I wanted to post an update on Brynn, but not one ridiculously long one, so I am going to split it up into bite sized chunks on the highlights of Brynn's life. One of her most favorite things in the whole world is sign language.
Not so very long ago Brynn was barely talking. She had a few words she'd say frequently, and a few she'd say occasionally. It seemed like once she learned a new word, an old one was gone. Almost like there was only room in her head for 5 words at a time. It was very frustrating. She has always had such oral aversions, and we've seen speech pathologists, I just kind of felt like talking wasn't going to come easy. Now, I've always thought that the baby sign language thing was neat. Not overly amazing earth-shattering... but neat-o. We taught Brynn a few signs, "More" "Milk" "Juice" and that was kind of cool. But once we became owners of our very own Signing Time DVD, our world changed.
Brynn is totally and completely hooked. When she wakes up in the morning the first thing she says is "Sign Time?" She constantly wants to be watching it. Since she started the Signing Time videos, it seems like her vocabulary has exploded. Now I realize that there are other factors at work here as well, but I think that putting a little hand movement to a word really helped her to grasp speaking. Don't ask me how that works, you can ask my sister who teaches deaf students.
Brynn now knows all sorts of ASL signs. More, Please, Thank you, milk, juice, crackers, dog, cat, elephant, horse, potty, bath, all done, cook, and lots more. She's even putting 2 signs together now. My little bilingual genius. ;)
All of the signing time videos are awesome. They sing and sign songs that help to learn. It's very fun and educational. Anyone with babies/toddlers, I highly recommend the Signing Time series. We just received out "Potty Time" Signing Time... wish us luck! This is one of Brynn's favorite songs... enjoy!
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Sunday, January 1, 2012
It's been a while...
It's only been about 9 months since my last post. There is lots to update on Brynn, but that will have to come later. My next 2 blog posts are going to be around my personal goals for 2012. I have set some goals for myself and I want to share them as well as updates throughout the year. The actual goal post will come later, but 2 goals are around losing weight and reducing the grocery budget. One way I hope to accomplish both of these things is by cooking freezer meals.
One thing I struggle with is coming home late and throwing together the easiest meal possible. Easiest meal possible is very rarely healthiest meal possible. Not to mention, most packaging contains enough food for a large family, not 2 people. Cooking for 2 is hard. This is how it usually goes. Get home, think to self, "Self, what's for dinner?" Hmmm... How about spaghetti? Box of pasta (free from coupons), pasta sauce (free or close to free from coupons), frozen meatballs, or meat. Makes enough spaghetti for 8 or so people. We eat more than we should. Leftovers go in fridge. We eat them again tomorrow. More leftovers. Isaac takes to work for lunch. Must cure evil spaghetti eating habits.
So, I decided to find some freezer friendly weight watchers recipes (my plan for weight loss). Cook my little heart out, divide into appropriate serving size, and freeze. Eat said meals for dinner, and take for lunch. So here goes.
The plan was to prepare the following: Spicy Chicken Spaghetti, Turkey Chili, Enchilada Casserole, Cheesy Chicken Spinach Shells, Baked Honey Mustard Chicken, Marinated Fajita Chicken, Seasoned Ground Turkey for Tacos, Turkey Burgers, BBQ Pulled Pork. As well as making 4 turkey sandwiches for lunch at work by weighing meat, cheeses, etc for points and weigh out a serving of Baked BBQ chips to go with sandwich. The actuals (and recipes) follow:
Spicy Chicken Spaghetti - Check!
http://www.angelfire.com/journal/wwrecipes/233.htm
This is an awesome recipe! One of our faves. You would have no idea it was a WW recipe if I didn't tell you. I made a triple batch (18 servings) and froze some in 2 servings for dinners and some in 1 for lunches.
Turkey Chili - Check!
I am not sure where this recipe came from, but this is what I do, Brown 2 lbs ground turkey with chopped onions and a green bell pepper. Use 2 cans of tomato sauce, 1 jar medium or hot salsa, 1 packet McCormicks Hot chili seasoning mix. Simmer and tada, done! This will make a very spicy chili, so if you can't handle the heat, use mild salsa and regular seasoning mix. The easiest chili ever, but Yummy! You can also add kidney beans if you like (which I don't). I made 1 pot of this which turned out to be about 15 1 Cup servings.
Enchilada Casserole - Check (Barely)!
http://www.recipe-diaries.com/2011/05/23/bubble-up-enchiladas-weight-watcher-recipes-part-2/
I found this recipe on pinterest. It almost didn't happen. I in my mind remembered that it had cut up tortillas in the recipe, not biscuits. So, I had to make a quick run to the DG and pick up a can O' biscuits. I made a double recipe and basically split it into 3 pans of 4 servings. Never tried the recipe before, but it looks yummy. I'll keep you posted.
Cheesy Chicken Spinach Shells - Check!
http://www.lifeinthegreenhouse.com/2011/08/cheese-and-chicken-shells.html
Made 28 shells. 3 points a shell.
Baked Honey Mustard Chicken - Check!
http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/RecipePage.aspx?recipeid=57621
Used Panko breadcrumbs instead of cereal. It just sounds gourmet. Say it - "Panko!" Fun. I mean what sounds better, chicken rolled in mustard and cereal or honey mustard chicken with Panko crust? plus... I didn't have any corn flakes.
Marinated Fajita Chicken - Check!
I Love love love love this marinade. It sounds weird, but it tastes sooo gooood.
1T Soy Sauce, 1T Worcestershire Sauce, 1T Apple Cider Vinegar, 1T Chili Seasoning, 1T minced garlic, 2T lemon (or lime) juice, dash of tabasco (optional).
I made 2 batches with 2 chicken breasts cut up in each baggie. We use this for fajitas and chicken salads.
Seasoned Ground Turkey for tacos - Not Yet
I wanted to cook 1 pound of ground turkey with taco seasoning and divide up into 3rds for tacos. However, by the time I got finished with everything else and washed the needed skillet. I decided to forgo this one tonight. Still planning on doing it tomorrow.
Turkey Burgers - Check (Kinda)!
I made 4 seasoned 1/6 pound turkey burger patties. I still want to make 6 more tomorrow. We use either http://www.laaloosh.com/2010/02/05/ranch-turkey-burger-recipe/ minus the green onions, or we use a recipe of 1lb turkey, 2t chipotle chile powder, 1T minced garlic, 2T BBQ sauce.
BBQ Pulled Pork - No Go
Use a pork shoulder roast, follow the directions on the back of the McCormicks slow cooker packet for BBQ pulled pork. Makes a delicious sandwich. De-Lish-us. Wally World didn't have the meat. So, this one was a no-go.
Sandwiches, chips, etc - Not Yet
Plan on doing this tomorrow.
I started this at 6:00 PM. at 6:30 Brynn woke from her nap and I spent the next hour with her. By 11:15 I was done cooking, packaging, and had washed all of the dishes. So, it really didn't take all that long.
Well there you have it. Next up - Goals for 2012.
One thing I struggle with is coming home late and throwing together the easiest meal possible. Easiest meal possible is very rarely healthiest meal possible. Not to mention, most packaging contains enough food for a large family, not 2 people. Cooking for 2 is hard. This is how it usually goes. Get home, think to self, "Self, what's for dinner?" Hmmm... How about spaghetti? Box of pasta (free from coupons), pasta sauce (free or close to free from coupons), frozen meatballs, or meat. Makes enough spaghetti for 8 or so people. We eat more than we should. Leftovers go in fridge. We eat them again tomorrow. More leftovers. Isaac takes to work for lunch. Must cure evil spaghetti eating habits.
So, I decided to find some freezer friendly weight watchers recipes (my plan for weight loss). Cook my little heart out, divide into appropriate serving size, and freeze. Eat said meals for dinner, and take for lunch. So here goes.
The plan was to prepare the following: Spicy Chicken Spaghetti, Turkey Chili, Enchilada Casserole, Cheesy Chicken Spinach Shells, Baked Honey Mustard Chicken, Marinated Fajita Chicken, Seasoned Ground Turkey for Tacos, Turkey Burgers, BBQ Pulled Pork. As well as making 4 turkey sandwiches for lunch at work by weighing meat, cheeses, etc for points and weigh out a serving of Baked BBQ chips to go with sandwich. The actuals (and recipes) follow:
Spicy Chicken Spaghetti - Check!
http://www.angelfire.com/journal/wwrecipes/233.htm
This is an awesome recipe! One of our faves. You would have no idea it was a WW recipe if I didn't tell you. I made a triple batch (18 servings) and froze some in 2 servings for dinners and some in 1 for lunches.
Turkey Chili - Check!
I am not sure where this recipe came from, but this is what I do, Brown 2 lbs ground turkey with chopped onions and a green bell pepper. Use 2 cans of tomato sauce, 1 jar medium or hot salsa, 1 packet McCormicks Hot chili seasoning mix. Simmer and tada, done! This will make a very spicy chili, so if you can't handle the heat, use mild salsa and regular seasoning mix. The easiest chili ever, but Yummy! You can also add kidney beans if you like (which I don't). I made 1 pot of this which turned out to be about 15 1 Cup servings.
Enchilada Casserole - Check (Barely)!
http://www.recipe-diaries.com/2011/05/23/bubble-up-enchiladas-weight-watcher-recipes-part-2/
I found this recipe on pinterest. It almost didn't happen. I in my mind remembered that it had cut up tortillas in the recipe, not biscuits. So, I had to make a quick run to the DG and pick up a can O' biscuits. I made a double recipe and basically split it into 3 pans of 4 servings. Never tried the recipe before, but it looks yummy. I'll keep you posted.
Cheesy Chicken Spinach Shells - Check!
http://www.lifeinthegreenhouse.com/2011/08/cheese-and-chicken-shells.html
Made 28 shells. 3 points a shell.
Baked Honey Mustard Chicken - Check!
http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/RecipePage.aspx?recipeid=57621
Used Panko breadcrumbs instead of cereal. It just sounds gourmet. Say it - "Panko!" Fun. I mean what sounds better, chicken rolled in mustard and cereal or honey mustard chicken with Panko crust? plus... I didn't have any corn flakes.
Marinated Fajita Chicken - Check!
I Love love love love this marinade. It sounds weird, but it tastes sooo gooood.
1T Soy Sauce, 1T Worcestershire Sauce, 1T Apple Cider Vinegar, 1T Chili Seasoning, 1T minced garlic, 2T lemon (or lime) juice, dash of tabasco (optional).
I made 2 batches with 2 chicken breasts cut up in each baggie. We use this for fajitas and chicken salads.
Seasoned Ground Turkey for tacos - Not Yet
I wanted to cook 1 pound of ground turkey with taco seasoning and divide up into 3rds for tacos. However, by the time I got finished with everything else and washed the needed skillet. I decided to forgo this one tonight. Still planning on doing it tomorrow.
Turkey Burgers - Check (Kinda)!
I made 4 seasoned 1/6 pound turkey burger patties. I still want to make 6 more tomorrow. We use either http://www.laaloosh.com/2010/02/05/ranch-turkey-burger-recipe/ minus the green onions, or we use a recipe of 1lb turkey, 2t chipotle chile powder, 1T minced garlic, 2T BBQ sauce.
BBQ Pulled Pork - No Go
Use a pork shoulder roast, follow the directions on the back of the McCormicks slow cooker packet for BBQ pulled pork. Makes a delicious sandwich. De-Lish-us. Wally World didn't have the meat. So, this one was a no-go.
Sandwiches, chips, etc - Not Yet
Plan on doing this tomorrow.
I started this at 6:00 PM. at 6:30 Brynn woke from her nap and I spent the next hour with her. By 11:15 I was done cooking, packaging, and had washed all of the dishes. So, it really didn't take all that long.
Well there you have it. Next up - Goals for 2012.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
This week in Brynn's world
This week was an exciting week for us. We got some special deliveries, and made some fun trips!
First of all, we received our TEAM BRYNN shirts from www.customink.com! Thank you to all who ordered! I am slowly getting those delivered. The shirts look awesome! Custom Ink has my future business. The shirts not only look great, but also were delivered very quickly, and in great packaging. And.... to top it all off, they made a donation to our team! I am pretty excited about our March for Babies with Team Brynn in Tulsa on May 7. It is exciting to think we have a teeny part in helping to prevent prematurity! It's not too late to join us or to donate. Every dollar helps to save babies! www.marchforbabies.org/teambrynn
The next day we received our Preemie Princess shirts. These shirts were also from Custom Ink and equally as fabulous! I can't wait for Brynn to wear her shirt and see all of her little buddies. I am so looking forward to seeing Allison, Elizabeth, Zoey, Ryleigh, Marcela, Stevie jo, and Natalia! It's so wonderful to think of the odds that these little ladies have overcome! I hope that they will stay life long friends! We are walking with them in Dallas on April 16. Please donate if you are in the DFW area. Even $5 will help us reach our goal!
http://www.marchforbabies.org/mcppreemieprincess
On Friday we got in her new carseats! After me being a little OCD and reading pretty much every review, forum, blog, and safety rating out there, we decided on the Britax Boulevard CS 70 in the Sophia pattern. First off let me say that the car seat is adorable! Brynn got the chance to ride in it several times this weekend. She loved it. She likes that she is a little more upright than she was in her carrier. She is still rear facing, and has a ways to go before she gets to be turned around. We have always been fans of Extended Rear Facing and with the recent clarifications from the American Academy of Pediatrics, it just solidifies Mommy's thoughts on rear facing longer!
Besides all of the special deliveries, we took full Advantage of her Dr. saying she could go out and about now. We still don't want anyone touching her at least until the end of RSV season, but preferably ever, so she was still sporting her Mama Bears Sign. Brynn got to go out to Aunt Syd's softball game and watch her pitch against the Keys Cougars. Brynn cheered loud and they won! We planned to go and watch them win the Muskogee tournament as well, but it got too cold. Afterwards we went out to Nanny's for some Mexican take out (YUM!) Aunt Meagan was in from Little Rock, and cousin Bella was out to play. Brynn loves her cousin Bella. She is so fun to watch, and chase.
Saturday since the weather was chilly, we went shopping with Bella. Brynn loved the mall. She was content to just look around from her stroller the whole time we were there. She was such a good girl. I think shopping was good for her. It gave her a chance to get out and exercise her mind if nothing else. After the fun day, she went right to sleep in her own bed, and slept there all night without making a peep. Sunday we didn't go anywhere, but Bella came over for a few hours to play and eat some "chickie" They both had chicken nuggets, sweet potato fries, cheese, and strawberries. It was a fun evening.
Fun week in Brynn-land... hope you all enjoyed the update.
First of all, we received our TEAM BRYNN shirts from www.customink.com! Thank you to all who ordered! I am slowly getting those delivered. The shirts look awesome! Custom Ink has my future business. The shirts not only look great, but also were delivered very quickly, and in great packaging. And.... to top it all off, they made a donation to our team! I am pretty excited about our March for Babies with Team Brynn in Tulsa on May 7. It is exciting to think we have a teeny part in helping to prevent prematurity! It's not too late to join us or to donate. Every dollar helps to save babies! www.marchforbabies.org/teambrynn
The next day we received our Preemie Princess shirts. These shirts were also from Custom Ink and equally as fabulous! I can't wait for Brynn to wear her shirt and see all of her little buddies. I am so looking forward to seeing Allison, Elizabeth, Zoey, Ryleigh, Marcela, Stevie jo, and Natalia! It's so wonderful to think of the odds that these little ladies have overcome! I hope that they will stay life long friends! We are walking with them in Dallas on April 16. Please donate if you are in the DFW area. Even $5 will help us reach our goal!
http://www.marchforbabies.org/mcppreemieprincess
On Friday we got in her new carseats! After me being a little OCD and reading pretty much every review, forum, blog, and safety rating out there, we decided on the Britax Boulevard CS 70 in the Sophia pattern. First off let me say that the car seat is adorable! Brynn got the chance to ride in it several times this weekend. She loved it. She likes that she is a little more upright than she was in her carrier. She is still rear facing, and has a ways to go before she gets to be turned around. We have always been fans of Extended Rear Facing and with the recent clarifications from the American Academy of Pediatrics, it just solidifies Mommy's thoughts on rear facing longer!
Besides all of the special deliveries, we took full Advantage of her Dr. saying she could go out and about now. We still don't want anyone touching her at least until the end of RSV season, but preferably ever, so she was still sporting her Mama Bears Sign. Brynn got to go out to Aunt Syd's softball game and watch her pitch against the Keys Cougars. Brynn cheered loud and they won! We planned to go and watch them win the Muskogee tournament as well, but it got too cold. Afterwards we went out to Nanny's for some Mexican take out (YUM!) Aunt Meagan was in from Little Rock, and cousin Bella was out to play. Brynn loves her cousin Bella. She is so fun to watch, and chase.
Saturday since the weather was chilly, we went shopping with Bella. Brynn loved the mall. She was content to just look around from her stroller the whole time we were there. She was such a good girl. I think shopping was good for her. It gave her a chance to get out and exercise her mind if nothing else. After the fun day, she went right to sleep in her own bed, and slept there all night without making a peep. Sunday we didn't go anywhere, but Bella came over for a few hours to play and eat some "chickie" They both had chicken nuggets, sweet potato fries, cheese, and strawberries. It was a fun evening.
Fun week in Brynn-land... hope you all enjoyed the update.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
15 Months
Can you believe it? We have made it to 15 months. Dare I say our sweet baby is turning into a TODDLER?! She is truly the light of my life. It's crazy how much of your heart such a small person can take up. Not a day goes by that I don't think of how far we've come. It's so hard to believe that my sweet, fearless little ball of fun started out as such a tiny, frail little thing. She is so sweet. She gives the best little hugs, and is definitely a snuggler. One good thing, even though she's growing up so fast. She is still baby-sized :) The week before her 15 month birthday, we finally upgraded to 6-9 month sized clothing. This is what she can do now...
Pull her self up on anything and everything!
Cruise around the room holding on to furniture
Babble A LOT. And say Mama and Dada (mostly when she's angry)
Laughs out loud, and imitates you laughing
Drinks from a sippy cup, eats a lot of big people food. Her favorite foods are Chicken-n-a-biscuit crackers, and cheddar cheese cubes.
Takes a bath in the big bath tub
Some of her other favorites are her "Praise Baby" DVD's and this YouTube video. We have no clue why...
She also loves hats. She thinks everything is a hat. She tries to put books, blankets, egg cartons, all kinds of things on her head.
We've been doing physical and occupational therapy up to 3 times per week. Just last week we have decided to cut that back to just once per week and see how it goes.
I am hoping to do a better job of keeping up with the blog. I'm planning to post more info on Princess B, as well as random articles I read, and stuff we are up to. So.... Stay tuned, folks!
Pull her self up on anything and everything!
Cruise around the room holding on to furniture
Babble A LOT. And say Mama and Dada (mostly when she's angry)
Laughs out loud, and imitates you laughing
Drinks from a sippy cup, eats a lot of big people food. Her favorite foods are Chicken-n-a-biscuit crackers, and cheddar cheese cubes.
Takes a bath in the big bath tub
Some of her other favorites are her "Praise Baby" DVD's and this YouTube video. We have no clue why...
She also loves hats. She thinks everything is a hat. She tries to put books, blankets, egg cartons, all kinds of things on her head.
We've been doing physical and occupational therapy up to 3 times per week. Just last week we have decided to cut that back to just once per week and see how it goes.
I am hoping to do a better job of keeping up with the blog. I'm planning to post more info on Princess B, as well as random articles I read, and stuff we are up to. So.... Stay tuned, folks!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Sunday, July 11, 2010
NICU Reunion!
This weekend was something we have been looking forward to for a long time...well 3 months.... the NICU reunion! I could hardly wait to see all of our sweet friends, and the wonderful nurses and doctors from the Medical Center of Plano! A few pics:
Allison and Elizabeth! These precious girls were 25 or 26 weeks.... they were 2 weeks younger than Brynn in actual age. During the last part of our NICU stay they were our next door neighbors. One nurse usually had the 3 of them, since they were fairly low-maintenance (comparatively speaking). They were similar in size, oxygen requirements, and age, so they were called the triplets. So great to see them!
One very special lady! Nurse Susan took extra special care of Brynn during her first 3 days in the NICU. If you have seen the video of her getting her diaper changed on day 2, those are Susan's hands in the gloves. She was so sweet to Brynn and us. We were almost both in tears at the reunion!
Sweet baby Zoey. This little girl will always be special to me. We refer to her "bad night"... one night after the TLC parent group meetings, we came in and Zoey was not doing well. The doctors told Zoey's Mom to call her husband and they called the chaplain because Zoey's oxygen levels were so low. I just prayed and prayed for that little girl. I couldn't sleep all night, and the next morning, I was at the NICU before they even opened, I had to see about Zoey. Sweet angel not only made it, but is such a doll now! I jut love her!
Zoey's Mom, Stefanie! After everything we went thru... This was their first pic together!
Nurse Michele, another sweet nurse. She took care of Brynn pretty often on the night shift. She always had a smile on her face, and was so great with our sweet angel. Even though we're glad to be out, we sure do miss everyone from the NICU staff.
Robert and Mira. Mira's Mom did not survive her birth. Robert was so great with everyone in the NICU. He asked to pray for our family, even in the midst of such unimaginable circumstances for his own family.
Stefanie and Zoey, Dr. August and Natalia, and Me and Brynn. Natalia is such a doll! Can you believe that she was only 1 pound 1 oz? Her mom, Jonda, was so sweet, and would always answer my crazy questions. She even gave us a pair of preemie mittens that Brynn wore, that I believe Zoey wore after that!
All in all a great time. Such a blessing to remember the miracles from God's hands!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
I have a blog....?
It's only been 3 months since I last blogged... A lot has happened in 3 months!
My little B is home!!!! It is even better than I imagined having her here. She is so fun to play with. She is really into laughing right now, so when she sees someone she knows or hears a familiar voice, she laughs. Sometimes, when she gets really excited (looking at her mobile) she will just squeal, and it is so darn cute!
We were able to get her completely off of oxygen a few weeks ago. It has been so great to be able to carry her around the house without bringing the lovely 50 ft of plastic tubing with us. Her doctor even said he could call and get home health to come and pick it up. I kinda freaked out a little bit. The pediatrician (who loves to crack jokes) said, "OK, Mom, is she going to carry a monitor to prom, too?" Ha ha. But he did let me keep it one more month, which should be ample time for me to say my parting words, and decide what we will put in the hall closet that is currently FULL of oxygen tanks. Along with that, we got her off of one medicine, the diuretic she's been on since she was born. It was to help keep fluid off of her lungs, but my big girl is able to do that on her own, now. We kept the stickers on her face, for a while. Just in case. All my fellow NICU Mom's will understand this, they would always tell us, "Never trust a preemie" Meaning, there would often be a honeymoon phase where everything would go great, and then the little prince or princess would rebel!
Since she has been off of oxygen, we have been able to do some more fun things with her, like go swimming,
Go for walks at the City Lake...
And watch movies (in the bedroom)
We still don't really take her many places for fear of her getting an infection, but we have loosened up a little bit since it isn't RSV season right now. So far, she's gotten to visit a furniture store, and eat on the patio at Cheesecake Factory (right at 11, there was no one else there) Besides that, her car trips are limited to doctor and specialist visits. She cleared from the opthamologist for her ROP, after seeing him every other week since we got out of the NICU, as of this week, we don't have to go back until December! Her Endocrinologist appointment also went well, besides the screaming fest that happened when they had to draw her blood. Her thyroid levels are in normal range with her current medications, so we won't go back until August. At her 6 month checkup with the pediatrician, she was 9lb, 9oz. That's still pretty tiny for her adjusted age (2.5 months) She is not quite on the growth chart yet for height, but she is actually on the lower end for length. She'll be tall and thin! Besides all of those doctors, she also does Sooner Start, which is an early intervention program that helps ensure she's developing on time. We took her to the physical therapist a few weeks ago, and she showed us some exercises we could do with her to strengthen her muscles. We can already tell a big difference in her head control, etc, since we started that.
Over all, she is doing great. Her Doctor said on Tuesday that developmentally she's at about 4 - 4.5 months. This was really good news for us, because that puts her about 1-2 months ahead of where she should be at this point. More to come later (when I find time)... Sorry for the lack of updates!
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