Menu Plan Monday: Delivering the Dannon

So I had an initial menu plan for the week, and then AFTER my shopping trip realized there were almost two full 650 gram containers of yogurt in the fridge right around their best before dates. Crap! When we're not in a smoothie-making phase, it seems we often end up with spoiled yogurt. :( Determined to prevent this, I deftly adjusted the menu plan to include a yogurt-heavy dish. DANGEROUS, I know! But I think things will work out. Here we go!

Monday:

Fresh & toasty sammiches - Whole grain bread, genova salami, turkey, ham, pepper jack cheese, tomato, cucumber, mayo & grainy mustard! (DONE - and MMMMMmMMM!)

Tuesday:

Shrimp and Asparagus Pasta with some mods - will be following some of the healthier suggestions (I mean c'mon - a CUP of butter?!!!) and will be serving it over PC Dine-In Tonight Ricotta & Spinach Ravioli.

Wednesday:

Lunch: Strawberry & Feta Spinach Salad
Dinner: Eating out - annual pork BBQ at the Tavistock Curling Club. (So. Delicious.)

Thursday:

Indian Yogurt Chicken with basmati rice - 2 cups of plain yog in this bad boy. Throw in a few breakfast smoothies this week and hopefully we nip our yogurt spoilage threat in the bud!

Friday:

Cheesy Ham & Broccoli Casserole - nice, simple & hearty

On Eating Organic...

Chris and I have dabbled around in buying organic foods for awhile now. There are numerous articles out there discussing the health and other benefits, however we (admittedly) haven't put a huge emphasis on it up until this point. Now that S is eating solids, however, we're making an effort to change this! While it's not practical (or highly affordable) to plan to buy EVERYTHING organic, there is a short list of produce we're going to really focus on. You may have heard of it - it's called "The Dirty Dozen". Developed by the Environmental Working Group, these are foods that are commonly laden with a large number of pesticides which are difficult or impossible to clean off. It appears that the list changed slightly in 2010; here's the latest short list:

1) Celery
2) Peaches
3) Strawberries
4) Apples
5) Blueberries
6) Nectarines
7) Bell Peppers
8) Spinach
9) Kale
10) Cherries
11) Potatoes
12) Grapes

In an ideal world, all of the food we eat would be organic, however this may not be practical or affordable in all cases. Luckily, there is also a "Clean 15" list of fruits and veggies which are least affected by pesticides and therefore not considered as important to buy organic:

1) Onions
2) Sweet corn
3) Pineapples
4) Avocado
5) Asparagus
6) Sweet peas
7) Mangos
8) Eggplant
9) Cantaloupe (domestic)
10) Kiwi
11) Cabbage
12) Watermelon
13) Sweet Potatoes
14) Grapefruit
15) Mushrooms

Info on both the (older) Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 can be found here.
Info on the latest Clean 15 can be found here.

Also, I found the following "cheat sheet" which can be printed out as a quick reference!

Today, S and I are going to head down to Pfennings Organics & More in St. Agatha and check out their organic produce section. Pfennings also offers four types of organic produce baskets (blender, fruit, local and wild) which change week to week. They also offer free delivery to surrounding areas. We might start ordering these! I love the local basket in particular; organic AND local - a great combo! Plus, the fact that the basket's contents change week to week will encourage us to try different recipes and preparations.

I'm also going to scout out other good sources for organic produce - in particular, foods from the Dirty Dozen list. The local supermarkets have some selections, but they're limited and unpredictable. In cases where we can't buy organic, we're going to at least strive to buy local. Ontario farmers have reduced their chemical pesticide use considerably within the last 25 years and there are ongoing initiatives to continue this trend.

So how about you? Do you strive to buy & eat organic foods? If so, do you focus on the Dirty Dozen or do you try for broader adoption? Where do you buy your organic foods?

Family-Friendly Giveaway Roundup open to Canadians - 06/11

Took a bit of a hiatus from searching out and entering new giveaways, so made up for things tonight! Here's an up-to-date roundup of goodies. :)

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06/12: Customized Nykibaby diaper (WORLDWIDE)
Hosted by: The Crafty Nest
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 2; current entries:870

06/12: Levana Safe 'N See Digital Video Baby Monitor (WORLDWIDE)
Hosted by: Mommy and Me Giveaways
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:1267

06/13: Lovely Pocket Diaper (WORLDWIDE)
Hosted by: Six in the Nest
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; Facebook like
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 2; current entries:293

(NEW) 06/13: Envibum AIO diaper (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mama Chocolate
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 2; current entries:N/A

(NEW) 06/13: Evolution ION pocket diaper (WORLDWIDE)
Hosted by: Cloth Diaper Contests & Giveaways
Mandatory entry: None
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 2; current entries: 798

(NEW) 06/13: gDiaper Newborn Bundle ($150 value!) (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Being Pregnant
Mandatory entry: Leave a comment!
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1 (?); current entries: 1338
 
(NEW) 06/14: Happy Heinys OS pocket diaper from Chic Cheeks (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mama Chocolate
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 2; current entries:N/A

06/15: Lovely Pocket Diaper (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mommy Kat and Kids
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:524

(NEW) 06/15: Sew Is Your Baby diaper + insert (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Lindsay's Family Reviews & Giveaways
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:142

(NEW) 06/15: ERGOBaby Carrier (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mommy and Me Giveaways
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:1743

06/16: 4 pairs of Crawler Covers (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mama's Passions
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; Facebook like
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 2; current entries:424

06/16: First Food Organics starter pack (ONTARIO ONLY)
Hosted by: Little Miss Kate
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 0; current entries:60

(NEW) 06/16: Lovely Pocket Diaper (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Cloth Diaper Contests & Giveaways
Mandatory entry: None
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 2; current entries: 492

(NEW) 06/16: 2 Giggle Life diapers (CAN/US)
Hosted by: One Smiley Monkey
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; Facebook like
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 11; current entries:491

(NEW) 06/17: FuzziBunz OS Diaper from Bum Luxury (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Formula Mom
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 5; current entries:803

(NEW) 06/17: 50 Piece Eco Blocks Set by Sprig (CAN/US)
Hosted by: One Smiley Monkey
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; Facebook like
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 11; current entries:198

(NEW) 06/17: Best Bottom diaper shell + 3 inserts (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Formula Mom
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 5; current entries:733

(NEW) 06/17: Blissful Booty diaper (CAN/US)
Hosted by: The Nurse Mommy
Mandatory entry: Facebook like
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:215

(NEW) 06/17: itti bitti d'lish AIO diaper (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Seventeen Sirens
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 3; current entries:453

(NEW) 06/18: Thirsties Duo Diaper (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Tales From the Nursery
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 0; current entries:524

(NEW) 06/19: Wallypop fitted diaper + fleecy wrap (WORLDWIDE)
Hosted by: Formula Mom
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 5; current entries:416

(NEW) 06/19: 2 Kawaii Goodnight Heavy Wetter diapers (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mama on a Green Mission
Mandatory entry: Comment on cloth diapering
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 4; current entries:524

(NEW) 06/20: AMP AIO diaper from Abigail's Diapers (WORLDWIDE)
Hosted by: Formula Mom
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 5; current entries:692

(NEW) 06/21: itti bitti d'lish AIO diaper (WORLDWIDE)
Hosted by: Formula Mom
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 5; current entries:936

(NEW) 06/21: itti bitti tutto diaper (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Tales From the Nursery
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 0; current entries:529

(NEW) 06/21: AppleCheeks Print Diaper (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Dirty Diaper Laundry
Mandatory entry: None
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 0; current entries:470
** Note - several other blogs are giving away AppleCheeks print diapers as well! View the link above for a full list!

(NEW) 06/21: PlanetWise reusable bags (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Mama Chocolate
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; Facebook lik
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 2; current entries:N/A

(NEW) 06/22: Tropical Traditions Dishwasher Detergent (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Rachel's Reviews and Giveaways
Mandatory entry: Newsletter sign-up
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 2; current entries:130

(NEW) 06/22: Mother-ease Sandy's System (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Formula Mom
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 5; current entries:517

(NEW) 06/23: 10 cloth wipes, 2 diaper liners and 2 inserts from Olie & Ava (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Knocked Up and Nursing
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 0; current entries:140

(NEW) 06/23: Envibum diaper + extra absorbency pad (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Formula Mom
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 5; current entries:639

(NEW) 06/24: MiniMaestro pocket diaper + insert (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Formula Mom
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 5; current entries:465

(NEW) 06/25: Lovely Pocket Diaper (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Formula Mom
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 5; current entries:320

(NEW) 06/25: Lovely Pocket Diaper (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Tales From the Nursery
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 0; current entries:165

(NEW) 06/25: SmartBottoms AIO Diaper (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Six in the Nest
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 2; current entries:53

06/26: 3 AppleCheeks cloth diapers (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Baby Dickey's Giveaways
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 0; current entries:N/A

(NEW) 06/27: 2 Itti Bitti diapers + 1 wetbag (CAN/US)
Hosted by: Knocked Up and Nursing
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 0; current entries:362

(NEW) 06/29: Mother-ease diaper, wrap & liner (CAN/US)
Hosted by: One Smiley Monkey
Mandatory entry: GFC follow; Facebook like
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 11; current entries:184

(NEW) 06/30: TomTom GO 2505 TM Car Navigation Device (CAN ONLY)
Hosted by: Mommy Kat and Kids
Mandatory entry: Website visit
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 1; current entries:471

(NEW) ??? (1000 GFC followers): $50 Surprise coth diaper package (CAN/US)
Hosted by: The Tree Huggin' Mama
Mandatory entry: GFC follow
# winners: 1; daily entries pp: 0; current entries:N/A

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Notes:

• Giveaways are listed in chronological order by closing date
  
• Most of the giveaways I'm currently scouting out are for cloth diapers and related products, so there is a heavy lean toward these
• All giveaways I post will be open to Canadians; some exclusively. I'll indicate whether a particular contest is CAN/US, CAN ONLY or WORLDWIDE beside each listing.
• To help you decide which giveaways to enter, I will list the mandatory entry, the number of winners (# winners), the number of daily entries per person (daily entries pp) and the current number of total entries at the time of this writing (current entries).
• Giveaways which have just been added to the list this week have a NEW tag.
• If you know of a great family-friendly product giveaway open to Canadians which is missing from my list, feel free to leave a comment and let me know. Thanks!

Packages galore!!!

All of the giveaway wins below arrived recently within a few days of one another! It was package after package - in the mailbox, at the door and at the post office! *SWOON*

Top left: Mudpuppy Forest Friends Block Puzzle from Freckleberry Finds
Top middle/right: Thirsties Duo Wrap & Duo Hemp Prefold from Mama Days
Bottom right: Two packages of Charlie Banana Wipes from Dirty Diaper Laundry
Bottom left: Cow Patties AI2 diaper from The Reynolds Mom (SUSHI PRINT!!! How much does that rule? :D :D )

Thanks so much to all the hosts and sponsors for giving away these amazing products!

Favourite baby gear roundup: 4-6 months

Alllllright - time for another baby gear roundup! This time I'll be listing our picks for top baby items based on S's months 4-6. If you're interested in our 0-3 month roundup as well, you can take a look here!

In addition to "standard" items like car seats and cribs, I've also decided to leave out items which, as useful as they may be, don't really depend on baby's age (e.g. stain removers, nursing bras and laundry detergents - numbers 8, 7 and 2, respectively on the last roundup). From this point forward, I'd like to keep these roundups catered to items particularly awesome to the specific age range being covered.

Okee dokee, let's dive in!

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The Top 10:

#10 - Twinkle Twinkle Little Violet - an honourable mention in the last roundup, Violet cracked the Top 10 here as she continued to be a key part of our bedtime routine through months 3-6. The previous description still fits, so I'll repeat it here: This li'l pal plays your choice of lullabies or environmental sounds in either 10 minute or 20 minute durations and also cradles a moon that glows, creating a type of night light. Little Violet became part of our night time routine once we moved S to the crib in her nursery. I play either the music or sounds during our pre-bedtime nursing session and then put her down with it still playing. I'm not sure to what extent the sounds are soothing to S, but I kinda like it in the background while I nurse her before bedtime. :) S also likes to look at the glowing moon when she's sleepy.

#9 - Melissa & Doug First Bead Maze - Although the recommended age for this toy is 1+, it has already become a favourite for S (starting when she was about 5 months old). It holds her interest for a good 10-15 minutes at a time when she's in her highchair or bumbo, and it's great for her developing fine motor skills. She likes to spin the beads at the bottom and is starting to get the hang of moving the top beads up and over to the other side.And, of course, she likes to suck on the different parts as well. :) Everything is attached so there's no choking concern, and the best part is that the big suction cups ensure it stays put in front of her, unlike her other toys which invariably end up on the floor within minutes (if not seconds). :) This toy should have some longevity as well as she continues to improve at "navigating" the maze.

#8 - Dr. Seuss' ABC: An Amazing Alphabet Book! Babies between 3 and 6 months often prefer to swat and/or gum at books rather than look and listen patiently. S is no exception - except for a few key books, that is! Dr. Seuss' ABC is one of them. I'm not sure if it's the catchy rhymes, the whimsical pictures or both, but S is simply captivated by this book! We've read it so many times that I'm pretty sure I have the whole thing memorized. It's fun to read too. How could it not be, with lines like "Four fluffy feathers on a fiffer-feffer-feff"? :)

#7 - Baby Einstein Mirror Me! Another book that S can't get enough of! She loooves the bright & crisp pictures (especially the gecko) and gets super silly and excited looking at "mirror baby" and "mirror mommy" on every page. Another one we grab on almost a daily basis!

#6 - Infantino Activity Shapes - Jungle - Another honourable mention in the last roundup, these plush li'l jungle friends have recently become some of S's favourite toys. Especially the lion! He never fails to elicit grins, if not all-out coos and laughter! (Check out the final video on her 5 month update to see what I mean!) The monkey and elephant often end up attached to her car seat with her, for fun on the go! (For some reason the lion doesn't have an attachment loop like the other two, so he usually stays in her nursery.)


#5 - Bumbo baby seat - It seems to me that parents are heavily divided when it comes to the (in?)famous Bumbo. Many LOVE it but the rest don't care for it at all. We're campin' out on the love side, baby! When you're looking to grab a quick baby-free 5 mins, nothing's easier or comfier for little one than this puppy. It also doubles (triples?) as a feeding and play chair by adding the tray on top (sold separately). Plus, it's portable so you can use it on the go for feeding or chillin' out. Word of warning, however - babies can get out!!! We were wondering that for awhile as S liked to hang over the side to drag toys across the table and would also arch her back when she started getting fussy. And indeed, one day she managed to arch herself right out. (Luckily Chris was there so disaster was averted!) Now when she's in there we pretty much always have the tray attached. All in all, great for this age range but we suspect it'll wear out its welcome pretty soon. It's also quite pricey to buy new, however many used ones are kicking around on sites like Kijiji, and they also have great resale value because they're so durable.

#4 - Fisher Price Rainforest Jumperoo - We borrowed this sweet jumper from cousin Avery when S was about 4 months old. Since then, it's taken up permanent residence beside our kitchen island and is one of the first non-human "babysitters" we turn to when we need a few spare minutes! From the first time S tried it out, she loved playing with all the spinny and pully toys around the outside, and she always grins when we turn on the happy jungle music! She was too short at the beginning to reach the floor so we stuck a couple phone books underneath which she happily used as a launching pad! Now, she can reach with her tippy-toes so she's able to get bouncing without assistance. That said, I've have to say she's not an OVERLY zealous bouncer (like her mother was, apparently :). Though that may come with time. Hopefully we get a couple more months out of this bad boy!

#3 - Sophie the Giraffe - Ahhh, Sophie. Although it may seem cliched to include her in a top baby items list, well, she belongs there dammit! The 3-6 month range is perfect for introducing Sophie, as baby's little hands are coordinated enough to hold her and mouth all the satisfying little parts. It's also reassuring to know that she's made of natural, non-toxic rubber. S clearly prefers Sophie over other "holdable" toys, as when she has a few options (e.g. when she's in her car seat or hangin' out at baby yoga) the giraffe's almost always the one that's in her mouth. My guess is that Sophie will remain a favourite for awhile, especially once S learns how to make her squeak!



#2 - HALO SleepSack. #1 on our last roundup, this is still one of our absolute favourite baby items for its safety, convenience and comfort. S just grew out of her small size sacks (she has two - a regular sack and a swaddle) and is now wearing a larger organic cotton one on cooler nights. So if the HALO is so awesome, what could possibly have knocked it out of the #1 spot, you ask? Well, let's find out! Drumroll, please....


#1 - ERGObaby Carrier. I can't express how much I {{heart}} this carrier! Soooo easy to put on and get baby in and out of, sooooooo comfortable to wear (hence the "ergo") and soooo flexible - baby can be worn in front (facing inward or outward), on your back or on your hip! So far, I've only worn S in front facing me, but she definitely enjoys this position and can easily turn from side to side if she wants to look around at things. The little details are great as well - the front pocket for storing small items so you can leave your purse behind, the sleeping "hammock" and the helpful accessories you can buy such as sucking straps. I was so happy that I decided to buy one despite the fact that we already had 3 other carriers. This one leaves the others in the dust! Thanks Baby Steals - if it weren't for your 50% off deal, I'd probably still be trying to win one via blog giveaways. :) My guess is that the ERGO will remain at the top of the list at least once or twice more, unless S decides she no longer wants to be confined once she learns the fine arts of crawling and walking. Time will tell!


Honourable Mentions:

It's late and I need to get to bed, so I'll just list the honourables without heavy elaboration.
Moby Wrap (#9 on the last roundup; still wear my Moby sometimes around the house, however the ERGO has far overtaken it as my favourite carrier.)
Sophie Leash from Lil Divas Bowtique (see my review here!)
LeapFrog Spin and Sing Alphabet Zoo (#6 on the last roundup; S still likes it and has obviously gotten more coordinated with her spinning, but isn't quite as excited by it as she used to be.)
Baby Neptune Ocean Adventure Gym (#3 on the last roundup; losing its luster recently since she's been getting more mobile. We'll probably retire it soon.)
Dri-Pad change pad from Driline Baby (Won this in a giveaway; love to use it now on the floor of S's nursery for bare bum time!)

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Hope you enjoyed the latest roundup! Any readers out there have any 4-6 month "must have" items which didn't make our list?

Memorable Monday 6/6

Haven't done one of these in awhile. In the absense of a Menu Plan Monday post (just got back from a mini-vacation tonight) I thought this was a good time to get back in the saddle!

Flats and Handwashing Challenge: Over and Done (Dirty Diaper Laundry) - If you're a cloth diapering parent, you may have heard of this challenge (and possibly even participated). The main purpose was to demonstrate that just about ANYONE can cloth diaper as it can be done on an extremely tight budget and without conveniences such as a washer/dryer and diaper sprayer. I didn't take part myself, but I followed along with the accomplishments and struggles of other parents participating in the challenge. Kim Rosas (the mastermind behind the FaHC) provides a terrific postmortem here, along with links to conclusions from other participants.

The Opulent Ability to Give (Simple Mom) - Discusses the benefits of living within one's (financial) means via a poignant account of a Filipino family living in acute poverty. This article is written by one of several "Compassion Bloggers" who recently visited the Phillipines representing Compassion International, an organization which partners with bloggers to help release children from poverty.

There Will Never Be Another Moment Like This (Connected Mom) - A touching reminder of the importance of living in the present and cherishing every moment!

Preparing a 72 Hour Kit with Kids in Mind (Job Description: Mommy) - A helpful "starter list" of items (including those specific to babies/kids) that would be helpful to have in a kit in the event of a natural disaster or emergency.

5 Strategies for Preparing for a Great Garage Sale (Simple Organic) - 'tis the season, so great timing on this one!

Life Update...

Lots going on right now, so I thought I'd do a quick li'l update to capture everything! Bullet-point form as I still have lots to do tonight, and hence don't want to waste precious time worrying about perfecting my prose. :)

• We have found Lucy a wonderful new home! A retired couple in Chris' parents condo community called them after seeing the ad they put up on the community's online site. They're cat lovers but have been without a pet for some time. We took Lucy over for a "meet and greet" tonight and it was a match made in heaven! Lucy took to them instantly and began happily prowling around the place. I'm so relieved - wht a weight off the shoulders! Plus they're close by so we can go visit! We'll be officially moving Lucy on Wednesday night!
• Chris has arranged a surprise trip for S and me this weekend, however work whisked him off on a business trip yesterday and today, leaving me in charge of packing. For a *surprise* trip!!! He assures me we're not flying nor camping, so a "regular" (??) packing job should fit the bill. Thing is, this is the first time I've packed for S so I'm not sure what regular is! Let's just say I'm glad we have a van as I'll be erring on the side of caution here. :) (And this is also why I have lots to do tonight - more than half of the packing still to do! *grumble*)
• I've really begun to find my rhythm with this whole motherhood thing. I'm getting much better at multi-tasking and doing things efficiently. And the menu planning has totally helped as well! All this despite the fact that S hasn't been sleeping through the night recently and therefore I've been pretty exhausted. I r0000l.
• My sister is getting married next week! They are keeping things extremely low-key, however I'm still very excited for her! :D
• Next week is S's last swimming lesson! She's had fun splashing around, singing songs, swimming after duckies and doing wall jumps! She has even gotten used to the dunk and doesn't mind it too much! We'll probably sign her up again in the Fall and get her into some public pools and/or possibly put in our own pool this summer! (Something like one of these $800 Canadian Tire jobbies.)
• S and I had a great time yesterday reconnecting with J (of Gingham Skies) and meeting her "Rock Star" son! J - you rule! Hope to do it again. :) Oh, and S took a ride in a bucket swing for the first time and loved it!!
• Blog-wise, I'm excited to be hosting giveaways again very soon! I have several great sponsors and prizes lined up this month, and there should be more to come! Spread the word, and stay tuned!

So what have all you been up to recently??

"S" @ 6 months: On a Roll!

So this was weird. Months 1-5 flew by so quickly, but month 6 positively DRAGGED on. I thought it would never end.

...As if! I just felt like finding a not-so-cliched way of saying the cliched "WOW! Where did the time go?!" :) On that note, let's dive into Month 6!

S's latest appointment and vaccination took place last Wednesday, May 25th - one day past her 6-month birthday. She handled the shot like a TRUE champ; just a tiny whimper - not even a cry! That's our girl! Growth-wise, she has gained in both weight and height but has slowed down a little bit. 13 lb 15.5 oz (up about 5 1/2 oz from last month) and 25.5 inches (only up 1/2 an inch since her 4-month appointment). Curve-wise, she's at around the 25th percentile in weight and just under the 50th percentile in height. She's a little peanut, but definitely still in the healthy range!

Here is her official 6-month photo:

Yeah, she's kinda wearing grampa pants in this one, but she's comfy dammit!

Take a look at her up-to-date month-to-month album here!

Lots of big milestones and changes this month! For starters, she FINALLY mastered the fine art of rolling from her stomach onto her back, following a good 2 months or so of rolling in the other direction and getting stuck. Now she flip-flops around every which way, and sometimes gets a good barrel roll going! Definitely no more brief, unattended moments on the bed or the change table starting this month! She has also really started rockin' the mini pushups and is working on a move akin to downward-facing dog. Baby yoga continues to pay dividends!

She is also now able to sit up. OK, mostly. She still gets a little unstable from time to time, as evidenced by the following photo:

(I felt pretty bad as that lovely smile quickly turned into a grump once she'd clonked over on her side. Oops!!)

Her strength and coordination continued to improve this month as well. Following a couple weeks of Chris and I mulling over whether or not she could work herself out of her Bumbo chair, she finally settled that debate with one super-determined back arch! Luckily Chris was right there, and since then the tray is always firmly in place!

Speaking of the Bumbo tray, we've taken to suctioning her Melissa & Doug First Bead Maze on there, and this keeps her entertained for a good 8-10 minutes at a time! She likes to spin the bottom beads, and she is learning to push the main beads up and over to the other side. Great little toy!

Near the end of the month it would seem she suddenly went from being the strong, silent type to having an opinion on everything - and SHARING it! Buhs and gahs and AHHHHHHs and ARLLLLLLLLLAAAAAS galore! Daddy really has her going here:

Finally, the biggest and most exciting milestone of them all: starting solids! If you've kept up with my blog recently, you may have read that we first tried some home-made rice cereal (lukewarm reception) and then switched gears and offered her pears (not a fan). Next, we gave peas a whirl and she booed these off the stage too. We concluded that she doesn't like anything that starts with "pea". :) At the very end of the month, we decided to go back to grains but moved to oats, as we didn't want to gum her up further given her continued infrequent bowel habits. And guess what? They were a hit!



Lots more culinary excitement to come in Month 7!

Oh yeah - one more thing worth mentioning (well, repeating) here. A few weeks back, S was coughing a lot so we took her to the doctor who thought she might have asthma. Since then, we've used the inhalers on and off and she's much better now. Poor Lucy has been relegated to the basement, however, until we can find a loving new home for her. :( But that's another story.

Overall, Month 6 was an exciting and happy month, so let's end on that note, shall we?

"WHEEE! My Daddy is the COOLEST!"

Wordless Wednesday: Baby-Led Broccoli

....or would that be "broccoli-led weaning"??

Menu Plan Monday: Screamin' for Scallops

During last week's grocery trip (yup, I only went once - such is the glory of MPMs!) I picked up some nice 'n' plump frozen scallops on special. I looove scallops and will often order them at (good) restaurants, however have yet to prepare them myself. Ever! But I'm about to remedy this, as the mighty scallop will be served on Thursday night as part of this week's menu. Minted. With last year's mint that's running amock in our garden this year. w00t!

I was also inspired recently by the delicious apple & butternut squash soup I enjoyed at EJ's in Baden. My guess is that theirs isn't prepared fresh as BNS isn't in season, but it was still YUM! So I'm going to make its first cousin - apple, carrot and ginger soup! Pork tenderloin is also on special this week at Sobey's so I'm going to continue the apple theme and rock some tenderloin w/ applesauce. With steamed "small trees" on the side. And we're thinking of letting S have one of these to gum around at, in the spirit of dabbling around at baby-led weaning!

Monday:

"Leftovers" pasta (I've got a few whole wheat lasagna sheets left from last week's Mexican Lasagna, so I'm going to slice these up into an approximation of fettucini with tomato, garlic and mushrooms. And maybe a zucchini. *nods*)

Tuesday:

Pork Tenderloin with Applesauce
Steamed broccoli
Garlic mashed potatoes

Wednesday:

Gingered Carrot-Apple Soup

Salad of sorts (I'll probably just get one of the boxed salads - we'll see what's in stock at the store.)

Thursday:

Risotto with Scallops and Minted Peas (I'm going to follow the delicious-looking recipe in my "Bowl Foods" book which is similar to this.)

Friday:

Chris is in Washington. I'll nuke something or grab a panzerotti :)