Weekend Recap: Memorial Day Weekend

Well we didn't get to everything on our list, but despite not very nice weather we had a good long weekend and we even got a few things done. 

On Saturday I walked with Jake to the Farmer's Market, he took a nap and I enjoyed some exercise.  In the afternoon he took an epic 1 hour and 45 min nap...in his crib. So basically he broke a record, a new personal best!  Saturday night Brian and I got take out from Killer Burger, I forgot to take a picture and ate it too fast.  Needless to say it was delicious.  As I was enjoying it I mentioned that I hadn't had a bacon cheeseburger since my five-guys-athon in Palm Desert.  I was saying that is why this one tasted so good, Brian so gently reminded me that was only about a month ago.  I just love me a bacon cheeseburger these days.  

Sunday morning Grandma Diane, Grandpa Butch, and Auntie Danielle came over and played with Jake for a while.  He loved all the attention and showed off a lot of his new tricks. Jake celebrated being seven months old with lots of smiles.  We had a quiet afternoon and evening.  I tried to make pulled pork in the slow cooker and it was a total fail. I have no idea what I did wrong since I had done it before and it is like the easiest thing to make ever. So instead we had a good standby, "egg surprise." 

Monday was awful rainy weather, but we still got out for a couple walks and Jake took a long morning nap so I made a new recipe.  Smore's bars with nutella.  

It was a recipe I got off Pinterest and they are pretty delicious.  I followed the recipe except for a little less marshmallow, an entire 7oz container is a lot of fluff!

We got a few things done like installing the carseat, some work in the yard, and Brian started to refinish our screen doors.  The rest of the time I just watched Jake roll around our house. Overall I would call it a success. 

Yield: One 8x8 pan (16 squares)
Ingredients:
1 and 1/4 cups flour
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg 
pinch of vanilla powder (or 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
1/2 cup Nutella
7 ounces marshmallow creme
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8x8 glass baking dish with cooking spray, then line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on opposite sides. 


In a bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In another bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Add egg and vanilla and beat until creamy and well blended. Add dry ingredients and beat until just combined. 
Press half of the dough evenly onto the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Spoon marshmallow creme over the dough, then use the back of a greased spoon or a greased angled spatula to spread it out. Spread Nutella over marshmallow creme. Sprinkle chocolate chips over Nutella. Break apart chunks of the remaining graham cracker dough and scatter on top of the chocolate chips.
Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool completely in pan, then lift out using overhanging edges of parchment paper and cut into bars. 

Seven Months Old

Happy 7 Months to sweet Jake!

At 7 months old Jake was:

19 lbs 6 oz

29 1/2 inches

Wow! What a big month for our little Jake.  This month Jake got his first two teeth, bottom middle, at the same time!  Sweet little guy just had a little trouble falling asleep one Friday night and by Saturday morning he had two teeth!  Jake learned to sit up all by himself this month too.  This is huge milestone because he can play so differently with toys.  His blanket has to keep getting bigger because this kid loves to move (suddenly).  He will roll all over the place, unless you give him a really good toy that he enjoys.  He will stay put for a plastic bag to shake around, a water bottle to squeeze or suck on, or a coffee lid (from a hot or cold cup, he doesn't discriminate) to bang around.  Line up all of his toys and he will reach like crazy to get one of these, not the ones we actually buy for him.  He loves his drawstrings and I will watch him in his carseat trying to bend over to suck on his own pants.  Jake eats in his high chair twice a day, he loves food and plays for a while in his chair while his Mama does a few things in the kitchen too.  We are in a good routine for napping now and he rarely cries hard like he used to.  (I am totally screwing myself for publishing that. He still nurses 6 or 7 times a day with one of these being overnight.  He is a great sleeper and will sleep on his tummy now if he ends up there.  He seems to like it but at first I had to go flip in every once in a while.  He still moves all over his crib and can get stuck between the bars on occasion.  He still loves bath time.  Now that he can sit up he likes to splash (a lot) and play with a boat and rubber ducky, but most of all just likes the pitcher we use to wash his hair.  He things clapping, tickles, being startled, making noise in front of the mirror, and doing this weird deep voice are all hilarious.  Papa can really get him laughing with the blanket and dropping a pillow on him while he lays on our bed.  During naps he has a little stuffed elephant in the crib with him.  He sucks on his trunk and it is always really wet or crusty.  It's sweet.  He loves toys that make noises and he spotted the Pampers box after a trip to Target and that is first time I actually watched him roll several times to get something.  He likes peek-a-boo and we play "catch" with the ball everyday.

Every morning and every night start and end with big smiles.  I am sure I'll say this again and I am sure every Mama has...but I can't imagine ever being able to love another baby like I love Jake.  I know there is room in your heart that you don't know is there, but the way I feel about this little guy, my buddy, is just totally unreal.  I am total mush.  I used to be kind of bitchy and now I am total mush.  I am total mush and I love it. 

Jake Month 7

Jake's 7th month was full of smiles and laughter.  I am seeing such a transformation in my little baby everyday.  Its all so exciting and sad at the same time.  I had over 400 pictures this month to choose from.  I was able to narrow it down to these 50.  This month is less of a random compilation, I purposefully grouped pictures because there is so much I want to remember.  The first groupings have explanations, the rest are just some of my favorites from this month.  

For the last picture you will find a side-by-side of me and Jake.  My husband thinks I am on a quest to prove that Jake looks like me.  He is right.  After you carry a baby inside you for 9 months and give birth to it and all you hear for the first several weeks is how much he looks like his Dad and your boobs hurt and you are so tired you can't see straight, you really want to be sure there is some of you in there too.  This is my only time in his whole life that he will look like me. Soon he will be a boy, a clone of Dad, and I couldn't be happier to have two brown-eyed sweeties. 

Pictures of Jake things I don't want to forget (clockwise) - His first two teeth appeared the day before Mother's day, both at the same time and he barely made a peep.  This month he discovered that I am a different person and he loves to touch my face and try to eat it.  I never want to forget the rolls in his arms and legs, I want to squeeze him.  His poop face, oh my, all watery eyes and everything.  Riding on my back in his critter hats, trying to see the camera.  His sweet little face peering over the side of the infant car seat while I drive, making sure Mama is still there.  In his new "big boy" car seat we can't see each other. 

Pictures of Jake eating:

Pictures of Jake sleeping (clockwise) : His crazy positions- arms through the bars, how small he still looks in his crib, how he still snuggles on my shoulder for a nap, his first few times sleeping on his tummy, those cheeks in the stroller for a nap. 

Pictures of Jake's new toys/play (clockwise) : His love for coffee lids, rolling under our bed after bath time, Diaper box, plastic bags, rolling to get under the TV table and off the blanket, sitting in the diaper box.

Pictures of Jake's new toys/play cont... (clockwise) : The indestructible books, squeezing a washcloth over him in the bathtub, my cups from when I was small, getting wrapped like a baby. (which of course he is not)

Pictures of fun times (clockwise) : A picnic in the park with the Powell's, a walk to Starbucks on what was going to be a warm day -but wasn't quite yet, leg warmers under a romper, naked time in the backyard, all smiles in the stroller after a nap. 

Weekends

I am not sure if it was the fantastic (and unusual) streak of beautiful weather we had in April or the fact that I am not in an office all day, but the weather right now is bringing me down. Over it. Ready for sunny mornings, pleasant evenings, and everything in-between.
Its Thursday, when I was in college and then when I worked Thursday was always the unofficial kick-off to the weekend.  In college we went to The Rio for margaritas and wherever an unhealthy amount of tequila then took us.  In San Francisco my sister and I would often enjoy a happy hour and work gossip at a favorite neighborhood spot.  When I first started at Nike and Brian and Dave and I worked together we would have beers in one of our offices around 4pm, maybe even get a little work done.  When Brian and I started dating and were first married we spent many Thursday nights at Deschutes Brewery, drinking beer, talking about the week and more importantly plans for the weekend.

So here we are, it is Thursday and regardless of my new "profession" I still feel like it is a transitional day.  The unofficial kick-off to the weekend.  Weekends are a little different since sweet Jake has joined us.  I guess Brian and I used to spend a lot of time running around doing errands, him playing golf, me walking or running insane distances, and a fair amount of time sitting at bars and watching sports.  All of those things are a little harder (or illegal) with a baby.  So we are at this in-between stage, we can't really saddle-up on a bar stool for hours at a time like we used to, but we also aren't quite at the stage where we are doing family activities for Jake.  Of course we spend a lot of the weekend playing, trying to make him laugh, going on walks, taking video and pictures of him and talking about how cute and fun he gets everyday.  But we don't have the usual on the go style and so weekends tend to feel a lot more like a continuation of the week.  If the weather would cooperate it would make things a lot easier, but here are a few if my ideas for the weekend to make Saturday and Sunday better than other days!

For fun:
Visit the Rose Gardens (Brian will wonder who's definition of fun this is) - all in bloom, I bet it is beautiful right now
Meet some friends for a happy hour -all about early meals and cheap food with the little guy
Walk to the Farmer's Market downtown - about 5.5 miles from our house, lots to look at and of course a breakfast burrito at the end!
Get the Keg filled (duh!)
Sunday Morning Donuts from Pip's
Saturday night in-house date - bottle of prosecco and Killer Burger take-out
Hike in Forest Park

Not as much fun but feels good when it is done:
Yard work
Plant the garden
Install Jake's new car seat
Fix a few things around the house
Bake something new(tastes good when it is done, usually would go under fun, but harder with a baby :)

All of this has to go through the veto vote of my husband.  Stay tuned for a Tuesday morning recap.

And just for good measure, a blog entry isn't complete without a picture of Jake.

Six Months Old

Happy 6 Months to sweet Jake!

At 6 months old Jake was:

18 lbs 10 oz

28 3/8 inches

That little Jake, he is really becoming a big boy.  It is such a joy to watch a little person discover the world.  I don't know if I just didn't think about that much, or if it is you can't even imagine, but having a baby is the most wonderful thing ever.  I know I lucked out with this guy, he continues to be the sweetest, funniest little friend I know.  I asked Brian the other night what was his favorite thing about Jake, we both agreed that getting him out of his crib in the morning is one of the best.  Most mornings Jake wakes up and entertains himself in his crib for quite a long time.  Sometimes he is so entertained in there we actually startle him when we go to get him up.  The minute he sees Mama or Papa we get an ear to ear grin and his arms and legs start flying.  He is excited.  He is sitting up very well assisted and rolling both ways now.  He is all over his crib when he sleeps, I never know how I might find him.  Naps are still a little rough, but I am trying not to be so hard on myself.  He needs three 30 minute naps a day so we find a way to get them in his crib or either on a walk or in the car.  He almost always has his morning nap at home.  Nights are still great, except for the occasional growth spurt I am usually only up once with Jake in the early mornings.  He goes to bed between 6 and 7 and is up between 6 and 7 for the day.  It is hard for Brian to see him, but we have nice evenings together which I appreciate too.  Jake puts everything in his mouth.  He loves the fishy book that makes the crunching noise.  He still loves his lovies.  He has a new appreciation for Sophie the giraffe and enjoys the frozen teething rings.  Jake started eating real food this month.  He has eaten Peach, Pear, Mango, Green beans, Carrots, Squash, Sweet Potato, and Prunes.  He likes EVERYTHING!  Aside from the occasional constipation he caught on right away.  Jake giggles when he is tickled and he also likes to be startled, he thinks that is really funny.  He is scared of the vacuum and watches me like a hawk when I am blow-drying my hair.  He had his first playdate this month (he has had many walks with new friends) with two girls from Mom's group.  It went well, he is a ladie's man.  Jake found his legs, then his feet, and finally his toes and he loves to suck on them.  He eats books and knows how to "Pat the Bunny", well then he thought he needed to pat every book, but we'll get it. He sticks his tongue out a lot and will blow raspberries all day some days.  Our days are still full of laughs and adventures.  Jake doesn't fuss unless he is hungry or tired and continues to be patient with his learning parents.  

Jake still nurses about 6 or 7 times a day.  I can't believe I am over half-way through a year of breastfeeding.  It makes me sad.  Once we got the hang of it we have made a great team and it is an excuse 7 times a day to sit-down, put my feet up and snuggle this little baby that won't be a baby all too soon.  I wouldn't trade these times for anything.  I can't imagine a life where I wear a real bra (not like I'll need to when he is done) and don't lift my shirt every 3 or so hours.  A life where my boobs don't get so big overnight I wonder what surgeon snuck in, a life where something my body makes isn't  building his all the time.  Shoot - I'll just miss the fact that I can eat a bacon cheeseburger everyday and probably still lose weight!  I'm so glad we have been able to do this together and I'll savor all our time over the next few months.

This little guy is growing up, I'm just not sure I am ready to move as fast as he is.  

Jake Month 6

Six months of this guy.  It is truly amazing how quickly time flies.  This month was the month I was supposed to go back to work, well we all know how that story ends.  We had a lot of fun this month with Portland sunshine, my birthday, a trip to Palm Desert and all kinds of other adventures.  Thanks to 10 days with my parents we had more pictures this month than any other month yet.  That silly Grammy, she gets all the good shots.  I tried to narrow it down and believe it or not, the nearly 40 photos I selected were a struggle to get to.  I have so many favorites.  I am still well aware that 40 photos is more than one a day on average.  What can I say, this guy looks good behind a camera.