My Kid Won't Eat

Macy is seven and a half months old and still isn't eating solid foods.  Well, wait.  I take that back.  She will  eat ice cream, popsicles and crackers.  Some diet, right?  But seriously, I need her to start eating.  I can only imagine the talking to I am going to get when I take her back to the Pediatrician for her nine month appointment.  At this point she should be eating three meals a day.  


I try.  I swear I do.  Every chance I get I try to get her to eat.  I have taken every approach under the sun for her to eat.  I have tried making home made baby food, I have tried Gerber baby food, I have tried Sprout baby food, baby puffs, yogurt, fresh steamed veggies, purees, you name it, I have tried it.  I have tried feeding her with a spoon, letting her feed herself, having Jason feed her, strangers, and still nothing works. Ugh.  I am at a loss.  What do I do?!  


I recently bought yogurt drinks and she takes those just fine from a bottle.  She enjoys the various flavors but she has ABSOLUTELY no interest in anything that doesn't come from a bottle.  I feel horrible as a mother when I hear other moms talk about how their kid is a porker and would eat the house if they could. Macy is growing and meeting her developmental milestones but at some point her refusal to eat will become an issue.  


I keep hoping that tomorrow will be the day that she makes the decision to eat solid food.  So please send all your food eating vibes Macy's way.


Eat baby, eat!

My Little Monkey.

Macy has decided that she wants me to hold her all of the time.  She has also decided that when I try to put her down, if she latches on tight and holds on for dear life I can't physically part from her.  Her feet will be touching the couch, bed, floor, whatever I am trying to put her down on but her arms are wrapped tightly around me.  Her grip is that of caveman strength and there is no getting away.  


She's so smart.  She's figured out that I think it's cute and I'll pick her back up and cover her in kisses.  It's nice feeling wanted but I am not sure how much longer I will think it's "cute".  Sometimes I really do need to part from her, like when I need to go to the bathroom or brush my teeth.  Side note - yesterday I did manage to pee with her in my arms.  Maybe TMI but I was impressed by my coordination skills that took and thought maybe you would be too.  


But seriously, how can I part from such a cute face?!

Weekend Recap: The White Trash Bash and our Trip to the Beach

On Saturday we spent a lazy day outside enjoying the beautiful South Texas weather.  Jason decided to BBQ a brisket (which is an all day affair) while the baby and I played outside.  Since it was that kinda day, Jason and I decided to have a few adult beverages even if it was only 1 PM in the afternoon.  I was just about to pour my second glass of wine when reality hit and I burst into laughter.  OMG, if someone had taken a snapshot of my life, at that exact moment, I would have looked like a white trash hillbilly.  Here I was, at 1 PM, hanging out in my barn, holding the baby on my hip (who was in a diaper), trying to open my bottle of Boone's Farm Sangria, so I could pour it into my cup and drink it through a straw.  Did you get all that?!  Holy shit, taken out of context that sounds bad.  Really bad.  

But really, I can explain.  We like to BBQ.  And the only place to hang outside in the shade is in one of our many barns.  Oh, and I hardly ever drink.  But the mood struck me right and I decided to have a drink, even though it was only 1 PM.  The baby was in a diaper because it was too damn hot out for her to wear clothes.  Shit, if it would have been acceptable for me to take off my clothes I would have too.  It was that hot.  She was on my hip because she refused to let me put her down.  I know, I know, spare me the lecture on why I shouldn't hold my child all the time.  But I wanted to enjoy my afternoon and not listen to her cry.  And if holding her ensures that she won't fuss then that's what I'll do :)  

Ok, this is where I might loose some people.  Boone's Farm Sangria is my wine of choice.  No, I am not forced to drink this because we are that broke since I quit my job.  I actually prefer this Sangria to others.  Even if it comes in a twist off bottle and it is $2.49.  Hard to believe, I know.  The only other people who buy Boone's Farm are drunk high school kids who will drink anything cheap and fruity.  But seriously, give it a try sometime.  Other than the raging hangover you will get the next day, you would ever know the difference.  Don't believe me?  Well, if you have ever come to my house and have enjoyed my "homemade sangria" I just want you to know that it's really Boone's Farm.  I put it in a fancy glass pitcher, add some sprite and fresh cut fruit and it's "Kathy's Homemade Sangria".  Looks good, right?

On Sunday Jason, the baby, our dog and I all headed to the beach.  It was a great day.  I was a tad worried that the baby wouldn't be a good sport since she is teething but she had a blast and hardly fussed.  The beach in Texas doesn't compare to the beaches that we are accustomed to in Florida.  But it's a beach nonetheless.  And if you squint real hard, you hardly notice the trash.  Or the oil rigs in the skyline.  Or dead crabs that were washed up on the beach.  Where the crabs came from, I don't know.  I don't know if I do want to know.  


Look at all the trash.  Isn't it heartbreaking :(

And that structure you see in the sky line is an oil rig.  What an eyesore.

And a dead crab :(

But like I said before if you squint real hard the beach is beautiful.  I vow to start going more often.

And then this guy was a total monster.  

He may be old but he found his youthful energy yesterday at the beach.  He thought it was great fun to run through our beach blanket wet and full of sand.  The baby thought he was hilarious.  I didn't.  And I don't know if it were the gallons salt water he drank (despite the many times he was shown his water bowl.......with fresh water) or the Whataburger he ate on the way to the beach but this dog had horrible gas.  And it made for a long ride home.  

Check out how cute Miss Macy was.  She is such a beach baby.  

As soon as we got home, I put Macy in a bubble bath to get the sunscreen, sand and salt water off her.  She was full of smiles and happy to be back in the water.

Isn't she precious?!

Since I haven't done a photography post in awhile.....

Well, I haven't done ANY posts in awhile.  But I have about two weeks worth of pictures to share.  I will spare you the picture overload and only share some of my favorites  :)  Boy, this is gonna be hard.  Not because my photographs are high quality but because any picture with Macy in it is my favorite.....

We are back from the Bahamas!

Ahh, it's been a long time.  Man, I have REALLY neglected this ol' blog in the last few weeks.  But I can explain my absence.  Well, ok, I can explain half of my absence.  For a week I was in the Bahamas with Miss Macy.  And the other week I took off from blogging?  Umm, I just didn't feel like posting.  I had stuff to say but I was just too lazy to sit down and type it out.  Please forgive me, ok?  Ha, well, it's not like anyone reads this blog anyway.  It's more or less a baby book for Macy.  Ok, a R rated baby book but it's still a baby book nonetheless.  


Anyway, we arrived back from the Bahamas on Sunday evening and whew, I am still effing exhausted.  We had a great time but boy-oh-boy my girl is a lot of work.  Unfortunately, Jason was not able to go with us because he needed to stay back to work :(  This was decided at the last minute (like, the day before left) but Macy and I still went as planned.  Let me tell you, taking care of a baby all by yourself is a challenge.  Like, a BIG challenge.  Thankfully, there were only one or two times where I thought I wanted to bash my head into the wall.  Sounds dramatic?  Maybe it is, but caring for an infant for days on end without a break will drive you to craziness.  


Anyway, Macy loved the water.  She had the best time splashing around in the ocean and the pool.  But her greatest discovery?  The sand......and how to take her diaper off.  But that's another story for another time.  Anyway, Macy was mesmerized by the sand.  It's great seeing the world for the first time through a child's eyes, ya know?  She would grab a fistful of sand and watch it slip out of her hands in pure amazement.  Her expression was priceless.  She had a baffled look and I could see the confusion in her eyes wondering where the sand had disappeared to.  So what did she do when she discovered her hand that was once full of sand was empty?  Grab some more sand and the process repeated itself.  She was having a great time until she made her next discovery that sand in the mouth isn't much fun.  But even that didn't detour her love for the beach.


My poor girl looked like such a geek dressed up in her beach attire.  I lathered her up in so much SPF 85 sunscreen (believe it or not, they really do make sunscreen that high) that her skin glistened.  Read between the lines.....that's just a nice way of saying she looked like a greasy infant who desperately needed a bath.  Of course, I put the most ridiculous hats on her to protect her little scalp from burning.  And to top it off, I squeezed her into her the most adorable bathing suits that were probably a tad too small.  She really could have used a size up.  But she looked oh-so-cute!  The too small bathing suits accentuated her little pot belly just right.   ::squeeze::  Pot belly's are cute on her.  Just not on me.  


Check out how cute she is dressed and ready for a day at the beach.......

Check out her fat roll under her right arm.  OMG, I die.  

And of course, no trip to the beach would be complete without a picture of tiny little toes in the sand.....

I am looking forward to one day soon going back to the Bahamas.  Just next time, Daddy will be in tow.  Not just so we will have a family vacation but also because he is an obligated baby sitter ;)

I Love Staying at Home

Prior to having Macy, I fully intended on going back to work.  The thought of becoming a Stay At Home Mom (SAHM) was overwhelming and I thought I honestly wasn't cut out for it.  No-way, I NEEDED adult interaction.  Plus I didn't go through 4 years of college to sit at home, ya know? But the biggest motivator for me to continue working was the whole paycheck thing.  I liked money too much to quit my job.  I mean, how could I walk away from that money?!  So yeah, the pre-baby Kathy planned on being a working mom and sending her newborn baby off to daycare.  Seemed completely acceptable, right?


Wrong.  I had my baby and I feel head over heels in love.  And my "plan" of going back to work was not so acceptable anymore.  I didn't care if we had to live in a box, I did not want to leave my newborn.  Every single day of my maternity leave I cried thinking about returning to work.  I begged, no, pleaded with Jason to let me quit.  But he wanted to be responsible, save up more money, get some things in order, and then, maybe 6 months down the road we would revisit the idea of me becoming a SAHM  ::rolls eyes::  What??  6 months?!?  Umm, yeah, don't be ridiculous and try to claim you are being responsible.  There is no way I can continue working.  Like it's physically impossible for me.  I think I might die if I return to work.  Really.  Like I'll DIE.


But I did go back.  Reluctantly.  And like always when I don't get my way, I nagged Jason to death about quitting.  I bitched about working EVERY SINGLE chance I got.  And eventually, he got tired of hearing me complain and gave me the OK to quit.


So see, being a brat does pay off.......whoever says otherwise obviously didn't nag long enough.  Ha!  I'm joking,  Really, there was a lot more thought and rational put into the decision of me quitting.  I'm not really a brat.  Honest.  But I also don't deny that I used this bargaining method ;)


Once I got the OK to quit, I was ecstatic!  I couldn't wait to stay at home with Macy.  Finally!  I would be living the dream life.  I could get back in shape, dress my baby in cutesy smocked dresses with frilly hair bows and I could spend my days shopping.  I always envied moms who pushed their perfect babies in their expensive strollers while meeting their rich friends for lunch.  And OMG, I was finally going to become one of them!!!


And then it dawned on me........I just quit my job which meant we were broke.  I wouldn't have money to shop.  Reality was going to be nothing like my fantasy.  Besides, I had a cheap ass Graco stroller so I would never fit in with those moms I envied.


Reality sucks sometimes.  I would be lying if I said I didn't have any doubts about my decision to quit.  The grass is always greener, right?  What if I hated staying home?  What if I made a mistake quitting my job?  Then what?  I bitched so much about working that Jason might loose it if I told him I changed my mind.


So yeah, I was pretty nervous about becoming a SAHM.


We have made a lot of sacrifices for me to be a SAHM.  And it's been hard adjusting.  I wish we had more money.  I feel guilty every.single.day that Jason works while I stay home with Macy.  But even so, I love staying at home and wouldn't trade it for all the money in the world.  All my fears (while they might be somewhat valid) are out weighed by reward I get from spending my days with Macy.  This is the best job I have ever had.  Go ahead, roll your eyes now.  I probably would too at the sappiness of that comment.  And even though I don't get paid monetarily, a price tag could never be put on what I get out of it.  Go ahead.  Roll your eyes again.


Who wouldn't want to spend their day with this........