This crazy boy

It has been so nice the past couple weeks with Bryan napping in his crib.  Of course that means he only takes about one good nap a day, but it is one nap that I can have my "me" time without worrying if he is going to wake up and crawl off the bed.  I do like it though, when he wakes up still tired and just wants to cuddle.  It is the best of both worlds.

This kid is always talking.  He now says mama, dada, "dah," (dog)  and, "Mo."  (more)  Though, for the past week, whenever I try to get him to say more, he just giggles.  I can get him to sign it sometimes.

He has also figured out how to open the cat food container.  We have already hidden the trash can.  He is so tall now that he can reach things on the table.  He is always into something.  Everyone keeps warning me about how crazy it gets when they start walking.  You mean it gets worse?!  

All complaining aside, he is such a fun little guy.  He just initiated a high five today.  He clicks his tongue and is always giving me kisses.  The kind that make me terrified he is going to bite me.  Everyday I fall more and more in love with that little smile.

 I am trying to get more organized.  I've been looking into home planners, Meal planners, and blog planners.  I started mean planning, and it has been wonderful.  It got me thinking, if I can get all the aspects of my life somewhat organized, it would make things so  much easier.  So any good suggestions of your favorite planners and ways to get organized are much appreciated!
Hopefully wonderfully crafty things are to come.

Bubbles

A miracle happened today.  After a little crying, and a tad bit of pinning him down, Bryan fell asleep in the crib.  Like he was awake when I put him in there, and fell asleep while still in there.  So, I am spending nap time blogging and researching.

This is one of those, "not sponsored, but I should be" posts.  I swear I tell everyone I know about Gymboree bubbles.  They are THE best.  They stay in the air, and last for ever.  They are semi pricey, compared to the regular ones, but totally worth it.

 These were taken way back in September.  Look How tiny he was!

 Bryan loves bubbles in that quiet, concentrating on grabbing them all, kind of way.  We have tried to get him to laugh when the dogs eat them, but he just zones out.

Cutest. Outfit. Ever.

 He loves the bubble blower.

 A couple weeks ago, I was able to watch my Harper.  Though it was too cold to do bubbles outside, we pulled them out out anyway and did it right there in the kitchen.

And she loves bubbles just as much as I do...also hates staying still for pictures.  Nieces are the best.

I am so excited for summer and bubble time outside.

B's First Valentines Day

Growing up, Valentines Day meant chocolate from Dad and a heart shaped meatloaf.  Since I've been married though, it really hasn't been that special.  We kind of just skip over it.  I mean our anniversary is right there, so any Valentines day type stuff is saved until then.  This year though, both hubby and I, had the same idea and actually made it special.

I made an extra special cheesecake (at the bottom of the post)  and he came in at midnight with two boxes of chocolates.  While this doesn't seem special to most people, it was very special to me.  We have kinda had a "no gifts" rule for most of our marriage.  Sounds silly, but that is how it is.  For Christmas, birthdays and anniversaries.  

This year, however, is different.  Not only did I get something for Valentines day, but he also tried to do a surprise "outing" for my birthday (of course, as you might have read, we were a house of sick people for that, so it didn't happen)  My hubby is just the best there ever was.

 Auntie Haleigh came over the week before and helped me out with painting Bryan's feet to make some valentines.  (I haven't actually given these out completely yet, so if you get one in the next week or so, act surprised.)

 I also made some cream cheese mints and put them in little jars for my nieces and nephews.  They may have tasted good, but they weren't as solid as I was hopping.

On to the best part.  The cheesecake!

I was so excited to do this.  I had found the heart recipe here.  It wasn't used for a cheesecake, but I figured the method would work.  Now the cheesecake part is with my new favorite recipe, found here.  It uses whipping cream instead of sour cream like my mom makes.  The picture is before it was  baked.  Of course I forgot to take an after picture, but basically, there was a huge crack in it.  That is because, unlike what the woman with the cheesecake recipe says, I did not water bath it.  I figured the little crack is no big deal, and maybe it wont crack because the hearts will help stick it together.

WRONG!

Not only did the hearts not hold it together, but actually made the crack bigger.  It spiraled all alongside the two middle rings.  Now, I have to do it again, to see if the water bath actually works.  Sure did taste good.  Especially with the leftover raspberry sauce.

Now, I just need to work on making Valentines Day more special for next year.

We Survived!

As you know, our house got hit with the flu.  Now when it hit the boys, I hoped and prayed it would end with Bryan.  Really though, what are the odds of taking care of two sickies and NOT catching it?  

And of course, Bryan wont take a bottle.  So I was dehydrated, from being sick, and he was mad because I had no milk.

So glad last week is over.

With being sick, I always feel like posting a random post with my thoughts just because I get stuck in bed all day, with nothing except Netflix and sleep to occupy my time.  So here are my "Thoughts of Sickness"

• My Husband is amazing.
• Sickness=re sleep training, even if you child isn't "sleep trained"
• Cyber-bulling needs to stop! (I watched "Cyberbully" and it was heartbreaking, but also a must watch)
• I hate clear sodas
• I am so grateful for the lack of morning sickness with Bryan
• That article going around about looking down at SHMs makes me angry in so many ways
• I miss working out (I never knew that could happen)
• I hate the bathroom
• I love rain more than I hate the mud that gets tracked in my house
• I want to write again
• I take my health for granted sometimes
• I am doing a good job being a SHM

So many of these I could comment on individually.  But for that last one.  All you other Stay Home Mommies that, like me, that look at your house at night and feel like your day has failed, and you didn't accomplish anything,  just know that the little things do count.  After spending he week never going past the bathroom,  I walked out on Friday night and my house was unrecognizable...in a bad way.  Just a couple days of not doing the little things added up to this huge mess.  So don't loose faith in yourself!  Do your best and know that it makes a difference (not Just a cleaning lesson, but a life one.)

Sick Baby, Sad Mommy

Happy Birthday to me! Now have a sick baby.

 This poor boy.  A couple days ago, we woke up to the daddy being sick.  I thought it was just exhaustion because he had gone far too many days on little to no sleep.  Though we decided to be careful just in case.  Plus if he did have the flu, Bryan and I were both vaccinated so we were pretty safe right?  Wrong.

 Then the clock hits 12 last night.  It's my birthday.  So naturally Bryan starts coughing THE cough.  I've been around kids for so long, even as a mommy noob, the cough strikes fear in me.  I picked him up right as the poor baby got sick everywhere.

So that has been our day. We cuddled and watched movies all day.  (Shrek the Musical and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang have saved us.) Tried to get used to only drinking a tiny bit and then waiting for another sip. (Dr.'s orders so that maybe, just maybe, something will get through his system) And are now on our last clean blanket and towel.  

I can't wait for this boy to get better.  It is tough to see him so miserable.  It is one of the hardest parts of being a parent.

Our little sick station 

Drawing in mommy's notebook makes him feel better