April showers

It's time to kick off April with a little umbrella and rain craft. Surprising, my little guy has been a little into painting lately, so I have been rolling with it. I found the idea for this craft at All Kids Network.

Supplies

Paint (or crayons or anything to color umbrella)

Template of umbrella

Glue

White construction paper

Blue ink pad or blue BINGO marker

Directions

Color or paint or decorate umbrella however the toddler wants. Let dry. Cutout umbrella and glue onto construction. Let toddler press fingers into stamp pad and press finger tips all over construction paper for rain drops or if using a BINGO marker let toddler use that.

You can also add rain clouds with cotton balls, but I left that part out.

I am still trying to find crafts that have about 10 minutes of preparation and about 10 minutes of activity since that is all the time that Calan usually wants to do them. He liked the painting part, but all he wanted to do with the ink pad was put the lid on and off and then just squeeze the pad part. He did not really get the whole stamp your finger tips on to the paper, so I had to basically stamp his hand and then stamp it on the paper for him. But overall, pretty easy craft for any toddler to do.

Reboot and Bring on the Crock-Pot

Today I woke up feeling more like myself than I have in weeks. I also went to bed last night at 8 p.m. rather than 11:30 p.m. Pretty sure that had something to do with it. I have dinner cooking, laundry running, dishes done, and both kids are napping. I'd say this week is starting off FANTASTIC. I'm just praying it stays that way!

It has not been easy planning meals this past week. Without the ability to taste anything, the idea of cooking has made me feel nauseous. We unfortunately ate out A LOT last week. I just didn't have the energy. It is kind of a vicious cycle because you want to eat well in order to feel well, but because you feel sick, nothing healthy sounds or tastes good.

So with the forced help of my wonderful husband, we did plan meals for the week. And to make it easy on me and with the least amount of effort, we planned only three Crock-Pot meals. Leftovers will fill in the end of the week. So here it is:

Menu
Monday: Slow-Cooker Chicken and Rice
Tuesday: Mile-high Enchilada Pie
Wednesday: Slow-Cooker Stuffed Peppers
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: TBD
Sunday: Easter (not sure yet what we are doing family-wise)

Events
Monday: Clean and organize and play outside
Tuesday: Royal Oak story time
Wednesday: Play date with Brandi
Thursday: Clean and organize
Friday: Bob has the day off not sure yet what we are going to do. We are kind of waiting to see what the weather will be like.
Saturday: Grocery shop and dye and decorate Easter eggs
Sunday: Special Easter breakfast than church and maybe brunch or dinner with family

Slow-cooker Stuffed Peppers

Recipe from Rival Crock-Pot Slow Cooker Recipes

Ingredients
1 package (7 oz) Spanish rice mix
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup diced celery
1 egg
4 medium green peppers, halved lengthwise, corded, and seeded
1 can (28 oz) whole peeled tomatoes, undrained
1 can (10.75 oz) condensed tomato soup
1 cup water

Directions
Set aside seasoning packet from rice. Combine beef, rice mix, celery, onion, and egg in large boowl, Divide meat mixture evenly among pepper halves. Pour tomatoes with juice into slow cooker. Arrange filled peppers on top of tomatoes. Combine tomato soup, water, and rice mix seasoning in medium bowl. Pour over peppers. Cover; cook on LOW 8 to 10 hours.

Slow Cooker Chicken & Rice

Recipe from Rival Crock-Pot Slow-cook Recipes

Ingredients
3 cans (10.75 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
2 cups uncooked instant rice
1 cup water
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or tenders
salt
pepper
paprika
1/2 cup diced celery

Directions
Combine soup, rice, and water in slow-cooker. Add chicken and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika. Sprinkle celery over chicken. Cover. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours.

21 months & 8 months

Seriously, how is my baby 8 months old already? Since I was so late, doing the 20 month/7 month update, it seems like I just did this, but it has been a crazy busy month filled with tons of milestones and more sickness.

This past week, the kids and I have been dealing the a cold from hell. Both kids got ear infections and pink eye. I went to the doctors so much in the past two weeks that it really became a joke. The kids were about a two-days off from what ever the other one had. Maisie had pink eye first, then Calan's ear infection, then Calan's pink eye, and then Maisie's ear infection. Seriously, this was my life the past week and a half. Now, throw in there that I also had the cold from hell and it was the week from hell. Luckily Bob has been immune up till now and as he seems to be coming down with it, we are all getting better.

So here is what the kids are up to:

Sleeping

• We started to let the kids sleep together at night and from 7 p.m. till 3 a.m. it is fine, but after that usually Maisie makes her way up stairs with us. If she fusses too much and wakes up Calan, Calan will stay awake rocking for at least an hour or more. I usually grab Maisie and put her back to sleep upstairs. However, if Calan wakes up, Maisie pretty much sleeps through it. So, we are getting there, but we are not close enough yet.
• Calan - The ear infection really threw me for a loop. Because he is known to wake up in the middle of the night rocking, it took me 3 nights of no sleep for me to realize that something more was wrong. Poor little guy! His naps have been hit or miss, but usually 2 hours. I love the days that it is 3, but it does seem to be more 2 to 2.5 hours this month. And it goes without saying that his rocking is still my archnemisis. Not sure when I will let go about it, but geez to I just pray that it will stop SOON.
• Maisie - Seems to be settling into a good 2 nap schedule. She usually takes a shorter nap in the morning and a longer one in the afternoon. She has been having a hard time going to bed and needs to be more cuddled, but she is going down. Maisie does seem to be going through her 37 Wonder Week, which is may include nightmares. Maisie seems to be affected by this. She cries out the saddest cry about an hour and a half into sleeping. I usually just lay her back down and give her a pacifier and she settles back to sleep instantly.

Eating

• Calan - His appetite has decreased by a ton. He use to be an empty pit for food that he liked, but he really has slowed down quite a bit. One issue that I am facing is that when he gets a little bored at the table or he seems to have finished only the things he likes he says "All done" and throws a bit of a tantrum till I let him down from the table. I try to ignore it and get him to eat more, but the behavior is just not getting better. It is always worse at dinner than during the day. I have found that time outs really don't help the situation. He calms down sit quietly in his crib and then when put back at the table instant tantrum. So, I have just been trying to stretch the time each day. I usually use Maisie as an excuse saying that we need to wait till she is done. Sometimes it works, sometimes not so much. Oh, how I love toddlers. He is doing really well with his spoon and fork. He still makes a pretty big mess, but he gets a lot of food in his mouth.
• Maisie - She is now eating a few more purees like peaches, peas, and green beans. I have tried giving her Cheerios and she is just not into picking up food to her mouth, which is so different from Calan. He ate food so quickly and I never had to worry about the way he chewed and at his food. He was a great eater. It has been a very slow go with Maisie. She only likes purees. I tried giving her a a banana piece and she choked a little and spitup, so that was a failed attempt. Getting her to eat finger foods is my goal for this month. Hopefully, we will get there.

Activities/Milestones

• Calan - He is still our little golfer. He has been swinging up a storm and loves to go outside and hit balls in the backyard. We also took him to the driving range for the first time. He was adorable. He wanted to hit every ball, which only allowed Bob to hit probably 6. But he listened well and stayed with Bob and loved watching the other golfers take their swings. It was a great family moment.
  I have also started to transition Calan from pack-and-play-time to room-time independent playtime.
  He is doing pretty well, and for the most part sticks to playing with his toys and reading books while I shower. Unfortunately, our bathroom is right across from his bedroom, so the second I am done showering he wants to come out of his room. So, we are working on it.



Calan playing during roomtime

• Maisie - What a busy little girl! She has learned to crawl and sit up on her own. She was so proud of herself when she finally got it. She is loving the fact that she can get to Calan's toys now. I can place her toys within reach and she crawls right over to his toys. On top of being sick, Maisie also had both top teeth cut through. So she is now up to 4. As I have transitioned Calan into room time, I have started Maisie on pack-and-play time. I don't do it every day, but when she isn't napping and Calan is having room time, she has pack-and-play time. She does just fine in there playing with toys.

Maisie playing during pack-and-play time

Schedule

There was a lot going on this past month between Bob's grandmother unexpectedly passing away and the kids being sick and daylight savings time, we have really gotten away from our schedule. But here is what it sometimes looks like:

7:30 a.m. - Kids wake up. Maisie has her bottle.

8 a.m. - Family breakfast, including Maisie's solids.

8:30 a.m. - Playing in the family room and getting Maisie dressed

9 a.m. - Maisie nap, chores for Calan and I

9:30 a.m. - Calan room time

10:00 a.m. - Structured activity like puzzles or craft or something like that, But with the kids sick the last week or so it has been more TV time

10:30 a.m. - Maisie wakes up / kids play in family room

11 a.m. - Maisie Bottle

11:30 a.m. - Lunch

12 p.m. - Both kids blanket time, but again since the kids were sick it has been more TV time instead of blanket time.

12:30 p.m. - Story time and then Maisie and Calan afternoon nap

3 p.m. - Kids wake up, Maisie bottle. Calan is slow to wake up, so he again usually watches a little TV (this month TV again was a bad habit. I blame it on the sickness through our house)

3:30 p.m. - Calan snack time

4 p.m. - Free time (this becomes anything from crafts to errands to TV to music to sibling playtime to whatever keeps everyone happy.)

6 p.m. - Dinner time

6:30 p.m. - Bath time

7 or 7:30 p.m. - Bedtime (Depends on how well their afternoon nap went. If it was more of a 2:15 p.m. wake up then bedtime is closer to 7 and if it was a 3 p.m. wake up, then it is closer to 7:30)

Overall

• Calan - Well the plague sickness, really threw us for a loop. Calan was just not his happy go lucky self this past month, but he did have his moments. He is getting a little more interested in structured activities like crafts and puzzles, but still loves physical activities most. He learned to jump as well this month and is pretty cute jumping around and dancing. He is playing so well with his sister and is really understanding that soon she will be a playmate. But doesn't always get that she isn't quite big enough yet. He has tried to pick her up and move her a few times, but then asks for my help to "get" her. They laugh and giggle with each other. It is so adorable.
• Maisie - She is loving her new found freedoms. She is so proud of herself. Even with a Wonder Week, 2 teeth coming through, pink eye, an ear infection, and a horrible cold, she was actually pretty good. I felt so horrible for her, but she just smiled through.

Ever since her top teeth have come through, she has been doing this with her tongue. It is absolutely adorable!

Calan during an Easter egg hunt. He got six eggs and then told me he was all done. 

Wordless Wednesday

First trip to the driving range

Love toothy grins :)

Look Back: Calan at 8 months

Fishy, fishy

Paper plate collage fish

Once again we are sick here in our household. So, there has been little activities, but here is a craft we did a few weeks ago. It is no secret my son loves water and anything that has to do with it, so I set up this easy fish craft that he for the most part enjoyed. 

Staple tail at point and curved opposite from body of fish

I added just a little glue at a time. 

Supplies

Paper plate

Torn construction paper (multiple colors)

Scissors

Glue

Stapler

Directions

1. Cut wide triangle into paper plate
2. Staple triangle point to opposite side of plate. Make sure curve of body and tail are opposite directions.
3. Place torn paper in easy reach of toddler. (I put mine in a bowl for him)
4. Drip a little glue on to plate and let toddler stick pieces of paper till paper plate is covered. 

Calan actually had fun with this craft. Nothing stuck to his hands and he liked to make his fish swim around the house afterward. 

They maybe cute, but they are energy zappers in disguise

Well, life is once again not going smoothly at the Wilson household. I once again think I have 2 teething babies at the same time, which makes for great cranky babies.

While Calan's 2-year molars have yet to make an appearance, I swear that is what keeps bothering him. He is barely eating, waking up in the middle of the night for hours at a time, and chewing on anything and everything.

At least, I am hoping it is teeth. I can't figure what else it would be. I keep checking his ears. He has never had an ear infection, but could it be that even without a fever or without more than normal ear discharge?

Every night this weekend he was up for at least 3 hours. Sometimes rocking, sometimes laying with me, and sometimes playing. But if he is up, I am too, which is making me a walking zombie.

Not to mention Maisie's top teeth are coming through. She has been at least sleeping well and for the most part pleasant, but man she is drooling like a Saint Bernard. Her bibs are lasting for about 15 minutes at a time.

Unlike with Calan though, I see her teeth and know that there is an end to this soon. One of Maisie's top teeth is through and the other is right there, so it can't be too much longer.

How long did it take for 2-year molars to come in for your little ones? I need know what to expect.

On a brighter note, my goal this week is to get back on a routine. We have gotten away from it with all the night wakes ups and whiny behavior, but I think routine will help Calan. So, praying that goes smoothly.

This week we are:
Monday: Staying in and doing laundry and resting.
Tuesday: Story time at the library and grocery shopping
Wednesday: Not sure yet. Might be a another day at home focusing on our routine.
Thursday: Tour of a Royal Oak fire station. (Calan is going to love this. Kind of excited about it.)
Friday: Bob is taking the day off. The kids and I are going to go to a playdate in the morning and I am FINALLY get my hair done in the afternoon!! Just in time for a girls' night out in the evening. Yeah!
Saturday: Hopefully we will make it out to eat and to the farmers market. It has been 2 weeks since we have gone.
Sunday: church in the morning and a first birthday party in the evening.

As for our menu:
Your guess is as good as mine. It is a winging it kind of week in terms of food. Sorry.

Motherly advice. Thanks Mom.

So, I called my mom today to tell her to add Maisie has pink eye to my list of things to deal with right now.

And she says she is going to let me in on a little life secret that she just did not figure out or embrace till she was 40.
The secret is: That life just never slows down. It is different, but never slows down.

Thanks mom for the optimism.

She told me that letting me figure it out at 31 would save a lot of time by 40.

A part of me knows that she is right. Since graduating college in 2003 life has been a blur. Bob and I talk about things we will do when we have the time, but life just keeps happening. There is no breaks.

Not sure I like this pessimistic outlook on life, but I guess I need to accept it. My life is crazy. I am a mom. Life keeps happening and the years are flying by.

Not sure what's next on my life journey, but life is definitely keeping me busy.

You will truly be missed

Grandma Wilson holding Calan at the hospital. She had 3 great-grandchildren.

My husband's family is closer than most that I know. From aunts and uncles to cousins and siblings, we see each other often. Their love for one another and loyalty to each other is incomparable. And I am positive that the love and loyalty that they have for one another comes from one person, Bob's Grandmother.

This past Saturday she passed away suddenly and we are all feeling a bit shocked. It is all feeling a bit surreal. Her 77th birthday would have been Sunday.

His Grandmother was seriously the most selfless caring person I knew and she had such a forgiving heart. In her life, some have not always been so nice, and yet, she never had an ill-word for anyone or anything. 

She was blessed with an unbelievable servant's heart. She put every one's needs above her own. And her family loved her so much and cared for her so much that to lose her so suddenly leaves us bewildered. 

This week Bob and I will be spending quite a bit of time with family. Tomorrow will be the visitation and Wednesday will be the funeral. 

This will be another survival week. We just need to get through. I am lucky that a friend and my mother-in-law will be helping with the kids, so that I can be there for Bob. 

It is going to be a long week, but like everything it is just one step at a time.