"Green" Smoothies

I'm taking a break this morning from my usual blog fare of kid stories to share a recipe (and procrastinating getting things ready for Cbear's birthday party tomorrow). There's been a lot of talk lately about green smoothies, how healthy they are and a good way to get your greens, detox, etc. Recently I had a conversation with a friend about these smoothie recipes and how people are all, "you can't taste them (the greens) at all!" and we were skeptical (it certainly can't be as good as ice cream, right, friend?! You know who you are. :)) Well, while I still maintain that it's not quite as yummy as ice cream, I made up my own recipe (because, not to brag, but I love smoothies and I'm pretty good at making them) and you can't taste the spinach and it's really delicious and guilt-free. Oh, and my smoothie ended up purple, not green.

half a banana
4 oz Greek yogurt (I used strawberry)
handful of raw spinach (maybe about a cup? I didn't measure)
handful of frozen blueberries
3-5 frozen strawberries
1-2 Tbsp. milled flax seed
milk
orange juice

Add the first six ingredients to your magic bullet (this is what I use, but of course you can use a blender) and then fill almost to top with half milk and half juice. Blend and enjoy!

All right, now I must be off to clean and make cupcakes. :)

First foods

This is not a post about Jellybean starting solids, although that is right around the corner! Rather, I'm writing today about the big sister helper who likes to share everything with Jellybean. Poor Cbear...the concept of sharing is difficult for her to understand. She is told over and over to share with her sister and friends, except food and drinks! Unfortunately those are the things she is quickest to share with others. As a result, Jellybean has experienced quite a few tastes of things she shouldn't have eaten yet and Cbear may have also inadvertently built up a few of her little buddies' immune systems.

I'm fairly strict about the "no solids before 6 months" rule for babies. At least, that was the plan. Also, we always make Cbear sit in her chair for meal time. My downfall has been that darn snack cup of Cheerios, which she insisted on carrying around for several months like a security blanket (we've finally kicked the habit, thankfully) and getting too relaxed during her afternoon snack, letting her sit on the bench at the table instead of strapped in her booster. As soon as I leave the room to do something, she's off the bench and sharing with Jellybean. The thing that gets me is she KNOWS she's not supposed to feed Jellybean because she runs away if I catch her!

Here are a few of Jellybean's first foods, thanks to big sister. She appears to have no adverse effects, so don't judge me...

1. Cheerios. Several times I've had to dig out those little O's.
2. Graham crackers (The looks on Jellybean's face was priceless...what is this mush?)
3. Whole milk...Jellybean was latched on to that sippy cup like she owned it!
4. Fruit snacks. I just about had a heart attack thinking she would choke but she appeared to really like the flavor and was mad I dug it out of her mouth.
5. Smoothie (I was being lazy and giving Cbear breakfast in a cup with a straw...oops!)

And since everything goes straight into Jellybean's mouth, I suppose I could add that stack of sticky notes and daddy's drill that Cbear gave her...yikes. We really are good parents, I promise...but sometimes are outsmarted by our (almost) two year old. Please tell me we're not alone here!

So, now Cbear is under close supervision or in her booster when eating. But it looks like those efforts were in vain, because I just changed Jellybean's diaper and found...a bit of grass and a small leaf among the stinky contents. That's right...Jellybean found a snack of her own when we were having a picnic last night. Lord help me!

Changes

It's been several weeks since I've written and it seems that life is changing rapidly...just when I think I've gotten things figured out these darn kids go changing their habits and routines again!

My excitement that Jellybean was going to be a super mellow baby has gone by the wayside, but I wouldn't change her at all. Right now she's a busy, busy almost five month old! She's happy most of the time but is rarely still, I'm like, seriously, kid, relax once in a while. Apparently life is just too delightful and she's afraid she'll miss something! I love that about her, though...she gets so excited about every little thing...like bursting out of her skin joyful and she just can't contain it. She's interested in everything big sister is doing and can't wait to be able to do it herself. Yesterday Cbear had left a sippy cup on the floor just out of Jellybean's reach and I caught her trying to crawl toward it...what what?! I managed to grab my phone to record it and after my initial proud mommy moment I thought..."Noooo!" I'm so not ready for her to be mobile yet! It's happening, though...she definitely thinks she's big stuff.

Cbear is being extremely ornery lately and getting into all sorts of shenanigans. I only had to call poison control once (I came in the room and she was sucking on a neon orange highlighter...does this girl have functioning taste buds?) but that's only because I knew the rest of what she's gotten into was nontoxic...including but not limited to diaper rash cream, crayola marker, and a wash rag dunked in toilet water. And that's only what she's eaten, not the messes she's made. Apparently even if you think your house is childproof...think again.

We're in the process of potty-training Cbear (yay!) and she's getting there. One day a couple weeks ago out of the blue she asked to go potty so we're running with it. Along with this, though, has come a new challenge: she's become very fond of taking her clothes off all. the. time. I don't know why. She'll strip down and say things like "I cold! I need blankie!" Um, why don't you just leave your clothes on then? A few times I've been busy and found her naked with puddles nearby...ew! So she's been getting into trouble for stripping down all the time but I'm not sure it's doing any good, because I went into her room to get her up for the morning last week and she was sitting there, naked as a jaybird and super happy about it. When I asked why she did it, with absolutely no remorse she replied, "I naughty!" Sigh. I think I'm going about this wrong. The best one is this, though: I always go check on her before I go to bed and several times I've found her, dead asleep and stark naked. Lucky for her she's too precious when she's asleep for me to be angry. Daddy and I had trouble keeping our laughter quiet as we re-dressed the naked, sleeping baby in her jammies!

Finding balance

Tomorrow my baby girl will be four months old and next month Cbear will be two. I'm finally starting to feel like the chaotic fog/survival mode that I've been living in the past few months is starting to lift and I'm working on figuring out life as a stay at home mom of two small children. One thing is for sure- it's kind of messy but I'm doing my best to find balance.

I'm one of those people who enjoy having time home alone and I'm coming to terms with the fact that I'm rarely alone anymore. Showering and sleeping (sometimes, although lately I wake up in the rocker in the middle of the night, with a sleeping Jellybean in my arms wondering how I got here?) are about the extent of my "me time". It's okay for now; someday I'd like to pick my hobbies back up again, though! I have two or three novels waiting to be written and artsy crafty things to make. Not to mention a house to organize. And books to read. For now, though, I try to work in a little bloggin' as a creative outlet and read on my phone when I get a few minutes. This is an area that needs improvement, as sometimes I feel my brain cells start committing suicide after one too many episodes of Word World, but I'm still figuring out how to have happy, clean children and make dinner and have clean clothes. Hmph. Similarly, the hubs and I are trying to find "we time" where one or both of us doesn't fall asleep on the couch just trying to watch a show together. But I digress...back to the subject.

When Cbear was born, we were living in the country and I took this love of being at home and alone a little too extreme, partly because it was such a hassle to go anywhere. It was an hour of driving, plus figuring out when and where to feed her while in town and work around naps...it made me crazy so we only left the house like once a week, if that. I didn't cultivate friendships like I could have and I regret that, but I've learned from it. I was happy being with my baby but I was also lonely and stir-crazy so when we moved to town I was determined that things would be different.

I've heard some stay at home moms say that they make sure to go somewhere every day, and up until a few weeks before Jellybean was born we were almost doing that. I got involved in MOPS, attended a Bible Study, took CBear to library story time and playdates, plus grocery shopping and running errands. While that was fine for a while, I'm finding that that approach doesn't work for us now. I can't stay home with the kids all day every day, but I also can't schlepp them around town constantly either. Balance. Now I'm trying to pick and choose our activities so about half of the week we have a morning activity (because I'm not messing with afternoon naps!) and the other half we stay home. For one thing, I don't like who I become when we are on the go too much...I get all naggy and rushed and flustered when my kids are just kids and it takes FOR.EV.ER. to get out the door and we're perpetually late. And I think hyperscheduling is rampant in our culture and although I do want my kids to have a variety of activities, I think there is also value in learning to slow down and enjoy a life that is a little more quiet at times. I'm still debating on whether putting Claire in a toddler gymnastics class is a good idea...hmmm.

I've learned a few things in the two short years I've been a mom and especially in the last few months since we became a family of four. First of all, a sense of humor is essential to my survival...otherwise I'd be crying by the end of every day (or by 10 a.m., possibly). I don't always succeed at this but I'm trying not to take life too seriously and enjoy the funny things my kids do and the humorous circumstances in which we find ourselves (like the time I thought it would be a good idea to put Jellybean in the stroller and Cbear in her monkey "backpack", a.k.a. leash, and run into Walgreens really quick. Let's just say the line was too long and I got all sorts of judgy looks as my toddler tried to run away and ended up rolling around on the germy floor trying to free herself of the harness. Nice.).

Teamwork between the hubs and myself is also turning out to be pretty important as we figure out this parenting thing. I'm lucky that he is a great daddy and husband and puts up with our messes and pitches in when he comes home from work, playing with the kiddos and doing CBear's bedtime routine and going on random cleaning frenzies when the house is too much of a wreck. The girls' nightly baths are becoming one of my favorite family times as we all crowd into the bathroom, each take a kid and talk about the day or laugh at the kids' antics.

More than anything else, I think I'm learning patience...mostly how I'm sorely lacking in it. It takes exercise to build muscles, though, and my patience is tested and stretched every minute of the day (so it seems). Trying to get a baby to sleep, a toddler to eat healthy food, discipline, never ever being able to finish a task I've started due to a million interruptions...these are just a few of the situations that make me feel incredibly IMpatient with my kids and circumstances. I wonder if in some ways this is how God feels about me...dealing with my same shortcomings over and over again. Thankfully he is infinitely patient and loves me anyway. Most of the time I feel like I fail miserably but it's all a work in progress and I get tomorrow to start fresh and try to do better. I'm so glad I have people in my life that I can depend on, but more than anything I wish my mom could be here to give me a hug and bestow some wisdom on my life...like how did she survive staying home with three kids without totally losing it? She always seemed to know just what to do in each situation, how to respond to us in a loving manner...I wonder if I will ever get there? I don't know...but I hope each day I get a little closer, find a little more balance, and become a better mom.

She speaks...

I think every parent experiences a moment of shock and awe when you realize your baby can talk, and isn't even really a baby anymore. Of course there are the first words, which are so exciting to hear, but I'm talking about when they start to string words together and form coherent sentences. Lately it seems like Cbear's language has exploded and she's talking all. the. time. It's hilarious. I had a moment the other day when we were being silly eating grapes and I said, "oh, I like it!". Cbear piped up, "I yike it too!" I know that really doesn't seem that significant but to her mom...well, I felt like she was the smartest kid ever.

So, both for your reading enjoyment and for my own documentation (her baby book is sitting on the shelf...sadly not getting filled out by me) here's a compilation of my favorite Cbear-isms so far.

-Instead of "excuse me" when she needs to get by, Cbear just yells, "beep beep!" That's what I want to say to people who won't get their carts out of the way in Wal-Mart aisles.

-Her new favorite phrase is "goodness gracious, honey!"

-Following a large diaper blow out by Jellybean, "excuse you!" or sometimes she just points and says, "poopin'".

-I gave her a taste of my grapefruit the other day. She ate it and said, "yucky orange."

-She apologizes to herself if she gets hurt, i.e. falling down or bumping her head- "I sorry!"

-I'd had my fill of cartoons so we were watching a sea turtle documentary on netflix. While watching baby turtles scurrying across the sad toward the ocean, she dropped down on all fours imitating them and exclaiming, "turd runnin', turd runnin'!"

-Her FAVORITE thing is to be chased. She's still figuring out pronouns so sometimes she'll start to walk away, look back and say, "chase you?" when she wants me or daddy to get her.

-I don't really get much alone time...when using the bathroom the other day, she backed up to me and asked, "sit on yap?" (lap). Um no, please let me wipe first.

-Cbear has a doll named Sweetie Pie (who she calls "pee pie"...cracks me up every time) and lately she's starting to play pretend. Like we'll just be sitting in the living room and she'll say, "Pee Pie crying! Sad!" and run to her room to soothe her.

-She's also given her doll to someone, pushed her into their chest and commanded, "eat!" just like she's seen mommy nursing Jellybean.

-She makes Sweetie Pie do things she's not supposed to abd then scold "no ma'am!"

-Cbear likes to wedge herself in somewhere and say, "I'm stuck!"

-Occasionally she'll just break into song while playing. And it's usually a random combination of "Jesus loves me", "Twinkle, twinkle little star" and the ABC's. As in "Bible so...twink twink lil sar...what you are...T, R, E!"

-She's answered the question, "what do you want for breakfast?" with the response, "roni cheese?" (macaroni and cheese) and another time, "tookies?" (cookies). (I said no to both).

-Cbear was getting a stern talking-to from daddy after hauling off and smacking Jellybean for no reason. In the middle of this, she giggled and pointed to his mouth saying, "bubbles!". Daddy really had a hard time keeping a straight face during that particular scolding.

-She can count to eleven. And she will do it out of the blue!

-Sometimes there are no words. Jellybean has figured out how to "talk" and she and Claire have excited shrieking competitions. I can't wait until they can have conversations for real; now that will be entertainment!

More to come, I'm sure...

You know you're a mom if...part deux

I thought of more...more awesomely crazy things we all do as moms. Here ya go:

-You voluntarily hold out your hand and let kids spit things into it. ("What's in your mouth? Is that food? Let me see! Spit it out! Spit it out NOW! We don't eat rocks.")

-You get ridiculously excited about things like new shampoo or lotion so you can "pamper" yourself.

-You've justified looking like a train wreck yourself because, "at least the kids look cute." (They may, in fact, be covered in peanut butter and Cheerio dust, but they still are cute.)

-You no longer try on clothes before you buy them, because how in the world are you supposed to do that with one baby attached to you and another performing contortionist moves to get out of the stroller?

-You've actually bought clothes at Wal-Mart (without trying them on) to avoid the above mall scenario.

-You have given up on the above scenarios and do all your shopping online. In the middle of the night.

-You don't eat at fancy restaurants but still feel the need to apologize in advance for the mess your kids will create while at a "family friendly" restaurant. Also, you feel that any eating establishment with CARPET is just asking for it.

-Any and all activities must be scheduled around naptime. If this doesn't happen, you're sure the world will implode.

-You can no longer remember your own birthday thanks to mommy brain, but can still recite "Guess How Much I Love You" and several classic Dr. Seuss books in their entirety from memory.

-You are interrupted no less than 57 times while simply trying to eat a sandwich.

-When you enter a store, everyone is well-groomed and content. When you limp out an hour later, you are a disheveled hot mess, the toddler looks like she's been in a post-apocalyptic battle over crackers (because you thought it would be a good idea to give her a snack) and the baby is screaming like she will end you if you don't get her out of the car seat this second. You also suspect the toddler was leaving a trail of cracker crumbs Hansel-and-Gretel style to find your way back to the car just in case mommy has totally lost it and forgotten where she parked.

-Instead of New York Times bestsellers, you now read mommy blogs from your phone while rocking your baby to sleep.

-The sweetest sounds in the world are gurgly goos from the baby and squeals of delight over something simple like chasing your toddler. And the blissful silence when they are both asleep.

-Every once in a while you have a spectacular moment where you stop and stand in awe of the toddler singing "Twinkle, Twinkle little star" to the baby to stop her crying when you couldn't get to her fast enough. And it's awesomesauce.

Mommy needs a time-out...

It's been one of those days...one of those weeks, really. The kind that makes me want to lock myself in my room with half a gallon of Braum's chocolate almond ice cream, some good reading material and favorite movies and just be alone. We're all getting over nasty stomach bugs (except Jellybean, who escaped it thank goodness!). We're tired, stressed and the house is a wreck. Cbear has been super whiny since she doesn't feel good and Jellybean must be going through a growth spurt because she's been waking at night to eat again. I had grown really attached to 6-8 consecutive hours of sleep at night. I can't do anything around the house because someone always needs held or my full attention. All of this made today somewhat...challenging. I mean, I love my kids to death and I'm so grateful I get to be here with them every day, but crap, sometimes the stay-at-home mom gig is rough. We survived though, as always, and as I type here in bed with everyone else in the house asleep I'm able to regroup and laugh about it instead of cry (which, incidentally...Cbear always laughs at me when I cry...not sure what she thinks is so funny?). I've assembled a (true) list of what it's really like to be a stay-at-home mom. Enjoy!

You know you're a stay-at-home mom if:

-you consider eating the rest of the Mac and cheese and yogurt from your toddler's high chair as a decent lunch for yourself.

-you take great measures to get everyone dressed and fed so you can get out of the house and without fail, someone poops and/or spits up all over the place the minute they are buckled in the carseat.

-the great question of your life is what activity (or non-activity) to engage in during naptime. You don't want to make the wrong decision and squander that precious time.

-you have eliminated black tops from your wardrobe because they show spit-up stains so badly or worse, you're beyond caring about this.

-all you really want in life is to go to the bathroom by yourself.

-you have to make a conscious effort to lower your voice an octave when speaking with other adults.

-just about the time you think you absolutely can't take any more, your kids go to sleep and you just watch them in awe thinking about how beautiful and angelic they look.

-when you actually get the chance to go out with your husband sans kids, you have difficulty relaxing and enjoying yourself because you hope they are doing okay with the sitter.

-you have forgotten what it's like to not have someone else's bodily fluids on you.

-nothing grosses you out anymore and you have little tolerance for others in this area (like husband gagging when changing a dirty diaper).

-your favorite hobby has become showering because it's the only time you're alone.

-you have creaky spots in the floor memorized and walking down the hall during naptime is a little like navigating a minefield.

-you are an expert multi-tasker...for example you can draw a snowman for your toddler on a magna-doodle upside down and left-handed while nursing (true story). You can also fix lunch like this.

-you consider turning on PBS and sprinkling Cheerios around the house and just letting the kids fend for themselves for a while.

-you find yourself using baby sign language in everyday conversation.

-you don't work out anymore because you figure chasing a toddler counts as cardio and carrying a baby is like lifting weights.

-you thank God every night that your kids are healthy enough to drive you nuts.

-nobody can make your kids smile and laugh like you can and you get paid for your efforts with sticky kisses. It makes all the daily struggles worth it. :)