bumbo bombs

I have recently encountered a situation with the bumbo seat that i believe warrants some kind of "disclaimer" on the bumbo box. While they are updating the packaging to remind some silly parents that these seats are not intended to be placed on elevated surfaces, they should also add a WARNING about BUMBO BOMBS. A Bumbo Bomb occurs when the child sitting in the seat becomes relaxed enough to expell waste. The design of the seat creates quite a unique opportunity for said waste to fire out of diaper with an alarming velocity. Sorry to be so graphic in my description, but it's a graphic situation to deal with. Thus, not only diaper change, but wardrobe change and bath become absolutely necessary. Please see the adjacent diagram. (No children or bumbos were harmed in the making of this diagram.)
The one redeeming factor of a bumbo bomb is that when this adventure is all said and done, the child is quite pleased with their accomplishment and will usually take a monster nap. Here he is after accomplishment.

Four Months Old

Update - the four month stats are as follows: seventeen and a half pounds, twenty-six inches tall. The boy is a bruiser.

He's four months old and looking more like a little boy everyday. Today especially I thought that this time is all just flashing before my eyes... It definitely doesn't always feel like that, and maybe more so now that i am back to work, but it's passing quickly for sure.

Mr Picasso Head

Fun, mindless entertainment... HERE.

Chub-a-love Contest

recent addition: JG, the Skinniest little love. I even hesitated to add him because of the lack of opportunity for paint-speedoing... but his little grin is just too much. These cousins are SO cute!


Which baby do you think wins the contest for most chub-a-love at three months?
Will it be G-money, G-Lou, RM, or C-love? (in order of appearance)

Moroccan Chicken with Golden Rice

I just thought i'd share this tasty recipe that i made for dinner last night, served with green beans and salad. It is from The Fresh Market Cookbook. I diced onion instead of shallots :) Everyone loved it!

Moroccan Chicken with Golden Rice
Servings: 4

Ingredients:
• 1 (7 ounce) package yellow rice
• 1 cup seasoned flour
• 3 tablespoons TFM Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon shallots, chopped
• 4 tablespoons capers
• 1 lemon, sliced into circles
• 3/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

Preparation:
Prepare rice according to directions on package. When cooked, set aside and keep warm.
Preheat oven to 375°. Dredge chicken in flour. In large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter over medium high heat. Add chicken breast. Brown well on both sides. Remove from pan. Set aside. Pour excess grease from skillet. Wipe clean with paper towel. Add remaining olive oil and butter to skillet. Heat over medium high heat. Add shallots and capers. Sauté for 30 seconds. Add lemons, coconut milk and sugar. Bring to a boil for about 1 minute.
Spread yellow rice in the bottom of an ovenproof dish. Place chicken on top of rice. Pour coconut milk mixture over top. Bake for about 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serve hot.

eight things...

I got tagged by Tootie to share eight things about RM, so here goes:

1. SNUGGLE BUG - this is my favorite, one i hope doesn't diminish as he grows. He'll snuggle pretty much anytime day or night.
2. THUMB SUCKER - i know i should already be curbing this habit, but it is too cute! Especially when paired with the Snuggle Bug attribute.
3. TALK TALK COO - RM has started interacting with Will and I in a very vocal way. Just yesterday at Costco he was talking to his daddy so loudly I could hear him from the restroom. He talked and cooed like that all around the store.
4. KNOWS MY VOICE - I love that he knows his momma. If he's in a room of strangers, and i start talking he looks all around until his gaze lands on me. Its like it makes him certain again that he can put up with the pass arounds.
5. CHUB-A-LUB - What can i say? He eats. He eats really well. And he doesn't skip meals.
6. SIGHS - RM already has this "sigh" that really already makes me think he might be bored. It's hilarious to watch his whole body heave with this expression.
7. SLEEPER - This boy loves his crib. And loves to sleep twelve hours at night, and take four naps a day. I know this will change soon, so i'm soaking it up :)
8. DRUMS - One of my favorite things to watch is Floyd making RM "Beat Box" with the air drums. RM's face lights up and he just looks like a bruiser playing. I think he really is a percussionist at heart.

Alright, Tricia, Lauren, Katie, Essbee, Laurie! It's your turn :)

slush and sleet make a nice southern treat

usually this much of a "wintery mix" dusting would have us all at home. But alas, my office opened on a two hour delay. So RM got to go out with his dad in the snow.

what is that kid eating?

This is a question i answer frequently. it's interesting, because he's obviously only either getting breastmilk or formula... it seems like an obvious answer. But you'd be shocked at the number of people who still feel the need to ask. Now, thanks to one of my former discipleship group girls, the answer is written across his chest. (I've told him this kind of obscene language on a shirt is really only cute for so long...)

big baby boy

Oma got a new camera for Xmas... she tried it out on Red while he was waking up from his nap at their house.

snowbaby

this is just ridiculous. RM's grandmother thought this would be a cute hat and mittens ensemble to wear at Thanksgiving when we went to "pick out the tree" that weekend. Naturally, it swallowed him at two months old. But even now, six weeks later, it's not much better. We went for a walk, but the hat definitely didn't stay.

(The hat is "3-6 months" -supposedly. Everything my son wears is 6 months, or 6-9 months... and he's only 3 months old. So it's funny to see anything look "big" on him.)

chunky monkey

really bad lighting in these shots, but some funny grins.

tee-dum, tee-dee... a tiddly dum tee day...

Back at work week one highlights:
1. Taking an inbox with 2700 e-mails down to 5 in seven days flat.
2. Introducing my boss to 75 colleagues without embarassing myself.
3. Feeling like I am productive outside of the house - gratifying for me.

Back at work week one lowlights:
1. Pumping breastmilk in the office... just weird.
2. RM's total blowout while sitting in on Floyd's tutoring session.
3. The realization that this could be the most productive week for a while?

Seriously, it's been a good experience so far. Some friends can testify to the fact that in the past, communication hasn't been the strongest for Evelyn & Floyd. As in, Floyd would call a close friend of mine to ask, "Have you seen her? Do you know if she's even in town today?" But we are learning to be better communicators, so as not to call one another during the day and say, "Where's RM? I don't know, i thought you had him... ?" We're seven days in and it hasn't happened yet.

happy new year!

yes... we rang in the new year. Missed the ball dropping by about 45 seconds. Still drank very cheap champange... it was PINK... out of tumblers.



My poor son... why do people stuff their babies into these outfits? I don't know, but i did it.



These faces are a perfect replay of the day Benjamin came home from the hospital... he's screaming and RM is VERY scared.