Absence makes the heart grow fonder

Ladies,

I am in over my head with trying to be a mom, run a household, work 45 hours a week and be a wife.  I'm struggling to keep my head above water, and something has got to give.  Unfortunately, blogging has been put on the back burner for the last week, and that's going to have to continue for at least a few more weeks.  I'm upset about it b/c I love journaling here and I have so much to tell you, but I am really, really overwhelmed and need a breather.  I'm not done for good- just a short hiatus to get some tasks done and figure out a good schedule for my family. 

I'll be reading all of your blogs as much as I can (I try to catch up during my lunch break!).   Know I'll be thinking about you all and will be coming back as soon as I can. 

Love,
aeot

Wordless Wednesday- 4 months

Getting sooo big!

Bring it, season two, bring it!!

It begins tonight.  And my fall will be better because of it!  I'm wondering if they have anything lined up that could even come close to the Gaga episode. That was simply amazing television.

I hope you all are planning on watching with me!

Sheer Exhaustion

Do you remember when I bragged about how good of a sleeper SYT was?  He was regularly sleeping from 8 or 8:30 at night and would only wake up once a night to feed, usually between 4-5:30.  There were even a (very) few nights when he slept all the way until 6.  Hello, ladies, that is 10 hours of sleep.  Amazing.  Well, those days are over.............................

Apparently there is a known phenomenon called the 4 month wakeful period, and we've hit it.  There is no known reason why babies who have slept through the night before now decide that they want to be awake during the night.  Theories include hunger, wanting attention from mom, being distracted during daytime feeds, so needing extra feedings at night when it's quiet, growth spurts, and the ever so popular, "we just don't know."  Well, for the past three weeks, Spencer has decided to join this group of babies and has started to wake up 3 or 4 times a night.  It's not just "oh I'll fuss a little, hand me my paci, pat my butt, rub my head, and I'll fall back to sleep".  Nope, this is "I'm starving, mom, and I don't care how tired you are, I need to eat NOW".  He's still going down at the same time (8ish) and his first wakeful period is between 11:30 and 12:15.  He then wakes again between 1-2 a.m. and then usually twice between 3:45 and 5:40. 

At first I was worried that I would "spoil" him by getting him up and feeding him; however, after the first time I let him just cry, 20 minutes later my heart was breaking, he was screaming, it was obvious he wasn't going to give up, and even more obvious that he really, truly needed something.  I talked with one of my docs at work (he's a pediatric sleep doctor) and after I told him what was going on, he said he truly believes in the 4 month wakeful period, and that he thought SYT was really hungry.  So, I've been feeding him regularly when he wakes up, but gosh darnit, I'm exhausted. 

We started rice cereal the other day (he's 4 months now and can have it) to see if this would help.  The two nights that we gave it, he did only wake up twice rather than 3 or 4 times, so that's an improvement.  But still, it's not what I knew and loved before.  He does seem to really like the cereal though.  It's way cute :)  We have a pediatrician's apt this Friday, so I'll definitely be asking for other suggestions.  Maybe I should try the cry it out at least once a night, but it is heartbreaking to do and he's still just a baby.  I don't want him to think we're abandoning him.  But I also HAVE to get some sleep.  I'm torn, I guess.  I wish I wasn't working right now b/c I wouldn't mind all this so much if I also got a 45 min nap every afternoon.  I'm not saying I'd always have time for that if I was a stay at home mom (b/c I know they often don't), but on the really bad days, I would find a way to make it happen!

Anyone out there in blog land have any suggestions for me?  I'll take anything! 

Hats?? I totally wear hats!

Does anyone else think this is the best new commercial?  I mean, who doesn't partake in hat wearing activities every now and again? 

Recipe Touchdown!!

Dinner Club met last night and the theme was tailgating.  B and I decided to bring regular and tomatillo salsa since we have a plethora of tomatoes and tomatillos in the garden right now.  I thought our first batch of tomatillow salsa was better, but this one seemed to go over well too.  I also really, really wanted to bake something (it's hard to bake regularly when you can't eat much of what you make!), so I decided to make my favorite King Arthur brownie recipe and then used their buttercream frostings (chocolate and vanilla) to make the brownie pictured above!  Didn't it turn out so well?  I love the way it looks, and according to the group and the husby, it was quite delish as well!

Below is the recipe for the brownies and the frosting.  The brownies are my favorite brownies I have made (and I've tried a LOT of recipes).  This was my first experience with making buttercream frosting, and since it's pretty much all dairy, I couldn't try it, but it got rave reviews from the dinner club and from work (I took a pan in to them today too!)

King Arthur Brownie Recipe

6 oz unsweetened baking chocolate

12 tablespoons unsalted butter

5 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups sugar

1/3 cup light corn syrup (Karo syrup)

1 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

In a medium sized saucepan, melt the chocolate and butter together over low heat.  Set aside to cool slightly

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, vanilla, salt, sugar, and orn syrup together until light and fluffy, which takes a few minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375; lightly grease a 9x13 pan.

Stir the flour mixture into the chocolate and butter mixture.  Fold the chocolate batter into the egg mixture, stirring to combine. 

Spread the batter in the pan.  For an extra glossy top, brush with one tablespoon of milk.  Bake the brownies for 35 minutes; the top should be crisp, but a toothpick inserted in the center will come out coated with chocolate.  Remove the brownies from the oven and let them cool for several hours before cutting into squares.

Vanilla Buttercream (for the green corners and the piping)

5 1/3 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup vegetable shortening

1/8 tsp salt

4 to 5 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 to 1/3 cup milk or cream

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, shortening and salt until fluffy.  Add about half the confectioners sugar and beat slowly until well blended.  Add the vanilla and half the milk and beat until fluffy.  Continue mixing the sugar and milk alternately until they've been completely incorporated and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy.

Chocolate Buttercream (for the football)

1/2 cup unsweetened, bittersweet, or semisweet chocolate, chopped

4 tablespoons butter

1/8 tsp salt

4 to 5 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

2 tsp vanilla

6 tablespoons milk or cream

Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and using medium power in the microwave, melt the chocolate about three quarters of the way.  Remove from the heat or microwave and stir the chocolate until it's completely smooth.  Set aside to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and salt until fluffy.  Add about half of the confectioners sugar and beat slowly until well blended.  Add the vanilla and half the milk and beat until fluffy.  Add the melted chocolate and mix until thoroughly blended.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the remaining sugar and milk alternately until they've been completely incorporated.  Beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, adjusting the consistency with sugar or milk as needed.

If you're headed to a tailgate or over to someone's house to watch the game, definitely give this recipe a try!  It's a cute way to jazz up a great brownie recipe, and the football could be personalized for any team!  Oh, and this would be adorable for a little boy's birthday party!!!!

Do you Shu??

I'm in need of a new eyelash curler.  My $4 Revlon brand is on it's last legs, and while it's done it's job, I'm wondering if it's time to try out the famous Shu Uemura brand.  Do you use it?  Do you love it?  Do you have a different brand you love?  Or do you get the $4 one from Target?  Curling my eyelashes is a must, and I'm ready for a change if it's worth it!

Tagged!

B.E.G ( a fabulous runner, great source for recipes, and all around darling girl) tagged me in this fun tag the other day, so I thought I'd give it a go...............

1.What is your go-to source for gossip - celebrity or otherwise?
Ummmmmm....well.............I don't really do celebrity gossip.  In fact, I always have to ask my husband (yes, my husband!!) who people are and why people are talking about them.  I really could care less about most famous people, and for those that I do find interesting, I still just don't have the time to research gossip.  Real Housewives of anything????  I've never seen an episode.  Pretty much any reality tv (besides Top Chef and Amazing Race) never crosses my radar.  For friend gossip?  Well, my friends Katie, Annie, and Julie usually know more than I do about everyone and everything.  I just call them to catch up with them and they fill me in on everyone else.  Works for me!


2. What actress would you like to play you in a movie?
Jennifer Garner, hands down!

3. What size shoes do you wear?
7.5 or 8.  I'm so typical American girl!

4. Would you rather be rich and miserable or poor and happy?
Poor and happy.  I'm really good at making do, I'm very content at home, I can bake on the cheap to still celebrate all of life's occasions, and I'm just not very good at being miserable :)

5. What is your favorite meal in all the world?
B.E.G. this is impossible to answer!  My favorite food experience of all time was at Cinc Sentis in Barcelona- I cannot begin to describe how amazing it was.  I love the typical Thanksgiving meal- turkey, mashed potatoes, butternut squash, green beans (NOT the casserole) and apple pie.  Pretty much any kind of big breakfast.  A fall meal of roasted pork tenderloin, grilled potatoes, acorn squash, a veggie, and pumpkin cheesecake with bourbon whipped cream- how can you go wrong?  I love food, ladies, I love food!

6. What was the lowest grade you recieved in school and why?
I got a B in both Chem classes I took in college.  They were tough!!!! 

7. What did you do on your 21st birthday?
My 21st birthday was a Mon or a Tues, so my friends had a little party for me at Lisa and Sarah's apt.  I bought the booze since I was the first one to turn 21!  And I definitely wasn't the type to go out on a weeknight- I was a big fat nerd who felt that skipping class was not worth it.  That Thursday I went out with a bunch of my sorority sisters and I told my bestie that I hated her when she dragged me home kicking and screaming telling her that I was NOT drunk and did NOT need to leave.  Ummmmm.....until I was throwing up 20 min after arriving at home and completely miserable.  See why she's my bestie??? 

8. What item is on the top of your "I want!!" list right now?
A new watch.  The current watch I have is one I got for my 18th birthday, and it is really past its prime.  I've had the glass replaced twice, but now the band is getting gross and the clasp will unclasp at random times throughout the day.  I would love one with a larger face, I think I want a white face, and it has to have the day and date on it.  I've been looking at Citizen Eco Drives, but am starting to think about expanding my search.  I don't want to spend more than $400 (watches can get sooo expensive), and it definitely needs to be water resistant as I have to wash my hands 20-30 times a day at work.  Any favorite watchmakers out there that I should start looking at??

My job is to create 8 questions and tag 8 people, so here goes:
1.  What is your ideal number of children?
2.  What color flatters you the most?
3.  What is your favorite household chore?  And which do you wish the little fairies would do overnight?
4.  What is your favorite book of all time?
5.  What do you sleep in?
6.  Red or White?
7.  Friday, Saturday, or Sunday?  Why?
8.  What is your ideal job (regardless of current schooling, training, etc)

I tag:
Jessica
Brittany
Sissy
Preppy Pit
VV
Freck
Muffy (and her darling new puppy!)
Jackie

Can't wait to see what you all have to say!

Bath time!

SYT loves his baths!  While we were at my mom's, we bathed him in the kitchen sink as he is now too big for the bathroom sink and still too little for the bathtub.  He was incredibly happy as you can see above (ignore the fact that his incompetent momma put the tag of the washcloth right up front!).

Who is this big thing that can reach the sink when standing on all four legs?

Okay, mom, I am soooo done with this picture stuff.

All clean and bundled in my towel

The only thing sweeter than a freshly bathed baby is a freshly bathed baby who immediately falls asleep!  Just look at that baby soft skin and those little wrist rolls.  Yummy!

Introducing...........

I'd like to introduce you all to a dear friend of mine and now a new blogger.  Trust me when I say she is hysterical IRL and you all are just going to love her.  I'm so glad she's joined our little "world"!

http://sissyunplugged.blogspot.com/

Add her to your reader (trust me, it'll be one you'll want to follow), head on over, and say hi!  She'd love to get to know you, and she'll need some blogs to read while she spends her fall up north in our favorite place!

Labor Day Weekend

Our weekend up north was fun, not too hectic (thank goodness), filled with all kinds of weather, and truly enjoyable.  I tried to take pics of friends and not just SYT, though my camera still ended up with about 1000 of him.  Funny how that happens with the first baby, huh?


Friday night after everyone arrived, we went to SD's for cocktails and then went to the Noggin Room (a standard) for dinner and a little more drinking.  Funny how I can talk to these girls and guys all the time and STILL have tons of "catching up" to do.

(Nan's MIL knitted the gray sweater above.  I wish I would've gotten a full shot of it.  You all would be sooo impressed.  I'm hoping she'll knit one for me as well- it's the perfect sweater for fall!)

(Can you tell these three are sibs?  All three of them have the most incredible blue eyes.  E, the oldest, starts Kindergarten on Tuesday!  She's so excited and told me all about it, including her first day of K outfit!  Too cute!)

Saturday was cold and rainy- all day long!  Mom and I got up early and went to a TRX class at her gym since I knew there would be no walking with SYT along the lakefront.  The TRX class is an awesome workout, and I definitely felt it Sunday morning.  After we were back, Mom, B, Junie, SYT and I met up with my aunt, uncle, and their two dogs and did one of the trails that we often snowshoe in the winter.  It was only a 2 mile hike, however, it is very hilly and quite a good lower body workout.  It drizzled throughout much of the hike but the trees helped to block a lot of the rain.  SYT was in the Ergo, and it has a hood to protect him from the elements.  He slept for most of the hike, and when he wasn't sleeping he was looking around at the trees.  He loves being outside.  It always calms him down. 

After our hike, we all went to Gram's for homemade soup (perfect since it was still only in the 50s!) and then went home to shower and get ready for the Michigan game at 3:30!

SYT wore this darling sweater that B's mom knit for him.  It has an anchor knitted into the front of it.  His belt (though you can't see it here) is navy and yellow striped.  B and I both wore maize and blue in support of our favorite football team.  We met the same group of friends out at the bowling alley so that the kids could get out after being cooped up all day and the adults could watch the game.

(at the bowling alley)

Michigan won!  Not only did they win, they played better than they have since the Wisconsin game in the fall of 2008.  It could be a good season around here, ladies and gents!  I hope so anyway!

Saturday night we had a lazy night in, and it was wonderful to be in bed before 10.  Sunday when we woke up, the skies looked like this

Yea!!  B got up and ran 9 miles and then played 18 holes with K's husband.  I went to Harbor to shop a bit (well, only at two stores, but did have one very successful purchase) and then hung out with K and her kids (the ones above) for a bit.  I then went back to mom's, helped prep dinner, made zucchini bread (fantastic!), and played with Junie.  B was exhausted when he got home

That night the same aunt and uncle plus Gram came to mom's for dinner.  We made ribs, corn on the cob, sauteed zucchini and summer squash, and cornbread.  It was sooo yummy.  SYT got a little crabby right during dinner which is always hard :(  It was wonderful to be able to split time with both friends and family over the weekend and never feel like I was shorting anyone.  That's rare, to be honest.

Today we got up and it was yucky again.  We packed up and were out the door by 11:15.  When we got home, we were able to get quite a few things crossed off our never ending to do list, which was wonderful.  I feel prepared for the week, and, while we still have lots to do before next weekend, at least we are organized as to how to get it all done! 

Also, guess who is sitting up on his own????  Okay, okay, so it's really short (30 sec- 1 min 20 sec) periods of time, and it's quite wobbly, but STILL!!!!  It's pretty darn exciting.  Plus in the last week and a half he has started really reaching for his toys and trying to pull them all into his mouth.  It's amazing how much babies learn in such short periods of time!

(he can even turn his head while sitting!)

Can't wait to read all about your weekends!  Hopefully Hurricane Earl didn't upset anything too badly!

Change in Plans

I mentioned previously that we were supposed to head to Charleston this weekend for a weekend away.  However, after a lot of debate, we decided to push that trip off until the end of March 2011.  There were a few reasons for this.  One, once I started looking at all the menus at all the restaurants you guys recommended, I realized I couldn't eat ANYTHING on them.  Southern food is known for butter, cream, cheese, etc.  Who wants to go on vacation and not enjoy the food?  Certainly not this girl.  And dangit, I want my shrimp and grits!!!  Also, with the whole "to wear sunscreen vs to not wear sunscreen" debate that occurs with infants, heading out to one of the islands for the day and beaching it wasn't really an option for us and SYT.  We were able to get our plane tickets pushed off without penalty and get our hotel points back, so instead we're going to head down south for a week end of March/beginning of April and rent a condo on one of the beach islands.  By then SYT will be mobile, and we think he'll love the beach and the waves.  Even if it's still a little chilly, we can do long walks and dress a little more warmly but still play in the sand.  Plus, by then I'm hoping my diet will be less limited!!  Anyone want to join us then?  We'd love to have other couples to spend some time with!  Blogger meet-up?

Since we decided not to head down south, we're instead heading up north!  I was really excited to pull out all the Lilly for one last wear and head to the beach with a big umbrella, but then I saw the weather forecast.

Friday:  High of 66, Low of 54, partly cloudy
Sat:  High of 59, Low of 54, rainy
Sunday:  High of 64, Low of 53, sunny
Monday:  High of 71, Low of 60, sunny

Not the best weekend for sundresses, swimsuits and sandals to say the least!!!  I'm still taking my white jeans, a couple of summery sweaters I haven't really worn much, and my Jack Rogers (too bad for you, freezing toes!).  I'm going to layer my summer colors and make the best of it. 

Friday night we're headed out with friends for dinner/drinks.  My mom is going to babysit SYT for us.  Saturday we're going to try to hike with Junie and Spence before the rain hits and in the afternoon, we'll hunker down for some football!!!!!!!!!!!!  I would feel incredibly guilty sitting inside watching Michigan play if the weather were gorgeous, but now I won't feel bad at all!  Sunday B is hoping to get a round of golf in, and I'd like to head downtown to shop a bit and see if any of the end of summer sales have cute stuff left.  I think we'll have a big family dinner at home that night.  Monday we'll be off bright and early in order to get home, grocery shop, clean the house, work in the yard, etc.  I always feel guilty leaving on the weekends b/c I know a lot of stuff gets left "undone" due to being gone and I hate having it all hang over my head.  We really, really need to look at getting a cleaning lady twice a month with both of us working.  I feel like such a house slacker, but I just don't have the time at the end of the day to do major cleaning.  It's hard enough to get the dishes done, the bottles prepped, the garden watered, and the floors swept. 

What are your weekend plans, girlies??  Hope it's lovely, whatever it may be!!!