A New Trick

I've got one wiggly, wormy, squirmy Sawyer boy! The other day I dropped him in his chair of cheer for a few minutes to play while I washed dishes; I scrubbed a dish, turned around, and Sawyer's back was on the edge of the swing, his legs dangling and a look on his face that said, "haha-er-ha, um, hey mama, what's going on?!" I grabbed him before his final kick slid him completely out of the chair but my poor nerves are still recovering.

So now that he can't scoot out, he's developed the sexy leg trick. 

He'll shake this leg and hold it up straight all night if we let him.  I promise I'm not dancing the can-can or watching Moulin Rouge every day, he's just got a flair for the fancy.

Weekend Mirths

Sawyer made his first trip to the park this weekend. We ventured out together to take in sunshine and look at all the beautiful blossoms and spring blooms. I munched on an apple, Sawyer slobbered up his monkey, and we giggled and babbled and flailed and snuggled until dad wondered where we were and came out to find us.



We also celebrated Sawyer's birthday, as we have every Friday since he was born. This week it was chocolate frappes and cupcakes from The Cocoa Bean. Jeffrey loves to die by chocolate overload, but I enjoy caramels and the occasional fruity touch to my cupcakes. And I think it's safe to say Sawyer likes whatever I like. I keep a cupcake menu in my diaper bag just in case we decide we'd like an extra sweet treat, because after all, chasing down green monsters gives us room for a treat or two...or three or four.

Finally, and most delicious of all, we spent the weekend watching General Conference as a little family. This was the first conference in our history that Jeff Jeff and I saw all general sessions together which was apropos because the importance of family, family strength and unity, and family time were messages frequently discussed. We love conference. It is always a wonderful opportunity to take note of our personal and spiritual growth over the past 6 months and also a time to learn how to better ourselves, our family, and the world around us. I've got a lot to work on but I know that working to better myself will be a catalyst for all kinds of improvement and strengthening in my life.

General Conference

Green Monsters

{here's to your health!}

If you give a post-preggo lady a cookie, you'd better have her wash it down with a green monster smoothie. My brother and sister-in-law got Jefe and I drinking these because supposedly they'll make us healthier people. They are loaded with veg and fruit, and to be honest we've only made 3 varieties that are actually yummy, which means we've been drinking a lot of yucky swamp water around here with a scowl and a toast to eternal life, then a "bottoms up!"

Green monster smoothies are really quite good for you though, so if you're interested in giving them a shot, I recommend checking out this website for ideas and tips on how to make a good one.

Here's what we like the most:
1 1/2 C almond milk (prefered to cow's milk because it has more flavor)
2 -3 large handfuls spinach
3 leaves of kale, stemmed
1 C frozen strawberries
1 tablespoon scoop frozen orange juice concentrate (we use a regular large spoon for this)
1/2 frozen banana

Layer ingredients in blender in listed order. Blend away. Like really. Blend it VERY WELL. Or else it will have the texture of liquid salad. Serves 2, or more if you don't want a large glass of veggies :)

Drink your vegetables!

Levain Bakery Copycats

One of my cousins came back from a Christmas vacation this year that included a trip to New York with a visit to Levain Bakery. My interest for these cookies was piqued as I had seen various discussions and recipes floating around the blogosphere, always accompanied by a rave review and an uber-scrumptious-looking cookie. That, coupled with the sad news that my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe is failing me these days, I set out to make these apparently UH-mazing cookies.

While I'm not yet sure if they are a true copycat (said cousin is MIA these days...Dan, come back to game night, I have cookies for you), the thick, gooey goodness is a cookie delight for us of the unknowing.

Levain Bakery Copycat
Chocolate Chip cookies
original Recipe here

Ingredients:
2 sticks cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes
3/4 C granulated sugar
3/4 C brown sugar, not packed too hard
2 eggs
1 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract

3 1/4 to 3 1/2 C flour (depending on humidity, kitchen temp, etc., dough needs to feel "like cookie dough in a tube" slightly sticky, but workable)
3/4 tsp Kosher salt
scant 1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 C semisweet chocolate chips
1 C milk chocolate chips

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Measure dry ingredients into large mixing bowl and whisk together, stir in chocolate chips, and set aside.

Cream together butter, sugars until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients and chocolate chips until just combined.

Scoop dough out onto a clean surface and gently knead to help all the ingredients come together evenly. Divide into golf-ball sized cookies and freeze individually (optional, you could bake them right away if you must).

Bake on parchment paper for 13-16 minutes, until tops are golden and just barely set (so the insides are gooey still).

Note: I baked the first batch right away, and liked the texture but something was off. They tasted too "floury." Baking them from frozen made them much better. Next time I make these cookies, I plan on adding 2 Tbsp vanilla, 1 tsp kosher salt, and perhaps a bit more sugar. If you make these, let me know what you think!

Enjoy!

One Glorious Week

Recently, our families came to town for some good old-fashioned familial support. My sister-in-law was having a reception for her BFA show, and our little lucky boy turned 2 months and was ready for his baby blessing. While we loved, loved, and loved all the festivities and presents (!) that these types of things bring, what was most wonderful was having time to be a family. I loved being an aunt and a mom so much that I'm officially convinced we should break with modernity and live in tribes like our ancestors of yore.

While I work out how that can come to pass, for now I'll be grateful for a wonderful, scattered family and memories we make together. Thanks to all who could come and be with us and love up on our sweet, precious boy.

Unfortunately, the downside to such a fantastic visit with diffuse relatives is that it eventually comes to an end...which left me a little bluesy and curled up in bed (that is, until Jeff said he'd take me out on the town with mention of cupcakes and shopping. My man sure knows how to life my spirits!)




Can you recognize the pattern in these pictures?





Cousin Lincoln loves baby Sawyer! We could hardly keep Lincoln from trying to get a better look (or lick...) at his friend. Ah, family!

2 months

(ok ok ok, so I couldn't get the landscape pictures to load right and I'm to lazy (read: I'm doing this while the baby sleeps so I really don't feel like eating precious quiet time or energy) to figure out how to fix it...but I just couldn't deprive you of that cute face, so turn your monitor if you must!)

Two months, and here's how Sawyer is measuring up: 14 lbs, 25 in long, and a pretty average sized head that is carrying cute cheeks, ocean blue eyes, and fuzzy copper hair.

My boy is getting so big! He is so long he has to wear 9 month size pants or everyone starts wondering, "hey, where's the flood?". Growing and growing is still sad for me, but I tell myself it means that there is evermore for me to love, and it is really exciting to see how he changes daily.

Other marks of note, Sawyer boy can now sleep 7 hours straight at night! He usually goes for 5 or 6 though, which feels like sleep heaven for me. That is, when I can actually sleep and I'm not waking up and looking at the clock wondering if he silently starving or wasting away after hours of not eating (or waking up feeling like I'm going to explode and start shooting milk everywhere....this nursing thing is a two-edged sword I tell ya).

He smiles! Quite often now, although he hasn't yet given up his signature look of consternation. He's also trying to laugh! It's adorable. He's got it backwards though, instead of pushing air out in a guffaw, he tries to laugh while inhaling, so it ends up sounding and looking like a wheezy smile.

In the motor skills department, he is going to roll over any day now. Frequently he'll tip all the way on his side, only to get stuck by an out-of-place arm or thrown back on his tummy by an ill timed kick. He loves to look and look at the world, so he's always moving his head around. He loves to get in his morning "dance" with nothing but his diaper on, but I'll share more on that later.

As for me, I'm doing great. I love being Sawyer's mama, and I have so much fun taking care of him. I'm continually in awe of the miracle that babies are, and how wonderful and beautiful it is to be mother and care for a little soul. It's definitely the most fulfilling thing I've done in life, and while some day I'll be ready to expand my world again and get back to some things on my to-do list, right now I'm more than content to be sure that Sawyer isn't rubbing his face in his own spit up and double-checking for poopie diapers before stepping out for a walk about town.

On Looking Back and Moving Forward

My high school alma mater was victim to a shooting today. 5 innocent students were shot, and we later heard the terrible news that 3 of the students wouldn't survive the catastrophe. I come from a small, tight-knit community that only just grew large enough to be called a city. It's a lazy, sweet home town with that good old cozy feeling to it, so I found myself in shock this morning when my mama texted me the terrible news. I was astonished that something so terrible and hateful could occur in my treasured home. I kept thinking, "my family lives there, I grew up there, I walked those very halls and spent lunch and study hall in that same cafeteria [where the shootings occured]." When I turned on the news, I saw familiar sights of the high school, nearby elementary school, and town square. I felt sick. "How could something like this happen in such a wonderful place?" I kept asking. And then I cried from pain and sorrow and fear.

You see, a baby changes everything. I can't just think about my past, and I can't just consider my future. My past, present, and future now carry the weight of another precious little soul. I was overwhelmed by the challenge of raising him in what seems to be an ever-darkening world. "Should I homeschool him?" "Where will we live where we can be safe?" "How can I keep him safe as he grows and becomes more independent?" I wondered and wondered half the day.

And then, just like an answer to my heart's prayer, I saw how my tiny Chardon community pulled together in strength to support not only the victims, but reached out to the alleged shooter as well. I witnessed how alumni everywhere burst with Chardon pride. I watched Chardon parents on TV drop everything to run to the school to find their children and make sure they were safe. It seemed everyone was focusing on moving forward and healing the hurt- and that was the example I needed. It was a solid picture of how good is stronger than evil. How love and compassion can guide us, heal us, and ultimately, protect us. I know that with excellent people like those in Chardon, Ohio coupled with my love and strength and guidance as a mother, my lucky boy will be safe throughout his life.

I'm proud to be from Chardon, Ohio. I'm especially proud of the Chardon community. I'm proud to be Sawyer's mama and I accept the challenge of moving forward in life with him.

Lately

We ventured out of the house yesterday! Just the two of us, mama and son! I was nervous the entire time because traveling with a sleeping baby is like a ticking time bomb, he could go off at any moment without a single bit of warning. But I should have known better...this boy is so agreeable, he's more like a sleeping angel than a time bomb and I was able to make it out, around, and back with nary a squeal.

Here's a bit more of what we've been doing lately, "lately" being over the past month:

{my boy, getting ready to come home from the hospital}

{his first day home!}

{snuggling up to the baby whisperer}

{he sleeps like he owns the world, plus, look at that wingspan!}

{Sawyer and mama snuggle and sleep}

{my genius child! he figured out how to hold his binky in the firs day he used it}

{like father, like son}

{baby bok bok head-his little red mullet gets mussed after a good night's sleep}

{a common sight around here}

{he's a tummy time rockstar}

1 whole month

and just in case you need to smile today:

{with faces like this, he's well on his way to becoming like his mama}

Lucky boy is rounding out his first month of life at about 23 inches long and weighing in at over 11 lbs.

He cries for 3 reasons only: if he's hungry, if he needs something new to stare at, or if he hurts. He's an angel child really and a dream of a first child since his cries always communicate his needs, and the short list of needs makes it easy for us rookies to figure out what to do. So far he's been really patient with us, which is a quality he gets from his daddy, not me. Although, patience is growing on me and I'm learning fast with late night and early morning feedings, projectile poo, and husky baby wails being my teacher.

Over the past 4 weeks, many things have changed, not the least of which includes our growing boy. It seems as though he gets bigger each day! I take that as an excuse to cuddle and hold and rock him every chance I get. He's my itty-bitty snuggler and I eat up his little moments because, if I must be honest, even the sight of clothes for 6 month olds makes me cry and hold him a bit closer. I know he'll be a great man someday, but for now he's little baby Soy Boy.