Be Careful...

...what you teach your children...such as
Case #1: A few weeks ago, I had a cut on my finger and started teaching Emma the word "boo-boo" and that we give kisses to make them feel better. Well....she got this concept really quickly and the other day as we were in the check out line Emma noticed a pimple...yes not a boo-boo but a lovely red pimple on my forehead....and remember Emma is LOUD....so she proceeded to repeat over and over "boo-boo" "boo-boo" and point to my pimple and then started giving kisses.....yes, we got looks and I was at that moment wishing I had not taught her that particular word!
Case #2: In our family room, I have a hanging bundle of mistletoe. Angel was playing with it one day so I explained what it is and let's just say we spent the rest of the day kissing and that was how Jason got greeted when he came home too. Not that we mind the kisses, but having to be pulled down to her level and have mistletoe hung over your head all day long does get a bit annoying....she even was able to plant one on Aunt Caitlin!!

Emma the Dilemma

This is definitely what I have been calling her for the last several months, since I cannot figure out her eating likes, habits, quirks etc. She has always (and still is) an avid nurser, but when we started foods, she took awhile to warm up to them. Since I made all her baby food, she eventually took to all the purees and also loves applesauce and yogurt. She will eat certain finger foods and snacks like puffs, cheerios, crackers etc, and is finally starting to drink from the sippy cup. When the stash of purees I made ran out, I bought a little baby food mill grinder and have been trying that. But she is so funny. She will start eating things and if she gets a bit of texture that she doesn't like, she will spit it out and then flail her arms and she is done with it. She also LOVES to throw things over the side and wipe frantically off her tray, which is just annoying and so different as Angel never did this. But, at her check up her pediatrician didn't seem concerned because: she is still nursing so getting those calories and nutrients, is still young and only truly needs small amounts of food, is gaining weight and growth properly and is healthy, can feed herself just fine, and still only has two bottom teeth so the doctor thinks that might be one reason why she isn't eating more table foods as readily because she can't really bite or chew still. So, after worrying a bit and stressing about her not eating "well" or "regular" foods, I had to remember that I cannot compare the process to Angel (the only one I know) because each child is different and will reach milestones at different times and in different ways, that Emma will let me know in her own time and way when she wants and likes new foods, and after reading this WONDERFUL POST AND COMMENTS....feel much better about Emma's dilemma. I think I will just make more purees for now and keep doing and trying what we have been....and hopefully those other teeth will come in too!! Aren't all the little challenges of motherhood exciting? If you have any tips, PASS them on!

Perfect for Cold Weather

We have a Cocomotion, which I love....makes yummy hot chocolate or coffees SUPER FAST with minimal work!! However, Jason had gotten this many years ago when he was a bachelor and of course didn't save directions which also had the recipes....so after some searching, here is one I found that is very yummy. If you have any others...please pass on!!!

Mint Hot Chocolate (similar to Starbucks recipe)
1 cup water
4 TB cocoa
4 TB sugar
3 cups milk
2 tsp vanilla
peppermint syrup

Add everything to cocomotion and hit the start button!! Top with whip cream of course!

Yummy Dinner Recipes

A couple new ones from my sister:

This one is FABULOUS: Chicken Medallions with Capers and Tomatoes
and
Penne Arrabiata (I might add a little tomato paste next time though)

Frosty Fun

***Sorry, this is a LONG post, but for my mom who is still in NYC, and Angel misses her!!***

Today we woke up to a beautiful cover of winter white!! We had about 3-4 inches and decided to make the best of it since we couldn't go anywhere and Jason ended up having to stay home. Angel went out to enjoy it with her papa...that is after we bundled her up so much that poor thing could barely even stand up straight and walk let alone bend over. I laughed so hard when she kept falling over at first...but hey, at least she would be warm!! I must go look for a snowsuit once we can get out! While she wanted to mostly just eat the snow....she and Papa had some snow ball throws, made snow angels, made a snowman, and enjoyed some sled time, although Angel had to lay down on her belly since she kept falling over sitting up!! I know, I took a lot of pics and video, but what is a mama supposed to do? We don't get snow that often!!

I know rude parents, but it was so funny, poor thing couldn't bend over or get up she was so padded with clothes!!

Eating Snow

Sled Time

Throwing Snowballs

Snow Angels

Is Angelica under all those layers?

When Aunt Caitlin and Aunt Alli babysit....

....we make some music...

...we take some pictures (actually Alli takes a LOT!)...

...we do some hair...

...we have some funny face hood time...

...some cuddle time...

...some laundry of course...

...and well, I just don't want to know!

Decorating the Tree

We decorated our Christmas tree the other night and I wish I had had the video camera. While Angel was "helping" put the ornaments ON the tree....Emma took one look at the silver and red bulbs and decided to grab and RUN!! She was fascinated by them and would keep taking them OFF the tree and running thinking no one would be able to catch her!! So cute!

Christmas Treasures

My Meme (paternal grandmother) has given me a Christmas treasure every year since the day I was born until I got married. I would wait in eager anticipation to receive her handmade Christmas ornament and see what figure I had gotten that year. She always put my name and year on the ornament and some years made them very appropriate for my achievements, such as 1996 was Santa in a car since that was the year I learned to drive. She has done this for all her grandchildren every year (of which she has 11) and even started for her great-grandkids....Angel and Emma loved hanging them up this year. It is such a special gift she has done every year and holds so many memories for me...and helped to decorate my tree when I left home and had no other ornaments!! Thanks so much Meme, I will treasure these ALWAYS.

My Ornaments

Angel and Emma's

A Winters Day

Today was a very successful winters day...although it has only been hovering around freezing for several days now, I had to get to the post office today....CHECK....and then a long put off trip to the grocery store to stock back up...CHECK...all thanks to my sisters who watched the girls for me today (of which they had way to much fun, I will post pics soon!). Nothing better than getting your errands done, house cleaned, and sitting down to a this.... ....a hot bowl of chili and homemade cornbread!! That is of course, unless they would make these warm PJs in my size!! Hope everyone has a warm winters night!!

Another Great Novena

We enjoyed praying the Novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe....
...we are continuing our St. Andrew Novena until Christmas...
...and just started last night this beautiful Christmas Novena (Novena to the Child Jesus Infant of Prague).

More Advent Fun...

...and learning how to use finger puppets...a work in progress. (Funny - last year my hubby kept telling Angel to bring him the lion....um, I don't think lions were present at Christ's birth...and more importantly I think Joseph would be offended, although at first glance...the beard does look like a fuzzy mane!!)

Practicing...

Hair Fun

The other morning we had fun doing hair-dos. Here is Angel's ponytail loop thing and well....Emma's cute clip since she barely has hair!

Happy (Belated) Birthday!!

My nephew, Jacob, turned TWO on the 15th...and I saw (and stole) this pic on his mom's site and loved it!! Happy Birthday...we miss and love you lots!!

Advent Fun

We have been having fun playing with our different Advent activities....I will have to get some more pics of the others we have been enjoying. We try to "teach" the Christmas story and birth of Jesus while we play. This was handed down to the girls from Marmee and I think my Mamasan might have gotten it for us at one point. Anyways...technically you are supposed to put one new figure on each day...but after explaining that about 5 times to a two and one year old, they just look at me, shake their heads and continue to put all the figures on. Oh well...makes a nice play activity...that is if we can work on our SHARING skills....hehe....Angel would like to really play and arrange the figures while Emma would like to grab them and RUN. Maybe I should not have hung it within their reach!! I do think it is weird that they made Mary in pink since she is almost always in blue....and I wish the wise men would come AFTER his birth...makes it hard to explain the Epiphany when they are already there!! Technicalities...technicalities...

Welcome Home

Yesterday my plan to welcome Caitlin home from school and her AMAZING soccer national games...well....the weather didn't help!! But, I managed to get a yard sign (didn't take pic) and balloons posted at the turn off for home, and then I had gotten pom poms in all her soccer teams she had played on throughout the years (minus pink and black which Party City didn't have) and we headed over to my parents house. Luckily her friend Pam and soon to be mother-in-law Audrey were able to make it so it wasn't just us...We lined the long driveway and with pom poms and posters...cheered her home. She has a lot to be happy about and proud of....she has had an amazing soccer "career" and ended with a big bang!! We are very proud of her and Angel is very glad she is home for a bit. The last pic is one I LOVE of her when she scored the second goal during nationals!!

First Snow

...this is what we woke up to Sunday morning...it started falling Saturday night. We probably only got about two inches...but it isn't supposed to get above freezing all week...so maybe we will get more...need to get to the grocery store and post office first please!! Emma loved "dat" (that) pointing to snow and reminded me of last year when Angel would see snow and called it "ho-ho"...I guess she associated it with Christmas....so sweet. Stay warm!