Yummers!

Monica has started eating solids. Why do the proverbial "they" call it solids when there is nothing solid about what you feed a baby in the beginning? That's it, I'm changing that here and now. Everyone adopt the expression starting mush. Much more accurate. We want to teach our kids to tell the truth right!

 Start over.  Monica has started eating mush!  And by eating, I mean lapping up mush.  She doesn't seem particularly interested in the mush and will only take about 6 licks of anything in one sitting.  So far we have discovered that she will not take rice cereal or peas.  She will take oatmeal, sweet potatoes, carrots, zucchini, apple and banana.  Her favorite by far is the sweet potato.  We are going to try green beans and yellow squash next.  She also likes to help us feed her so after her six licks, we let her play around with the spoon.  We expect she'll be feeding herself soon. ;o)

Football!

Tony has been waiting since Monica was born for football season. The ONLY baby outfit he was remembered was the 49ers onezies that Nana got for her. Last Sunday he asked where they were so he could be sure to dress her appropriately for opening day. This was after church of course where she wore a dress instead of football paraphernalia. Tony has had bad luck with 49ers gear himself. I bought him a sweatshirt for Christmas one year and after one wash (according to instructions) it shrunk up to a 3/4 sleeve and tankini length. Not really practical for a sweatshirt. Then his parents got him a very nice 49ers jacket which disappeared from our house this winter. He thinks someone took it. But I highly doubt that a thief would enter our house just for that. We've been praying to St. Anthony for this jacket, but to no avail. I guess it's just going to be a tradition to buy him a 49ers jacket every year since we can't seem to get any to last that long. Happy football season!

Goal Update

You can't see them them, but my guns are massive.

Yesterday I did another 5K.  This time without a running buddy, but it was in the 50s outside (am I back in WA?) which, I think, made me run faster so I could get out of the cold sooner.  I only ran it 30 seconds faster than last time for a time of 29:20, but it was still an improvement.  On the getting healthy front, I have lost 5lbs since my previous post in August about losing 20lbs before November.  This may make reaching my goal a little harder, but the point of the goal is to keep moving forward (or downward).  As with any self improvement goal, I am getting to the roots of what has been keeping me from being a better person inside and out.  It is the internal growth and constantly (trying) to put my trust and confidence in the Lord that allows me the freedom to not eat more than I need.  "Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?" ~Matthew 6:26

6 months!

 What?! My little babe is 6 months old today! How did that happen? People told me that it goes quick and I didn't really believe them, but they were right. Monica has grown so much just in this month. She is rolling all ways and is rarely in the same spot I have left her. She can scoot around on her back by kicking her feet. We now have to strap her into anything because she is a wiggling and squirming mess. I am just waiting for her to fall off of something. It's bound to happen and I would like to get it over with so I can earn worst mom of the year award. She is babbling, squealing and giggling. Still no teeth, but continuously munching on something. 

 Tony was able to come to Monica's 6 month appointment. I warned him to be ready for many tears and to feel horrible about her having the shots. In went the needles, red went the face, out came the crying, Tony picked her up, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, no more tears. Seriously?! Way to prove mama wrong in front of dada. Her most current stats are 14.7 lbs (24%), 27 3/4 inches long (97%), and 16.7 inches head circumference (53%). Those are about the same as last time. We will be starting her on solids soon. I am looking forward to seeing some funny facial expressions. I am not looking forward to the extra cleaning and stinky solid food diapers. 

Weird Weather Week

In one week I was able to check two natural disasters of my life experiences list.  On Tuesday, August 23, I was sitting on the couch reading, Monica was asleep upstairs, when I noticed a rumbling sound and the windows started to shake.  We get some big trucks that come by and produce the same effect so I didn't think anything of it, but then I realized that I was shaking.  I looked up and the ceiling fan was swaying.  Commencement of internal dialogue.  Earthquake?  No, they can't get those here . . .  But this is too much movement to be a truck, right?  Should I go get Monica? 
By the time I had those thoughts, the shaking had stopped.  I called my neighbor.
"Hey neighbor, you're going to think I'm nuts, but do you get earthquakes here?"
"No."
"Oh well then, I must be crazy then."
"Why, did you feel one?" 
"Well I thought I did, but you said you don't get them."
"We can, but we just don't get them in the region that much.  Let me call someone and I'll call you back."
So I hung up the phone and looked online because I figured if it was an earthquake it would be on the local news already.  In the same moment I discovered that there had been an 5.5 earthquake, originating in Virginia, my mom called and my brother instant messaged me and there were a bunch of facebook posts from my area ~ information sure travels fast.  It was only a 2.2 magnitude in this area, but at least it confirmed that I was crazy (in this particular case).

Just as soon as the earthquake excitement died down there was talk of the hurricane.  Again my thought was, What? We're in upstate NY, you can't get those here!  So we were already plenty prepared for anything with food and water.  We got the pump ready in the basement in case of flooding and found the flashlights.  Early Sunday morning it started raining.  We made it to early morning Mass (church was pretty empty) and then closed up the windows and hunkered down for the storm.  Then wind started up and for about 8 hours Tropical Storm Irene blew and bucketed at us.  When it was all over the power had gone out for about 30 seconds.  And that was all our storm drama.  Many people in the area did loose power and many trees came down.

It is funny to me that people were then disappointed that it wasn't a bigger deal.  But I am grateful that it wasn't a big deal for us and would rather have been over prepared than under.  In the end I still have the opportunity to say that I experienced an earthquake and tropical storm in upstate NY during the time span of one week.  But I suppose stranger things have happened . . .