Thankful Thursday: Instant Friends

Do you ever meet a friend and find that you instantly are connected for life? You start to chat like old friends in the first meeting with similarities, likes, and interests that align like the stars? My sweet friend Nicole is married to one of my husbands oldest and dearest friends Chris. When we met years ago I never had experienced an instant friendship like I have gained with her. Her sweet personality, love for the Lord, creativity, intellect, sense of humor, interest, and style are captivating and I am so thankful for the instant friendship in her that has blossomed over the past 6 years. 

Uniquely and Wonderfully Made

The majority of The Brothers waking hours are spent with me. I have come to know their likes and dislikes, what makes them tick, and observe their physical changes. I know my children well. I know them better than anyone on earth at this stage in life.

Shane in looks has thick dark lashes that encircle hazel eyes just like his father. His blond hair is painted nearly white by the sun in summer and boasts a calic on top his head that swirls clockwise making his hair a wild mess each morning. He has a little chip on is front left tooth from a fall but it does not stop him from showing a gregarious smile that was rightly bestowed on an outgoing, sociable, and humors boy. He gets flush cheeks in the heat and always runs hot so his cheeks often have a cheery glow to them. Shane is average in height and somewhat slender but strong, healthy, and hansom. He has a few freckles, one larger on on his arm and a small birthmark on the back of one knee. Everything about Shane's looks reminds me of Brian.

Shane's personality is wild, spirited, and independent. He is a self starter and learner when it comes to tasks. I have been amazed at how he soaked up learning about flags, letters, colors, shapes, writing, and anything that sparks his interest. He loves to be outside throwing rocks or stomping in puddles. He has a memory like no child I have ever met, memorizing books after a few readings or reciting the pledge of allegiance after hearing it a few times. He is emotional, loves music, has quite the imagination when it comes to play, and loves being around people. Shane has a warm and caring heart for the Lord and others and is never shy to dote upon his brother.

Keith has the clearest blue eyes that may change like his brothers later on but for now remain. He has long, thin but dark lashes and his eyes smile when his more reserved personality won't allow his lips to show his delight. Keith has the sweetest round cheeks and a solid build that even at one give him a presence. He has a honey tone to his thick wavy blond hair which is course in texture. Keith has a freckle on the underside of his chin and currently boast 4 teeth in his somewhat bashful smile. He also is a handsome son.

Keith has a very stable personality but is quick to express joy or anxiety. He is a determined baby who sits with a task and thinks through it step by step. I can always see his mind working, his brain learning, his little eyes absorbing what is going on around him. Keith is talking a lot saying many words: mom, dad, dog, here, thanks, hi, by, book, bump, oh ya, door, ball.  Most of these words only Brian and I can pick out but it is fun for us to understand him. Keith is quick to show affection with hugs, snuggles, and the newly learned ability to kiss. He loves his brother and is very fond of petting dogs, especially Chloe. Keith is easy going and his personality is sweet and agreeable. 

I love learning who my boys are and seeing them grow and change. It is amazing to see their little personalities develop and come out. I have loved watching their eye and hair color show up and little freckles or birthmarks pop up. God is remarkable in his ability to give Shane and Keith their own personalities, their own looks, and unique selves. They are wonderfully made. The more I know my children the more I fall in love with a God that knows and loves them even more than I do. He knows their name, the hairs on their heads, their every thought. The Brothers are loved, uniquely created, and wonderfully made. I pray they will always know the love of their Heavenly Father who knows them so well.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;   
 your works are wonderful,    
I know that full well.
Psalm 139:14

Out Of Town Baby Shower

This past fall I had the honor of hosting a baby shower for my dear friend Nicole. This was the 5th baby shower I had thrown but my first out of town one. Being an out of town shower, I had to be creative and organized to pull off an event that was hours away from home. I was surprised how easy it was to host the event and how a few touches made an event warm and personable. I am so excited to share with you and thankful for my friends Alex and Chris for letting me use their beautiful photos.

I called several places and settled on The Grant House for our event. The location was a short drive from Nicole's home where we stayed and I loved the look of the place. Being in the historic district the home had a very classy old time feel. We were able to have a private room and the staff worked so well with us. I took care of everything over the phone or email and the even ran smoothly. I highly recommend the location.

Nicole was about 6 months pregnant which is a great time for a shower, You look pregnant but feel great! 

We left our babies with their dads and headed out with a few little decorations in the back of the car.

I picked a "little man" theme for her shower. Their party favors were a potted purple and blue pansy. I added a chevron bow tie on a skewer to keep the little man theme on the table and we used the favors as decorations.  

The only activity I had planned was to sign books to make a library for Theodore. Being the second child, I wanted him to have some books of his own. I set the books on the gift table for people to sign with a sign that read "Oh, Boy! Nicole's little man is on his way. Please sign a book to add to his library." 

Everyone was able to write a message and Nicole could read this books for years to come remembering all the people that love and support her. Theodore also can look back and have books knowing all the people that pray for him, love him, and look after him. 

                     The menu had "Welcome, Little Man!" written at the top and continued the theme.

I selected the lunch menu ahead of time and had prices taken off so people knew they could get what they wanted without concern of cost or confusion that the meal was covered.

We prayed for Nicole, ate lunch, enjoyed dessert, and had lots of fun conversation.

At the end we opened gifts and were able to pass around all the sweet blessings from the guests.

In all, hosting a shower out of town was so much easier that doing it at my home. I was surprised that the overall cost was the same at a restaurant than if I had done it at home and I did not have to clean! My biggest challenge was making it feel like a warm and inviting shower when I was limited in decoration and space. Using a private room was incredibly helpful and doubling up party favors as decorations brought that warm touch I wanted while saving on space. I was so please with how the shower turned out and have great memories of blessing such a lovely, dear friend.

Chocolate Fruit and Nut Bars

I am always looking for a quick snack for The Brothers that is an alternative to grain. They eat muffins, granola bars, and PB and J but when I want to incorporate a bit of variety into their diet I like to make these fruit and nut bars which are a variation from Against All Grains's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars.  Where I LOVE her original my boys would pick out the chocolate chips and I wanted them to hold up a bit more to toddler hands. I reduced some of the Peanut Butter, changed out the walnuts because I am allergic, and have swapped the chocolate chips for some dark cocoa powder. The result is an equally delicious, sturdier, and more chocolate flavored bar that packs a lot of protein and fiber into my little ones diets. I hope you love them as much as we do! 

Ingredients

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup honey

scant 1/2 cup unsweetened peanut butter

2 T coconut oil

2 cups of nuts (I use almonds, pecans, and cashews)

6 medjool dates, pitted

1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

2 T dark cocoa powder 

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, over medium-low heat, melt the honey, peanut butter, and coconut oil. Stir in the vanilla. 

2. In a blender add the nuts, dates, and coconut. Pulse until the ingredients are blended and look like coarse sand. If you over blend you will get nut butter so stop pulsing to check often. I like my mixture on the fine side but if you prefer more of a crunch you can opt for a coarser texture.

3. Stir the nut mixture into the melted liquids and stir until combined.

4. Line an 8X8 baking pan with wax or parchment paper. Pour the mixture into the pan and press down firmly to bind the mixture. 

4. Place in freezer for a couple of hours to let the mixture set, then remove, cut into desired sized rectangles (we make 24), and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Friday Favorites: Easter Basket Fillings

Easter is just over a week away and I have been shopping this week for some fun, non candy, not to expensive basket stuffing for The Brothers. I feel like Easter baskets are a bit like Christmas Stockings and I love the little treats to make the holiday more fun. I am linking up with Andrea from Momfessionals to share my favorite Easter Basket Fillings.

Feed The Woozle

Shane was given a board game for his birthday from the same company called Stack It and he loves it! I was excited to find that there are several cooperative learning games that work on hand/eye coordination, fine and gross motor skills, and team work!

Let's Share

It is no secret I am a sucker for P.K.Hallinan books. I adore the positive lessons and messages along with the illustration and rhyme. Keith loves being read to right now so one of these will be going in his basket.

Coloring Book

Shane really enjoys coloring these days as well as letters. A new coloring book at a good price will make a fun addition to his basket and provide lots of entertainment for coloring time.

Markers

We may or may have not left out the markers overnight with the caps off. I figure waiting just a couple of weeks and adding them to the baskets would work. I have tried lots of markers and always come back to these.

Bubbles

Bubbles are a toddler favorite. With the nice weather coming up I like putting any little outdoor items like bubbles, sidewalk chalk, or even a little beach towel but this year bubbles were the winning ticket for us.

Puzzle

Shane is obsessed with the one jumbo puzzle he has and I am considering a second one. The Brothers are really doing a scavenger hunt as opposed to an egg hunt or basket so I can get some big items that will be used a log.

Bath Toy

A fun new bath toy helps entertain The Brothers and avoid splashing or getting hands all over each other. Shampoo or bubble bath would be another fun idea.

Rattle

Keith likes anything that makes noise right now. I am still hunting for the perfect little shaker or rattle but something similar to this looks like a good fit. 

Sunglasses

I recycle lots of items from Shane to Keith these days but Shane's sunglasses still fit him so Keith is going to be needing a pair.

Baseball Cap

Shane outgrew his baseball cap and will be needing another one. I am a TOTAL SUCKER for a baby in a baseball cap...especially if they are named Shane or Keith!

I hope this gives you a couple ideas for Easter! I am excited to have some fun but also remember the holiday it is the day our Savior rose from the dead! Hallelujah! 

Thankful Thursday: Spring Blooms

Spring has sprung in Washington! My tulips are blooming, the Japonica has blossomed, and the peonies are starting to pop up. I am thankful the the beauty of spring.

Working With A Nutritionist

Two weeks ago Shane and I met with a pediatric nutritionist. The overall goal of the meeting was to try and find a solution for our family when it comes to meal time. My struggle was that I was making toddler friendly meals for Keith but his food consisted of what we ate and Shane, well Shane never would touch most of what I made. Shane's diet consisted of PB and J, bananas, smoothies, apple sauce, cheese, yogurt, muffins, and anything that was smooth, sweet, and pureed. I could get away with adjusting his diet from time to time because he would go thorough a short time of liking grilled cheese, ham, or raisins but as a whole Shane was stuck in a rut. In time, Keith started to notice that Shane was getting a muffin and he was eating turkey, peas, pear, and a yogurt for dinner. Keith began to protest and I needed some guidance because mealtime was becoming a battle for me. Was I going to let Shane go hungry because he refused to eat what I made or was I going to sacrifice Keith's healthy eating and varied diet to feed everyone but potentially end up with two picky eaters? I needed help!

I expressed my concern to our pediatrician and was give three options. Work with Shane on textures with a Occupational Therapist because he could have a mild oral sensory disorder. Meet with a nutritionist to talk through some food preparation ideas and perhaps help me modify my expectations, ideas, and meal plans. Lastly, to meet with a food group which was essentially a support group for little ones to talk about food and try food with a nutritionist/nurse/psychologist. We decided to start with a nutritionist and were given a prescription for occupational therapy as a possible backup.

We met with Stephanie, the sweetest mom of two and a long time pediatric nurse. We began by reviewing Shane's medical history including his struggle to eat as an infant, his acid reflex, and his food allergy. From the start I was told that Shane's eating struggles were not my fault but that we could work to find some solutions. Shane had a few challenges with his little body not working correctly which made eating painful and uncomfortable at times and kids with allergies alone struggle to eat a balanced diet. Right away I was at home.

After reviewing his medical history we looked at his current diet. Stephanie talked about what nutrients and minerals Shane was receiving and what he was lacking. I really pride myself on working with Shane on his smoothies and muffins (with carrots, apples, or pumpkin added) to help fill the nutritional gap. Shane does eat some foods just not the foods I wished he would eat. I think every parents struggles with that from time to time but I was concerned because Shane seemed much more exaggerated and I did not what this to socially impair him at school, parties, or friends homes nor did I want his health to suffer. I was given some great resources on how to blend foods such as Vitamin C with Iron to help Shane's body best absorb what he was taking in. I also was given a short list of foods containing nutrients that Stephanie was concerned Shane was not getting enough of.

Lastly, we tackled meal time battles and how to get everyone eating together without tears. This was the hardest part for me to take in but it was so good to hear. Stephanie reviewed our current meal and snack schedule and we used that as a spring board. Her suggestion was to make everyone eat the same food all the time and I almost fell of my chair thinking that was never going to happen. She suggested the same thing at meals but to modify it for Shane. That meant no more PB and J with applesauce and a smoothie for Shane while the rest of us had a fruit salad and soup. Instead I was supposed to try and do one thing Shane might not like soup but to make one that was smooth such as apple and butternut squash bisque. Then to let everyone have a smoothie and half grilled cheese. Shane might try the soup and grilled cheese and would eat the smoothie but the rest of us could eat the same thing. The idea was to expose Shane to new foods and let him decide if he wanted to eat it but that was the only choice. Additionally we were going to add a second snack time in and everyone was supposed to have the same choice but I could fill in nutritional gaps here with PB and J and a banana for example. I was feeling nervous about this idea.

After our meeting we met with our Pediatrician and had Shane get an Iron check. That did not go well and was the hardest part of our visit. I was not expecting any shots or pokes so getting a toe prick was a surprise to Shane.  His Iron levels were low but within range so that was helpful. We had recently started a multi vitamin with Iron for Shane and I was happy to see it was working well. We had a quick checkup to make sure his health was OK and were given a small binder of information to read through. We also talked about the idea of a texture aversion which was still a possibility but OT was not recommended to kids as young as Shane without extreme ceases so we decided to hold off for now. 

When we got home I started out trying this idea of the same meal for everyone. I had made Chicken Enchilada Verde for lunch and was feeling nervous Shane would protest. I decided to serve an orange so that if Shane did eat any chicken he had the vitamin C and brought out the  ingredients to see if he might try just a tortilla, chicken, cheese, or sauce plain. Shane ate hardly everything but there were not tears. He tried cheese, oranges, and a bite of the chicken. We continued this idea with dinner and have been slowly working on it for the past two weeks. 

I have been surprised that Shane has been eating better. This new idea of serving what we have has been hard for me because I would rather him eat a lot of what he wants (if it is a healthy choice) than pick and choose bites of what everyone eats and be hungry. We have had our share of tears, of meal planning challenges, of wishing we were eating fancier foods, and of days where Shane sits for 10 minutes eating nothing then goes to play but we are trying. Day by day I am praying and hoping for better choices. After two weeks Shane has started to eat refried beans well, orange slices, dried cranberries, and ham. I also have learned to make some fig and nut bars and everyone in my family loves them! We are making progress.

I am learning that picky eaters at times can be motivated with fewer choices. I also am learning to find balance between Shane's taste buds and the rest of my family. We have found how to make meal time less of a battle and have everyone enjoy something at the table and feel full. With a few small changes we are finally getting to where we want to be but I know this will be a slow and steady change.

If you want to read what I was feeding Shane for lunches you can here.

If you want to read about what Keith was eating for lunches around 10 months you can here.

If you want to read about my families food philosophy you can here.