November 2, 2011
by Melanie
1 Comment
So, there is a little thing that everyone seems to be doing, which is to list something you’re thankful for every day for the month of November. I decided to give it a go.
Since I am a day late, I’ll combine days 1 and 2 into one post.
Blessings #1 and #2
July 4, 2011
by Melanie
1 Comment
I’m pretty excited at how easy this turned out to be. It’s really true what they say, that it’s really a matter of just waiting for it to “click”. Once it does, they just do it. I am so glad I didn’t push it the few times I tried since she turned 2 and obviously wasn’t ready, because it just would have stressed us both out.
Anyway, hooray for potty training success! Although now I’ll be on alert all the time thinking that she’s going to wet her panties until I trust her 100%, even though so far she hasn’t.
PS: We are only daytime trained. I am not attempting nap or night training yet. Once she starts getting used to subconsciously holding it, I imagine she’ll start waking with dry Pull Ups, probably from naptime first. She’s not trustworthy enough to leave a potty in her room at night, and I know she can’t hold it for 13 hours (the current length of her nighttime) without an accident. But I’m not fussed — 2 pull ups a day is heaps better than diapers all day long.
 Potty training day 1 - not glamorous! |
 Heading out for church, diaper-free! |
 Pretty exciting stuff |
June 30, 2011
by Melanie
1 Comment
It’s time for serious potty training. She’s ready, I know she is. She understands the concept, even asks to go in the potty from time to time. The key will be whether I can train her to notice when she has to go and then do something properly about it before it’s too late. So, armed with carpet cleaner, M&Ms, and a potty chair, starting July 1 potty training begins in earnest. I’m going to go the naked route (her, not me! Goodness!) in the hopes that she will really notice her bodily functions more than if she’s got clothing on. I know so many people who swear by this method, so we’re going to give it a try. Wish us luck!
In other news, we’re weaning pacifier use down a little bit. I’m loathe to completely get rid of it until after our cross-planet plane trip to and from New Zealand later this year. I just think it will come in handy to keep her calm and QUIET. So we’ll probably wean it completely right after we get home. Until then, I did some research and bought one designed for older kids’ mouths (By Dentists!) that supposedly won’t interfere with teeth and jaw growth. She only really uses it for nap and nighttime, so I’m not too worried about her teeth yet. And after she turns 3 and we come back from New Zealand, all pacifiers will be officially gone. Shockingly, when I gave her the new “byer” tonight, she made peace with it pretty quick. Good thing, since I threw the old one away already.
Random pictures of my pretty girl:
 |
 |
 |
April 17, 2011
by Melanie
0 comments
In a quest to try to eat a little healthier, I decided to try spaghetti squash. It’s intrigued me for years. I love spaghetti, so something that mimics spaghetti might be a good thing. It also might be an icky disaster. But when I saw spaghetti squash for 84c in the store the other day (or was it 84c/pound? I never pay attention to that stuff.) I decided it was a good price, so it was time to give it a go.
I researched spaghetti squash recipes to try to find one that I could stomach. Several people said not to try to fool myself by putting spaghetti sauce on it, which makes sense. After all, that’s a lot of pressure to put on a spaghetti squash. So here’s what I came up with:
(Oh, and for those of you who care, this recipe adds up to roughly 180 calories…not bad for a filling dinner!)
Step 1: Bake the spaghetti squash. Cut it in half, baked about 45 minutes on one side, then 10 minutes on the other…at 350 degrees.
 |
Step 2: Saute garlic in some extra virgin olive oil on the stove.
 |
Step 3: Toss in 1 cup spinach and poke around until spinach is warmed. Remove spinach.
 |
Step 4: Saute 1 cup spaghetti squash (it certainly looks like spaghetti at this point) in the remainder of garlicky olive oil.
 |
Step 5: Add the spinach back in and saute together until the squash is desired…consistency?
 |
Step 6: Remove and blot any excess olive oil off. Some people like olive oil; I personally don’t like my food with any oil on it, even if it is supposed to be a healthy oil. Mix in 1/4 cup part skim ricotta. I put the dish in the microwave for about 20 seconds at this point, since the ricotta was cold. Sprinkle a bit of parmesan on top and voila!
 |
Verdict: I’m not sure about the crunchiness of the squash. Is it supposed to be crunchy at this point? Also, this dish, while tasty, could use some additional herbs and/or seasoning, so next time I’ll add in a bit more. Overall: C+ or B- on the squash, until I either get used to or figure out this crunchy issue. In the meantime, I have a lot of leftovers to practice with!
 |
March 14, 2011
by Melanie
0 comments
