Happy Halloween!

Here is a super quick digi-scrapped page of our evening. :) The papers and elements are from the Express Yourself collection at The Shabby Princess, and the font is Sketchy Times. Click on the page to enlarge it and read the photo details!



And here is a personal favorite, taken last weekend while we were trick-or-treating at a local grocery store. :)

I hope everyone had a safe and happy halloween!

Big News...

Ok, so, shortly after Henry was born, hubby and I invested in a new digital camera and a new video camera. We could never figure out how to upload the video's from the video camera to the computer, so we stopped using it about a year ago and just started doing short videos with the digi camera instead. I just happened to be looking at the video camera the other day and it hit me... (note that *I* am not the IT geek in the family *ahem*)... the dang thing has a port for a USB cable right on the front. How did I miss that? And I say I, because between you, me, and the fence post, I don't think hubby really gave it the old college try. ;o) You know how that goes. (Am I right, ladies? ;))

Anyhow, I'm happy to report that I now have access to all of these wonderful videos we took of Henry as a baby. I've been watching them on and off all day, getting all misty eyed at what a big boy he has become.

I thought I'd share this video with you since I haven't updated this blog lately. Darrin and I found out what the gender of our second baby would be, and decided to break it to my Mom and Grandma by signing their Thanksgiving (2007) card with both of the boy's names (this was also the first time they learned the name we had chosen). My Mom is sooo slow. LOL. It took her for.ever. to open the card (you'll notice Darrin trying to follow her with the camera... moving the dog gate, etc. lol!), and then even longer to notice. And my grandma is too funny. She is the other female voice you hear in the video.

One Outfit....

....Two babies!

I thought I had a better picture of Henry in this outfit (one of my favorites - I just love the bottoms of the feet... too bad it's in Colts colors though!), but regardless, it's still a fun comparison.

Henry:


Jack:

Jack is almost 7 mos, and I think Henry was about the same age when the photo was taken. I do remember it being much looser on him though!

Halloween Fun

I just thought I'd share a quick picture of some Halloween cookies I made tonight. I just took some Nutter Butter cookies, and dropped them in white chocolate, then added mini chocolate chips for eyes. I saw this idea somewhere and they suggested using licorice whips for eyes, but I don't care for licorice, so I went with these instead. When the chocolate dries, I'll break off the little pools around the edges and have some fun halloween treats for someone.

That's the funny part... I didn't even make them for anyone, I just saw the idea and thought I'd try it. I think they'd look super cute standing up in a halloween cake frosted with black frosting, don't you? Maybe I'll try that when my boys are old enough to appreciate it. Ooooo... or even in little black-frosted cupcakes! Man, could I rock a bake sale or what? lol.

Next time I'll put the points of the chocolate chips down instead of up. Some of the eyes look a little crazy on these, but you get the idea!

Ames Point

I found some fun how-to's online for making frames for your photos in Photoshop Elements. I had to play a little. :) This is a picture taken of Lake Winnebago last weekend when we were out walking on Ames Point. I love the trail of the sun on the water. Not bad for a point and click, eh?

In case anyone is wondering, I did go to the podiatrist and didn't leave with any magic answers. She was convinced the swelling on my right foot was due to thyroid problems and promptly sent me to the lab to have blood drawn to prove it. Yeah, well, she was wrong. My thyroid is fine. So, back to the drawing board.... or in this case, physical therapy. It just never seems to end! Thankfully I don't have any pain with the swelling.

I hope you're enjoying the nice fall weather!

BOO!

LOL! You'd think by the looks on their faces that they didn't see my standing in front of them for the last five minutes trying to get Jack to look at the camera. It's as if I just appeared in a big puff of smoke and scared the crap out of both of 'em. hee hee.

October Desktop

I thought I'd share my October desktop image today. You can download a new desktop template from The Shabby Princess every month, and then just use Photoshop (or some other photo editing software) to add your pictures, save it, and voila. All kinds of cuteness for a whole month. Or, if you're like me and forget to do it until the 15th, then you only get it for a half of a month.... but I did get to enjoy September's for a month and a half. Ok, I'll stop now. :)

This image is full sized - I didn't shrink it for the web. So, if any family or friends are reading this and would like it for their own desktop, feel free to use it. All you have to do is click on the image to enlarge it, then right click and select the "Save as Desktop Image" option.

In other news, I have an appointment with the podiatrist today. Almost one year ago to the day, I was diagnosed with bursitis in one foot and tendonitis in the other. My right (tendonitis) foot has been swollen ever since. The podiatrist I saw last year said the swelling was due to my pregnancy, and that it would go away after I gave birth. Well, Jack is going on seven months old now and nothing has changed. I've been to physical therapy, but that doesn't help either. So, I'm going back. New podiatrist, new hospital, hopefully a new solution... and this time maybe it will be one that works. Because this whole bit about both feet killing you for a year straight is for the birds... especially when you're trying to keep up with a baby and a toddler. They did give me two shots of cortizone last time (one in each foot), but that only lasted so long. And really, I feel like it was just to mask the pain, not solve the problem. Think happy thoughts for a smart doctor for me, ok? :) Thanks!

I *heart* Photoshop

Because really, where else can you turn this:


Into this:

Isn't that a cute picture? Much better than the original, if I do say so myself! I used the "Shazam" technique I learned from Jessica Sprague's blog (mentioned it a number of posts ago). I can't wait to learn more tricks, and get a new camera. Just think of the possibilities! :)

This photo was taken last weekend when we were walking out on Ames Point. It was such a beautiful day, and the fall colors were gorgeous. I have more pictures to share, but it will have to wait for another day since the boys are up from their naps!

Do you Papoo?

I love Henry and his Papoo. I just had to share. :)

The Little Farmer

We took the boys to The Little Farmer last weekend. Grandma likes to go every year to buy apples for her pies, and we get our pumpkins while we're there, too. They have hayrides and some animals, and a playground, but Jack isn't too keen on patience at this age, so we didn't take too much time enjoying those things. We just did our pumpkin search and found our apples and squash and called it a day. The bees were crazy that day anyhow, so no one was too upset. Well, except Henry... who thought the whole day should be spent with the goats. Go figure.

This is one of the first things I saw when I walked into the pumpkin patch. I thought it was hilarious, and had to share it with you!


Here is Henry with Grandma, near the animal area. It just occurred to me that I didn't get any pictures of the goats! *gasp* And in case you haven't noticed on previous posts, this is Henry's cheesy grin of the year.

Choosing the right pumpkin is a tricky ordeal. Some people test produce by smelling it. Some try to squeeze it, some roll it, some sit on it...

Another big draw for Henry is a water feature. ANY water feature!


Me with my little pumpkin. :o)

Henry with the Grandmas...


And where was Jack through all of this? Why, in his stroller of course! And as always, his Kammi doll was near by!


I hope you enjoyed your tour through the pumpkin patch! :)

Henry? .... HENRY!

Those are pretty much the words that were being said as I rounded the corner to find this:



He was tired of Blue. He wanted to watch Charlotte's Web. Never mind the fact that I have the dvd's secured on a shelf well out of reach. Apparently a Radio Flyer car, a wobbly bassinet insert on the playpen, and a strong willed toddler trump all of that.

My Mom said, "I can't believe you ran for the camera instead of getting him out of there!" I've been trained well though haven't I, fellow SCS toddler moms? ;o)

Zoo Videos

Here are some videos from our last day at the zoo. They're all short. Just some snips to give you a glimpse into Henry's little life! :)

Video 1

Video 2

Video 3

And here's a fun little something I found on a blog I read, so I had to try it. Pretty accurate, eh?!

The Recipe For Sarah

3 parts Allure 2 parts Dignity 1 part Silliness Splash of Boldness Finish off with a squeeze of lime juice

What's the Recipe for Your Personality?

Mama's In The Kitchen!

I chat online with a group of moms, and one of those moms has been a terrible influence on me. She's always cooking something in her crock pot, and I finally caved and decided I should try it too. :o) Isn't that awful?! I actually made a Beef Stroganoff earlier this week, but I want to tweak that recipe a bit before I share it. Tonight I made french dip sandwiches, and they really couldn't have been easier. I *heart* french dip sandwiches! I can never get enough! NEVER! Hubby even enjoyed these. He said they were as good as the cheesy beef sandwiches we get at Portillo's when we go to Chicago, but I think he was being a tad generous there. I mean, they were tastey, but I don't know that ANYTHING can top Portillo's!!

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

2-3 lb Beef Rump Roast
2 cans Campbell's Beef Consomme
Salt and Pepper (to taste)
Mozzerella Cheese
Butter
Hoagie or Sub Buns

Place roast in slow cooker and cover with both cans of consomme. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook on low 8-10 hours. Remove roast from slow cooker, and pull apart with fork. Save juice for dipping. Slice and butter buns, place on cookie sheet and broil on low until they've reached desired crispiness. Remove bun tops, and add beef to bun bottoms, then cover with two slices of cheese and return to broiler to melt. If you've never broiled things like this before, please notet that they go FAST! I stand right at the oven with my eye on it the entire time to make sure it doesn't burn. Once the cheese is melted, you're good to go! Yum city!

Then, after dinner, I decided to make some banana bread...

For those who aren't aware, I love Goofy. I used to collect all things Goofy, but have cut back substantially on my purchases in the last few years. Hubby bought me this kitchen timer for Christmas last year though, and I just love it! I had to get it in the picture. :)

For the banana bread, I used this recipe. The only changes I made were that I used two large bananas (not sure if that was more or less than what was recommended, but it worked), and added about a cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips. :o)

If you decide to try either recipe, let me know!

The things kids say, part 1

Somewhere along the line, Henry became "You". Here are a few recent conversations:

Me: Who put your socks behind the crib?
H: You.
Me: You did?
H: heh.

Me: Who's Mama's bug?
H: You!

You get the picture. So, I've been trying to teach him his name... his real name. Here is the conversation that took place last night:

Me: What's your name, honey?
H: You.
Me: No, your name is Henry.
H: Heh.
Me: Can you say Henry?
H: No. (lol!)
Me: Can you say Hen?
H: Hen.
Me: Ree?
H: Ree.
Me: Henry?
H: You.

Oye. Back to the drawing board. ;o)

Oh, Bee!

I think I've mentioned before that Henry's name for Jack is "Bee". It's short for baby, and he's been using it almost as long as Jack has been alive. Now we all use it from time to time. It makes me smile, because my middle initial is B., and I have long been known as Sarah B. to family and friends, as well as Sairabee to my online friends. My nick-name for Henry is Bug, so now I have a Bee and a Bug to love. :)

The other day, I was loading Jack into the van and said, "Oh, Jack!" under the sheer weight of it all. Henry was standing next to me and started saying, "Oh, Bee!" over and over again. It was adorable. Whenever Jack spits up, or gets his hands on something he shouldn't have, or what have you, Henry is right there saying, "Oh, Bee!"

I thought it was a fitting title for this post. This is Jack's first meal of prunes. He loved them (as does his Papa.... *blech*)! Jack is a messy eater. We rarely ever had any food go out of Henry's mouth when we were feeding him (and we started him two months earlier than Jack!), but Jack is a different story. As soon as I put it in, he pushes most of it out, so I'm constantly at his face with the spoon trying to recover what I can before it gets on his clothes. You'd almost think I'd use one of our sixty gajillion bibs, wouldn't you? Maybe next time I'll remember to do that. Doh.

Oh, that's another thing. Henry says, "Doh!" now too. I wonder where he picked that up? ;)

Goodbye Zoo!

I just wanted to share a quick Smilebox of our last day at the zoo. The photos were actually taken over two separate trips - one with Jack, one without. We only go on the rides when we are without Jack. And it was an overcast day, so the pictures are a little dark. Sorry. I could have brightened them in photoshop, but there were a lot and I was feeling overwhelmed. They still are ok though, so don't worry! :)

I'll have another post in a day or two with some videos as well.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

My Little Butterball

I haven't posted here in awhile, so I thought I'd better share something! Here is a picture of Jack taken a few weeks ago. He loves to sit on the couch with his big brother. If I prop him up right, he'll be content there quite awhile. Despite the sleeping issues, I really am blessed to have such well behaved and (generally ;o) ) content kiddo's!

A Day On The Farm

We took Henry to A Day On The Farm on Sunday. This was the first time we'd ever been to the event, and we all enjoyed ourselves! I would have liked to have stayed longer, but given Jack's current sleep situation, we wanted to try our best to adhere to our sleep schedules. We'll make up for it next year, I'm sure!

Here are some pictures from our day:

Make a Smilebox slideshow

My Big Boy

Here is a picture of Henry taken yesterday at the playground by the tanks (i.e. Red Arrow Park). He's getting to be such a big boy, and we've had so much fun going on our weekend adventures this summer.

This morning, Darrin and I were getting dressed for the day when we heard a loud crash come from upstairs. I raced up the stairs, only to find Henry there on the floor in front of his crib, holding his head and saying, "OWW!". He's fine, but it just marks the beginning of another era in his life... the big boy bed. Once we were all ready for the day, we went and picked up some breakfast before heading to my Mom's (to pick them up for yet another of our adventures). When we sat down to eat, and tried to get him into his high chair he said no, and pointed to a regular chair. *sigh* So, he sat in a big boy chair (no booster, just him) and ate his breakfast. He didn't squirm or wiggle, he just sat and ate. On one hand it's exciting to watch him develop, on the other it makes me a little sad to think that he is just a little less dependent on me now. But, I guess that's all part of being a parent.

After we finished our breakfast, we headed out to Pickett for A Day On The Farm. Henry had a blast. I have more pictures to share from that later this week. :)

Pool Time

Henry loves to splash in the water. It doesn't matter if it's the tub, the pool, or a tiny little puddle. If he finds it, he'll splash in it! So does it make me a bad mother for not bringing the pool out until Labor Day weekend? LOL! Ok, maybe a little. Here is a quick slideshow of his two swimming weekends this summer - Labor Day weekend, and the weekend after. Hey, at least he got to do it a little bit anyhow! ;)

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

As a point of reference, here is a picture taken one year earlier. Isn't it crazy how much growth can happen in one year?

Friday's Wedding

This past Friday, September 12th, was the wedding day for my cousin Brandon (second cousin, to be exact) and his bride, Kati. Here are a few pictures from the day. I wasn't able to get many, as Jack started to fuss shortly after the ceremony began and I had to take him to the van (it was an outdoor wedding at a park in Appleton).

This is my favorite picture. Here we have Brandon and his son Gage waiting for Kati to walk down the aisle. Gage was the best man at the wedding, but I think he was a little intimidated by the whole thing. He didn't quite know what to make of everything. This picture just touches my heart because as cheesy as it sounds, I can feel the love...



I photoshop'ed the background of that picture above to get out the big white Lamers bus that was sitting in the parking lot behind them. It's the first time I've ever done that, but I don't think it turned out *too* bad. So what if the tree leaves go all the way to the ground? hee hee. Here we have Kati as she approaches, arm in arm with her Dad. Check out the look on Gage's face. LOL! That made me smile. :)

Brandon and Kati prepare to take their vows...

Aaaand that's when I had to leave. Argh. I took Jack to the van and nursed him quick, then came right back and it was over. I think the whole thing must have lasted all of maybe 15 minutes. It was an insanely short ceremony (though my husband thought it was just perfect - MEN!). I was sad that I missed the good parts, but such are the joys of parenthood I guess.

Here is a quick shot of Henry after the ceremony. He had a tummy ache that day and was being a stinker when I wanted to take a picture of him, so hubby had to help.


Shortly after that picture was taken, the boys headed off to the playground. :)


So, that was our day on Friday. The reception was nice, but we weren't able to stay for much of that either. The boys were both in a mood that day and I was sleep deprived, which didn't help my patience levels at all. We ended up leaving shortly after dinner.

Like Mother, Like Son

I used to love to walk around the house in my grandpa's shoes when I was Henry's age. It made me smile to see him come around the corner in my Crocs the other day. :o) He's such a cheeseball when it comes to taking pictures though. As soon as he sees the camera he gets this crazy look on his face. What a nut! :o)

Anyhow, I promised pictures so that the blog didn't get dragged down with all the NCSS stuff. Here is one, and there are more to come this week!

NCSS: Night -Waking Log

Date: September 11, 2008
Age: 5.5 mos

Six items were logged:

1. Time
2. How baby woke me up
3. How long awake; what we did
4. Time baby fell back to sleep
5. How baby fell back to sleep
6. How long of a sleep stretch since fell asleep

7:40 - Jack fell asleep at the end of our nursing session and I moved him to the crib

8:30 - He woke, crying. Fell asleep again at 8:40 while nursing. Sleep stretch (SS): 50 mins

9:10 - He woke, crying. Fell asleep again at 9:20 while nursing. SS: 40 mins

9:30 - He woke, crying. Fell asleep again at 9:40 while nursing. SS: 20 mins

10:55 - He woke, grunting. Fell asleep on his own a minute or two later. SS: 1 hr 25 mins.

11:20 - He woke, crying. Fell asleep again at 11:30 while nursing. SS: 20 mins

1:15 - He woke, crying. Fell asleep again at 1:30 while nursing. SS: 1 hr 55 mins

4:00 - He woke, crying. Fell asleep again at 4:10 while nursing. SS: 2 hr 45 mins

7:00 - Up for the day. SS: 3 hrs.

Asleep time: 7:40p.m.
Awake time: 7:00 a.m.
Total Number of Awakenings: 7
Longest Sleep Span: 3 hours
Total Hours of Sleep: 11 hrs, 15 mins

Well, there you have it. This was a somewhat rougher night that usual, but not by much. When he falls asleep nursing I try everything I can think of to get him to wake up and nurse longer but nothing works. Yet, when I move him to the crib his sleep doesn't last long.

If I remember correctly, my next logs will be done in ten days (from 9/11/08) to monitor progress. I'm still reading the book though, so there might be other stuff between now and then too. So far the biggest suggestions seem to be that there has to be a set bedtime time and routine. And I knew that, but honestly wasn't using one. We didn't get Henry into a routine until he was older - maybe 9 mos, and yes, I do remember him sleeping better after we did so don't ask me why I didn't do it right away this time. I am also being more aware of sleep cues and taking Jack up to bed as soon as he appears tired. Last night I put him down at 7:00 p.m, and he slept until about 9:30 this morning, but there were TONS of wake ups in between. Like, an ungodly amount. I can handle every 3 hours or so. It's the 30 minute cycles that get me.

So, that's that. Stay tuned for progress reports!

NCSS: Prebedtime Routine Log

Name: Jack
Age: 5.5 mos
Date: 9/11/08

Key (from book):
Activity: active, moderate, or calm
Noise: loud, moderate, or quiet

Light: bright, dim, or dark

I am logging five points:

1. Time
2. What We Did
3. Activity Level
4. Noise Level
5. Light Level

Here are today's results:

5:30 p.m. - Worked puzzles with Henry. Calm activity. Moderate noise (he is a toddler after all!). Bright light.

6:00 p.m. - Misc.... read some books, watched the news, watched Henry play while I did a little baby massage. Moderate activity. Moderate noise. Bright light.

7:00 p.m. - Jack sat in his bouncer while Hubby, Henry, and I ate supper. Moderate noise, Calm activity (for him). Bright light.

7:20 p.m. - Took Jack up to his bedroom to change diaper and nurse. Calm activity. Quiet. Dim light.

Q: Do you have a formal, consistent bedtime routine?
A: Yes, from the time we get into the bedroom we go through the same routine every night. Before that, no.

Q: Is the hour prior to bedtime mostly peaceful, quiet, and dimly lit?
A: Umm, no, is it supposed to be?

Q: Does your bedtime routine help both you and your baby relax and get sleepy?
A: No, it's not really long enough to do that.

Q: Any other observations about your current bedtime routine?
A: It is difficult to get in a routine before we get to the bedroom because often times we are just getting home from my Mom's, etc. It seems every day brings a new adventure. It is also hard to convince a two year old to be (relatively) quiet... though he tries. I always put Jack down first, while Henry plays with his "Pa" . When I come down, if Henry is noisy I will say, "Shhh, honey, we have to be quiet." in a calm voice and he'll say, "Bee?" (his name for Jack - short for baby). So he *kind of* gets it, but not entirely.

I'll log the overnight routine tomorrow. I have some new pictures to post too, so don't get all skeered thinking it's all business from here out (coughChriscough). ;o)

NCSS: Nap Log

Here is the info with guidelines from Pantley's NCSS book for Jack's Nap Log:

Age: 5.5 mos
Date: 9/11/08

I am logging five points...

1. Time Baby Fell Asleep
2. How Baby Fell Asleep
3. Where Baby Fell Asleep
4. Where Baby Slept
5. How Long?

Here are the results for today:

11:20 a.m. - Jack was lulled to sleep by the movement of the stroller as we walked through the zoo. He fell asleep in the car seat (which was in the stroller), and slept there for the duration of his 30 minute nap.

1:25 p.m. - Jack was nursed to sleep on the couch and slept in that position and location for one hour before waking.

2:30 p.m. - Jack was again nursed to sleep on the couch and slept in that position and location for another 1 hr. 40 mins. before waking completely.

Q: How many naps should your baby be getting?
A: 2 (according to chart in book)

Q: How many naps is your baby getting now?
A: 2

Q: How many hours should your baby be napping?
A: 3 - 4 hours (according to chart in book)

Q: How many hours is your baby napping now?
A: Today it was 3 hrs, 10 min total.... yesterday it was 1 hr, 25 mins.

Q: Do you have a formal nap routine?
A: In the morning, no. In the afternoon, yes.

Q: Are your baby's naptimes/lengths consistent every day?
A: The time he goes down for his afternoon nap is consistent every day, but the answer is no for everything else.