A Few Firsts Around Here

Just a few random firsts around here.

First sucker

Second Sucker and she's a pro!

First time doing the Cow Appreciation Day for Chick-fil-A.

Camera was out of batteries or I would have taken better pictures.

First time we tried to make Strawberry Jam..blog to come later!

After watching Matilda make her own sandwich, Jesse ran into the kitchen to make his first PB & Jam sandwich by himself. Growing too fast.

 First Bad Boo-Boo, Goose Egg.. Here is the story in case you missed my post on FB: While in the bathroom, Jesse came in & informed that Abigale had a P.U. diaper. She came in sans-diaper with him following saying he had wiped her & how could he put the diaper on her. After I really got her cleaned up and put the diaper on her, she bent over & I pulled up on her diaper which seemed riding low. In that same movement, it sent her and her forehead into the tile, giving her first goose egg. Great, Mother of the Year. So then Jesse informs me her P.U. is on his carpet & I realize that SHE had taken her diaper off and he was just trying to help. Geesh. 

 That was our last couple of weeks.  You are caught up for now.  

How was yours..anything interesting happen in your world?

  Have a great weekend!

Foodie Friday~ {Quickie} Cookout Chili

Ever wonder what to do with those leftover burgers or hotdogs from the cookout?

We were blessed to have friends from out of town come over for July 4th lunch.  We grilled out and had a great time together.

Then we had 3 leftover hamburgers and a couple of hot dogs.  We had also grilled with my mom and had half a package of smoked sausage grilled and waiting for it's future in the fridge.

Then the idea popped in my head.  Why not try to make a chili with these bits of meat.  John was on-board to experiment so off I went and it came out great!

Ingredients for {Quickie} Cookout Chili:

• 3 hamburgers already grilled [and seasoned] chopped
• 1 hotdog, grilled & chopped fine
• half a package of smoked sausage [that comes like kielbasa], grilled and diced 
• 1 can of rinsed & drained red beans
• 1 can of rinsed & drained black beans
• 1 can of fire roasted tomatoes {I used Hunt's version because it was BOGO}
• 1 can of rotel tomatoes & chili
• 1 tablespoon of chili powder
• a pinch of red pepper flake
• 1 tsp of coriander {it was called for in a Tyler Florence chili recipe once so I always use it now}
• S& P as needed
• Combine and let simmer low-medium for as long as you like.  The flavors are there right a way but come together even better if you let it meld together for awhile.

The smokiness from the charred meats made this a hearty chili, different from what we normally have.

I think it would work for whatever grilled food you had leftover and great way to give them new life, instead of just warming them over.

 If you try it, let me know!  Grab a spoonful & Enjoy!

First movie trips, Breakdowns and the Reality of Her

Abigale.

Hmmm..where do you start.  

She is definitely a girl.  

She often lives up to the princess moniker we sometimes give her in love or in jest.

When she wants something, she wants it NOW.

She came out of me screaming at the top of her lungs, stiff as a board, her eyes wide open and not much has changed.

She doesn't care to be held, even when she was younger and I was still nursing her.  It was almost a fight in the end so I finally gave up at 13 or so months.

She will win any staring contest you try with her.  Like stare a hole right through you.  Try it.

I never bought it when people said their child held their head up in the hospital.  I would now.  Abigale never did the squishy baby, snuggle-down-in kind of thing.  We would try to push her head down to our shoulder or chest and she always felt like she was pushing away.  Still does.

I can remember two times in her life that she has rested her head on my chest and she was sick both instances.  I oddly cherish those moments I can steal the lovin'.

She is often inconsolable which is frustrating and can make you feel like you are not a good mom..after all, aren't you supposed to be their go-to comforter?

We joke that she is like the Hulk, you wouldn't like her when she's angry.  I secretly wonder if the steroids they gave me about a month before her birth really do have anything to do with her personality.

I realize she is almost 18 months and some of those traits are typical for her age.  But, since I only have one other child and the experiences of raising him to compare her to, her personality comes as a bit of surprise sometimes.  I know, don't compare them.  each child is different.  yeah yeah.

~

So today we went to see a free movie at the only nice theater in town.  Thank goodness mom went with me!  They were playing the Pirates That Don't Do Anything from Veggie Tales.  

Jesse was going to love it and he is fairly good in the theater.  {Loved Cars 2, by the way!}

It was Abigale's first movie in a theater.  She started wrenching within 10 minutes.  

At 15 minutes, she was screaming despite the popcorn, gummy bears, and yes, even Junior Mints I was trying to feed her.  So I left Jesse with mom and went out to the lobby.  

People might have got into the theater for free but they still wanted to enjoy the movie. 

I realized my mistake was that I was holding her. She was fine sitting on the bench with me but the holding, trapped feeling is what she didn't like.  

After about 30-40 minutes, I went back in and Jesse was sitting on mom's lap so Abigale would now have a seat.  So we tried it again and it went much better for the last 10 minutes of the movie.

Why does it take us so long to get things sometimes?  You would think I would know my own child by now.  But I think I am getting to know her more and more.

I look forward to meeting the person she is going to become.

Tonight, she was screaming long after Jesse was asleep so we went in to get her.  We let her come back out and totter around.  She kept bringing me random clothes to put on her in funny places.  I complied because, frankly, it was the first time she had done this, outside of her love of shoes and putting them on.  {Is that shoe-thing just in women at birth?}

And here is the outfit she "asked" to wear and played in for a good 10-15 minutes at least.

I could just see her little personality oozing out.  

I could see flashes of the future dress up time to come.

I look forward to meeting that future Abigale. 
But until then, I am going to enjoy the gift of her at this age. 

This gift God has entrusted me with...

{More for fun}

So lady like, right? 

Tonight Abigale is modeling a too-small jammy as her base, Jesse's USA shorts, 1 red water shoe, his jammy shirt as a necklace, his swimming trucks and YES underwear on her head.  A lovely assemble of her own choosing!

Fashionistas Look Out!