Five Fabulous Months

5 funny photos

 and 5 new skills

1. Laughing
2. Saying "dadada"
3. Rolling over (and over and over)
4. Sitting up on his own
5. Dunking a basketball

Check out the "official" monthiversary photos. They are getting harder and harder to do... every time I put Drew on his belly he almost immediately rolled over. We'll see how long this lasts...

Let me see that pumpkin roll!

Every year for the past four years I have a made a pumpkin roll for Thanksgiving dessert. It started when a girl in one of my classes brought one of these fabulous rolls to class. Everyone loved it so much that the next week she brought a copy of the recipe for everyone. I made it myself a few weeks later to bring to Thanksgiving dinner at my parents' lakehouse. My parents (especially my dad) loved it so I have made one every year since. I chose to try the Libby's Famous Pumpkin recipe this time, with a few small adaptations of my own, and loved the results.

If you like pumpkin pie and cheesecake, then you'll love this recipe. And even if you don't like pumpkin pie or cheesecake, this recipe is still worth a try!

Pumpkin Roll

Cake:
3/4 C flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3 large eggs
1 C sugar
2/3 C canned pumpkin

Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1 C powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Sift together all dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg) in a small bowl.

3. Beat together eggs and sugar in large bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin.

 

4. Slowly stir dry mixture into the wet mixture.

5. Pour the batter into a rimmed cookie pan. (Preferably with parchment paper on the bottom- I spray BOTH sides of the parchment with non-stick spray). Bake 13-15 minutes (it's actually better if the cake is slightly drier)

6. Immediately loosen cake once it is baked and roll it length-wise keeping the parchment between the layers of the cake (make sure the underside of the parchment is thoroughly coated in non-stick spray or it WILL stick)* The cake is HOT so roll quickly!

7. I like to seal my roll in plastic wrap to help it keep its shape while it cools.

8. While the cake is cooling beat together cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.
9. Once cake is cooled, unroll and spread cream cheese frosting over the entire cake. Roll the cake up once again. (Notice my ugly gash on the right- no worries, it still tastes wonderful! And can be covered in powdered sugar!)

See? Still pretty!

10. Refrigerate for 1 hour, slice and serve.

No matter what the outside looks like, it will look fabulous when sliced, and it will taste even better!

*Another method (and the method most often recommended) is to turn the cake out onto a dish towel covered with powdered sugar then to coat the cake itself with powdered sugar. You would then roll the cake up in the towel. I found that this method actually caused a jelly-like layer to form on the outside of my roll because of the cornstarch in the powdered sugar mixing with the moisture of the cake, so I opt to just roll in parchment.

Speaking of rolls...



He's getting awfully good at this! In fact every time I tried to take a video he had already rolled 2 or 3 times.... he's too quick!

P.S. 5 month pics of Drew will hopefully be coming later today, but by tomorrow at the latest. Stay tuned! ;)

Apologies

I know I haven't posted much lately, but I've been busy with all of these beautiful people...

More to come later including a fabulous pumpkin roll recipe and hilarious video of Jason attempting to ice skate!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I rose bright and early this morning, not to put a turkey in the oven or to bake tasty goodies, but to run! My mom, Stacey, and I ran in the Atlanta Track Club Thanksgiving Day 5K. 5K is only three miles, but it's three miles more than I have run in a long while (except the last month that I've been "training"). Before October it had been at least a year since I had run AT ALL, seeing as I found out I was pregnant in October last year and that was a good enough excuse for me to avoid it (I pretty much avoided running at all costs even before I was pregnant).

But I got this idea in my head that I wanted to run the Peachtree Road Race (10K) here in Atlanta on July 4th, so I started running. I found out about this 5K and decided it would be a good, easy goal to work towards. And we did it! So now we have already signed up for a 10K before the Peachtree- the Resolution Run on January 1st. Perhaps we'll actually make it to a half marathon in March?

In any case, check us out. Jason came out to see me run, even though it was much earlier than he would have liked to be up on Thanksgiving Day. If you came to our wedding you might recognize that building... it's the hotel we got married in!

That's me in the white shirt on the left of the picture, my mom in the middle, and Stacey on the right. We all got matching headbands... check mine out...

It says "Will run for margaritas". My mom's said, "You don't have to go fast, you just have to go" and Stacey's said, "Running is cheaper than therapy".

And Drew is awfully happy about me finishing the race! (I don't know my finish time yet, we should be able to find out later today when they post them online).

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving today!! We are obviously thankful to have a larger family this year. What are you thankful for?

Wordless Wednesday: Shattering

Mom Is Away, So Dad Is Playing

Since Diane had Drew at the lakehouse for the weekend (sorry if that is a spoiler for any of Diane's upcoming posts), she went out for the night with some friends.  So I got my boy for the night to my self.  And this is what we are working on.

I'm going to assume those were happy cries at the end of the video.

I missed my boy, glad to have him back and just me for the night.

Photic Sneeze Reflex

Ever heard of it? It's apparently a hereditary trait in which a person, upon going from darkness to brightness, sneezes. I've known a few people who claim to have this reflex. I experienced it a few times, but Drew consistently sneezes when greeted by bright lights. He often sneezes immediately after I pull him out of the car to put him in his stroller. He also sometimes sneezes when I turn on the lights in his room after a nap. Like here, for example. You'll notice that once he finally opens his eyes all the way he sneezes. (You'll also notice the absolutely adorable smile that almost always greets me when I get him after a nap).

The curious thing is that it is supposedly hereditary, and a dominant trait at that, but neither Jason nor I seem to have the "photic sneeze reflex."

Bubbles!

New do and no poo

Check out my new do!

With all the hair pulling I've mentioned here and there it was time to finally get the locks chopped off (though I wasn't quite ready for a "busy mother's haircut"). Every time I ran to Jason begging him to free my hair from Drew's death grip he would remind me, "I thought you were going to get your hair cut!" So I finally did. Here it is with curls.

I'm not sure I like the cut with the curls, but goodness knows I'm not going to straighten it myself- that's a job pretty much left solely to my stylist!

Not looking too shabby considering my hair has not seen or touched shampoo in 40 days. Yes, you did read that right, my hair has not been washed in over a month. Before you go running off to try and avoid my stink, let me explain.  I have showered, I just haven't washed my hair with shampoo or conditioner in 40 days.

Why on earth would I do that?  It's called "no poo."  It's pretty simple- you don't use shampoo (thus the "no poo").  You wash your hair every once in a while with conditioner, or baking soda, or apple cider vinegar, or any other combination of homemade concoctions, but you don't use store-bought shampoo.  I came across this idea on another "Mommy blog" and was intrigued so I googled "no poo."  Surprisingly all the search results that came up were hair-related and not constipation related as you might expect.

I'm not going to attempt to convert you, but if you're interested in some of the reasons you might go "no poo" and the various methods you can use you can check out this article.

Or you can read this mom's experience of herself and her family going "no poo" (read from bottom up to start at the beginning of the "story"). This story does end with the mom going back to shampoo, but still very interesting.

Besides the supposed "health risks" of the chemicals in shampoos (which truthfully is not my main concern), it's supposed to be great for your hair.  All of the blogs that I have read where people are doing it say they've gotten tons of compliments on their hair. And it's supposed to be especially great for curly hair.  Curly-heads apparently have, on average, about 20,000 less hairs on their heads than straight-haired folks.  That means 20,000 less hair follicles and 20,000 less oil-producing pores.  Therefore curly hair has a tendency to be dry and "thirsty", and, unfortunately, curls need moisture in order to not be frizzy.

So, basically, I did this to see if I could achieve great hair. I'm tired of my curls and was ready to spend $200 to get a keratin treatment to straighten it (the opposite of a perm).  I haven't fully eliminated the idea of getting a chemical straightening, but I figured I'd like to give this "no poo" thing a try to see what it does for my hair. I also figure that while I'm on medical leave and don't have a need to be presentable every day, this was a great time to try it out.

Here's how the first week went (you can click on the pics if you want to see them larger):

Day 1

I didn't get a picture today because I didn't really think about it.  I washed my hair with just water today, no conditioner either.  It was a little tangly when I combed it afterward, but not as bad as I thought it would be.  Usually when I get out of a pool or any kind of water and let my hair dry by itself it feels like straw. Surprisingly not today.  It is definitely frizzy, but it feels soft and light.  I'm surprised that it doesn't look greasy at all.

Day 2

I showered and rinsed my hair with just water.  I got out, combed it, then scrunched it dry with a t-shirt instead of a towel (yet another thing I read was better for preventing frizz).

I am impressed with the way it curled with NO PRODUCTS in it!  It never does that!  Granted, it's been years really since I've tried to just let it dry naturally (I either put gel in it right after getting out of the shower, or if I'm too lazy for that I pull it back into a pony tail) but when I used to it was always a big fuzz ball.  No curls. No waves. Just frizz.  Today my hair looked just about the way it usually does when I use gels, a little more frizz around the edges than normal, but I actually have some ringlets!

By the end of Day 2 my hair was definitely looking pretty greasy. It usually doesn't look greasy until the next morning, not by evening the same day.

Day 3

Again, showered but didn't use anything on my hair, just scrubbed my scalp and hair with water.  Scrunched dry with a t-shirt.

My hair is taking FOREVER to dry today.  I wanted to take a picture during Drew's first nap, but I'm having to wait since it's still damp. I'm not sure why it's taking so long. The curls are a lot like yesterday though, it's as if I put product in my hair.  Still some "halo-like" frizz, but fantastic curls and body too.

My hair feels a little heavier today and definitely has the greasy look on top.  Thankfully curls tend to do a good job of masking greasy-looking hair since it's already "stringy" and the light glints off of it in different directions, not allowing the eye to really see that grease-slick look. I'm not liking the greasy feel so I think I will try a baking soda and/or apple cider vinegar rinse tomorrow.

Funny how in the same "photo shoot" my hair goes from looking pretty great to looking horribly stringy! Bleck!

 Day 4

I couldn't stand it any more so I did a baking soda and apple cider vinegar wash today.  I put 1 tbsp. of baking soda in a plastic cup then 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar in another and brought them into the shower with me.  I filled each with one cup of water while in the shower. I started with the baking soda.  It made my hair feel "squeaky clean," until I rinsed it out, then it felt straw-like and tangly.  So then I slowly dumped the apple cider mixture on my head and my hair suddenly felt softer.  Seems backwards to me... but hey, it worked!  Hair came out clean looking and much lighter than yesterday.

I really liked my curls today, they had a nice shape and were not frizzy at all!  

I like the baking soda/apple cider vinegar rinse!

Day 5

Back to just water rinsing today.  Looked a tad greasy already, and for some reason the curls were kind of limp and frizzy today. Time for a baking soda rinse again already? They do say that your hair needs time to adjust.  Just like breastfeeding is a supply and demand kind of thing, your hair does the same thing.  When you quit breastfeeding there's going to be a short time of overproduction of milk, same with the production of oil on your head.  

Day 6

My hair hair was much less frizzy than it has been this whole time.  I liked it!  Definitely greasy by the end of the day, but not as heavy feeling as I expected seeing as it has been 2 days since it was "washed". Funny how the picture makes it look super greasy...

Day 7

 After just a water rinse, as usual, it's definitely still looking greasy, but not as bad as it did at the same point last time (three days after a wash).  It's not as heavy feeling. I'm trying to extend the time between "washes," but am debating if I can make it one more day without a wash.  I like clean hair!

Since then it's more or less been the same thing. I've been able to go longer and longer between baking soda/apple cider vinegar washes, stretching 3, 4, even 5 days. I do have to "wash" it by scrubbing it in hot water every day in the shower, but it's been very easy to do.

The thing I like best is that I don't have to put gel or mousse or hair spray in my hair- it now curls so nicely on it's own without any of that! My hair is also very soft and shiny. The stylist at the salon commented on how healthy my hair was. :)

I don't know how long I'll stick with it- there are days I just crave the suds and lather of shampoo, but so far it's been a fun experiment!

And just so I don't leave you craving photos of Drew, check out his "do". He's been sporting a bit of a "mohawk" lately due to a section of darker hair right on top that likes to puff up.

Heehee, it looks like he's taking a picture of himself, just like mom!

Wordless Wednesday: Put a sock in it

 

Dada?

Is Drew saying his first words??



No, not really. According to babycenter.com (one of my favorite sites for all things baby) at 4-6 months, "your child will start to babble, combining consonants and vowels (such as "baba" or "yaya"). The first "mama" or "dada" might slip out now and then. Though it's sure to melt your heart, your baby doesn't equate those words with you quite yet. That comes later, when he's almost a year old."

Naturally, as a language teacher, I am fascinated by the process of language learning and am loving every minute of watching Drew learn the intricacies of communication.

Here are some super interesting facts about language learning that I learned either in school or through my years as a language teacher.... these are all just as I remember them and I do not have the actual facts and/or studies in front of me, so don't quote me!

1. Mothers in just about every culture speak to their children in "motherese," where they speak slowly and use a sing-songy voice with lots of inflection and facial expression.
2. Babies of deaf parents actually "babble" in sign language, making hand gestures uncommon for their age and that imitate signs.
3. Children who grow up in bilingual households often go through a period of what may seem to be slower language acquisition, but quickly surpass their peers in size of vocabulary in BOTH languages.
4. Studies that videotaped baby girls and boys showed that baby girls not only babbled more but also moved their mouths, as if practicing speaking. Toddler girls also talked to each other more often when playing (pretending to talk on the phone, playing house, etc.) where boys were happy to play side by side without speaking.

There are many many more fascinating facts (that I just can't remember right now) because language learning is an incredibly complex process that scientists are still trying to figure out. But I really am blessed and excited to get to witness it all firsthand!

How to get around

Drew is still working on perfecting his rolls, but he is getting better and better by the day. He is also discovering that rolling helps him get to places...

Are you looking at me?

Aha! I got the pink bag!

Time to head back to my other toys

Hope he doesn't make himself dizzy.

Glass throwing

After I graduated from UGA in 2006 I got a job, like you're supposed to do, teaching in Anderson, South Carolina. I had many interviews and almost just as many job offers (though a few did slip through my fingers) but ended up chosing the position I did because I would be teaching in a small town (hopefully easier, right?) and, most importantly, I could live at my parent's lake house for a fairly decent price (okay, and pretty d@$n good price). And who can argue that living on a lake wouldn't be a blast?

Well, that year ended up being what I deem one of the worst of my life. I was a new teacher nearly drowning in lesson plans, grading, tests, failing children, and home phone calls to be made. I hated it. I didn't have any idea what I was doing so I had to work hard to plan quality lessons. The time spent doing that meant that the piles of homework and tests to be graded mounted. And in the meantime I had to deal with the hormonal youth that, though they may have meant me no personal harm, sent me home in tears 4 out of 5 days of the week. And the phone calls... if you know me, you know I DESPISE the phone (and I do not use that term lightly), but we were required to inform parents of failing and nearly failing students. Making calls informing parents that their students aren't doing well is not a fun call to make, especially when you hate phones.

You would think that living at the lake would have offered pretty good opportunities to escape from my "torture", but unfortunately I didn't partake in the beautiful outdoors nearly enough. Instead I always seemed to tell myself I could enjoy it when I was "caught up" and trapped myself indoors wallowing in my piles of papers.

Even though we lived nearly 30 minutes from what I regarded as "civilization" (a fact that I grudged), Jason and I found a few things that we enjoyed and that made life a little more bearable including a little downtown cafe that made awesome calzones and another dinky roadside restaurant called Dad's 2 where we ate every Thursday night and where I always enjoyed a plate of potato skins (just about the only vegetarian option) and a liquorless margarita (it was made with a wine cooler because the sale of liquor was forbidden in the county... yet another fact I grudged.)

But there was one thing that I absolutely loved and was one of the few highlights of my life at that point, and that was taking the trash to the dump.

Yup, you read it right. Taking the trash to the dump. It actually wasn't the trash part that I enjoyed, it was the recycling.

You see, they had these large green dumpsters for the recycling, kind of like this one...

You drove up a hill and these dumpsters were actually below you. You stood on a concrete walkway and threw your recycling down into the appropriate dumpster.

The reason I enjoyed it so much was because of the glass. When you threw in your jars and bottles they would SMASH into tiny pieces. It was such an amazing feeling, like you were throwing your stresses and worries away and letting them blast into smithereens. And it was made even better for me knowing a) I was helping the environment by recycling (and not making a mess destroying things elsewhere) and b) because I got to organize while doing it because you had to separate the different colors of glass!! (Yeah, it's ok, I am a little obsessive compulsive).

My best friend Stacey is now in her first year of teaching and we have actually been saving up glass for over a month now with the sole purpose of going up to Hartwell to smash it. We went this weekend to do just that but unfortunately we did not time our trip well and the dump had already closed when we arrived and didn't open again until after we had to leave today. We will definitely be making a return visit soon for some recycling therapy.

We did take advantage of the beautiful weekend though and did a little jog taking in the fall foliage and the views of the lake. Daddy and Drew enjoyed some scenery too...

Drew also enjoyed a crackling fire with Aunt Stacey...

And some Waffle House!

Like father like son

When Mommy's away the boys will play!

Leading by example?

Vroom vroom

A couple of days ago I discussed leading by example in one of my blog posts.  Well, last night I had Drew in his Bumbo (which he loves! Thank you B.A. Laura!) and I threw a couple of toys on the tray and let him go to town on them. It wasn't until a few minutes later and I really looked at the toys I had given him that I realized if I'm going to lead by example, this perhaps isn't the best combination to choose... What do you think?