Picture of the Day...

200!

I have not had a lot of time to post this week but I will, I promise.  I am on Spring Break and enjoying every second with Jack. 

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who reads and follows my blog, as I am at 200 followers!!!!  I started this blog just to have a "diary" of my days with Jack and it has become so much more than that!

Thank you again, and I please continue to comment, I love comments!

Our First Photo Shoot

So I mentioned before that I got a new camera.  I love it.  A Canon Xsi.  It gives professional quality for a great price.  I decided to attempt my own "professional" pictures of Jack.  We took his 5 month pictures yesterday and although they are not award winning, I am pretty happy with them for my first try.  

I realized once Jack can sit by himself things will be a lot easier. 

Even Lenny got his time.

Jack seems to be growing so fast.  He almost never wants to play with his "baby" toys anymore. He always wants to be up and about, sitting up, or standing.  He loves watching the world around him.  But this day he had so much fun with his play mat; the toy I thought we had to put away because he outgrew it.

I love moments like these.  Moments where the little things excite him.  Where I can see the wonder in his eyes, everything is so new to him. 

Yoplait Giveaway!

CLOSED: Congrats Megan!  You will be contacted by email.

Yoplait has a brand new line of yogurt called Greek Yogurt. What makes this so special is that it has 2X the protein of the leading brand yogurt.  Yoplait and MyBlogspark.com have asked me to review their new product and host a giveaway on my blog! 


You could win a Nourish your inner goddess Yoplait gift pack from Yoplait. This is a nice relaxation gift pack with a plush cotton wrap-around spa wrap, hand towel, soft spa slippers, exfoliating scrub, hand held massager, nail brush, and 2 coupons for Free Yoplait Greek yogurt. This coupon offer for a free cup of .

Each 6 oz container of Greek yogurt has 12 grams of protein, only 130 calories, and 0 grams of fat! Yoplait Greek nourishes from the inside out. Yoplait Greek is available in four flavors: Strawberry, Blueberry, Honey Vanilla, and Plain. I was excited to try this new line of yogurt because of the health benefits.  I tried the plain and Honey Vanilla flavors. This is a substantial yogurt, not watery like some yogurts. It was thick and creamy in texture. It was a good yogurt alone, however I would add granola the next time I eat it. This yogurt is a bit more expensive than the other brands of yogurt out there.  This yogurt would be great to use for your Greek recipes and the Yoplait website has some other recipes you can try.

Grab a coupon for 30 cents off your next purchase here.


To enter the giveaway you must comment on what flavor of Yoplait Greek Yogurt you would like to try.
Extra Entries (do as many as you wish and leave a corresponding comment(s) below

1.  Follow my blog or let me know you follow
2.  Vote for me on Top Mommy Blogs.
3.  For 2 entries put my badge on your blog and leave the link.


Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on April 3rd when a winner will be drawn using random.org.  Winner will be notified by email.


*The coupon offer for free cups of Yoplait Greek yogurt is not valid in some states, including California, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, and Tennessee

Jack loves sweet potatoes.

Mom's best friend....

I've been not so great to Lenny lately.

Before Jack he was my "baby". He was everything to my husband and I. We have had him since he was a baby and he is now two years old. Everyone told me "things will change after you have a baby", and I always told them that would never happen. Or maybe deep down inside I knew it would but I didn't want to admit it.

Lenny turned from our only "baby", to our "other baby"; which meant not so much attention for him.

 

He barks more. He cries when I pick Jack up, which is also the only time he wants to play with me. He also has been having accidents in Jack's room. Lenny never had accidents. That's what we were most proud of with our training. I'd like to say it's just that, an accident. But I think it's more than that. We just happened to move Jack's crib a few weeks ago to find a collection of poop.  I was horrified.  My husband things Lenny wants to make sure his presence is still known. It's known alright, but lately it's been for not so good reasons.

Which is why I need to stop and realize that he doesn't know any better. He doesn't understand all of this. One night we left the house in a panic, and came home two days later with this "human". This human that cries and screams and takes the spotlight off Lenny.

Lenny is such a good doggy. He cuddles me every night after Jack goes to sleep. He licks my face the second he spots tears coming out of my eyes. And he will never, EVER stay mad at us.

And pretty soon, he will realize, that screaming, crying, attention hogging "human" will be his bestest friend in the whole world.

I love.....

I love Sundays. I love the slow, relaxed feel it has. I love reading the newspaper sale ads while drinking my coffee. Sundays also mean big breakfasts; full of pancakes and eggs and crispy bacon.

Today was no exception. We lounged around, stayed in our pajamas, and relaxed.

We ate pancakes, bacon and eggs. I read the sale ads. We watched basketball while eating KFC! And we caught up on some much needed sleep.

The worst part about Sunday is that uneasy feeling of what is soon to come. Monday, which means work along with rushed evenings, rushed mornings, and rushed everything in between. 

But for now I'll enjoy my Sundays.

One Hour....

That's how long Jack cried last night before falling asleep.

We had tried "No Cry Sleep Solution", and "The Babywhisperer". Neither of them worked. Some nights he would sleep 8 hours straight, and some nights we were up shushing, and swaying and rocking all night with him. I said I would never let Jack "cry it out", but after trying everything, and countless nights with no sleep, I finally came to the decision that if he cried last night, we were letting him.

So off to bed at 7:30 like normal, and he was out within 2 minutes. The crying started at 11:00 pm. After what seemed like 5 hours (5 minutes) I went in and pat his chest while telling him he was doing a “great job”. This went on for an hour. He finally whimpered his way to sleep at 12:00 am. He did wake again at 3:30 for a quick bottle and he was right back to sleep.

I have to say it was so tough. I cried. I wondered if he was hungry, or needed me to hold him. But I went in his room every 5 minutes and held his hand or rubbed his chest, and he (and I) made it.  I know in the long run this will only make things easier. Prior to this, he needed us to pat him or sing or rock or shush for him to sleep. Keeping that up might mean years of patting, shushing, rocking; and no sleep for us.

This morning I woke to a smiling, laughing happy baby. If Jack was “mad” mad at us. He was over it very quickly. I only hope tonight is better.

That being said….I got a new camera. I am learning new things everyday and I hope to get better and better.
And hey, doesn’t love a baby in a basket????

New Giveaway: Piccadilly Circus Designs

CLOSED: Congrats to Mollie's Mommy! 

My new giveaway is the perfect Easter gift for every "bunny"  in your life.   Piccadilly Circus Designs is run by a stay at home of three under 5!  When she is not busy taking care of her little ones, she is designing,  and hand sewing, these adorable shirts for your little ones.  I especially love the initial letters, they are so cute!  She has boys and girls shirts, and loves custom orders. The winner of this giveaway will win a t-shirt of their choice.

In order to receive an entry please do one of the following:
1. Visit Piccadilly Circus Designs on Etsy at http://www.etsy.com/shop/PicCircusDesigns and comment below about which shirt you will choose if you win.
2. Vote for me on Top Mommy Blogs.  Leave a comment for everyday that you vote!
3. Follow my blog (if you already follow just let me know)
4. Blog about this giveaway on your blog.  Please include the link. (3 extra entries)
5. Subscribe to my blog, and leave a comment saying you did.

Please leave a separate comment for each item you complete along with your email. Contest will end Friday March 27 at 11:59pm, and winner will be notified by email. Good Luck!!!

Real Men Wear Legwarmers!

I always figured my husband would say "boys don't wear legwarmers" if I brought up buying a pair. What a surprise it was to me when I showed him these snazzy legwarmers, and he said "I love them!"

So does Jack.

A Learning Experience

So my husband went out of town yesterday morning and will return tonight. “How hard can this be?” I thought. Surely I can handle one day alone with Jack and our dog, Lenny.


I am now eating my words. I now have so much respect for single mothers. I have NO IDEA how they do it. Last night I did not eat dinner, I did not sit down once. Jack screamed for an hour straight and Lenny rang his bell to go potty at least 10 times in a span of 3 hours. After putting Jack to bed at 7:30, he then woke up at 9, 10, 1:30, 3:30. Now this was only one night of being alone with Jack. I can’t imagine mom’s who do this every night.


I am exhausted. I want my husband home.

Working Mom Meal # 9: California BLT

iSometimes I just want something simple.  When I think of simple, I think BLT, and who doesn't like bacon.  Ina Garten came up with this amazing recipe.  Your BLT will never be the same again!

Ingredients (recipe courtesy of foodnetwork.com)
6 slices bacon
4 slices good white bread, cut 1/2-inch thick
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
4 to 8 tender green lettuce leaves, washed and spun very dry
1 ripe avocado
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 large tomato, sliced 1/2-inch thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place a baking wire rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon on the rack in a single layer. Bake for 15 to 25 minutes, until the bacon is browned and crisp. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

Place the bread slices on a sheet pan and toast them for 5 minutes. Turn the slices and toast for 1 more minute, until all the bread is evenly browned. Place 2 slices on a cutting board. Spread each slice with about 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise. Cover the slices with a layer of lettuce. Peel the avocado and slice it 1/2-inch thick. Toss the avocado slices gently with the lemon juice, and arrange on top of the lettuce leaves. Place 3 slices of bacon on top of each sandwich and then add a layer of tomato slices on top of the bacon. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Spread each of the remaining 2 slices of toasted bread with 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise and place, mayonnaise side down, on the sandwiches. Cut in half and serve.

My Must Read Blog

I rarely say something has changed my life, but the blog Enjoying the Small Things has changed my life.
I found it about a month ago and it has made me think about life so differently in so many ways.  Kelle Hampton writes about motherhood and life so perfectly and beautifully that it makes me want to stop, take a deep breath and enjoy every single moment of this wonderful journey. 

I recommend this blog to any mother, sister, daughter or friend.  It will make you laugh, cry, smile and everything inbetween.  A must read post is http://www.kellehampton.com/2010/01/nella-cordelia-birth-story.html.  It will melt your heart.

This blog has even inspired me to purchase a new camera!  My Cannon Xsi should be arriving soon.  I hope to add many more beautiful photos to my blog and to my collection. 

The outsiders

I have realized something being a mom.  You move into a different group, a new "club".  Now that I'm a mom, people assume I don't want to do certain things, or that I no longer wish to have a social life.  I have somehow instantly become unhip, uncool, old and boring. I am no longer asked to have drinks after work, and it's assumed that I am always "busy" becuase I am a mom. It is assumed that I no longer care about fashion or makeup or hair, and that I no longer have any idea about what's going on in the world becuase "I am so busy being a mom".

Somedays I wish I was back in the old "club"; that I was still thought of as fun, hip, fashionable, crazy Amy. 

But not today. 

Today I am so perfectly happy being that unhip, spit-up wearing, song singing, mom to my most favorite little guy ever.

A plea...

As an attempt to boost my ego, I ask that you vote for me. 

What do you get out of this you ask?  You get the feeling of doing something nice for others.  And if would like me to vote for you also, just leave a comment for me.  Easy as that. 

Picture of the Day

Do I have to get out???!!!

Working Mom Meals #8: Baked Salmon with White Wine Dill Sauce

I am trying to eat more fish, this recipe makes it easy to do that. 
It's great for Lent or for a busy weeknight  Picture and recipe courtesy of Life's Ambrosia (http://www.lifesambrosia.com/). Serves 4.

Ingrediants:

•4 (5 ounce) salmon fillets, bones removed

•pepper and kosher salt

•1 lemon, sliced

•2 tablespoons butter

•2 cloves garlic, minced

•1/4 cup white wine

•1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

1.Preheat oven to 450.

2.Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick spray.

3.Place salmon fillets on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle fillets with kosher salt and pepper. Place 2 lemon slices on top of each fillet. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove and tent with aluminum foil for 10 more minutes. Fish will continue to cook during this time. It will flake easily when done.

4.While salmon is baking, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add minced garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in wine. Cook for 5 minutes or until sauce reduces by 1/3. Stir in fresh dill and remove from heat.

5.Remove lemon slices from the top of the salmon and discard. Gently slide a turner or serving spatula between the skin and the flesh of the fillet to remove the skin, it should separate very easily. Transfer to a serving platter and spoon white wine dill sauce over the top.

6.Serve.