More Baby Food Recipes!

Now that Lawson is closer to 6 months, I am excited to be able to introduce him to more foods and fun flavor combos!  His latest faves have been fresh peach oatmeal and avocado greek yogurt.  They are both super easy to make and really yummy, sometimes mommy gets to finish the last couple of bites ;)  Here are the recipes for your hungry little eater...

Fresh Peach Oatmeal

For the oatmeal cereal, you don't even have to buy it!  Just make it yourself by pulsing a bunch of rolled oats until they are finely ground and then throw them in a baggie or mason jar to use at your convenience.

For the peaches, you want to buy fresh and now is the time because they are perfectly in season.  Make sure they are ripe but not too soft or bruised.  Peel the peach (since peaches are part of the dirty dozen and you don't want any pesticides going to your little one) and then add diced peaches to a bowl of hot water (you could also boil them but I like to take short cuts, so I just microwaved purified water until hot).  

Let them sit in the hot water for 5 minutes or so and then take them out and pulse in blender until smooth, adding the reserved hot water as needed (you won't need much water especially if the peaches are juicy).

Then combine your peach puree with the ground oatmeal and add water if needed until you have reached the consistency you like for your baby.

Avocado Greek Yogurt

This one is really easy peasy!  Cut open a ripe avocado and put half of it in baby bullet or blender of choice, make sure to taste it first to make sure its good as sometimes avocados can look good but taste funny.  

Then add a spoonful of pure greek yogurt, they say not to use nonfat so I used 2% or you could use full fat, honestly whichever one you would eat or have around the house is what I would do, hence the 2%.

Then pulse, adding a little purified water if needed.  This is super healthy for your growing baby, full of omega 3's and protein :)  

Lawson loved it, although you can't really tell by his face because he was getting serious about the delay of me giving him his next bite, as mommy was taking too long because she was taking more photos, hahaha!  Oh Lawson, I love you, my little healthy eater :)

Then that's it!  The avocado you want to make fresh daily and the peach oatmeal you can combine and store 3 separate servings for up to 3 days.  Hope your baby enjoys these as much as mine does!

Lawson at Almost 6 Months!

We had quite an eventful past week!  Prescott's parents and nephew came to visit for a long weekend and we went to our favorite brunch spot, visited the aquarium, tested out the pool for the first time with Lawson and had a special birthday celebration at our favorite Mexican restaurant for Lawson's big cousin :)

Here are some fun pics from everything, I'm exhausted, but had lots of fun seeing Lawson's face at the aquarium when he saw all the bright colored fish swimming in front of him.  He is really starting to have a personality now, lots of squeals and giggles.  He still loves playing peekaboo and really enjoyed meeting his cousin, who was actually very good at entertaining him, such a good little babysitter at age 7!

Lawson is in full teething mode now and drools all the time, not to mention chews on everything.  I'm hoping this teething stage passes soon because I hate seeing him in pain :(  The only thing that keep him happy is to keep him distracted, which means mama is TIRED.  On that note, I am going to sign off and go to bed!

xoxo

Lawson at 5 Months and Double Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins!

These muffins are super yummy and healthy!  I have gotten to the point of busyness (not sure if that is a word) that if I don't have something easy to grab in the mornings, I won't end up eating breakfast until 1:00pm.  So, if I have these little nutritious jewels in my lovely cake stand (thanks again Grandpoppy and Grandkay, I truly love that cake stand, you have no idea) then I can at least grab something and eat it while I'm feeding Lawson his breakfast.  

It seems like time just keeps flying lately and every time I look at the clock I wonder how it already got to be that hour.  I tell you, being a mom and owning a bakery is like having two full time jobs at once, well not like, it is!  I am not complaining though, I love being both and wouldn't trade in either position for anything.  I'm just saying that it is a lot of all-consuming work, and if I have been out of contact or a little scatter brained lately, that would be why.  Please bear with me, I promise I still love you all.  

Now onto Lawson, 5 months?!?! How did that happen already?  He has grown so much.  Every day I see him learning new things and becoming smarter by the minute.  Today he discovered his feet, they haven't reached his mouth yet, but I give it until tomorrow... he learns how to put everything he can get his hands on in his mouth here lately, toys, burp cloths, his hands, other peoples hands, everything!  

He also now understands and LOVES to play peek a boo, it is his new favorite thing and he laughs so hard that I literally melt inside every time I hear it.  Daddy and I have really enjoyed getting to spend quality time with our little guy and have made a point, despite our "busyness" to really soak in this time we have with Lawson because we know it goes by fast and these moments truly are precious.

Hope y'all have a wonderful rest of your week, as I know mine is going to be crazy busy at the bakery and at home that I won't be able to blog until next week! And if you have time, make a batch of these double chocolate chip zucchini muffins, it will make your week that much sweeter and healthier ;)

Mix the following in stand up mixer with paddle attachment:

1 large egg + 1 large egg white

1/3 cup honey

1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Add the following, with mixer on low speed until combined:

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 2/3 cups whole wheat flour

Stir in 1 cup dark chocolate chips, and 2 cups shredded, unpeeled zucchini (roughly 1 medium sized zucchini)

Use a regular sized icecream scoop to scoop into sprayed muffin pan.  Sprinkle the tops generously with mini chocolate chips or regular size if you don't have mini but the mini ones are really cute.

Bake at 350 for 18-22 minutes until toothpick comes out clean, do not over bake ;)

Love this hat that Lawson's girlfriend got for him (that's right he already has a baby girlfriend)

Breakfast time, yummy

Hands into mouth and look at that hair!

He actually plays with his toys now, its so cute

Lawson fell asleep while I was doing payroll at the bakery, hahaha!

My Top Three Lists!

Okay, ya'll, so take this blog post with a grain of salt or, like me, with a glass of vino and please don't take any of this personally, especially if you have found yourself doing or saying any of these three things to me.  This blog post is purely for fun and written quite sarcastically for a good laugh.  If you are a mom, then you should get it and think its hilarious.  Also, just a side note, I too have found myself saying and doing many of these things to my friend's babies, sometimes you just can't help it.  Anyway, hope you enjoy reading it and I'm done with my precursor now ;)

Top 3 questions not to ask a new mom:

1. Do you want to have another?
Well I have one now, so let's try to focus on that, shall we?

2. Does he sleep through the night? 

Of course he doesn't, he's a baby for crying out loud! Ask me again in 5 years, thanks.

3. How can he still be hungry?

Um, I don't know, maybe because he's a growing boy that will more than triple his birth wait within the next year?!?!

Top 3 things TO tell a mom:

1. He's so cute.

2. What a sweet/smart/good baby - choose your adjective, any of them work!

3. You're such a good mom.

3 things not to do to a baby that's not yours:

1. Touch his feet ( why does every person want to grab my baby's feet, it's like he has magnets on them. It's the same thing as touching a pregnant woman's belly, just don't do it!)

2. Get in his face and start making crazy faces and noises (please just chill out and stop over stimulating my child, you are freaking him out!)

3. Call him chubby, big or little, all have negative connotations. Just tell him how cute he is and don't worry about his size.

Top 3 things I didn't expect to do as a mom:

1. Pick my babies nose, ears, scalp and everything else that needs to be mom picked at.

2. Nurse him everywhere! In restaurants, in the car, in bed, while I'm shopping, on the toilet, like I said everywhere!

3. Not be able to physically go back to work and leave my baby with someone else. Don't expect to be able to do that unless you have to or want to. For me, I thought I would be able to go back in no time and after I had the baby I quickly realized how much everything changed and that going back to work my normal schedule was not going to be possible and that I needed and wanted to be home to raise my baby the best way I possibly could.

Top 3 things I regret thinking before I had a baby:

1. Why did those people bring their baby to dinner, on the plane, to that wedding?

2. Couldn't they just get a babysitter or isn't that what grandparents are for?

3. How could they get rid of their pets just because of a baby, how mean, we'd never do that? Oh yes you would, just wait til you have a baby. Some people have no problem, kudos to them!

My top 3 baby food recipes:

1. Sweet Potatoes (This is Lawson's favorite)

- Bake your forked and washed sweet potatoes on a foil lined baking sheet (easier clean up!) at 450 for 30-60 minutes until a fork pierces through it with ease.  

- Wait for them to cool a little to prevent scorching your hands and then peel off the skin and place the potato meat into your blender or food processor with desired amount of purified water until it has reached the consistency you desire for your baby's food (I normally do about 1 cut of water to 1 regular size sweet potato).

* Store in fridge 3-5 days and freeze the rest.  I love to use my baby bullet system's storage cups or you can use mini mason jars or ice cube trays.

2. Prunes (Perfect to keep your baby regular or help with constipation, works like a charm)

- Place 1 cup of pitted dried prunes in 1 cup of purified water and microwave for 30 seconds.

- Let the prunes sit in the warm water for 5-10 minutes to swell up and moisten.

- Pour prunes and water into blender or food processor until completely smooth.

* Store in fridge 3-5 days and freeze the rest.  I love to use my baby bullet system's storage cups or you can use mini mason jars or ice cube trays.

3. Sweet Peas (Lawson has yet to try these yet, but mama tasted them and thought they were delish)

- Place a frozen steam-in-bag package of sweet peas into the microwave for specified time (usually 5 minutes)

- Let cool for a couple of minutes to prevent steaming your face or open bag immediately for a nice facial ;)

- Place 2 cups of peas and 1/2 cup of purified water into blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth 

* Store in fridge 3-5 days and freeze the rest.  I love to use my baby bullet system's storage cups or you can use mini mason jars or ice cube trays.

EASY Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies!

These one pot, no bake cookies are one of the yummiest and easiest cookies recipes I know!  They are so super simple yet ridiculously delicious that you have no excuse not to make them ;)  Here is the recipe below, such a basic southern method, I just love it, as well as some recent photos of Lawson.  

We had a great weekend relaxing at home as a family and even making a trip to the golf range to watch daddy hit some balls.  Lawson actually watched him and would giggle every time he heard the sound of the ball being hit, it was seriously the cutest thing ever!  

We also got him a bouncy seat that he has really been enjoying.  I tell you, that boy was born to run.  He just loves to kick his feet whether it was in my tummy or on his play mat or now in his new bouncy seat.  I can already tell I am going to have my hands full once he is actually mobile on his own!

2 cups sugar

1 stick butter 

3 Tbsp. cocoa powder

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 cups oatmeal (old fashioned rolled oats)

Mix the sugar, butter, cocoa, and milk in a medium saucepan. Boil for 1 minute.

Add the peanut butter and vanilla. Mix quickly until peanut butter melts, then add the oatmeal and mix til well blended.

Drop spoonfuls on tin foil. Allow to set and cool completely.

Makes 2 dozen 3 inch cookies.

Vegas Baby!

Well, Vegas was... eye opening and maybe not in the way you would expect Vegas to be.  While it was fun and we did have a great time, it also taught Prescott and I a lot about what is most important to us and that is our time spent with Lawson.  I think we discovered that you really aren't meant to be away from your baby.  Although many people will try to push you to go out and leave the baby at home with a sitter or family member, for some parents (like us) that is simply not enjoyable.

If there is one thing I have learned about being a good mom, it is to do what feels natural and leaving my baby at home with someone else most certainly does not feel natural.  I think I would die if I had to go to work and leave Lawson everyday. Now I know how those mom's might feel that have to do that.  While enjoying some alone time and having a taste of independent freedom feels good for an hour or so, once a little time passes I miss my son and just want to be with him again.  

I'm sure once he gets a bit older (like over a year!), I will feel a little better about leaving him, but for now it just isn't going to happen, so don't ask!  Not to mention, I can't really leave Lawson at this point anyway because he won't take a bottle?!?!  We left him with my brother to go out to dinner in Vegas and while he did okay for about an hour, he then got really upset and I came running back to the room from one Vegas hotel to the other.  It's not like I was enjoying dinner anyway, I sat there the whole time worrying about Lawson.  The best part of dinner was getting the text from my brother that he wouldn't take the bottle and was really upset so that I could just stop worrying and go be with my baby.  I've never run so fast in heels in my life, I was like, move people, I've got a crying baby to get back to!  

However, this actually worked quite well because once I got to the room, I nursed Lawson (who was practically hyperventilating from crying so hard) until he calmed down and fell right asleep from all the activity earlier that day.  I knew then that he was out and felt much better about leaving him with Marshall because I could just tell that he was going to sleep for a while, so I threw on some flip flops put my heels in my purse and walked back to the restaurant just as the food arrived.  Then I could enjoy myself.  It is amazing how well I know my baby because he slept until 1:30am while we got to go out to one of the clubs in our hotel, which was perfect since I could just take the elevator upstairs once he woke up.

So, all in all, it was a successful trip, we had fun, but would I take my baby back to Vegas or leave him with somebody else again?  Probably not.  I got my one night of dressing up and dancing in and that was enough to last me for at least another year.  I much rather be sitting at home in my yoga pants with my baby in my arms and my husband lounging next to me.  Therefore, that is exactly what we are doing today for Father's Day, just relaxing and enjoying family time together :)  Hope all of you are having a great Sunday and Happy Father's Day, too.

Here are some photos from the trip and some of my favorite recent shots of Lawson, he just keeps growing!

Lawson at 4 months!

Well, this past month has truly flown by and it is hard to believe that Lawson is already 4 months old!  I guess what they say about babies growing fast is true.  Lawson is about 15 pounds already and will probably be gaining weight even more now that we started him on oatmeal cereal :)  I still strictly breastfeed and use the organic oatmeal cereal as a fun little snack to get him used to eating big boy food as well as to fill his tummy a bit more.  He was showing all of the signs that he was ready, holding his head up pretty much by himself, seeming extra hungry, grabbing things and putting them in his mouth (also a teething sign along with all his drooling!) and he has definitely more than doubled his birthweight.

So far he has taken to it great and it has helped him sleep throughout the night as well.  In fact the other night, he went from 10:00 pm to 5:00 am - a total record!  Most other nights he wakes up at 3:00 am and 5:00 am, usually skipping the 1:30 am feeding that he used to wake up for, so that's good.  No complaints here.  Someday he won't wake to cuddle in bed and nurse and I will miss those moments, so I try to look at it from that point of view as much as possible.  Especially when he is going through a growth spurt and wants to wake up every other hour to eat, lol!

Other things that he enjoys doing is going for our nightly walks and even hiking in the morning in the baby bjorn, chewing on Sophie the Giraffe, chewing on mommy's finger, basically chewing on anything he can grab and put in his mouth to help make teething hurt a little less.  He likes lying on the couch and watching baseball games in daddy's arms and I allow this, even though they say no TV until age 1, just because he loves it so much and I feel like it is a real bonding time for daddy and son (and Prescott thinks it will give him a head start to being a pro baseball player, haha).  It's really cute, he explains all the play by plays to Lawson as they happen and honestly I feel like Lawson is taking it all in, he watches the TV as though he were studying it, such a serious little guy sometimes, especially when he is concentrating on something.  He is still working on his tummy time, which he is not really a fan of, along with baths. But he IS a fan of talking has really found his voice lately, the other day I got a happy squeal that was so loud, I couldn't believe it came out of his little mouth!

He is also still not a big advocate of the car seat and we are taking him to Vegas this weekend, so we will see how that goes.  I know, I know, who takes a baby to Vegas, right?!?  But it is one of Prescott's best friend's 30th birthday and we didn't want to miss it.  Plus Lawson is a great traveler and loves being out and seeing new things.  I plan on spending most of our time in the nice cool hotel room, at the breakfast buffets and at nice dinners with our newborn son, yes I am going to be that person, sorry!  I will post photos and an update next week on how it all goes :)