Munchkin Meals

I follow several blogs, but one of my favorites is from a first-time mom who is an inspirational health and fitness nut. Every once in a while she posts Munchkin Meals. I love this. She basically highlights what her toddler eats in a typical day. I thought I’d borrow her idea and highlight what I feed Jackson (now 1 year old) during specific mealtimes. I’m going to start with breakfast.

Enjoying breakfast

 

I’m doing this because I am ALWAYS looking for good healthy food ideas for Jackson. I’m trying to introduce more and more protein into Jackson’s diet because he is so skinny so I’ve been doing research and trying to stick to healthy grains and more natural foods, that also taste really great.

BREAKFAST

To me, eggs are a great source of protein but we haven’t yet incorporated them into Jackson’s diet. Now that he’s a year old, I WILL be making these Mini Quinoa Egg BLT BITES this weekend. http://iowagirleats.com/2012/10/16/mini-blt-quinoa-cups/

BLT Quinoa Cups

 

Otherwise Jackson will get one of these dishes for breakfast regularly:

1.       Spiced Breakfast Quinoa  - http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/breakfast_quinoa.html

Spiced Quinoa

 

2.       Whole wheat oatmeal pancakes with blueberries - http://christiekoester.blogspot.com/2011/06/oatmeal-buttermilk-cinnamon-pancakes.html

Blueberry Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes

 

3.       Overnight steel cut oats with a fruit cooked in - http://christiekoester.blogspot.com/2012/10/pumpkin-steel-cut-overnight-oats.html

Overnight Steel Cut Pumpkin Oats

 

4.       Two cubes of frozen pureed fruit, heated and then mixed together with ground oatmeal. I stir in Yo-Baby Whole Milk yogurt.

Oats

 

5.       Cottage cheese and a fruit chopped up and cheerios

 

All of these are served with a cup of breast milk, but we’ll soon be moving over to organic whole cow’s milk.

What do you serve your toddler for breakfast?

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Spring, Are You Out There?

This weather is killing me. Anyone else with me here? I know this is somewhat expected in Minnesota, but this cold snap seems a lot longer than usual. Is it me? And more snow is coming our way( in mid-April)?? I try not to complain because I do love our seasons but winter is hogging way too much time and eating away our already short summer.

Sun is nice, but a little heat would be good.

 

 

The forecast doesn’t even look promising. I keep searching for hope every single week… Hoping there is a 60 somewhere in the extended forecast. Not a one.

I wonder if this season feels longer than normal because I had Jackson in April last year and I didn’t get a whole lot of time to run free outside? I felt like summer was spent catching up on sleep and when I somewhat woke up, it was already fall.  Once fall hits in Minnesota, the skies get dark even before we get home from work so getting outside is harder. And then the weekends were spent catching up on a bunch of stuff.

Yes, we went on walks a lot when I was on maternity leave and even when I’d get home from work but IT IS COLD OUT. And these haven’t been my normal long walks because I never know how long Jackson will last.

I haven’t been to the gym as much as I’d like and I noticed when I don’t get there regularly, things on my body droop. This has never happened for me because I always had volleyball to tone me up – and I haven’t played in almost a year!!! My butt is sagging. So depressing. I feel like I’m about to jump out of my skin. I miss the sun. I miss the warmth. I even miss the SMELL of spring and warmer weather.  I miss my endorphins. I’m popping Vitamin D but even that doesn’t seem to be working. We’re trying to eat more fish too…  

I’m trying to find activities to get us moving more. Maybe a trip to the zoo? Or Underwater World at the Mall of America? Who has suggestions of inexpensive things to do inside with a one year old that almost feels like we’re outside?

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Nursing for an Entire Year!!!

I DID IT. I DID IT.

There are only a handful of moments in my life where I get an overwhelming sense of satisfaction. You know what I'm talking about. The proud moments in your life. The times you feel like you are on top of the world. You faced something hard head on and SUCCEEDED.

Bye-bye pumping station. Until next time...

For me, these have been...

1. Earning the title of MVP on my high school volleyball team
2. Earning an athletic scholarship
3. Letting parts of my past go as much as I wanted to hang on to them (learning forgiveness)
4. Becoming Chancellor Scholar Athlete of the Year my final year in college
5. Earning a 3.8 GPA a couple semesters in a row during college and graduating in four years (while balancing 18 credits, playing volleyball and holding a part-time job)
6. Moving to Minnesota on a whim knowing only my brother
7. Starting over from heart break, empty and lost and building incredible amazing new relationships with strangers who are now some of my bestest friends
8. Allowing myself to be vulnerable in front of hundreds of people
9. Marrying my husband
10. Traveling and exploring parts of the world
11. Writing an entire 300+ page novel
12. Giving birth to my son Jackson
13. ....and now this...

I talked about this awesome feeling in an earlier post. The day when you wake up and you feel it... MAGIC. You do something for YOU - something HARD and GRUELING and CHALLENGING, but you keep getting up and keep on truckin' because you know when you finish, you'll feel so damn proud of yourself, it's ridiculous.

The moment when you realize how strong you really are. 

I don't need anyone else slapping me on the back or handing me an award. It's a feeling that I've only created and I'm treasuring it.

I successfully nursed for an entire year. Why is this such a big deal for me? Maybe because nursing was SO hard for me. SO SO SO hard. Painful. A HUGE time commitment. But I knew if I kept at it, I could and would do it. And I did.

I remember at 6 weeks, I thought a year seemed so incredibly far away. I was cracked and bleeding and so sore. Every latch made me feel like one of Dexter's victims - like he was sticking his razor blade to my skin drawing blood for one of his slides. I wasn't sure I could hang on. But I did. People told me to give up, but I wanted this. I needed this. Maybe a control thing? Maybe because I'm crazy? I don't know. 

Three pumps a day at work, 5 days a week, 25 minutes a time...in a smelly, gross bathroom. Yes, I know...law says I shouldn't have to pump in a bathroom. Sadly, it was my only option. At 8 months I dropped a pump. I was pumping twice a day at work. 11 months I went to once a day. This week Jackson turned one, and I'm doing one pump for 5-10 minutes each day. Next week I drop all pumps.

At least Jackson likes my pump parts...

So tell me this. Why am I sad??? I hate lugging that big ol' pump bag around and cleaning my parts and bottles out every night. Drives me crazy. And now I'm sad!?!?!? What gives?

This is when I know the moment is pure. Real. One that means something. And I grow. I'm a force to be reckoned with.

I DID IT.

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Jackson’s First Birthday Party with 70 of His Closest Friends

Big or Small Party? Which way to go?

Happy Birthday Jackson James

I’m officially a mom of a one year old!!!! There are so many emotions going through my head and heart today. First and foremost I wanted to recap Jackson’s first birthday party.

Jackson's 1 year Birthday Invite

 

Karl and I went back and forth on the size of the party. We first settled on small because we didn’t have a whole lot of time to devote to planning, and well…space was a huge issue too. We still live in a town home and there was no way we could invite everyone we wanted to. Weather is always sketchy in Minnesota in the spring (hello snow). We knew our families wanted to be included, but that meant inviting EVERYONE on all both sides. Right there, we were already at 60+ some family members.  There was no way our house could hold that many people – not even our garage.

We told Karl’s parents the dilemma and they offered up their home. Did they know what they were in for??? Karl’s sister offered helping, which was HUGE for me. HUGE. We ran with it. We kept the list down as much as we could.

The day of the party 70 family and friends showed up to Karl’s parent’s house. Holy PARTY. Can you feel my stress level? But this wasn't about me...

Birthday boy!!

 

This is when my mantra became: Go big, or go home. They only turn one once. Right??? Are you laughing at me yet?

In attendance? The oldest guest: 86 years old. The youngest: 10 days old. The variety of people was insane, but we loved every single one of them. And we KNOW they love the three of us. A pretty overwhelming feeling if you ask me.

We could not have done ANY of this without the help of Karl’s sister. She is crazy AMAZING at planning, organizing and setting up parties. She rocked the show. When I think about all she did for us, I get choked up. Party planning does not come easy for most of us. But I know she did this because she loves Jackson [that much]. I’m not an aunt so I don’t know how that feels just yet, but Kelly has taught me a lot about love. She has a LOT of it and shows it better than anyone I know.

Kelly's stellar party planning skills

Jackson, Kelly and Ben

My older brother supplied all the burgers thanks to his sweet discount from Cargill! I mean, these were the burgers they send to places like Buffalo Wild Wings and Applebees. YUMMY!

My friend Kimbra worked feverishly on making the YUMMIEST carrot cake of all times. Not just one, but a smash cake for Jackson that looked like a puppy bowl (since he LOVES puppies) and a sheet cake and 100 mini cupcakes!!!!!!!!!! Seriously, I haven’t had a cake that good…well, since…ever.

Front of the smash cake

Back of smash cake

Adorable puppy sheet cake!

 

My grandma supplied some entertainment. A Polish tradition is to set four objects in front of Jackson and whatever he reached for would be his destiny…. A shot glass, a rosary, a golf ball and coins. Jackson selected the golf ball right away and then the whiskey glass. Hmmmm. The next Adam Scott (2013 Masters winner)?

My grandma supplying some entertainment through a Polish Tradition

 

And the gifts!! WHOA!!! Jackson is SET!!! And now he has some really awesome toys to keep at grandma and grandpa’s when they watch him! Jackson was spoiled though. My brothers and sis in law found a really cool bike I've never seen before!! Jackson is so lucky to have such neat uncles and aunts on BOTH sides!

Jackson's cool bike!

 

Yes, the house was PACKED and there were around 10-15 little adorable energetic people running around and it felt like I was back in college at an awesome keg party trying to slide my way through a ton of people (minus the kids). But these were all people we love and who love Jackson. I looked around. I soaked it in and saw how happy Jackson was and how many people adore him. It was pretty cool and insane all rolled into one. Jackson had no problem going to other people and loving them up. I LOVED THIS!!! He impresses me EVERY SINGLE DAY so much.

The little people

 

We stripped Jackson down, stuck him in Grandma Judy’s highchair from when she was a little girl, and everyone sung Happy Birthday to Jackson and he rocked back and forth before his cake came. He was so sweet. He IS sweet. He quite didn’t know what to do with the cake and gagged on it a little. Then cried. We tried. But that’s OK. He made our hearts smile.

Our little man getting ready to dive in

 

What is this? Sugar?

Wait, they are all singing for me!!

I'm not sure my mom will be OK with me eating sugar... Guys, I'm serious here...

Maybe just a little taste...

Don't make me!

It is pretty....

Nope. Not my thing, mom.

 

I created a photobook last week of a bunch of pictures I took over the year, but it didn’t arrive in time, so I also whipped together a video slideshow of Jackson in a matter of a day. I have no idea how I did this or when. I really don’t. But it has brought me to tears every time I’ve watched it.

A whole year whizzed by in the 12 minute video – and that’s exactly how time feels right now. Time and life is cruising by so fast. So much has changed in such a little of time, but for the first time I feel like I’m exactly where I need to be and I’m doing exactly what I should be doing. I am happy. Busy. Challenged. Tired. Amazed. Every single moment of the day. Pushed beyond my limits. But I come out stronger every time. The craziest part of it all is I am happy. Happy. So very happy. And I feel incredibly blessed.

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First Easter and Haircut - 11.5 Months Old

Are you out there spring?

I have always LOVED Easter. This year, a titch on the cold side. Is spring EVER coming?? Longest winter ever.

Happy Easter, Jackson!

Anyway, this was Jackon's first Easter. I went to Kohl's because I had a 30% off coupon, thinking I'd pick Jackson up a cute outfit for church. I held up an adorable $40 suit, but could not justify buying it. It wasn't even on sale. Sure I had my coupon but I like to use it on sale items. I figured he'd be wearing a polo or I'd have to get creative with what was in his closet. $40 for an outfit he won't wear more than once... No.

That was until I went and got my oil changed on Saturday morning. It was cold and rainy but I still ran outside from the dealership to the mall to run a few errands. Yes, I was the crazy lady running with a purse slung over her back and lotion still on her face (didn't realize until I got home. Awesome.) I learned two things: 1. The mall doesn't open until 10:00. It was only 9:00. 2. There are a lot of families that get really dressed up to see the Easter bunny. The line was wrapped. I quickly asked myself... Am I supposed to be waiting in line with Jackson right now? I thought back to my childhood. I turned out OK and I saw the Easter bunny only once in my lifetime (thus far). Be nice to yourself, Christie.

Teething. Got his eighth tooth a couple days before Easter

I hear these eggs have money in them...

Sears was the only store opened. And guess what? Their Easter outfits were on MEGA SALE!!! So I picked up Jackson an adorable outfit for under $15!! SCORE! And he's going to wear it again for our church directory pics this Saturday.

We went to church and it was a wonderful service. I love our church. LOVE. I know I haven't been there as much as I'd like this year, but every time I walk in, I feel like I'm at home. From the music to the people, I just LOVE IT. Jackson was on the go, so I did have to step out a few times, but it was just nice to be there. I can't tell you what the message was, but I was just happy we FINALLY made it. Karl's parents came and same with my brother.

Team Orange at church

After church, we headed to the Koester's house. It was a wonderful Easter with great company and delicious food. Grandma Judy has been cutting hair most of her life and we decided to have her trim Jackson's hair. He was pretty tired (i.e. fussy) so she only was able to trim one side. The rest she got on Tuesday. Jackson looks like a little boy now to me!

Getting my first haircut

We all anxiously await warmer weather. I'm so excited to take Jackson to all the parks around our house and go biking with him, and all sorts of fun stuff. After work on Thursday, it was 52 degrees out so we hit up the "pink" park by our place and Jackson LOVED the swings. He could be outside all day long and not have a problem with it.

Look, ladies! No more mullet.

Here's to hoping warmer weather comes soon!

Big boy on the swings sporting my new hair-did

This is way too cool

BEST DAY EVER!

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Jackson's Monthly Milestones - 11.5 Months



Action Jackson Update

A lot has been going on with Jackson during month 11. Wowweee. I feel like he's growing leaps and bounds before our eyes.

Here's the latest in no particular order:

Jackson is a boy. Boys are on the move and are fearless CONSTANTLY. Jackson has already sliced the skin off his nose and gave himself a big fat lip. He is constantly hitting his head on something. It is one thing after another.

First fat lip... OUCH!

There's a way I can get that string down, right?

I'm on top of the world!

Tuckerd out!

And there will be more because....

Jackson is WALKING!!!

He took a few steps last week but yesterday at daycare he got up and went. I brought him home and sure enough, he walked around the entire TV room. I couldn't even believe it. He throws his hands up and goes. It is amazing. He smiles the entire time. I am so crazy proud of him. So yeah, things are about to hit a whole new level of crazy.

Loves opening and closing our windows

Mmmm. Fresh air.

Jackson is back to liking bananas! I know this because I set them on the floor and he bit through the skin. I peeled the banana and he went to town. He loves them.

He seems to call everything "da-da" but will try and say "puppy" the best he can. HE LOVES PUPPIES. LOVES. And monkeys. And cars.

BUT Jackson has a love affair with the Swiffer. The minute the pantry is open, he is there trying to pull the Swiffer down.

J loves the Swiffer and will help clean floors

I love you Swiffer!

I'm weaning... I'm down to one pump a day while at work as of this week. Next week I might keep the one pump but instead of 15 minutes, do 5 and then stop that pump all together the following week. This will bring us to a full year of nursing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!! I DID IT. I DID IT. I knew I could. I KNEW it but I knew it would take a LOT of work, determination and selflessness on my part. And some resentment in there. If only men could nurse...

Someone else likes my pump parts...

Grandma Judy puts me in old-man sweaters...

We now have eight teeth. Eight. All have met my nipple. Ouch.

It seems we're losing Jackson's morning nap. I noticed daycare would put him down in the afternoon only and he'd give them a solid 2-3 hour nap. I tried putting him down this morning. He laid down but then was up. So now I think I know why they are doing what they are doing. He's just not going down. Buh-bye morning nap.

Opens ALL our cabinets now. We stuck his new bike helmet in this one. Tricky!

He slept the whole night through once this week!!! YESSSS. 11 nights of ROUGH sleep and FINALLY...ONE AWESOME night. I hope it continues...

Jackson loves this talking stuffed animal my mom got me for V-day several years ago. Leo talks to Jackson and J will just smile and laugh.

Jackson's friend Leonardo. They talk to each other.

Jackson loves when Leo wags his tail

If I lay down on the floor, Jackson will find a way to come crawl to me and roll all over me. It's way too cute.

I love mommy!

Rolling around

Jackson has been great about keeping himself busy. To the point where he doesn't need me hovering over him as much. This I love. We had a blast together this whole week.

Don't worry about me mom back here. I'm not being naughty...

He ate a TON for dinner last night. Chicken, ham, mashed potatoes, butternut squash, applesauce, yogurt, cottage cheese, more mashed potatoes, cheerios, those dried fruit things. He just kept going. Clean tray club. Growing boy!!

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Jackson's First Step - 11.5 Months

HE DID IT!!! First Step!
(Wednesday, March 27, 2013)

As I was cutting up veggies for our dinner, I let Jackson play with his beloved Swiffer on the kitchen floor. After crawling back and forth between the top of the broom to the bottom for several minutes, he became bored with that and moved to the pantry, where he loves opening and closing the door...over and over again.

Not the best picture but Jackson standing on his own a couple weeks before!

I was busy cutting red and yellow bell peppers as fast as I could without chopping off my fingers. I guess I was too focused. I realized things were quiet. Too quiet. Which usually means Jackson is either eating dirt or ripping out plants or doing something naughty. I looked over at him and he was standing, smiling at me. JUST STANDING THERE.

He's done this before, but this was for longer than 10 seconds. Then he took a step forward and started to get wobbly and leaned forward toward the pantry door. The door was still too far, so he took another step and fell to the door. He caught himself and played with bag hanging from the door.

I couldn't even believe it. I cheered. Jackson clapped!!

I caught him WALKING to DAD tonight (March 28). Here is the video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6tvGqvauiU

And then bedtime came. Oh...the dreaded bedtime. For the 8th night in a row we had another rough night. Could it be this major walking milestone affecting his sleep? Maybe. But he sure pooped a lot. Poor thing. I knew this was coming since I wrote in a previous blog how we haven't had to deal with a whole lot of blowouts. I hit publish, and sure enough, he soiled TWO outfits at daycare because of blowouts and went through a few diapers every couple of hours last night. See what happens?

So what could these sleepless nights be coming from?

• Teeth? Maybe... But he has the top four and bottom three. I don't see anymore coming in but he sure is drooling a LOT and chewing on the wood in his crib and on the chair wood base boards...
• Maybe even molars? Could be... He stopped nursing on and off for a week. Wouldn't have ANYTHING to do with it or me. Nothing. I was left VERY engorged and pumping. Yuck.
• OK...then what? Ears?? He's not pulling on them. They do not smell. Wax looks normal.
• A little bug? Maybe... He was also given corn at daycare. A food he has NOT tried. I think that wreaked havoc on his tummy. He had a TON of gas and a swollen belly last night.
• Learning to walk... Sure. That is a biggie and maybe he just doesn't want to be sleeping??
• Change in his routine with the new daycare? Probably... I guess he freaks when people go in and out of the room.
• Separation anxiety? Possibly... I read babies go through this starting around 9 months, lasting up to 24 months old. He will sometimes freak when people try to take him from me, though he warms up to them. He has no problems around my brother Mike. And he's warming up to Karl more. The art of distraction, I say!

Seriously...who knows!

There are SO many factors. All I know is mom and dad need some sleep!

We are so proud of our little man though!!! Go Jackson, go! WALKING MAN! Watch out!!!

Daycare called and I had to pick Jackson up today. Every couple hours he was blowing up...(out). We ended up going to the doctor. Just a virus and a red throat (probably why he wasn't nursing). So I boiled apples and made applesauce and blended up some white rice and boiled it for 10 minutes. I mixed it all together with some Yo-Baby yogurt and banana baby food and that seemed to do the trick!! So we'll see...

PRAYING for GOOD SLEEP tonight!! Off to bed I go.

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