Something Scary

Oh, how life with a toddler and little one gets so much more fun every day.  Cael is learning to talk and say more and more.  He can carry on little conversations, and speaks in rather long sentences.  He is learning to do more and more- jump, catch, drive (wait-isn't that supposed to be at 16?!???).  Well, he got a great little car/4-wheeler for Christmas, and if how he drives now is any indication of how he will drive when he is 16, it will be an expensive few years!

Along with all these things, he is becoming more aware of his surroundings, a little hyper-aware.  Dark rooms, being outside when it is dark, and being alone in the dark are his short list of frightening things.  It officially became apparent the other night when he began crying when I left him in his room to read (part of our regular nightly routine for months).  I came into his room to see him crying and hiding his head under his pillow.  All he could tell me was there was "somthing scary" while looking toward a back wall.  He had already had a nightlight in his room.  So I added another, with no luck calming him down without me in there. I eventually had to lay in his bed with him to get him to fall asleep.  

I evoked ideas to help remedy the situation from friends on Facebook.  There were a few suggestions- all entailed using something to get rid of the monsters before we went to bed.  While the ideas were good, I didn't quite feel like that would solve the problem.  There was something that he could see that was scaring him- I think the shadows on the walls.  We proceeded to remove all things on the wall and any object that was not furniture or books.  Any of his shows he likes to watch that have a possible scary element to them, were deleted from the DVR.  There were still shadows on the wall, from the furniture and curtains, produced from the nightlight plugged in a couple feet off the floor.  So I got the idea to replace the current light switch for the room light with a dimmer, so that any shadows produced would be produced on the floor or out of his visual field from his bed.  

While his new fear of the dark is not completely remedied, I have been able to leave him in his room to let him read in bed before going to sleep.  He continues to ask me to lay on his floor while he falls asleep, but I wonder if it is more to have the company rather that because there is "something scary."  Let's hope we can continue to help him get over this new fear!

The Adventures of Grocery Shopping

Grocery shopping used to be a time my husband and I could get out of the house, leisurely walk the aisles, think about what foods we needed/wanted, and gradually work our way through the store.  After we had Cael, our oldest son, that changed.  He was never a baby who would just sit in his carseat and sleep or hang out while we shopped.  We always had to carry him, facing the world, so he could see everything that was going on.  We tried carried him through the store for as long as he would let us.  He was also neve a kid that would just sit in the cart seats.  Eventually the time came and we had to start letting him walk the aisles with us.  That again has forever changed the way we shop.  We had to tag team.  One would man the cart, and the other would man the boy- try to keep him from getting into everything, but let him appease his curiosity.  He has always had a lot of energy, so he likes to quickly go from one area to another. 

Then came Cason, baby #2!  This has FOREVER changed our shopping trips!  Cason only briefly (the first few weeks of life) would sleep in his carseat while we shopped.  But he too likes to be able to see the world.  Now one person straps Cason to them in the carrier (best invention ever, especially when you have 2 kids and need free hands), and the other chases Cael around the store.  Typically we begin our adventure heading toward the balls in the toy area.  Cael can become very fixated on getting to play with the balls, so to make our trips more enjoyable for all, whoever has Cael for the shopping trip heads over to the toy section while the other does the shopping that needs to be done on the way over and then wanders the toy aisles for ideas for future gift.  Cael likes to toss a few balls and look at all the cars and trucks.  After 10 minutes or so, we give him a warning that his time is almost up, and then head on to the grocery sections.  We pass many benches, which he loves to climb on, so he may hang out on those for a few minutes before moving on to catch up (until the next bench).

Cael likes to look at everything, touch everything, help get everything, climb on everything, and help push the cart.  If he's not doing one, he's doing another, and then another, and then another, and then back to the original something- you get the idea!  Usually pushing the cart results in him belly on the floor holding onto the bottom bar of the cart, dragging himself on the ground.  We like to think of him as their mop! He tries to climb on empty shelves (there are a lot of them), climb in the fridge areas, climb on the freezers, etc.  We like to get him to help put items in the cart to slow him down for a moment.  He doesn't always listen when we tell him 'no,' and at times we will end up carrying him for a short time because he chose not to listen- which results in crying, whining, and wiggling any way he can to get out of our arms.  So, while Cael is busy doing all of that, whoever has Cason is in charge of manning the cart and quickly moving through the aisles to get our weekly groceries.  We have little time to discuss what we need/want, as stoppage time becomes time when Cael can find the only thing breakable in that aisle and go for it, apples, oranges, and cantelope are balls to throw, and bananas are something he wants to eat!

We know some people will look at us and think that our kid is out of control.  But we know this is a kid who needs to move.  That is how he learns, and that is how he gets out his energy.  He has always been on the go- from infancy when we would have to walk him in laps around the house to keep him settled, to when he clrawled only for a short time to discover new things, and when he learned to walk and hasn't stopped!!!  We know that it would be a horrible shopping trip if we tried to confine him to the cart or in our arms.  So this is our weekly workout chasing Cael while he explores our world.  So if you happen to see us out, know that our son is a happy, smart, and even well behaved kid for a 2 year old, who likes to move and explore the world!  Just remember that things aren't always what they seem!  Happy Shopping!

Dairy-Free Key Lime Pie

Every other week we get our fruits and veggies from a local co-op.  This week we happened to get about a dozen limes.  What the heck do you do with that many limes?  We don't have a lot of time to prepare meals.  So I opted to try a key lime pie.  Our oldest son still has some stomach aches if he eats too much dairy, so I decided to try a non-dairy version.  And kinda made it up as I went.

Ingredients

1 cup cashews
1 cup Almond milk
1tsp vanilla
6 limes zested and juiced
1/4 tsp liquid stevia
2 Tbs maple syrup
Approximately 6 graham crackers and 8 vanilla wafers ground up to make 1 1/2 cups
1/4 cup non dairy butter melted
1 1/2 tsp agar flakes dissolved into 1/3 cup boiling water


Step 1.  Boil cashews in water for 45 minutes.

Step 2.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the graham cracker/vanilla wafer mixture with the butter until moistened.  Spread into a pie pan and up the sides.  Bake 10 minutes.

Step 3.  While those cook, combine zest, lime juice, vanilla, and stevia into a bowl.

Step 4.  When cashews are done, strain the water and place cashews into a blender with almond milk.  Blend for 2 minutes until smooth.  Add maple syrup.  Add the lime juice mixture and blend until well combined.

Step 5.  Once blended and agar flakes have been dissolved, pour agar liquid into blender and blend for 2 minutes.  Pour mixture over crust.  Place in fridge and allow to set up until cold.


Serve and Enjoy!!

Dairy Free "Formula"

Having two kids, you really learn a lot about babies and toddlers, likes and dislikes, things that work, things that don't.  Unfortunately you also learn "on the job." We learned a lot after our first son.  Particularly we learned that the reason he was probably so crabby and not pooping regularly was because he has a sensitivity to dairy, the casein in it.  Unfortunately we didn't really consider this until he was 11 months old, and wouldn't need a formula anymore, so we never had much trial and error with that.  Now that our second is transitioning to formula we have noticed a change in his demeanor, and he is very gassy and may not poop for days at a time (VERY unlike him). So began our quest for a formula that he would like, that would give him the nutrients he needs, and make his belly feel better.  We have lately had him on Similac Alimentum.  He does ok on it.  He isn't as crabby as when he was on the non-hypoallergenic formulas, but he is still quite gassy and still not pooping.

I spent a lot of time the other night on the internet searching for options for homemade formulas.  There were some really interesting options to say the least.  One you make from liver and chicken broth.  I really can't bring myself to try something like that.  It just sounds disgusting!  I finally came across a woman's story where she was trying to find something to help her grandson, and with the help of a friend who gave her a book to read that had some formula recipes, she eventually used that as a guide to develop a formula in conjunction with consulting with many health experts, including nutritionists.

So, i've decided to give it a try. It can't hurt.  And if we can find a way to help him feel better and ultimately sleep better, that means we will get to sleep- What's that??  I modified the recipe to include things I have at home that seem to include what is called for in the original recipe.  I have diluted it for now to get him used to the flavor, as we still have a small supply of breast milk for a couple more weeks.  He took the first bottle of it pretty well, and i tasted it.  Actually doesn't taste too bad.

Here is the recipe I used for homemade formula
(This is my edited version based on the amount my son is currently eating for the day-actaully it is a little more than he eats for 1 day)

Ingredients
2 c. Goats milk
2 c. Almond milk
1 Tbs blackstrap molasses
1/2 tsp powdered children's acidophilus
3 Tbs flax seed oil
2 Tbs liquid coconut oil- not easy to find
2 tsp Dr's Advantage liquid calcium/magnesium+ mineral essentials
3 Tbs nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp infant vitamins

Add all ingredients into a blender.  Blend on high for 30 seconds.  I am filling a 4 oz bottle with 3 oz of formula and storing in the fridge and adding 2 oz warm water when I feed him.  He prefers warm milk, although will drink it cold.  I'm sure the formula is meant to be drunk without diluting it.  So as he gets used to the taste I will wean off the addition of water.  I will be sending a premade batch with him to daycare.  I plan to make a batch in the evenings for use the next day.

UPDATE: I am pouring the mixed batch of formula into 8 oz glass bottles and storing in the fridge.  For a 4 oz bottle, I add 3 oz of formula and 1 oz hot water to warm it up a little.  My son drinks this formula very well! He hasn't has any issues with a hurting belly and is very happy.  It was an immediate difference in his personality after he had been drinking this "formula" and not the store bought formulas.

There are a lot of ingredients, but I keep all his formula ingredients in 1 area in the kitchen and fridge and fridge to make the process quick. I make 1 batch at a time and last a day and maybe 1 bottle the next, depending on how hungry he is!  There is definitely a variation in quality of ingredients, so unfortuneately, the more expensive the ingredients (i.e. flax seed oil), the better for your child.  But I'm sure (and I have used) the cheaper versions will give similar benefits.  You need to find blackstrap molasses rather than traditional molasses.  The iron and calcium levels are much higher.  I found this is a nutrition store.

Raspberry Banana Bread

I was trying to come up with something a little different for a fall bread.  I've been making banana bread and zucchini bread the last couple weeks.  Then I got to thinking this morning that Raspberry banana bread sounded yummy.  So here is how I made it!

Ingredients

2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 c. frozen raspberries
1/2 c. applesauce
2 eggs
1/3 c. almond milk
3/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. wheat flour
1 1/4 c white flour
1 tsp baking soda

Step 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease loaf pan.

Step 2. Combine eggs, applesauce, milk, and mashed bananas.  Stir well

Step 3. Add flours, sugar, and baking soda until moistened.  Fold in raspberries

Step 4. Pour batter into loaf pan and bake for 55-60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean

Serve and ENJOY!!!

The quest for milk

Cason, our youngest, is fast approaching 6 months old.  I was a very good mama and breastfed about 5 months (well, breast and bottle-fed him breastmilk).  I had already intended on stopping with the fresh milk at the end of August prior to my going back to work.  I started working for a different school district, which made that decision even easier due to the lack of space and challenges it would pose for me to be able to pump during the day. 

We had saved a freezer-full of breastmilk.  But it's amazing how quickly we seemed to be going through it now that the stock was not being replenished.  In order to extend the supply as long as we can, and in anticipation of the need to eventually resort to using formula, we began the quest to find a milk that Cason would like and his belly could tolerate.

First we tried Similac Advanced.  He seemed to like it, but we quickly noticed a change in his demeanor- extra crabby- and not sleeping as well. 

So then we tried the Similac Alimentum, the hypoallergenic formula.  He really didn't seem to like that one.  We had a difficult time getting him to eat more than a couple ounces at a time. 

I asked the doctor for suggestions at his 4 month check-up.  She said to try other brands.  But I protested that they don't offer a hypoallergenic formula.  Her reply was that "you don't need to go hyperallergenic, just try the stuff that is easier to digest."  Well, OK I thought, but this could get expensive.  Luckily she gave us samples of 2 Gerber versions- Soothe and Protect.  The ingredient list looked fairly similar to the Alimentum, so I opted to use that one.  He liked it!!  We used it for a couple weeks, but he began waking every hour or so (almost as bad as his older brother when he was little) and he seemed to be getting crabbier and crabbier during the day.  He also hadn't pooped in about a week.  If you know our kid, he regularly pooped 3-4 times a day and blew-out at least once or twice a week.  So I knew something was off (also I knew we experienced the same issue with our oldest).

So we stopped that formula and switched to only breastmilk for 2 days- low and behold he finally pooped (sorry for the poop sharing, but it's very important in the world of having babies) and had a much better nights sleep. After the 2 days, I decided we'd better go back to the Alimentum.  He seemed to eat it better this go around.  He definitely eats it better when it's warm rather than room temperature.  However, I'm still not sure his belly feels 100%, and he still isn't sleeping the best, but he isn't crabby during the day.

We know we need to be vigilant in finding him a formula that doesn't make him uncomfortable.  When his older brother was almost 1 we decided he probably has a milk intolerance, something I wish we would have figured out, or knew to consider when he was much younger- he may have been a much happier baby.  So here's to hoping the quest to finding a milk that works for him is quick and painless, because we are on a time crunch as the breastmilk supply quickly dwindles. 

Delicious Ice Cream Cake

Today we had Cael's birthday party!  He was so good with all the chaos of lots of people around, trying to finish building his swing-set, and getting things going for lunch and birthday cake!  Cael thought the ice cream cake was delicious- well so did I!  But you can't go wrong with ice cream!

My decorating of the cake didn't quite turn out as I had hoped. The gel icing was a little runny. I think if I were to do something like this again, I would partially freeze the icing in the frosting bags to help set it up a little! But it tasted good and that was all that mattered! Cael asked for more even after devouring his already huge slice. I would definitely do an ice cream cake like this again, though! Quick, easy, and yummy!

Ice Cream Birthday Cake

Today is my oldest son's 2nd birthday!  I can't believe how quickly the last 2 years have gone.  I am also just amazed at what he has learned to do and say!  My perception gets a little skewed working with the population of students I see throughout the school year, but I swear we have a genious on our hands!!!  OK, so probably not a genious, but he really is a smart kid! 

Those who have read previous entries know that we attempt to eat healthy, despite our busy lives.  So I have to admit, we have been slacking quite a bit lately!  It's either take the time to cook, or take the time to play with the boys.  We usually take the time to play with the boys, although many times they don't give us much choice!!  Over the summer I discovered some yummy non-dairy ice cream options in the store!  Well, now Cael is hooked on ice cream.  He pretty much wakes up asking for it, and literally goes to bed asking for it!  We usually have ice cream once a day!  So, we figured for his birthday, since he isn't too keen on cake, we would have an ice cream cake.  We discussed buying one from DQ or Baskin Robbins. Cael has had a sensitivity to dairy.  During the summer I have experimented giving him small amounts of cheese and regular ice cream.  He doesn't seem to have too many issues.  However, the other night in an attempt to reward him for being so good, we went to get ice cream from a local burger  place.  He devoured it- I mean slurped his cup until every last drop was gone!  Do you think he liked it?? I'd say; however his little belly did not.  I was up and down with him all night. 

So, because I figured it will be his birthday, he will probably "need" a little extra ice cream.  I decided to throw together my own ice cream cake! I would have loved to actually make my own ice cream, but I have no time to experiment with that.  So I bought 2 flavors of non-dairy ice cream- vanilla and peanut butter/chocolate!  I opted to use the same monkey cake pan I used for his first birthday.  Here is my quick preparation of a non-dairy ice cream cake:

Supplies:
3 pints non-dairy ice cream (any preferred flavors)
1 cake pan
wax paper

To make

Step 1: Choose your first/top layer of ice cream.  Set it out to thaw for at least 30 minutes.

Step 2: Line the cake pan with wax paper.  When the ice cream has thawed, spread evenly into the bottom of the pan.  Place in the feezer for 1 hour to let it set.

Step 3: Repeat the previous steps until all 3 pints of ice cream have been set.

Step 4: After all three layers of ice cream have set, turn it upright on a platter.  Place in freezer with wax paper in place until ready to decorate!

Step 5: Decorate as desired.  I will be decorating mine in the morning.  I prepared a gel icing to use with the following recipe:
      Ingredients:        
          1 envelope unflavored gelatin
          1 tablespoon cold water
          1 cup light corn syrup
          Food coloring

      Directions:
          In saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let sit for about 5 minutes. Stirring, heat mixture over low heat until clear and dissolved- do not boil.  Add corn syrup and heat without boiling. The mixture with become a thick water consistency.  Remove from heat, separate into small containers to prepare for multiple colors, and refrigerate. Add food coloring and put gel into icing bag and apply to cake.

Serve and ENJOY!!

 We will not be completing this until tomorrow for Cael's birthday party!  I will post pictures of the completed cake after I finish decorating it!  Can't wait to dig in!

Getting the Oldest to Sleep... Final!

It has been a long process helping Cael fall and stay asleep since moving to his "big bed."  We had tried a weighted blanket, but he didn't like it on when awake, so I would sneak into his room before I went to bed to drape it over him.  We hadn't noticed any significant difference in his sleep patterns.  I have since been using the weighted blanket with Cason.  Not sure it really helps him either, but sometimes if he has been warm and snuggly against us, I will put the blanket over him to mimic that feeling.

We recently made a trip out to Wyoming (where I am from) to visit my mom and dad.  They don't have a bed to accommodate a toddler, so we brought his playpen/bed we have used for sleep when traveling.  He slept in this for close to 2 weeks.  This seems to have helped reset his sleep patterns.  Since he wasn't able to get out, I was able to just leave him in the room, in his bed to fall asleep.  He had no problems (except the occasional call to spread out his blanket over him again)!  He stayed asleep with the random scream to cover him up in the middle of the night (only happened twice I think) but then was right back to sleep. 

Since returning home, I have pretty much been able to repeat the scenario.  After our book and milk, I leave him in his bed.  He may read for a short time, then will call a few times to have his blanket spread out, and then seems to finally dose off.  We are at the opposite end of the house and not needing to hang out by his door or in the next room.  At night he might wake once, but will either fall back asleep, or I can go in and cover him up, and back out he goes.

Andy is now back in our room (YEAH), Cason has moved to his crib in his room (a little bittersweet), and Cael's sleep is improving! 

Hopefully I don't jinx it by posting this!!

Getting the Oldest to Sleep... Part 5

We continue the journey of getting our oldest son, Cael, to sleep through the night.  He has done much better.  My husband, who is sleeping in the room next to our son's, makes it 4 nights in a row of our son sleeping through the night, but it never seems to fail that on the 5th, Cael has a wakeful night.  Very discouraging for my husband, who would like to come back and sleep in our bed.  I would love for him to come back into our bed as well, but I am also working on getting our youngest, Cason, to sleep more comfortably, which often results in him taking over my spot in the bed and I move over to my husband's spot.  (We are dealing with some back discomforts with him, and frequently making trips to the chiropractor). 

Anyways... 
In our efforts to help Cael sleep through the night, I've had an idea in the back of my head to try a 2-way monitor that would allow us to talk to him to comfort him.  He will typically wake and require reassurance that we are near-by and then can usually go back to sleep.  I thought this would be a great idea.  When I looked for a monitor of this type a month or so ago, I didn't find one (although, I wasn't exactly sure what I was looking for and if they made one).  I had a little extra time (between feedings, playing, lunch, and getting everyone down for naps) to look again the other day. I found exactly what I was looking for!!!  So EXCITED!!  Just the thing we need.  My husband was excited too (he was all ready to come and sleep in our bed)!! 

But not so fast...
I asked my husband to sleep in the other room one more night just to make sure the plan worked.  It was a good thing he did!  I tried out the monitor and demonstrated it with our son before going to bed and reassured him that if he needed anything we would be able to talk to him and get him what he wanted!!  Cael woke up in the middle of the night, my husband talked to him through the 2-way monitor, and screams ensued.  My husband had to go into Cael's room and reassure him that he was right there, spread out his blanket, and tuck him in!  OK, we thought.  He just needs to get used to it.  I tried using it at nap time and when we were trying to get him to sleep the next night.  Each time I used it, he got out of bed panicked.  I even made sure to let him see me as I was talking through the monitor so he could try to make the connection that I'm right there.  He needed some hugs and squeezes, blanket spread back out, and tucked in again.  He even needed another round of milk and a book read to him at one point.  Finally he was to sleep.  But not for long.  At 9:30, just after my husband and I went to bed, Cael woke up.  My husband attempted to calm him by reassuring him through the monitor that he was right there.  Cael just began to scream bloody murder!  Loud enough that I heard him down the hall and through 2 closed doors.  My husband went in to console him.  I got out of bed to help,but he seemed to be calming down, so I went back to bed.  A little premature.  Screams came again.  Cael and I had milk and a book for a third time.  He finally calmed and went to sleep.  We decided we probably shouldn't use the 2-way monitor again.  I think it is scaring him because he knows we aren't in there, but our voices are. 

Well so much for that idea!  We were really hoping this would be our fix to be back in the same bed, but it was not meant to be.  Our saga of bedtime continues, but hoping not for much longer.

Getting the Oldest to Sleep... Part 4

Getting our oldest to sleep continues to be an experience!!  However, things are getting much better!  YEAH for us! 

The bedtime process begins around 6 with baths (first brother, and then him), milk and a book with mommy, and then into bed.  As I've said previously, he has never been able to settle very quickly when going to bed, so I let him read in bed by himself. 

Actually getting him to fall asleep is the most difficult process.  This is taking anywhere from 30 minutes (VERY rare) to 90 minutes (more typical).  He is plenty tired by the time we get ready for bed, but he just has a difficult time shutting down.  There have been a couple nights recently we've just forgone bathtime, as it would be too much of a struggle and get him worked up even more.  Typically this is if he's fallen and bonked his head or something and gets really mad/upset.  So, we go to book and milk.  I usually read and give him milk after bath to help relax and prepare him for bed.  But, some nights he has other plans.  He tries to find some way to stay up.  He will try to pick different books in the middle of the one we are reading, or needs medicine on his back, or needs kisses from dad and brother.  Usually then, we do what he needs (other than another book) otherwise he will fixate on that and be an all out war, and then tell him he can read in bed.  He will read for 15-20 minutes quietly, and then he is in and out, up and down out of bed getting more books, having to show me a picture, ask about something he sees in the book, or need his blankets spread out- again.  After a few warnings to stay in bed, I will close the door for a few minutes and let him try again.  Usually after about 3-4 times of this, he will eventually let me tuck him in and go to sleep (after calling a few times to make sure I'm nearby). 

I know I should just leave the door closed, but I have a hard time even closing it on him to begin with.  The look he give me as I close the door makes me feel so bad (a look of worry, sadness, anger all rolled into one). I feel like the meanest mom.  And he can be just so darn cute trying to work it when he's attempting to break out of bed (a mischevious grin saying "I'm too cute- you won't do it!").  The other night was particularly entertaining.  I walked in to see him breaking out, and as he noticed I was coming in, he ran to a small pile of books on the floor and tried to scoop them up as quickly as he could to get back into bed, all done with a little smile on his face.  I had to snicker!  It was so hard not too!

While getting him to fall asleep continues to be a work in progress, him staying asleep has become much better.  He is usually waking once, if at all, but still hasn't made it the 5 nights in a row my husband is shooting for so he can come back into our bed.  Teething has been our enemy, or possibly our friend- I'm undecided.  Typically when he is teething, he is more tired than usual and tends to sleep better, but is also extra grumpy during the day because he is uncomfortable.  So I'm not sure if this is the reason for better sleep?  Or could he just be sleeping better in general, more comfortable with knowing someone is nearby, and the pain with teething is waking him up?  I made a weighted blanket a few weeks ago to try with him.  He does not like to have it one him when awake, so I can't use it to help settle his body down to fall asleep.  But I sneak into his room before I go to bed and drape it over him.  It seems to still be on him in the morning if he has slept through the night, so maybe it is helping, too??  Whatever it is, I'm really hoping the trend continues.  Either way, my husband and I will be able to share our bed again in August, when we move the baby into his own room.  Hopefully he will be able to make it to our room before then, but there is a light at the end of that tunnel!  To be continued... but hopefully not too many more times.....

Joys of Parenting: Wa-Wa

It has been amazing watching my oldest son grow and learn.  Especially lately.  He seems to be learning new words daily, and understanding more and more about his world.  Today was a great day.  He is a kid who has a one-track mind.  If you tell him we are going to do something, go somewhere, or get something, he will repeat it over, and over, and over, and over, and over (do you get the idea???) until it happens, we get there, or he gets it.  Today we went to the park.  He said park every 20 seconds- if not more frequent- making sure that we were in fact going to the park and needed the reassurance that 'yes, we are going to the park,' so that he wouldn't get upset.  We told him that when we get home we could have ice cream, and said 'ice' the entire drive home to make sure he was getting some ice cream.  We told him our plan that as soon as we got home, dad would jump out of the car, run into the garage, and get our ice cream.  So he did alternate use of 'garage' and 'ice' so he understood the plan!

Today we also watched "Pluto."  This was his fisrt exposure to the old Disney cartoons.  He was watching very intently as we would explain little things- oh no, he got hurt, he fell into the snow pile, he found the bone, etc.  It was fun to watch him pick up on little things and even begin to tell us what happened- oh no, snow, bone, etc.

While he is learning so many things, I've pondered what kind of concepts he hasn't picked up on yet.  As he gets older, I have been wondering about how potty training will go.  We already bought him a potty, hoping he might get interested in it to make potty training easier.  But I got to thinking...  I don't know if he truly understands what it means to pee?  He knows when his diaper is wet, but has he really made the connection to how it happened?  He understands that mommy and daddy have to go potty and is even able to offer up the sound effects (pssssssssssss).  But when we ask if he needs to pee, does he understand what we mean??  Well today I found out I'm pretty sure he doesn't.  We had a beautiful, warm, sunny day.  After the park we put some water in his wading pool and let him walk and splash around.  I took his pants off before he got in so he was walking around in his diaper and t-shirt.  He kept squatting in the water trying to drink it.  He got the back of his shirt and bottom of his diaper wet and asked to take them off.  Sure, why not?  All kids should run naked at some point!!  I have to say, it was one of the cutest things.  (I'm not going to post any pictures or videos so I don't embarrass the poor little man, so you'll have to trust me!)  He tried to squat in the water a few times, but it was a little cold on his weenie.  The dog was barking, so he ran across the yard to try to tell him to stop.  He apparently sat on the runner on the car to take a load off.  But the best part was when he started peeing on the lawn. He stopped, watched the arc and pointed at the "wa-wa" (water), tried to get out as much wa-wa as he could, and then looked at us and asked for "more."  I have been chuckling about it all day since.  What a learning experience for him, I guess.  He's peed on the floor if I've let him walk around naked a little too long after bath, but never made much acknowledgement of the fact.  So this was fun to observe how much more aware of things he is, how much he is learning, but how much he has yet to learn. 

I enjoy every day with my boys.  It is the best thing in the world to watch them grow and learn and give them an opportunity to experience as much as we can offer!

Sun Dried Tomato Basil Cashew Cream Sauce

My favorite discovery in searching for non-dairy options is definitely the cashew cream.  It has such a yummy, nutty flavor that I can't seem to get enough of!  I made a batch of cashew cream last night to make my banana "cream" pie dessert- sooo good!!  So I used the leftover cashew cream to make a sauce to go over noodles.  This was the best noodle sauce I've made with it, and my husband really liked it as well!  Cael has yet to eat a sauce (however I'm not sure if it was the just the noodles or the sauce as he didn't like the noodles at all tonight)- although he does devour the banana "cream" pie.  I dipped some leftover french bread in this tomato basil sauce to test my experiment.  I found two great uses in one. Make it thick for a dip/spread and make it thinner for a noodle sauce.  Soo YUMMY!!

Ingredients
1/2 c. thick cashew cream
1/3 c. sun dried tomatoes
4 tsp. basil
1 tsp. crushed garlic
3 pinches salt

Combine all ingredients into a blender.  Blend on high until smooth.  Add water until desired consistency is reached.  We made noodles and chopped up chicken and covered it with this sauce.  ENJOY!!

Getting the oldest to sleep...Part 3

Well, we are still on our journey of getting our almost 2 year old to sleep through the night again now that he is in his big bed.  Our two biggest challenges have been teething (he has been getting some of his molars) and his insecurity- needing to know mom or dad is nearby.  It is still taking 45 minutes to an hour to get him to sleep, despite our best efforts to wear him out.  We have our bedtime routine of brushing teeth, bath, milk while reading a book, and then to bed.  We are trying to do something calm the 10 minutes or so before bed to help settle him down, as he is just go, go, go when he is awake.  We will usually look at books, or he will watch some of "Panda" before brushing his teeth. 

Because he has never just fallen asleep very quickly and has always played in his bed before dozing off, I find it unfair to force him to lie there and fall asleep.  I have been letting him read books in bed to help him wind down a little.  Of course he is taking it steps further... he wants a new diaper, he needs more books (even though he literally already has 20 of them in his bed), he needs a drink, he needs more books, he needs his blankets spread out, he needs more books, he needs his blankets spread out... you get the idea!!  I warn him I will close the door if he gets out of bed to get more books... he starts to get out of bed, I close the door, he cries and cries.  So I open it and we try again.  He doesn't learn very quickly.  I know I should probably just leave the door closed until he falls asleep, and we may come to that sooner rather than later.  For now this is my method.  I was happy to learn though that all this is typical toddler behavior when it comes to bedtime, so I know I am not alone in this. 

Cael has been better about sleeping though the night lately- unfortunately through the night for him is until 4 am.  He may wake just briefly with a reassurance or two from Andy that he is near by and then is back to sleep.  However, it has been better the last week or so because one of his molars broke though.  While great for now, he still has more teeth to come.  So I know this won't be permanent.  Which is too bad.  I miss having my husband in bed next to me.  Andy continues to sleep in what will be Cason's room to hopefully catch Cael before he runs down to our room and wakes the baby- hasn't been 100% foolproof, however. 

I have finally pretty much finished the weighted blanket, which I plan to use to try to help keep him asleep.  It ended up being 4 pounds of weight- I was initially going for 5, but I would have to put more pockets in for that now.  It actually feels pretty heavy though, so will hopefully do the trick. It turned out pretty good for just winging it.  All I have left to do is finish the top seem.  But for now it is usable until I can get to it.  So here's hoping it works as planned!!!  To  be  continued....  again....

Getting the oldest to sleep Part 2

 It's been getting better....

Cael is still taking 40-60 minutes or more to get to sleep.  I am sitting outside his door, reassuring him that I am here.  It just takes awhile for him to wind down.  This was also the case when he was sleeping in his crib, however, so I'm not quite sure how to change that. 

He has been waking up fewer times the past few nights, which has been great for Andy- he can finally get some sleep.  My poor husband has been sleeping in what will be Cason's room, which is right next to Cael's room (right now Cason is in our room until I wean him from breastfeeding).  When he hears Cael wake up, he has been able to reassure Cael that he is there and he is ok.  Cael has been able to fall back to sleep fairly quickly, but at times will need a little longer reassurance.  But we are down to 2 wakings the past few nights versus the 4-5 the previous couple weeks.  Hopefully we are on the downhill slope and Andy can come back into our bed.  I miss laying next to him. 

I am making a weighted blanket for Cael, in hopes this will be a way to help him calm his body and stay asleep.  It has been difficult finding the time to work on it.  I'm hoping to get it done soon so he can start using it!  I'm curious if it will work.  But if it doesn't, I will be able to bring it to work for use in the classrooms!!  So either way, somebody will get use out of it!

To be continued....

Cashew Cream

Cashew cream is a recent discovery.  I have been trying to find non-dairy ways to add "creams" and "milks" to recipes.  I happened upon an episode on "The Chew" where they were making a cashew cream sauce for a recipe they were making.  That began my research to find out what it is and different ways to use it.  Here is how to make cashew cream...

Ingredients:
Raw Cashews
water

Step 1. Crush 1 1/2 cups cashews into pieces.  Place into pot of water and boil 45 minutes-1 hour.

Step 2. Strain the water and place cashews into blender.  Cover cashews 3/4 of the way for a thicker cream, and completely cover cashews for a thinner cream. 

Step 3. Blend on high 2 minutes, allow to rest a minute, and blend again 2 minutes. 

The possibilities for use of the cream are endless.  Get creative in their use.  I am discovering a variety of uses.  Watch for recipes using the cashew cream!!!

Banana "Cream" Pie Quick Single Portions (Non-Dairy)

I was trying to come up with ways to use the cashew cream I made.  I decided to try a dessert.  Single serving banana "cream" pie.  Boy was it yummy, and Cael agreed!  The cream tasted similar to whipped cream, but with a slightly nutty flavor!

Ingredients
2/3 c. Cashew cream
8 drops lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla
2 Tbs powdered sugar
water as needed to desired consistency
1/2 banana
1/2 gluten free graham cracker (I make my own so they are soy free)

Step 1. In bowl, crumble graham cracker into bottom.  Cut banana into slices on top of graham cracker. 

Step 2.  In blender combine cashew cream, lemon juice, vanilla, and powdered sugar.  Blend together.  Add water if wanting a thinner cream. 

Step 3. Pour over bananas.  (This amount was enough to make 3 desserts)

Step 4. Serve and ENJOY!

Tomato/Spaghetti Sauce

In keeping with our committment to use the vegetables in our Bountiful Basket, we decided we needed to make something with all the tomatoes. Neither one of us likes tomatoes on their own, and since we've gotten 4-5 tomatoes the last 3 weeks, we needed to make something that would use a bunch.  We decided to try to make tomato/spaghetti sauce.  Actually turned out well.  Here is our recipe.

Ingredients
9 tomatoes
1/2 carrot
1/2 celery stalk
1 Tbs crushed garlic
1 Tbs Basil
1 1/2 Tbs Onion powder
1/8 c. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Step 1. Bring large pot of water to boil.  In another bowl, make an ice bath.  Cut an X on the bottom of each tomato.  Place tomatoes in boiling water for 20-30 seconds, then directly into the ice bath.  Peel the tomatoes.

Step 2. Cut tomatoes in quarters and get rid of the seeds and squeeze out excess liquid.  Place tomatoes into a pot.

Step 3. Cut celery and carrot into small pieces and add to pot.  Add all other ingredients. 

Step 4.  Cover with lid on low-medium heat and allow to simmer until carrots soften. 

Step 5.  Dump contents into blender and blend until chunks are gone.

Step 6. Pour back into pot and simmer on low heat to allow all flavors to combine.  While that is simmering, prepare choice of pasta as directed on box. 

Note: We cooked chicken and chopped into small pieces.  We layered pasta, chicken, spaghetti sauce, and parmesian cheese.

Step 7. Serve and ENJOY!!

Getting the oldest to sleep

It's pretty ironic that the baby sleeps through most of the night, maybe wakes up once, and our older son is the one waking up repeatedly.  I know it is because he is in his "Big Bed" and I know he is probably a little young to be in the bed, but we worked him into it so the crib will be available when we move the baby into his own room.  We read Berenstein Bears' The New Baby for weeks.  The story is all about Brother getting a bigger bed.  At the end of the book we would give our son the choice to sleep in his little bed or his big bed.  For awhile he wanted his little bed, but then one night he decided he wanted to try his "Big Bed."  He wanted mama to lay with him the first few nights and I quickly moved to the floor so he didn't get used to needing me in his bed to fall asleep.  I have since been able to get myself out the door with my head near the doorway to be near him while he falls asleep.  The problem is that he wakes 3-5 times or more a night.  My husband has been the one to help get him back to bed/asleep since I need to be available to feed the baby if he wakes.  However, my husband falls asleep on the floor for hours and his snoring along with Cael's restlessness can wake him up again.  He started to lay on the floor by daddy, which translated the other night to having to lay on the floor by mommy to initially fall asleep.  And again in the middle of the night to fall asleep again- I think he partly thinks it's fun to sleep on the floor by us.  However I again don't want to have him rely on lying by us to fall asleep.  So last night began our journey to get him to at least sleep in his bed. 

He fought going to sleep in his bed by throwing a fit and kicking the bed rails.  I looked into his eyes and told him that wasn't ok and that it was time to sleep.  I reassured him that mommy was sitting right by the door.  He fell asleep quickly after that.  However he woke every hour or 2 and tried to fight the fact he needed to sleep in his bed each time we went in.  My husband did well with it.  We made the plan to reward him in the morning if he was able to at least sleep in his bed.  Our goal was to try to console him before he made his way out of bed by letting him know daddy was there.  He did manage to get out of his room a couple times before my husband heard him, but my husband stuck to the plan very well and managed to get Cael to fall back asleep in his bed.  It got more difficult as the night went on, and eventually he wanted mommy, so I helped out.  In the morning we rewarded him with a cookie for sleeping in his bed and really made a big deal about how well he did even though he didn't like it.  Our plan is to reward him with some small cars and spread out the number of times he needs to sleep in his bed and he gets more used to the idea.  We just have to get some cars, so in the meantime- cookies it is.  This will be a definite trial and error process, but I'm hoping to get him sleeping in his bed before he gets too used to getting up all the time and falling asleep on the floor by mom and dad.  To be continued!!

Carrot-Pumpkin Soup

In our attempts to get more vegetables into our diet, we have been trying new meals.  Our soup of the moment is carrot- pumpkin soup or some form of that (see modifications).  It freezes well and is great to take for lunches as it is surprisingly filling.  So far my favorite of the 3 forms of this soup is the carrot-pumpkin combination, although all have been good.  You can reduce or add more water to change the thickness of your soup as well!

Ingredients: 

1 pound carrots

1 can pumpkin

¼ c. shredded coconut

½ tsp ground ginger

1 small onion (I use 3 green onions)

4 c. Chicken broth

1 1/2 c. water

1 large can (19 oz) coconut milk

1 Tbs coriander

1 Tbs curry

3 Tbs butter

1 Tbs Chia seed

1.       Melt butter in pot over medium-high heat.  Add carrots, onion, coconut, ginger, and coriander.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until vegetables release some of their liquid (10-15 minutes). 

2.   Add broth, raise heat to high, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer until carrots are tender (abt. 20 min).  Remove from heat

3.       Working in batches, puree soup in a blender until smooth. 

4.   Pour into pot and add coconut milk, pumpkin, and Chia seeds.  Cook over low heat until heated through. 

5.   Serve with naan bread, rice, or cornbread!  ENJOY!!

NOTES: sometimes I add a little more curry depending on how much taste I want.

Modifications: 2 pound carrots 2, 14 oz cans coconut, and 1 c. water- prepare the same way as listed above

Modifications: 2 cans pumpkin, 2 Tbs curry, 1 ½ c. water- prepare as above blending the soup mixture to blend in the onions and coconut.

Breakfast Banana Split

Saw a recipe similar to what I made and thought it would be a healthy snack or something a little different for breakfast.  I modified it using things we have in the house. 

Ingredients
1 banana sliced in half length-wise
1 jar homemade coconut yogurt
1 cup frozen berries, thawed
1/2 c. rice crispies
2 Tbs slivered almonds

Step 1. Place banana in bowl.

Step 2. Spoon yogurt over banana

Step 3. Add berries, rice crispies, and almonds

Step 4. Serve and ENJOY!

Potato Soup (non-dairy)

We recently began getting Bountiful Baskets fruits and veggies.  My mom had been talking about this as they have been getting baskets for a couple of months where they live.  I happened to catch an article in the local paper that they were starting one up in our area.  I was so excited.  Seemed like a cheaper way to get fruits and veggies, but also to force us to expand our use of veggies (we aren't very good about getting vegetables in our diet).  Last week we got a bunch of potatoes.  While I like potatoes, they are not part of our diet, except for during holidays.  I have always enjoyed potato soup, but don't make it since we are having to limit dairy for my oldest, but I am also limiting my dairy intake while breastfeeding.  While on maternity leave, I watched a cooking show where they used cashew cream in some recipe.  I did a little reading about cashew cream and found it has many uses for recipes that call fo cream of milk.  So I modified a potato soup recipe I have.  Here it is!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups raw cashews covered in water and soaked for 8 hours to make 2 cups cashew cream
14 small or 6-8 large potatoes
4 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup butter (I use non-dairy)
1/3 cup flour
10 strips bacon (I buy center cut and after cooked get rid of much of the complete fat parts of the bacon)
1/2 c. non-dairy cheese

Step 1.  Peel and cube potatoes.  Boil in water until soft, but not mushy.

Step 2. While potatoes are cooking, drain cashews and place into blender. Put enough water in blender to cover cashews.  Blend on high 2 minutes, let rest a minute, and blend again for 2 minutes.

Step 3.  After potatoes are cooked, drain from water.  In large pot, melt butter and whisk in flour.

Step 4.  Measure out 2 cups cashew cream.  Whisk in chicken broth and cashew cream.  Add potatoes, bacon, and cheese. 

Step 5. Serve and ENJOY!!

Homemade Hot Chocolate (Dairy free)

I love hot chocolate.  Since I am trying to watch my dairy intake because I am breastfeeding, I have been making my own hot chocolate.  Of course you can modify it based on your tastes, but here is my recipe!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. Almond milk- I used store bought
2 tsp. Cocoa
6-8 drops vanilla stevia
dash of cayenne pepper (optional)

Step 1: pour milk into a mug and heat in microwave on high for 2 1/2 minutes.  You could instead do part water and part milk depending on your liking.  I prefer mine creamy and thick and like it all milk; however there are times I will do 3/4 milk, 1/4 water if I'm low on milk or trying to conserve.

Step 2: add cocoa and mix well.

Step 3: add 6 drops vanilla stevia.  Add more or less to your liking.  I don't like my drinks too sweet, so I stick with 6 drops.  Also play with other flavors.  I'm not sure what flavors are all available, but I know there is a variety- raspberry, or peppermint ight be good.  Add a dash of cayenne if you like a little kick.  ENJOY!!

Managing Two

I spent my first week home with both my boys by myself- 2 boys under 2!  I was pretty nervous, especially since Cael had been so crabby and needy the previous week and a half being sick and teething (his first molar)!  But I honestly was thanking God that Saturday and Sunday he was more himself, and I began to feel like I could handle the challenge of both boys.  Cason slept at just the right times that I could give Cael the attention he needed, and Cael has been becoming much more accepting that when it is time to feed brother, he needs to wait and play or watch "Panda" (his favorite show- well the only show he watches at home).  I give Cael the choice to color, read Berenstein Bears, or to watch "Panda."  He will make his choice and tends to stick with it for the 10-15 minutes I need to feed Cason.

When Cason is awake and we need to be able to move around the house to play, I have been using a Moby wrap to carry him in while I chase Cael around the house from room to room while he plays or reads books.  I was so nice outside most days this week that we were able to go out and play for a couple hours 3 of the days.  Cael loves to be outside.   I have an Infantino carrier that I put Cason into to go outside.  We go down the street for walks, throw rocks, shovel dirt, walk around the yard, listen for cars and airplanes, and even got his firetruck car out of the garage to play in.  Cason eventually would fall asleep after a little fussing. 

Scoop

Carry

Dump

There were some challenges.  Cael thinks that every time we walk by the kitchen he has to eat more.  So we have been dealing with a few tantrums when he is told he can't have any more to eat.  There are also times that he wants to be held when I am feeding Cason and he has a difficult time understanding that I can't hold him too, which results in a mini tantrum. 

Tug of War

Holding head up

Helping brother

It has helped tremendously that Andy's coworkers have been making meals for us.  A different person has made a meal for us, which Andy brings home with him after school.  It has been nice not having to juggle the boys and preparation of meals for dinner.  We have had plenty of leftovers to make lunches easier to prepare for the next day as well.  And the best thing is that we will have meals all next week as well, and the following my family will be here.  The bad thing is I will be out of practice with making dinners, but for now I am just fine with that!!

It was a great week with my boys.  It has already been 3 weeks home, and I only have 3 more until I have to go back to work.  Very sad to think about :(  There never seems to be enough time.  But I will enjoy every minute I have and just have to keep thinking that there will only be 6 1/2 weeks left of school until I get the summer off with my family!

Joys of Parenting!!

The joys of parenting...At bath time as Rana was getting Cason ready for the bath he pooped in her hands, towels, and floor.  I held him so she could wipe his bottom and get a new towel and he proceeded to unload his bladder all over me.  I had to stand and take it all since there was no place to go.  Then after bath, Rana wrapped him in his towel and as she was carrying him out to get him dressed he pooped again in her towel and arm.  Oh Yeah, and we had to wipe Cael's poopy butt a few times too before he could get in the bath next.  Wouldn't trade it for anything though.  Maybe I should use this as a FLASH lesson for my students.  Quite an eventful bath.

Ham and Turkey Panini

Paninis are yummy sandwiches and a quick meal, depending on your choice of ingredients.  With 2 boys now, we often need quick.  Experiment with different types of bread until you find one that best fits your tastes!

Ingredients:
Parmesan and garlic sub rolls
onion and chive cream cheese
lunch meat- we like the ham and turkey carving board meat- it's more like the meat cut off the bone
spinach
red, yellow, and/or orange peppers

step 1: Cook the meat on a griddle and brown until warmed through.  While that is cooking, slice bread into top and bottom halves and spread each half with cream cheese (hummus also works depending on your preference).  Slice peppers into small slices.  Begin warming panini grill (or a small indoor grill would work as well).

Step 2: Layer meat, spinach, and peppers onto roll. Put top on.

Step 3: Place sandwich on grill and close lid.  Grill 3-5 minutes until lightly browned.  Repeat for as many sandwiches as you need.

Serve and ENJOY!!

The new addition

It has been quite the adventure adding a new little guy to the family mix.  Cason Wesley Justice arrived a week and a half ago.  Thank goodness my mother was here to take care of Cael- in fact she had just gotten to the house an hour before I got home- and an hour later, we were out the door, on our way up to the hospital.  Thank goodness Cael took to her right away.  It was a long first night in the hospital.  We had been up since 5 AM (but hadn't slept much the night before anyways) had our new baby in our arms a little after 10 PM, and of course all he wanted to do was eat.  The nurse was sweet enough to try to occupy him for a little while so we could sleep, but he had other ideas. 

We had to stay 2 days in the hospital because I didn't get the antibiotics I needed 4 hours prior to his birth.  Cael did so well with my mom.  Andy brought my mom and Cael to the hospital around dinner time and he was a little unsure of what was going on, but no tears, loved playing with the buttons on the bed and remote, and of course getting into everything in the hospital room.  

Visiting

Going home

The first few days at home went surprisingly well.  Cael was accepting of his new brother, but didn't interact with him too much- he was too busy playing- which was just fine! It was nice that there were 3 adults to take turns with the boys, cooking, laundry, showers, etc.  The day before my mom was to leave, Cael got sick.  Threw up all over himself and Andy, and all he wanted was to be held the remainder of the day.  Which was nice, becuase this kid had NEVER been a cuddler.  The day my mom left was kind of the same- he was very mellow, and all he wanted was to be held.  It was a little more challenging now with only 2 adults.  Thank goodness the neighbor was bringing dinner!!  One adult to one kid all day, taking turns as I needed to nurse or shower.  I discovered that Cael has a molar trying to come in and that is the biggest reason for his behavior change. 

cuddle time

We are on day 6 of this today, though.  It has been tough.  I think jealousy has kicked in a little, along with the teething pain.  Cael wants to be held and walked around, but usually only by mom, which is especially challenging when I am needing to nurse Cason.  Cael will cry and sit at my feet while I am nursing, and when Cason is done, Cael is ready to be in my arms again.  So, give Cason to daddy and Cael comes to walk with mommy.  I'm really hoping that by the time Andy goes back to work, some of this new behavior subsides.  Cason has been a pretty good sleeper, waking up twice a night to eat, and sleeps a lot during the day- even though we try to keep him awake.  This has been quite a blessing with all the changes in the household. 

I ordered a Moby sling and got it yesterday.  I tried it out this morning to free up my hands a little so that I could give attention to both boys.  That worked great!!  Cason got some mommy cuddle time- which made me feel better since I was really feeling like he was getting somewhat neglected on the cuddle time since Cael was sooo needy- and Cael had mommy to play with him and move around a bit more freely.  Thank goodness Cason is such an easygoing, mellow baby (just what we needed). 

Of course all these changes really challenge our patience, especially with Cael's pain, frustration, and jealousy.  He has been hitting a lot when he doesn't get his way or when dad tries to help him when mom can't.  When he hits we simply lie him on the ground and walk away and let him calm down.  When he's calmed down, he is asked to tell us sorry, and we move on.  Luckily we have been pretty easygoing as parents, and since we both work in the schools (me with special needs kids), we have a good understanding of the natural reactions and behaviors of kids and can roll with everything as it comes.  Crying is a natural communication and when you remember this, you don't get as worked up when your kids cry.  Especially at the infant stage when they cry when they are cold, hungry, have a dirty diaper, or their belly hurts.  I'm excited to watch the journey with our boys continue, and to watch how we grow as a family with all the ups and challenges that come with it!

Language Development

Language development is such and important, but fun skill to observe in the development of a toddler.  Watching what they pick up on receptively by following directions or descriptions is fun, especially when you realize 'they get it.'  Watching them learn to express what they want is fun, but can also be frustrating as they try to learn the sounds to make close apporximations of the word they are trying to say.  Our 18 month old is trying to say so many things- the problem is that many of his "words" sound a lot alike.  'Outside' and 'sock' are a variation of 'os' in his language capacity.  Luckily, I can usually pick up on what he is trying to say.  He also likes to make sounds to get us to understand what he sees, or is looking at- 'brroomm, brroommm' is a car, of course an 'arf, arf' is a dog, etc.  It's funny to observe how different kids decide to communicate!

Working in the field I do, I have learned a small amount of simple signs that are used often with many of our students.  This has made me very aware of the benefits of sign in communication.  I have always wanted to learn more sign, but classes don't seem to be available at the right times or the resources I have looked into turn out not to be quite what I had hoped.  Early on my husband and I began using simple signs like 'more' and 'all done' during meal times- these are signs that are used almost daily in the classroom, so a couple of the handful of signs I already knew.  Since food is such an important part of daily life, that was a great time to begin experimenting with signing.  I moved on to using signs for items or requests that he needed to use/say frequently and therefore had alot of meaning to him and would be easier to learn.  'Ball' and 'help' were two of them.  Now, he doesn't use the exact form, but it does make it much easier for him to share his request/comment. 

He seems to becoming more frustrated lately, because he has so much he is trying to say, and we can't quite understand everything he is saying.  I recently purchased a baby sign book.  It was difficult to choose which one would be most beneficial to our needs, as I again wanted to make sure I got a book that had signs of toys, objects, people, requests, etc. that are most used within our family.  I finally picked one.  Yesterday I went through the book and tore out the signs of words that are used frequently or that would be important words for our son to begin learning.  I divided them into piles based on the area of the house we might use that word and then taped them up on a door or shelf for quick reference for us all.  Here is hoping to less frustration on our son's part and increased ability to communicate what he wants/needs/sees/etc.!!!!

Pizza (gluten free crust recipe)

Homemade pizza is a pretty regular meal in our house.  It is yummy, easy, healthier than take out or frozen, and provides us with lots of leftovers.  I opted for a gluten-free crust tonight. What I particularly like about the gluten free crust is that it is much easier for my son to chew than a traditional crust.  We make 2 pizzas when we make pizza at home, one that we can make dairy-free for my son and the other, larger one so we will have plenty for leftovers.

Gluten Free Pizza Crust Recipe

Ingredients:
3 egg whites, or 9 Tbs liquid egg whites
1 Tbs olive oil
1/2 c. almond milk (I used store bought)
1/4 c.+ 1/8 c. brown rice flour
1/4 c.  sorghum flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 3/4 tsp xanthan gum
1/8 tsp garlic powder

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat egg whites until frothy in a medium sized bowl. 

Step 2: Add olive oil, baking soda, baking powder and blend.  Add almond milk and blend.

Step 3: Add flours and xanthan gum and stir until dough thickens.  If you would like a little flavor to your dough, add the garlic powder and mix well.  The dough will be similar to a runny cookie dough consistency.

Step 4: Spray a 10" pizza pan with cooking spray and sprinkle a light amount of corn meal over pan.  Drop dough in the center of the pan.  Wet fingers and spread into pan (approx. 1/4" thick).  You may need to wet fingers a few times while spreading to keep the dough from tearing.  NOTE: the dough does thicken during baking. 



Step 5: Partially bake 10-15 minutes until dough is lightly browned.

NOTE: I used the measurements in the ingredients for our smaller pizza.  I used 1 1/2 the recipe measurements to make our larger pizza.

While the dough is cooking...
To make the sauce you will need

1 can tomato sauce
1, 6 oz can tomato paste
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp Italian herbs

Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix until all seasonings are dispersed throughout the sauce.

When the dough is done, add the sauce, and then add your favorite toppings.  This time we used mozzarella cheese, turkey pepperoni, chicken, and red peppers.  We put dairy free, soy free cheese on my son's pizza.  We also chop the toppings up before placing them on his pizza, as he still doesn't have a lot of teeth to chew large chunks of food.

When your toppings are added...

Bake at 400 degrees for about 8-10 minutes until the cheese is melted.  Turn the oven to Broil and broil for about 5-7 minutes until the cheese starts to brown and is bubbly. 

Serve and ENJOY!!