Little Things

When TT was a wee tiny baby we bought him the cutest one piece summer outfit.  It was green, with a polo shirt collar; and it had little dark blue motorcycles embroidered on it.

When Husband and I picked it out; I recall standing in the store talking about how much Pepea Ron would love it.  Pepea Ron was an avid motorcycle rider; a Harley man.

Pepea Ron passed away shortly after we bought that little outfit, back in the summer of 2011.

Now that ERP is getting bigger and warmer weather is coming; that cute little motorcycle outfit fits him just fine.  And every time he wears it I think of Pepea Ron.

It's funny how the littlest things, seemingly unrelated, remind us of those we love.

Books

TT is all about books these days.  He loves to have stories read to him; and sometimes he'll even let Gene listen in on the fun.

So what are the 3 year old's favorite books these days:

#1 Favorite by far is Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.  The original.

After that it's a toss up amongst a number of Dr. Suess books - Oh the Places You'll Go, And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street, and The Foot Book.

Sometimes he will request I read the book we call "colors" over and over again.  I have no idea what is it really named, but it counts 1 through 10 and has a different color for each number.  I find this book terribly dull, but not as dull as the Brainy Baby ABC book he often insists on reading.

Then some days he is really into looking at baby faces and we'll read very simple, 6 page books which feature lots of baby faces - like Peek a Boo Baby, Good Morning Baby, What Does Baby Need, and Baby Plays.  He often insists that many of the newborns we see photos of in these books are ERP.

I'm glad my boys love their books - I just wish I got to chose what we read more often.

Breastmilk Yogurt

A couple months back  had gotten it into my head that I was going to make breastmilk yogurt for ERP.  I saw it as the perfect "first food"; and a way to let him start playing with foods before he met the milestones for eating "solids".

Now ERP has no issues with eating - he will gladly eat and swallow things he shouldn't - paper being one of the big ones.  But sitting on his own - he's getting there, and he won't be 6 months for another couple of weeks.

So - breastmilk yogurt - the perfect introduction to food.

I was able to find many articles online about breastmilk yogurt and this convinced me I was not crazy.  One article in particular on The Hippie Inside struck me, and made me realize how easy it would be.  I had some milk in the fridge that was on the hairy edge of needing to be frozen or tossed so I decided no time like the present and on Thursday night (our wedding anniversary none the less) I embarked on Project Breastmilk Yogurt.

It started out really easy.  Breastmilk in a saucepan with a candy thermometer.  Heat to 185F and cool to 112F.  Transfer to a WARMED GLASS pan with a lid.  Add thickening agent (I used gelatin - flavorless, sugarless and fake surgarless) and yogurt starter (I used a dollop of cows milk yogurt), put the lid on and put the pan into a cooler.  Fill the cooler with WARM water and cover with a WARMED towel.  After 4.5 hours, drain the water and refill and let set over night.  This was my first road block, when I refilled the water I accidently got some into the yogurt pan.  The next day you put it in the fridge.  This was road block #2, when I got up the yogurt was very watery.  So I added more gelatin.  When I got home the yogurt was more like breastmilk jello.

So three lessons - next time I make it - make in mason jars or recycled glass jars.  Something with a locking lid.  And instead of gelatin for the thicken I will use tapioca starch.  And if using gelatin as a thickener you need to wait till it's been refrigerated for it to set.

But no worry.  I was able to easily scope it out and mash it with a fork and some fresh breastmilk and ta-da - sorta-kinda breastmilk yogurt.

Either way he loved it, and insisted on feeding himself.

Lunch Update

A couple of months ago I was beyond annoyed with the lunch menu selection at RR's school.  They were offering pizza two or three times a week.  So I blogged about it.

I am happy to report that since then the lunch menu has changed.  Pizza is now only offered once a week!!

Now I am not saying I was a driving force in the change.  Or if I was even an influence in the change.

But it has changed and that's all that matters.

5 Months

ERP turned 5 months on Monday (it's Thursday now).  Time sure is flying.  I think I say that every month.

He is doing wonderful.  Simply a joy during the day.  Now only if he would sleep more at night.

ERP is still rocking out in the size 2 diapers, when he wears the disposables.  He is quickly outgrowing, his newborn cloth diapers; but some of the hand-me-downs from TT are still too big.  His clothing size is all over the place, and I blame the clothing makers on that one.  He has some 3month shirts at are swimming on him, some 9 months stuff that fits just right, some 0-3 stuff he is just fitting into and some 6 month outfits he's already outgrown.  People ask me what size to buy him and I just laugh.

This month we got him a new activity-play-thing-y.  It's an exercauser-jumperoo all in one.  Which basically means, one less piece of baby stuff in the house.  He is totally in love with it.  He bounces, he licks the toys, he squeals in delight.

In fact squealing or screeching is one of his favorite things to do.  He likes to be loud.  But I guess when you need to be heard over your two older brothers you learn to be loud fast.

He is still nursing like a million times a day.  One of the biggest things that happened during this month is that we had his lip and posterior tongue tie revised.  This has helped his nursing a great deal.  It is much less, if at all; painful for me and now he can drink better out of a bottle.  I owe you a whole blog post on the experience... along with a whole lot of other blog posts.  

Another first this month is ERP's first Easter.  He attended the Easter Vigil Mass with Daddy, Uncle Freddie and me.  In fact, he managed to stay awake and well behaved for 90% of the Mass.  If you are Catholic you acan appreciate what a big deal this is.  On Easter Sunday we went to brunch.  ERP say on my lap and really wanted to eat everything on the table.  He got baby food and a book and a little stuffed lamb in his Easter basket.

Another biggie this month - ERP found his toes.  And he thinks they are super extra yummy!

ERP is teething for sure.  Everything is in his mouth.  The drool is insane.  We do not have enough chew toys, nor do I think we ever will.

ERP is still one of the happiest babies on the block.

Things from this month I don't want to forget:
~ how finding the right station of static on the AM dial makes you calm down instantly
~ how you are trying to drink out of open cups
~ the night you grabbed by dinner fork right out of my mouth and stuck it in your mouth
~ the way you constantly rolled from back to belly
~ the night you found your toes
~ how you find your toys every time I change you diaper now; and proceed to chew on them, making diaper changes very difficult
~ the way you hair seems to have not picked a color yet.  Some days it's dark brown, others you would swear it's blond and still other days it looks almost red
~ that your bald spot on the back of your head is finally filling in
~ the way you smile at me when I pick you up after a nap
~ the twinkle in your eye - you have very sparkly eyes
~ how much you love animals, especially Lily the husky
~ how adorable you look in all of your hand-me-down clothes, including the shirt you wore for Easter
~ how blue your eyes are some days.  I pray they stay blue.