "test" to see how Keller's digestive system has matured...hopefully we won't have a puke-fest around here!!  I'll keep you posted!  

Still Sick:(

This morning I went to my doctor since I'm still feeling crummy and he confirmed a sinus infection so now I've got an anti-biotic to take and hopefully will be back to my old self soon--A crazy sickness this has been though, since last Thursday pretty much...I think it was the flu first but this infection lingering??? Who knows.  I'm glad I don't have that stinkin' fever and chills anymore and that Travis bought me some Halls "Mentho-Lyptus" which were so very much what I needed last night...sore sore throat...But enough poor-me-ing.

I forgot to mention a couple of Keller things in my last post...He loves his bink, but not to suck on...instead he likes to chew on it and talk and talk and talk to it...very cute and it keeps him occupied for a good chunk of time.  He's also found his toes so every once in awhile on the changing table he grabs them...especially the big ones.  And the cutest thing he's up to now is pretending to eat with a spoon---he's been playing with the metal measuring spoons and so when you take one and do the "airplane" game he opens his mouth with a big grin or laugh and "eats" happily...I can't wait to see his expression next month when there's actually something on the spoon!  And one last thing I love love love right now is how when I'm feeding him, he is looking right up at me and reaching up touching my face---so even though I'm generally considered nothing more than "the boob"--that intimacy makes it all okay...even when he's eating, gets distracted and thinks the boob is supposed to stretch like silly putty as he turns completely around while still attached...my sweet boy:)

5 Months!!

So the big boy hit five months this week.  It seems to me that this photo shoot ended up with lots of pictures but none quite capturing what I was hoping for.  I guess what most of the pictures highlight is his "five-months-ness" as he is more in-motion now and a bit less propable, which I know is only going to get worse!  As for the updates on growth and development, he's doing a pretty good job with the sitting up thing and  tends to prefer that to laying on his back or belly and he is still not rolling, well officially at least.  Every now and then he'll go from his belly to back but it's never on purpose...He does go from his back to his side if there's something he's after...it's cute because he scrunches up his legs to make him look like a ball and then he's able to roll to his side.  The darn arms seem to be in the way of a full roll over though.  I'm really not worried about the rolling because I know he will eventually...he's just taking his time on that one!

Keller and Teddy having a heart-to-heart.

Keller and all of his buddies:)  I like how I can associate all of these puppies and bears to the people who gave them to him.  They are all part of his nighttime going to bed ritual.  Which I guess brings me to the sleeping thing.  He's still swaddled happily, although once in awhile breaks free.  I must say I do wonder how long he'll continue to be swaddled for and what will happen/how will things go when he's not swaddled anymore.  Cross that bridge when we come to it I guess.  He's officially not eating in the night anymore.  Trav broke him of that habit.  The trick was for Trav to go in and rock him back to sleep when he woke up...when I went in, he would naturally want to eat.  So even now, over the course of the past week or so, he'll wake at night but just fuss a little and go back to sleep on his own.  That's progress:)

Keller helps Mommy do laundry.

Look at the big boy playing with his toys:)

On a separate note, this has been the sick house for the past week.  Last Thursday Trav went upstate NY for work and came home Friday night with what developed into the flu.  So he was out of commission Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and some of Tuesday.  Keller ended up with a runny nose/ congestion by Wednesday, which he still has and yesterday I got hit with what's most likely the flu, too...ugh!  After crawling out of bed at 11 this morning and trying to bring myself to life a little, Trav took Keller to his parents so I can relax, and so I catch up on my blog which I've been meaning to do all week.  Next on the list is a nap:)  It's no fun feeling so yucky--

Oops

Keller had his first non-breastmilk food today...accidentally:)  Apparently I'm supposed to tell Travis when there is something other than breastmilk in the breastmilk containers in the fridge...but the thing is, the little Medela container was a perfect storage container for the rice milk I brought to my mom's to put in my tea...we never use those for milk anymore, only the drop-ins...go figure Trav would pick that container to feed Keller while I was at the gym and post office...Mikey liked it, too:)  No adverse effects as of yet but considering rice cereal is one of the first foods I'm not too worried---

Trying New Recipes

So I know I said in a previous post about my restrictive diet that I should really make a point of trying out some new recipes and I'm glad to be able to say I've been doing this...We've had a few nice new meals thanks to my dietary needs.  I've been a bit of a slacker lately and have been eating foods with soy in it over the past week or so...it didn't seem to be bothering Keller, but now we can clearly see that his face is acting up a little more again so no more Smart Balance fake butter for me...

Above is a picture of the Black Bean Cilantro Polenta I made a week ago...soooo yummy:)  I'd definitely make it again...and easy, too...very important!  Note Travis' "fork-effect"in the photo---hey, it reminds me of Clebnick's quarters or pitchforks to show scale in his rock pictures, anyone remember?

We also tried a peanut, onion, and tomato sauce over rice...it was "okay"---not excited about making that again.  And a couple of weeks back we made our way to an Asian market and came across some boxed "spice blends" for a few Indian dishes.  They have only just "real" ingredients/spices...no additives/preservatives and yummy!  We made the Chana Masala the other night and I just had the leftovers for lunch today...delicious!

Hmm, what else...we made a vegetarian Shepard's Pie but that's kind of cheating because we use fake meat crumbles (not real food as far as I'm concerned) not to mention that the yummy gravy that goes with it relies on soy sauce...Next will have to be something with butternut squash because we've had one sitting around here for awhile.  Oh, and how can I forget to tell about the soy and dairy free chocolate chips I've been buying?  I've made two different cookie recipes with them, one from the Rice Milk box and today I made an oatmeal chocolate chip recipe...practically good for me!!  Hey, momma needs her sweets and there's so little splurging I can do these days.

But, all my food issues are worth it in the end because I have this cute little boy who has challenged us to essentially eat better.  Doesn't he look so cute, like a little boy that likes to take naps?  ha!  that's funny...you should have heard the bargains I was trying to make with him today to get him to sleep longer than the two twenty minute naps he pulled off...He now lies sleeping in his swaddle bag in his nice dark bedroom...nevermind...this kid is ridiculous about his napping!!!  Gotta love him though!!