Bed Head Baby

Sophia takes after her daddy in more ways than one. When she was born, we knew right away that she was a daddy's girl. She not only looks like him, but she has small mannerisms of his. When she hears his car pull up to the house, she immediately stops what she is doing and excitedly shouts, "Da Da!" Just like her daddy, she requires a lot of sleep. If those two don't get enough sleep, the day is just not as fun. My favorite time of day is when Sophia first wakes up in the morning. Her hair is always a sight to behold :)

Dinner For Swanks

When my husband James and I first started dating, he always used to talk about this restaurant called "My Florist" and how much he wanted to take me there. We never got around to going, but when I was trying to plan something special for his birthday this year, I thought this would be just the place. The restaurant is located in a building that used to be a flower shop and I guess the owners decide to keep the name. The atmosphere is very... cultural, urban, swank, chic... just our style! We enjoyed an early dinner so that we could take advantage of their great happy hour. Our dinner was delicious! James got a salmon with citrus segments and I got the seared ahi with wasabi mashed potatoes. After dinner, we went to see "Dinner For Schmucks" which proved to not be as funny as we had hoped. We decided to end the night with an over-indulgent dose of "Fro Yo" :)





























They even have a pianist every evening!

Patience is a Virtue

Most mothers will tell you that they have somewhat of a routine when it comes to their day to day activities with their children. Although I do not consider myself a very rigid person with a tight schedule, having a routine is what keeps me sane. For the past month or so Sophia and I have had a routine that goes something like this:

7:30- Wake up, have breakfast
8:00- Get dressed, clean up the kitchen
8:45- Head to the gym, Sophia plays in the kids' club and mommy exercises and charges up for the days' activities.
10:30- Come home, Sophia takes a nap, Mommy does laundry, takes a shower, usually reads for a few minutes.
12:00-4:00- This is the time when we eat lunch and then run any necessary errands. Otherwise we can usually be found at home playing with Sophia's beloved bunny chair or other fun toys. 4:45- Sophia goes down for nap #2. Usually Mommy uses this time for herself or to spend with Daddy if he is home.
5:45- Start thinking about preparing dinner and usually eat around 6:30 or 7:00.
8:15- Story time and night night time for Sophia.

Yesterday, this routine did not exist! Sophia woke up at 8:15 which is late for her. We went to Einstein's Bagel for breakfast, dropped Daddy at the airport, and went to the gym. When we got home at 11:00, Sophia had a lot of energy, so I decided to let her play more. When it was 12:45 and she still wasn't tired I started getting frustrated. I made several attempts to calm her down such as reading, rubbing her back, singing, and rocking her in the pitch black bathroom. I have truly never been so frustrated since having Sophia. I started feeling like a bad mommy because I was so angry. I never actually yelled at her, but in my heart, I was so so angry! I actually started praying, begging God to calm her down. Being home with a child all day can be emotionally and physically exhausting. Sophia's nap time is my time to recharge and be somewhat productive (if you can call it that). I must have made 10 attempts to get her to take a nap. Around 4pm I actually sat her in her crib and shut the door. She amused herself for a good 15 minutes and then started screaming. The only time I left the house yesterday, was so that I could pick up an order of Chili Cheese Fries to drown my sorrows away. It didn't help... Sophia finally decided to settle down and go to bed at 9:00. I thought to myself, at least she will sleep well. When I heard her crying this morning, I was sure it must be at least 8:30am. When I looked at my phone and saw that it was 5:50am, I almost cried. She woke at 5:50am and played until 9:30am when she finally crashed and she is still sleeping! Finally Mommy can have her time to recharge and relax. The house is a mess, the trash actually smells a little, but I need to just relax right now. Being a mother is rewarding in so many ways, but can I just be honest for a second, and say that sometimes it is downright exhausting!

We are getting a new backyard!

James and I bought our first home in the beginning of April. We were so fortunate that it was not a foreclosure or a short sale. The most unfortunate thing about the house has been the fact that the backyard is completely unlandscaped. Thanks to our generous tax credit, we are finally able to afford to do some landscaping which will include a patio with cover, grass, and a granite border. The contractors are here this week working on the patio and prepping the yard for grass. We will wait to plant grass until the fall. Planting grass in the summer is like throwing money down your garbage disposal... a pretty dumb idea. Its too darn hot right now for grass to grow!

This is the before picture of the yard. Yuck!

















The area against the the house will be a patio.

Breast is Best!

When I had my daughter last summer I was amazed at the reactions I received when I told people my decision to exclusively breastfeed. Although some were very supportive, others told me I was crazy, or even that it was gross. Immediately after I gave birth, I had a very difficult time teaching my daughter to latch properly. I was truly a slave to my breast pump for her first few months of life. I would try to get her to nurse and then if she wouldn't, I would pump and give her the bottle. Finally when she was 3 months old, I did away with the bottles and forced her to latch. She finally got it down, and ever since then, nursing has been a joy for both of us. Nursing is the most intimate bond a mother can share with her baby. Anyone can play with the baby, give the baby a bath or a bottle, but only a mother can share in that special bond that comes with nursing. I don't judge mothers who give their babies formula, I just feel very strongly that if a mother is in good health, she should do everything in her power to nurse and avoid formula.

There is so much research out there about the benefits of breastfeeding. These are just a few from the American Academy of Pediatrics

Benefits of Breastfeeding:

Perfect combination of protein, Carbohydrate and fat for a baby
Reduced risk of SIDS
Reduced risk of obesity later in life
Reduced risk of breast cancer for mother and baby
Antibodies in breastmilk act as a shield against viral infections for baby
Reduced risk of postpartum depression for mom
Faster postpartum weight loss for mom
Natural form of child spacing, (typically a woman who exclusively breastfeeds is not fertile for the first 6 months after delivery)

Formula cannot offer any of these guarantees, no matter what the package may say.
My daughter just turned a year old and I plan on continuing to nurse her. Society frowns upon nursing in so many ways, especially nursing an older baby. Giving a baby formula would certainly be easier and less time consuming than nursing, but being a mother is about doing whats best for the baby and I believe that providing your baby with such great nutrition is most certainly nothing to frown about.

Tofu Tacos!

I'm really not even sure if anyone reads this blog! If nothing else, this will be a great keepsake for my family to look back on for years to come. I love writing about the things that are important to me.

One of my favorite things to do right now is cook healthy meals for my husband and I. We are trying very hard to build healthy habits while our daughter is still young so that she can follow our example. We have been eating mostly whole grains and lots of vegetarian meals. We made tofu tacos last night and they were a huge hit. I decided to post the tofu recipe because it turned out amazing!

Tofu Tacos
Approx cooking time 30 min
Yields about 4 servings (8 tacos)
Ingredients:1 package extra firm tofuapprox 1/4 C taco seasoning
1/4 C olive oil

Directions:
1. Remove tofu from package and put it between paper towels for about 15 minutes. Put a few books on top of tofu to help get water out. The tofu needs to be as firm as possible. The paper towels act as a sponge to absorb water.
2.Preheat skillet to medium heat. Add oil and let it heat up for about 10 minutes.
3. Slice the tofu in half length wise and then slice pieces paper thin. This is how I sliced mine:
4. Add tofu to skillet and sprinkle taco seasoning. Let it brown for about fifteen minutes before turning. The trick is to get it as crispy as possible. It takes about 30 minutes but the end result is worth it!


We decided to use crunchy tacos but I think soft would also work. We had a side of refried beans and guacamole which made the meal delicious. The recipe calls for a lot of oil, but you have to remember, olive oil is an excellent source of monounsaturated fats as well as the guacamole. Healthy eating does not have to always mean low fat. Eating the right kinds of fats is the most important thing. For tofu skeptics out there, give this recipe a try. You might just become a tofu fanatic like us! :)

Our Little Cupcake

I am truly amazed at how fast a year goes by. A year ago I was at work when I started feeling very hot and shaky. I was 36 weeks pregnant and convinced that I was experiencing Braxton Hicks Contractions. My husband and I went to the hospital as a precaution. Much to my surprise, I was 9 centimeters dilated and ready to have our little girl! Now here we are celebrating our little girl's first birthday. This is not only a celebration for her, it is just as much a celebration for my husband and I. I am celebrating the strength that I had on the day of her delivery. I am celebrating this precious life that I helped to create. I am celebrating the joy of motherhood. I am celebrating my gratitude to God for allowing me to be the mother of Sophia Therese. Words that are typically used to describe motherhood are: joyous, amazing, exhausting etc... but I am starting to view it as such an honor. I am honored to be the mother of such an amazing little girl.

We celebrated Sophia's first birthday this past Saturday and it was hit! We were insistent on having the party at our new home and I think it worked out very well despite our house being teeny tiny. We have a park across the street which turned out to be very convenient! We decided to grill burgers at the park and then invited everyone inside for cupcakes and presents. The theme was "Cupcake". I knew that I wanted to do something creative for her party that wasn't a popular theme and cupcake seemed very fitting. I worked very hard at making her birthday invitations and decorations. My favorite decoration was the pennant banner that I made for her. I also made a banner with pictures of her from each month so that everyone could see just how much she has grown. I made a onesie with a big 1 on it for her birthday outfit and she wore a tutu. It was adorable. Her party only lasted a few hours, but the small details are what helped to make it special.