Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Babyhood: Weeks 28 and 29

Life through the eyes of Krewson...


Babyhood Week 28 (September 10th through September 16th)

* I've decided that I prefer to sleep with my butt up in the air.  When Mommy and Daddy put me in my bed, I always immediately roll over onto my stomach and shove my knees up under my chest.  It really is the best way to sleep.  You should try it.
* This week I decided to wake up and start crying in the middle of the night almost every night.  See, what happens is, I move around a lot while I sleep and then I get smooshed up against the side of the crib and stuck.  Well, I can't sleep when I'm stuck like that.  So I wake up and cry.  Then Mommy comes in, and I'm like, hey, while you're in here, how 'bout a snack.  And if she says no, I get really mad, cuz by that time I've decided that I'm hungry.  Mommy's been really tired every day cuz of it, but I don't think she minds.  Anything for me, right??
* Daddy and Mommy bought me big-boy carseats, so I don't have to hate every car ride anymore!!  Man am I excited.  I've got lots more room to move around and the seats are super cushy.  The only problem is that now Mommy has to climb in the back of her car to put me in the carseat anytime we take her car somewhere.  Guess that's what she gets for buying a two-door car with the knowledge that she would probably have kids (me!) someday.
* On Monday night Daddy gave me a bath, and afterwards he brought me downstairs in my bathrobe with a mohawk.  Man did I look studly.  In fact, I was a super stud, 'cuz he brought me down in just the bathrobe.  No diaper.  He stood me on the kitchen table to show Mommy, and she laughed and said, "You're going to think it's really cute when he pees all over the kitchen table."  I took that as my cue.  Peed a perfect stream straight onto the table top. It made a very nice puddle.  I have pretty awesome parents, cuz they laughed and even took a picture of my achievement.  Daddy told Mommy to have fun cleaning it up, but she left the puddle for him to tend to.  I guess she figured it was his job since he's the one who let me go diaperless in the first place. :)

The only way to sleep.

Looking like a stud in my bathrobe and mohawk.

Perfect aim!!

Sleeping on my Daddy.

Babyhood Week 29 (September 17th through September 23rd)

* I did so many exciting things this week!  First, Mommy and me went to Duke University to participate in a baby language acquisition study.  We got to meet a really nice lady named Jacky who videotaped me while I listened to a tape of different people (German and English) saying a German sound.  Jacky said that later on she was going to watch it in slow motion to see if I could tell when they switched from the German person to the English person. (Babies who are 4 months old can tell, but babies who are 9 months old can't.  Since I'm an inbetweenie they wanted to see whether I could, too.)  When it was over, I got a pretty certificate, Jacky took a picture of Mommy and me, and then Jacky gave Mommy ten whole dollars!!   I was like holy cow, that DEFINITELY made it worth it!
* After going to Duke, Mommy took me to her work and showed me to lots of people, since it was Friday (her day off).  I got lots of hugs and smiles.  It was fun!
* Then, as if all that wasn't exciting enough, Daddy had a frisbee tournament in town this weekend, and so I went with Mommy to hang out there on Saturday and Sunday.  It was super great, cuz Daddy's team won the whole tournament!  I was so proud of him. (Actually, Daddy was hurt and didn't get to play.  But I'm proud of him anyways, just cuz he's my Daddy.)
* Lots of other great things happened this week, too.  I started getting up on my hands and knees and rocking back and forth.  I rock rock rock and man is it fun.  No crawling yet, but don't worry.  I'll figure it out soon.
* I've also become a very excellent scooter.  In every direction.  Ok ok ok.  Not in every direction.  I haven't figured out how to go forward yet.  But really, it doesn't matter.  You can always get where you want to go by scooting backwards and rotating.  It just takes a little longer.  Ok ok ok.  That's not completely true either.   I can't always get where I want to go.  But I have these awesome things called parents, and I just whine and cry when I can't get to something, and they help me out.  Man I love having parents.
* I started clapping this week!  I like to hold my left hand still and slap my right hand into it over and over.  Everyone thinks it's super cute, so of course that makes me want to do it more and more.  Anything for smiles!
* Mommy and Daddy keep saying that they hope that I'm teething.  I guess I've been kind of grouchy lately.  I don't like to sleep through the night, and sometimes I get super moody during the day.  In the middle of the night, when I wake up, one of them has to rub my back until I fall back asleep, or I'll just cry and cry and cry.  And if they stop before I'm back to sleep good, I start screaming all over again.  I'm just all around fussier than normal.  Still can't see any teeth popping through, though.  Just a big gummy grin!
* I also like to eat lots and lots these days.  I usually eat three meals a day now.  I get milk in the morning, then cereal, then milk, then a fruit or veggie, then milk, milk, then cereal with fruits and/or veggies, then milk then milk.  So three solid food meals and six milks.  Oh, and I've decided that I like fruits and veggies but not cereal so much.  So sometimes Mommy mixes my cereal with fruits or veggies and I like that alright.

Hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa at the frisbee fields.

Cuddles from Mommy.


I love dirt!!  (Don't worry, Mommy grabbed me before I got much in my mouth.)

After the frisbee games we hung out with my friend Adi. She likes me a lot.

A real lot.

Starbucks with Mommy! 
(She loves Starbucks!)

Mommy likes to go jogging with me around the lake. I like looking at the trees. And throwing my arms and legs up in the air.

Why oh why does she put these things on my feet?

Oh yeah, cuz they make me look cute. :)

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Sun-Dried Tomatoes, MMMMMmmmm

I made my own sun-dried tomatoes a few weeks ago!  I'm pretty excited to try them in some dishes.

Here's the process I followed, in case you'd like to try them on your own.

1.  Start with a BUNCH of tomatoes.  (Once dried, the tomatoes shrink to about 1/4 their original size.)  Home-grown Roma tomatoes are best.  This was very convenient for us, since Dave and I had a surplus of Roma tomatoes from our garden.



2.  Slice the tomatoes into whatever size pieces you prefer.  Some sources suggest just slicing them in half.  I did fourths because I prefer smaller sun-dried tomato pieces in my dishes. Place the tomatoes on some cookie sheets or another flat movable surface.



3.  Place the sheets of tomatoes on your car dashboard or in another place in your car that gets a lot of hot sunlight shining through.  Leave them there for about two days.  (You can also use the oven or your back porch while it's hot and sunny.  The oven will take about 8 hours at 200 degrees, using your back porch will take about two weeks(!).  There are quite a few sources online that provide instructions if you'd rather use one of those methods.)



4.  Continue to check on the tomatoes until they are done.  You will know they're ready when they are flexible, sort of like a gummy bear.  You don't want them to have any moisture left in them (this will lead to mold), and you also don't want them to be crispy.



5.  Store them however you think is best.  Again, I did a lot of research online.  I decided to put them in an airtight Ziploc freezer bag and put them in our freezer.  They are supposed to last several months that way.

And there you have it.  Homemade sun-dried tomatoes, and lots of money saved.  Yay!!

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Babyhood: Week 27

Babyhood Weed 27 (September 3rd through September 9th)

* Daddy and Mommy and me went to Charlotte to go out on the lakes.  Saturday we went on Grammie and Grandpa Todd's lake, then Sunday we went out on Grandpa John and Grandma Teri's lake.  Boy did I have fun.  I got to play in water and ride on fast boats and all kinds of stuff.
* I turned 6 months old!! Yay!!  Check out my 6-month picture here.
* I had my 6-month checkup at the doctor.  I was 27 3/8 inches long (72nd percentile), 17 lbs 2 oz (42nd percentile), and my head circumference was 17 1/2 inches (68th percentile).  As you can see, I'm starting to level out and not look so much like a baby 5 months older than me.  This makes more sense considering my Daddy's and Mommy's sizes, so it was bound to happen at some point.  Although Dr. Bloom did say she wants to keep an eye on my weight curve to make sure I don't get too skinny.  Compared to other babies of my length, I am in the 16th percentile for my weight.  (Mommy looked it up online.)  I think I'll be ok though.  I really like to eat.  Just ask my Mommy.
* This week I decided to start shrieking as loudly as possible when I don't get my way.  Crying just didn't seem to be effective enough anymore.  My shrieking makes my Mommy's face scrunch up.  She says it's ear-piercing.  That must mean it's impressive.  I do it all the time now instead of crying, and Mommy usually ignores me, unless we're in front of other people.  I started doing it in the grocery store the other day and she yanked me up out of the cart quick as can be.  I'm glad I learned this trick, because sometimes those cart seats start hurting your bottom.
* I got my first taste of Starbucks this week.  I was in the cart (mentioned previously) and Mommy propped her Starbucks Iced Americano behind her purse in the cart seat next to me.  As soon as she turned to get some milk I made my move.  I grabbed the straw, stuffed it in my mouth, and sucked as hard as I could.  I had no idea I could drink out of a straw already, but apparently I'm more talented than I give myself credit for.  I got a whole mouthful before Mommy got the milk in the cart, then she yanked the cup away from me and grabbed my burp cloth to wipe up all the coffee drink pouring from my mouth.  A man that was shopping near us thought it was really funny and said that I apparently know to go for "the good stuff".  Mommy said she was just relieved it was "decaf".  I'm not sure what that means, but it must be good if Mommy says so, 'cuz she knows best.  In any case, I've decided that my Mommy is a very strange woman.  That coffee drink tasted horrible!!


Chillin' with Daddy in the lake

Grammie and I hung out on the beach for a bit

Floatin' and relaxin'

my Daddy and Mommy

My bunny is my favorite right now!

Grandpa John and Grandma Teri let me be captain.

I was sleepy.

Very sleepy.

Me and my cousins Caylee and Taylor

Chillin' with Uncle Danny

Friday, September 10, 2010

6 Months Old

Krewson turned 6 months old last Sunday!!

Here is his monthly pic with Mr. Alligator:



Months 1 through 6:



Photo shoot:







Mommy has to stay really close while I'm on the couch,
'cuz I like to tumble forward like this and it scares her 'cuz the couch has an edge.
Tumbling forward is so much fun!

See her knee pressed against my head??

We tried pictures in this outfit first, but then Mommy realized
that it had stains on it, and she couldn't let that be the 6-month picture
to go down in Krewson history.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

My Extensive Pregnancy Info List

While I was pregnant with Krewson I read an INSANE number of emails, blogs, websites, books, and magazines on pregnancy, childbirth, and infants.  I was an insatiable sponge.  Now that I have a bagillion friends who are pregnant, I thought I would share my massive list in case any of you are interested.  (I'll also then have it handy for when we decide to play our second round of grow-a-child.)

Websites:
www.baby-gaga.com
www.babycenter.com
www.parents.com
www.americanpregnancy.com
www.planningfamily.com
www.babiesonline.com
www.thecradle.com
www.babyzone.com
birth.com.au
www.mothering.com
www.thebump.com
www.babyfit.com

Magazines:
American Baby is free.  Go here: http://www.parents.com/american-baby-magazine/ and go to the lower left-hand corner.
I also somehow got Babytalk and Parenting magazines for free.  I have no idea how.  Search around and you might be able to figure it out. :)

Books on pregnancy:
The Pregnancy Journal: A Day-to-Day Guide to a Healthy and Happy Pregnancy - I really liked this book/journal because it gave interesting tidbits of information that I couldn't find anywhere else.  It also gives you a daily update on your little one's development.  It thought it was awesome.
When the Belly Button Pops, the Baby's Done - For a little humor in your pot-bellied life.
Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy - I got this for free in the mail through my health insurance program.
Otherwise, take your pick.  I think they all give just about the same info.  Find one with a cool-looking cover.

Books on parenting in the first year:
When Two Become Three
What to Expect the First Year
Happiest Baby on the Block - I agree with its suggestions 100%, but not so much with its theory behind the suggestions.  (The author likes to refer to cavemen times as reasonings for why his methods work.  Weird? Yes.  But do his methods work?  Yes.)
Baby Wise - There's quite a bit of controversy surrounding this book, but I and several friends I know have all liked it.  I didn't follow it to a tee or anything, but it was still very helpful.   There's also a great website dedicated to it, written by a woman who loves its theory: http://www.babywisemom.com/.
Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5 - I also somehow got this one free in the mail through my insurance company.


That's all I can think of for now.  I will add more as I think of them.

And if you have any you'd like to add, please comment and share!!

Hornworms Galore

I know you're all dying to know...

Just how many hornworms were there???
(Check out the original post here.)



19!!!!



Yup, that's right.  There were 19 hornworms.  (And many more to follow, much to the dismay of both me and Dave.)  And the winner of the contest was Kristin, who was the first to correctly guess 19.  Congratulations Kristin!  Feel free to stop by and get your larvae-infested hornworm at any time. :)

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Babyhood: Week 26

Babyhood Week 26 (August 27th through September 2nd)

Let's see, what can I share about my (Krewon's) exciting life for this week?

* Daddy had an ultimate frisbee tournament in DC (well, sort of...it was really in Maryland, but it was pretty close to DC), so he and me and Mommy went up there and stayed with our friends Mary and G for the weekend.  It was lots of fun.  Daddy's team got 3rd place.  Yay, go Ring of Fire!!
* At the fields I got to hang out with my friends Corrie and Haley.  They are 1 1/2 and 1 years old and super nice.  They even shared their toys with me.
* I got to eat shaved ice for the first time (although Mommy wouldn't let me have any of the sugary flavoring in it).  I thought it was awesome stuff...I kept opening my mouth so Mommy would put more in.  It cooled me down while I was hanging out under the hot tent cheering for Daddy.
* I rode in my big-boy stroller for the first time!  Wow it was fun.  It let me sit upright while I was awake and wanted to look around, then when I got sleepy and flopped forward, Mommy laid it back and I got to sleep in the shade.  My Daddy sure is a smart man for convincing Mommy to let him buy the stroller.  'Cuz I like it a LOT.
* I finally convinced Daddy and Mommy that I do NOT like my carseat anymore.  They didn't seem to believe me, so I made sure to scream as much as possible on the way to and home from DC.  I managed to make our trip there take 6 hours and our trip home take 7.  I was pretty proud.  Mommy and Daddy are now looking for a carseat that's a little bigger that maybe I'll like a little more.  Then maybe I won't make them stop the car as much.  'Bout time they get the hint!!

Me, Corrie, and Haley

Mary and me

Mary was super nice to hold me.

My Daddy catching a frisbee.

My Daddy can throw frisbees, too.  He's super talented.

In the big-boy stroller.

Haley wanted to play, but I was sleepy.


Ring of Fire

Daddy's friend Jarad had a Ring shirt made just for me. :)


Me and my Mommy




Back at home, playing in the grass while Rogan stands guard.
She loves me lots, ya know.