Tag: Life

Capture the Everyday

{Capture the Everyday} Something I can’t Live Without

nainadg

This is my first Blog Meme- I’m so excited and also a little nervous that I might mess up the code for the button or mess up the link up. But here goes. I found this meme on Adventuroo, a blog of a NC mama that I found and started following on twitter. I decided to start a meme so that it would force me to have assignments and stay accountable to my blog. This week’s assignment was to take a picture of something we couldn’t do without.

Capture the Everyday from Adventuroo

Before J and I became full fledged grown ups we lived in a series of apartments that did not have a dishwasher. At first, it didn’t really bother us that much because we were so poor we used one pan to make mac and cheese or Ramen Noodles. Slowly though we started cooking big elaborate meals and the dishes would pile up in the sink and it was probably one of the biggest triggers for fights in our marriage. When we made our last move into this house, we knew we absolutely needed a dishwasher. And now I use that dishwasher almost everyday filling it with sippy cups and snack bowls and brightly colored plastic spoons. And J and I still fight, but never about dishes.

 

Capture the Everyday Something I can't live without

 

Food and Drinks, Life, Toddler

Dinner Fail

nainadg

7:30 AM in our kitchen as I warm up some milk for the Bun and J packs his lunch

J: Hey, I have to ask you for a favor

N: What?

J: Can we not have noodles for dinner tonight? I have now had dinner for 5 meals straight

Yikes!!!! I didn’t even realize that. We had my version of Dan Dan noodles on Sun night, Chicken and Pasta on Monday night and last night we had spaghetti and meatballs. Also J took leftovers for lunch. I didn’t plan it this way, clearly if I was planning out my meals I wouldn’t have made noodles three nights in a row. J, Bun and I try to eat dinner around the same time and noodles is something that Bun eats used to eat and I guess I focussed so much on toddler food that I forgot about adult taste buds. Somebody help me break out of my noodle rut by giving me some easy dinner ideas that are toddler friendly. I guess it doesn’t even have to be toddler friendly, since Bun has decided to go on the cheerios and grapes diet. It just needs to be easy, quick and noodle free. Help!

Bun365, Food and Drinks, Love, Mommyhood, Toddler

Parks and Recreation

nainadg

Is one of my favorite comedy Sitcoms on TV right now.

And also the only title I could come up with for this entry. I ‘m terrible at titles. We have had fabulous weather in these parts (Up until today of course, its now cold and cloudy as I write this) and we had the added bonus of J not having to put in any work hours this weekend. Family time ensued. We grilled, went to the park twice, checked out Kidzu on Franklin Street. It was mellow, relaxing and lovely.

We kicked off the weekend on Friday afternoon with a play date at one of my favorite parks in Durham. Morreene Road park is a small park and most of the park is taken up by the large sprawling play structure and there are foam mats underneath. There are also large ramps that are wide and low to the ground- perfect for toddlers to run on. Also there is one big slide and 3 or 4 small ones, again perfect for toddlers. The swing set too is very baby friendly. As an added bonus, there is a tennis court right next door and Bun just loves to run over and watch the balls flying the air. The fence is pretty high so I don’t really worry about the balls hitting him.

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This is pretty much what we played with the entire time on Friday afternoon. The boy loves wheels.

He was finally persuaded to swing a little bit right before we left the park.

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Friday for dinner we had awesome grilled chicken kebabs in a greek marinade thanks to my very talented grill master – J and his trusty assistant. Bun even agreed to eat two whole chunks. I’m amazed every time he eats chicken.

Saturday was a little bit colder but we decided to head back out to Morreene Road park again because J wanted to check it out for himself. This time there were lots of kids running around and Bun just wanted to watch them. When he finally felt like he was ready to play, he went on the big slide with Dada

He also went down the slide on his own for the first time- We taught him to lie down on his back and slide down and of course we were right there to catch him. And of course we had him go down the littlest one.

Hair Static!

Bun wasn’t really as impressed with this concave window thingie as I thought he would be.

And finally, it was time to head home and J was very upset about having to leave the playground.

Finally, On Sunday we went to check out Kidzu the children’s museum in Chapel Hill but I committed a double sin and left my camera and phone at home so we have no pictures. I’ll just have to take Bun back there again and do a blog post then.

 

Baby Boy, Bun365, Life, Mommyhood, Toddler

Just the Backyard

nainadg

It seems like everyone is at the park today. I can’t blame them, its gorgeous, sunny and 75 degrees in February. I, however am not feeling like a social mama, so after seeing that two of our favorite parks are jam packed with kids, especially older ones, I decided just hanging outside our townhouse would be fine. And it was! Bun today has discovered sticks, weeds, flowers and grass.

I only had my phone with me so the pics are less than good, but it tells the story

Now that Bun is a pro at walking on grass, he is willing to go exploring anywhere, as long as I’m close enough to hold his hand of course

I debated long and hard about whether to teach Bun that these little white flowers were weeds or not. I decided to focus on teaching him “flowers” because it seems like a sweeter word to learn. He looked at these for a long time and even picked a few and handed them to me. He also tried to eat some.

Next he found some twigs and carried them around proudly. He started out with the smaller ones at first but eventually decided that he was confident enough to play with this big one.

And then in usual boy fashion, he went on a destroying rampage. He broke up all the little twigs into itty bitty little pieces.

He played happily with twigs and grass for at least 45 minutes and then we took our little walk around the yard and went home.

Baby Boy, Bun365, Life, Toddler

Sweet Little Boys

nainadg

Saturday afternoon Bun and I were hanging out in the front of our townhouse, getting into our usual trouble when a little boy maybe seven or eight walked by us walking his chihuahua. Bun was naturally thrilled and raced over towards the “doh” as he calls it. The little boy stopped and helped Bun pet the dog and told me the dog’s name and and spent some time playing . And finally it was time to say “buh buh” and “taaaaaaaaaa- ta” Just as the little boy and his dog was walking away he turned around came back to me and said this

There’s a car headed this way, you might want to be careful with him (points to Bun). I can’t see the color because the sun is in my eye, but I thought you should know.”

All I managed to say in return was “Thank You for giving me a heads up” How sweet for a little 7 year old to look out for some neighbors he has never met before. I hope Bun grows up to be this little boy.

 

Baby, Baby Boy, Bun365, Life, Love, Mommyhood

Us!

nainadg

This week I’ve had the blues about how I don’t have a perfect, fairy tale life where everything goes smoothly all the time. But then I come across this and knowing that I had this moment, I’m willing to deal with any number of imperfections for a few moments of perfect joy.

*Us, Circa 2010*

P.S He now has two new teef!!!

Baby, Baby Boy, Bun365, Life, Mommyhood

Diarrhea Days

nainadg

Disclaimer *If you are not a mom and do not deal with poop and diapers on a daily basis, this will gross you out*

I had 3 fun posts planned for this morning detailing the adventures of our weekend but then diarrhea happened and well I guess those posts will have to wait until later.  I guess this one is all about the dark days of mommyhood. I think one of the hardest things of being a mom is watching your baby in pain and not be able to do anything about it. Poor Bun is in a lot of discomfort and all I can offer him now are cuddles, I think it helps but he just doesn’t understand why he feels so shady right now. I think thats one of the main reasons I’m looking forward to the days when he can talk and verbalize how he is feeling.

Anyway, all of this started yesterday morning when it seemed like we couldn’t change his dipes fast enough and his little butt was all red and itchy with the most horrid case of diaper rash I have ever seen. It was bugging him so much that it needed both me and J to do a diaper change because he would kick and scream and cry his little eyes out. We still weren’t too worried, he had had loose poop and diaper rash before, but we started getting concerned when this continued all through the night and the Bun couldn’t stay asleep cuz his tummy hurt and he was pooping so often. Also, he was eating his solids, but I had only been able to get him to drink 6 oz of formula in 12 hrs.  We were seriously freaking out about him getting dehydrated. Also he cries and cries because his diaper rash bothers him when I change him and there is no way that will heal unless his diarrhea goes away and I just can’t stand watching him be in that much pain. I’ve been on the verge of tears all morning my self.

This morning J got some Pedialyte and we tried to give him that but I think he doesn’t like the taste and I’ve managed to get 4 more oz of formula  and some super watery oatmeal in him. He still has diarrhea and is super tired and fatigued, which is seriously starting to make me wonder if we need to take him to the ER. I’m going to see how the next feed goes and then decide if I’m going to take him in. I really really really hope that we don’t have to.

It feels weird to type this all out and post it on the internet but J is crazy busy at work and has meetings today and I am all alone at home worrying and I just needed to get this out. I did however get some super cute pics of  my lil Bun being a trooper. He looks so miserable and cute all at the same time.

Baby, Life, Love, Mommyhood

Top That June Cleaver

nainadg

J and Bun and I are lucky enough that we get to spend time together as a family and do fun family activities, and eat dinner together and take strolls. But on a day to day basis, our lives are somewhat chaotic: we have crazy weeks, where we try to balance schedules and coordinate pick up times and try our best to stuff food down our face while the Bun is distracted and trying to pull the dog’s tail.

Not that I’m complaining, I know I have it so much easier than other people, I have a lot of help from my parents and we have a great support network of friends but every once in a while we have a day where the planets are so perfectly aligned and we have one of those sitcom family days. And since I bitch and moan about all the bad, its nice to blog the good.

Yesterday was a perfect day, it was so perfect that it felt like it was happening to someone else.  J went to work early enough so that he could find a free parking spot and so I didn’t have to drive him to work. The Bun ate breakfast and napped right on schedule. After nap time I managed to make it into two grocery stores and my mom’s apt without him fussing, crying or throwing a fit.

There was a blissful 1 hour nap for both mommy and baby. And right at 5:30, just when I was getting ready to take dinner off the stove and Avi was finishing up the last of his dinner, J walked in and said “Honey,I’m home” and planted a kiss on me while dipping me dangerously and then smacking my ass. It was straight out of a 1950’s TV shows . OK so he didn’t really dip me.

He played with the baby and dogs while I finished dinner and then we actually* gasp* ate dinner together while the Bun happily played at our feet. (I know its like an alternate universe right?)

The Bun went down right at 8pm and slept all the way until midnight  giving J and I  a chance to ummm…indulge in…ummm… relations and cuddle and I actually went to bed before midnight! Woo hoo!

My takeaway from all this is- It must be nice living this life all the time. I wonder what I can do to make days like this happen more.The only dark cloud on my day was that Angelo didn’t win Top Chef, but hey a girl can’t have everything.