Sunday = Baby Food Making Day

As some of you know, I've been making Aaron's food. Yes, there are times I cheat and just feed him some good 'ole fashioned Gerber - like when we travel, but for the most part I make it all. I really love to cook, and this is kind of my creative outlet, but it can be very time consuming. I usually just spend a whole Sunday morning making enough to last a couple of months. Let me share with you what it's like. Mind you, I have a very small kitchen. 

Necessary equipment - immersion blender, food processor, blender, chopping boards, good knives, peeler, measuring cups, lots of pots, and baby jars. The wine doesn't go into the baby food - only into my mouth. 

All of my ingredients & most of the equipment

Mixtures of squash & sweet potato; chicken, squash & apple; chicken, squash & sweet potato; legumes, carrots, sweet potato, beef stock & water; and pureed apples

3 hours and 2 cut fingers later I am finished! I just freeze all of this into ice cube trays and then portion them into ziplock bags. I also bought bananas, blueberries and peaches, but those I usually just make when I need them. But they also freeze nicely, as well. 

After all of this hard work I'm very excited to try the legume mixture on my guinea pig. This was his first time having this concoction. I thought it tasted just like pot roast and was very proud of it!

And then I get this reaction.

What the hell, lady?!

I'm gonna puke, I'm gonna puke!

Woooooo Weeeeee - that was a tough swallow.

RUDE!

This mommy decided she had earned a beer after all of this. 

I also learned over the weekend that he might not be a fan of grapes. He's still too young for grapes, but I was just letting him suck on it while I held it. 

Even if I get a couple of fails with foods, these faces are priceless. For the most part he really does like everything I make him, I swear. 

Fourth of July

Growing up I always really loved the Fourth of July. Parades, swimming, grilling out & fireworks make for the perfect day. I look forward to having these traditions with Aaron. We didn't stay long enough to watch the fireworks since it would be too late for Aaron. But I think he still enjoyed his first 4th!

We broke out some of my cousins' old toys for Aaron. I LOVED playing with that farm!

Hope you all had a nice 4th!

The weather has been so nice out lately - when it's not raining. We've been trying to get some outdoor time in. Sometimes you have to change it up or else I catch him doing this....

Always in to everything but his toys

My little superhero

Even superheros need to refuel - at least it's on Puffs and not mulch

Celebrating Memories & Marriages

Last Sunday the whole family travelled down to Bongard, IL to attend mass at Immaculate Conception.....the church I grew up going to, my dad & his family grew up going to, my grandpa grew up going to, my great grandpa went to - you get the idea. I got a history lesson from my grandpa Bosch, and then made him quiz me a couple of times, so hopefully I get all of this right.

Immaculate Conception has been open since 1900 I believe. My grandpa was baptized there, married there, and has been going there for almost 88 years! My family always sat in the 4th row, right in front of grandma and grandpa. This old church will be shutting its doors in a few weeks. It will have mass on occasion, weddings and funerals. Mass was said in honor of my grandparents. Someone joked that if grandma and grandpa could just get their kids and their families to attend every Sunday the doors wouldn't have to close. It was nice for us all to be together for one last mass there.

Renewing their vows

The newlyweds

My grandparents, my parents, and 3 sets of aunts and uncles were married at IC. Here is the group shot.

“Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting.” 
― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

After church we headed to my grandparents' house in Longview, IL for a cookout, quality family time, damn good Bloody Mary's (thanks gramps!)  and some free puppy entertainment. I also got to show Bryan the house where 10 people lived at one time - how they did it, I'll never know.

Thanks to Caitlin & Sarah for capturing these pictures for us!

Charlie

Harley

Finn

And one to end on!

A little about me....OK!

At work we were asked to write a short paragraph about ourselves for a "Getting To Know You" board. There are over 100 people in my department, and it's impossible to really know everyone. I had some fun with my write up & wanted to share it. As you have all probably gathered, my blog is mostly about my baby. So now is my chance to share a little about me.

I’m just a small town girl (♪♪living in a lonely world♪♪) who moved to Bloomington in 2001 to attend ISU. I graduated in 2005 with a degree in Public Relations. Shortly after graduation I met my now husband, Bryan, and started working for State Farm. I’ve been with State Farm for 7 years now.

When I’m not working, I’m spending all of my free time with my 9 month old son, Aaron. He keeps us very busy, and is at such a fun, playful stage right now – who also thinks being told “no” is hilarious. When I do get those rare, free moments to myself, I love cooking, gardening and going to garage sales.

My favorite season is Illini football season (aka fall). I come from a very large family who often hate that we love the Illini so much. I’m also a Cubs fan – double whammy. My husband is a die-hard Cardinals fan, so it will be interesting to see who our son cheers for – but I think I already know (sigh). 

I love all genres of music. I believe music tells a lot about a person, and is also a great way to make a lot of people mad by playing tons of Madonna & Pat Benatar at a sports bar get to know people! I guess I will always be a child of the ‘80s.

Once you have a baby, your life revolves around that little person. It was a little hard writing about myself. I really had to think..."hmmm, what do I like these days?". Most of my conversations with people are about Aaron. It was kind of nice reflecting on who I am, and what I enjoy for a brief moment.

Have a good weekend, all!

9 months!

I'm 9 months!

I can't believe my little red head - well, is a red head for one! - but also that he is 9 months old now. He's a very happy baby and really on the move these days (see previous post). 

Some of Aaron's favorite (and not so favorite) things right now:

1. He loves shoes & pretending that they're cars.

2. He is starting to like music more & will sometimes dance to it.

3. He loves water - water running in the sink, bath time and watering the garden.

4. He's crawling all over the place and all over us! We're like his jungle gym!

5. He likes to blow bubbles with his mouth. 

6. He's babbling ALL the time - but still only saying "dada". He's really trying to say other things - nothing close to "mama", though. 

7. I'm starting to see hints of separation anxiety setting in, but it's ok - it just means he really loves his mama, and I'm ok with that. 

8. I learned that he doesn't like when I imitate the different animals in some of his books. He started crying tonight during our bedtime story when I imitated the hippo, lion, zebra, boa constrictor & flamingo. I finally just stopped reading the book. 

9. He loves when we go on walks. I'm finding that it soothes him into a nice little nap, and then I power walk home so I can get some things done!

10. I think he's going to be very independent. He wants to feed himself, hold his own bottle, and turn the pages of the book by himself just to name a few. I'm so proud of him, but would be fine with him staying a baby forever. 

Pulling Up

Look at my big boy! He's starting to pull himself up on everything....toys, chairs, the couch, your leg. He likes to be standing up. He's very busy these days!