When thumbs just won't do...

My boy had a craving for something a little fleshy, warm, stinky, and ambitiously hard to attain. This is what he ended up with...

The toe-suckin' phase has descended upon the Watts' household.

Butternut Squash

I have wanted to make baby food for my children since...well, since before I actually had children. I love to cook. I love babies. Why not try my hand in baby food cooking? Plus, why are the jarred bananas pink? Ugh. My friend Mollie knew this and got me this fabulous cookbook for Christmas. After the rice cereal was eaten and accepted, it was time for solids(ish). First up...butternut squash. I've never even eaten butternut squash but my child does have quite the refined palate (or it was recommended as a first food.) Anyway, it was totally easy and actually quite delish. Here's what they started out looking like... (looks like a gourd, eh?)






Then, cut in half, scrape out the pumpkin-like insides and bake. Everett's not so sure...



After baking a while, scrape out the insides and you end up with this orange mess o' stuff.





Then the mini Cuisinart (I added about a Tbsp. breast milk to thin it a bit. Just enough to make it thinner but not so much that I didn't want to gag when I tried the squash with MY OWN BM in it.)



And, voila! Yummy.


I know he's acting like he's not quite sure but he totally loved them. He's such a poser.

Trend setter?

I love a white onesie. We use them almost daily for undershirts. I'm having a crisis lately. Well, crisis might be a bit of an exageration. Anyway, I refuse to buy 6-9 month long sleeved onesies. We have 3-6 month which technically my 4 month old boy should fit in. However, due to his length, they are a bit tight in the button crotch area and a bit short in the sleeves. I'm determined that the weather is going to heat up and we can go to the appropriate Mississippi baby undershirt, the short-sleeved onesie. Wade keeps telling me to go buy more. I mean a 5 pack is about $10. However, that's $10 that I will not spend. Our result from my stubborness falls upon my boy though. I was just looking at his "long sleeved" onesie under his short sleeved polo (I'm not buying anymore long sleeved shirts either, dangit. This weather has to heat up!) Guys, he has 3/4 length sleeves now and looks quite metrosexual. Bless his soul. Weren't capri pants and such trendy for a while for men a few years back? No, not here, somewhere like France or something. We'll call his 3/4 length sleeves fashion forward for the baby generation.
PS-I just did an entire post about onesies. My convo skills suck.

Completely random thoughts

I'm doing a quick update before Lindsay, Everett, and I head to Oxford to see MOM!!!!! For those of you who don't know, she's been in Nashville getting her left, upper lobe removed. They removed the first big spot and she'll go back in 2-3 weeks to remove the right lower lobe. This will leave her with 3 lobes total but since she's never been a smoker and has never had any lung infection, her remaining lobes should compensate. After that, she'll receive no more chemo and will probably just have routine 3 month CT scans to check for new malignancies.

I cannot say how big of a deal this surgery is. New Year's Eve 2008, we were told she had 6 months to one year to live. Hospice was offered which we politely declined. After a year of surgeries, chemo, and LOTS of units of platelets, Mom will have her life back. Lindsay and I agree it feels almost too good to be true but, at this point, we'll just count our blessings and continue to make memories. I've had two friends over this last year that have seen their Mom's diagnosed with cancer and pass within months. I cannot imagine the pain that they feel. It makes me appreciate Mom even more. If I even hesitate on the ingredients or measurements of one of her recipes, I immediately call her to clarify. I remember when they told us it was terminal that I was scared I wouldn't know how to do all the things she does. Learning to sew, cook, even quilt from my Mom are at my disposal and I'm taking advantage while I can (okay, so I'm not really taking advantage of the quilting. Guess Mom's got to live to be 80 or so because I'm pretty sure you can' quilt before your 50's.) Anyway, she's supposed to get her second chest tube and epidural out early this afternoon. Lindsay and I are going to get to her house early to try to clean and cook. Then, we are heading to Tupelo to pick Sophie up from the Bed and Biscuit. We told Bert that the countdown is on for him to sit back and let us do the work.

This post is all over the place. I won't apologize, I'm a bit excited. Anyway, for more rando thoughts...

Everett's 4 month shots and check-up were this week. The shots went fine. As soon as I pick him up, he stops crying. Grandma Patty (Wade's Mom) went with us for the appointment and I think she had a harder time than Everett. Grandma Patty stays with Everett while I work and they are quite attached. I hated to see both of them sad. Everett's sleep schedule was a little thrown off because of the shots (he sleeps all day after and is up at night. ) Thus, he's slept in the co-sleeper with Wade and I for the two nights after but, thankfully, was back in his crib last night. Wade said either he or Everett was going to have to go because a co-sleeper and queen size bed, do not a good sleep make.

Stats: Head circumference was 50% (sure looks like he's got a big ole' noggin, but I guess not.)

Weight--15 pounds, 5 ounces, 50% (I guessed 19 pounds. Can't imagine how big he'll feel when he actually is 19 pounds.)

Length--26 inches, 90% (Who'd of thought we'd have a tall "skinny" boy?)

We just started rice cereal which he has about 1-2 times a day. I'll introduce real food in a few weeks. I'm in no hurry but I have been looking forward to making baby food since before I was preggers. Wade never gave in with the cloth diapers so disposable, it is. Homemade baby food is not even on the table for discussion!

Here's Grandma Patty pointing out one of the two ouchies.

Et tu, Brute?

If Everett were a Roman Gladiator, he would be Vomitus Maximus.

Rock Star

He's kind of a big deal.

Dinnertime

Just your everyday family dinner. Little bit o' sushi, little bit o' breast milk rice cereal. First round of "solids" twas a success.

Here's a shout out to two of Everett's fave men, Grandpa Tilford and Paw Paw! Everett-1, front end loader spoon-0. That thing didn't stand a chance.

Spring Fever

Not much going on this week other than the Watts' household is suffering from major bouts of spring fever. We are so ready for warm weather, swimming, beach trips, etc. I can just smell fresh cut grass in the air! Watching the news last night, Wade and I saw a 7 in the forecast, as in 72 will be the high Sunday. There was a definiate high-five slappage in our bed. Anyway, Happy Friday. Hope everyone has a great weekend. I'll leave you with a pic of our hard workin', overall wearin' redneck.

Here's how he comes at me when he wants to nurse. I'm afraid, very afraid. Boy can eat.