Energy or not?

Lately I have had zero energy.  When I put J to bed for his naps I sit in my chair, stare at my computer and think that I ought to be doing something productive.  Coffee hasn't helped much, nor has big glasses of water (which I heard are also supposed to be good for waking up).  Two weeks ago I finally went to the doctor (although not about the tiredness because I thought that was just mama stuff or me being lazy). 

Turns out I am extremely anemic. 

Which means my iron levels are very low. 

Which affects my energy.

So now I'm trying to take iron (which I'm not good at remembering to do) and hopefully get my hemoglobin level back up into the double digits where it is supposed to be.

Anyone know any good recipes for a spinach shake that doesn't taste like spinach?

Lately

So much seems to be going on these days!  Some good, some...not my favorite.  One thing that has happened is that our second car decided to poop out on us.  Thank God we still have our dependable Subaru!  This though, means that I am home a lot as Hubby has to take the one working vehicle to work everyday (a 45 minute trip at 7am which I am not anxious to make with a cranky infant just so I can have the car during the day).  This will get worked out, but I'm going to be the very definition of a "stay at home mom" for a while.

Being at home certainly hasn't been boring so far, with the most important development lately being: my son is no longer completely immobile!  We have wooden floors, and J has discovered he can scoot himself along a bit while on his bum or tummy.  Usually he turns himself in circles, but I can see that soon I will no longer be able to leave him on his own for 2 minutes without worrying about what he might get into while I'm in the bathroom!  Solutions to this will be forthcoming as I experiment on how to contain my child when the time comes.

J is increasingly curious these days.  One of the reasons he figured out how to move himself the limited amount he has is to see, reach, touch and taste things he might not otherwise have experienced.  Things that used to occupy him for minutes on end are now tossed aside like yesterday's glitter, and things that once bored him now require in depth concentration.  This requires me to be increasingly imaginative and I have not yet mastered the art.  I am so thankful for the internet and Mommy Blogs!  I have found so much out there it is amazing!  I love that I am not alone in this task, I love that other women have posted their ideas and experiences so that I don't have to learn everything on my own!  A few of the blogs I have enjoyed thus far:


http://badmommydiary.blogspot.com/ My wonderful friend, Tabitha, who is open and encouraging and fun.

http://themagiconions.blogspot.com/ I haven't read much of this one yet, but it looks to have some great play ideas.

http://playathomemom3.blogspot.com/ The blog that got me started looking for play ideas.

http://alysbloggityblog.blogspot.com/ Sometimes it's nice to just read things from another mom - even though we are far removed geographically and don't know each other personally.

And now for pictures!  I've fallen behind on organizing and showing off photos of my son, but as Mama to an 8 (almost 9!) month old boy I hope you will forgive me.

Have a wonderful, bright and shining day!
In Truth,
Bee

This is a Home Where Children Live

You may not find things all in place,
Friend, when you enter here.
But, we’re a home where children live,
We hold them very dear.

And you may find small fingerprints
And smudges on the wall.
When the kids are gone, we’ll clean them up,
Right now we’re playing ball.

For there’s one thing of which we’re sure,
These children are on loan.
One day they’re always underfoot,
Next thing you know, they’re gone.

That’s when we’ll have a well kept house,
When they’re off on their own.
Right now, this is where children live,
A loved and lived in home.

~Judith Bond

Things I am thankful for:

- time with my husband

- music

- my son's laugh

- poetry

- forgiveness

- coffee

- communication

- God's promises

- sunshine

- flowers

- love

What are you thankful for today? Count your blessings, seize the day, redeem the time.
Go with God,
Bee

Of waking and watching and walking

Weather or teething - J was up twice last night and wouldn't go back to sleep until I fed him.  Thankfully he's napping well this morning.

Everything is new and interesting to this child, whether it be people (watch suspiciously), toys (attack!) or food (nomnomnom).  We introduced rice crispies this weekend, which seem to have gone over well.  They are helping him develop his fine motor skills, keep him entertained, and I can easily carry some with me in case of emergency.  Currently most of them do not end up in his mouth, but he has fun trying and I don't worry about him choking.

The quiet book I'm working on is coming along slowly - it would help if I could find my hot glue gun.

Yesterday I took J (7 months) and my 2 nieces (1 and 3 years) out for a walk so their mom could get some things done around her house (she is due with her 3rd child in Nov, hooray!).  Having 3 littles in my care at the same time was interesting, but not as difficult as I might have feared.  We have a double stroller so J and Thing 2 rode and I kept Thing 1 on a tether (read: leash) so as to be sure she wouldn't run out into the street (although it is a nice quiet neighborhood so cars are rare).  We were out for almost an hour and I quite enjoyed myself.  I brought along teddy grahams as bribes and those seemed to go over well with all 3 littles.

I have so many pictures to post, but I need to get a couple more things done before the Boy wakes up.

Blessings,
Bee

People, parades and pickles

The last week and a half have felt so busy and crazy, but lots of good things have happened.

We have amazing family members willing to babysit for J - Shelbs and I got to go on a date, I was able to go do a job for work, we went to see my sister's documentary premiere and we participated in 2 parades just in the last week and a half.  Oh, and that is just what regular people would call family - my friends helped out so that I could go wedding dress shopping with a pal on Fri and grocery shopping while J slept on Sun.  We are So. Very. Blessed. to have so many people care about us and love J.  They are who I thank God for on a regular basis.

On the subject of things to be thankful for: my sister is pregnant again!  Her 3rd baby is due the day before my birthday in Nov (actually the day I was due on!) and I am so excited for her!  She currently has 2 girls, and while it would be just fine to have another it would also be nice if she had a boy so J has someone there to play with once he gets to the age that girls are gross.

Fortunately J already has a boy "cousin" who adores him: Miles, the son of my She'endre (sister by choice) Tab, turned 2 shortly after J was born.  So far they get along famously (which I think is a little funny because when I was first pregnant Miles wouldn't go near me [but was far more friendly to "Uncle" Shelbs than before!]).  J is just over 7 months so right now they get along by J sitting in the middle of the room watching Miles run around like crazy occasionally bringing toys over for J to play with then coming back later to take them away.  As soon as J is strong enough to hold a sword I'm sure Miles will be teaching him how to fence and they will drum and dance and joust and be all sorts of what other people might deem as "weird" but what we will see as adorable and inevitable.

And speaking of adorable and inevitable: my son has teeth!  Friday morning I found he had cut not 1 but 2 teeth overnight, giving him a new edge in the nomming department.  Nursing may be going the way of the dodo sooner than anticipated if he keeps chomping down as he does occasionally!  He has been trying more and more new things lately, including pickles!  Ugh.  I hate pickles and was fully ready to believe that my son would too, but my dear hubby let J nom on a pickle Sat and he loved it. *sigh* Must be something else he learned from Miles - that child teethed on pickles all the time.

Well, I have more to ramble on about but will leave it for another time as I really need to try to get my Bible reading in before J wakes up from his nap.
God bless!
Bee

Playtime

Playtime!

Playtime does not have to include expensive toys. Today J and I played with tupperware "blocks".

He enjoyed the texture of them in his mouth.

 "Hello Momma"

He liked the feel of the plate.

 When it seemed he was getting bored I filled the containers with random objects: paper scraps, uncooked pasta, marshmallows, bottle top, bottle caps and safety pins.

 He wasn't quite sure what to think of all that.

So I let him explore things by touch.

 He was fascinated by the different textures of things, as well as the fact that I rarely let him hold things that small. Here's a tip: keep your eye on your infant if you're going to give him things that will fit in his mouth. I spent this entire time on the floor with him, so I wasn't worried about him choking on anything.

Marshmallows were also a big hit, although he was more interested in trying to taste these than the pasta.

Then we learned how to shake the containers to make noise.

 In the end though, he really does just like that plate.

We had fun with these for probably 45 minutes before he was done, which I think is pretty darn good for something I made up on the spot.  The containers are put away for another playtime. I will have to find some other fillers to keep him interested and learning!