W 18 Month Update

So...this is super late.  But he did just have his 18 month check-up the other day, so it's cool, right?

I can't believe my baby is a year and a half old.  And this whole month he was all "big boy" no "baby."  Part of that might have been because this month was the worst of my back problems so he was spending a lot of time with The Sailor, all I know is he just feels so darn grown up.

So, he's still lingering around 25 pounds and wears 24 month clothes and size 5.5 or 6 shoes.  Since he potty trained this month all his pants fall off though, haha.

We didn't go to any classes this month because my back was so messed up and the act of pulling him out of the car seat was damn near excruciating for me, but we played outside behind our house a lot to make up for it and he made lots of trips to the parks around base with The Sailor.

At the beginning of the month we had some pretty miserable teething days, but no molars actually popped through!  So frustrating! But he enjoyed getting mini ice cream cones to help deal with the pain.

In other eating news, he has started to prefer using a fork and having a plate (as opposed to eating with his hands right off his tray).  I think this is another factor making him feel more "grown up."

With all the trips to the playgrounds with The Sailor he has mastered going down the slide by himself - backwards.  And he could do this for hours.  He loves climbing up and sliding down and climbing up and sliding down.  I actually think The Sailor gets more nervous watching him then I do, which is funny to me.

And he's getting much better at coloring!  Instead of just eating crayons he actually doodles quite a bit!

At the very end of the month we got rid of his crib.  It was not a fun transition, but I couldn't bend over any further to get him out because of my belly/back and he was almost able to climb out.  Those first few nights he would wake up, run to his door and start pathetically calling out "Moooooommmmmyyyyyyy" but if I went in to comfort him he would completely melt down and take hours to get back to sleep.  It eventually got better, but that wasn't until his next month so I'll leave that for our next update which is due in like a week, lol.

Does anyone else find it super hard to keep up with these updates?  But I totally wish I had more of them to document his milestones and personality from when he was an infant so I'm really trying to keep up...

W 17 Month Update

Is it just me, or did August fly by??

So, W is still about 24 to 25 pounds and I officially packed up his 18 month stuff to save for BabyDeux!  He also wears a size 5.5 shoe, which apparently is kinda big for a 17 month old (but I wouldn't know either way).

This month we went to Dancing Tots, My Five Senses, (he and The Sailor went to) Donuts with Dad, La Leche League, Natural Parenting for Non Hippies, and Family Story Time...maybe that's why the month flew by! haha

Dancing Tots

My Five Senses

Family Story Time

Fun fact - as you can see from the picture at Family Story Time he actually favors his left hand.  I've heard and read that around 18 months is when they'll start to "permanently" favor one hand over the other so I'm curious to see what will happen.  I'm a righty - the left side of my body is useless except for eating (I've always been the person to only use my right hand to cut food and I use my fork/spoon in my left hand) but The Sailor is truly ambidextrous.  You'll notice he has tattoos on both of his forearms...yeah, he did both of them (he apprenticed to be a tattoo artist before joining The Navy).  Crazy right?

Some new things he enjoys doing (on top of everything he liked last month) is playing chase around the house and flying kites outside.

"Come here kite!!!" 

Yes, The Sailor attached it to a fishing reel

The beginning of the month was pretty much business as usual but the second half of the month has been pretty rough.  Not sure if you've ever heard of the Wonder Week Leaps but they're essentially a description of 10 "fussy phases" that all babies go through as they enter different mental developmental milestones and it's based only off their expected due date.  When I first heard of them I thought it was ridiculous, how could every kid get fussy around the same time?  Then his craptastic periods starting matching up with them so now I'm pretty much a believer.

There is a book and a phone application; I just have the app and if W is being a turd I open it up to see if he's in the middle of a "leap" and 99% of the time it's been right.  Right now he's in the middle of the tenth and final leap - the leap of systems.  The "symptoms" as described by the app that most strongly hit home are:

• Cries more often and is more often cranky or fretful
• Is cheerful one moment and cries the next
• Wants to be closer to you

Flipping adorable, right?  He hasn't napped like that in AGES

• Wants physical attention to be tighter or closer
• Sleeps poorly
• Reaches for cuddly toy or does so more often

Gabby counts as a cuddly toy, right?  BTW, he's kissing her, not biting

The biggest thing during this leap for us has been him being more stubborn.  Sometimes I'll say no to him, and he'll say it right back.  Not cool dude, not cool.  They apparently are developing a sense of self, and of their own body.  The other day at the Family Resource Center a little girl (probably 2 or 3 years old) hit him for no reason and he just looked at her and firmly said, "no!"  It was actually quite a proud moment for me - in my eyes that's the beginning of conflict resolution.  Instead of hitting her back or running to me, he just told her what's up.  Then she tried to kiss him and he had a melt down and came running to me, but at least it started out good! (And can you blame him for having a melt down...holy mixed signals Batman!)

At the beginning of the month I was seriously afraid he was going to stop breastfeeding completely.  I was barely making any milk and he would get more frustrated than anything when he was at the breast.  Every time he nursed I was afraid it was his last.  Then my supply kicked up a bit, but it turned salty (which is completely normal during pregnancy).  He'll still nurse for a while first thing in the morning, but needs water right after, and if he nurses at all throughout the day he switches sides a lot and I think he's just hoping the other side will be less salty.  But, I wake up and my boobs feel heavy (not engorged at all, just noticeably heavier than usual) and after his morning snuggles and nursing session they feel significantly lighter so he's definitely getting something!

I guess that's really it!  We've got another busy month ahead of us - hopefully he'll get through this final wonder week leap quickly!!!

Homemade Cheese Cracker Recipe!

Today's edition of MmmMmmMmm-Monday is geared towards the kiddos (or for full grown men who like to eat like kids - like The Sailor)!

W could eat Cheese-Its and Gold Fish all.day.long.  So, instead of continuing to pump him full of artificial colors and preservatives (or having to sell a kidney to be able to afford the organic kinds) I decided to try my hand at making my own!  It is a super simple recipe that I originally found here.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 packed cups of finely grated sharp cheddar (all I could find was normal cheddar and it worked just fine)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened)
• 1 teaspoon salt and the recipe called for another 1/2 tsp to sprinkle on top but I chose to omit that and they turned out just fine
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp all purpose flour
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 2-3 tbsp water (I actually only used 1)

Instructions

• Using a stand mixer with the paddle beater, combine cheese, butter, 1 teaspoon of salt, and pepper until it starts to stick to the sides of the bowl, 1/2-1 minute
•  Add flour and cornstarch and mix until combined, about 1 minute
• Add 1 tablespoon of water and mix briefly until dough ball forms. Add another tablespoon of water, if needed. 
• Wrap in plastic, press the ball of dough into a disc, and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
• Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat over to 375.
•  Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. 
• Unwrap the dough and place on a floured surface. Roll to 1/16 inch thickness. 
• Cut into 1-inch squares using a beveled-edge ravioli cutter. Separate the different pieces and transfer to baking sheets. 

• Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt (I omitted this)
• Bake until light golden around the edges, about 18 minutes, switching racks and rotating sheets halfway through baking. I let mine cook the full 18 minutes and some of mine burned, definitely check on them often during the second half of baking!!
• Let cool completely on baking sheets.

They turned out really delicious and made my house smell great!  But, it's a lot of work (rolling, cutting, separating) and doesn't made a ton of crackers.  But it's way better than store bought and less expensive, so I'll continue to make them for my little man!

Obviously, the are W approved!

 Cheese crackers make you thirsty!!!

DIY Cinch Sack (For Legos, Blocks, Etc.)

Eek...it's been a while...but no need to fear - I haven't disappeared!  We're just having a super busy month and on top of that I've started my first DIY project for BabyDeux's nursery!!!  (But more on that later.)  Today I have a quick tutorial for you to sew your own cinch sack for toys!!

I've seen advertisements for a Lay n Go playmat/storage bag a few times and always thought it was really cool...but not for $65!!!!!!!! And let's be serious, it's just a cinch sack you throw toys in, so I decided to make my own!

Super easy project - all you need is fabric for the outside, fabric for the inside, and some ribbon!  I decided to use PUL for the outside in case I ever wanted to use it outdoors (PUL is waterproof - this is the fabric I got), fleece for the inside so it was comfortable to sit on, and ribbon I just happen to have on hand!  I got a yard of each of my fabrics and have plenty to use on other projects!

First lay your fabric out, one on top of the other, and cut as big of a circle as you want/can fit.  Exact measurements don't really matter.

Next you'll need to sew 2 buttonholes large enough for your ribbon to fit through about an inch or an inch and a half from the edge of the outer fabric.  Most sewing machines have "automatic buttonholes" or if yours doesn't you'll just need to sew a rectangle with a tight zig zag stitch to prevent the fabric from tearing or fraying (then use a seem ripper to cut the actual hole).

I also chose to embroider "Blocks" beneath the buttonholes just because I can.  Obviously it isn't necessary and completely cosmetic!

Now, lay the two circles on top of one another with the wrong side facing out and pin them together.  Then sew as close to the edge as possible and leave a little section open so you can turn the whole thing right side out. (The yellow line is the seem you're sewing)

Turn it right side out and hand stitch the hole you left closed.

Then you'll sew another seem a few inches in that is right beneath the buttonholes.  The blue lines are the buttonholes then the green line is the seem you're sewing now.

Finally, thread a piece of ribbon that is long enough that you can lay the whole thing flat through the buttonholes and around the edge.  Voila!  Your very own Lay n Go toy sack!

W is still trying to remove the blocks and put them back in the bin where we used to keep them, haha.  I'm hoping he'll get over that eventually...

Mine isn't quite as big as the $65 one I linked to earlier, but it works just fine for us!

It makes clean up a breeze!  I just tell W to put all the blocks on the blanket and he's happy to help!

W - 16 Month Update

Pretty sure I haven't done one of these since W was a newborn!  It's about time I update the world on my big, little man!

Where to start...well, he's about 24 pounds and although he can fit in 18 month clothes he really shouldn't (the shirts are basically crop tops on him).  He sleeps in his crib from 8 pm to 630 am on weekdays and 730 on weekends - I say he gets woken up by The Sailor while he gets ready for work, The Sailor says that isn't true, either way he wakes up earlier during the week then the weekend!  Then he comes and cuddles in bed with me and nurses for about a half hour before we actually get up!

Things he likes...going to classes at the local Family Resource Center!  This past month we went to Art Explosion, La Leche League, Natural Parenting for Non-Hippies, and My 5 Senses.

Art Explosion

Playing with another toddler at La Leche League

He also loves playing with balloons and balls of all sizes.

One of his favorite "activities" is eating.  A normal breakfast for him is a whole piece of fruit (usually a banana or a pluot - which is a plum apricot hybrid), 2 pieces of turkey sausage, and an egg.  Then he has a morning snack, lunch, an afternoon snack, dinner, and still breastfeeds between 3 and 5 times a day.  He's also started using an actual fork to feed him and even eats corn directly off the cob.

And I swear this boy loves his pets more and more each day!

Things he doesn't like are when I try to carry him to and from the car - he wants to walk there himself, and being told no in general (as in, "No, W, you can't play in that drawer in the kitchen.")

He hasn't shown any signs of parental preference...he just prefers us all to be together.  He gets upset if either The Sailor or I leave.

He's go, go, going non-stop and incredibly independent.  He likes to play on the playground himself, walk places himself, and read to himself regularly.

My favorite thing he does is when he "surprises" me with kisses.  He doesn't like to give me kisses if I ask for them (but he'll give Tomcat, Gabby, or stuffed animals kisses on command) but every once and a while he'll crawl up on my lap and just give me a kiss.  It absolutely melts my heart.

His words are still pretty limited but he regular says Mama, Dada, Meow, and vroom (when playing with cars) and he signs milk, please, more, finished.  He "talks" to me (and everyone else) constantly, I'm just waiting for it to become actual words!

Challenges this month were 1) me trying to keep up with him even though I'm pregnant and lazy and 2) he's transitioned from 2 to 1 nap ::whompwhomp::  He used to take a morning nap at about 930 and an afternoon nap at about 230.  They were each about an hour and a half long.  But he started fighting the second nap and I'd spend 45 minutes trying to get him down only for him to wake up a half hour later.  Now he's going down for a nap between 11 and noon and that nap lasts 2-3 hours.  He has his best naps when we've done something extra active to wear him out in the morning (either going to a class or playing outside) and if he poops before he goes down for a nap.  If we can keep up one nap that lasts about 3 hours long I'm not going to complain!

I guess that's really it this month!

In case you couldn't tell, we did a "golf" photo shoot last week at the driving range on base, haha.

A Toddler Art Project Worth Hanging Up (With Homemade Finger Paint)

Am I the only one who doesn't trust things when they claim to be "non-toxic"?  And since I have a toddler who likes to put everything in his mouth, that isn't something I really want to risk!  So, instead of buying finger paint I make my own!  And not only do I know exactly what's in it, it's super cheap!

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• food coloring

All you do is continuously whisk the water, cornstarch, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat until it thickens.  Once it's the consistency you want, take it off the heat and let it cool.  Then separate it into however many colors you want and add the food coloring.  Voila!  I keep mine in canning jars and although it gets a little lumpy over time it still works just fine and W hasn't complained about the strange texture of his paint!

I used gel food coloring and the paint dries and looks like watercolor, it's super fun.  The paint doesn't come off his hands with just a damp paper towel, but it cleans off easily once he gets an actual bath that night.

As much as I appreciate his finger paintings, they aren't exactly something I plan to frame and keep forever.  But, I really wanted him to do some art for me to hang up with a bunch of DIY photos on canvas (tutorial for that coming soon) I'm making so I came up with the idea to cut a stencil and adhere it to a cheap thin canvas then have him paint over it.

I used my Cricut (a die cut machine) to cut the stencil out of cardstock.  If you don't have a die cut machine you could just purchase an actual stencil from a craft store.  Aside from the stencil you'll need a canvas, stencil adhesive, and paint.

Spray the back of your stencil and place it on your canvas...

And let your toddler go crazy!  My toddler actually needs some encouragement; he starts off painting super daintily:

But eventually he goes crazy:

And I couldn't be happier with the result!  We'll also be making one that says "family" and one that says "memories."

Do you have any fun art projects you like to do with your toddler?  I'm always looking for new ideas!!