On Friday night we decided to have a little picnic since it wasn’t a thousand degrees outside! Jon picked up dinner at one of our favorite burger places, P Terry’s, and we (Aedan, Hiro and I) meet him at the park.
We had a great time enjoying the evening. Aedan and Hiro had fun being outside.
It was a great family evening. We are going to do it again soon!
-Lauren-
Ugh, I have been studying for the last few weeks. Well, what I should say is I have been trying to study for the last few weeks. I will be sitting for the Board Certified Behavior Analyst exam on September 16th. In 21 days I will be waking up at the crack of down to be at the testing center by 7:30am. I will check in, and then sit down in front of a computer and proceed to answer 150 questions in my 3 hours and 55 minute test window (seriously, the info email says I will have 3 hours and 55 minutes…you would think they could just give us 4 hours). After I have answered my 150 questions, I will submit my answers and then…and then I will be waiting. Even though the test is all multiple choice and on the computer, I will have to wait until the test taking window is closes (the end of September) and then I will have to wait for them to go through each test. I won’t know if I passed or failed until December. Ugh.
So I have been trying to get serious about studying. Let me tell you how it’s going. On Monday I did laundry, went to the grocery store, cleaned the house, made baby food, made a double batch of cookie dough to freeze (best idea ever!), and tried out a new recipe for dinner. Productive day, right? Oh sure, very productive, except the one thing I planned to get done (you know that studying), oh that…opps. Sigh.
Since then I have gotten some studying done this week (and quite a bit done over the last two weeks). I’m hoping to get some more studying done tomorrow before I meet with my study group on Saturday.
Part of me just wants the test date to get here soon so I can get it over with, but the other part of me is not ready to take the test at all!
Basically I just cannot wait until September 17th! I will then be officially DONE (well hopefully anyway, I guess if I fail I will be taking the test again in March, but I’m not going to think about that).
-Lauren-
Jon had to work on Saturday, so he took most of the day off on Friday. We had a pretty lazy morning and then took Aedan by the doctor to get some shots. I got to weigh him, and my little chucky monkey is 18.5 lbs! After two quick shots we were on our way. Since we were in the area we decided to go to Costco. I wasn’t sure how Aedan would act since it was just about nap time and he had just gotten some shots, but he did great. He hung out in his carseat and played with his rings. Every time we I stopped to try a sample, the sample ladies would smile and talk to Aedan. He flashed them all a big smile…he is going to be such a flirt! After Costco, we picked up lunch and then enjoyed the rest of the day around the house.
On Saturday I went to get a much overdue haircut. I tried out a new lady and I really liked her. I didn’t do anything drastically different, just a couple of inches off, but after 5 months my hair definitely needed to be cut. Jon had to work Saturday afternoon, but it was a remote job, so he just had to hang out in the office for a few hours. I am so excited because Saturday marked his last weekend job!
After 3 years working an 80% travel, alternative week position, Jon has moved to a new team! His position before worked well for awhile. When he wasn’t traveling he was home, which was great, but the alternative work week (Friday through Sunday) made it hard to plan things over the weekend. Now he will be working from home, Monday through Friday and the only travel he will be doing will be up to the main office once or twice a week on his schedule! We are so excited!
On Sunday we took Aedan to visit with Jon’s grandparents. They had seen him a handful of times and usually it was when lots of other people were around. It was nice just to have a quiet visit with them. Aedan was a little fussy at first, but I think he was just unsure of a new place. He warmed up pretty fast and gave them lots of smiles.
Now it’s back to work. I have a long list of things to get done this week, I’m hoping the weekend comes quickly!
-Lauren-
When I was pregnant, Jon decided that he wanted us to make our own baby food once Aedan was ready to eat solids. It was something I have never thought about, but after looking into it, it seemed like a great idea. Well now, here we are, Aedan is 5 months old and ready for solids! Yay!
I ordered this book a few weeks ago to help out our baby food making adventure.
It is a great book! It tells you what foods are recommended for each stage (6-8 months, 8-10 months and 10-12 months). It gives easy instructions on how to pick out, how much to buy and how to cook and freeze each type food. It also gives recommendations for foods that taste good combined together and variations to each recipe (like adding a little cinnamon to applies once Aedan is a little older).
So far we have made sweet potatoes, acorn squash, pears and apples. Since we are just starting out, we are introducing things slowly, but so far Aedan likes sweet potatoes, pears and apples (we are going to try acorn squash this weekend).
It is so easy to make everything!
For the sweet potatoes I just washed and peeled them and then chopped them up. I added a little bit of water and put it in the microwave in a covered dish for about 10 minutes.
Once they were cooked and had cooled a little bit, I put them in the food processor with a little bit more water and pureed them. Then I just froze them over night in covered ice cube trays (they make trays just for baby food, but for half the price you can just use a covered ice cube one). Once they were frozen I just moved them to freezer bags and labeled them. Now I just pull out a couple of cubes per meal for Aedan. So easy!
Aedan approves. :)
-Lauren-
Trash day for our neighborhood is Tuesday. Every Monday night we roll out our gray trashcan, the one that looks just like our neighbor's trashcan, and every Tuesday evening we roll it back into the garage.
Well a couple of weeks ago Jon went out to get our trashcan Tuesday evening after dinner. He came back in and said that the only trashcan near our driveway was not our normal trashcan. I asked him how he knew it wasn’t ours, I mean a gray trashcan is a gray trashcan, right? Umm no, apparently not!
First this trashcan had a hole in the top, covered with duct tape and since ours did not have a hole this definitely wasn’t ours. I know, I know, you are thinking who cares, it’s a trashcan. Well as soon as I lifted the lid of this strange trashcan I nearly passed out! Now I don’t think our trashcan ever smelled amazing, but this was AWFUL. Like possibly there had been something dead in the trash, awful.
Since our neighbor’s had already taken in their our trashcan, we were stuck with this one for the week. It was so gross! Every time we Jon took out the trash the entire garage smelled horrible.
So the next trash day rolled around and we had a plan. Yes, we talked about it all week. We are dorky like that. We put out the trash as normal on Monday night. But this time we put it on the other side of our driveway close to where our neighbor’s put their our trashcan. On Tuesday we waited for the trash men to come, and as soon as they did, Jon went out to take in our original trashcan. He came back in and said he was pretty sure he got ours back but now it smelled awful. Seriously I am not sure what these people are throwing out! After a good wash out with water and lots of bleach, it was beginning to smell okay (it’s a trashcan after all, its never going to smell great).
We are glad to have our trashcan back, but now I am worried it’s going to get switched again. Our trash men are not very careful about where they put the can after they empty it. Sometimes its right next to the curb where we left it, sometimes it’s in the middle of the street, and sometimes its next to our neighbor’s house. This is probably why it got switched in the first place. So now as soon as the trash is collected, I go out and bring in our trashcan. At least I have some motivation to get one chore out of the way.
And because I couldn’t resist posting this picture, this what Aedan thinks about the whole trashcan switch.
-Lauren-
Growing up I remember enjoying having some independent play time every once in awhile. Of course I loved to play with my little sister too, but sometimes it was nice to just have some time to play by myself. I’m still like that today. I need time just to be by myself from time to time.
I want Aedan to love playing with us, his friends and maybe someday a little brother or sister, but I also want him to be able to enjoy independent play time as well. I have read a little bit about blanket time or independent play for babies and I think it’s a good idea. Aedan is pretty good about playing under his play mat or on a blanket with a few toys for about 10-15 minutes without someone right next to him. But a few weeks ago I realized that whenever he is playing on his own (usually in the living room), he can usually see and hear us since our living room and kitchen are basically one big room.
So we have started to have some independent play time in his bedroom. I usually try to do it pretty soon after he eats in the morning since that is when he is the happiest. So far I have just been putting him under his play mat with a couple of toys and letting him play for about 10 minutes. I turn on the baby monitor and it gives me time to clean the kitchen/do the dishes, make up the bed or start some laundry (seriously I think Aedan creates more laundry than both Jon and I combined!). Of course I check on him every few minutes and he is always squealing at his toys or chewing on his rings. Overall I think it is going well and hopefully we will keep it up so that when he is older he can entertain himself from time to time.
This picture makes me laugh, he is totally like “um mom, this is my play time, why are you taking pictures?!?”
-Lauren-
Aedan, you are already 5 months old! 
Here is what you have been up to these days:
Aedan, you are such a fun baby. We are loving getting to know you more and more everyday.
-Lauren-
How can another month already have gone by! I have a feeling this year is going to be over before I know it!
Aedan and I are back with a few things we have loved this month.
First, Aedan is finally enjoying sitting in his Bumbo. I got him a tray for the seat and now he sits and plays bangs his toys the whole time. Such a boy already!
We started putting Aedan to sleep on his tummy a few weeks ago. He goes to sleep great on his tummy, but he has been drooling a lot lately (I think we are on the verge of teething). Usually he ends up falling asleep with a wet spot under his head. I got these sheet protectors a while ago and they have come in very handy. They tie around the crib rails so he can’t bunch it up in his sleep. In the morning I usually find him with his arms tucked underneath the protector which is exactly how I sleep, except my arms are under my pillow. :)
Aedan loves to play with this ball. I think he likes it because it is easy to hold in his hands. He also has 3 other ones like it that are flexible so he can squish them and chew on the sides.
I am loving Dr. Brown bottles. Not so much because they are great bottles, but because after Aedan refusing to take a bottle for about 3 months, I love that he takes them like a pro now. It is sooo nice to be able to leave for work and not have to worry about him getting super fussy because he is hungry.
We have also been using these baby links for everything. I can easily attach toys to his carseat or stroller with them, or just chain a few toys together to make them easier for Aedan to hold onto. He is also loving to chew on them by themselves.
Those are just a few things we are loving at the moment. Stay tuned for Aedan’s 5 month post later this week!
-Lauren-
We had a busy weekend!
On Friday my sister came into town and spent the day with us. We just hung around the house playing with Aedan all afternoon. He loves my sister! He woke up early from a nap and was fussing when I picked him up, but as soon as he saw that my sister was here he was all smiles. Such a flirty boy!
My parents came over for dinner Friday night and we had a relaxing night of movie watching (yay for Netflix instant queue on the Xbox) and chocolate chip cookies, yum!
On Saturday we all headed up to my grandparents house for a lunch get together. All of my cousins came over along with their kids. My grandparents went from having 4 great grandkids to having 8 great grandkids in less than a year! There are so many little babies! By Christmas all 4 new babies will all be walking or crawling/scooting…it should be a blast to watch!
(I’m going to have to get a better picture. This one cut out two of the kids (the 8th was visiting his other grandparents) and as you can see Aedan was not too happy about having tons of people take his picture).
On Sunday Jon had a soccer game in the morning. I can’t wait until Aedan is old enough (and it cools down a lot) so I can take him to the games. Jon’s parents made a short trip down to Austin for a wedding Saturday night, so they stopped by for a quick visit Sunday afternoon.
Jon has been traveling and having to go into work a lot over the last few weeks, so I’m looking forward to having him work from home this week. Aedan and I like having him around. :)
-Lauren-
Yesterday my grandmother came into town from Galveston. She and my mom spent the day with me and Aedan. Aedan was in a good mood most of the day and took 3 great naps so he was all smiles for everyone.
As you can see Aedan pretty much didn’t get any attention all day. :)
It was great to spend the day with my mom and grandmother. While they were playing with Aedan I made a double batch of chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. My mom gave me the biggest mixing bowl ever, which is perfect for a double batch of cookies! I baked a dozen or so and then made cookie dough balls and froze them. Now Jon and I have about 60 ball of cookie dough in the freezer to bake whenever we want (which will probably be just about every night until we run out). :)
My mom also helped me make fish tacos for dinner. Jon and I don’t eat a lot of meat, usually just once a week or so, and I have never cooked fish. It was so easy! I will definitely be making them again.
I attempted to take a cute picture of Aedan’s feet yesterday while he was playing. This is the best I could get, the boy does not stop moving!
-Lauren-
Last night Jon and I went on our first date since Aedan arrived! We have gone out a couple of times with friends when we have visited my parents up in Plano, but those times have always been after Aedan is already asleep for the night.
Last night Jon and I went to see Inception (great movie!) at the Alamo Draft house (we never go see a movie anywhere else!). Since my parents are in town for the week, they came over to babysit. The movie started at 7 so we left around 6:15. That meant my parents were in charge of giving Aedan a bath and putting him to bed. :)
Unfortunately Aedan didn’t have the best naps yesterday and he was super tired by the time my parents came over. He was pretty fussy all evening, but they managed to give him a bath and bottle just fine. He was in bed and asleep at his normal 7:45 bedtime.
Jon and I had a great time. The theater was packed (not sure why since it was a Tuesday night) but we managed to get good seats. The Draft house is one of those theaters were you order food during the movie. What is better than good food and a good movie? We both enjoyed a burger and fries and for dessert I had a vanilla milkshake, yum!
Thanks Nonnie and Pop for letting Mommy and Daddy go on a date!
It was a fun night out but I missed kissing my baby boy goodnight before he went to bed.
-Lauren-
I meant to post this yesterday, but I got busy grocery shopping and cleaning house…
On Friday I didn’t have much work to do, yay! I just finished up an 18 page progress report for one of my clients and I figured I would take the day off. Jon was able to stop work early so we decided to head to Costco.
It’s difficult for me to go to Costco with Aedan by myself. He doesn’t like to ride in his carseat in the cart and he is not old enough to sit in the cart so I usually carry him in our Baby K’Tan carrier when we run errands. It works well for Target or the grocery store but everything at Costco is big and heavy. It is pretty difficult to put anything into the cart with a 17lb baby strapped to me. So we all went together and loaded up on some much needed things (diapers, wipes, paper towels, etc..) and some not so much needed things (bottled Mexican Cokes). We never seem to leave Costco without spending too much money and having some unhealthy snacks or drinks in our cart, but Coke with real sugar in a glass bottle is just so good, especially for lunch in the middle of a super hot summer.
Saturday was a busy day! I got up early and got ready for the day (usually I manage to stay in my pjs or at least comfy clothes until Saturday afternoon). I met a friend at the library so we could study for the upcoming BCBA exam (yuck!). Once we were done I ran a few quick errands and came home to make these for a shower I was helping with later that day.
Some of our good friends were in town for the week from Arkansas, so they came over to meet Aedan. They have a 3 year old little boy who is super cute. He and Hiro had a blast all afternoon. It was so fun to see what Hiro and Aedan will be like in just a few years. Jon and Aedan spend the afternoon visiting with them after I cut out early to head to the bridal shower. The girls from my small group hosted a small bridal shower for one of our friends. When that was over I raced home to change before meeting the girls out at a wine bar for a bachelorette celebration. We did some wine tasting and had a good time catching up.
Sunday I did not leave the house. I was so tired from the day before. Aedan and I just hung around and relaxed all day while Jon went to play soccer.
(Aedan is getting harder and harder to photograph! I don’t think his arms and legs ever stop moving while he is awake!)
My parents are in town this week and my grandmother and sister are coming in a few days! It’s going to be a busy but fun week!
-Lauren-
Jon and I are not yard people. We are outdoors people, but not yard people.
Okay, I guess I should say we are not yard work people. We love being outside (well when it is not 100 degrees outside!), but neither of us are big on planting, weeding, mowing and all the other things that you have to do to maintain a nice yard.
I love spending time in my parent’s backyard. It is so relaxing and beautiful. I’m pretty sure it could be featured in a magazine. This picture does not do it justice AT ALL, but it’s the only one I have. My parents put a lot of work into their yard and it definitely shows.
Occasionally Jon and I get motivated to work on our yard. Like last summer when we Jon put down a flagstone patio and build a pergola.
He did a GREAT job and it our backyard much more enjoyable.
We also planted new grass in most of the front yard and part of the front yard. Luckily the grass has done great in both the front and backyard despite us doing pretty much nothing to it. But we have a flowerbed in the front yard that typically gets passed over. We planted some shrubs a few years ago and they are doing pretty well, but other than that it looks pretty blah.
I love the way it looks when we add fresh mulch but the nice dark color of the mulch never seems to last very long. The dark color seems to fade so quickly in the sun. A couple of weekends ago we decided to change that. We made our way to Home Depot and picked up a few bags of rubber mulch. Have you all heard of this? All the playgrounds at the schools where I have done school shadowing have rubber mulch and it is so much nicer than those dusty rocks they always had at playgrounds when I was growing up. It was definitely more expensive than regular mulch, but it says the color lasts for 12 years. 12 years! I don’t even think we will be living in this house in 12 years. I mean Aedan will be going into middle school in 12 years. Good grief. Really if it still looks good in a year, I will be thrilled with the investment.
So far it’s looking great. We have had a few hard rains and we have had to sweep a few stray mulch pieces back into the flowerbed, but the color looks great and overall I’m pretty happy with it.
-Lauren-
