Andrea Arch

Week(end) With Grandma Z

2013-05-20T07:00:00.000-04:00

What a crazy week it was last week. My daycare lady took Tuesday thru Friday off to visit her daughter so Grandma Z had Brody duty. She came to our house on Tuesday and Wednesday and then Brody went home with her Wednesday night so he could spend the other two days at Grandma's house. As much as I missed the little man, I so desperately needed a few "catch up on life" days.

Before Brody headed back to Muskegon with Grandma Z on Wednesday, we had another appointment with Mary Free Bed to get a rescan done. The helmet is currently on order and he'll officially have it on Tuesday, May 28th.

Thursday, Clay and I went car shopping. I'd like to drive a vehicle where Zora and Brody don't have to co-exist on the same seat. Transporting the two of them gets tricky. I'm afraid Zora's going to get over excited about something and trample over Brody in his car seat and I definitely don't like making Zora sit in the front seat. Too dangerous.

I was looking for a smaller SUV, but it just so happens that my top 3 are a bit on the larger side. Having only focused on the layout and space, my faves are the Ford Explorer, Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Dodge Durango. Any thoughts folks?

Anyways, back to Brody. He had a lot of little firsts this week as well.... started holding his bottle on his own, ate his first fruits, consistently rolls from his back to his belly and rolled to his right side finally. We also got him hooked on making noises while we tap on his mouth... what funny noises!

Boo loves her Brody. Sometimes I think she gets confused and really believes Brody is her puppy. She's also another huge reason Brody is (or will be) immune from all potential germs. Dogs are super awesome, but dear Lord... sometimes they need to keep their tongues out of Brody's mouth.

(Relax all you germaphobe mamas out there...)

Soooo... my parents are super awesome. Besides the fact that my mom watched Brody (and Zora) for 4 days last week and cleaned my whole house, they also created this super cool ramp for Miss Nutters. Her one and only eye has seen better days, so now she has a lit runway/ramp to help her up the stairs at night. How adorable are my parents?

Friday night was girls night with Mama Z and Ash. Drinks and binge eating at Logans, followed by hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa Neiser, then cards back at the house.

Such a busy week, but I got a lot accomplished and don't feel quite so overwhelmed. Big thanks to Mama Z for taking such good care of Lil Man. xoxo

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Banana Chocolate Chip Doughnut Recipe

2013-05-19T09:37:00.000-04:00

INGREDIENTS

1 C. mashed ripe banana (roughly 2 small bananas)
1/2 C. raw cane sugar
1/2 C. fat free greek yogurt
1/4 C. unsalted butter (melted)
2 eggs (room temperature)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 C. spelt white flour (you can also use AP flour)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 C. chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Using your electric mixer with the whisk attachment, add the mashed banana, sugar and greek yogurt. Mix until incorporated.

Add melted butter, eggs and vanilla extra and mix. Then add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to the batter and mix until just incorporated. Do not over mix!

Using a spatula, fold in the chocolate chips.

If you don't have a piping bag, scoop the batter into a ziplock bag and seal shut. Using scissors, snip the bottom corner of one side of the bag to create your homemade piping bag.

Grease your doughnut baking pan and pipe 3/4 full the batter into each doughnut mold.

Optional: Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar mixture on top of each doughnut batter before baking or you can dip the doughnuts once baked in the cinnamon sugar mixture. You may need to paint melted butter on top of each doughnut before dipping the doughnuts in the sugar mixture to allow them to stick. Both options work perfectly.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and allow to cool before eating.

I'm no whiz in the kitchen... so I don't know a lot about any of this witchcraft. All I know is I used regular sugar, flour and salted butter and it tastes just fine. Probably not as healthy as they could be, but squishy mama doesn't care.

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Happy Mother's Day

2013-05-12T20:57:00.002-04:00

Happy Mother's Day to all you momma's out there! Last year at this time, I was a mere 7 weeks pregnant with Lil Man. We had just told our families that we were expecting, but were still keeping it a secret from the rest of the world. I definitely enjoyed spending my day with my happy little ball of sunshine rather than heartburn and a full bladder.

I heart my kids. My messy, slobbery little poop machines. xoxo

Saturday night, we attended church with my parents and then went to Grandma's house to celebrate with the rest of the family. It was a nice evening of conversation and binge eating.

This morning started out beautifully. Lil Man woke up at his usual time of 5 AM, jabbered for a bit and decided he was going to let mommy sleep in until 7. Glorious. After breakfast, Clay took Brody and Zora downstairs for cartoons or hunting shows or whatever they do down there and I had the morning to myself. Drank some coffee, caught up on life and had the bathroom all alone. Honestly, it felt a little lonely not having two sets of needy eyes staring me down when I stepped out of the shower.

In addition to my uninterrupted morning, Brody and Zora bought me a new coffee thermos covered in pictures of Brody's adorable face. Makes coffee taste even better.

We wrapped up Mother's Day weekend with another trip into Muskegon to spend time with Clay's family. More binge eating and napping in the middle of the living room floor.

Hope everyone else had a wonderful Mother's Day... especially to my mommy and all my fellow first time mamas.

Brachycephaly + Helmet Consultation

2013-05-10T07:18:00.003-04:00

We finally had Brody's appointment with Mary Free Bed to discuss the back of his head. Being trapped in the birth canal and the use of forceps initially created the flat spot, but when he started out sleeping 10-12 hours straight on his back every night and didn't move... at all... he was destined to have a flat head.

Note to self... baby #2 is going to start out sleeping on alternating sides.

Anyways, he did super well and had a successful scan on the first try. Thankfully the blinky toy they used to distract him worked like a cat following a laser pointer. Brody is also now officially a blood... or a crip... whatever. They had to put this little nylon doo rag on him and now he's super awesome like his momma.

Yes, now that I can't rock a pony, I throw a bandana on my head the second I come home from work. I'm cool like that.

We're so street. Yeah, I kept the little hat. I think it's hilarious.

Anyways, I thought Plagiocephaly covered any cranial flat spots, but apparently Brody has Brachycephaly which is a flat spot on the back of the head. Plagiocephaly is flat spots on the sides. A normal cephalic ratio is less than 0.91 and Brody measured at 0.966.

The red line is the shape of Brody's head (viewed from the top of his head, facing upward.) The sketch is where his head should be. Without the helmet, Brody's head will continue to expand widthwise instead of filling out the flat spot in the back.

The orthotist said we could wait a little longer and continue to sleep him on his side and stomach (keeping him off his back), but chances of things rounding out on their own are slim. Plus the younger the child is, the faster the healing time and the less fazed they are by having to wear it all the time.

So our next step is to get an unnecessary head xray (thanks Priority Health) and get rescanned and fitted for a helmet. I so wish he didn't have to wear one... especially in the summer... but I don't want to regret not getting this taken care of.

So yeah. Here we go.

Roly Poly, Bean-Spitting, Happy Lil Man

2013-05-08T17:13:00.001-04:00

I should get Brody certified as a therapy ~~dog~~ child so I can cart him around with me all day to improve my mental health. I mean, how does your mood not instantly improve when a baby laughs? Or makes sour faces from eating green beans?

Yeah, he should definitely come to work with me.

Apparently I didn't make Brody's green beans mushy enough. He has texture issues like his momma... wonderful. Guess it's store boughten baby food beans from now on. We had bean particles in his hair, all over his seat, embedded in the blanket, stuck in his chubby neck rolls, inside his pant... he was a hot mess.

We also had a wonderful Skype date with Moose and Emmalyn. She needs to move back to Michigan... badly. :(

We celebrated Clay's cousin's wedding over the weekend. Brody was a champ and got to meet a lot of new relatives. However, we discovered he's NOT a fan of loud speaker systems. The reception was cut really short for him and I after he started crying whenever the DJ would talk into the mic.

Grandma Z and all her grandkids... Tank, Terror and Boo. What a trio.

So little man started rolling over the weekend. On the first day, it was only rolling belly to back... but just yesterday, he rolled from back to belly. Where the hell did my little boy go? He's just shy of 20 lbs, wearing 18-month clothing, eating solids, grabbing things, rolling over, very close to sitting steady on his own... my god.

I've discovered that sometimes clothing choices for Brody make me super sad. Going from sleepers to pants to collared shirts just makes him look so much older! Now he's wearing shorts and tshirts with his little buddha belly hanging out... it's just too much. I'm gonna shove all of his squishiness back into a sleeper and pretend he's a tiny baby again.

Sleepy kids. xoxo

Daily Dose of Vitamin D

2013-05-04T09:00:00.000-04:00

Thank God for the nice weather we had most of this week! West Michigan took forever to be done with winter, leaped right into flood season and then summer just randomly appeared. Anyways, Clay, Brody, Zora and I immediately ran outside after work to soak up as much Vitamin D as possible. It was super glorious. Lil Man is fascinated with the grass between his toes and loves any opportunity to sit around in his undies.

Kid's still obsessed with his piggies. The fewer the layers of clothing, the closer he can get them to his mouth.

"I will eat yo arm! ... and then look pissy!"

So we ~~have~~ had this woodpile behind our shed for a future fire pit. Over the course of winter, Zora has taken almost every single log out of the pile... drug it into the middle of the yard... and chewed all the bark off of it. Now we have this stick boneyard going on. What a crazy girl.

As you can tell by the last two photos, my kids are scavengers. Anything within reach will go into their mouths. Oh boy.

DIY: Circle Punch Paper Mache Bowl

2013-04-27T07:05:00.000-04:00

So, I hoard paper circles.

They're kinda like pogs for crafty people. I bought a 1" and 2" circle punch last year and now any and all scrap paper, birthday/Christmas cards, magazine ads, etc. could possibly end up looking like swiss cheese.

A couple of weekends ago, the weather sucked and Brody had slipped into a coma, so I decided to use a handful of the circles to make a paper mache bowl.

This paper mache recipe makes a lot of goop. Store in a tupperware and you can basically use it forever.

Combine ½ C. flour and 2 C. cold water in a bowl
Boil 2 C. of water in a sauce pan and add the flour and cold water mixture
Bring to a boil again
Remove from heat and add 3 Tbsp. of sugar
Let cool (paste will thicken as it cools)

Find a bowl of some sorts and cover in saran wrap. Be mindful of the shape of the bowl around the base. If you're using thicker cardstock and and the bowl doesn't have a gradual curve, you'll have some issues.

I used a paintbrush and just started layering on the circles. I screwed up the first bowl by using black circles with lighter colored ones. Depending on the kinda of paper, dark colors may bleed. Beware.

Drying time is a bit tricky. If you let the paper dry completely while it's still on the actual bowl, sometimes the saran wrap will stick to the bowl and you have to carefully, but aggressively chisel away at the adhesive in between layers. If you slide your creation off the bowl too early, sometimes it warps a bit while it finishes drying. I guess find your happy medium.

Once you peel the plastic wrap off, you can either be done, or create another layer of circles on the inside. I opted to use all one color for the inside of the bowl. Once completely dry, you're good to go!

Are you a circle punch junkie too? Here are some other DIY projects to do with your circles.

Paper Ornament Ball + Paper Starburst Garland

Mommyhood: Week 21

2013-04-25T16:40:00.000-04:00

My lil man is 21 weeks old already. Quite a bit has happened over the last couple weeks... lots of firsts, new routines and discoveries.

Side note... saw this idea on Pinterest, but didn't get around posting it last week.

First of all, thank God the sun decided to make an appearance. During my lunch hour this week, Zora said the hell with going potty and eating and decided sunning was more important. Can't say I blame her. So I brought our lunches out on the deck and we absorbed some Vitamin D.

That evening, we even took a nice walk as a family, dug out the patio furniture and hooked up Brody's swing. Although sleepy, he seemed to really enjoy it.

Brody started on solids last week Tuesday. Mama Z cooked/mashed him up some carrots and I got to feed him on my lunch hour. He did surprisingly well and caught on super fast. We did carrots for the first four days, peas the next four and now we're on squash. Right now he has a pretty consistent eating schedule. Oatmeal and 6 ounces for breakfast, 1/2 jar food and 6 ounces for lunch, 6 ounces for a snack about 3:30, then the rest of the jar and 6 ounces for dinner.

He likes to eat. Takes after his mama.

Brody also discovered his feet last Saturday. He'll tug at them whenever he can, but it's only when he's butt naked on his changing pad or in the tub that he likes to stick them in his mouth. For once, I'll apply my filter here and not post any photos, but my view lately is of Brody's naked little undercarriage up in the air while he gnaws on his toes. Odd, but kinda adorable.

Discovered Brody is like a bird. Naps best when you throw a blanket over his head. No joke. But then again, I like to sleep with a blanket wadded up on my pillow around my head so..... is that hereditary?

We're going to be in trouble when this kid is mobile. He has to grab everything in sight... then stick it in his mouth. Front of his shirt, blanket, bib, toys, my hair, hands, toes... directly into mouth. Hoover.

There has always been this fascination with Zora... he stares her down whenever she's nearby. Thank God my sweet girl is so laid back and not aggressive. In the last week, Brody has ripped a fistful of fur out and had a death grip on her jowls. She just stares at me like "control your offspring." Such a sweetheart.

She's doing her part though to make sure Brody builds up his immunity. Whenever she approaches him for kisses, this crazy kid opens his mouth as wide as it can go and she basically licks the inside of his mouth until I can break it up. No judging.

Homemade (Healthy) Dog Treat Recipes

2013-04-21T16:33:00.000-04:00

I'm one of those people who cares way more about what I feed my dog than what I put in my own mouth. My pup loves the dried chicken treats, but I swear there's a damn warning or recall on them like every other week. So from now on, only homemade treats for the fur child. All of these recipes have some healthy/beneficial component and are 100% Zora approved...

Peanut Butter + Oats Cookies

INGREDIENTS
2 C. whole wheat flour
1 C. rolled oats
1/3 C. natural peanut butter (or regular)
1 1/4 C. hot water
Cookie cutters

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°. In one bowl, combine flour and oats. In another bowl, mix peanut butter and hot water. Combine mixtures and stir well.

Drop dough on lightly floured surface and knead. Roll out dough anywhere from 1/8” to 1/4” thick. Cut into desired shapes. Bake on greased baking sheet for 20-30 minutes. Store in airtight container.

HEALTH BENEFIT
Oats contain more protein per calorie than any other common grain. They have anti-inflammatory and skin-soothing properties. Oats also have a calming effect on the nervous system (great for anxious dogs!) and help strengthen the spleen, pancreas, heart and immune system. Lastly, they are rich in silicon and help make bones strong.

Peanut Butter Cookies

INGREDIENTS
2 C. whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 C. natural peanut butter (or regular)
1 C. skim milk
Cookie cutters

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 375°. In one bowl, combine flour and baking powder. In another bowl, mix peanut butter and milk. Combine mixtures and stir well.

Drop dough on lightly floured surface and knead. Roll out dough anywhere from 1/8” to 1/4” thick. Cut into desired shapes. Bake on greased baking sheet for 20 minutes. Store in airtight container.

HEALTH BENEFIT
Peanut butter is rich in oil, protein and fatty acids. These ingredients, along with vitamins H and K, give dogs a shiny coat. Vitamin E also helps strengthen your dog's immune system.

Peanut Butter + Banana Cookies

INGREDIENTS
1 large egg
1 large or 2 small banana, peeled and mashed
1/3 C. creamy peanut butter
1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
1 C. whole wheat flour
1/2 C. rolled oats
1 egg white, lightly beaten

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 300°. Combine large egg, banana, peanut butter and syrup and mix thoroughly until smooth. Stir in flour and oats.

Drop dough on lightly floured surface and knead. Roll out dough to 1/4" thick. Cut into desired shapes. Brush tops with egg whites. Bake on greased baking sheet for 25-30 minutes or until hard and crunchy. Store in airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

HEALTH BENEFIT
Bananas are an excellent source of fiber, vitamins C and B6, manganese and folate. They contain almost no fat, very low in sodium and are loaded with potassium.

Gimme Kisses Cookies

INGREDIENTS
2 C. whole wheat flour
1 C. rolled oats
1 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes or fresh parsley
2 large eggs
1/2 C. water
1/2 C. non-fat dry milk
1 C. peanut butter

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 300°. In large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs lightly; add in water and peanut butter. Gently add the wet to the dry ingredients.

Drop dough on lightly floured surface and knead. Roll out dough and cut into desired shapes. (You can also bake the dough as one giant cookie and break it apart after it's done.) Bake on greased baking sheet for 20-30 minutes or until golden. If you want the cookies to look shiny, you can also brush a thin coat of egg whites on them before baking.

HEALTH BENEFIT
Parsley aids in digestion and will also give your pup fresh breath. Parsley is also high in vitamins A and C.

Pumpkin Cookies

INGREDIENTS
1 (15 oz.) can organic pumpkin puree (NOT the spiced pie filling)
3/4 C. dry, uncooked cream of wheat (or rice cereal if wheat sensitive)
1/2 C. dry powdered milk

*Instead of cream of wheat, you can add 3/4 cup of rolled oats.

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 300°. In large bowl, mix ingredients together thoroughly.

Drop dough on lightly floured surface and knead. Roll out dough and cut into desired shapes. Bake on greased baking sheet for 15-20 minutes.

HEALTH BENEFIT
Pumpkin is loaded with antioxidants and vitamins C and E, which help to reduce cataracts and heart problems. Pumpkin is also great for weight loss since it acts as a healthy filler.

Vegan Biscuits

INGREDIENTS
1 banana, mashed
1/2 C. peanut butter
1 C. rolled oats
1/2 C. applesauce
1 1/4 C. whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

*If your dog is allergic to wheat, try substituting amaranth, rice, millet, quinoa, almond, corn, oat or potato flours/starches.

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°. In large bowl, mix ingredients together thoroughly.

Drop dough on lightly floured surface and knead. Roll out dough and cut into desired shapes. Bake on greased baking sheet for 10-15 minutes, until edges brown. Cool and refrigerate.

HEALTH BENEFIT
Cinnamon is good for your dog's heart since it improves circulation. It also has anti-inflammatory properties which helps relieve joint pain. Cinnamon helps lower cholesterol levels and regulates blood sugar. Perfect for diabetic pups!

Two-Ingredient Treats

INGREDIENTS
2 C. whole wheat flour
2 (4 oz.) jars of pureed baby food - beef, blueberry, sweet potato, chicken, etc.

*Make sure baby food does not have traces of onions, raisins, grapes or artificial preservatives.

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°. In large bowl, mix ingredients together thoroughly.

Drop dough on lightly floured surface and knead. Roll out dough to 1/4" thick and cut into desired shapes. Bake on greased baking sheet about 1/2" apart for 20-25 minutes. Cool and store in paper bag. (Storing in an air-tight container will make them soft, but still edible.)

Pumpkin Apple Treats

INGREDIENTS
3 C. whole wheat flour
1/2 C. oatmeal, chopped in food processor
2 sm. or 1 lg. apple, finely chopped or grated
1 egg
1/2 C. pumpkin
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 C. cold water

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°. Mix flour and oatmeal. Add apples, egg, pumpkin, brown sugar and water. Drop dough on lightly floured surface and knead. Roll out dough to 1/4" thick and cut into desired shapes.

Bake for 35 minutes. Then, turn off oven and leave baking sheets inside for an additional 35 to 45 minutes to crisp.

Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Pops

INGREDIENTS
3 (6 oz.) containers of plain, low-fat vanilla yogurt
1/2 C. peanut butter
1 (4 oz.) jar banana baby food
1 Tbsp. honey

INSTRUCTIONS
In medium bowl, combine all ingredients thoroughly. Pour mixture into small cups (i.e. Dixie Cups) or silicone mold. Freeze.

Once frozen, peel away paper cup and serve!

Canine Cookies

INGREDIENTS
1 C. hot water or broth
1 envelope dry milk
2 tsp. bouillon

3/4 C. oil
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
5 C. whole what flour

INSTRUCTIONS
Combine first set of ingredients. Add second set of ingredients. Stir to form a very stiff dough. Roll out and cut into shapes. Bake at 300° for 40 minutes, turning cookies over after 20 minutes.

Brody's 4 Month Appointment

2013-04-15T21:03:00.000-04:00

Little man had his 4 (and 1/2) month appointment today. This kid is a frickin' champ! Nurses poked him in both thighs, he let out one cry and then immediately switched over to tease mode with his flirty lil grin. Yeah buddy!

SIZE
Brody currently fits in all sorts of different clothing sizes... anywhere from 3-6 to 18 months. At only 19 weeks, he weighed in today at 19 lbs 2.8 oz, measured 26 inches long and had a head circumference of 43.5 cm (93rd, 66th and 86th percentiles respectively). That's my tank. :)

DATE	WEIGHT	HEIGHT
November 29	9 lbs 1.9 oz	21 inches
December 3	9 lbs 2 oz	21 inches
December 10	9 lbs 2.4 oz	21 inches
January 3	11 lbs 9.2 oz	21.5 inches
February 7	15 lbs 4.4 oz	n/a
February 12	15 lbs 5.8 oz	24.5 inches
April 15	19 lbs 2.8 oz	26 inches

EATING
Doctor gave us the go ahead to start on solids. Brody's been on 8 oz every 4 hours for a few months already. Even though he's only eating 4 times a day, I'm sure he's ready for a little change. Hmm... what shall his first meal be?

SLEEPING
Still the best baby ever! Bedtime falls between 7 and 8:00 PM... then he wakes up around 5:45 every morning like clockwork. Last Saturday he woke up around 5 AM, jabbered for a bit, then went back to sleep until 7:30. This kid rules.

MOBILITY
Still isn't a huge fan of tummy time, but is getting stronger and stronger every day. He isn't too anxious to roll over, but is pretty stoked about his toes that he found on Saturday. So for now, it's just naked dancing on the changing table.

PLAYING/COMMUNICATING
Brody loves his ExerSaucer! He can also grip most of his toys pretty well, so I dug out anything that can hook onto those plastic chain links and attached them to his saucer. This may be a bit premature, but I gathered up all the bathtub toys in hopes that he'd like to play with them as much as I do. Unfortunately, he's still pretty excited about just chewing on the wash cloth. Nothing says I can't play with them still... right?

Right?

And holy crap screecher creature! I LOVE his noises! He's become so chatty and giggly... you can't help but smile. He's my little ray of sunshine. xoxo

PS... 3:28 is the best noise ever. I just about piss myself every time.

FLAT HEAD
I thought Brody's head was getting um, un-flatter, but his doctor still said it was pretty bad. She's referring us to Mary Free Bed so they can monitor progress and determine if he'll need a helmet eventually.

DAYCARE
Daycare with Miss Pam is still going extremely well and he just loves his time with Grandma Z on Tuesdays. I'm so thankful that he's in such good hands while I'm at work all day.

A Doggy Miracle

2013-04-14T19:19:00.001-04:00

If you know me or my dog and/or have followed my blog for awhile... you know that sometimes Miss Zora is a bit, um... disobedient. Specifically when she doesn't want to come inside. Most of the time, she's just in the backyard being a little shit, but there are the rare instances when she gets loose. Usually this means Clay and I sprinting around the neighborhood, hopping over fences, climbing in and out of brush piles and eventually cornering Zora behind some shed somewhere and have to carry her back home.

So Zora's been going in and out all day today. Go out, run around, come in, repeat. A little while ago, I let her out and went to check on her like 10 minutes later. That's when I saw that someone had opened up the 10 foot chain link utility gate to our backyard. No joke. The giant pin was pulled out and the gates were wide open.

Yeah. Someone intentionally opened up our gate and left it that way. Now I'm super paranoid.

So naturally I panicked because Zora knows no boundaries and we live near a pretty busy road. I yelled for Clay and when I went to show him that the gate was open, I saw Zora's white fluffy butt way over in the neighbors yard. Clay called for her and get this...... she came back into our yard and all the way inside!

I know most of you are like "yeah, that's what dogs do. You call, they come running." Um no. Not Zora. She knows being out of her yard is a big no-no and will avoid us like the plague once she's free. That fact that she came running on the first call is AMAZING! This will probably never happen again so I'm going to relish in how awesome this is.

Just thought I'd share how proud I am of my fur baby.... minus the fact that she also rolled in poop during her journey. Whatever. I'll take it.

Healthcare... I Effing Hate You.

2013-04-12T17:50:00.000-04:00

I have never had good luck with doctors. Ever. My records are never transfered on time, appointments are unexpectedly changed or deleted, test results get lost, symptoms are disregarded so tumors are left untreated, prescription errors, insurance claims ignored... you name it, it has happened to me. So the relationship I have with my primary physician's front office is usually a rough one due to some name calling and screaming matches.

The latest drama includes my super sore, infected ingrown toenail gone wrong. The slightest pressure on the inside of my right foot is enough to bring me to tears. Obviously it needs to be taken care of. To give you the reader's digest version of what I've gone through these past two weeks, I've made 23 phone calls to Priority Health, urgent care, the hospital and three DIFFERENT doctors offices. I even drove to Muskegon at 6 AM the other morning to see a nurse that did absolutely nothing for me. In short, I have been denied care by every single place for one reason or another. You're a new patient. We don't have your files. You can't see an OB and a MD. We can't refer you. There's a long wait. We can't help you, seek elsewhere. You need a referral. We have a new computer system, so I can't add you.

Bottom line, I'm effed. And pissed.

So God bless our healthcare system. One that denies care for the stupidest effing reasons ever and employs some of the dumbest people I've ever met. Sorry family and friends that work in healthcare, but after the past two weeks, I'm ready to amputate my own toe and seek further treatment from a witch doctor.

On a slightly related topic, let's chat about medical records. Dear parents, please be your child(ren)'s health advocate and keep very detailed records regarding all procedures, vaccinations, check-ups, tummy aches, etc. Don't hesitate for a second to interrogate the crap out of the doctor so you know exactly what's going on. The only records both my sister and I can rely on are the ones kept by our mother because our childhood doctors did a piss poor job at accurately documenting information. You can only imagine the problems we ran into with sports physicals, school immunization checks and so on.

I was recently updating my vaccination spreadsheet for Brody and found out that, at only four months old, he already has a few discrepancies in his file. I pulled out every medical document I have on him (and trust me, I do have every single one) and discovered the following:

There's no record of the Hepatitis B vaccinnation he got at birth.
They did not administer a Hepatitis B vaccine during his one month appointment (which I'm told he should've gotten.) Yes? No?
The vaccination printout that I received from the hospital stated he should've received six vaccinations during his two month appointment. I was given seven vaccination "follow up/side effect" handouts, his appointment summary listed eight vaccines and the MySpectrum summary only lists four.

What the eff is going on?! When you choose to work in healthcare, do you not realize that you are dealing with people's lives and their well-being?! The shit you do (or are suppose to be doing) is extremely important and should be taken seriously and handled in a timely, accurate manner.

Jesus.

So have a great weekend everyone. I'm just gonna sit around and wait for my toe to fall off. Maybe then someone can squeeze me in.

Link Party Features

2013-04-06T09:02:00.000-04:00

Thank you to everyone who came out and linked up at the #biggestlinkpartyever and to Ginger Snap Crafts for hosting! Along with the 40+ co-hosts, we had 782 links showcasing various DIYs, crafts, recipes, home makeovers, etc. These are my favorites:

Freezer paper stencil Tshirts from Delightfully Noted

Brick fireplace makeover from In Designer Jeans

Skinny Oreo milkshake from Will Cook for Smiles

Dark chocolate coconut mudslide cookies from Half Baked Harvest

Lego birthday party from I Dig Pinterest and I Did it Too!

Log cut coasters from Quintonwench

DIY chevron rug from Pneumatic Addict

Custom soap dispensers from In Designer Jeans

Target mirror hack from Pneumatic Addict

Peanut butter brownie cupcakes from It's A Lovely Life

Chocolate strawberry dessert wrap from Mommy on Demand

New Do + Squeaky Tank

2013-04-05T12:45:00.000-04:00

I did it. I went and got my pony cut off. Much sadness... kinda.

I went over to Great Clips in Holland after work and showed the lady this picture while explaining all the reasons I fail at being a girl. By the way, did you know you can get $12 hair cuts there?! Yeah, me neither! This greatly pleases my Dutch I-don't-care-what-my-hair-looks-like alter ego.

Anyways, she hacked about 9-inches off and thinned the crap out of my hair. I feel incredibly bald... and missing my pony... but so far I like it. Not a fan of having to spend more then 30 seconds on my hair in the morning, but it'll be worth having my date night hair differ from my 9-5 hair or "hey, it's Tuesday" hair.

And since no post is complete without referencing Lil Tank, here are some photos Clay shot during their so-called "man time."

I also finally captured Brody's new noises on camera. He's like a dog... is super entertaining until you put a camera in front of him; then he freezes. But check out this video and audio clip of my squeaky lil guy! Love it!

Finding Me Time: Body + Beauty Battles

2013-04-04T07:00:00.000-04:00

I love that Lil Tank runs on such a predictable schedule. Wakes up at 6:00 AM, eats 8 oz every 4 hours, back to sleep between 7-8:00 PM. It does suck a little bit that he goes to sleep so early. We have a lot of kisses and cuddles that have to fit in the few hours I have with him after work. However, I know that a couple hours in the evening to myself or spent with Clay is healthy to have.

Lately I use some of that available time to workout. No more excuses for not fitting into my clothes. I found the BeFit YouTube channel has a ton of workout videos and started Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred about a week and a half ago.

So far I really like it. Isn't so hard it makes you want to quit, yet I feel like I got a really good workout in. Best part, 25 minutes. No excuses for not being able to fit that into my day. I love how it reminds me of the abuse my body took during all those years of sports. Lunges and squats are accompanied by the lovely sound and sensation of my knees grinding and popping.
So far I'm down 35 pounds with about another 15 to go to get down to my pre-baby weight. SIDE NOTE: Be sure to check out I Like Beer and Babies on Monday, April 22. Me and my inner fatty grew a pair and submitted some photos for her "Body by Baby" segment. Eek!
In other self-improvement news, I have this itch to do something drastic to my hair. But then I think back to the two other times I chopped off my hair and the growing out mullet stages that lasted F-O-R-E-V-E-R and the appeal disappears... a bit.

Yes, did this. Twice.

Here are my issues regarding hair though...

I CANNOT style my own hair. At all. I can't even use bobby pins properly. I was born without that girl gene apparently. I rely on my younger sister to do my hair (and make-up) for special occasions.
I have this super thick hair that tangles so easily. So instead of dealing with it, I throw it up into a wet ponytail (unbrushed) after I shower every night. I know, BIG no-no.
There's this overwhelming anxiety issue I have if hair is in my face. No joke.

That's why you don't ever see me without my hair in a ponytail. I figured a giant messy knot thrown up on top of my head is better than this frizzy, disheveled mess falling in my face. But what does one do without the skills and know-how or the help of little sister when wanting to look nice the 2-3 times a year I give a shit?! AAAHHHH INNER TURMOIL!
I need someone to move into my house that does my hair in the morning, watches Brody and Zora all day, then kicks my ass into shape at night. Any takers?

Wow Me Wednesday - Link Party Co-Host

2013-04-02T19:16:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone, I'm co-hosting with Ginger Snap Crafts and numerous other fantastic bloggers for "Wow Me Wednesday"... a place to link up and show off all your latest DIYs, recipes, home improvement projects, etc. Join in and be sure to visit/comment on other links!
Fellow co-hosts:

These are the party rules: The "rules" are simple. Please consider sharing this party on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or Pinterest. Link up to your post, not your main blog. Must be something made by you! (No etsy shops, giveaway or business links, please.) Visit other links, make new friends and most of all, have fun!

25 Ways Dogs + Babies Are Exactly The Same

2013-03-27T12:53:00.000-04:00

I've been a mom to fur babies long before Brody came along. While pregnant, I was convinced that Peanut, Zayla and Zora had somehow prepared me for motherhood. Boy, was I right. Granted, Brody is only 4-months-old, but so far, Tank and Terror are pretty much the same:

In order to avoid scrubbing carpets, there's absolutely no hesitation to stick out your hands and catch whatever bodily fluid may be coming atcha.
Saying phrases like "don't eat your hand" and "how did you get poop on your foot" are super legit. And pretty common.
Never mind wanting the bathroom alone... I just wish I could pee without a paw scratching at my thigh for attention or a 18 lb. tank strapped to my chest.
If either of them are within a 3 foot radius of you, there's a 94% chance you'll end up with some sort of drool, snot, urp or eye boogers on you.
By far the best cuddlers... but usually only when exhaustion or sickness has set in.
They're the reasons you "can't have anything nice."
Completely desensitized to poop.
If they're awake and it's quiet... something bad is happening. Real bad.
When all else fails, feed 'em.
It's no big deal to have full-out conversations with them and then feel ~~slightly insane~~ completely normal when you consider that have no idea what you're saying and aren't going to contribute.
It doesn't matter how deep of a coma-like nap they're in... as soon as you sneak into the bathroom to shower/poop/hide, all hell breaks loose.
They are the best faces to see first thing in the morning or after a long day at work.
Shamelessly stinky.
You're expected to summon your inner psychic powers and interpret those blank stares and needy grunting noises.
Together, they can make even the burliest of men turn to mush and go all sorts of goo-goo gah-gah.
How they don't get super pissed about having to eat the exact same thing every single meal is beyond me.
They both trigger some mommy hormone that makes you have super morbid nightmares about bad things happening to them. (That's normal, right?)
Whether 9 or 90 lbs... the amount of poop that comes out of them is mind blowing.
You can't stay mad at them. You just can't. That's why God made them cute. So we don't sell them to the gypsies when shit hits the fan.
Eat. Sleep. Play. Sleep. Whine. Poop. Eat. Pee. Sleep. Poop. Play. Sleep. Eat. Pee. Play. Whine. Sleep.
They're the reason you can have intellectual adult conversations about poop. "Did Zora go poop when you let her out? Yeah, but it was super runny... hope she's not getting sick. What consistency was Brody's poop this morning? Was it the stinky turtle eggs or yellow mustard mush?"
They will sleep through anything... EXCEPT opening the treat cupboard/nursery door.
Extreme neediness doesn't kick in until you are in the middle of something that requires both hands and/or undivided attention.
Have I mentioned poop?
They're both so worth it.

Brody @ 4 Months: What He's Up To

2013-03-26T07:46:00.001-04:00

My little tank is going to be 4-months-old this Friday. I'm so blessed so have such a happy, easy-going lil man. Makes being a new mom and life in general a lot easier. Take a look at what Brody's been up to:

SIZE
I guess I should just start calling him Tank. This week we packed away all of his 3-6 month AND 6-9 month clothes. Yup, that's right... we're in 12 month clothes already. Jesus.

I guess Summer just needs to hurry up and get here. Once the weather turns nice, our house is going to be clothing optional. Well, at least tshirt and undies. I know Brody can't wait. Kid's such a nudist. Any and all sadness immediately disappears as soon as his clothes do. Love it.

Brody also weighed in at 18 lbs 1 oz. last night. I know, right?! I should be ripped as hell from lugging this Michelin baby around. So watch out folks, if you come over this summer, it's just gonna be a couple of fatties sitting around in their underwear.

EATING
Brody's been maxed out at 8 oz. for awhile now. Still eats every 4 hours like clockwork. We've been putting rice cereal in his bedtime bottle since almost the beginning, but I'm really hoping Brody's doctor gives us the go ahead to start on other solids at his 4 month appointment. I don't think 8 oz. of formula is going to cut it for another couple months. Any other moms out there in a similar situation? Did you start your little one on solids before 6 months? Anyone else have a tank baby with an insatiable appetite?

SLEEPING
Brody is a champ at bedtime. He's been on a really consistent schedule for almost 2 months now. He takes his last bottle between 6 and 7:00, slides into some jammies and goes to bed. No big deal. Even if he's not sleeping when we lay him down, he entertains himself for a little bit, then passes out. Best part? In the morning, his little internal alarm clock either wakes him up around 5:45ish or we have to wake him up at 6:00 to eat and get to daycare. Easy peasy.

MOBILITY
No interest yet in rolling over, but he loves to stand and stretch his legs. Something about being diaper/pants-free makes him kick up a storm. He turns into mega-happy wild child in the tub and on the changing table. Also, although sometimes a bit roly poly, he does pretty well at sitting with a little support.

PLAYING/COMMUNICATING
Within the last couple weeks, Brody has started to really enjoy his exersaucer, play mat and a few smaller/light weight toys. It's almost like he went from not grabbing or holding onto anything to having this death grip overnight. I'm so glad he loves his exersaucer... keeps him up off the back of his head.

He also loves "soooo big!" and peak-a-boo. Within the last two weeks or so, he's also started giggling. I love baby laughs. Best sound ever. So whenever he gets really into it, we can work up some pretty big laughs.

FLAT HEAD
Speaking of the back of his head, still flat. The bumpers are doing wonders for keeping him on his side the entire night. (Unfortunately, Brody leaks out of his diaper when he's on his side... so we're going through a pair of jammies, a sheet and mattress pad every night.) His doctor's appointment is on the 15th, so we'll have to chat about what's our next move because poor kid has a super noticeable flat head.

DAYCARE
Things are still going super great with his daycare. Our daycare lady Pam says Brody loves to watch the older boys play and starts to fuss if he can't see what's they're doing. As long as they're all in the same room, Brody's completely entertained by them.

Click here to check out more of Brody's 3 month pictures on my Facebook page!

My Parents: The Original Pintesters Circa 1990

2013-03-19T16:26:00.000-04:00

I absolutely LOVE upcycled kids toys. Whether it's as simple as a fresh coat of paint or turning an ugly entertainment center into a tiny kitchen... love it. I'm also in awe of people who can take any object and see it for something completely different. You know, like "these black coasters will make great stove burners!" Yeah, those people. I want to be you.

I can't wait until Brody is interested in toys other than his epileptic singing sun. I'm already starting to skim through Craigslist looking for some super cheap furniture just waiting for some TLC and a glue gun.

Since Brody is going to be a year old in less than 8 1/2 months, I've already started planning his birthday both in my mind and on Pinterest. (No judging.) I'm pretty sure I need to make him something super awesome... whether he's old enough to play with it by then or not.

Way back in my youth (1990), my parents made my sister and I this humungous Barbie house. Dad built the entire house from scratch and even included the appropriate carpet and wallpaper for each room that matched the house we were in at the time. Bad ass, I know.

My parents were Pinteresting way before it was cool.

I think my parents actually still have this packed in the attic... which only means one thing:

Brody needs a sister.

Check out these other super cool DIY upcycled kids toys:

1. Picnic Table Redo by Caroline Frei 2. Reversible Lego Playtable by Sascha Romeo 3. Toy Grill by Kate's Creative Space 4. Manly Play Kitchen by McBaby Bump3 5. Toy Kitchen by Green Your Decor 6. Repainted Little Tykes Playhouse by Little Bee Mama 7. Dress Up Station by Vintage Revivals 8. Refashioned Batmobile Cozy Coupe by Sweet CS Designs 9. Toy Kitchen by Young House Love 10. Toy Tool Work Bench by Giggleberry Creations

Photo-A-Day Challenge | Mar 8 - 14

2013-03-15T12:15:00.000-04:00

I really enjoyed doing my picture-a-day project last year and decided to do it again... this time with a little twist. The #FMSPhotoADay challenge was created by Fat Mum Slim and each day presents its own topic/theme. Below are my photos from March 08 - 14:

MAR 08: Brody is my favorite little man... ever. MAR 09: A 6'2" Dutch lady in sweatpants is not recognized for her face. MAR 10: Zora's a huge begger... especially when there are 6 different kinds of new doggy treats sitting on the cupboard. MAR 11: The most important thing in my life is this lil guy. We got a lot of lovin' to squeeze into a couple hours each evening. MAR 12: Zora's a little anti-social sometimes during movie night. MAR 13: Brody's fascinated by his sun that blinks and plays music... although mommy is a bit concerned about strobe-like baby toys. Epilepsy, anyone? MAR 14: Well, Brody thinks so anyways. Have you ever tried formula? OMG. I had to immediately go brush my teeth to get rid of the dry heaves. Bleh!

Wanna do the #FMSPhotoADay challenge with me? Comment with your blog URL or Instagram/Twitter handle... however you're going to post.

Mommyhood: Week 15

2013-03-14T06:50:00.000-04:00

Lil Tank is 15 weeks old today. He's grown so much over the last few weeks... it's incredible. Brody is attentive to everything... follows sounds, movement, anything that sparks his interest. His neck muscles are so strong, he's starting to grab and hold onto his toys, sometimes pushes his binky back in his mouth and loves to chew on his hands now that he's teething.

Speaking of growing... this is Lil Tank busting out of a 9 month sleeper. I guess digging out the 12 month clothes is now on this weekend's agenda. Thank God Mom and I are going to a Mom-2-Mom sale on Saturday.

Spent some time at mom's this past Saturday. Miss Zora came with... so as usual, it was a crazy shit show. Someday she'll learn that Peanut isn't a playmate and Zayla hates her legs being nipped at. Someday.

I also created a monster. ~~I let Zora~~ She's taken over the couches at home, but only with a sheet down first. She decided to make herself at home on mom's living room furniture. Whoopsies.

Also spent some time looking through old photos for a future blog post. Found this little gem from a Father-Daughter Dance... kindergarten... first grade, maybe? Jesus.

Brody and I decided to play the emotions game yesterday while waiting for daddy to get home from work. Ok, he was just trying to work out a poop and I was making stupid faces. Whatever. Same thing.

Brody's also a huge bull shitter. I'm not even joking. Kid will all of a sudden go hysterical and let out blood curdling screams for 5 minutes solid, then stop.... stare right at you... and release his infamous shit eating grin. He does it with bedtime too. Passes out hard core during his bottle, doesn't even flinch when you're banging on his back to get a burp outta the lil zombie, sleeps through a diaper and clothes change.... then as soon as you lie him down and close the door... he's wiiiiiiiiiiiiide awake. WTF kid?!

The time change has also been pretty rough on him. Fell asleep around 5:30 both Sunday and Monday night instead of his usual 7:00. Funny thing is, still sleeps like a rock until 6 AM. Yes parents, Lil Tank sleeps 12+ hours straight every single night. Has since roughly week 3 or 4. Go ahead. Be super jealous. Definite perk always getting a full night's sleep.... however, it means squeezing cuddles, playtime, feeding, tummy time and a bazillion kisses into the 2 hours we get to spend with him in the evening. :(

I'm getting sooooo sleeeepy... NOPE! Just kidding!

Let's see... what else has been going on lately.... Brody's head is still super flat. Gah. I wish you could just squeeze and mold it like Play-Doh. His new daycare is going super well! Her name is Pam and she lives just a block over from us. She only has 3 other kids so it's a lot less commotion and more individual attention. She actually spends time holding and playing with him as oppose to first daycare lady who strapped him in a seat all day. Brody's always smiling when I pick him up and Pam comments on how happy he is all day. So I'm glad it's working out.

Mom still watches Brody on Tuesday. I love not having to drop him off at a daycare, but it really makes me not want to go to work. I feel like I'm missing out on a little party happening at my house all day. This week Mama Z did my laundry, cleaned the house, made dinner and gave Brody a bath. Yeah, I have the best mom ever. She's the shit.

Accidentally left Brody is his cloth diaper overnight on Tuesday. Because he sleeps for so long, we always use disposables at night, but a blonde moment makes for a very soggy baby in the AM. Hungry and saturated in his own pee, this kid still wakes up cooing and smiling. #bestbabyever.

Mommyhood: Week 14

2013-03-08T16:30:00.000-05:00

That's right, Brody is 14 weeks already. Holy crap. And do you wanna take a stab at what the ~~tank~~ precious little one weighs?! He weighed in at 17 pounds yesterday! 17! Dear future c/o 2030 athletes... my son will squash you. (2030. Wow, if that doesn't make you feel old...)

Anyways, we had my nephews 4th birthday party on Sunday. Brody was definitely smothered in kisses. We decided to dress him up as a giraffe that day. My mom had bought me this awesome giraffe onesie like 4 years ago... I think it was the first baby outfit we ever got. Anyways, it's awesome. Complete with tail, ears and whatever those little giraffe horns are called. Considering he's already growing out of half his 6-9 month clothes, we figured we better hurry up and get him in it at least once. Hell, for all we knew, at the rate he's going, he could've fit into it in the morning and outgrew it by noon.

After the birthday party, we dropped Brody off at Grandma and Grandpa Z's house. My daycare lady had Monday off and since mom watches him on Tuesday anyways, we thought it'd be fun for Brody to have a sleepover at Grandma's house all by himself. I wasn't prepared to start having withdrawals before we even made the 40 minute drive back home. So yeah, I went two full days without my lil man and his smiles. Clay and I just kinda stared at each other like "uh, what now?" So we did what any new parents do when they finally get the house alone... we went to sleep by 8:00 both nights. Rock on old people.

I can't believe how strong Brody's neck is getting. Just a week or so ago, he was so against sitting in his Bumbo or play saucer. Now he loves them! He sits there and just takes in everything that's going on around him. How awesome it is to watch a child grow up right in front of your eyes.

We are also being extremely cautious of putting Brody on his back. Between the forceps and being a "back to sleep baby," he has a major flat spot going on the back of his head. I mean, like bad. During our 2 month appointment, the doctor told me to keep him off of it as much as possible and then we'll re-evaluate at 4 months. So now he's spending a lot of time in the backpack carrier, Bumbo and play saucer.

Nighttime is a bit tricky. We learned we have to wait until he falls asleep on his back before we can roll him over to his side. Even with bumpers, he still manages to roll onto his back throughout the night. Fingers crossed this resolves on his own and he won't need a helmet. On top of being super expensive and inconvenient, they also look really uncomfortable. :(

We even tried out his "big boy" bathtub... one of those booster seat looking things that stick to the bottom of the tub. He did okay in it, but kept sliding forward. I assumed he didn't like smashing the boys against the bar, so I took him out and put him back on his sponge.

I tried to be a super nice doggy mom this past weekend, but that failed miserably. Zora is ~~becoming~~ a pretty pampered pooch. I mean, the living room couch has basically turned into a very large, expensive doggy bed. So I figured the transition from the couch all evening to a couple blankets on a plastic crate all day was probably a little rough on her Highness. I took a couple old bed pillows and pillow cases that I was planning on getting rid of anyways, sewed them together and made a plush little bed for the bottom of her crate. By noon she had chewed off one of the corners and by 4:00 the entire thing was shredded into multiple pieces. You dumb dog. I give up. This is why we can't have anything nice.

Photo-A-Day Challenge | Mar 1 - 7

2013-03-07T19:54:00.000-05:00

MAR 01: "L" is for the bazillion loads of laundry I have every week. How do two adults, a baby and a dog create so much laundry!? MAR 02: I love my Michigan string and nails canvas. MAR 03: Even though my great-grandma passed away several years ago, I still can't take her house key off my keyring. MAR 04: I kicked Clay's ass in Chocolate-opoly. Definitely luck. MAR 05: Zora loves her little "tent" under the kitchen table. MAR 06: Brody's getting so big! He loves his Bumbo seat. MAR 07: Scary movie night while catching up on freelance projects.

Wanna do the #FMSPhotoADay challenge with me? Comment with your blog URL or Instagram/Twitter handle... however you're going to post.

Photo Contest - Please Vote!

2013-03-04T13:26:00.000-05:00

Sooooooo I entered Brody's picture in a photo contest on Parents.com.

You should vote for him. He's adorable. And he wants $200. (College is expensive, ya know!)

So vote. Every day. Through March 10. http://photos.parents.com/kid-of-the-week/2013-03-04/wupv

Reese's Fudge Bites Recipe

2013-03-02T16:40:00.000-05:00

INGREDIENTS

1/2 C. coconut oil
1/2 C. cocoa powder
1/2 C. peanut butter (or almond butter)
1/4 C. honey (or maple syrup)
1/2 tsp. vanilla

INSTRUCTIONS

Melt coconut oil. Blend all ingredients together thoroughly until smooth. I used a greased mini-muffin pan, but you can also use paper-liners in a regular size muffin pan. Chill for 30 minutes or freeze for 10 minutes. Stores in an air-tight container in refrigerator.

Nutrition facts based on 24 mini fudge bites:
83 calories, 7g fat, 35g sodium, 6g carbs, 3g sugar and >2g protein each