Thankful Thursday

1. I'm grateful for e-mail. It makes life so much easier.
   
2. The telephone. That also makes life so much easier. Can you imagine if we still had to send letters to everyone for every little thing?
3. Super Baby Food. This is a book that I bought quite a while ago, and it's been very helpful in coming up with ideas of what to feed Michael.
4. Michael. He is really doing so well. I've been making all of his fruit and vegetable baby food, and he's eating it pretty well. He doesn't really like it, but he knows that I won't buy any more. I am so proud of him.
5. Faith. I'm grateful that she is so happy and sweet.

Some Recent Pics

Just wanted to share a couple of recent photos. Here is Michael with his sunglasses on:

And here he is just cheesing. He likes to have his picture taken, so whenever he sees the camera, he brings it to me and asks if he can use it.

Here is Faith last Sunday right after church. She has such a pretty smile. My new obsession has been with bows for her hair (scalp?). I made this one with a black headband. It was kind of an experiment, but I thought black would look better with this dress, which, by the way, I love. I think it's so pretty. I'll be sad when she outgrows it. But then, I do have other really cute ones that she will be growing into, so I guess it will be all right.

And here are the two of them together today. Michael brought the camera to me and wanted to take pictures of Faith, so I took a couple, and then I had him lie down next to her and I took a couple more. He is so good with her, and she just loves him. She watches him closely and laughs and smiles at him all the time. It's really cute.

"I Need Some Money"

Don't worry, Mom and Dad, I'm not asking for money or anything else. Michael, on the other hand, just might hit you up next time he sees you. Yesterday he discovered his piggy bank. He's had one for a long time, but I've always just put the money into it. Well, yesterday he realized what it was for, and started asking for money to put in. He has already deposited all of our change, and he keeps coming up and saying, "I need some money," with his so-sweet smile and angelic voice. Today I actually went on a hunt for something to give him, it was so cute. I found an overlooked penny on Jeff's dresser - hope he wasn't saving that for anything.

I started subbing for the paper route (it's actually two routes) this morning. It wasn't too bad. The worst part was carrying 60 papers in that vest thingy around my neck. That's heavy! My back is going to hurt tomorrow. And I don't even want to think about Sunday, when the paper is like, three times as big. I'm going to ask Jeff to help me on Sunday. Maybe he'll drive the car and I can just take the papers for one street at a time, instead of for the whole route at once. So heads up, Jeff, I'm going to be asking for a favor. It's nice and cool at 4 AM, and I got home just before 6:30. Then I tried to go back to bed, but Michael decided he was awake, so that didn't happen. Oh well.

Thankful Thursday

Oops! I just now remembered that I'm going to do the Thankful Thursday thing. Here goes:

1. I'm thankful that each morning I get to wake up to Michael about one inch from my face saying, "Good morning! I'm awake!" Even though it's always way too early, I love it.
2. I'm thankful that Faith is so smiley.
3. I'm thankful for NPR. Whenever I happen to be in the car without Michael, off go the Raffi songs and on comes talk radio. That's really where I get most of my world news - and a good dose of sanity.
   
4. I'm thankful that Michael tries so hard. Last night when I got home from work, there was a pan of water on the stove. There usually is, since Jeff uses it to warm milk when I'm not there. Anyway, I dumped the water out, and there was a mass of slimy, gelatinous, who-knows-what at the bottom of the pan. I was totally grossed out. I washed it out, and tried to forget about it. But when I went into the bathroom to brush my teeth, I found an empty pectin box in the garbage can in there. Mystery solved. Michael, after helping me pour the pectin into the jelly yesterday, decided to make his own last night. He dumped my last package of pectin into that water. We had to go buy more today to do apricot jam, but that's okay.
   
5. I'm thankful for apricots. Apricot nectar, apricot jam, fresh apricots, .... When Michael and I made jam today, I couldn't help but eat a ton of apricots and lick the ladle after I was done. Yummy!!!
   

"Currant" events

Okay, so I know the pun is dorky, but Jeff and his pun-loving family would be proud, and since we all know that I live to make his family proud.... whatever. Anyway, today Michael and I made currant jelly. We (well, mostly Jeff) picked the currants at his parents' house on Monday, and then yesterday I juiced them. So today we made jelly. It was kind of fun, and it's so pretty when the light shines through the red jelly. Tomorrow we're doing apricot jam with some apricots Jodi brought to me. She's so nice. And on Friday, I'm making a peach pie. That is, if I'm awake. I'm doing a paper route for my friend April while she's on vacation this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I have to get up at 4 AM. 4 AM!!!! If I could figure out how to underline that, I would. Anyway, so yes, I might be sleeping instead of making pie. But I'll get my exercise (at 4 AM) and make a little money (at 4 AM), so that will be nice. Did I mention I have to get up at 4 AM? I don't think I've done that (at least, not willingly), since I was in high school and going to debate tournaments.

So here's the news about Michael: I told him we are not buying his food anymore. It's too much money. So ever since I told him that, he keeps saying, "Can't buy food anymore. It too much money." I feel bad when I hear him say that, but it's true. We've been talking about how he needs to learn to eat what Mommy and Daddy eat, and that we'll practice a lot until he learns. I think he sort of understands that, but we'll see how it goes over when we go shopping next Monday and we really don't buy any more. I've been thinking of some things to freeze. Last night I did our own apples and cherries, and I'm also going to do pears and pineapple, sweet potatoes, and some other things. We're offering him everything we eat. While I cook, I have him lick this, stick his finger in that and lick it, smell it, etc. So far he's been doing great. Last night he ate a (very small) bite of mashed avocado (more about that in a bit), and this morning he ate some of the apples and cherries I froze. So I have hope. I think it will be okay, but I know it will also be so, so, so hard.

Okay, the avocado. I mashed some up with a fork and watered it down with goat milk (milked it down?) and fed it to Faith yesterday. It was great. She loved it, and I loved that! It was the first time I ever sat her in the high chair and fed her solid food, and it went very well. She was grinning and opening her mouth for more. What a relief. Hopefully whatever I did wrong or whatever went wrong with Michael will not be repeated with her. I can honestly say that's probably my biggest worry for her first couple years of life. Here's a photo of her after her first guacamole meal:

Frustration

I wasn't planning to use this blog as a vent-site, but today I have to make an exception. I found myself in tears, standing in the baby food aisle at the grocery store today. In the last two weeks, the price of 2nd foods has gone from 47 cents to 69 cents a jar. That's almost a 50% increase! We were already spending about $70 a week on food for Michael, and that increase would put it up over $100. We just cannot continue to do this. It's time for a change, but I'm really worried. Most of you know what a frustration feeding Michael has been. Most people don't believe me when I tell them that he only eats baby food. They think, "Oh, and crackers, and cookies, and toast, and...." No. I would throw the biggest party ever if he would eat a sandwich. He'll eat Smarties and SweetTarts and suck on licorice, and that's about it. Other than that, it really is just baby food - and not just any baby food. It has to be the right brand and the right flavor.

But anyway, yes, we have to do something. There is no possible way that we can afford to keep buying baby food. Jeff and I are going to make some baby food tonight, and explain to Michael that we aren't buying it any more. He has to learn to eat it. The next few weeks will probably be extremely difficult.

So here's the funny side of this story: When I first saw the prices in the baby food aisle today, I said, "Oh no, I think I'm going to be sick," and then I said something about how this is too much money. Michael has been very concerned ever since. While helping me clean the bathrooms today, he kept saying, "You not sick, that not too much money!" I think he's trying to make me feel better.

Lots of Random Thoughts

Yesterday morning Jeff was getting dressed when Michael came into our room. He picked Jeff's belt up off the bed and said, "That's a biiiig belt!" Jeff and I were laughing, and Jeff was like, "Thanks a lot!"

Michael is such a good big brother - here he is singing "Down by the Bay" to Faith.


And here he is sorting laundry. He really is very good at it.


And here is the latest video of Faith. I was putting her to bed, and Jeff was reading to Michael in his bed. Michael kept standing up and jumping on his bed, then bouncing down on his knees. Faith saw him and cracked up. Jeff got the camera and taped it, but the first couple of times were better than the video.


And I think I'm going to follow Callie's tradition of the Thankful Thursday, posting five things for which I'm grateful:

1. I'm grateful that Jeff is willing to stand up for what he believes, even to people who might not believe the same. I've been thinking lately about a time when he told his sister that he had voted for the amendment to the Utah Constitution which would define marriage as between a man and a woman, and he also said that he would vote for it again. He told her this even though he knows that she and her partner could not be married under that law. I just admire him for that. I voted for it, too, but I'm not sure I would have told her that I did.
2. I'm grateful to have a job that I love but do not really need.
3. I'm grateful that my family is close and that we care about each other. Some people think we're always in each others' business, but I feel like we all matter to each other and we just want to stay close.
4. I'm grateful for the internet. What would I do if I couldn't search for the answers to my many questions (How much B-12 should a 5-month-old have? What's a good recipe for London broil? And most recently, which organs make up sweetmeats? - Don't ask).
5. I'm grateful that Michael is so cute. If he weren't, my frustrations would boil over and I would scream. But he has this way of just disarming all of it. The other day I was very angry at him, and he put his hands on my cheeks and said, "Mommy, don't be sad. Be happy." It was so cute that it made everything better.
6. And as a bonus, I'm grateful for Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? It is seriously my veg of choice while Michael and Faith nap in the afternoon. I would have won $250,000 today, if only it had been me instead of what's-his-name from wherever. Aahh, wishful thinking. Maybe someday....

Some Random Success

Da da da dum!! We had a breakthrough!! I am very pleased to announce that Michael, all by himself, bit into a hamburger bun. I was cleaning up after dinner and putting the buns away, when Michael said he wanted one. I asked, "Are you going to eat it?" and he said, "Yes." So I gave him one and watched as he sank his teeth into it - twice!! Did he actually take the bite off and chew it? No, but that's not the point. Those of you who know what a struggle eating has been with Michael, know what a big deal it is that he even put the bun near his mouth. I was so excited. We are making progress, even though it is painfully slow and frustrating.

In other successful news, I made my first wedding cake for profit this week. It turned out beautiful. I was very happy with it. Here are a couple photos:

close-up of the roses (I made these from fondant)

I made this cake for Ruth May, a lady in Huntsville. Grandma and Jodi did the food for her reception, and Jodi suggested to her that I do the cake. Thanks, Jodi!! It was fun to do. And thanks, Jeff, for taking the kids while I worked on the cake, and especially for driving slowly through the canyon so we could get it there in one piece - well, two pieces. But both pieces survived the trip. Phew. Getting it there was my biggest worry.

Here are some photos of other cakes I've made:

I sent this one to Jeff's work.

Sesame Street cupcakes for Michael's birthday.

These flowers and birds are made from frosting. They're edible, but they don't really taste that good. Just sugar and water. They look pretty, though!

Coming soon: a cake for Riley (an Army tank), one for Hunter (a track-hoe and a dump truck), and one for Julia (still to-be-determined, although her mom is thinking of a daisy, and something with the color purple). Julia is my friend April's little girl. She'll be one next month.

I've been thinking of doing this as a little side business, along with selling my crocheted stuff - baby dresses and name doilies. But I need a name for my little business. Any suggestions?

Clean Freak

And you all thought I was a clean freak. Well, I used to be, before children entered my life. Now I am satisfied if all the toys get picked up once each day. Michael, on the other hand, has become our little clean freak. He spends a lot of time each day sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming. He also loves to dust and clean the bathroom, and do laundry and dishes. He'll come into our room first thing in the morning and sort laundry. And he actually does a really, really good job. He knows what is dark, light, bleachable, etc. Then when the dryer stops, he gets the clothes out and folds them neatly and puts them away. I must say, he does a much better job than his father.... only because his father doesn't really do it at all.

Speaking of Jeff, he is all better now. But now Faith has a cold. Yuck.

Poor Jeff....

Jeff has been pretty sick the last couple of days. I don't know exactly what's wrong, because I can't get him to talk to me coherently enough to understand. But I do know that he's congested and has a low fever, and his back hurts. This is kind of mean (sorry, Sweetie), but it's kind of funny to see him try to walk when he first gets up off the bed or the couch. He is stiff, and he kind of sticks out his chest a little bit, which makes it look like he's sticking out his rear, which makes me think of the chicken dance. I hope he doesn't kill me for saying that. If you call me and Jeff answers and mysteriously doesn't know where I am, be worried. :)

Land of the Free, Home of the Brave

Today we went up to Huntsville for the 4th of July parade and patriotic program. I had a really good time. I love Huntsville, and I love the 4th of July, but I think mostly I just love seeing my family and spending time with them. The program was particularly nice, I thought. I always always always get choked up when they do the tribute to the various branches of the military. I was grateful it was dark, because I had some tears when Grandpa stood to represent the U.S. Marine Corps, and especially when the young man who had served in Operation Iraqi Freedom stood. I'm so proud of my country. I'm very grateful to live here and to have the freedoms that we have. I have some issues with some of the decisions that our leaders make. I have issues with the economy, and I have issues with health care, and I have issues with the handling of the Iraq War, and I have issues with the war itself. (Let's face it, I just have issues.) But I am so thankful that we have the privilege of voting for or against the people who make those decisions, and that we can make choices without the fear that so many people in so many countries have when they choose to support the "wrong" party (Zimbabwe comes to mind). Even though a lot of countries have free and fair elections, where there is no "wrong" party, I still wouldn't choose any of them over the good ol' USA. We're pretty blessed here.

On another note, Michael was really funny today. He's always been a little freaked out by crowds of people and by loud noises. I was kind of worried about the parade, because they have tractors, sirens, guns, etc., and I was worried about the program because he doesn't like the clapping and cheering that comes with that sort of thing. But he did great. In fact, he clapped and cheered along with everyone else. It was cute, because he'd get this big grin on his face and put his hands up high in the air and clap and clap and clap, and say in this high-pitched voice, "Yaaaayyyy!" It was really fun.

Where does he get this stuff?

Thank you, Kris, for telling me how to get the photos where I want them. It worked perfectly!

I thought I should post some recent pics of Michael, too, since I have photos of Faith here.

Sometimes Michael says the funniest things. This morning I was downstairs on the computer, when he walks into the room and says, "What's happening in here?" What? I have no idea where he heard that.

Yesterday he wanted to play with some stamps and an inkpad that my mom gave him for his birthday. He kept asking for the "yeenk." I said, "Ink." He said, "Have the yeenk please?" I said again, "Ink." We went back and forth a couple of times, and I guess he realized he wasn't getting anywhere with "yeenk," so he said, "Michael have IT?" It made me laugh.

Yesterday we went up to Huntsville to visit my grandparents. He started doing something I've never seen him do before. He'd get on the play tractor up there and say, "Michael go shopping now. Bye! Love you, bye." Then he'd go down the sidewalk for a minute and turn around and come back. I asked him what he bought at the store, and he'd say, "Chocolate and SweetTarts." Then he'd pretend to eat the SweetTarts. It was so cute to see him run over and give me the blue ones (he won't eat the blue ones). He'd say, "Michael share Mommy with SweetTarts!" and hold out his empty hand. I'd hold out my hand, and he'd put the imaginary SweetTarts in my hand, and then he'd pretend to eat the other ones, while saying, "That so good!" It was so funny. He even shared his "chocolate" with Grandpa.

Faith has started squealing. It's funny, because she cracks herself up when she does it. She really gets going. Of course, I can't get her to do it when someone else is watching. Of course.