Ouch!

I was making salsa Friday afternoon for gourmet club. Sam was watching me slice the slippery tomatoes and kept reminding me to be careful with the sharp knives. He was really concerned that I would cut myself. We got a new set of knives awhile back and I didn't realize how sharp they were until I saw the knife slice into my finger. It took a second to realize what I had done and for the pain to come. Then I screamed and started to bleed. Sam and Emily came running and I told them what happened and Sam said, "Mom, I told you to be careful!"

Thankfully, it wasn't too deep, no stitches needed; but it hurts like the dickens! Brad said that the tips of your fingers have a lot of nerves so it hurts worse. I can attest to that!

This experience has made me appreciate my hands because the simplest tasks have become a burden. Any slight pressure on it makes my finger throb (as I type this I have tried to avoid using my sore finger but it is quite difficult). I'm sure it will get better soon but in the mean time I'm glad it wasn't my right hand!

Ben is 6 Months

Ben is now 6 months and I wanted to give an update on what he is doing. Ben is the most delightful baby! He is a bundle of joy. Unless he is hungry, sick or has a messy diaper, he has a smile, a giggle or squeal for anyone. In the morning he usually wakes up really happy. He kicks and grins when he sees me and you can't help but scoop him up and snuggle him (no matter how many times he woke me up at night). I'm so grateful for this ray of sunshine in my life.

At Ben's 6 month appointment, he weighed in at 20 lbs 2.6 oz which put him in the 87% (which is a drop from 92% at 4 months). He is 67 cm long which is 46% (down from 58%). He is now bigger then Emily and Sam were at 1 year old. He is wearing clothes that Sam wore at 10 months. We contribute the drop in weight due to his excessive amounts of moving. He rolls all over the place and can get up on all fours (see below). He can even lift his rear end in the air with his arms and legs straight. He is trying to crawl but has not been able to move his hands forward. So he ends up just going backwards (see picture below again-he has backed himself up against the wall). He is very happy to be rolling and/or scooting on the floor playing with his toys (or anything else that is on the floor).Ben has 2 little teeth on the bottom which accounts for all the drooling you see in the pictures. His hair is coming in BROWN!!!! I'm so excited to finally have a dark haired baby! His eyes will probably be brown as well which Emily and I are also excited about. He is sitting up independently although if he leans forward or backward far enough he will tip over and can't get back up to a sitting position. Ben is starting to babble and often will say ba ba, da da but isn't to consistent about it. He is also very distractable. He won't eat if there is something to watch or listen to.

He just started eating rice cereal. When I first started giving it to him, he did not have any interest so I stopped. But then he started reaching for our food when we ate so I tried it again and he is liking it a lot (which is a first for us-Emily and Sam had nothing to do with baby food). Tonight at dinner he would not nurse before we ate and he fussed all through dinner. I could tell he was hungry so I made him some rice cereal and fed him in his high chair at the table and he was so happy. You could tell he wanted to eat like the rest of the family. He was all smiles and happy squeals because he was just like everyone else. It was strange and hilarious! Ben loves people. He is all smiles for Sam and Emily but he really loves Brad! They have a special "language" they use with each other. Ben will use a squawking sound he only uses with Brad. Brad "talks" back to him. It is amazing. Emily and Sam were such Mommy babies. It is so neat to see Ben so attentive to Brad. I love it. I love to see Brad come and pick him up and give him hugs and play with him just because he wants to. It is so special. I love this adorable baby!

Boys Will Be Boys

Brad and I were cleaning up the toy room last night after the kids were in bed. We came across this stroller that Sam had been playing with. In case you can't tell, it is a boy doll loaded with tools and, of course, a sword. Just what everyone needs when going for a stroller ride.

Dancing Fairy

Emily went to a costume birthday party last weekend. She decided to go as a fairy. Isn't she adorable. I used a small curling iron to create small ringlets in her hair for the first time and she was amazed that her hair could curl like that. She exclaimed, "Can you do the back like that?" After we took this picture, I put pink curly ribbon in her hair. She stated that she would be the "prettiest one at the party!" I think she was.

Benjamin Finds a New Toy

As I was typing the previous post, Ben had been fusing and crying. Brad was holding him and eventually put him on the floor where he continued to fuss. Then he stopped and made the happiest, most delightful sounds. I did not look down but smiled to myself that he was finally happy. After a few minutes, Brad looks down and realizes why he is so happy-he is playing with a tissue. He is sucking it and tearing it as happy and content as can be. He loves to play with paper but we always take it from him as fast as we can. Poor kid-we take it away and he starts to cry again. Being a baby is no fun sometimes.

He is now sleeping soundly in his bed.

"Meatloaf, Peatloaf, I Hate Meatloaf"

Tonight for dinner Brad made a meatloaf. He decided to experiment and used two recipes-his Mom's and Alton Brown's. I generally make my MIL's recipe; it is easy and good.

At the dinner table, the kids, especially Sam, were complaining about eating meatloaf for dinner. We, of course, say all the typical parent-trying-to-make-their-kids-eat things like, "It is really good" and "You can't say you don't like something until you try it", etc. So Emily takes a bite and says, "Yuck, I don't like it." I'm starting to comment about giving it another try until Brad says, "I don't like it either!" This stops me in mid sentence because he made the meatloaf. I taste it and sure enough it is gross!!!! It was too salty! We were so confused. Why would it be too salty? What had we done? After a little investigation we discover there is a misprint in my cookbook. Brad added 1 1/2 tablespoons of salt, as listed in the cookbook, instead of 1 1/2 teaspoons. When he was making it he asked me if I usually put in all the salt and I said yes-not realizing there was a misprint. It is one of those recipes I can make without thinking too much about it so I never realized there was a mistake-until now that is.

So there we were without our main course. No meatloaf to compliment our scalloped potatoes (which were delicious!!!), mixed vegetables and rolls. I have to eat protein with my carbs or else I get sick so Brad saved the day and made hamburger patties.

Next time I'll think twice about making the kids eat something when they say it is yucky. Maybe it really is.

PS The title of this blog is from The Christmas Story when Ralph's little brother doesn't want to eat his meatloaf and his mom is trying to make him. He eventually eats it-piggy style!

PPS If you have a copy of my red cookbook make the change to Dianne's Meatloaf so you don't repeat this experience (if you haven't already-oops).

Another Haircut Saga!

The other day at dinner I mentioned that Emily needs her hair cut or at least her bangs trimmed (see Next Time I'll Just Pay the Money post). "I don't think I'll do it," I said with an exasperated sign. Emily then pronounced happily, "Well, good thing!! I want to go get a sucker!"

I was really tempted to just do it myself to save the money. But I remembered the frustration I felt at my previous attempt so I made appointments for Emily and Sam at the same place I go to in the mall. They cost about the same as Great Clips but I hoped that they would do a better job. I was wrong.

I am really unhappy with their cuts. Sam's is uneven and too long in the back even though I asked her to cut it shorter. I was surprised that she couldn't even do a simple boy cut. He held really still and was very cooperative. Emily's hair cut is just okay-nothing special at all. I honestly could have done a better job and saved the money. I'm so frustrated!!!

Well, at least Emily got a sucker!