Ten Things I LOVE about You

Preston in his airbrush shirt from the beach!

We have made it to double digits...10 months old! In recognition of his age, I thought a list of ten things I love about my boy seemed appropriate. But before we get to that, here's Preston's current stats!

Eating is pretty much the same. He nurses about 4 times a day. He has increased his variety of table food though. Some of his favorites are string cheese, mini pancakes, frozen waffles (still frozen, feels good on his gums) and Ritz crackers. He still loves diced fruit too, particularly pears, peaches and apples. Some new ones are sweet potato fries, tortillas, and ravioli. He is very interested in everything we eat so I try and let him have a taste of anything appropriate for him!

On a good day, he has a morning nap and an afternoon nap. Some days he has no problem with both but other days (like today) he rebels and fights a nap all day long. I got him down for about an hour today and that's it. Hopefully we'll have fewer of these going forward because today was a bit rough on us both.

He can stand up against something for a few minutes at a time but then forgets his balance and plops down. He's getting better at it each day. He gets around a room but doesn't do your typical crawl. He is more of a scooter.

Still no teeth yet...maybe by next month!

Ten Things I Love about You, Preston Blake:
1. I love that you smile right after you sneeze
2. I love to hear your sweet voice "talk" through the monitor
3. I love to watch your chubby fingers reach and grasp hold of food/objects
4. I love that you reach to me for comfort
5. I love how you grab my hands to pull yourself to a standing position
6. I love how you stare at people
7. I love that you demand attention by yelling/squealing
8. I love seeing features of your Daddy and I in your precious face
9. I love that your arms and hands move nonstop
10. I love being your mother

Happy 10 months, Pookie!

Beach Boy

We just got back from our first beach trip with Preston. We went down to Panama City with my parents and my brother and family. Our whole Reeves clan was there minus my older brother, Shane. He lives in South Carolina and wasn't able to make it down with us.

Now, not only was this our first beach trip, it was our very first vacation with Preston. Until our trip, he had never spent the night away from home. Needless to say, I was stressing myself out big time getting us prepared. I started packing several days in advance and as a result, we ended up with 1 large suitcase, 2 big duffel bags, a beach tent, a pack-and-play, a full beach bag, a food supply tote bag, a full diaper bag, a shoe bag, a car ride bag, Preston's little backpack and a blanket and pillow. Yikes! We also had my parents riding with us in the car so their luggage had to go too, of course. Thankfully, my Dad and Blake are used to my ridiculous over-packing and managed to snugly fit everything into the Pilot. Whew :)

We left out at 4:00 a.m. Thursday morning in the hopes that Preston would sleep the majority of the drive down. I was really worried about him being confined so long but he did surprisingly well. After only one stop to the gas station, two naps for Preston, some snacks and juice and his favorite Nursery Rhymes DVD, we made it to PC by 10:00 a.m. He's such a good boy!

Our condo was wonderful. We stayed at the Splash Resort which has a mini water park inside. They have something for all ages. One end has a small splash pad for the little tykes, then there is a lazy river (mine and Preston's fav), two pools, and a water playground-type thing for the older kids. It was great because the lazy river was halfway shaded as well as one of the pools so there was not much worry for sunburn for the kids. The water playground was covered as well. My two nephews loved it there. However, there was one negative side to the playground...the huge bucket of water that dumped every two minutes or so. It was MASSIVE and when it dumped, A) there was so much water that anyone standing beneath could easily be washed away and B) it was incredibly loud and scary for little ones. We found this out the first day when we walked down there with Preston. He was scared to death! And he didn't forget it the whole time we were there. You could hear it from the beach and he would strain to see that it wasn't coming for him. poor guy. He also got scared of the ocean waves because they sounded similar to the bucket. Oh well, Maybe next year he won't remember it :)

As for the things he did like, he loved to play in the sand and he loved to splash in the pools. His favorite, as well as mine, was to float in the lazy river in our laps. It was so relaxing.

We had a great time with our family. We took some family beach photos and went out to eat and just relaxed as much as possible. Preston was a trooper but by 7:30 each night he was ready to get in bed. So, some of our dinners were cut a little short but we didn't mind. Vacations are definitely different with a little one but we wouldn't have it any other way. My parents stayed in with Preston the last night and Blake and I went out for a date night. We had some great seafood, play putt-putt and picked up some Dippin Dots, yum. However, we had our boy on our minds so we bought him a pair of squeaky shoes and got him an airbrush shirt. It has his name and a crab on it. You have to get an airbrush shirt the first time you go to the beach, right? We also picked him up a pair of Nikes that are just adorable. I can't wait until he's walking around in them.

We headed home Labor Day morning and made a stop at Peach Park in Clanton. We always stopped there on the way to/from the beach when I was a kid so I hope to do it with Preston each time too. It's so pretty there and the ice cream is fabulous. My Dad and I each got a double cone, one side peach and the other banana. Nothing much better than that! And of course I had to bring home some peaches. We took a few pictures by the giant peach and headed for home.

We had such a great time and I can't wait to go again. Stay tuned for Preston's 10 month update!

9 Months

Boy, nine months seems like a long time when you are pregnant...funny how that changes. It really does feel like I just had Preston. My fellow moms sent their kids off to school for the first day back today. I have a feeling that's going to be me before I can blink an eye...okay, no more mushiness. Now to the fun stuff!

We had Preston's nine month check-up on Monday. He currently weighs 22 lbs 11 oz (80%) and measures 28.5 inches (57%). Oh and his head measured 18.5 (not sure of the percentile on it). I was quite surprised at his percentages, given he has been in the 90th bracket of both weight and length since he was born. But the doctor said he was very healthy and looked great! And that's all that matters to us. No shots this time so even Preston enjoyed the doctor visit. He sat and listed to everything she had to say - he's very curious of people :)

Here is Preston's typical schedule throughout the day.
Wakes between 5:30-6:30 to nurse
Goes back to sleep until 8:30 or 9:00 (sometimes longer)
Wakes and nurses, then has his oatmeal
Playtime
Takes a morning nap around 10:30 or 11:00 for about an hour or two
Wakes and nurses, then has lunch. He eats a veggie & a fruit and has a little bit of juice/water or G2 (lower sugar Gatorade)
Playtime and/or running errands with Mommy.
If we are at home, he will take another nap around 4:00. Otherwise, he naps in the car while we're out. He prefers not to nap once we get home :)
After his afternoon nap, he has a snack while Mommy starts on dinner. Usually it's a pack of MumMums, puffs or some grapes in his mesh feeder (loves the feeder).
Playtime/cartoons with Daddy while Mommy finishes dinner
Nurses around 6:30, followed by his dinner. He has part of a 3rd foods meat/veggie or pasta/veggie along with a fruit or yogurt. He also has a little more juice/water.
Bathtime is around 7:30 and Bedtime is 8:00

Fun Facts:
-He loves to roll around and while on his tummy, he will "walk" his upper body around with his arms to get to a toy. I think crawling is coming soon.
-He can stand momentarily against an object, but still needs support
-Unless he has a toy in them, his arms are usually spread out wide and his hands are wiggling and waving. He's a busy boy.
-He loves to yell...and loudly. He demands your attention asap :)
-Riding in the buggy is a new fun adventure. I think he likes it better than his stroller. He takes in all the sights.
-He reaches up for me to pick him up. Heart melting :)
-Has a touch of separation anxiety when I leave the room. It's not too bad if he's preoccupied with someone/something.
-He loves our cat and dog and squeals and laughs when they come near him. I have a feeling they won't be coming around him once he gets too mobile...
-Loves electronics, including cell phones, remote controls and the laptop. I just bought him a toy remote which he is slightly interested in...until he spots the real one.
-Hates Chicken noodle baby food
-Does very well feeding himself puffs or yogurt melts. It's so cute to watch.
-Also does very well holding/drinking out of his sippy cup.
-Table foods he has tried: baked potato, mashed potatoes, watermelon, bananas, mac n cheese. In his feeder he's had grapes and apples. We're working on trying more. We just recently bumped up to some 3rd foods.
-No teeth yet. I'm sure they will be coming soon.
-He loves cartoons on Nick Jr. He drops everything he's doing if the t.v. comes on so he can see what's show it is. He already has favorites.

I guess that's about it for this month. I'm posting one of his nine month photos taken by Ann Wade Parrish. She always does an awesome job for us. They turned out wonderful! I'll post more later, it just takes forever! New recipe post below.

Cheeseburger Pockets

We tried this one tonight and it was incredibly yummy! The recipe makes a lot so if you have a small family, I recommend cutting it in half. This is a very inexpensive meal so it would be a great for a crowd when you have a small budget.

You will need:

1 lb ground beef
2 cans Grands Biscuits (8 biscuits in each can)
8 slices American Cheese

Preheat oven according to biscuit package directions. Brown meat and season as desired. I used seasoning salt, black pepper, garlic powder and dried thyme. Roll out biscuits. Spoon a few tablespoons of meat onto one half of the biscuit. Top with 1/2 slice of cheese. Fold over the remaining half of the biscuit and seal with a fork. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Tips/Suggestions:
Chopped onion is an option to add while browning the meat
I used sliced cheddar cheese instead of American. It's your preference.
I used homestyle biscuits instead of flaky. They may not hold the pocket together as well.

Spontaneous Pneumothorax

What a mouthful! That's the term told to me by husband's doctor when he phoned to explain why he was admitting Blake into the hospital - a collapsed lung. Here I am cleaning the house, fully aware that Blake is at the doctor's office for some chest pain. He had begun to feel the pain the night before, along with a cough and headache. We both thought he might be coming down with pneumonia. Wrong. I couldn't believe it when Blake told me the diagnosis. I immediately freaked out and got upset, not knowing what this meant. This is why the doctor called me to further explain. Basically, there was a "pocket" of air outside of the lung which causes it to collapse. It is termed "spontaneous" if there is no underlying problem to cause the collapse (i.e. injury or lung disease). The doctor assured me the problem could be corrected but Blake would need to be admitted for observation to be sure nothing got worse. I don't care what anyone says, when I'm told my husband is being hospitalized for an illness that affects his breathing, I'm going to be scared and upset. God is so good though. As soon we I hung up the phone, I prayed for Blake and for peace of mind to get us through this situation. I felt so helpless but God reminded me that he is in control and would get us through this.

Blake spent a day and full night in the hospital, wearing an oxygen mask. The goal of the oxygen was to help the escaped air around the lungs be reabsorbed more quickly. Thankfully, this worked for Blake. Otherwise, they would have placed a needle in the lung to try and remove some of the air. Blake's X-ray the next morning confirmed it was getting better. The doctors told Blake there is no timeline for full recovery. They said as long as the pain did not get worse, he may expect to feel pain and discomfort for a while. It's also possible for this to happen again, though there is nothing specific he can avoid to prevent it. However, Blake was instructed to take the rest of this week off from work and no work-outs for a month. The latter was the toughest blow for Blake. He and I have been doing the P90X program for the past two months and besides the benefits of the exercise, we really enjoy doing it together. He has lost 30 pounds in the last four months and I'm so proud of how hard he has worked for it. But the most important thing is keeping Blake healthy so a month is not that much time in the long run.

So the three of us have been laying low this week and getting Blake to rest as much as possible. I love taking care of my two boys :) Side note: I really felt I needed to be with Blake in the hospital so we experienced our first night away from Preston. My parents graciously spent the night at our house while we were gone. I was afraid Preston would not do so well away from his crib so having them at our house gave me more peace of mind. And he did great! I'm so glad he was such a good boy for his grandparents. We sure missed him though!!!

We appreciate all the thoughts and prayers received for Blake. We have such wonderful family and friends!
Stay tuned for Preston's 9 month update!

Taco Pasta Salad

I found this recipe on the KitchenMonki website. It's a great site that has a huge inventory of recipes as well as a meal planning guide and grocery shopping tips. This recipe sounded delicious and that's exactly how it turned out. It's a twist on your typical taco salad, using noodles instead of chips. I definitely recommend this one!

You will need:

1 lb ground chuck
8 oz. rotini noodles
1 pkg taco seasoning
3/4 c. water
1/2 white onion, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
Shredded cheddar cheese
Salsa
Sour Cream

Boil noodles according to package instructions. Meanwhile, brown the ground chuck until cooked through. Drain excess grease and add chopped onion and bell pepper. Saute for a few minutes and then add the taco seasoning and water. Simmer until sauce thickens. The original recipe says to layer your plate, noodles, meat mixture and then a mix of the salsa and sour cream. I decided to add my noodles into the skillet with the meat mixture to coat them all evenly. We topped our bowls individually with cheese, salsa and sour cream. Very good!

Two more recipes below!

Rice Bowl

This is a new one we tried out this week. Blake loves rice bowls and he gave me some ideas as to what to add to ours. It turned out very tasty. These ingredients can be changed depending on your likes/dislikes.

You will need:

1 lb. boneless/skinless chicken tenderloins (I use pre-trimmed ones)
Brown or White Rice (enough for six servings). I use Uncle Ben's brown rice. It takes 30 minutes to cook but it's better than instant.
1 small onion or 1/2 of a large onion
1/2 bell pepper
1 can yellow corn, drained
1 tsp minced garlic
Olive oil and seasonings for chicken
Salsa (optional)

Prepare rice according to the package instructions. While rice is cooking, begin cooking the chicken tenders in a large skillet, along with 2 tbsp olive oil and garlic. In addition, I added some seasoning salt, garlic powder, black pepper, dried basil and about 1/4 c. fat-free Italian dressing. It was incredibly flavorful! Once the chicken is done, remove and set aside. Using the same pan, add 2 more tbsp olive oil and saute the onion and bell pepper until tender. Meanwhile, cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Return the chicken to the pan of sauted veggies and add cooked rice and corn. Mix well and heat through. You may want to add a little more salt and pepper during this process. My husband likes to add salsa to his but I preferred mine without. The picture is without salsa. I apologize for the bad picture. I took it when I packed up the leftovers.

This recipe is about 4 servings.