Just wanted to share...

This awesome Groupon I got today for One Step Ahead, it's an all things baby website. I think I'm going to use mine to get some baby food-making supplies. I thought making my own baby food would be crazy, but after reading a few blogs I'm like the little blue engine "I think I can. I think I can. I think I can..."

Storytime and Mail

Since Wednesday Whit has had a great week. Wednesday he spent all day with his dad while I worked, and the boy was so excited he didn't take a nap all day and fought going to sleep that night pretty hard. (He's had a great time, but this mom is exhausted. Who knew one day would mess up his schedule sooo badly?) Anyway, Thursday brought his grandma back to town after being gone a couple of days and then today was our library's monthly storytime for babies. I wish they did it more often, because Whit adores it! And it's not like there's a ton of activities for babies out there, though there needs to be. This kid always wants to be on the go and doing something.

So much so I can never read him a book myself. When he was only a couple of weeks old we started everyday with a bottle and reading some of Winnie-the-Pooh and then one day he couldn't stand it anymore. Or any book. I can't even open one! As soon as I pick it up, here come the water works. Ben's a little sad by it since we both love to read. I was okay with it until today. Now I'm starting to have the new mom worries: Is it normal? Should I read to him anyway? Am I hindering him by not reading to him? Hopefully he'll grow out of this dislike of books, and I wouldn't mind soon!

Y'all. I am so happy this year we finally started getting some Christmas cards from other people! Every year I send out a stack with the tiniest glimmer of hope I'll get a couple from other people. This year we're up to six! You know, you'd think only six cards means we have no friends or family, but we have tons just hardly any of them write. Oh how I love getting mail and writing letters to people! It really is a lost art and I've tried to instigate more and more letter writing and card sending. I send more Christmas cards every year than the year before, I send out cards for birthdays and holidays, now I just need to send actual letters. Though I would be afraid of getting a Facebook message as a reply.

Anyhoo wanted to show off my Christmas card display I made this year...

I originally saw this on Living in the Woods and needed something a little smaller, so couldn't fit the lights on too. But we really dig it! I think I may keep it for other things during the year since there's nothing about it that screams Christmas.

And it was super easy to make. Get a frame without a back. Mine came from Michael's (the only bad thing about living in our town is with so many "antique" dealers, all the goodies are picked out of the thrift stores before you get there). Get some twine. Attach said twine with thumbtacks to back of frame in a zig-zaggy manner. Clip cards onto twine with mini-clothespins. Done!

Christmas cards done!

Feeding Time!

The past couple of days we've tried introducing Whit to rice cereal and it's been kind of so-so. The first day he was majorly excited...

But quickly decided we were crazy... (the doctor warned me about that)

So later that night when Ben and I were eating some snacks, Whit was watching us intently and trying to copy our moves.

The next day... voila! The boy had figured it out and was loving it!

Did I mention I think my kid's a genius? ;-)

No words

I keep going back and forth between just wanting to hold on tightly to my son and cry and getting so angry about what happened today that I cry. I just can't imagine... anything. I can't imagine what goes on in a person's head that makes them kill a child. I can't imagine the pain those parents are going through right now. I can't imagine coming home and seeing wrapped presents under the tree that will never go to their intended recipient.

I have to admit something. For the past few years I've lived in fear of this happening to Ben. But it never occurred to me I should fear this way for Whit when he goes to school. But this is my *exact* fear: a crazy person gets a gun, walks into wherever Ben is and starts shooting. The worst part of my fear is that the shooter kills himself before he can be caught. Sigh. I'll be having nightmares again tonight.

Oh those poor people, I wish I could help them. Anything. This whole tragedy is leaving me with just an ache  inside. So far Whit has woken up four times trying to go to sleep, and I'm kind of glad because it gives me another chance to hug him, look at him, smooth his hair down. Just to touch him and know that he's still there.

The part that makes me angry is that the next conversation is: how do we prevent this in the future? And inevitably there are people saying things like "gun control won't stop this" or "we should arm ourselves so we can take these nuts out." And to hear the White House Press Secretary say today's not the day to talk legislation? If a man kills 20 children in cold blood and it's still not the day to talk legislation, what the hell has to happen before it is the day?

And then there's people saying let's not talk about this today or on Facebook. Really? I am outraged there are people willing to accept a guy shooting 20 kids as just something that happens and thinking there's nothing we can do. That we shouldn't talk about it is insane! This country was founded on passionate ideas. If we're not passionate about things, then things will never change and this could easily happen again.

/soap box over

I think I'm going to peek in on my baby again and thank God he's alright.

Cool as a cucumber

"It was... soap... poisoning!"

Yesterday was Whit's four month doctor visit, and the boy is growing great! He's 17 lbs, 6 oz., almost 26" tall and head circumference is almost 17". The appointment also meant more shots. Wah wah wah. But, of course, the kiddo was great (and Mama remembered to give him Tylenol beforehand). We have one easy going baby, thank goodness! And I have witnesses to prove it. Monday night was the office Christmas party and Whit was definitely the guest to be seen with. It's funny how whenever we're in a group of people Whit never stays with us long. One minute he's with Ben, then Amy, then Leslie, then Bob, then Melanie. People always ask me if I'm okay with other people holding him for very long, of course I am! Not only does my back need the break, but he loves visiting and I definitely want to foster the extrovert in him.

The best part of the night was the giggle fest he had with my "boss's" (he's a friend of the family so I feel weird calling him my boss) parents. Ben and I have never heard him laugh so hard! Poor guy was having a hard time catching his breath they were so funny. I wish I had gotten it on video, but I knew as soon as I left to get my phone he would be done and I would have missed it.

So from that I've decided my new goal is to make my son laugh every day, or at least smile. Which should be fairly easy, since this kid is such a good-natured little fella.

This party animal is tuckered.

"You have a baby. Now is not the time to try recipes from Pinterest!"

Tonight is our office's Christmas party and I work in an office full of women who are the Pinterest type, so we tend to be ambitious with our baking and decorating. At last year's party I was in the thick of the all-day-sickness portion of pregnancy and couldn't even think of sweets without wanting to hurl. So this year now that I'm all better and have a handsome new man to show off, my head was reeling with possibilities until my wise office manager reminded me. "You have a baby. Now is not the time to try recipes from Pinterest!" She's right. Now is the time to stick to time-honored recipes that I know work and I know exactly how much time they take.

So I thought I would share, in case anyone else out there needs to whip up a dessert or appetizer in no time flat:


Sausage Balls (or what we call Faux Boudin Balls- because it's nearly impossible to find real boudin here):

2 lbs. sage sausage
1 lb. shredded sharp cheddar
2 c. Bisquick
2 T minced onion
2 t poultry seasoning
dashes of Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Get a big bowl, take off your rings and mash all ingredients together and roll into balls. Place on cookie sheets (I put down parchment paper first to help keep my cookie sheets clean longer) and bake for around 15 minutes. Let cool on paper towels to help suck out some of the grease. Et voila!

Haystacks:

1 12 oz. bag of butterscotch chips
1 heaping spoon of peanut butter (You can use creamy or chunky, normally I use creamy. Or you can omit this if there's someone allergic to nuts at the shindig.)
chow mein noodles

Pour butterscotch into a microwave safe bowl. Melt butterscotch in microwave for 2 minutes. Add peanut butter and mix well. Add chow mein noodles, about a half a bag, and mix until coated. Drop spoonfuls onto wax paper.

Normally I am a chocolate or nothing kind of gal, but I lurve haystacks! They always remind me of Christmas at my Grandma Patsy's with all the cousins, second cousins, great aunts and uncles and mamaws. I can't wait until we have a big family too and can have big Christmases like that again!