Been a While

Well, it's been a while since I've updated my blog.  I have not been feeling well at all, but today, by some miracle, I feel sort of human.  So, here I am.  Not that I really have all too much to say.  Dominick is still the smartest, sweetest little man in town.  Still growing WAY TOO FAST!

In other news, hubby and I were able to go on a "date" for his birthday Sunday.  It was so nice.  I didn't realize how much I missed him until it was just us.  We went to a movie and dinner and it was amazing!  I have my friend Jenn to thank.  She took on the task of running around after the maniac all afternoon and evening and I am extremely grateful.  Hopefully he didn't ware her out too much, because I fully intend on doing it again! haha.  I honestly don't know what took us so long to take her up on her offer.  But, now that it's done, watch out Jenn!

I am so excited, and totally scared for our trip to NY in a couple weeks.  I am slightly nervous about the plane ride with a 16 month old who does not like to be held for more than 5 minutes, let alone 5 hours~~!!!  Still, it will be worth it once we land and see Aunt Jaime and Uncle Mike!  Uncle Eddie is even making a trip to NY to see us!! I am so excited!!!!

Ok, this stinks, I FINALLY feel ok and wanted to jump in the car with the munchkin and head to the park before it gets too hot.  BUT, hubby stole my car this morning to go to work.  Man!  Oh well, there's always later or tomorrow morning if it gets too hot.

Well. that's my sad attempt at an update.  Hopefully I will be feeling well enough to be doing it more regularly.

Ciao!!

15 Month Check Up

Whether I want to accept it or not, my little baby isn't a little baby anymore.  We had our 15 month check up on Monday and the Dr says he is as big as a 2 year old :)  He weighed in at 26 lbs!  32.5 inches long.  He's a tall, healthy, smart boy!  The past 3 months since his last visit he gained 4 lbs.  I have a feeling he won't gain that much by or 18 month visit.  He's been getting a bit pickier than I'd care to admit.  I am having somewhat of a difficult time trying to get him to eat vegetables.  The only veggie he will eat with no problem is sweet potato.  Any other veggie has to be hidden.  I hide carrots, celery and onion in his turkey meatloaf "muffins" and in his lentil soup.  Other than that he refuses veggies.  :(  I bought a spaghetti squash that I am going to try to get him to eat, but I am more worried about his green veggies.  He will eat spinach when I make it with beans and pasta, but I don't make that dish very often.  Maybe I should make a big batch and leave it in the fridge so he at least gets some green in him.  It's frustrating, but we will figure it out.  He still eats just about every fruit available, and I keep a wide variety in the house at all times, so that makes me feel a little better, at least.

Aside from our food issues, my little honey is just the sweetest little guy ever.  His new thing to say is "I love you".  Which comes out more like Ah La La.  Every time he says it he gives this little smile like he is so proud of himself.  I absolutely love it.  Every time I tell him I love him I get a Ah La La back and it makes my heart smile!  I can't wait to see what his next word or phrase will be.

Well, the little monkey has decided to make Reggie's bed his own.  No Bueno.  Gotta run!

Little Big Boy

I knew this day would come, when I would look at my baby and not see a baby anymore.  I believe today was that day.  Just picking him up this morning, I knew.  I swear he had grown at least an inch overnight.  He's so tall, his cheeks and face are getting more plump, he walks steadier ~ nearly running!  Today we were about to go upstairs for a nap and instead of crawling upstairs, he reached for my hand.  At first I was confused, but then he put his foot up and started walking up the stairs like a big boy.  Of course, it took us about 10 minutes to climb all the stairs, but the whole way I couldn't stop thinking "this is it, no more baby from here on out".  He is starting to make new sounds and experiment with them.  He knows just about every animal noise, where all his body parts (and mine) are, he feeds himself with a spoon, and now he walks up the stairs.  It's not only those little things that he does, it's also a feeling I get.  He is astonishingly aware of his surroundings, so observant and smart.  I can ask him to find me any object in the house and he knows exactly what I am talking about and where it is.  Tonight I said "can you say Mama, I love you" (I've been teaching him how to say I Love You and it comes out Ah La La) and he did it, he said Mama, Ah La La.  Okay, I cried.  I'm a sap, I know.  I just have never felt such love, such pride.  He is my sun and stars, without him I would whither. 

ANYWAY, I have been fiending to get back to my book, A Game of Thrones, since nap time.  I have 2 chapters left and the next book in the series waiting for me.  I'm addicted, it's awesome!!!

Blahberry Muffin

Update: Blueberry Muffins were a fail. :(  They were ok for a bite or two but the blueberries just ended up in a sludgey puddle at the bottom of each muffin.  It was not very appetizing to look at.  I wonder if I put too many, or if I tweaked the recipe too much.  Oh well, I will try again another time.  I had to make it up to myself and the munchkin, so I made a new batch of the Banana Muffins.  So yummy!

Anyway, other than the muffin fail I have been keeping myself busy by trying to keep up with the little man.  I try to get out of the house every day with him, whether it's to shop or go to the park or at the very least for a walk to the small playground around the corner.  The weather here in AZ is absolutely perfect right now.  mid to high 70's, breezy.  When the sun goes down there is just the right about of chill.  I love it!  I have to soak it all up now before it gets too hot to even leave the house, except to go in the pool, of course.  Ugh, the pool.  I am curious to see how this summer will be with my little maniac in the water.  If the bathtub is any indication of how he will be in the pool, I am in for it!  It will be fun ... and nerve wracking, I'm sure.

Ok, time to brag about my munchkin.  I wonder if every baby is as smart as Dominick, or if I just haven't spent enough time around babies.  He totally amazes me with the things he does! Here are a couple examples.
While a friend of ours was watching him, she gave him a few stackable measuring cups to play with.  He sat and examined them carefully.  Then he took them apart and put them together exactly how they were supposed to go.  On the first try! ha, Ok, maybe that's not totally amazing....but, the other day while we were playing I was sitting on our loveseat, which is raised higher than the couch, and I put his toy on top of my head to tease him.  He stopped, looked at the toy and walked away.  I didn't think too much of it until he came back carrying his little toy chair.  He set it down next to the loveseat and proceeded to use it as a step stool to get onto the couch!  He reached up and grabbed it off my head as if to say "Did you think that would stop me Mom? C'mon, you can do better than that!" I was floored.  Did he really just do that!? haha,  he's a little pisser.
At a playgroup the other day he was following around the bigger kids and picking up the toys they had discarded, trying to hand them to them, thinking they just dropped them.  So cute.  Of course, they just ignored him, which made me sad.  But, kids will be kids, and Moms will be Moms.

I think I will go have one of those banana muffins now and getting some reading done while he sleeps, then it's off to the library to play!!

Almost lost this one...But, alas, it is found...Enjoy!

Well, it's been a while since I've blogged.  I think sometimes I feel like I'm just way too boring to expect anyone ~ even myself ~ to be interested.  Even tho I sometimes feel boring, I am certainly not bored!  My little maniac has me chasing after him all day long!  When I'm not chasing him I'm looking up new recipes, trying desperately to figure out some new healthy food for him.  Since the banana muffins I've sort of slowed down.  I made another batch of lentil soup and homemade hummus, but, those are old news now!  This week I am going to try a recipe for Blueberry muffins:

Aunt Blanches Blueberry Muffins

Aunt Blanch is not my Aunt, but I will let you all know how they turn out, whomever's Aunt she is.  I plan on following the advise of one of the comments and use wheat flour, applesauce instead of butter and lower the sugar a bunch.  This way I will feel comfortable giving them to Dominick.

I am currently soaking some black beans and will cook them in the slow cooker overnight.  AND I made a whole bunch of homemade applesauce today, also for the baby, of course.  I don't seem to put nearly as much emphasis on my own healthy eating.  I really should tho, I am feeling very lethargic and just blah lately.  I am positive it is because of my junk food diet.  One of these days I will break out my "Slim in 6" dvd that I bought almost 4 years ago! haha, that sucker may even still be wrapped in the plastic.  Ah, one of these days, one of these days.  For now, I may not be at my healthiest, but I am absolutely at my happiest.  Dominick has brought me more love and happiness than I ever could have imagined.  He is such an amazing little guy, with his own personality, and he surprises me every day with his sense of humor and wide eyed exploration of his world.  As much as I know I was loved as a child, I just can't help but wonder if anyone ever marveled over me, adored, loved and cherished me anywhere near as much as I do Dominick.  I mean, it's a silly thought I guess.  My Mama always made me feel loved, even though she had her flaws and "sickness".  Still, knowing that my parents were well along on their journey into addiction by the time I came along is on my mind a lot lately.  I wish I could take a peek at a day in my life as a 1 year old.  Was there anyone there chasing me around the couch, just to see my face light up with laughter?  Was anyone taking time to find out what makes me giggle? What my favorite animals were?  The more I type, the more I realize, yes, there was.  If not my parents, my big brother was there.  He was 7 when I was 1.  I know in my heart HE was there, watching over me, caring for me, loving and adoring me.  So, thank you Eddie.  I love you for that.

Here Comes Trouble!

Dominick took his first wobbly steps 2 weeks ago, and as of today he is officially a walker.  He walks EVERYwhere.  It is so strange to watch him go.  And go. And go.  I am so proud of him! He is so adorable wobbling around the house, I scoop him up on a regular basis, just to kiss his adorable little smiling face.  Seems so unreal that my itty bitty little munchkin is so independent.  He plays by himself almost all the time, I just sit back and cheer him on when he gets the right shapes or finds the right toys or books that I ask for.  I love that he is independent, but I am also sort of sad.  Sort of, but not really.  Every once in a while he will wobble over to me and grab my hand, asking me to walk with him...maybe he knows it's just what I need, because I know he doesn't actually need my hand to get around anymore.  It's cute and sweet, whatever the reason.  So, if it took him about 2 weeks to go from first steps to walking, does this mean in about that time he will start running? Oh Lord!

So, I've decided to start cooking and baking some more.  I think I already mentioned this in my last post.  So far I've made lentil soup, cauliflower soup, zucchini pie and banana muffins.  Dominick loved everything so far, except the muffins which I made tonight.  I am sure he will love these as well, the little monkey! Here's a pic of my banana muffins, cus I didn't think of taking pics of the others!
 

I will be looking up some more recipes!  I can't wait to start experimenting!  If you have any good, kid friendly recipes, feel free to message them to me!!  Sharing is Caring!! hehe
Ok, I've been cooking and cleaning since 8 pm and now I want to veg for 45 minutes before I hit the hay!

35's not so bad. . .

. . . As long as I don't actually THINK about it!  Blah!  35~that's half of 70!! Waaah!  ::sniffle::

Ok, pity party is over.  Honestly, I have never been happier in my life.  I have a beautiful home, an amazing husband *who cooks!*, an absolutely PERFECT little boy, amazing friends and wonderful family.  No matter how old I am, I am one lucky cookie!  For my birthday this year, the 3 of us went to White Tank Mountains for a picnic!

  
  
I got a brand new camera from my boys! (which I needed, desperately) 
My lovely and amazing sister got me a Pandora bracelet with the cutest charms.  A cupcake and a Mama and Baby Monkey.  I love it so much! I can't wait to add charms to it!
My beautiful friend Jenn got me a bunch of pretty purple things, all in a pretty purple bag.   I just wish I had some pics of the bag before I opened it!  She got me a new, awesome wallet!  Purple flip flops! A Friends frame with my favorite picture of us in. An Audrey Hepburn calender! And Urban Decay "All Nighter" (I think that's the name!) Soooooo exciting!  Can't wait to use it, hopefully this weekend!  Jenn's beautiful Mama got me a necklace I had been eyeballing.  An "R" in glittery stones.  Sooo pretty.  So, as I said, I am one lucky cookie! 
I'm looking forward to going out dancing with Jenn this weekend, if all works out anyway.  It will be so much fun! Hopefully I will be feeling better by then.  I have a head cold that won't go away. 
::sniff sniff:: I think I smell me some lentil soup!  Crossing my fingers that it comes out yummy.  Put it in the slow cooker 2 hours ago and it's starting to smell yummy in here!  If Dominick likes it I will be beyond excited.  The little stinker is a bit more finicky than usual lately.  What he loves today he spits out tomorrow.  No rhyme or reason!

Oh man! The little booger is up from his nap and I never put my face on! Phooey!
Gotta run!