Thursday, February 21, 2013

Emma's 4 month check up

Emma had her 4 month check up today and did great! She was SUCH A HAM for Dr. R. She talked and smiled more than I have ever seen her talk and smile before. It's nice that one of my children will perform for the doctor. 

*Hudson will not do anything the doctor asks him to do. "Hudson, where is your nose?" Hudson just stares at her. He knows all of his body parts. Silly boy.


Anyway, Emma did great until she got her shots. Poor thing! But she's been taking a great nap this afternoon. 

Emma is almost 2 pounds smaller than Hudson was at 4 months. At her 2 month check up she was short and chunky and now she is pretty much average for her age. Just perfect!



I can't believe she will be 6 months old when we go back to the doctor!

Her official 4 month stats:

weight: 13 pounds 14 ounces (55th percentile)
length: 24 inches (40th percentile)
head circumference: 17 inches (43rd percentile)



taco night!

A couple of weeks ago I made the Oven Baked Tacos that have been floating around Pinterest. I made a few changes the 2nd time I made them to fit our tastes a little more and we all love them! With the tacos I served black beans and PW's Mexican Rice. It was a great meal.


Hudson loves Mexican food! South Texas is a great place for this kid. :)


Here are the recipes I used with my tweaks. 

Oven Baked Tacos
adapted from Mommy I'm Hungry

2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, diced 
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies
1 packet taco seasoning
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1/2 of a (16 oz.) can fat-free refried beans
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
18-20 hard taco shells

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet brown ground beef and onion over medium-high heat. Drain any fat. Return to pan, add chilies, refried beans, crushed tomatoes, and taco seasoning. Mix well and cook for a few minutes if mixture seems runny. Spoon the taco meat mixture into the taco shells and place into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, standing up. Sprinkle cheese over the top of the taco meat in each shell. Place into the oven and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the tacos are heated through. Remove from the oven and top with favorite taco toppings.

Mexican Rice
adapted from The Pioneer Woman


2 Tablespoons Canola Oil
1/2 whole Large Onion, Chopped
2 cups Long Grain Rice
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 can Rotel Diced Green Chilies And Tomatoes (10 Ounce Can)
1 can Whole Tomatoes (14.5 Ounce Can)
2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth (more If Needed)
1 teaspoon Cumin (more To Taste)
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
Fresh Cilantro, Chopped

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add rice and garlic. Stir constantly, making sure the rice doesn’t burn. Cook over low heat for 3 minutes. Add Ro-tel and tomatoes. Stir to combine and let cook for 2 minutes. Finally, add broth and stir together. Add some kosher salt and a good teaspoon of cumin--—more if you love cumin flavor! Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 to 15 additional minutes or until rice is done. Add more liquid as needed; rice shouldn’t be sticky. Just before serving, sprinkle lots of freshly chopped cilantro over the top.

Slow Cooker Black Beans
adapted from Our Everyday Dinners

1 pound dry black beans
4 cups beef stock, plus water to cover beans
1/2 an onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 can tomato paste
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
salt and pepper

Rinse beans and check for rocks. Cover beans with water and soak overnight. In the morning, rinse the beans and place in the slow cooker. Cover with beef stock/water and add the onion, garlic, red bell pepper, and a large pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 6-8 hours on low in the slow cooker. About an hour before serving, add the tomato paste, vinegar, brown sugar, red pepper, and cumin. Stir and then taste for salt and add more if necessary. Cook for another hour on low.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Emma :: 4 months old

Dear Emma James,

You are 4 months old! How in the world did that happen? I am in shock that I have been a mommy to two kids for 4 months. You have become such a precious baby this month and are becoming quite the ham. We are absolutely crazy about you and you have added so much love to our family.


You started rolling over this month. You have rolled from back to tummy several times but only from your tummy to back 1 or 2 times. Which is so weird because you HATE being on your tummy. Tummy time is so miserable for you. It breaks my heart but I know you need the practice. 


You are still swaddled because you haven't rolled over in your swaddle yet. I have tried letting you nap a few times without the swaddle and it's not very successful. It takes you longer to fall asleep and you only stay asleep for 30-45 minutes when you usually take 2 hour naps. You are sleeping wonderfully! You go to bed between 7:00-8:00 and will sleep 11-13 hours at night. You usually cry out about an hour after you go to bed but you put yourself right back to sleep. You are taking 3 naps and sometimes 1 catnap in the evening. 


You are starting to play with toys and it's so fun to watch you try so hard to grab at things. You love your little activity gym and the toys that hang from that. You are able to grab them to make the music start playing. You also still love your swing and it is usually where you take your evening catnap. You have found your feet and it is so fun to watch you try and grab them. You have also started paying more attention to Hudson this month. He makes you smile so big and I LOVE that. I can't wait to see y'all's relationship grow and change even more. 


You were dedicated at church this month. It was such a special time for our family and I loved that you were the same age that Hudson was when he was dedicated. You have finally started taking a bottle better this month. We decided that you will start getting a bottle once a day and it has made a huge difference. You will even take a bottle from me now. I am so thankful because that means that mommy and daddy can actually go on a kid free date! It's been at least 4 months since that's happened!


Emma James, we love you SO SO much. You are such a chill baby and people always comment on how sweet and quiet you are. You coo all the time but you only cry when you are tired or hungry. We are so humbled that the Lord has entrusted us with you and your crazy big brother. 

Love,
Mommy

::4 month stats::
weight: 13 pounds 11 ounces (official stats tomorrow at her 4 month check up)
height: 23 1/2 inches
eating: nursing every 3ish hours (usually 7, 10, 2, 5 and 7) with one of those feedings a pumped bottle
clothes: still some 0-3 month things and 3-6 month
diaper size: 1 (you actually just started wearing 2's this afternoon)

Look how you've changed!


Hudson at 4 months and Emma at 4 months...

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

2.19.03

It's hard to believe it's been 10 years since these crazy college kids decided to have a DTR and make their flirting official. 

A DTR is college code for "define the relationship" in case you aren't cool enough to know that.

This was our first picture we took together. 


John used to have SUPER spiky hair. It was one of the things I loved about him. I had thick chunky blonde highlights. He asks me daily to get those again. Then I tell him how much they cost and he likes my DIY hair much better.


We used to spend lots of time "studying" at Cameron Park. (Read: making out.)


We fell in love fast. Not quite as fast as Sean Lowe and all those girls. But fast. And I said I love you first. After less than 3 months. 


Actually, 10 years ago tomorrow (the day after we made it official) I told my BFF Dinah that I was going to marry John. During worship at the Wednesday night college bible study. 


We've come a LONG way in 10 years. We've lived in 2 cities {Waco & Victoria}, graduated from college, {1 of us} got 2 master's degrees, had 10 different jobs {most of those were mine}, traveled to Africa {twice}, Colorado, New York {twice}, New Mexico {twice}, Alabama {twice and all the states between there and Texas on our Gulf Shores road trips}, and many other places in Texas. We have had good times and sad times. Exciting times and difficult times. But I am SO glad and thankful that I've had him right by my side the whole time.


I love who we are today. I love watching that crazy college kid love our kids whole heartedly. He has become the most incredible dad and our relationship looks very different than it did in 2003. But I wouldn't have it any other way.

Sunday, February 17, 2013

look alike?

My sister posted the picture on the right last week. It is of me and her eating red popsicles in my grandparents backyard. I was around 3 1/2 - 4 and Whitney was 1 1/2 - 2 years old. My first thought when I saw this was how much Whitney looks like Hudson! 

What do y'all think? The noses are different but I think they look so similar!


Saturday, February 16, 2013

story time

Last month we tried going to Story Time at the library for the first time. 


I think Hudson enjoyed it. He at least loved loved playing with the other kids at the end and all the balls they had.


Erin and Rix came with us. Rix was a little angel the whole time.


And Emma slept in the Bjorn the whole time. 


It's definitely safe to say that if we go again, Hudson is ready for the older kid story time and not the one for babies!

Emma's 2 month check up

Emma had her 2 month check up last month. (I'm SUCH a bad blogger this year! Must get better.) She got an A+ from Dr. R. 


Emma also had to get her 2 month shots. She obviously hated them. She started to calm down until I had to put her in the carseat. 


But by the time we got home she was COMPLETELY out! 


(please ignore the nasty spit up stained straps. no matter how many times I wash her carseat cover, it just gets spit up on again.)

Emma's official 2 month stats:

weight: 13 pounds (70th percentile)
length: 23 inches (38th percentile)
head circumference: 15 3/4 inches (53rd percentile)

weekend in Austin

Last month we went to Austin for a quick weekend trip. Hudson loves the piano at Susu's house!


The main reason for our trip was a baby shower for John's cousin. While Emma, Sara and I were at the shower, John, Hudson and Susu went to Zilker Park. 


John was so excited to take Hudson to Zilker for the first time.


Especially to take him on the train ride. We have quickly learned that Hudson does not enjoy riding on things like trains or hayrides. This kid constantly needs to be moving!


Before the shower, Sara, Emma and I did a little shopping. I had a gift card to Pottery Barn I needed to use!


We had a great weekend in Austin!

fun with the Broaddus fam

On MLK day we drove up to Huntsville to visit our BFFs for the day. We had the best day with our friends!


Hudson and Ethan are such sweet buddies. I love watching them play together and start a very special friendship.


We spent a lot of time at the park wearing these 2 out. They have a very fun park in their neighborhood!


It was right by a beautiful lake!


Little Miss Emma just snoozed the whole time.


Daddies and sons. 



John and Ethan sharing a ride.



Ethan was such a big boy on the playground! I loved watching him and seeing how independent he was. Adorable!



A glimpse into our lives in about 15 years...


Story time with daddies and their best buds.


Courtney and I with our sweet boys.


We stopped for dinner at CFA on our way home...this kid was EXHAUSTED! A sure sign of a wonderful day with friends. 


zoo fun!

Last week we went to the zoo with some of our friends. Erin & Rix and Kaeli & her boys, Sutton and Mason, and me with Hudson and Emma took on the zoo on a Tuesday morning. We got there a little after 10am so we didn't go to the "Zoo Time" but we did enjoy looking at all of the animals.


Hudson loved the sheep! He kept yelling, "BAAA!"



Sutton was so sweet with Hudson. Hudson loved following him around.


Out of all the things to do at the zoo, this little gravel area is the highlight.


Hudson kept climbing in and out of this little car stroller. This was right before we left. I think the zoo did a great job at wearing him out!


Sweet Rix and Emma just tagged along. 


We had a wonderful time and look forward to many more trips to the zoo with our friends!

 
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