Bittersweet

So it looks like it's official!  Eli is no longer breast feeding.  I am so glad to have my body back, but so sad that I won't ever nurse another baby.


I found this poem when Anna was a baby.  I thought of it often in these last few days of nursing.


I know I look so big to you, 

Maybe I seem too big for the needs I have. 

But no matter how big we get, 

We still have needs that are important to us. 

I know that our relationship is growing and changing, 

But I still need you. I need your warmth and closeness, 

Especially at the end of the day 

When we snuggle up in bed. 

Please don't get too busy for us to nurse. 

I know you think I can be patient, 

Or find something to take the place of a nursing; 

A book, a glass of something, 

But nothing can take your place when I need you. 

Sometimes just cuddling with you, 

Having you near me is enough. 

I guess I am growing and becoming independent, 

But please be there. 

This bond we have is so strong and so important to me, 

Please don't break it abruptly. 

Wean me gently, 

Because I am your mother, 

And my heart is tender. 


It still brings a tear to my eye,  I hate that my baby is growing up so fast.  Yet, I love how smart and independent he is getting.  Wean me gently baby, wean me gently!


My heart is tender.....

The Best Stuffing in the whole wide world

This is my mom's original recipe for stuffing.  I will note the changes I make at the end of the post.  This is seriously my very favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner!


Lynette’s Stuffing

1-2 lb sausage (crumble, and fry until brown, and drain)

2 c sliced fresh mushrooms -- sauté in 1 T butter and 1T cooking oil, season with
garlic salt – add to sausage.

In pan that sausage was cooked in simmer 1-2 c. chopped celery with leaves
until crisp tender

Add 1-2 c. chopped onion (*soak in cold water for twenty minutes and drain) and
simmer until tender. *Makes onions more mild

Then add: ½ to 1 c. finely grated raw carrots. Add vegetables to sausage and
mushrooms.

In the pan used to cook vegetables, combine 1 can cream of mushroom soup,
2 cans cream of chicken soup 1 soup can water, 1 cup chicken broth, ½-1 tsp
black pepper, 1 tsp sage or Poultry Seasoning (if you are not that crazy about
sage), and 1 T Italian seasoning. 1 square butter or margarine -- butter is better.
Heat until butter is melted and blended into soup mixture then stir into meat/
vegetable mixture.

Gently stir 10 cups toasted/dry bread cubes into everything—use a BIG bowl.
If using already seasoned bread cubes omit the sage and Italian seasoning. I
just get the bakery-bagged cubes.

Bake in 350o oven until heated through probably at least 45 minutes. I usually
stir it once during baking.

Makes a full 9x13 pan (spray with Pam).

Stuffing bakes up better if it is not thicker than 3 inches in any pan, so distribute
accordingly….


Our changes:
we toast our own bread cubes.  We like sour dough bread, but you can use whatever bread you like best.  It also tastes good if you use a variety of breads.  Cut the bread up into cubes and put a layer down on a cookie sheet.  Put it in the oven on a low heat and just watch it until they are dry, you really don't want them toasted.

We also cook the stuffing on two cookies sheets because it makes it more crispy and we like it nice and crispy vs. soft.

Always use butter people.  ALWAYS!!!

I will try to post some pictures to go along with this post when I actually make this.  This dish is definitely a once in a while type of food to make and eat, but oh so good!

P.S. I hope I don't get in trouble for sharing this recipe.  Is it a family secret?  Not anymore!  I'm all about sharing the good things in life!

P.P.S.  I don't really like sausage, but I love it in this stuffing.  Oh and the mushrooms fried in butter and garlic?  Delicious.

P.P.P.S.  Now I'm getting really hungry.  How many days until  Thanksgiving?

it finally happened!

Eli slept through the night.  9 days shy of turning 14 months old (October 14, 2011) Eli did it, he slept through the night.  He did it again last night too.  I feel amazing.  He is also taking better naps which is making my life or so much easier and better!

I just wanted to make sure I recorded this for prosperity sake.

A year old already?

To My Baby on your first birthday,

I'm having a hard time believing that you are already one year old.  It seems like I was just bringing you home from the hospital in your green striped dinosaur outfit.  Now that outfit wouldn't even fit you!

I am so happy that you are a part of our family.  I can't even imagine what our life would be without you in it.  You are definitely what was missing in our family.  I love knowing that now our family is complete!

You are so much fun to have around.  You have the happiest smile, and the cutest laugh.  You love having Tristan, Connor and Anna around.  They adore you, and will do anything to make you happy!

You have been walking for 3 weeks now.  You get around so well!  You are really good at going up and down the stairs.  Charlie the cat is usually your target when you go up the stairs and luckily that kitty is so patient and lets you love on him.  You love going outside and like to watch the birdies eat their food.  

For the longest time, you just had 2 little front bottom teeth.  Right before your birthday we noticed 2 new ones growing on the top!

Your favorite foods to eat are: yogurt, applesauce, mandarin oranges, cheese, bean soup and frozen peas.  You don't like meat at all, in fact you haven't even tried it.  You just throw it down on the floor whenever I give it to you.  You aren't really a fan of bread or noodles either.  Luckily you still get most of what you need from me.  I don't see you weaning anytime soon, but I'm okay with that.  It makes you seem more like a baby!

You are getting really good at communicating.  You have made up your own sign for "more" and "please".  You also nod your head for "yes".  I love that you are so agreeable!  I hope you stay that way!

I took you to the doctor today for your checkup.  You are really growing!  You now weigh 19 lbs and 12 oz and you are 27 and 3/4 inches tall.  The doctor says you are on the small side, but are growing at your own rate so that is all that's important.  None of your siblings have been very big, so you fit right in.

The older kids recently started school and daddy started a new job.  Everyday I get to spend time with just you.  I can't imagine anything I would rather do. You love to help me!  You hand me the silverware when I unload the dishwasher, you put the papers in the muffin tins, and you unfold all the clean laundry.  

Right now you still aren't sleeping though the night.  It's something that I really wish you would learn how to do!  But sometimes I like to see you in the night, especially when you cuddle up close and sleep with me.  I know that soon you will be a big boy and won't want to cuddle with me anymore so I need to take advantage of this cuddle time.

I just love you so much.  I love your big curious eyes.  I love your happy attitude.  I love your cute, bare feet.  I love your wispy spiky hair that only grows on the top.  I love your sweet arms around my neck, especially when you burrow in close.  I am so happy to be your mom!

Love you forever, and like you for always,

Mom

We actually did it!

We took a vacation!

More details to come.....

Eli walks

Eli started taking a few steps here and there for a couple of weeks ago.  But on August 1st, at his friend Grant's first birthday party,  he took 6 in a row!  Now he is walking a lot more!  We took this video on August 2nd.  I love how he holds his arms up!  He is just so cute!  I can't believe he'll be one in just over 2 weeks.  Time has flown by!

Eli

Eli is such a smartie pants. We taught him the sign for "more" but now it has morphed into "I want". He claps twice and points to what he wants. When we get it right, he nods quite vigorously. When he wants to go outside, he points to the door and waves.


I can't believe he'll be one in just over a month.  The time has flown by!  I just love having a baby in the family.  He is adored by his siblings and his parents.  I'd say pretty much everyone who comes in contact with him is a bit enamored.


The other day he took a step and he stands alone for longer and longer amounts of time.  He'll be walking before we know it!


One thing he really likes to do lately is draw on the fridge.  I found out that dry erase markers wipe right off, so everyday we get 2 or 3 masterpieces by Eli!


We are now trying to teach him the signs for "please" and "all done".  It's so nice when babies can tell you what they want.