Testing, testing

For anyone who still looks at this forsaken blog, here are some pics of this quirky fam, taken by my brother.

I will survive

The first year of motherhood almost killed me (and the second year is working on it still) but alas, I am stretching into my new skin. My current life is to funny NOT to write down so I have started to want to again. Sometimes it's funny in the Ha Ha sense, but mostly funny in the way that if I don't write about it I will surely go insane. Somehow putting things in writing and taking an outside look makes it more laughable. Here was the silliness of today...at the park... Little girl to me: What are you doing? Me: Just sitting here, what are you doing? Girl: Wearing a hat. Do you like it here? Me: Yes, very much. What is your favorite thing to play on? Girl: The twirly thing Me: The tire swing? Oh, you are brave, I don't like those things. Girl: It is because I am only 4. Me: Nice I would say it is a successful day when one is "just sitting here" or "wearing a hat". Wouldn't you? However, if you asked Caiden what he was doing, he would say that he is recovering from a huge bruise and scrape on his forehead because he took a nosedive over the push bike mom bought for him today at a garage sale. First ride and I couldn't even protect him. Nice. Does that score as an unsuccessful day for Caiden or for me?

Reality

I am a new mom. And I can't keep up in general, but especially with luxuries like a blog ;)It feels more like pressure than fun, so I have decided to post pictures on facebook because it's EASY. And my mom can download them which makes me feel good because she stops asking me to email them to her. Which takes more time. Plus my picasa is full and I don't want to pay money each month or take the time to delete pictures so I can upload more on the blog. Therefore, for a while all pictures will be on facebook and all random rants and raves will be here (if there is time for ranting and raving). Ah, motherhood! I love it, but it is a timesucker.

Why is bacon so good?

Saying I don't eat pork, but I eat bacon is about the equivalent to saying I am a vegetarian but I eat fish. But the truth is, I don't eat pork, except bacon. Anything that good is worth eating off any animal. Heck, I would eat oppossum bacon if it tasted that good. I don't much like bacon on it's own (too salty, greasy, and guilt inducing), but IN something, now we're talking. Here is a new recipe I tried tonight and I can't get enough of it. It's BLT pasta. Yum! Bob thinks it's a bit on the girly side since it doesn't have a thick sauce (funny how food can be girly, right?)but I argue that since it has bacon it can be considered gender neutral. Here it is. Please try it, you won't be disappointed: BLT Pasta 6 servings 8 oz bacon 1 box penne pasta 4 tbsp olive oil 1 medium onion, diced 1 bag fresh spinach, roughly chopped 1 bunch red chard, well cleaned, sliced 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved 1/3 cup fresh basil, torn (I used dried) 3 tbsp white balsamic vinegar 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper 1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boiling 2. Cook bacon in a large skillet for 10 min over medium heat until just crispy. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Reserve 2 tbsp of the drippings in skillet. 3. Meanwhile cook penne in boiling water for 11 min. Drain. 4. Add 2 tbsp of the olive oil to skillet with bacon drippings. Return to medium heat. Add onion and cook 5 minutes. Add spinach and chard and cook 4 minutes until wilted. Stir in cherry tomatoes, cook 2 minutes. 5. In a large bowl, toss penne, bacon, spinach mixture, basil, remaining 2 tbsp olive oil, the vinegar, salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Caiden in June...a video

Here is a video my brother made when he came to visit back in June:

Caiden Fisher Mehaffey; June 2012 from tyler wohlford on Vimeo.

The bird

Found Caiden asleep like this the other day. My sweet Caiden, 2 months old and flipping the bird.

Officially old

No, I didn't have my 30th birthday. Yet. However, I am officially old as of Wednesday because I was diagnosed with shingles. Yes, shingles. They do have a vaccine for it, but you have to be 50 before they give it to you. Which means I have a disease of 50 year olds (not that that's old mom and dad, just older than me). When the doctor walked in she said, "Oh your eyes are so red have you not been sleeping?". I replied, "I have a newborn." All she said was, "Oh." Then she saw my rash and heard my symptoms and in a compassionate voice told me I had shingles. I told her that I thought shingles was for older people and she said it happens when someone's immune system is weak, which is usually in older people, but sometimes in those younger. Apparently taking care of a child weakens your immune system. Who would've thought? Ha!

Yesterday was awful. I told Bob it was worse than labor (which is an encouragement to my pregnant friends). I only got out of bed to go to the bathroom, to which I crawled. Luckily Bob took off work and stayed with Caiden but it has been hard on all of us. I am taking meds so I feel MUCH better today and have gotten some time with my babe. I know he missed all of my silly songs yesterday so I am having to catch up on them today. I am sure Bob appreciates that too :)

While we are on the old ailing body topic, I know you have been holding your breath about my mole. It is benign, so no worries there. Next time an update on my digestive system. Just kidding.

A visit from Grandma and Grauntie

 My mom and Aunt came in for a much needed visit about a week ago. The weather was perfect and we had a lot of fun and a lot of rest. They were able to stay with him on my first day of teaching so I didn't have to worry about a thing. Above is us having a picnic at our old apartment complex down by the river. Caiden and his Grauntie Shelly are both enjoying their picnics. Below is Grandma holding sleepy Caiden.

 Grauntie feeding Caiden a bottle after touring and oil and vinegar shop (free samples!)

 On a walk through the nearby woods.

 Halls family on the porch.

Above is a picture of the adorable blanket Grauntie Shelly made for Caiden.
Thanks for a great visit Grandma and Grauntie!

Cotton eyed Joe

A little while back Caiden started this stomping move with one of his legs so we started singing the cotton eyed Joe song (we have a song for everything). We showed my mom and aunt when they were here and it prompted recorded him doing song and dance. Viewer discretion advised: not sure if this is cute or cruel but it will be good blackmail someday! When Bob showed this to one of his friends he said, "Isn't that child abuse making him listen to that kind of music?" Enjoy...

2 months young

When we text my dad a picture of Caiden the other day, he replied to Bob's phone, "Someone's getting chubby..." and Bob responded, "I didn't think I was gaining that much weight." Of course it is our little one who is doing all the growing. His looks are changing so much and he is getting bigger by the second. At his two month checkup, pictured here with his papa, he weighed 12 lbs 14 oz and was almost 2 ft long (tall?--when does it change from long to tall, when they can stand?).
Some highlights:
*he smiles like crazy
*he likes all sorts of sounds and songs
*more awake time (which can sometimes be a lowlight when he is fussy or we are tired)
*sleeping longer at night
*loves to stand up and bounce around

It's strange that it has only been 2 months since we brought him home. It seems soo much longer. We can't believe how much we love him. It is a different kind of love than we have ever felt.