Sam at 8 months

8 months...I can't believe I just typed that. Our little one is growing so quickly (too quickly for Mommy's liking)!

Sweet boy!

I'm coming for ya!

Sly smile!

Weight: 17 lbs 

Length:  27 inches

Sleep: Naps twice a day. Seems to be trying to transition to one long nap and then a late afternoon catnap, but it may be a little early for that. We still wake once a night to eat. While I'd really love a full night's sleep, most nights I'm okay with getting up because I really enjoy nursing him and he is my last babe after all!

Awake:Belly scoots short distances. Has mastered the "reach" from sitting position (will roll over his hip to reach a toy, then sit back). Will get on all fours, but isn't crawling yet. Loves playing with his toys, especially is Colson or Lilly-Belle play with him.

Eating: Still nursing (with an occasional bottle...if we can get him to take it). Eating baby food twice a day. Loves puffs and yogurt melts. Can successfully get the puff/yogurt melt into his mouth about 50% of the time. 

Other fun facts: We are using MetaDerm on his eczema. We've seen some improvement, but I think some of the problem may be food allergies. I ate bananas one day and it was awful for him! We may be visiting an allergist soon.  Sam is having a little bit of stranger anxiety. He searches for Mommy whenever a new face appears.

In My Cart

Etsy, my favorite website when I need to waste time. Seriously, you can fine just about anything here and I love that the items are hand crafted. Here's what's in my imaginary shopping cart right now.

Monogram Canvas Duffle Bag from Teta Apparel

Sterling Bee Ring from Lavender Cottage

New Baubles Viva La Jewel

Yummy Smelly Spray from The Gnarly Whale

New Grocery Bags from Oh Little Rabbit

What are some of your favorite Etsy shops?

Mini Vacay

Last week we took a mini vacay to Myrtle Beach. It was so nice to have a few days away to recharge and relax (as much as you can with three kiddos in tow!). We ate at Crab Catchers, our favorite place in Little River, spent a lot of time in the pool, took sunrise and evening trips to the beach (yes, no daytime beach for us...have you seen the fair skin our family rocks!), and took the babes to play in the arcade and have icecream. It was delightful!

Little Diggers

First time with toes in the water!

Preparing to jump waves

That's right people...it's a cat on a leash.

Sam loving the ocean breeze

Two of my sweet boys

Little Mermaid

She had sand in places sand isn't supposed to be!

More wave jumping

Pool time!

A little unsure about this...but he ended up loving it! I wish his skin loved it more. (Boo eczema!)

All smiles

Silly girl

Little Water Bug

Here comes a belly buster!

The higher, the better

Sacked out after a golfcart ride.

The Whole 30 Challenge

I'm doing the Whole 30 Challenge...I guess I should say "we" are doing the challenge. Leave it to Nick to seek out the most difficult (for me) dietary change possible.

I will admit, I have a strong affinity for sweet tea, chocolate chip cookies, cake, icecream, and I'll never pass a Krispy Kreme if the HOT sign is on. Sugar. Sweets. I LOVE them! But not for the next 30 days.

For the next 30 days, it's Meat, Vegetables, Fruits, and Fats. No Dairy, Grains, Legumes, Alcohol,  Sugar, or Sugar Substitutes. I am eager to see and feel the results. A healthy body and mind will be worth the sacrifice of sweets.

I am on Day 5 and here are a few of the things I've been eating this week:

Breakfast

Eggs with Tomatoes and Spinach and Berry Mix

Eggs with Green Peppers and Onion and Grapefruit sections

Zucchini and Onion Egg Muffins

Lunch

Everything but the kitchen sink salad

Chicken with Pineapple Mango Salsa and Blueberry Spinach Salad

Avocado Egg Salad with Cucumbers, Carrots and Cantaloupe

Dinner

Chicken with Tessemae's Paleo BBQ Sauce, Sweet Potato Hash and Asparagus

Sirloin, Sweet Potato with Cinnamon, and Broccoli with Lemon and Garlic

Tessemae's BBQ Chicken, Balsamic Zucchini and Onions and Cantaloupe

Did I mention that I can't have conventional coffee creamer? Thank heavens for Coconut Milk!


  

Lemon Blueberry Bread

Thank you Pinterest for another delicious recipe idea. I saw this recipe for Lemon Blueberry Bread and I had to make it.
This is the end product. (Don't you always like to see what you're making before you see the process? I do!) :)

 Here's the cast of characters:

• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tbs lemon juice
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups AP flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tbs grated lemon zest (I just used the zest from 1 large lemon)
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (I vote for fresh!)

       Ingredients for the Glaze

• 2 tbs lemon juice
• 1/4 cup sugar

 Step 1: Mix together butter, sugar, lemon juice, and eggs.

Step 2: Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt.

Step 3: Combine your wets into your dry ingredients. Alternate milk and egg mixture until all wets are mixed in.

Step 4: Fold in the lemon zest and blueberries.

Step 5: Pour this fine looking batter (pictured below) into a greased and floured loaf pan (8x4)

 Step 6: Bake it in a 350 oven for 60-70 minutes (until a toothpick comes out clean)

Step 7: After taking it out, wait 10 minutes and then remove the bread to cool on a wire rack.

Step 8: Once the bread has cooled a bit, make your glaze by mixing the 2tbs lemon juice and 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Drizzle over the bread and then enjoy! 

It was a hit at our house, and I'm sure it will be at your home too!

Playing Catch Up

So...the summer list is a wee bit harder to accomplish when you have an infant. Don't get me wrong, we've been plenty busy and have had a lot of fun, but some of the things I put on the list aren't "baby friendly". 

One place we did visit that was fun for the whole crew was the Greensboro Children's Museum. Nick won a family membership at a golf tournament and we made our first trip several weeks ago. The kids were entertained for hours, and they can't wait to go back.

Here's a few pictures of the fun!

Slingshot Iced Coffee

I have a special place in my heart for coffee. Recently, I've read about two different brands of coffee concentrate. One brand, Slingshot Coffee, is made right here in North Carolina, so when I saw it at Whole Foods this weekend I knew I had to get a bottle.

They use different types of coffee, which they choose based on seasonal availability, and make small batches of coffee concentrate. The bottle I bought says it is the Ethiopian variety.

I used 2oz of the concentrate, a splash of creamer, and filled the rest with milk (about 6 oz).
*The second time I made it, I put ice and ingredients in a cocktail shaker and mixed it. I think this blended everything much better!

Would you just look at that creamy coffee goodness! So yummy!