30 Days of Gratefulness

Maybe this isn't true, and it probably isn't humble of me to just say it... but I think I am a pretty grateful person... and I think I do at least a decent job of letting the people I am most grateful for know I appreciate them. And if I don't... let me say this first.. I'm grateful for any of you that are taking 5 minutes out of your day to read this because you must care for me at some level past or present.

So to make the 30 days of gratefulness challenge a challenge for me, I am going to be looking for the different/less frequent/not the general clique things I would have said in the past... Of course that is right after I'm done saying I am thankful for these "general clique things" that will be off limits the next 30 days...

My family... I love them all for their craziness... my mom's side... my dad's side... my inlaws.. my step-dad's side.... my husband and son and Croix, Fuzzy, Bouncer...

My friends... I couldn't begin to imagine better friends from the past in high school and college, the best Hutch friends who are there for us as family and seriously the most hilarious, hardworking, caring coworkers EVER.   Sorry... all your coworkers suck in comparison to mine.  Mine RULE. End of Story. 'Nuff said.

My job... I am tired everyday BUT I feel loved and appreciated by my students, coworkers and boss, no day is the same, and teaching reading and history are just plain old fun for me.

So now to mini stories or quick one-liners of 30 days of keeping my eyes open to the rare gratefulness gems.

Nov 1: My Old Reliable Car...  I had to tell myself three times before 7:00 am... today is going to be a great day... today is going to be a great day... today is going to be a great day..   Friday's are tough... This Friday before daylight savings time, which is usually my favorite weekend of the year, I was especially dreading with Declan's schedule getting messed up...  I was also preparing for the exhausting exploratory 1st quarter reward afternoon.  But all this to say what my mind was racing with when I quickly became thankful that my old car can be "broken into" easily... I locked my keys in my car at school this morning... But my principal and Officer Derek saved the day (and Andy an hour in the car bringing me the extra set of keys).  So thank you 1999 Forester for being easily jimmied.

Nov 2: Cards... I love boardgames and card games.  Tonight was filled with a favorite pasttime of 500 that jumped me right back to middle school learning the game with my second summer home in middle school/early high school... The Grabau's.  I lived for meals, water-skiing, and 500 at their house.  I swear it took me 10 times to learn to play the game but they were always patient about it and let me keep trying!

Nov 3: Grocery stores.. Though this is one of my least favorite tasks, I have decided I like it a lot better than hunting and gardening for my own food.  So thank you farmers too!

Nov 4:  Teacher Workdays... I always have a massive to-do list that only gets 1/2 way accomplished, but at least it gets accomplished!  I feel ahead (for the week ;) ) and rejuvenated!

Nov 5: Daylight Savings time did not affect Declan's schedule much at all as I was so worried about.

Nov 6: Garbage Pickup Monday and Leaf Pickup Tuesdays!   Well it snowed but I am glad we got our lawn clean and the Hutch vacuum sucker upper picked up our leaves BEFORE the snow!  Yippee!

Nov 7: My district's building referendum passed!!!  HLWW get a new middle school big enough and much safer with economical operating systems!  So excited for my new classroom and move in 2015!  EVERY VOTE COUNTED so I'm thankful for all 864 people that voted yes because the levy passed by just 20 votes!! Wahhoooooo!!!

Nov 8: AMLE conference... I attended the Middle Level Educators conference in MPLS the last two days with my principal and some coworkers and I love being rejuvenated and filled with some new ideas to share with my coworkers and students!

Nov 9: HOT Baths... I hadn't taken a bath since Declan was born... I'm not sure why but maybe due to the fact I took 2-3 cool oatmeal baths a day when I had hives my last few weeks of pregnancy.  Either way, it was relaxing and I plan to do it much more often!

Nov 10:  God and my church... He restores me. His love endures forever.  He reminds me to forgive.  He reminds me my life isn't mine and my love isn't mine to keep selfishly.   And on December 18th, Declan will be baby Jesus while Andy and I are Joseph and Mary at the live nativity!!!  Mark you calendars and come for our 6:30 pm service!

Nov 11: Veterans. Our freedom is not free and I am thankful I am reminded of this often as a social teacher and can help students begin to understand that.

Nov 12: Jess our Giggly and Grins Daycare Provider!  I love that I trust and genuinely like who my baby spends his day with and that she is willing to care for other's children.  It is a special job and takes amazing people to watch the young ones!  I would be afraid... Give me 30 middles schools.. easy peasy... Give me 8 under the age of 4... aaahhhh!!!!    Plus it was her "baby's" First Birthday today (on the neatest date of the year.. 11-12-13... I like patterns and numbers too but can't quite say I'm thankful for them.) and I was reminded again how fast this year will fly and my baby will grow!!!

Nov 13: GOLF IN MID-NOVEMBER with my boys!  It was 50 degrees out, Declan was fed but needed a nap so we rushed out to golf with the stroller. We golfed more holes with the moon then the sun, but we made it!

Nov 14:  Massages with Michelle... Oh I love my massages!  I got one a month while pregnant but now that extra money goes towards daycare but am thankful for a trade from my 31 closeout sale so this massage was enjoyed!!  Message her on facebook today if you need one!

Nov 15: COUPONS...  My friend's blog, Adventures of M.D., told me about this great free giveaway coupon book. I am a pretty good couponer but would always love more.  Though sometimes they make me buy things I maybe wouldn't I put the food and items to use!  Vote for her blog while you are there with the Top Mommy Blog emblem in the corner please!

Nov 16: The 12 Step Program.   Keeping this one simple.

Nov 17:  Declan's friends... I know I said my friends were off limits, but I am just gonna say I'm thankful that Declan has so many baby friends around his age that we got to see this week/weekend, some that were just born (Yeah Malorie Moon!!) and more news of more babies on the way!!  Can't wait for May and June!!  We'll have lots of babies to visit this summer!!!

Nov 18: Monday's... Margie, if you are reading this... I'm TOTALLY stealing yours for the day!  It put me in a better mood reading yours and thinking of it as a fresh week, fresh start, instead of 5 days til I see my boy all day... And the random hugs from some 5th graders didn't hurt today either!

Nov 19:  Electricity....  I dislike laundry, but man I would really hate washing clothes by a river and hanging them up to dry...  I dislike pumping, but I love being able to work and nurse and provide for Declan...  And I really just like lights... I felt accomplished  making my home brighter today by finding 7 bulbs that needed to be changed...  (and when I realized how "proud" I felt for getting to Menards, picking up a fixed jogging stroller, making dinner, changing light bulbs, installing new toilet handle, washing bottles, etc...  I laughed and had that "i know I am a mom" moment).. but really.. I like living in the modern world we live in and am grateful for that.

Nov 20:  Warm November weather... today was the last day for awhile it sounds like so went on a nice walk with Croix and Declan!

Nov 21:  Volleyball...   Even though my team loses a lot... I feel stress free playing and enjoy the night out and the sport even more than I used too.

Nov 22:  Changing Tables in public bathrooms... Declan really needed one Friday night when we were out to dinner with Andie!

Nov 23:  ROSES...  Andy remember our 10 year dating anniversary and made our house beautiful and my heart happy!

Nov 24:  Sunday Morning Breakfasts... I love weekend breakfasts of eggs, hashbrowns, pancakes, BACON!!  Declan ate (smushed and chewed on) a mini Mickey Mouse Pancake and it was cute!  He loves the homemade applesauce too!

Nov 25: Dr. Seuss & Picture books... My students have enjoyed rereading Dr. Seuss last week for prosody and I love reading to Declan and watching him kick in happiness and talk back at the book... (and now starting to grab and eat the books...) but he really does love them

Nov 26: Ice Cream...  Even on the coldest of days it is so yummy.

Nov 27: Debit/Credit Cards... not to get in debt or spend money you don't have.. but for the ease of electronically paying things over the phone/stores/internet

Nov 28: Traditions and Holidays... Just being with family and relaxing and eating and relaxing some more is so wonderful.

Nov 29:  Stores that didn't open yesterday and Shopping today... Online....  I didn't like it one bit that Thurs. was becoming the new Black friday.   People can't pass up a good deal being the consumeristic/materialistic country we have become so they will leave dinners and family early.

Nov 30: Hot Tubs... My muscles felt amazing and I slept like a little baby.

It was a fabulous November and Thanksgiving Holiday, and I know the Christmas holiday will be just as wonderful... 3 fast, crazy busy weeks of school and then MANY days straight with Declan!!

Is Baby Led Weaning for us?

I had NEVER heard of giving your baby solid, whole foods before rice cereal and veggie, fruit and meat purees. And then I became a mom with great momma friends.  "Their stomachs aren't ready.... They'll choke!  But I am excited to make my own baby food in squeeze packets... "  were all the questions and thoughts that filled my mind when my friend Molly told me about this!

 I did some further reading and research of this Baby-Led Weaning (BLW.. aka, baby self feeding) and as you can see by the following pictures I am getting excited to do this with Declan.  His excitement is a little masked by the new tastes.  He pretty much has only enjoyed milk, plastic, clothes, and fingers until now.  But he has added cucumbers, carrots, broccoli, avocados, pasta, green beans, bananas and a fry from daddy against my will.  

A lot of the books say start around 6 months but if they are showing interest in grabbing at your plate/food, let them try a little earlier.  So I have.  True,  Declan grabs at everything and puts everything in his mouth so I just figured why not let him start putting what he is supposed to in his mouth?  But the premise of BLW appeals to me.  They learn to chew before they swallow and they monitor how much they need to eat instead of shoving "chart tablespoon" amounts of purees down their throats when they really are getting what they need from nursing until they are 8-12 months old. 

In some blogs I have read, people jokingly refer to the baby-self feeding as the Lazy-Mom Feeding method too.  This is right up my alley because one thing I love about nursing is how "lazy" I can be with less bottles, packing formula/bottles when out, etc.    All the "eating" (aka shoving food at his face and throwing on the floor for Croix)  done so far has taken no extra time or money as they were just from our meals.  

But I am also a little excited to feed him and in case this doesn't take off in the next few months and daycare has to start making sure he is eating proteins, etc... I wanted to get some purees made this weekend. Carrots and squash are ready and applesauce will be next!   I enjoyed doing it but I'm not going to be heartbroken if BLW takes off and Declan gives them to his friends.  The packets are in the freezer and easy to thaw and take and go! 

Not counting the squeeze machine, these packets are .34 cents a piece and I paid 3 dollars for the carrots and squash at the farmers market I used.  But it took an hour and half from prep to clean up for 15 packets so will my time be worth it??      It was enjoyable to me and I know I'll get faster and do much bigger batches so I think yes.. Plus, I'll do some canning and ice cube trays, etc too... but we'll see.

In the web world I have found there are some very hardcore Baby-Led Weaning mommas out there, but pretty much everything with me and parenting, I like a guide but I am flexible and need to have some wiggle room or it would stress me out.  So technically Declan will probably fall under the Traditional Weaning with the mix of purees and finger foods but the following link explains the difference.  

BLW vs. Traditional Weaning

Stay tuned... I'm sure I'll blog more about the solid food adventure!  Advice, thoughts and comments welcome!