Bye-Bye Turty

As you may or may not know, my Daddy found me a pet turtle about a month ago. At first, Mommy was calling him Michelangelo (because he was orange? I don't get it. Anyway...) Then, Daddy announced he wanted to call him Bear. Fine. But then all Daddy ever called him was Turty, and that is what stuck. Anyway, Mommy and Daddy said that Turty couldn't come live at Nona's with us. They told me Nona has a big doggy that would gobble him all up. I'm not sure I believe her, but since they wouldn't let me play with Turty anyway, I said it was ok if we let him go. So yesterday we went to the park and let Turty go in the lake there. I think Daddy was sadder than me. I was ok because Mommy and Daddy took me to the playground when we were done. It wasn't the same playground with the swing and the slide. This one had lots of fun toys that bounced up and down and spun around and around. They were so fun! There was a frog that went back and forth, a long thing that went up and down, and a spinny thing that spun Mommy and I around in circles so fast that everything was spinning even after we stopped. I hope we can let Turty go again so that we can go back to that playground!

8 is Great!

Mama's little boy is 8 months old. He's getting so big so fast! He gets into everything. We had to take a few of his toys down because he kept pulling them down on top of him. I think the DVD tower is going to have to come down, too. (I suppose we need to pack it up anyway...) And while he figured out how to clap a few weeks ago, in the last few days he has decided that its a really, really fun thing to do. We clap for everything nowadays. He eats, we clap. He crawls, we clap. He catches the ball, he drops it so we can clap. It's very cute! And here are a few cute pictures. Everybody clap!

DC for Daddy

We went to Washington, DC this weekend to go to Daddy's George Washington University Graduation ceremony. Mommy says that Daddy is a doctor, but not a doctor like Papa and Dr. Lilly. He's a math doctor, but I don't really know what that means. When I figure it out, I'll let you know. Anyway, we had to go to a lot of places with lots of people where me and cousin Mads were supposed to be quiet and not cry. Lucky for us, Grandpa Barg and Aunt Kelley would rather find places to play on the floor, so it wasn't so bad. Madelyn and I had crawling races down the hall, and Great-Grandma Barg bought us new toys to play with, and I even got to play with my friend Drew and my new friend Rutherford. Rutherford is a lot littler than me, though, so he couldn't race. The only bad part was that I never got to see Daddy because he was never sitting with us. I only got to see him afterwards. He was always wearing funny clothes and a funny hat. I got to wear his funny hat, but it was too big. It had nice strings to play with though!

I also got to see my Nona, Papa, Auntie La, Aunt Mimi, and Uncle Luke. They brought me lots of presents from a place called Italy. One of them is this fun book that lights up and plays music, but I can't understand any of the stories it tells. It talks funny - not like Mommy and Daddy at all! But that's ok. I still like to play with it. Maybe I'll figure out what it is saying and learn to talk back!

A Toast!

Mommy gave me hot, dry bread today. She called it "toast." She eats it all the time, so I thought I'd ask her if I could have some. She gives in so easy! I don't know how tasty it was, but it was pretty fun to eat. Mommy said she was happy just to have me sitting still and not getting into anything. I guess I did have a pretty busy day...

Mommy and Daddy were slow coming to get me out of my crib this morning, so I decided to play with the little green light (his video monitor.) It didn't take long to figure out how to get it off the wall, and then it was much easier to eat. But then Mommy came in and said I wasn't supposed to eat it. She didn't seem too mad, though. She was pretty slow coming to get me after my nap, too. Since I wasn't supposed to eat the little green light, I decided to play with the big light next to my crib instead. It made a really cool noise when I banged it up against the wall. Apparently, I'm not supposed to do that, either. It seems like there are lots of things I'm not supposed to do. I'm not supposed to pull myself up on the swing. Something about falling down and going "boom" when it rocks back and forth. I'm also not supposed to climb up on the couch even though she's the one that left the pillow on the floor for me to use to climb up there in the first place. And don't even get me started on all the things I'm not allowed to play with over by the TV. It's hard being a baby!

A Very Happy Mother's Day

Yesterday was a day that Daddy said was called Mother's Day. It was a lot of fun! I got to help Daddy make a card for Mommy with his pretty pencils. It was the first time he actually let me play with them, but I wasn't allowed to eat them. He just wanted me to drag them across some paper, which wasn't as much fun. I also helped Daddy make pancakes for breakfast. He wouldn't let me eat those, either. Soon, though. I seem to be wearing them down. They let me have some of their breadsticks when we went to Pino's for dinner. Pancakes can't be too far away! I think Mommy had a good day. She keeps taking me to smell the pretty flowers Daddy bought her. They smell so nice. I bet they are really tasty, but I haven't been able to find out yet. I'll let you know if I manage it. I've been going for the big pink ones, but I may need to change my strategy to the tiny purple ones. They might be easier to get into my mouth.

A Poem

Humpty Dumpty crawled off the bed,

Humpty Dumpty fell on his head.

But all Mommy's kisses and all Daddy's hugs

Were able to keep him from getting a lump.

Baby Pate

Well, he's no longer a vegetarian. He was introduced to the wonderful world of meat today, and it went pretty well. Making the chicken was a little on the gross side, but he seemed to enjoy eating it, so it's all worth while. I basically made a chicken pate (thighs - not liver!), and it wasn't too hard. Babies don't need a lot of protein, but once they get to be about his age, 1 T or so a day is beneficial. We mixed it up with apples and sweet potatoes so it was just like some of those baby meals out there - except I know what part of the chicken he was eating. :)

Pureed Chicken

Ingredients:

2lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

2/3 c water

1t seasoning such as basil, oregano, or italian seasoning (optional)

Directions:

1. Remove most of the fat from the chicken thighs. Dark meat has more iron than light meat, which makes it a better choice for baby.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and throw the chicken in. Boil until well cooked.

3. Remove the chicken from the water and allow to cool.

4. Cut chicken into smallish pieces and add to food processor. Pulse meat to very fine pieces. Add seasoning if you are using it.

5. Add water a little at a time until you get to the correct consistency.

6. Freeze as usual.

Our date with Daddy

I had such a fun afternoon. Mommy and I had a lunch date with Daddy. Not only did I ride there in my new carseat, but I got to sit in the big boy high chair at the table AND Mommy gave me french fries. I think maybe I was missing something because I didn't get to eat them the same way Mommy did. She had lots of red stuff on hers, and she only let me have the french fry middles, but they were still super tasty. Unfortunately, the picture is in Daddy's phone and he doesn't know how to send it to Mommy, so we'll have to wait and post that later.

Born Free and Breaking Free

BPA has been in the news for a while now. I never paid too much attention before, but when Canada banned it and Walmart and Babies R Us agreed to phase out the sale of bottles containing BPA, I decided maybe I should phase them out of my house, too. I read that not only is it linked with cancer, but it is said to cause hyperactivity as well. From what I can see, Jack won't need any help in that department! I went out and bought a few Born Free! bottles and training cups, and I'm really glad I did. They were a little more expensive, but they are so much better than the sippy cups we had been using. The Nuk sippy cup that Jack liked because he could actually drink out of it had a tendency to leak, and the Playtex sippy cup that I like because it didn't leak at all was nearly impossible for him to drink out of. The Born Free! trainer cup is the best of both worlds. It leaks very little, if at all, AND it is easy to drink from. I really wish we had just started here. And the best part is that the bottles, trainer cup, and drinking cup (which we don't have yet) all have interchangeable parts. Unless I need more of the actual cups, I'll only have to buy drinking cup spouts (which are hard spouts as opposed to the trainer cup's soft spouts.) I highly recommend them to anyone who is concerned about BPA (and phthalates!) in their child's bottles. Heck, I would recommend them to anyone who is looking for a good sippy cup, toxic or not.

I also finally gave in and baby-proofed the living room. I had been hoping to not have to do that here, but no such luck. Not only does he have more energy than me, but at times he's also faster than me. And he pulls himself up on anything that will hold him. This includes the obvious (crib, couch, gates) and the not-so-obvious (me, piles of laundry, bumbo). Actually, he no longer needs the bumbo for support, but it has become invaluable as a "jail." If I need him to sit still and I set him up with toys, he doesn't notice that he can't try to follow me for at least 2 or 3 minutes. It's usually just enough time to do whatever I need to do. My little boy is growing up so fast!

On The Move!

I meant to do this right after it happened, but if you've ever been to my house, you might be able to understand why it didn't get done until almost 1:00 in the morning 5 days later. Finding the cord to hook the camera to the computer was the LEAST of my problems! We are, however, very excited! We are also much busier trying to keep up with him, and Jack is getting in much more QT with his Pack'n'Play. I had originally turned the camera on in an attempt to capture his cute little "leap frog" move before he really figured out how to crawl because I noticed that he was starting to get one of his knees moving in the process. I was afraid I would miss it if I didn't act quickly. Apparently, I didn't act quickly enough, because you can see from the video what happened when I turned on the camera.

Go Fly A Kite!

Last Wednesday, when everybody was here visiting me, we all went to a place called Fowler Park. We had never been there before, but it was a very nice park. Mommy, Daddy, and I flew a kite way up high in the air! It was so fun. We had to run back and forth to keep it from coming down, and Mommy even let me hold the string. After that, they took Madelyn and me to a place called the Playground. There was a tall thing that you had to climb up to, and then you came down to the ground sitting on your butt. Daddy and I went together, and it was fun. The second time was a little scary. We went around and around and around as we came down. I didn't like that as much as when we just went through a tunnel and came out straight. And then after that, Madelyn and I shared a swing! It was a little like my swing, but not really. It didn't play music and it didn't have a comfy chair, but it went back and forth the same. Mads and I sat back to back so that we could both swing at the same time. It was lots of fun. I can't wait to go back to the playground and swing some more!

The Prince's New Throne

Mommy and Daddy took me shopping all day. It was so boring! But look at the new big-boy carseat I got! It is a convertible one that I'll get to use until I'm big enough to get into the car without even needing a booster seat. Mom says I can even use it if I weigh 100 lbs, but at this rate I'll be in high school before that happens. She didn't say what that was, but it sounded like a really long time from now. I really like it. It's super comfy, and it even has a place for my sippy cup. Unfortunately, it doesn't have spots for all my hanging toys, but I'm a big boy now. I don't play with those much anymore anyway.

Rock and Roll!

Two earthquakes came to my house today! Well, Mommy says it was technically one earthquake and one aftershock. My cousin Madelyn said they felt the same to her. I slept through the first one, but she says it was pretty big. It was so big it shook the whole house and woke everybody up but me! Madelyn said the thought maybe it wanted to play, but it couldn't get in because the doors were locked, so it shook the whole house instead. That could be, I don't really know. But then why didn't it come in the second time? Mommy was up and everybody was in the kitchen. It would have been fun to play!





I've been trying to explain these earthquakes to Jack, but its a little harder than I thought it would be. It's a little too much science for an almost 7 month old. He was only awake for the aftershock, a 4.6 on the Richter Scale. That lasted for about 15 or 20 seconds or so. The earthquake itself, a 5.2 that originated about 90 miles south of here, he slept right through. That was interesting. I hadn't experienced one like that before, at least not one that I recall. It seemed to last minutes, but was probably only 30 or 40 seconds. I woke up with the thought that a pack of wild dogs was running back and forth through the house because it was so loud and there was a noticeable ripple moving back and forth through the walls. It occurred to me that it couldn't be a pack of wild dogs and was probably an earthquake. At that point, I woke Mike up, and then remembered that there was stuff that could fall on Jack while he was in his crib. So then I freaked out and knocked the water bottle over looking for my glasses (the only thing to fall in the entire incident), only to have Mike remind me that I should probably wait for it to stop before I got up myself. So then I had to wait what seemed like an eternity, but probably wasn't, before I could go and see that Jack was sleeping peacefully with no harm done. Grandma and Grandpa Barg, Aunt Kelley, and cousin Mads were here, too. They left this afternoon, and I think Aunt Kelley was very relieved to go. Everybody else seemed to think it was pretty cool, and since there were no injuries and no damage, I think it is pretty safe to call it an exciting adventure. :) Of all the natural disasters, an earthquake was the last thing I thought we would experience here.

No Place Like Home

Alright, I know it's a little late. Here is how the rest of our trip went. I know some people were curious...

Saturday dawned sunny and too warm for Jackson to wear a coat in Daddy's opinion and not warm enough for him to not have a coat AND blanket in Mommy's opinion. As you can see, Mommy won. And good thing, too! It was very chilly in the shade, and also pretty breezy. As promised, we took Jackson to the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha. I think he had a good time. He seemed to like the polar bear and the gorillas. After leaving the zoo, we drove into Iowa and stayed near Iowa City.

On Sunday, it was time to make our way home. Our last stop was the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site in West Branch, Iowa. Why? Just because we were passing right by it. You see and learn about a lot of cool things when you stop at the random places along your way. I think that's what was meant by "stopping to smell the roses." ANYWAY, I had no idea good old Bert was such a humanitarian and all around nice guy. The presidential museum made it sound like his good name had been restored by the time he died, but my history classes only remembered him for starting the depression and left him with the legacy of thousands of "Hoovervilles." The site had a nice museum and library. He and his wife were buried there, in view of his birth cottage. There were actually quite a few preserved buildings to tour. He had a highchair that looks just like the one my Poppy Kaylor used to have at his house. I think Jack's favorite was the school house. He seemed awfully excited to be there. We're hoping that translates to kindergarten and beyond.

Once we had soaked up just about all we could absorb, we began the long journey home. It was fairly uneventful, and we arrived safe, sound, and a little wiser. This trip had taught me a few things. 1) Herbert Hoover was a Quaker. 2) Travelling with a baby is about travelling on THEIR schedule, not yours. 3) Never EVER go anywhere without a supply of Cheerios and a bottle of juice. We learned that one on the first day when we were running late and didn't have time to pull over and feed Jack when he was hungry. Instead, we pumped him full of Cheerios, but I didn't have a bottle handy so he learned real quick how to drink water from a straw. Poor kid!

Planning His Escape

Yeah, we decided it was time to lower the mattress. He was only kneeling this time. Next time I might not have been so lucky!

Also, I updated a few older posts tonight. "Weekend Update..." has been updated with a green bean recipe (I know, you're all thrilled!). "Greetings From Fargo" and "Omaha: Somewhere In Middle America" have new vacation photos added, and I added the photo of Jack loving his pears to "Pear Perfection." Stay tuned for a post on the conclusion of our trip, as well as for today's adventure into the world of Zucchini.

Pear Perfection

***Updated with picture 4/12***

So Mommy still doesn't have her camera stuff back from Milwaukee yet, so I can't post any pictures. There are definitely some good ones! But I thought I'd say "Hi" so that Auntie La has something new to read.

Mommy did lots of cooking today. She made fresh avocadoes, carrots, pears, and something called zucchini that I don't get to try until later in the week. She made me sit in my circus and watch her, and I was pretty bored. I can't see what she's doing from way down there! And don't even get me started on that loud, scary machine she uses to cut it all up. I tried to tell her I don't like it, but she kept turning it on anyway! In the end, though, I got to taste some very yummy pears. I don't like pear juice nearly as much as I like apple juice, but pear sauce is just as good as apple sauce!





Pear Puree


Ingredients:


5 lbs pears (any variety)


6 oz thinning liquid





Directions:


1. Preheat oven to 350.


2. Halve and core pears. Place cut-side-down in baking pan. Fill pan with about an inch of water.


3. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until tender.


4. Once tender, remove from oven and cool slightly.


5. Add to blender, adding some of the water the pears were cooked in to thin the puree out. Pears tend to be watery, so be careful of how much water you add. I pureed them in batches, so I always had more pears to add if I had too much water.


6. Freeze in ice cube trays. I got about 7 cups out of the 5lbs of pears.

Omaha: Somewhere in Middle America

***Updated 4/12 with pictures***
Mommy says we're in a place called Omaha, Nebraska tonight. We have been very busy since we left Fargo. The day we left Fargo we visited a very big boat and a very cold church. They didn't look like anything special to me, but Mommy said they were interesting because the boat was just like one made 1000 years ago and actually sailed to Norway, and the church is just like a church in Norway that is 1000 years old. Neither church have any nails holding them together, but I still wasn't all that impressed. My favorite part of the day was when the nice man gave me a pinwheel. When we walked, it spun around and around and it is so pretty! Mommy even propped it up so that it I can watch it when we drive with the windows down.





After we left Fargo, we drove past a lot of very flat land and then very hilly land to get to a place called Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The best part about that was that Mommy actually let me crawl around on the floor in the hotel instead of making me stay on the bed or a blanket. Daddy tried to, but Mommy said it looked clean enough that I was probably ok. I also got to sleep in my own room, which was good because I didn't keep getting woken up by Daddy's snoring!





This morning, Mommy and Daddy took me to see a big waterfall. I guess it isn't as big as the waterfall I'm going to live near, but it looked pretty big to me! My favorite part of the day was when we went to see an old boat called the Sargeant Floyd. That was not in Sioux Falls, but in a place called Sioux City, Iowa. It was a boat, but it was a museum. There were lots of old things to look at, and you could ring the bell and steer the boat. That was so much fun! I laughed and laughed the whole time we were in there. I'm not telling why, though!





Now we're in Omaha. Mommy and Daddy took me out to dinner, but all Daddy would share with me was his water. I wanted some of their steak! Mommy says we might go to a place called the Zoo tomorrow. She says there are lots of animals there and it will be like the aquarium but without any water. I liked the aquarium, so it might not be so bad. I'll let you know how that goes. Mommy wanted me to tell you all that she has now officially been to 49 states. The only place she hasn't been is a place called Hawaii. I'm not really sure what all that means, but she is pretty excited about it. There's no pictures yet because the stuff Mommy needs for that got left in Milwaukee, but she says she'll add them in when we get home. Bye for now!

Greetings from Fargo!

***Updated 4/12 with more pictures***
Sorry it has been a few days. This is our first quiet night. You might be thinking that's because we're in Fargo, ND and there's just nothing to do here, but it is actually because Daddy decided to eat half a cow for dinner and needs to just sit around and digest. :) Luckily, we ate dessert first, so there was no issue with us not getting our homemade ice cream. Jack was definitely a fan! We're having a great time out on the open road. But let's start at the beginning...

We left not quite early enough on Friday morning for Daddy to get to his talk in South Bend, IN in plenty of time. He made it, but it was close. It would have been one thing if he was just going to a talk, but no, he was giving the talk. He kind of needed to be there. While he was at his conference, Jack and I hung out in a fairly sketchy Days Inn. Yeah, Mommy would only let me play on the blanket or in the crib. It was pretty boring! We did go for a little walk, but it was very cold. Mommy doesn't usually take me for walks when it is so cold. I was happy when Daddy came home and we got to play together.

Saturday, we took Jack on his very first campus visit. We went to Notre Dame and saw "Touchdown Jesus" and the rest of the University. It was a very nice campus! It was a little cold, but a very sunny day. After that, we drove to Chicago for a visit my my friend Ann. She and I went to Italy together, and I hadn't seen her in years.

Sunday was my favorite day. Mommy and Daddy took me to see lots and lots of fishies at the Shedd Aquarium! There were big ones and little ones, plain ones and colorful ones, and even ones with very big teeth! I especially liked when they came to say "Hi" to me. I really wanted to play with them, but Daddy wouldn't let me. We saw a baby beluga named Miki who is just a little older than me, but he was lots bigger! And then Mommy bought me a stuffed Miki, but mommy's friend Matt said his name was really Caviar, and somehow it stuck. So now I have a new friend Caviar. I don't love him as much as Puppy, but he is lots of fun to play with!

Jack is right. The aquarium was very cool. We went with some more of my college friends, Matt and Laura, and then afterwards we went to Michigan Ave to go to the Ghirardelli store. That was also fun. A very sweet afternoon all things considered! And then, to top it all off, we headed off to Milwaukee to see yet another college friend - Kadie and her new husband, Steve - for the night! That would have been a perfect visit except for the part where Mike decided he was done loading the car before he was actually done loading the car and left my main diaper bag and camcorder case with all my camera stuff in it at Kadie's. That's why, after this post, you won't see any more pictures until we get home!

Monday we stopped in Madison, WI on our way to the Twin Cities. It was cold and rainy, but we walked down State St. anyway. Madison is a very cute little college town. I was sorry we didn't get to spend more time there, but we were in a little bit of a hurry to get to Minneapolis/St. Paul considering the blizzard we were scheduled to drive into. Sadly, it was 64 in Terre Haute. There were a lot of scary-looking accidents, but we got there safely despite the 5 inches of snow that fell that day. I wouldn't have expected anything less of Minnesota!

The whole point of this trip was to get to the last 4 continental states that I have not yet been to. Minnesota was the first of these states, so it was very exciting to be somewhere new. We were staying with Mike Smith and his parents, and we were actually there for 2 nights, so it was very relaxing. Mike was an excellent tour guide! We went to the Mall of America, the Walker Art Center's Sculpture Garden, and a driving tour of both Minneapolis and Saint Paul. They are such different cities! I didn't really know what to expect of them, but I wish we had had more time to explore them. I guess we'll just have to go back! And we also got to see Eric Ufferman while we were there. That's 6 old friends we got to reconnect with in all!

Yeah, I don't know about Minneapolis. The only part I really got to see was the giant dinosaurs made out of tiny blocks at the big mall. There were lots of kids at the mall, and they all looked like they were having such a fun time. There were rides and games, but Mommy said I was too little for all of them. I won't be too little for much longer, though! And then I'll be able to go on all the rides I want!

Today we got up and drove to Fargo, North Dakota. We weren't expecting much of Fargo, but it is actually a lot warmer and a lot nicer than I thought it would be. It has a very cute downtown area with lots of stores and restaurants, and it was almost 60 degrees today. We went for a walk and got ice cream before heading out to Famous Dave's for dinner. Like I said, Fargo had a lot of restaurants downtown, but they were all a little too high-class for us. Go figure! Fargo is just full of surprises. Unfortunately, though, I can't show you any pictures because, like I said, Mike left my camera cord in Milwaukee. I was only able to get the other pictures on the computer because I was able to borrow Mike's in Minnesota.

Well, that's all for now. Jack and I will let you know how the rest of the trip is going. And for those of you keeping track, Jack really loves apple sauce, carrots, and ice cream. (Again, Daddy was not amused, but what is a mother to do when her child is begging and whining like a puppy for something that is clearly God's gift to humanity?) Tomorrow we see a little more of Fargo and then start heading down toward Omaha, NE. Not sure how far we're going to get, though, so you'll just have to check back in with us!

Helping Daddy

Auntie La says I don't post to my blog nearly often enough. I don't really think she'd be happy unless I posted something new every hour on the hour. But, I thought she might think these pictures are cute, so I asked Mommy to help me post them. I was helping Daddy with the recycling. It started to overflow, so I was helping him sort out the newspapers. I'm such a big, helpful boy! Oh, and by the way, that is apple juice all down my front, not drool. I'm a drooly baby, but not THAT drooly!

A Visit to Dr. Lilly

I got to see Dr. Lilly today. I really like Dr. Lilly. She's nice, although she has an evil nurse that likes to stick me with needles. Today it was just two, so I guess that was better that usual. She says I am growing up to be just like my Daddy. She says I am very tall and very skinny. I was 28.5 inches long (95th percentile), but only 16lbs 6oz (45th percentile.) I grew, though, and she said I was doing well. (Well, all except for a nasty diaper rash. We won't go into that.)

White Easter

Today was so much fun! The Easter Bunny brought me lots of toys, books, and clothes. Mommy let me eat the yolk out of a pretty Easter Egg, but I didn't really like it. And then she mixed it with cinnamon, but that made it worse. It's ok, though, because later Nona gave me some carrot cake and that was very yummy. It snowed all day and I got to wear my friend Terrepin's snow hat. I also wore my Georgetown t-shirt from Auntie La while we watched them play the game where the people in the box run back and forth and throw a ball around. I think maybe they said it was called basketball? Anyway, after that Auntie La was sad, so we started cooking dinner. I got to sit at the table while everyone else ate all that good food. Mom let me have a sweet potato, but it wasn't my usual puree. It was spicy and she made me feed myself. Ehh, I think I like it better when she feeds me. But it was fun to watch everyone and talk to my Uncle Joey and Uncle Zach, who were in Papa's little box. The worst thing that happened all day was when Mommy went to put my jam-jams on and she decided I needed a mini-bath. I usually really like my baths, but Mommy put me in the big tub and then water started gushing out everywhere! It was so scary! I screamed, and Nona came, but for some reason she and Mommy wouldn't save me. They just washed my bottom and told me it was ok, but I didn't believe them. What if something came out and ate me? Or I washed down the drain?! That would not be ok! Besides all that, though, it was a very fun day. I think I like Easter!

Weekend Update with Jackson B

Phew! This has been such a busy week! I'm sorry I haven't updated this in a while. I have so so much to tell you.





Monday was St. Patrick's Day. My Mommy and Daddy didn't seem to do much besides put a green bib on me, but my friend Drew and his Mommy and Daddy (Kerry and Dave Luse) came to visit for the week and they seemed to think it was a bigger deal. They cooked something stinky that they called Corned Beef and Cabbage and Soda Bread. I didn't get to eat any of the corned beef or the cabbage, but Mommy snuck me a little piece of the soda bread when Daddy wasn't looking and it was really, really tasty!

On Wednesday, my Mommy fed me green beans. I think I've been a very good boy and eaten just about everything she has given me. But green beans are the absolute YUCKIEST! Oh, man, they are even worse than I thought peas were on that first day. And since I thought peas were so yucky at first, I thought maybe I'd try them again. But, no. They were probably yuckier than I remembered.

On Thursday, I got up with my Mommy and drove up to Indy to pick my Auntie La up from the airport. That was a long ride, but now Auntie La is here to play with me and it is lots of fun! And then on Friday we had a very big day. My friend Drew and his Mommy and Daddy had to go home, but then my Nona and Papa came to see me! I was so surprised when I finally saw my Nona and she wasn't in the box. I had to look at the computer just to be sure it was really her! It is lots and lots of fun to have Auntie La, Nona, AND Papa here! I never have to play by myself, and Papa even made my oatmeal taste just like peaches!

Friday was also my Half Birthday! I'm finally 6 months old! Mommy and Auntie La took me to get my pictures taken. We spent all morning at the picture place waiting for our turn. And then, when it finally was my turn, I got so hungry once the lady started taking my picture. But then Mommy fed me, and it turned out to be not so bad. I think I kind of like being the center of attention like that. We got to play a game called Patty Cake, and the lady tickled me with a flower, and everyone kept saying that I was such a cute baby. I like when people say that about me. It makes me smile. Although, when we got home Mommy took even more pictures of me, and that wasn't quite as much fun. I humored her for a little while, but its boring when she takes pictures.

Well, that is all that has been happening. The poll says that more people like avocado better. I sure do like avocado. Mommy sometimes mixes it with Banana and calles it Banana'cado, and that is super-yummy, too. I don't know, though. Those peas are just so tasty. Alright, Mommy says I have to go to bed so that the Easter Bunny can come. I'll let you know how that goes tomorrow. Bye!

Green Beans

Ingredients:

32 oz bag frozen green beans (no salt added!)

water

Directions:

1. Empty bag into a saucepan and cover with water.

2. Bring to a boil, and then continue to boil until beans are well-cooked. About 10 minutes.

3. Drain water and add beans to a food processor (I've found a food processor works much better than a blender for this.)

4. Pulse until you reach the desired consistency. I found that I did not need to add any extra water.

5. Freeze in ice cube trays as per usual. I got almost 3 cups.

Eat a peach!

I feel like I just started avocados and Mommy is already giving me new food. I guess she found some sort of sale at Wal-Mart, though, and decided to just go with it. I have to say, I'm glad she did. Peaches are really yummy! I'm not sure they are as good as avocados and peas, but they are right up there with bananas and sweet potatoes. Maybe they'd be better if they were green? I really like things that are green!



Pureed Peaches

Ingredients:

5 lbs fresh peaches

1/3 - 1/2 c thinning liquid

ice bath


Directions:
Put a big pot of water on to boil. While you wait, scrub the peaches clean.
Boil peaches (in batches) for about 5 minutes. Remove from boiling water and immediately plunge into ice bath. Let them sit there for at least 2 minutes.
Remove the skins and pits from the peaches. I was able to just use my hands to slip the skins right off and then break them open to get at the pit. Any time I had to use a knife, I found the peach was kind of bad anyway.
Add the peaches to a blender and puree with 1/3 - 1/2 cup of the water the peaches were boiled in. Nutrients leached out into the water during the boiling process. This time I used water instead of breastmilk because I was making a lot, and purees made with milk don't typically last as long as purees made with water.
Freeze as usual.
I actually lost 1 whole peach, and still got about 7 cups out of the batch.

Celebrating 3.14

Today is a very special day in the realm of Math Nerds everywhere. Yes, you guessed it. It's Pi Day! And we will be celebrating later this evening with actual pie and a screening of the film Pi. Have you seen it? It's... interesting. It was directed by Darren Aronofsky, who also did Requiem For A Dream. That movie was a little more popular, and it might change your mind about the film Pi if you made any assumptions based on the title. Anyway, here's Jack showing his team spirit. I would like to red-type, boldface, and underline (except I don't have the option) that I did NOT make this shirt for Jack. It was a gift. I know this is right up my alley, but I do not want to take credit for it. :) You can learn more about the number pi and Pi Day here. http://www.piday.org/ Happy Pi Day!

Audience Participation

We thought we'd kick this thing up a notch with a little audience participation. The jury is still out as to whether peas or avocado will reign supreme. We would like to know what you guys think. There is a poll to the right. Pick one (Peas or Avocado), and then click vote. We'll see which one comes out on top next week. :) And then if this goes well, we'll see what else you guys think. We want to hear from everybody, so go on... vote!

Have An Avocado!

Until this morning, I would have told you that my very most favorite food was peas. I loooove peas! But then this morning, my Mommy gave me the most wonderful fruit. And while I still need to think about it some more, I think peas may need to step aside for the amazing avocado. Avocado is soooo yummy! I wanted more and more, but Mommy wouldn't give me thirds because she was afraid I would throw up. And not only is it super tasty, she said it is so very good for me, too. There are lots and lots of good fats, and vitamins and minerals - I don't know about fats and mineral, but trust me, it doesn't taste anything at all like vitamins! I was pretty unhappy at the beginning because she made me wait so long for it while she mashed it all up, but in the end, I was really happy she did.

Not since the second day of peas (you may recall that the first did not go over so well at all) have we had such a positive reaction to a food. You can tell he is his father's son. I won't touch peas, avocado, or most green things in general. He seems to prefer them! And they were super-simple to whip up (although, it did seem like it took an eternity with Jack growing increasingly more impatient in the background.)




Avocado


Ingredients:


2 ripe Hass avocados (dark green and bumpy fruit that give to gentle pressure)


5 oz breastmilk (or other thinning liquid)




Directions:


1. Cut the avocado in half, use your knife to pull out the pit (like they do on the food network!), and then scoop out the meat. Cut it into large chunks and put it in the blender.


2. Add the breastmilk and puree.


3. If your baby isn't sensitive to citrus, add 1 T lemon juice per 2 avocado. As it is, Jack and I are exploring alternative methods of dealing with oxidation. Avocado, like banana, will turn brown if you're not careful. But also like banana, its ok to eat if it does. It just doesn't look very appetizing.

4. Freeze excess in covered trays. I got about 14 oz out of 2 avocado.

Jolly Spinner

I have the coolest Mommy ever! She bought me this awesome toy. I think she called it a Jolly Jumper, but I'm not really sure why. What I love to do in it is SPIN! I go around and around and around until I puke and Mommy makes me stop so she can clean me up. But the best part is, when I stop, the room keeps going! It is sooo much fun! Sometimes, when I try to chase my Mommy in it, it goes up and down, too, but that's not as much fun as around and around. I feel sorry for her because she's too big for it. I think everyone should have their own Jolly Jumper!

That time of year again

Citizens of Cyberspace, Readers of Jack's blog-lend me your eyes! For that great harbinger of spring has finally arrived! March is a maddening month. Snows fall harder and wind blows colder than they do in the depths of January. And yet, change is coming. Whispers of the coming warmer winds waft through the wakening branches. Spring is so thick in the air that you can practically taste it. And what does spring taste like? It is fresh and minty, like greening grass. Like peppermint. Yes, you guessed it. The one and only glorious Girl Scout cookie is finally upon us!





I can hear you scoff and snicker behind your flat-paneled screens. Girl Scout cookies?!? I've even heard people go so far as to condemn them as evil! But do not take the sins of their sickeningly-sweet sellers (surely a ruse to sell more product) and their over-pushy mothers (who no doubt have the remnants of years gone by stuffed into the forgotten recesses of their pantries and deep freezers and fear adding more to their overflowing shelves) out on the cookie. The Girl Scout cookie is a confection wonderous to behold. Take the Thin Mint. Granted, no one who ever indulged in just one cookie stopped there, and "thin" is not necessarily a word to be applied to its most avid fans. But the Thin Mint is a cookie oft replicated, but never duplicated. Keebler's Grasshopper does not compare to the mighty Thin Mint. Edy's has gone so far as to construct an entire ice cream around it! There's just something about them that stands above the rest. It is, for one, thinner. And mintier, I might add. And consider for a second the case of the Samoa. Who can have one and not ask for "some mo-uh?" Or the Do-Si-Do? No peanut butter cookie not already paired with some form of chocolate (purely the domain of the Tagalong) could be considered to be finer! Girl Scout cookies are as much a part of American Culture as Crackerjacks and apple pie. But, like an apple pie baked fresh in the fall, there is only one true time to enjoy this most tasty treat. And that time, my friends, is now. So as you bustle into your grocery stores to buy your organic produce and free-range chickens, pay with your debit card and press "yes" (a thousand times "YES!") to cash back! Because the fresh, minty taste of spring lies just beyond those automatic sliding doors, but it costs $3.50/box and comes in 8 tantalizing flavors.

Yummy Yams

Well, I guess technically they are sweet potatoes. Did you know that true yams can be 7 feet long and weigh 100 pounds? Me neither. Sweet potatoes are actually in the Morning Glory family. And best of all, Jack liked them right off the bat! His Nona had suggested we trying mixing them up with cereal, but we didn't need to do that. He just liked them as is, and who can blame him really? Sweet Potatoes are delish! We didn't get any good pictures, though. So here's an adorable one of Jack wearing his Daddy's hat while we were grilling burgers in the snow. Preparing Jack's sweet potatoes made me want my own, so we had burgers and sweet potato fries that night! I think Jack will like his Mama's sweet potato fries even better than her Yummy Yams!







Yummy Yams



Ingredients:



3 lbs sweet potatoes (3 medium-largish potatoes)



5 oz fresh breastmilk







Directions:



1. Cook your sweet potatoes. Personally, I think baking them (425 for 45-60 min) brings out something in the flavor, but they can be microwaved for 10 or 12 minutes without losing any nutrients and they taste almost as good. (Some would argue just as good.) Just make sure you prick them, wrap them, and put them on some sort of baking surface because they leak sweet potato juice all over the place.



2. Use a knife to peel off the skins. Try to leave the layer right next to the skin as much as possible since a lot of nutrients are found there. Older babies might like the skin, but it doesn't make for a very smooth puree.



3. Puree in a blender, adding the milk a bit at a time. If you find that your puree has fibrous strings, you need to try to remove them since they could be a choking hazard. Mine were fine right out of the blender, but the larger (read: older) the potato, the more fibrous they are. I saw somewhere to put them in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer. The strings should swirl around the beaters. If that fails, you're stuck with a seive. If you're feeling adventurous, you could add some cinnamon or some cumin and coriander to spice things up a bit!



4. Freeze in ice cube trays. This makes about 5 cups of puree.

Crossing Time Zones

This weekend was my first trip into Illinois and the Central Time Zone. I live 7 miles away from it, but I haven't really been there* yet. Of course, Mommy and Daddy didn't remember about the time change until we got half way there and Mommy was worried that we were running an hour late. It turned out we were right on time! We went to visit my cousins Nicholas, Zachary, and Madison. Nicholas and Zachary are big - 6 and 3 years old - but Madison is even littler than I am! She is only 10 weeks old, and almost exactly 3 months younger than me. She is exactly 6 months younger than my cousin Madelyn. We had lots of fun. I learned all about Star Wars from Nicholas, and I really enjoyed having other kids to play with. My Uncle Joe took about a million pictures of me with his fancy camera, but it made Mom happy so I put up with it. I had a really good time and I hope we get to go back and visit again soon!

*Mommy is starting me on my quest to get to all 50 states, but just driving through doesn't count. I actually have to see /do something or stay over night. When my Aunt Mimi came to visit, we drove her into Illinois so she could say she had been, but Mommy didn't count that for me since we just drove over the border and then turned around and drove back out.