Valentines Day Prep and an Eager Helper

The Professor LOVES his sisters.  He cannot stand it if they are doing something and he is not a part of it.  The girls were trying to work on their Valentines Day cards for school and he was going crazy trying to "help" them.  We all had a good laugh at his cute antics.

A Book Review

Recently I was able to review The Ultimate DVD Read and Share Bible volume Two.  This set contains a book with 105 Bible Stories and two DVD’s with corresponding stories.  The book is written by Gwen Ellis and illustrated by Steve Smallman. 
The set is described as “Perfect for the attention span of little ones” and I would have to agree.  Each story, is approximately two pages.  Nice, big, easy to read print.  The stories are short and sweet.  If you are looking for a devotional to do with your young ones, this is probably not what you are looking for.  However, if you looking for something to incorporate into pre-school or home-school, this would be great!  It is very easy to read and the DVD is interesting to watch.  We played the DVD and our older kids actually asked to keep watching it!  I think this set would be ideal for a 2-3 year old Sunday School class.  You could easily read the story and watch a small portion of the dvd.  If you followed along with that you would have 105 lessons for $19.99!  That is an incredible price!!! 
I would recommend this book and dvd set to parents of children under 4-5 years old and to anyone involved with those ages in Sunday School or church.  For the price of $19.99 you are getting a great deal.

A Reason to Celebrate!

If you have read my blog for awhile then you are aware that both of our daughters have Selective Mutism.  Yesterday the Hippie came home from school glowing.  She could not wait to tell me her news.  Guess what she did?  After 5 months of school, she SPOKE to her teacher AND to a few kids in the SAME DAY!  We were happy over the moon with excitement!!  You better believe we celebrated!  Ice cream was in order for our girls.  She said she will talk again today and that she liked it.  This is HUGE progress and makes me feel better in our decision to put them in public school this year.  Way to go Sweetie!!! We are incredibly proud of you!!!

Because He is SO Cute!

More pictures for your viewing pleasure...

I see you Mommy! You and your camera cannot hide from the Professor!

Our little Professor is growing up.  He is crawling all over the place, pulls to a standing position, cruises all over the living room and is eating baby food quite well.  He enjoys carrots, squash, sweet potatoes and bananas the best. 

Just some pics of our cute kids =)

When you Live With Girls

When you live with girls you may hear things like this...
While doing crafts: "Ooohhhh loooook! Sparkly Sparkles!!!"
While playing dolls: "She simply MUST get her hair done soon."..."there. MUCH better"
While getting dressed to go out in -4 degree weather: "I was going to wear my snowboots, but they really don't match"
While playing with a little brother: "Someday after I graduate college and get married and become a mommy, I will have a baby and get to pick out their outfits ALL the time."

Friends

Please excuse the quality of the photo, it was taken with a cell phone, in low lighting.

Tonight we had a family over for dinner.  They have one baby boy.  He is about 5 weeks older than the Professor.  Their baby is the one crawling over the Professor. LOL!  They were so cute to watch.  Their baby wanted to teeth on the Professor.  The Professor just wanted to watch the other baby.  We all had fun watching.  The girls enjoyed one of their favorite dinners and the cupcakes that our friends brought over!  It was a wonderful evening and I cannot wait to do it again.  I love cooking and having friends over.

An Infantino Review

Are you familiar with Infantino?  They make items for babies and toddlers.  All kids of wonderful things can be found on their site.  The Professor has several of their toys.  These have been two of his favorites since he was born.  Especially the chime toys.  They make this pretty musical sound and when he was smaller we could velcro them to his little feet or wrists so he did not lose them.

I was sent the Cloud Shopping Cart Cover to review.  I was extremely excited because I have always wanted one of these!  Here is a photo of the Cart Cover I was sent.

When we received it we could not wait for a chance to try it out.  The girls were off school Monday so we loaded up and took off for lunch.  We went to a pizza joint and I cringed when I saw the high chair...til I remembered we came armed with our new Infantino Cart Cover.  Their cover works on carts AND high chairs!  My husband fit it over the high chair and instantly the Professor had a safe and germ free location to play and eat his oatmeal.  After lunch we went grocery shopping and the Professor was styling as he rode around in his new cart cover.  I love the print, love the ease of use and love the protection it provides.  It even has loops so you can attach some toys for your little one.  I am so thankful to have one of these for the Professor.  If you are looking for some new items for your little one, or for a gift for someone else, I encourage you to check out Infantino. 

Win a Hand Painted Original Mug!

Remember my friend Kathlyn?  I did an interview with her during Christmas.  Do you also remember the group of Mommy Bloggers I joined?  They are teaming up together and you can win this mug by Kathlyn!  Please stop by, check it out and enter to win.  I have one of her mugs and LOVE it!

 The Professor enjoying a cartoon.  It kept his interest just long enough for us to snap a picture and then he was back crawling around again!

 Look at those feet?  Aren't they sweet?

Tell me, is he not one of the cutest kids you have ever seen?  We sure think so!

A Book Review

A Billion Reasons Why by Kristin Billerbeck.
This is a Christian fiction book.  It is about a quirky character named Katie McCenna.  She has two men in her life.  One whom she is engaged to and the other broke her heart years ago.  Now Katie is reunited with the one who broke her heart and she has to decide what God wants for her.
I did like this book! Sometimes Christian fiction can be a little, too perfect.  In A Billion Reasons Why all the characters are likeable, but have very believable faults and are most definitely not perfect.  Once I started the book, I had trouble putting it down.  It was an easy and enjoyable read.  One of those books where the characters really come to life for you.  The characters are easy to connect with.  The book also has a strong 40’s theme.  If anyone is a lover of the old movies and songs from that era then you will really enjoy all the references in the book.  Even though this book was clean and there was no direct biblical message in it.  However, fiction is supposed to be an escape.  This book was just that and more!  I love good, clean fiction.  I saw that the author has other books out and I will be putting them on my “must read” list.

A New Group

I love entering giveaways, don't you?  I have been fortunate and have had a couple of giveaways on my blog.  I enter several giveaways each day on other blogs as well.  Recently I had the opportunity to join a group of Mommy bloggers.  The blog is called Mommy and Me Giveaways and was started back in 2010.  I am joining them under the name coffeelovinmama!  I thought that was a very appropriate name for myself.  My first review and giveaway will be posted next Tuesday the 18th.  In the meantime, you should come check us out and start following.  There are current giveaways posted and more on the way.  Have a fantastic Friday!

Our Little Over Achiever

The Professor, who JUST turned 6 months old, is pulling himself up to a standing position...in his crib and anywhere he can find something to grab.  What is in store for me??? I have just finished baby-proofing for a crawler and now he is grabbing things off the couch?  Oh my goodness.  What a sweet little over-achiever!  Gotta love him!

1-11-11 an anniversary

Do you know what happened 10 years ago today?  I bet my friend Kelly does, because has this amazing memory for dates.  She can remember everyone's birthdays and anniversary's etc.  I bet my parents remember.  I bet my in-laws do.  I KNOW my husband and I do.  10 years ago today my husband asked me to marry him!  It was one of the best days of my life.  I still remember so much about that day.  I truly cannot believe it has been 10 whole years ago.  I am excited to celebrate 10 years of marriage with him later this year.  I am a very blessed woman indeed. 

What about you?  Do you remember your engagement anniversary?  Is 1-11-11 a special day for you for any reason? 

Good Morning

The girls and I baked some scones this weekend.  After they left for school, the Professor went down for a morning nap and I enjoyed a scone and some coffee.  I hope your Monday is starting off as good as mine!

A First for the Professor

This was an emotional week for me.  The Professor turned 6 months old and then today I left him in the church nursery for the first time.   It was the first full service I have sat through in 6 months.  It felt pretty good.  I went down once to check on the Professor and he was snuggled up on a girls lap chewing on a hunk of fake meat!  He looked completely happy so I went back upstairs.  He is growing up so quickly.  We spent part of our weekend trying to baby proof our living room for him.  Giving him lots of safe space to crawl.  Now he is napping in his crib and I am enjoying a nice fire in our fireplace.  Hope you are all having a lovely Sunday!

Then Sings My Soul

Do you have a favorite hymn?  Have you ever wondered if there was a story behind that hymn?  If so, you will want to read “Then Sings My Soul” special edition by Robert J. Morgan.  Joy to the World, Blessed Assurance, Amazing Grace, Safe in the Arms of Jesus and Jesus is all the World to Me are simply a few of the hymns you can read about in this book.  Did you know the history of the popular Christmas song Away in the Manger?  There is an unsolved mystery associated with this song.  But I am not going to tell you.  If you are curious you need to read the book!  You can read the stories behind so many different hymns.  Many hymns were inspired by tragedy, some by difficult circumstances, and some just by sheer luck.  You can read about famous hymn writers like Fanny Crosby and others you may have never heard of before like Robert Robinson (who wrote the hymn Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing).  I thoroughly enjoyed reading “Then Sings My Soul”.  It would be a great book to give to a pastor, to those interested in music and even to a mother with young kids.  Our oldest kids are 6 and 7 and there are many stories they will enjoy hearing and reading together.  If you are looking for a good read or a good book to give as a gift, you truly cannot go wrong with “Then Sings My Soul” by Robert J. Morgan.

Growing Up

Meet the Professor.  He is now 6 months old.  He is eating oatmeal.  He is a mama's boy (and mommy is enjoying it while it lasts)!  He is crawling and discovering every possible danger known to babies.  He is quick to smile and slow to cry.  He is easy going and easy to please.  He loves his Daddy and already enjoys watching him fix things and do "guy stuff".  Together they have plunged a toilet, shovelled snow and attached a diaper sprayer to our toilet.  He loves his sisters.  He likes to dance with the Hippie.  She likes to style his hair.  He lets her.  He likes to play with the Genius.  He always has a laugh for her.  He reaches for his mommy and searches for her when someone new is holding him.  He likes having poopy diapers changed but hates getting dressed.  He doesn't have much to say but when he talks he makes sure you hear him.  I cannot believe how much our little man is growing up.  We love him SO very much!!!

2 Batches

Yesterday I sent my second cooler full of frozen breastmilk off to the milk bank!  I keep forgetting to take pictures because I get so excited!  My first shipment was 19 pounds of frozen milk.  If the Internet is correct and a gallon of milk weighs a bit over 8 pounds, then my first shipment contained 2 gallons of breastmilk.  Pretty amazing and much less painful than donating blood!  I must say, it is nice having our freezer space back too.  I have just 4 bags in the freezer now.  

I am really proud of myself because I am passing my previous milestone for length of time breastfeeding.  This is officially the longest I have gone.  The Professor continues to thrive too!  He is eating oatmeal 2-3 times a day and is not showing an interest in much else.  He is sitting up unassisted and crawling around.  So far he cannot crawl long distances but he finds plenty to get into in our living room.  Most nights he is still sleeping 10-11 hours.  He has had his first illness and is (mostly) back to being his healthy self!  He is 6 months old and weighs 18.14 pounds and was 26" long.  He seems big to us, but according the growth chart, he is quite smallish.  Hopefully we will get some 6 month photos soon and I will post them.  Til then, Happy 6 months Professor!  We love you!

$1.82

That is how much it cost today to buy 4 jars (4 oz size) of baby food today for the Professor.  This was without coupons or anything, but seriously I cannot believe how expensive this is.  I tried making homemade baby food for the Genius...I had a baby cookbook and a cool baby blender.  However, she had major eating problems and ended up not being able to even eat baby food or ANY food til she was almost 2.  I tried again with the Hippie and she wanted nothing to do with it.  She just sort of by passed baby food and chowed down on what we were eating. 
Now we have the Professor.  I have no baby blender and no cook book.  But I do have time and energy and the desire to feed him as healthy as we can.  So I am appealing to anyone who reads this blog.  What were your baby food recipes? Any advice?  I tried making him homemade oatmeal and he gagged.  I tried making homemade applesauce and he hated it.  Now, maybe it is because I do not have a baby food blender?  Maybe the applesauce was just too sweet for a first food?  I just don't know.  Please leave your advice, thoughts etc....
I do not want to be stuck buying baby food at $1.82/4 jars.  Thanks!

Our 3 Kids

Can you find the Professor?

Our Party

We decided to celebrate with our friends in London.  So we rang in the new year at the kid appropriate hour of 7 p.m. EST.  It was really a ton of fun!  We let the girls, and their aunt, decorate for the party.  I made homemade pizza with pesto sauce.  My sister-in-law provided plastic stemware and sparkling grape juice.  We watched "Barbie and the 3 Muskateers" and the girls had some ice cream.   Here are a few pics from our super fun evening.