Monday Musings

I realized when I’m stressed I clench my left thumb in a fist and pull on my thumb- pulling it down, then flicking it out of my fist.  I’ve done this so much lately my thumb is sore. What the heck? Where did I pick up that weird tick????

Just noticed I had a huge piece of black pepper stuck in my front tooth for God knows how long at work. Awesome.

I have so much on my mind but I can’t seem to get anything written down.

I feel the need to clean out our guest room entirely. Like gut it out. Why? Because one day, it will be our Baby #2’s room. That baby is not even conceived yet and I’m panicking about finding other places for all the shit lovely things in that room and closet.

Why is my office so damn cold? I can’t feel my fingers.

Austin had his first PB&J this weekend… it was the cutest.

"Why you keep taking my picture, lady??"

 I am one month into my new lifestyle of smoothies in the morning for breakfast. Our scale is broken, but I think I’ve lost a few lbs. My tummy pooch is less poochy…. Pants fit better… I feel better… definitely sticking to this! 

My bestie Monique got me a necklace for my birthday and I'm in lurve... I love anything that looks like an old-fashioned wax seal!

An "A" for my sweet boy... 

I'm Like a Ninja

Its one of the Mom skills I have developed.

Well, really I’ve had to develop it out of necessity because I have a toddler now. And he’s tricky. And difficult sometimes. And stubborn (who did he get THAT from? Hardy har har).

So I’ve had to learn to be one step ahead of the kid and super sneaky.

I’ve become one of those Moms who hides healthy food in other foods that their kid will eat.

Something about this just screams “one of those Moms” and “Mom jeans and minivans” to me, because I never thought I’d have to do this. But alas, it has come to that.

When Austin started solid food he was a champion eater. Carrots? Loved ‘em. Peas? Couldn’t get enough. Every single food we gave him he gobbled up.

I glowed.

“My kid is a good eater! I’m doing something right!”

Then came textures…. And food after food after food went into his mouth… and came right back out with a scowl and a confused “WTF is this?” look shot my way.

We tried EVERYTHING. I pureed veggies and fruits into different sizes and textures. Spent hours chopping them into perfect sizes for him. No go.

After multiple attempts and Austin time after time spitting out every fruit and veggie and throwing it on the floor or dumping out his plate or bowl, you start to re-evaluate the situation.

The kid needs fruits and veggies. I don’t want to buy him pureed pouches until he is 14. We were wasting money on my attempts to try and introduce fruits and veggies to him.

Not to mention his diet looked like this:

Meatloaf

Crackers

Yogurt

Applesauce

Crackers

Yogurt

Cheese

Meatloaf

Goldfish

Crackers

Crackers

You get the idea. That was ALL he’d eat. Not a well-balanced diet for a growing boy.

<Enter Mom Ninja Mode>

The lightbulb went off. I could make him smoothies since he loves anything he can drink!

Out came my blender….onto Google I went for recipes and voila!

Austin now sucks down smoothies with banana, mango, peaches, pineapple and spinach in them! And we’ve only just begun!

I’m going to try strawberry, avocado, melons, berries.. anything I can smoothie-up with some almond milk.

Haha! Take that kid! Look at all those nutrients you are getting now!

His love of meatloaf has turned me to making him a combo of ground turkey, grated carrots and zucchini. 

And he eats it like there is no tomorrow.

Monday Musings

-I am suddenly addicted to Instagram. It only took me like years after everyone else… now posting fun-edited pics is my new favorite time waster. Some moments from the weekend:

My Irish boys! There is legit Irish blood in them veins!!

Playing ball with Dad!! See those blurs? That's arm power, people!

The vacuum is so interesting...

 -This morning was my first green smoothie experience: almond milk, peaches, a banana, protein powder and SPINACH! It really does disappear, taste-wise… only it makes your smoothie look like green slime and I was looked at oddly a few times walking into work slurping on it.

-My child is a pill when he is tired. A PILL I tell ya. He bangs toys, throws things, flings food to the floor, flings himself to the floor, whines and claws at your face. Wowzas.

-I recently discovered my husband eats the peel on mandarin oranges. This is making me rethink how I feel about him. I mean, can I be married to someone who eats the peel??? Kidding honey… but YUCK!

-My Sundays have now become full of food prep and cooking. I chop veggies for dinners throughout the week and make a few meals that can just be reheated on weeknights. Baseball season + full time working Mom + hangry Toddler in the evenings = I’m finally figuring this shit out and preparing beforehand. Genius!!! Its kinda like eating leftovers every night, but it’s better than trying to chop and cook and prepare while a little one is pulling my pants down and crying for my attention.

Quinoa for dinner and lunch-check. Italian Wedding Soup base made and ready to reheat with added noodles. Check. My sanity? In check!

 -Cashews are delicious. That is all.

-I hate my phone. Like I-have-to-restart-it-everyday-because-it-freezes kinda hate… Neal decided we are doing it and getting Iphones. End of stupid Android story.

Shopping- An Adventure

I'm so far behind in recapping events, that our little shopping adventure happened weeks ago!

#slacker

Anyways... Neal and I decided to go shopping and buy ourselves a few things because we hardly ever go shopping and buy things for ourselves.

What made it an adventure was the fact that a toddler was with us.

A toddler who doesn't like to sit still, ride normally in a cart or listen to his parents.

Outings involve strategies. Supplies. Motives. Clear direction in what our course of action will be.

Me: "Ok, so I want to go look at jackets and pants. I'll be over there." (pointing) "So you'll take Austin and distract him while I go look, and we'll meet up in about 10 mins and switch so you can look around. Ok?? Ok. Go."

Seriously, that conversation actually happened.

I wouldn't be surprised if one day we have walkie-talkies and hand signals to aid in our strategy-making.

 Its awesome that our child refuses to face backwards in carts and insists we push him around like this. If we don't, he twists and squirms and causes a scene. Stubborn, he is. Who did he get that from??????? :-)

After I warp-speed picked out a handbag and a long maxi skirt, I took over Austin-Wrangling so Neal could look around.

We walked around a bit with Austin out and pushing the cart himself and wandering around ("wait, hold on! No, steer this way. THIS way. Austin. AUSTIN. Come over here. No, back here. Here, hold Mommy's hand. Austin, you have to hold Mommy's hand. Stop. No, don't touch that. That is not for climbing. Get down please. Austin, come over here! Look here! Mirrors! ooooh! Fun!!!!") and then happened upon the men's section of the stores.

Oh the joys!

Mirrors!

Sports stuff!

The magical land of belts!

Let's just say.. there was a much needed clean-up in the men's dept. Scattered basketballs as far as the eye could see...

We somehow made it to two stores to do our shopping and Austin consumed about 2 boxes of Cheerios in the process.

Snacking kid = quiet kid.

Back home, and tired from his little excursion out.

Austin took a nap, Mom and Dad had a much needed cocktail.

Monday Musings

-My smoothie this morning was a coffee flavored one with instant coffee in it. Whoa. ZING!!!!!!!!!!!! Damn stuff is STRONG!!!!

-I noticed my signature changes every time I write it. I’m still not used to signing a “G” so sometimes my last name looks like it starts with an “E” still.. or a “Z” or a “C” or an “L” or an “R”….Who am I??? I am a woman of mystery. Ha.

-I finally got into the skinny jeans/leggings trend…. Several years later. It takes me awhile to figure out if a trend is “me” or not, but now all I want to wear (to Neal’s chagrin) is skinny pants. I want them in every color!!!!!

-Austin has umm… been “experimenting” with his vocal cords lately… so our house has been a tad bit loud as he wanders around going “MAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!! AH DA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” all the time. How you like those shared walls now, neighbors???? Actually they deserve the noise after all the days we’ve listened to their high pitched dog bark non-stop for hours. Scream away, Austin… scream away.

-The Bachelor finale is tonight! I can’t wait to see if the spoilers I’ve been reading are right!!!

-I love sorting Excel spreadsheets and formatting them. LOVE. If I could do that all day I’d be happy. I know, I’m totally weird.

-I repeat… that instant coffee was strong! I’m surprised I’m coherent, I’m buzzing so bad..

-Apparently Trader Joe’s has a vegan cream cheese… I am super curious to try it because I miss casserole/pasta dishes that are creamy.

-Someone is staring to learn to “smile for the camera” and respond to “say cheese…” look at those sweet little teeth!!! J

Monday Musings

-I want to grow my hair out long again. And put blonde in it. Again.

-Speaking of growing, I need to get going on a growth chart for Austin. Sometime before he graduates high school, ideally.

-Speaking of Austin… dude decided to freak out last night and wake up screaming at 10:30pm and not calm down until 11:30am, then do it all over again at 4am and decide to just be “up” for the day. So I’m running on a little less than 4 hours of sleep and have a huge deadline at work today. That kid needs to work on his timing…

-Speaking of sleep… it’s funny how quickly you get used to having a full night’s sleep once your baby starts sleeping through the night. One night of up-several-times and 4 hours total has WRECKED me. How am I going to do this all over again?

-Speaking of all over again, I majorly flip flop back and forth between “I can’t wait for Baby #2!” and wanting to permanently close up shop and never let my husband touch me in again, out of fear of getting pregnant again. I just don’t know how two kids is going to work.

-Speaking of work.. I love gangsta rap. I just do.. thank goodness for headphones so I can listen at work.. if they only knew what I was bobbing my head to!

-Speaking of me… I am loving my new smoothie train I’m on and stuffing my face with. My fav so far is simple: banana, almond milk, vegan protein powder, and spoonful of peanut butter.

-Speaking of nuts.. Austin is a big one! This is how the kid likes his high chair. On the floor, without the pad cover. He gets mad if the cover is on it and rips it off and wants the hard plastic.