Monday Snapshot: Smooches From Ginny

Howdy Humble Readers...

Just a little video of our wee sweet girl this morning.  She's been recently trying to say Pip's full first name (rather than the nickname we use), so that's what she's saying at the beginning. 

Ginny's continuing to improve, but her molars are bugging the heck out of her, and she's super tired, so of course she's easily frustrated.  Both she and Pip have been rather clingy today, too.  BUT... I was feeling brave today, and I put them both down for a nap at the same time IN THE SAME ROOM!  Woohoo!  They went down about a half hour ago, and other than Ginny babbling a bit, they seem to be doing well.  All is quiet... maybe I should be worried?  :)

(reminder - of course Ginny and Pippin are just their bloggy names.  If you comment, please don't use their real names.  Thanks!)

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This is posted as a part of PAIL Bloggers' Monday Snapshot series.  Pop over and check out what the others are sharing today!

Sunday Night Chit Chat

Hey Humble Readers!

mega blocks as teething toys

I hope that your weekend was great, busy if you needed it to be and quiet if that's just what the doctor ordered.  Things around the hobbit-hole have been fairly mellow, with Ginny slowly returning to her normal happy almost-two-ness (albeit still covered in spots) and my Beloved recovering quite nicely from his little 'procedure'. 

Our only outing this weekend was to church this morning, and it was nice to connect with people I haven't seen since this crud landed on our house almost three weeks ago. 

Beloved's week off was great.  We got a few important things done around the hobbit-hole, and got to spend some time just enjoying being together at home.  We got through all the Lord of the Rings movies, and he actually enjoyed them.  Of course, I was sitting there blubbering like a baby at the end, like I always do, and he was just laughing at me.  I still can't believe that we've been together for more than 6 years and he had never seen them!

On to the chit-chat

What are you....

Reading - Still reading the Hobbit.  Just haven't had much reading time this week, and my usual, before sleep reading has been very abbreviated (as in, just a couple of pages a night).  I have so many other books on my to read list, I need to make more progress!

Watching - Maybe the new Ken Burns movie "Dust Bowl", or I may just go to bed early tonight.

Listening to - my Beloved doing the dishes and Pippin grunting as he tries to get up on all fours. 

Cooking/Baking - Tonight's dinner was Parsley Stuffed Chicken, baby taters, and green beans.  The chicken was done in a dutch oven on top of the stove, with just salt, pepper, and butter and stuffed with an onion and a bunch of parsley.  Tasted great and was super simple. 

Happy you accomplished this week?  Did a super deep clean on the hobbit-hole, rearranged the nursery so that Ginny can't climb into Pip's crib from hers, rearranged a few things in the kitchen, watched the LOtR movies, and made some serious progress on my Christmas list.  Only a couple more things for my Beloved and then some hand-made things I need to get done. 

Looking forward to next week - Crafting with the girls on Tuesday, tackling a few more around the house projects, GINNY'S BIRTHDAY PARTY!

Thankful for today?  My family... the fact that we have two beautiful wee-lings.  There were so many days when I thought this wouldn't be a reality. 

You're handed a round trip plane ticket to anywhere in the world for a weekend and $1000 cash. The catch? You have to go alone, right then & there with only whatever you have on hand. Do you go? Where would you go?  Hmmmmmm, that's a tough one!  Ultimately, I think I'd go.  Now where?  maybe it wouldn't be the other side of the planet, but I would pick somewhere where a lot of my bloggy buddies are close to, and set about meeting them. 

One last thing... my Beloved has an interview for a great job tomorrow (substantial salary increase, great benefits, and job security with room for advancement... talk about awesome if he gets it!).  If you think about it, could you send prayers/positive vibes/good thoughts his way?  We would appreciate it.  :)

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This was posted as a part of Carla's Sunday Night Chit Chat blog hop.  Click over and check out what everyone else is chatting about tonight!

Developing Family Traditions: An Introduction

Greeting Humble Readers...

I have been thinking a lot lately about the traditions that we celebrate and carry on in our family, and about how I want to develop some new traditions for our little family.  Coincidentally, the lovely ladies over at PAIL Bloggers have chosen this topic as the November theme posts.  Talk about great minds thinking alike!

tra·di·tion

noun \trə-ˈdi-shən\

Definition of TRADITION

1. a: an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior (as a religious practice or a social custom)  b: a belief or story or a body of beliefs or stories relating to the past that are commonly accepted as historical though not verifiable
2. the handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another without written instruction
3. cultural continuity in social attitudes, customs, and institutions
4. characteristic manner, method, or style tradition

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Definition courtesy of http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tradition

 

I feel that I need to start with a few pieces of information.  First of all, I'm coming at this whole topic from the framework of my Christian faith, and how we commemorate holidays, holy days, and the every day celebrations are all informed and shaped, in large and small ways, by what we believe.  Second, I'm not one to follow a tradition just because 'we always have'.  Traditions should have meaning and purpose, even if that purpose is simply something fun.  But if the sole purpose of a tradition is because it's fun, and over the years it becomes un-fun, well then why the heck are you doing it? 

 

I think, when most people think of traditions, they think of the biggies... the things they do around the big holidays, like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter.  And those are good starting places.  But when I look at my family, I want to have celebrations throughout the year, marking the wonders of the everyday as well. 

 

And I think, for my family, an important part of our future traditions, whatever shape they take, service to others will play a role.  At least I hope it will. 

 

So, in the weeks to come, I will be writing about the things we do now as traditions, and things that I am hoping to incorporate in the future.  Some will be frivolous and silly, others, I hope, will be more thoughtful. 

 

Next week... Everyday celebrations.  How do we take the the ordinary happenings and make them memorable and extraordinary? 

 

Update on Ginny (The episode in which the hobbit mummy sounds a bit nutso, but really isn't)

Hey Humble Readers...

Thanks so much for your input on what's up with our wee sweet girl.  I appreciate it all so much. 

We discovered a new wrinkle this morning, which I think has led me to a possible answer to the questions. 

She woke up this morning with a rash over her neck and shoulders.  It's now spread down her trunk.  Little red spots.  Flat, not raised.  Not itchy, and non-responsive to benadryl, which to me indicated to me that it's not an allergic reaction (and with Ginny's history of allergic skin reactions, that's saying something). 

So I did some looking around online (reputable sites only) and I think I've figured it out. 

Have any of you ever encountered roseola? 

I found it in Dr. Sears' listing of the most common rashes children get.  Caused by a virus, starts with a fever that lasts for a few days, followed by a rash when the fever is gone (timeline is specific to this particular virus).  Can be accompanied by respiratory and/or tummy issues.  The rash can last a few days to a couple of weeks, but once the fever is gone, there's no real worries. 

Ginny has been having some odd-for-her BMs... she's nothing if not regular, but right now her timing is way off.  Plus, they have just been 'different'... colour, etc.  But no change in frequency. 

I'm ruling out an ear infection for now, because we were just at the doc for well-baby appointments for both wee-lings on Thursday (before her lack of eating raised a red flag and long before the rash showed up).  I mentioned the come-and-go fever and her occasional lethargy, so he did a thorough check of her ears, nose, and throat.  Other than the symptoms of a bit of a cold, all was good.  I will keep watching for signs, but I don't think that's the case. 

And if she's not showing any improvement by Monday, then it's off the doc we go. 

Her appetite has improved slightly.  She ate most of her breakfast (applesauce and yoghurt, but no cereal), and about half her grilled cheese sandwich at lunch.  She didn't want a snack this morning, but she's still drinking well.  We're just planning on continuing to make foods available to her (although I did say no to a request for candy this morning) and not making a fuss. 

Thank you again everyone.  I really appreciate your input! 

(Be back later this evening with the first in my Developing Traditions series)

Foodie Fridays: Comfort Food (& A Quandary)

Hey Humble Readers...

Today's recipe is brought to you in honour of my Beloved, and his need for some TLC today.  My brave Beloved went for his vasectomy today, and was feeling a tad... well... less than his best.  The procedure went well, and with the prescribed pain killers and an ice pack, he'll be back to his happy self in a few days. 

So, he was in need of some comfort food. 

This recipe is fairly easy, and makes use of one of the best values in the grocery store... the rotisserie chicken.  Think about it... a rotisserie chicken costs around $8 (here on the frozen flatland) and a tray of three boneless skinless chicken breasts costs around $10.  I use the dark meat pieces for this recipe and then save the breast pieces for chicken salad or chicken fried rice later in the week. 

Creamy Chicken & Rice Soup with Sauteed Mushrooms

10-12 cremini or button mushrooms, quartered
1 med onion, diced
3 tbsp butter, divided
1 tbsp olive oil
1/3 sherry or dry white wine (optional)
2 tbsp flour
1 box chicken stock
1 1/2 - 2 cups milk
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried chives
1 cup long grain white rice
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cup frozen peas

In a large heavy pot, melt 2 tbsp butter.  Add olive oil.  Add quartered mushrooms, and saute until lightly caramelized.  Using a slotted spoon, remove mushrooms from pot and set aside.



Please disregard the stained pot.  I made coffee-braised
roast beef one too many times in that pot, and it's stained
the enamel

Melt remaining butter in pot and add the diced onion.  Saute until just softened.  Deglaze the pan with sherry or wine (if desired), making sure to scrape up the brown bits.  Sprinkle flour over onions, and stir into onions and butter until it resembles wet sand.  Slowly begin to add chicken stock, while stirring.  Add milk, starting with 1 1/2 cups (add more if soup gets too thick later) and bring to a slow boil (should thicken slightly).  Reduce heat to slow simmer.  Add in garlic, thyme, chives, rice, and chicken.  Stir frequently to ensure that rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.  Allow to simmer gently until rice is cooked.  Add in frozen peas. 

I served this with homemade buns.  Yummy!

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Ok... now onto the quandary.  And I'm really looking for input.

Ginny, has stopped eating.  Mostly.  My little girl, who loves food, and has always eaten really well, is refusing to eat.

You may recall that a couple of days ago she was congested and had a fever.  It has come and gone a couple of times over the last few days, but it has been easily controlled with tyl.en.ol and wearing lighter clothes. 

Ginny was a little bit pukey on Wednesday (less than 24 hours after the onset of the fever) and threw up a bit of her breakfast.  She ate well later that day... both lunch and dinner.  Then, on Thursday she started refusing to eat.  She ate a couple of spoonfulls of yoghurt at breakfast and that was it.  She refused to eat both lunch and dinner.  She also refused a snack of mandarin orange segments (which she usually looooooves).  Today, she ate applesauce for breakfast, but no cereal or yoghurt.  Lunch was only 4 little cubes of cheese and a few small pieces of ham.  She completely refused dinner (and she normally devours soup & buns). 

She's still drinking milk and water, so I'm not concerned about her getting dehydrated. 

There are several things that I'm thinking may be possible contributing factors. 

• She's just not feeling well.  She's been kind of up and down ever since that fever set in.  She'll be okay for a while, and then be very lethargic and just want cuddles.
• She may be teething.  She's not happy with having her teeth brushed and she actually bit me today when I tried to check her molars (they still haven't cut through).
• We started feeding Pip solid food this week.  Maybe she's jealous of the attention he's getting about eating?
• She's just trying to exert her independence?  Some sort of excercise in becoming self-aware? 

My Beloved and I are trying very hard not to make a big deal about it at the table, because we don't want this to trigger some sort of larger battle with food.  Our rule is, she can choose not to eat, but she will sit at the table with her bib on until everyone is done eating.  And she isn't allowed to play with her food.  If she's not going to eat it we will move her bowl/plate to the other side of the table where it is available should she change her mind. 

Do you think we are handling this right?  When should I get concerned?   I am, of course, going to keep offering her all her usual snacks and meals, and I've always bought into the accepted wisdom that if a child is hungry they will eat (and most children can miss a few meals without being negatively impacted). 

But the Mummy in me is struggling.