Cookie Exchange Party

We had a fun day Dec 15th with Cyndy bringing snow from Flagstaff for the our family and the Everett's family to play with and we finished with a cookie exchange party. The kids and dads had fun throwing snowballs and making a snowowl. I'm not sure where the owl idea came from but it was cute. The snow ended up staying on our lawn for the next 2 days until it melted away. :(

Below are some pictures from our Cookie Exchange party that we had at 2pm. This was the first annual, and I'm definitely doing it again. We had Oatmeal lace cookies dipped in chocolate, "adult" chocolate cookies - one recipe with cocoa nibs and salt and the other with cayenne pepper, we also had peanut butter blossoms, sour cream cookies, sugar cookies, monster cookies, blue ribbon winning molasses cookies, thumbprint jam cookies and pretty green marshmallow wreaths. So good...so good...really, everyone did a great job with the flour butter and sugar. I can't wait to do it again next eyar. Along with all the cookies we had some sparkling cranberry juice and snacked on crackers with green chiles and cream cheese with pickapeppa sauce. The winners of the cookie tin awards were:

Best tasting: Three-way tie between the oatmeal lace, peanut butter blossoms and the sour cream cookies.
Best looking: Marshmallow holiday wreaths with red hots
Most unique: The "adult" chocolate duo

Congrats winners!

Mmmmm, baby puree

Here's what I've been working on lately...looks good, right?

We're working on the solid foods now...

He's a very good eater we've discovered. Here he is trying out some rice cereal. We opted not to bib him since we weren't sure how dirty he'd get. We've found that he's very clean, it's just mommy who is messy and doesn't always hit the mouth in the best spot. He's tried bananas, apples, pears, sweet potatoes, peas and we'll try squash next week. So far he likes it all. Yay!!

He's rolling the other way now

He's just rolling all over the place. Just when he's figured out rolling from front to back, he just up and goes the other way. I bet he'll be crawling and running here any day. It's amazing how one day they didn't do something and then all of the sudden it's in their lives and they want to do it all the time. He's reaching out for everything and learning about cause and effect. For example, if baby throws something on the floor, mommy will pick it up for him :). He's just so cute and making lots of new noises and is all around having fun.

We're getting ready for Christmas and have put up a wreath and will probably be picking up our tree on Sunday. Has anyone else put up their holiday decor?

He's finally rolling over, more than 1x in a row

So, Patrick was able to roll over Nov. 2nd, by himself. And since then he's been happy to just play on his tummy until he gets tired and then cries. But just now, he rolled over by himself twice in a row! I have to think he's going to be on a roll...get it. Ha. I'm not that funny. :)

By the way, I made a pear tart today for Thanksgiving tomorrow and it smells so perfect. It's like a shortbread dough, well, I guess it really is a shortbread dough with some ground nuts in it, so...it smells like a mexican wedding cake cookie with fruit on top. I can't wait to try it.

This is hilarious

http://youtube.com/watch?v=4kc2-k4zZR8

It's funny for us but hopefully not too embarrassing for Patrick someday.

Patrick likes apple flavor

I let him lick my apple today and he really really liked it. We'll be trying out solids here in the next few weeks, I think he might be getting ready.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=bgBzeJJJva8

New best picture ever

This little guy is so fun. He's really starting to laugh and smile a lot more. He's so anxious to start sitting up but I keep telling him he needs more happy tummy time, so he's working on it. I think his first word might be "yeah" since we hear him say it a lot and then we realize that we both say that word...all the time. It's funny the things you don't realize you do.

This picture was taken today at Sean's office, that pretty little apron is my bebe au lait aka hooter hider. I'd just fed him and he was very smiley.

We're getting ready for Thanksgiving by working on our side dishes and desserts to the very exciting Turducken that Katy is getting and cooking. I'm making a pumpkin cheesecake, pear tart, creamed spinach, sweet potatoes and sausage cheese balls. If anybody wants the sausage cheese ball recipe, check out my families cookbook blog. Right now I'm submitting everything and even if my family doesn't read it, it's okay, it'll be a great resource for me. Here's that website: http://smithfamilycookbook.blogspot.com/

What's everyone else having for Thanksgiving dinner?

We went to the foot doc

We went on Friday to the foot doctor for my foot pain that I've had since being pregnant. I still had pain 4 months later and I finally decided to go. I also thought that I could bring Patrick since he's really good so long as you hold him. Well, ha ha, that hope was out the window. We got there and he wasn't calming down. He was teething and hungry (earlier than usual) and he barfed what I'd fed him at the office just then and the tylenol I gave him for his teething pain...all...over...the...doctor. Like, all over the front of his freshly pressed button down dress shirt. From the collar to the belt...really, it happened. To make it even more embarrassing... apparently this is a famous foot doc, he is the team doc for the Phoenix Suns, The Rattlers, The Coyotes and others (I even saw a picture of Tanya Tucker). I felt really terrible. He was okay with it but I still felt bad. And Patrick was still hungry since he'd lost his lunch all over the doctor. So, I fed him again. I was very tired after this visit. :)

In case you're wondering about my foot. It's just tendinitis (sp?) and a bit of plantar fasci...something. He's going to treat me with 4 sessions in his office of hydrotherapy, sonic therapy and a muscle stimulator. I kind of thought this was a wacky way to fix it but after this first visit, I feet a ton better. Oh, and he's also going to tape my foot each time. I'd never had a "real" tape job where they spray some freezing cold foot spray, tape the foot, rub it with something that looks like a wax ice cube and then powdered. I felt like I was in the team locker room. Ha.

So, they said to bring Patrick again and that the next visits won't be as long....I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Check out Channel 11 for the next few weeks.

Yesterday, while on our way to the Downtown Phoenix Farmer's Market, we noticed that our local firehouse was having a car seat check. We ended up staying for 2 hours while the fire chief filmed our messy car, our car seat and base and little Patrick. We were picked to be filmed for the Channel 11 coverage about current issues for the next 3 weeks. Channel 11 is where you see the city council meetings and such. Not a very popular channel but on TV nonetheless.

The fire chief kept calling Patrick a girl and said that "we might be starting the career of another Shirley Temple." Well, I don't know about that but we now have a sturdy car seat (there was nothing wrong with what we'd done before) but now we might be able to help some other families out there with having a safer drive. I was reminded, though, about the flying objects if the car were to get into an accident (rear ended or otherwise). We should be using the cargo nets in the back if we have them, to secure the groceries such as a can of artichokes that could go flying towards the baby or the stroller or things like that.

So, check us out on Channel 11 starting Monday and for the next few weeks on the "issues" show starring Patrick and the fire chief.

I found the programming schedule online. Here it is:

http://phoenix.gov/11/otid6.html

On The Issues Councilman Greg Stanton District 6 District Webpage WATCH PHX 11 ON THE WEB Councilman Stanton will talk with the Arizona Theatre Company about an upcoming production titled Touch the Names: Letters to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Stanton will also discuss the city's plastic bag recycling partnership with local grocery retailers. The last part of the show will feature tips on child car seat safety from the Phoenix Fire Department. 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 6 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 7 9 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 7 7 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 8 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8 9 a.m. Friday, Nov. 9 7 p.m. Friday, Nov.9 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10 10 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10 9 a.m . Sunday, Nov. 11 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11 Noon Monday, Nov. 12 10:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 12 7 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 13 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 13 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14 9 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 15 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 15 3 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16 10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16 7 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 17 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17 6:30 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 18 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 18 6:30 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 18 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 18

Patrick's First Halloween

I must say that today was pretty uneventful other than the visit to the doctor for the 4 mo check up and the trip to daddy's office for a lunchtime costume pageant featuring one little baby...Patrick. Sean had class tonight and he wasn't able to be home this evening...which really didn't matter since we haven't gotten a single trick-or-treater in this house in 3 years. Each year I still buy candy just in case that one kid comes, I don't want her/him to be left out. So, if anyone wants mini twix, snickers and 3 musketeers, come on by...no need to dress up.

I got this costume 2 months ago online and it said 0-6mo so I thought it would be fine and we really had to shove him in it...it was okay though since he only suffered through wearing it for 20 min or so walking around visiting the IT guys and gals. He was so darn cute.

4 month check up

I'm happy to report that Patrick is completely and totally normal and average. Really, he is in the 50th percentile for height, weight and head measurement. The numbers are as follows:

Weight: 14lb 4 oz
Length: 24 3/4"
Head Circumference: 16 1/2"


We're still waiting for him to turn over from his front to back but I'm sure that'll happen any day now. He was a champ with the shots but he always cries right after it happens to the point where his whole head turns red and he's blown all the air out of his belly. But he calmed down quickly and was in a good mood for the rest of the day, yay!

The doc said that he's able to start other foods sometime in the next 2 months (like rice cereal and whirred peas). I think he's not quite ready yet but maybe for xmas dinner!

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Check out this video I did on my camera that I posted on youtube:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=4fDIyE6WO-g

It's of Patrick blowing his tongue at me while we were waiting for the doctor.

The teething has begun

Patrick and I had a nice day today. We went to lunch with Sean and played this afternoon. He's learned to copy me blowing my tongue at him. So we do that to each other now. It's pretty cute. He was in such a good mood today and then late this afternoon after drooling and chewing on his hand all day (more than usual) he started really getting bothered by it and cried for about an hour. He liked a cold soaked rag and the teether but they only provided temporary relief. We finally gave him some tylenol and all was good in his world again. He's bathed and in bed now, I hope he doesn't wake up in pain tonight. :(

Patrick's first Pumpkin Patch

Try and say that three times fast...here we are at Mother Nature's Farm in Gilbert.

Old Photos

For anyone who is interested, I have been scanning some old photos of my family (for a cookbook project I started a year ago). You can see some of the pictures on our photo album. Click here to see them..

He finally took a nap!

Thanks to Ashleigh (you can see her family in the Sorenson link to the left), I have finally started my blog. I hope that I have enough zest at the end of the day to post the highlights of our day but I will certainly try. Many of you know that I have been posting pictures on picasa web albums and I've been proud of my ability to keep that updated...so, here's the rest of the story.

Our life right now basically consists of a tightly planned schedule so that we can have the maximum amount of energy expelled in one day. I am with Patrick (our now 4 month old) all day while trying to work on getting supporters for a local food mag Edible Phoenix. Sean is big time Director at a time management company Nettime Solutions and goes to law school at night. Sean is only able to come home for dinner on a few nights a week, so on those days Patrick and I go to him (see, it's really scheduled). I was worried that we wouldn't be able to see each other enough but it's actually working out great.

Today we took our (soon to be weekly) walk with the girls. The girls being Beth and Suzanne and their kids. We walk the bridle path on Central. It takes us an hour to walk one big block and back but it's a good time to talk and to get our legs working.

I also got to run out to meet with a potential Edible advertiser - it didn't feel like work though, talking about chocolates at Chatham's Fine Chocolates. I brought some home for Sean (we'll try the lavender and marzipan fig chocolates tonight. Thanks Beth for babysitting.

I guess that's a lot of typing for now...I will have more to post later.

Thanks for reading. Over and out.