Flay Sighting!

Saratoga is always a fun time.  Good food, family & friends.  We had some nice weather on Wednesday, and JJ was a happy boy!  We didn't let him do any betting.  Maybe next year.

John is convinced it'll be easier to handle JJ next year at the track.  I disagree.  This led to us making a deal.  I took care of JJ this year, and he gets him next year.  John thinks a walking toddler will be easier than an infant you can just hold or put in the stroller.  I think he'll find I was right.  More on that next year.

Anyway, JJ did have a good time as evidenced by this picture.



Silly Mommy forgot his bib, so he drooled all over his clothes all day.  Oh well, no biggie.

And Mommy for sure had a good time when, near the end of the day, someone spotted Bobby Flay.  Wanting only to catch a glimpse, we searched out where he was sitting.  I was pretty happy just to see him.  But when a kind employee made this happen:

Well, that just totally made my day!  I smiled all the way home!!

And JJ's first star sighting made him happy too.  So happy he couldn't even look at the camera.  We'll have to work on his 'cheese' skills.

Four Months

JJ is still sleeping and eating like a champ!  Sometimes naps are a little shorter than I think they should be, but he usually goes 11-12 hours straight at night.  We're still swaddling him, as he still seems to like and want it.  I don't know when we'll stop.  Hopefully he'll let us know when he doesn't like it anymore!  He's been eating about every 3 hours during the day, sometimes longer if he's napping.  We'll be starting rice cereal sometime this week, and I also bought some peas and green beans.  I can't wait to start feeding him 'real' food...the way he eyes whatever we're eating, I definitely think he's ready for it!! 

At four months, JJ's been spending lots of time in his exersaucer.  He loves sitting up and looking at/grabbing at the toys.  He still loves his play mat, and still flips from belly to back.  Hasn't done back to belly yet.  Sometimes he likes the jolly jumper.  We've also borrowed my sisters bumbo seat, and he really likes that!  He's been grabbing toys, holding toys and bringing toys to his mouth for quite awhile now.  He absolutely loves sucking on his linking rings.  He has no desire to suck on his pacifier at all, but he loves sucking on the ribbon that attaches it to clothing.  Whatever makes him happy!

And speaking of happy...that boy has the best smile ever!  And he's laughing so much now!  He's very ticklish, and when I squeeze those chunky thighs I always get a laugh out of him!  All you have to do to make his face light up is smile at or talk to him.  Or tickle him!

JJ had his 4-month appointment today and he did well...as well as can be expected when you get 3 shots!  He weighed 14 lbs. 12 oz. (50th percentile) and was 26 inches long (75th percentile).  In all honesty, I think the nurse measured wrong and he's 27 inches...but whatever.  I didn't want to correct her.

Tubby time is still a favorite time, but I've cut back on tubbies since he has a little excema.  We'll be getting some Aveeno for that.  JJ doesn't fall asleep easily when we're out, but he will fall asleep in the car, or sometimes in the Moby wrap.  He loves grabbing toys and chewing on them.  Sometimes his fingers are in his mouth, lots of times his taggy blanket is in his mouth.  He'll chew on a burp cloth if there's nothing else around.

JJ is still doing well at my parent's 2 days a week.  This past week he was with my sister since my parents were doing VBS.  I hate leaving him, but I'm so glad I can leave him with family!

At 4 months I could not possibly love my little boy any more.  But then I wake up tomorrow and love him even more.  :)  He truly completes our family and makes us happier than ever!!

crack

I have found my new, absolute favorite thing to bring to a cook-out.  Or a pot-luck.  Or a party.  Or pretty much anything I ever have the opportunity to attend.

Crack.

Or, if you prefer it's more descriptive name, bean dip.  But crack is in reference to it's addictive properties.  And it's pretty darn accurate. 

I found this recipe on this blog, and it is just amazing.  I made a tiny slight change.  Here's what you do:

First of all, put 2.5 pounds of ground beef in a pan and cook it.  Drain, then add 2 packages of taco seasoning and finish according to package instructions.  (Add water, cook, done.)

In the meantime, get yourself an 11x14 pyrex dish, or something comparable.  Plop 3 packages of cream cheese into the bottom of the dish and spread them out.  It's nice if they've softened to room temperature, but you can do it with them cold as well.  You just have to work a little harder.

Open up 2 cans of refried beans and spread the beans out over the cream cheese.

Next, pour the cooked and seasoned beef down over the beans.  Empty a large jar of salsa on top, then kind of mix it together with the meat.  Sprinkle some mexican-type cheese on top and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Enjoy with tortilla chips!

As was discussed this evening, crack is pretty much a meal in and of itself.  Or you can get creative!  What would you serve this with??

Jumping Ship

Have you ever wanted to jump ship?

Sometimes it's hard to know if you're where you're supposed to be.  Try to make sense of what you're doing, and you still don't know.  Pray hard about it, but the plan's not clear.  Think about it some more, but you continue to wonder. 

I think God gives us those times in our life for a reason.  Does he want us to jump ship?  Maybe.  Maybe not.  Should jumping ship be our first response when the going gets tough?  What about when the going gets even tougher?  And stays tough?  And doesn't let up?  What exactly is God's reasoning for giving us those times?

Sometimes things are hard to handle.  Things can feel like they'll never get better.  I've even been tempted to jump ship, it's true.  But I believe faithfulness will be rewarded.  I believe the plan God is (hopefully!) soon going to reveal will be well worth the wait.  Waiting is hard.  Waiting we've done.  Can the waiting, the not knowing and the 'feeling like I want to jump ship' be ending soon?  Please? 

And just because I really like this song...

*disclaimer* in scanning back over this for typos, I realize this could sound like I'm talking about marriage or something like that...rest assured, I'm not.  :)