Somthing to think about. . .

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a penny pincher! I read this entry on the PYP blog today and just thought I'd share. . .

*Luke informed me last week that it's bad to just copy and paste an article. So I am deleting the article but here's the link.*

Nummy Chicken Recipe

We made this for dinner tonight and it was super easy and super yummy! I got it from one of the recipe sites that I have linked on my side column but I don't remember which one. I just wanted to share it with all of you cause it was so good!

Crunchy Coconut Chicken

1 c flaked coconut
13 vanilla wafers, crushed
2 1/2 lbs chicken
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 c butter, melted

On a plate, combine coconut and vanilla wafer crumbs. Dip chicken in egg, then coat with coconut mixture. Place in a shallow baking dish; drizzle with butter. Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour or until done. (I used chicken tenders, like the person who originally posted this recipe on the recipe blog, which only take about 30 min to cook.)

I, of course, didn't follow the recipe to a T, which I rarely do, but you get the idea!

I'm Finally Forward Facing!

Thanks Momma P for lending us your grandkid carseat! I'm not sure who loves it more, Me or Peanut!

Fun Time With Cousins

We finally made the drive to my sister's to play for the day. We both really enjoyed ourselves and it was really nice to get away for awhile.

The Only Reason to Buy a Wii

Click here for more information

She really is changing!

Peanut and I spent a few hours in a hospital room yesterday, complete with a tech that didn't know how to put the BP cuff on right (resulting in inaccurate readings and multiple squeezing which Peanut hates), IV nurses trying multiple times to start an IV, vitals monitoring, a hospital prison crib, and IV machines taking turns having problems with their loud annoying constant beepings! - you know, the whole shebang! And let me tell you I DO NOT miss it one bit! We did have a really good nurse which I'm always grateful for! And being there in the hospital helped me see how much better Peanut really is doing. There's something about spending a good length of time somewhere, spending time away from that certain place and then going back that makes you recognize change. I always knew that she was doing better but the progress was so gradual that I don't think I ever really realized how much better she's doing! I loved spending time with her and watching her actually playing with the toys herself rather than me playing with them for her! And noticing how much stronger she was while she fought the IV techs. And actually ordering real food for her off the room service menu! She's doing SO good! And I am so thankful for that!

Some things about my peanut:

-She is all smiles and jibber jabbers. She's really friendly too. Every time I take her somewhere she makes at least one new friend. I'll be sitting in line to check out and look down at her and she's smiling at and talking to the person behind me. It's just too cute.

-She loves other kids. She watches 'em like a hawk! And I love to watch her interact with them because she just gets so excited and you can tell that she just wants to jump up and go run around with them! I also love how little kids, that can't quite talk yet, babble to each other and seem to know what the other one is saying. It's so funny!

-She loves to play the Wii. We went and played MarioKart at a neighbors house the other night and she was all whinny and fussy until we gave her a controller of her own. Then she just laughed right along with us and loved it! She actually moved her character a little bit and ran into a fence. Haha

-Along with the top two front teeth, she's getting the ones to the side of them as well. And for a tot who's teething you'd never guess it! She doesn't get more fussy or anything!

-She loves her bath letters and always has to take one of them with her out of the tub to gnaw on. (Hence the picture above of her standing on her changing table in her PJ's chewing on a purple J. There's no feeding tube because she had pulled it out and we hadn't put it back in yet.)

-She taps. It's so dainty and cute. She'll tap on her belly, the table, her toys, everything! A lot of the time it starts as tapping and then ends in banging which is too cute!

-She's a good little eater and not picky like her mom. She'll try pretty much anything and we haven't found too many things she doesn't like -besides fluids! The little stinker.

-About the drinking thing. She likes water and will only drink things straight from a cup, which gets pretty wet and messy but that's okay!

-She loves spiders! That is hand spiders anyways. Grandma started it when she was up here a couple of weeks ago and, while Luke and I can't quite do it as good with out the nails, she stills loves them!

-She can now scoot backwards when on her belly. She'll try SO hard to go forwards but she always ends up turning sideways or going backwards. But she'll stay on her belly a lot longer now so we're making progress!

-She started clapping this morning. It was the cutest thing! I clapped for her when she put the egg in her mouth and then she copied me! Then she would clap on her own and get super excited when I copied her and clapped with her. Too cute! I love my Peanut!

We also had a doctors appointment yesterday and everything checked out great! They discontinued one more med, decreased some others, and gave permission to take her to church (if we feel comfortable doing so and are careful not to go around sick people or let her around a bunch of kids). So we'll see what we decide. It still kinda scares me and I'm pretty sure Luke will be nervous about it so I don't know if we'll take her or not.

She's still pretty little for her age (20.6 lbs and 27 3/4 in) which is still too small for her new car seat! :( I really just want to get her forward facing! So I might break down and get a different car seat. If anyone has a forward facing car seat for a 20 pounder that you're not using and are willing to lend to us for a month or so we'd give it a home for a little bit and treat it well! :)

Some other news that I think I'm excited for is that we're getting a van! I am excited for the roominess, easy access sliding doors, and such. But I'm not excited to be driving a minivan! It makes me feel so old!

The Best Dad Around

I can't even begin to express how grateful I am that Luke stuck around and that I finally married him! He is just amazing and I love him SO much! He is the best dad and husband ever! He works so hard to support us and then comes home and works just as hard to help me out at home. I couldn't ask for a better man!

For Father's Day, Peanut decided to start saying Mama!

DaDa

I know I don't post much here but this little event should be shared. Peanut and her mom had quite the conversation tonight. It went something like this:

Mom: Peanut, can you say mama?

Peanut: dada

Mom: No Peanut, say mama.

Peanut: dada

I was in the background just laughing! It was awesome! That's all I have to say. Bye Bye

Computer Zombie

Does anyone else ever have days like these. . .I thought this was funny cause it happens to me occasionally.

Peanut Turned One!

We celebrated Peanut's first birthday a while ago and had so much fun! We decided to have it at Luke's work because it was a better location for most my family and I'm really glad we did. Peanut was so cute (as always) and put on quite the show for everyone. She did really well with the cake thing until everyone started laughing and then she got scared. She loved her presents and wanted to stop and play and would've for a long while if I didn't make her move on to the next. She loved the big box and spent most the night playing in it and trying to eat it. The party ended way too soon and we ended up rushing home to get her meds in time. The highlight of the night for me was being able to sit next to Peanut on the ride home and watch her sleep. She's just so precious! I love my little peanut!

I can't believe that she's already 12 months old! This first year flew by! (Even though it didn't always feel like it!) She has amazed me so much and is such an inspiration to me. For all that she's been through, she's the best baby ever! Her smiles and laughter are the joys of my life and always make my day! She is growing up a lot lately which has me focusing on what she's like right now, taking it day by day, and just living in the moment.

The biggest news of her first birthday is that a few days later she finally got some more teeth! She got her two bottom teeth back in December and then nothing since! I was beginning to wonder if she had any more! But at last her top two teeth have broke through!

She's doing extremely well with eating solids and has taken a few sips of chocolate pediasure which is a big step in the right direction but we still have a long ways to go if she's going to be drinking all 800 ml on her own!

She absolutely LOVES bath time! She can be tired and cranky and then when you put her in the tub she's all smiles and splashes! She could could probably play in there all day! (She got these bath letters from Grandma for her birthday and loves to take them off the side of the tub and chew on them.)

She's recently discovered the joys of her toes and feet. She plays with them a lot and if she has shoes on, she plays with those too! This is her at the end of a nap on Sunday.

All-in-all, she's doing great! And progressing well. We are so grateful to have her in our lives! And can't wait to see what this second year brings us!