Product of the Moment

Do I even need to explain this? This product was made by God and handed over to Moms as a huge thank you for all you do. Amen.

Archived

Found these and thought they were cute enough to share. The first is a picture of Olivia after she cough-sprayed some carrots. The latter is her first time in the Jumparoo! Tres cute!

Toddlin'

So Frank and I have decided that Olivia is now, officially, a TODDLER! She spent the entire weekend walking everywhere.

We find this especially awesome considering that tomorrow is the 1 year anniversary of her surgery.

Enjoy!

Silent Prayers

Recently Frank went out of town for a work trip, and Olivia decided to wake up an hour earlier than normal.

That day was brought to me by the letter C and the number 0.

Paella

I actually love paella but never knew how to make and figured it would take forever. Then, I found this seemingly easy recipe in the Dec 2009 issue of Parents Magazine. The most expensive thing about it is the turmeric, but it's worth it! And, you may, like me, discover a new spice for stews and rice. Frank's verdict: That's restaurant good! Enjoy!

Speedy Healthy Paella

Serves: 4

2 links chicken sausage (about 6 oz)

1 TBSP canola oil

1 red pepper

1 sm. onion

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

pinch salt

8 oz. cooked, peeled, deveined shrimp

1 (8.8 oz) pkg cooked instant brown rice OR 1 1/2 C cooked

1/4 C low-sodium chicken broth

1. Cut sausage in half length-wise and slice into pieces. Heat canola oil in a large skllet on medium-high and cook sausage until browned (about 2 minutes).

2. Chop the red pepper and the onion and add to pan with turmeric and a few shakes of salt. Cook, uncovered, until tender, about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Stir in rice, broth, and shrimp. Cook for about 2 minutes more to heat through.

Per Serving:

268 calories

9 g fat

2 g sat fat

381 mg sodium

22 g carbs

2 g fiber

22 g protein

3 mg iron

28 mg calcium

Stepping Stones

Today, on her daily school report, Olivia's teacher wrote, "Olivia enjoyed playing outside and even stood up to take a few steps on her own."

My heart tingled. :-)

Belated Birthday!

I figured I'd finally post pictures of Olivia's very first birthday. We were blessed to be surrounded by family and friends as well as to have a gorgeous day. Olivia enjoyed everyone's company and was the ham that we know she can be. And to everyone who attended or sent a gift, we appreciate all of it... our thank yous are just a little behind. I wonder how much longer I can use our new house as an excuse?

We decided to make the birthday party a Yo Gabba Gabba! theme because Olivia LOVES the show. She lights up when DJ Lance Rock walks out in the opening scene, and lately, when she dances, she dances just like they do on the show. Single? No kids? Haven't a clue? Honestly, check it out. Frank and I find the show hilarious, and the little known bands they showcase are pretty awesome, too. I could go on and on, but if you're ever bored, catch it on ONDemand or NickJr.

Does your child love Yo Gabba Gabba! as much as ours? Thinking of planning a shindig, too? Well, it was far easier than you'd think, especially with the help of the Gabba Friends website. I'm going to post specifics about the cakes I made in a later post, but this website inspired everything.

The balloons:

The cakes:

At first, Olivia didn't know what to make of the cake. She stared at it and wouldn't touch the thing. When we tried to put it in her hand, she shook it off! She did NOT want to get dirty. But once we put a bite in her mouth... look out, world! Olivia LOVES cake! Although, you still wouldn't know it from the pictures...

Showing off a present:

And tuckered out from a long day of partying:

At 1 year old, Olivia [could]:

weighs 20.7 lbs.

is 30 1/4 ins. long

says cat, dog, hi, bye, mom, dad and uh oh (sometimes Pop Pop & baby)

crawls all over

stands up by pulling on something

cruises (walks holding onto furniture or hands)

stands on her on for about 3 - 5 seconds

throws balls, even to others (or Monty the cat)

points to things and says "Dat!" or "Dat?" (want and what?)

claps on her own and when told to

dances to music

does easy shape sorter pieces

gives hi-5s

LOVES Monty the cat and will play with him and try to pet him

wears size 3 diapers

wears clothing sizes from 6 mos (onesies or tops) all the way up to 18 mos (pants)

eats 7 jars of baby food every day!

feeds herself puffs and teething cookies

puts her arms up for SO BIG!