Vivian loving the Christmas bows :)

6 Months Old

Happy 1/2 Birthday Vivian Rose!!!

 

I can't believe this beautiful, sweet, amazing little girl has already turned 6 months old!  It seems just like yesterday she was born.  It was been amazing watching her explore this world of ours.  She is so observant and aware of her surroundings.  She just takes it all in.  She has the sweetest little laugh/giggle.  Its the absolute sweetest sound.   It warms my heart to hear her.  She loves grabbing my face.  She grabs my cheeks and starts making grunting sounds.  Its hilarious!  Gotta watch out for that little grip she has.  She'll pinch the heck out of you.  I've already lost a few strands of hair, but that's okay.  I'll go bald as long it makes her happy.  I cannot express how happy and delighted that I am to have this little one in our lives.  God made her absolutely PERFECT!!!

Vivian's Likes

• Sticking out her tongue.  It stays out the majority of the day.  
• Bath time and getting ready for bed.  She loves water to be sprayed into her mouth.  That has been her and Daddy's thing since we've been taking baths.  When I lotion her up and get ready to put her diaper on, she becomes so excited.  Starts kicking away and her breathing becomes faster.  She knows what is about to happen.  Dinner and sleepy time.
• Loves when we blow on her tummy.  She thinks its hilarious.
• Playing peek-a-boo.  
• Babbling/talking.  Loves hearing herself
• Coughing.  She has the cutest/fakest  little cough  
• Brody.  Loves petting/grabbing him.  Thankfully he doesn't mind
• Likes when I do "bicycle" with her legs and count to 10 while bending them.  
• When I get her "chicken neck"
• Her exersaucer.  
• Strolls
• Her feet/toes
• Standing

Vivian's Dislikes

• Loud noises.  They scare her.
• Waiting too long to eat.
• Being held like a baby.
• Riding in her car seat for too long.

She has way more likes than dislikes.  I can say we are lucky parents.  She's overall a happy baby.  Doesn't cry unless she's hungry or overly tired.  We have a nice little routine which keeps her content.  I can't believe in 6 more months she'll be celebrating her 1 year birthday.  Hard to even fathom.  

Love you sweet baby girl!!!! 

Vivian's First Food

Yesterday we, or I, decided to go ahead and let Vivian try solids for the first time.  She sits in my lap at dinner and she grabs at my food and watches while I eat constantly.  I figured maybe she was ready to start.  Its hard to know when the right time is though.  Some say you can start at 3 months or wait until they are 6 months.  I think its best to start when they tell you they are ready.  

Sweatshirt

Vivian will turn 6 months next Sunday and I was going to wait until her "1/2 Birthday."  I decided what's a week early.  Lets go for it!

I didn't want to start her out on traditional rice cereal, but start her with organic sweet potatoes.  I eat a lot of sweet potatoes myself.  I probably consume 3-5 a week.  Love them!  I thought maybe she would enjoy them herself. 

 I whipped out my Beaba food processor  and had her potatoes ready in 16 minutes.  If you are in search of a baby food processor, I highly recommend the Babycook Pro.  It steams and blends all in one.  I was able to do it while still holding Vivian.  It's a little pricey, but well worth the money I think.  I'm planning on making all of her food.  So, I think the price of the processor compared to the price of Gerber already prepared food you would be spending more money I think.  One medium size sweet potato made a ton.  I even froze the left overs.

I'm not sure if she's quite ready for solids yet.  I think more got on the outside of her mouth than the inside, ha!

She opened her mouth slightly while feeding her.  She was like, "Mom, what is this stuff you're trying to feed me?"  We are going to try again today and see how she does.  I think if she acts the same way, I'll try again in a week.  I know she will tell me she's ready.  It will be a slow process, but that's okay.  It will be fun trying different foods!  I'm crossing my fingers she won't be a picky eater.  I want her to love her fruits and veggies.

On a side note, we've a little rollie pollie on are hands.  Vivian has been rolling all over her mat lately and even found herself under the Christmas tree playing with the bows on the presents.

I think someone is ready for Christmas!!!

 

Easy Lasagna

I love lasagna.  I think it has to be one of my favorite dishes.  Not only is it yummy, I think it tastes better the second day as leftovers.  The one thing I hate about making lasagna is cooking the noodles.  It never fails I get burned from the water splattering everywhere, water tends to boil over the pot and everything turns into a big ole mess.  Not fun. 

Well, a few years back I came across a recipe by Kraft where you don't have to cook your noodles.  Wait, what?!  Sign me up!  Have you seen the boiling required noodles?  They are great!  You will never go back to cooking lasagna noodles again.

It truly makes making lasagna stress free.  You can makes this ahead the night before while your little one is sleeping or during nap time the day you will be having it for dinner.  I love meals like this.  In my case, I whipped it up during Vivian's nap this morning.  After making it I put it in the fridge to be ready to toss in the oven tonight.  Voila, dinner made easy!  

First you want to brown 1 lb of lean, extra-lean or full fat ground beef.   While your ground beef is cooking, in a bowl add 1 lightly beaten egg, 1 - 1/4 c mozzarella cheese, 1/4 c parmesan cheese and 1 15oz container of part-skim ricotta cheese.  Mix until well blended.  Set aside.

After your ground beef is cooked, drain and return to your skillet.  Add a jar of your favorite pasta sauce.  I use Newman's Own.  Then fill your jar with  1 cup water.  Put lid back on and shake.  Add to your ground beef and sauce.  Stir.

The recipe calls for using a 13x9 dish, but I use an 8x8 since its just the two of us.  Add some of your meat sauce to the bottom of your dish.

Top with your lasagna noodles.

Add your ricotta cheese spread.

Top with your meat sauce.

Add your noodles and repeat 2-3 more times.  I don't measure how much ricotta cheese spread or sauce to add between layers. I like to eyeball it.

After adding your last of your lasagna noodles, top with another layer of cheese spread and meat sauce.  Then add 1 cup, more or less of mozzarella cheese and 1/4 c, more or less of parmesan cheese.

Wrap with aluminum foil and pop in the oven at 350 degrees for an hour or if you prepared before hand just stick in the refrigerator.  Easy enough?  It's really good guys.  Enjoy!!!

Kraft Simply Lasagna recipe here.

Ingredients

• 1 lb of ground beef
• 2-1/2 cups of Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella cheese, divided (I used Sargento cheese)
• 1 container (15 oz) Part-Skim Ricotta Cheese
• 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, divided (Again, I used Sargento)
• 1/4 cup Chopped Fresh Parsley (I omitted.  B wouldn't eat this if it had parsley)
• 1 Egg Lightly Beaten
• 1 Jar (24oz) Spaghetti Sauze
• 1 cup Water (I added water to jar, shook and added to meat sauce)
•  12 Lasagna noodles, uncooked

Directions
HEAT oven to 350°F.

BROWN meat in large skillet on medium-high heat. Meanwhile, mix 1-1/4 cups mozzarella, ricotta, 1/4 cup Parmesan, parsley and egg until blended.

DRAIN meat; return to skillet. Stir in spaghetti sauce. Add 1 cup water to empty sauce jar; cover with lid and shake well. Add to meat mixture; stir until blended. Spread 1 cup meat sauce onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish; top with layers of 3 lasagna noodles, 1/3 of the ricotta cheese mixture and 1 cup meat sauce. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining noodles, meat sauce and cheeses. Cover with foil sprayed with cooking spray.
BAKE 1 hour or until heated through, removing foil after 45 min. Let stand 15 min. before cutting to serve.

Christmas Decorations

We finally have our house decorated for Christmas.  I just love our tree.  Its quite large, but beautiful.  We ordered it from Balsam Hill our first year in Wilmington.  I have to say, we have not replaced a bulb yet.  That's pretty good I think.  The majority of our ornaments are Hallmark.  

A few years back I started an ornament series, Once Upon A Christmas.  They are a little pricey, but I love them. We also have a couple of Christmas Vacation ornaments that BK's mom got him for Christmas. 

Also thrown into the mix we have Lenox and Waterford.

I do love our tree!

As for our mantel, I have it decorated with Pottery Barn  garland and wreath.  My reindeer stocking holder are from Target and Home Goods.  Our stockings we made ourselves.  Brian and I got our Bucilla stocking kit our first year together.  My Mom and I made Vivian's this year.  Poor Brody got his stocking from Lowe's.  I've thought about making one for him in the past, but after Vivian's I decided his will remain the odd ball.

Candle

I have candy bowl's on our coffee table which can be dangerous.  Christmas M&M's and Hershey Kisses.  They taste better when they are all decked out in Christmas colors...don't you?

For the sofa tables I have our Steinbach Nutcrackers that B's Dad got me for Christmas.  I love them.  I also did Mistletoes project of Vivian's feet.  That was slightly difficult to do alone, but we managed.  I put a little too much paint on her feet so it looks a little fatter than they should be.  Oh well, I still think its cute!

On our other sofa table I have B's puzzle of Charlie Brown that he did and our Waterford nativity scene

Our side table I have a snow globe and Charlie Brown Christmas plate.

Mommy's little helper.

In our dining room I set out on four place setting of our Christmas china instead of six.  My parents are coming this year and it will only be the four of us.  That  I would keep the other sets boxed up.

For the kitchen and breakfast nook, I have a little nick-nacks.  You have to have Snoopy hanging out!

And for the outside we have our icicles and Frosty.

I hope everyone has their houses all decorated.  Now, I just need to wrap a few gifts and everything will be complete :)