Wordless Wednesday...

10 Months...

Cy Wesley begins his 10th month of life today...what a big boy we have!!! The past few months have been so fun as Travis and I have watched our son gain mobility and independence a little more every day. He is such a happy, mellow little guy and we have been delighted to witness his sweet spirit, while not so delighted with the occasional touch of stubbornness that makes us laugh during the increasing number of teachable moments we encounter daily. Here are a few milestones that Cy has checked off in recent weeks...

He is completely orally fixated right now...as is obvious from the pictures below. His tongue is constantly in full view, checking out new textures, feeling newly erupted teeth and blowing raspberries throughout the day. This has become a bit of a discipline problem during meals, but we're working on it. He gives the sweetest kisses & associates those kisses with affection which makes them even sweeter!

LOVES Elmo! He sits mesmerized during "The Best of Elmo" video & giggles as mommy sings his favorite Sesame Street song "One Fine Face" MANY times a day. Other favorite songs include "Old McDonald", "The ABC Song", "Pat-a-Cake", "The Lord's Army" & "The Wise Man".

Is a big fan of touch & feel and flap books..."Ears, Nose & Toes", "Elmo Loves Hugs", "Tails", "Dogs" & "The Very Hungry Caterpillar".

Has become quite the chatterbox-spouting out lots of consonant sounds...ma-mah, da-dah, ba-bah, na-nah. We're still working with sign language (momma, poppa, please, thank you, milk, more, all done, eat, drink, help, ball and I love you) and are trying to instill the verbal courtesies "please", "thank you", "yes, ma'am", "no, sir", etc.

As mentioned in a previous post, he's tried several new table foods including shaved turkey, string cheese, jello, yogurt, ice cream, mashed potatoes, refried beans and fresh bananas.

Is cruising around and THROUGH furniture. Yesterday, he discovered that he could crawl through the ends of the coffee table...fun!

Has a grand total of 6 teeth- 4 on top and 2 on the bottom, but if the abundance of drool and frequent chewing on his fingers are any indication, I suspect that the lower laterals will make their appearance soon.

Loves to sit in momma's lap and spin the toilet paper roll.

Is all boy...enjoys crawling on, around & over anyone who will sit in the floor with him and act as an obstacle.

With Cy's growing independence has come a clear need for boundaries and thereby discipline. My sweet little fella inherited a bit of stubbornness (I'm assuming from his father- LOL!)...and because of that trait, teachable moments abound. Travis and I have agreed to try to avoid use of the word "No" which has proven challenging. We instead use the phrases, "Not Cy's toy", "Not for Cy", "That's a pretty", "This can hurt Cy", "This is Momma/Poppa's toy", etc. Our most recent teachable moments have come during meal time, when Cy is tempted to blow raspberries while eating, and attempts to stand up in his high chair. Consistency, praying for wisdom, and focusing on each and every moment as an opportunity for training our sweet boy in righteousness is now the goal of each day.

Here's what a normal day for Cy at 10 months looks like:

7:30-7:45am: Wake-up, Breakfast- 3 Tbsp. cereal mixed with fruit, 6 oz. bottle (usually only drinks 4 oz.)
9:30-10:00am: AM Nap (about 1 hr)
11:00am: Lunch- Veggie & fruit, 6 oz. bottle (again, usually only takes 4 oz)
12:30-1:00pm: PM Nap (1-1.5 hrs)
2:30-3:00: Snack- some combination of puffs, yogurt melts, fresh fruit, yogurt, shaved turkey, string cheese & 6 oz bottle
5:00pm: Dinner- Meat & veggie mixture & 2 Tbsp. cereal mixed with fruit
6:00pm: 7 oz. bottle
6:30pm: Bath, prep for Bed, read 2-3 books
7:00-7:30pm: Bed

HaPpY SpRInG!

One of my VERY favorite things about Spring is the gorgeous blooms of the Bradford Pear tree. These little beauties mark the beginning of a new season and are available for our viewing pleasure all too briefly. Happy Spring, everyone!!!

I'm officially reinstating the "Busy Momma Recipes" section of this blog. I initially thought that it might be presumptious of me to assume that any of you would be interested in my recipes or preferences, but since this is a family scrapbook, of sorts, I've decided to include some of our favorites to be passed on to future generations (& any of you who want to give them a try). Rest assured, the recipes included herein will be put through a rigorous elimination process & will only 'make the grade' if they are given two very enthusiastic thumbs up from Travis and I and/or have been met with rave reviews by friends and family. So here you go...Busy Momma Recipe #1- Pioneer Woman's White Chicken Enchiladas. "Pioneer Woman Cooks" has quickly risen the ranks to the top of my list of favorite cookbooks...to those of you who do not own it- you are missing out!

White Chicken Enchiladas


2 1/2 c. cooked, shredded chicken
2 c. reserved chicken broth
3 T. canola oil
12 whole corn tortillas
1 large onion, diced
3 (4 oz) cans diced green chilies
1 jalepeno, seeded & finely diced
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 c. heavy cream
2 T. butter
2 T. flour
1 c. sour cream
2 1/2 c. jack cheese, shredded
salt & pepper to taste
cilantro, chopped

Heat 2 T. oil over med-high heat. Fry tortillas (8-10 seconds on each side) until soft. Place on paper towels to drain.

Heat 1 T. oil over medium heat- add onions & jalepenos- saute 1 min. Add chicken broth & stir. Add cream & stir allowing to get hot & bubbly- set aside.

In separate skillet, add butter (melt) & sprinkle in flour. Whisk & cook over medium heat 1 min. Pour in 1 1/2 c. chicken broth. Whisk & cook 1-2 min. Stir in other half of green chilies. Reduce heat, then add sour cream. Add 1 1/2 c. grated cheese- stir to melt. Add 1/2 tsp. paprika and salt & pepper to taste.

To assemble, spoon chicken mixture on top of tortillas. Top with plenty of cheese & roll up. Place seam down in 9x13" dish. Pour cheese mixture over top of tortillas. Top with extra cheese. Bake @ 350 degrees for 30 min. Sprinkle generously with cilantro.

Enjoy!!!

Brusha, Brusha, Brusha...

Highchair Hijinx...

...and other random pictures. We have had lots of fun experimenting with table food. Some of Cy's favorites include shaved turkey, string cheese, yogurt & ice cream. The verdict is still out on mashed potatoes and Abuelo's beans & papas, but I have no doubt that he will quickly develop a fondness for these tasty sides as well.

HapPY BiRThDAy, TRaViS!!!

Happy Birthday to my amazing husband!!! Travis, you make my life better in every way! And to celebrate this wonderful man's special day, we are heading to Austin for the weekend, in search of rest, relaxation, fun, friends & shopping while Cy spends some quality time with Mimi and Gramps.

I love you, Baby!!!

9 1/2 Month Stats & Cutie Patootie Cousins...

Cy had his 9 month well-check exam with Dr. Guetersloh today & was given two very enthusiastic thumbs up! He is in the midst of a pretty impressive growth spurt which along with crawling has really trimmed up his little stature...he is looking less and less like a baby and more like a handsome little boy everyday. Here are his 9 1/2 month stats:

Height: 29.5 " (90%)

Weight: 20 lbs. 11 oz (50%)

Head Circumference: 18" (75%)

I was able to take some sweet photos of Cy and Ellie this afternoon in Gran's playroom. Ellie is just a few days shy of being 11 months old, Cy is 9 1/2 months. Let me just preface by saying that photographing 2 very mobile little ones, is a challenging assignment. Here are several of the moments that were captured.

Precious Gift...

Due in large part to the previous post, I spent the majority of the day just loving on our precious little boy. We love you so much, Cy Wesley and never want to take a single day that God gives us with you for granted!

"Trailing a little behind"

PS...Highchair poses have become my new fav...since that's the only time, while he's awake, that I can get this busy boy to be still.

Prayers for The Tidwell Family....

Please join me in praying for our friends, the Tidwells. Todd and Robyn had to make the heartbreaking decision to discontinue life support for their precious 15-month-old baby girl, Gracie and allow her to receive true healing in the arms of the Lord. Pray for peace and comfort for this sweet family (including Gracie's older sisters, Callie & Kadee) during this extremely difficult time. You can read their story at http://www.tidwellhotspot.com/.

I cannot imagine the strength, faith and bravery this would take as a parent, and it makes me want to hold on to my baby boy and never let him go....if only I could protect him from every worry of this life. But in this moment, I am reminded & comforted by the words of the song "Hold on to Jesus" by Erin O'Donnell.

You're a little piece of heaven, you're a golden ray of light.
And I wish I could protect you from the worries of this life.
If there's one thing I could tell you, it's no matter what you do,
Hold on to Jesus, he's holding onto you.

Hold on to Jesus, and cling to his hands.
Rest deep in his mercy whenever things get rough.
Don't lose sight of his goodness, and don't ever doubt his truth.
When you hold on to Jesus, he's holding on to you.

Hear me, dear Jesus, rock this little one to sleep.
Keep him close when he is scared
And give him Grace when he's weak.
I know he will stumble, but I know he'll make it through.
If you hold on to him, just like you said you'd do.

Hold on to Jesus, Robyn & Todd. I know that he is holding on to your precious Gracie!