The weekend!!!

This weekend was pretty chill, but we did manage to have a pretty good time.

Saturday we had nothing planned so we decided to bite the bullet and do the spring cleaning of our balcony. Our apartment management did a really cruddy job with our balcony so it requires a LOT of upkeep. Which we usually don't do haha, we mostly only go out for laundry. BUT it's almost summertime which means we need some good patio-lounging days!

The floor is really badly ridged so mopping leaves a disaster and sweeping only gets so much but we did what we could. We dusted everything prior to sweeping, gave the cushy tiles a good rinse and then laid them out in the corner.

As mentioned in my *previous* post, I splurged and got Andrew a baby pool for the patio-- here it is all set up!!!

Unfortunately we didn't do any grilling but I'm sure we will sometime this week.

Sunday we  headed to the Tampa Bay Yankees game/ kids market.

It was a little touch-and-go at first because we had no idea where we were going and got wrong information from one of the workers BUT we ended up in the right spot. It was Andrew's first baseball game! He got to see the mascot, ate a WHOLE hot dog bun and all, and sat through 3 1/2 innings! Our team was losing pretty bad right around then so it was a good time to duck out anyways haha....

This is the FIRST thing little man did once we pulled out of the lot, I kid you not.

So worn out!!

My super, duper sexy tan lines from the game, lol

After we got home, there were naps all around! Later we ordered pizza and ate in the living room to a Spongebob marathon. Poor little man was so tired, he passed out in about half a second after we put him down for the night.

Hubby and I cleaned up his toys quickly, got the dishes rinsed, scrubbed and in the dishwasher. Then we somehow had the energy to put all of Andrew's outgrown clothes and shoes in the appropriate tubs, hang up and put away all of the clothes, tidy up the bathroom, etc. Our room looks so much better! Now I just have to tackle the desk area tomorrow.

Hubby and Andrew had a little impromptu reading break before putting on PJs :)

TTFN! <3

It's enchilada night!

Hokay, today has been kinda nutsy.

So this morning, I vaguely wake up to hear hubby coming home, and fall asleep again. I wake up to my alarm later (close to 45 minutes after Jesse should be home) and no hubby next to me. I listened to the monitor to see if maybe he got Andrew up but don't hear anything. So, anyhoo, I get up and hear the door downstairs open.... it's Jesse. He comes in a few minutes later saying he came home, noticed we were out of milk, and went to buy more milk for Andrew (and Cidre for mama!). So sweet :)

After Andrew ate, I unloaded the dishwasher and got the little man dressed, he and I took off for our first EVER grocery run on our own. Usually Jesse gets up a bit early since he gets to sleep at home every other Friday night, but I thought it might be nice to let him sleep/ have a bimonthly "adventure" with my little guy.

We head to Whole Foods, get all of our shopping done rather quickly, check out and take off -- reason #63,287 I love it there: as I am putting the last bag in the car, my anxiety rising about leaving Andrew locked in the car while I return the cart (and double checking I have my keys for the hundredth time), a worker comes out and offers to take it in for me. Score!

Afterwards, we stopped at Payless, they know us there.....is that bad? I had been looking online and found two pairs of sandals I wanted for the little man and they were on BOGO but by the time we stopped in that sale was over. We found a dressy sandal and fun time sandal in the next size up (now all we need are rainboots (kind of a necessity down here, plus he has grown out of his first pair) and water shoes). We go to check-out and the lady gives me a 20% off coupon, double score! So I spent less than I budgeted for, which is great because as per usual, Target hypnotized me into going over budget....ahem. AND the coupon is reusable! Dang, another reason to buy shoes.... ;-P

Obviously, we headed next door to Target next. Spent tons of time there, and ended up getting a few things not on the list. BUT I would just like to say that it was only a $2 bouncy ball and a $12 blow up palm tree pool for our balcony, hehe. P.s. I promise it's kid size.... and I promise I won't treat it as mommy sized lol

So spent more here than planned, but no worries! We got the beer ;)

The nice cashier gave Andrew a sticker to wear, and when we first arrived I got a parking spot near to the front, in the shade of a tree AND bang next to a cart return. Day made.

Once we got home, though, I realized I could carry maybe 1/4 of our bags up with Andrew so I ended up having to wake Jesse anyways. Oh well. He got some cuddle time with munchkin and I fed Andrew lunch while Jesse hauled up bags and ran out to mail our bills because I forgot while we were out. Oops.

After putting everything away, Andrew and Jesse played with the new ball while I folded laundry and then munchkin went down for a nap and hubby and I retreated to the bedroom to watch the season finale of Grey's Anatomy.

Kind of bummed that munchkin has such long naps. It's usually awesome, but there was a potluck meet-and-greet for some of the families going to the baseball game on Sunday that we were hoping to go to. It is currently 5:30pm, and the potluck is already happening. Sigh. Oh well, that means we're making enchiladas tonight and can eat the organic guacamole and chips I bought for the event hahaha....

Here is the VERY simple method we use to make our yummy enchiladas:

Brown 1 lb of hamburger...

Add enchilada sauce, and put some in the bottom of your baking pan

Add meat with sauce and shredded cheese in each tortilla

pour on the rest of the sauce and add cheese. Cover in tin foil and bake 15 min at 400 degrees.

Time for a Cidre break

Aaaaaaaaand stuff your face. ;)

Oh and P.S. I heard about this earlier today-- SO awesome!!! I want one of these knife sets sooooo bad! So. Check out this awesome 50% off Rachel Ray knives sale! No coupon code needed, and free shipping if your order is over $79

Alright, that's all for now. Have a great weekend! TTFN! <3

16 months

"This month, your formerly wobbly walker might just break into a run; he may also be climbing himself into a ton of trouble, so double-check your childproofing efforts — he can reach a lot more stuff than he could just a month ago. And just to confuse parents more than ever, some toddlers this age are terrified of strangers and dogs while other tots are virtually fearless, which could lead to danger. (Good news: There are tactics for dealing with both extremes.) At mealtime, be prepared for erratic eating habits: He gorges himself one day and eats next to nothing the next, rejects foods he used to love, or never slows down enough for a proper meal. Your picky eater might get picky about his high chair as well, clamoring to move to the big table with you and Dad — so consider a booster seat if he seems ready to make the switch. Don’t be surprised if your toddler shows a strong preference for you over everyone else including his father; flattering, yes, but not practical or fun for Daddy. There are several strategies to try to minimize “mommy-itis,” including making yourself scarce sometimes so Dad can step in and showing junior that you think Daddy is competent (“Wow, Daddy makes great pancakes!”) and fun (“Look what Daddy built with your blocks!”) In other news, Mr. Make-Up-His-Own-Mind may decide he suddenly hates the bathtub (you might just have to climb in there with him, armed with soap crayons and a new fleet of plastic boats). Teething may crank up the crank factor, so be ready with simple soothers (a chilled teething ring or a partially defrosted bagel work well; brandy or any type of alcohol is a definite no-no). Finally, bring on the books! You can plant the seeds to grow a love of reading long before your toddler knows his ABC’s."
--whattoexpect.com

Andrew is now:

• easily feeding himself with a spoon
• beginning to be able to drink from a regular cup
• following directions
• climbing
• bouncing to music
• matching all his shapes to the holes they go in
• using his toy screwdriver correctly with the toy screws (no idea how since I don't think we've ever shown him)
• running
• will bring his shoes over to yu and try hard to put them on until you put them on his feet
• brings you your shoes
• Has 12 teeth
• says/ has said "Mama", "Mom", "Dada", "Dee" (for the toy 'D' in his barn set), "Ligh" (Light), "In-Doe" (Window), "Baw" (Ball) and "Lo" for 'Hello'.

He had his 15 month check-up the other day. He is 28.2 lbs and 32". He is doing well, but the pediatrician recommended going to a speech pathologist. At first I was really uncomfortable with it but the more I think about it, the more I want to go. It's obvious Andrew knows HOW to speak, can form some words and is understanding words so I think a bit of instruction and help from someone on how to encourage him to speak more would be really helpful! 

Well, that's about all for now. TTFN! <3

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Happy Mother's Day to all of you awesome peoples!

I was fortunate enough to spend the day with my hubby, the little man, and my mother.

We went to the zoo Saturday afternoon, saw a Sea Lion show, walked around and rode the carousel.

Someone had a little too much fun ;)

Later that day while Andrew was down for a nap, Jesse and I made some delicious steaks, garlic mashed potatoes and shared a bottle of moscato. Then we headed off to see the ballet "Sleeping Beauty" which was a lot of fun!

Sunday morning I got breakfast in bed, some stress easing aromatherapy bath salts and massage oil, some sweet cards, and a big bottle of Moscato from my mom.

That night after munchkin went to bed, my mom and I shared our favorite guilty pleasure meal-- corned beef hash with scrambled eggs and hashbrowns while we watched "Blind Side". I got to lay  in bed and read for a few hours before going to sleep. It was awesome. I also received mimosas throughout the day haha! Hubby knows me well :)

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!! TTFN! <3

The first Dentist visit and our cleaning routine...

Tuesday was Andrew's first Dentist appointment! I have to say, it went better than expected. He definitely cried, buried his face in my chest and struggled... but I was expecting blood curdling screams so I was pleasantly surprised haha.

This was certainly not us. Maybe next time?? *Knock on wood*

It went pretty well though, he was used to the waiting room, but I think for a baby #2 we may try to bring them back to the exam room with us once or twice before their first appointment. He was of course shy, but also hates being held down at all and hates stuff in his mouth so he struggled and cried and bit down on the instruments but they were pretty much able to clean all of his teeth, asked about his diet (He doesn't ever really have sugar other than natural sugars in his fruit, only has juice maybe twice a week and it's one part juice three parts water, and he gets brushed twice daily), checked all the teeth and that was that.

The dentist told us that the ADA has now said that ALL children should be using toothpaste with fluoride rather than brushing with water or non-fluoride toothpaste based on the amount of cavities kids get. I immediately got uncomfortable and hubby and I agreed to research it before we used the toothpaste they gave us.

Here is an article from the NY Times advising using Fluoride on children under 2.

Here is an article from US Today also saying to use Fluoride on infant teeth.

Here is an article from 2010 in which both the CDC and ADA recommend NOT using Fluoride and even buying non-fluoridated water for your infants.

This is an explanation of Fluorosis, which is worsened when seen in a child in development.

Feel free to form your own opinions and do what YOU think is best, but we definitely decided no fluoride toothpaste anytime soon. Especially when recommended intake for a child under 2 is 0.05mg per K and our water supply alone is 0.20mg per K.

Click here if you'd like to see what the fluoride content in the water is near you.

Our Cleaning Routine:

Now let me get something straight. Our place is usually a mess in at least two places at once. The bathroom is ridiculously dusty right now, the kitchen needs garbage taken out and a good wipe-down, the table is full of mail and random crap. BUT recently I heard a mama looking for help with cleaning up after her 18 month old so I thought I'd post this :)

9:30am (ish) Andrew is eating breakfast. It usually takes around 30 minutes for him to feed himself bananas, oatmeal and milk so it gives me plenty of time to clean out the dishwasher, rinse his dishes, eat my breakfast beside him and pull laundry out of the dryer.

10 am Little man is washed up and playing, while I fold and put away his diapers/ clothes etc.

1:30pm (ish) Andrew has lunch. I usually can fit in my own lunch plus straightening up the kitchen, rinsing dishes and loading the dishwasher.

2:30 pm (ish) Naptime is upon us! I typically do work in our room, catch up on TV shows, nap myself, etc.

6pm Dinner time! Again I eat with Andrew, rinse and load dishes.

9pm Andrew is down for the night. IF his laundry is full I take that out with me when I close his door. I put the load in, pick up all his toys (Small books go between bookends on TV stand, regular books are stacked on bottom level of the coffee table. Stuffed animals go in his little tent, everything else goes in the fabric bins or shelves of his cubby hole organizer). Then I get anything else in the dishwasher that needs to go in and run it. I also wipe down counters, table and highchair with Babyganics wipes and put rags in the kitchen laundry.

This will be us one day. A gal can dream, right? ;)

...I switch over the laundry after about 45 minutes and leave it in the dryer until morning. I'm usually in bed *able* to be asleep by about 10:15pm.

It works pretty well for us. It can get pretty messy by evening but while Andrew is "reading" his books or working on puzzles I sometimes clear things up a bit.

Things will change once we move to a bigger place in the fall/winter but for now, this system works well and serves its purpose haha

Well, TTFN! I have a munchkin to cuddle and a 16 month picture to take <3

Our weekend

This has been a very full few days! 

Friday hubby was sleeping off an overnight shift and it was POURING and storming and there mas massive flooding in our area so munchkin and I had a nice lazy day at home. I had candles burning because the power was going off occasionally. Andrew has always been interested in candles and, well, they live on the half wall behind the couch. I may have mentioned he can now climb ONTO the couch.... and well, you can probably guess the rest. I had grabbed his left arm but before I grabbed the other he reached out and swatted down one of the burning candles. Honestly, I was in such a panic that something would catch fire or Andrew would get hurt that I really just sat and laughed about it all after.

We did try to remove the wax with ice and an iron/cloth but no dice. We're going to try to rent or use a steam cleaner but otherwise, we threw out the one throw pillow that was collateral damage and my mother-in-law suggested making slip covers which sounds pretty good! Thankfully they sent me an awesome sewing machine for Christmas so I'll get to try it out soon :)

Saturday we woke up bright and early to road trip to the East coast. My cousin is getting married on the beach out there so we offered to go take pictures and measurements of the house they are renting-- it's gorgeous! Can't wait for September! We quickly viewed a hotel we may stay at and then headed back. Again I have to say that Andrew is such a little trooper. We were gone for 9 hours and not one angry peep out of him. Amazing little kiddo.

Later that night we left little man with granny and did the grocery shopping for the week. 

Sunday we were able to get to church and saw the confirmation ceremony which was a lot of fun! There was a new person running the nursery though and Andrew and another little boy were "egging" each other on (one would cry and then the other would start) so Jesse left part way through to calm him down and bring him in for communion. 

Afterwards we had a living room picnic and watched "Frozen". Andrew loves that movie and was bouncing around to the songs haha

After dinner I introduced hubby to "Mary Poppins" and hoping to show him "Saving Mr. Banks" one of these days, too.

Today was so nice, hubby did so much with munchkin and the house. It was wonderful! We also went to the park and little man had a great time sliding and climbing around and ringing the bells, etc. When we were about to leave, though we realized he had hurt his toe, the nail was torn and bleeding a bit so once we got home we took care of that, had a nice big lunch and took naps.

Lastly, here's our dinner menu:

Monday: Salads and leftover Chicken Chili

Tuesday: Hubby's favorite, Breakfast-for-Dinner. Probably pancakes with bacon

Wednesday: BLTs and green beans

Thursday: Tuna Pasta and garlic toast

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: Steak and garlic potatoes (before heading to the ballet!)

Sunday: Corned beef hash with eggs and hashbrowns (a favorite of mine and my mom's)

If you need any last minute gift ideas, here are a few links!

Free Nursing Cover with code: PJBABY

25% off Pixies @ Fannie May with code: 19191

TTFN <3

Applesauce: Good to the last drop.