2 Months Old!

Greyson was 2 months old on Feb. 9th...time is FLYING!

He had his 2 month appoinment & his first round of vaccinations. =(

He did pretty good considering...I was nervous I would have a break down so I made Matt go with me to the appointment. It was the hardest thing to sit through, but as I comforted Greyson, Matt had to hold his little legs down so the nurse could administer the shots. Thankfully it was all over very fast... Greyson screamed & cried for about 8 minutes SOLID & by the time we had him dressed & back into his carseat he was smiling!!

All I wanted to do was CRY but there he was...just beaming up at me!

I had given him some infant Tylenol so I'm sure that helped a lot...but I thought for SURE I would have to give him more in a few hours. He surprised me by being just as happy & content the rest of the night...thankfully never ran a fever & didn't seem to be unhappy or in pain while kicking his legs.

This month he weighed 13lbs 13 oz & was 24 inches long! He grew 4 pounds & 3 inches since his last appointment...WOW!

He also did very well on his first trip to the Dixie Nationals this week & slept most of the way. It was a 5 hour trip to MS...next week we leave for HobeSound, FL...adding 6+ hours to that so right now we are planning to break it up so he's not in his carseat the whole time. We can't wait to see our family & friends...He is changing so much everyday...

Greyson

so far you...

*still only cry when you need something

*have added lots more to your "vocabulary"

*stayed with 3 new people this month, while mommy worked & loved every minute of it!

*have added another couple hours to your bedtime & can sleep up to 7hrs straight now

*are much more smiley & a very happy baby

*are a good traveler

*have started growing more hair on top of your head! =)

*found your tongue a few weeks ago & like making faces with it

*went to your first Dixie Nationals that included a rodeo & free style reining events

*DON'T like MOST loud noises...bathroom hand blowers & daddy coughing startle you the most

*sat up in your stroller without the carseat attached (GREAT neck muscles)

*started reaching & grabbing for things & can hold & play with your loveys

*have a favorite lovey..."Mr. Bear" that came from Jacinda (Uncle Jac's girlfriend) & play with it to put yourself to sleep

*got to try out your jumperoo gym this month & like it but dont' have the hang of "jumping" yet

*moved up to size 2 diapers...I realized this on our trip, since you have been wearing cloth at home

*have started sucking on your fist again...haven't done that since the hospital

*don't really like your pacifiers (which is good) & make a face when we stick it in your mouth...occasionally you take it when you are very sleepy but we have to hold it in until you fall asleep =)

What we are looking forward to:

*Our Florida trip next week to see our family & friends

*staying mostly with GeeGee while mommy is at work (now that she is back in town)

*Uncle Brandon's Graduation (hopefully) & possibly the first plane ride!

Valentines Day

{Valentines Day}

I love this day of the year!! It is a special time to reflect on those that you love, & love you in return. It doesn't just have to be a "special" someone in your life, like a boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife/etc. It can be family, friends, a PET! =) Love is all around us & we share it in different, but special ways.

For Matt & I, our celebration has been different each year. We have done some pretty fun things...I remember making him a box with our picture on it & inside were 365 little pieces of paper that had something I loved about him, written on each piece...one for each day of the year. Once he made me a cd & attached balloons to it. 

 Sometimes I get flowers, sometimes we buy each other gifts, like a phone or new electronic...one year I did a scavenger hunt for Matt & one time he ordered in a special meal & set up a candle light dinner in the living room for me...he even had us dress up just to stay home! =)

There have been MANY special Valentines days for us & I love remembering them. It's not always fancy & it's not always a big night out, but we try to do something together.

This year was NOT anything fancy or that big a deal...just a simple dinner date (AT OLIVE GARDEN!! =) just the 2 of us. We had not been out by ourselves since Greyson was born...not that we really WANTED to be away from him, but usually he sees us eating & ends up wanting to be fed too & juggling a bottle while trying to eat at the same time, CAN be challenging. SO, my good friend Skye offered to babysit for us.

My mom sent him the bib for his first Valentines Day. I wanted him to be festive, so I had him wear it to the McKleroy's...He tends to spit up every now & then & bibs are a good alternative to a burp cloth so it worked!

He was the best little Valentine all day & the McKleroy's had a lot of fun keeping him for us.

I snapped a quick phone pic of my OTHER Valentine & myself all ready for our date.

As I mentioned before...we just went out to dinner to my favorite restaurant (OLIVE GARDEN!!!!:) which of course made me extremely happy. I enjoyed it SO much =)))

but we were leaving for the Dixie Nationals the next day so there wasn't a lot of preperation or planning. No frills or flowers...just us...& a card to Daddy from Greyson. 

I appreciate everything Matt does for us & I wanted him to know that he has taken on this new role as a dad, very well. He has gone above & beyond my expectations...he had no experience with babies whatsoever & I wasn't sure how he would do. He's a natural!! but overall I'm thankful that he has a heart for God. I'm thankful that he wants to raise our kids in a Christian home, with Christian morals & values. I don't know where we would be without God in our lives. I love Matt & I love Greyson, but first & foremost we love God.  

I'm glad that God gave me a wonderful husband & son but ultimately we have HIM at the center of our family. True love comes in different packages...Love of family & friends, but having the Love of our Heavenly Father surpasses them all. Looking back I AM SO BLESSED & I don't deserve it. God loved us so much that he gave His ONLY son to save us from our sins, so that we would have everlasting life.

That is the true love I wanted to reflect on this year & it truely was a very...Happy...Valentines Day! =) 

Fantastic Food!

February is just FLYING by!! 

Before we know it, March will be here & I can't WAIT because that means I get to see my family in Florida! Ok, I know that little side track has nothing to do with the title of this post...but I just had to throw that in =) I just love vacation! 

I also LOVE pinterest.com & FOOD! I've mentioned pinterest several times already, with decorations I've done or with the mobile I made...etc. but lately I've been working through the new food recipes I've been pinning & I just thought I would share some of my favorite chicken dishes that I have made this month.

We eat a lot of chicken...some pork, some beef, but mostly chicken.

 {Winner Winner Chicken Dinner}

White Chicken Enchilades

THESE are fantastic!! I have included the link to the blogger that posted the recipe. The photographs are all from pinterest as I failed to take any of what I made myself...

(I ate it before I thought to take pictures! haha) 

However, mine turned out looking JUST like this. Since Greyson is obviously not joining in on these food favorites, I tend to make a lot of things for 2. This was one of the easiest recipes to cut in half. I ended up using an 8x8 square dish & only used 4 small tortillas instead of halving it with 5. I also bought a block of Monterey Jack cheese & grated it myself. It was sooo creamy! 

Matt usually turns his nose up to anything "burrito" like but after one bite he was hooked. =) 

Easy Garlic Chicken

Again, I would say mine looked JUST like this. Notice the black, sorta burnt looking part in the pan around the chicken? Well, this is one of the easiest recipes for adding a little something extra to chicken. 

All you do is saute` some garlic in olive oil (but I just used canola) & once it's cooked down a little, add 3 tablespoons of brown sugar. It makes the most wonderful glaze. 

As it was baking, I took that time to take care of Greyson. While I was feeding him, this wonderful aroma of garlic made its way up the stairs to our bedroom....hmmm...is something burning? 

I ran downstairs & opened the oven...smoke filled the room! I just KNEW I had ruined the chicken...

As it turns out, that happens a lot! With the sugar glaze melting off the chicken & down into the dish, it tends to burn a little, but keeps the chicken looking fantastic!

Thank goodness...it was still moist & very flavorful; one of my new favorite, quick & easy chicken fixes.

Skinny Chicken Parmesan

This is a classic for any Italian lover...which Matt is not. I love Italian food & Olive Garden is like my most favorite restaurant ever...Matt hates it except that he can order steak tips there now =) 

Anyway, this was great to make at home.

I loved the butterfly part of the chicken..it made more out of 2 large pieces of chicken I thawed. Instead of using seasoned breadcrumbs, I just crushed up some Ritz crackers to give it more of a crunch. Anytime I need breadcrumbs though, fresh is pretty easy to do. Just take the heals of bread out of your loaf of store bought bread & put them in a food processor! If you need dry breadcrumbs just toast them first...Yeah...I watch a lot of food network =)

Anyway, when I make spaghetti, I tend to use a whole jar of sauce...this doesn't take that much so I was able to have a lot of sauce left over to use on other things. I cooked spaghetti pasta & placed the whole chicken breasts on top to round out the meal. Now...mine looked pretty close to this, but because of the crackers, it was much crispier looking & I did NOT add any type of green leaf garnish =)

Anniversary Chicken

Now this is a picture I actually took myself. I added this to pinterest several weeks ago & thought it was worth sharing. Before pinterest, I browsed recipes online all the time & found this one.

Last night, Matt actually requested this for supper. I FORGOT to take a picture of it, but I think it actually looked a little prettier than the above photo...O well...I am not really a food blogger anyway =) 

So, there's a lot going on with this chicken that we don't see. Underneath the cheese, bacon bits & green onion, there is ranch dressing & "Teriyaki" sauce. The reason I say "Teriyaki" is because I NEVER have that on hand. SO instead I make a little revision of that by using a little A1 steak sauce mixed with a  couple tablespoons of canola oil. That glazes over the chicken first, then the ranch dressing, then everything else. Here you are seeing the green onion, but you can add parsley flakes on top as well. I did that last night & it make it look more sophisticated =)

Thats all I will share today, but I am SURE I will have more to add sooner or later. 

Since I've been home with Greyson & only have to work a couple days a week, I have more time to plan out my menus & search new things to try. My pantry has a lot more things stocked in there now to cook with. Working through my pinterest board of Food Favorites, has not only been fun, but more dining IN & less grabbing "quick" things from the fast food chains around town...

Now, that being said, I still plan to indulge in Olive Garden every now & then...in fact that is my Valentines Day request.

I was watching Rachel Ray the other day as she was making a Valentines dinner for 2 

(using lamb...but she said you could substitute for chicken...yes please! haha)

Her advice for a more special Valentines was to dine in & cook something special...

Well, since I've been doing my fare share of dining IN...a special Valentines dinner for me would be having someone else do the cooking while I eat all the salad & breadsticks I want! Who can say no to that!! (oh yeah...Matt has to order a special salad with Ranch dressing...)

So, if you plan to stay in on Valentines Day, maybe one of these easy chicken dishes will be just the ticket for you & your sweetheart! As for me, I'll be enjoying Olive Garden with my husband...while Greyson gets entertained by a baby sitter =)

Here's to some fantastic food favorites!

{ENJOY}