WILW

I'm linking up with Jamie for What I'm Loving Wednesday...

Today I am LOVING all the new fun recipes I have been trying. I love to cook and have been trying to make time every day to get a yummy and healthy dinner together. 

In the crockpot right now I have stuffed chicken cooking...this is going to be so awesome (I hope) over wild rice! 

Here is the recipe, luckily I had everything on hand already. None of these ingredients are too crazy!

Recipe is from a Rival CrockPot cookbook. 

6 boneless chicken breasts

8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

3 cups chopped fresh spinach leaves

1/3 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped

1 teaspoon minced lemon peel

1 teaspoon dried basil, oregano, or mint (used basil)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 can diced tomatoes, undrained

1/2 cup olives (omitted because Brian does not like olives)

1. Place chicken breast between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Using tenderizer mallet, pound breasts until about 1/4 inch thick. Repeat with remaining chicken.
2. Combine feta, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon peel, basil, garlic powder, and pepper in medium bowl. 
3. Lay pounded chicken, smooth side down, on work surface. Place approximately 2 tablespoons feta mixture on wide end of breast. Roll tightly. Repeat with remaining chicken. 
4. Place rolled chicken, seam side down, in crock-pot. Top with diced tomatoes with juice and olives. 
5. Cover; cook on low 5 1/2 to 6 hours or on high 4 hours.

At the last minute, I decided to top it off with some fresh mushrooms! I had some mushrooms I needed to use and I thought they would be a nice touch :) 

It is a pretty healthy meal which makes it a winner in my book! Brett and Emma will be having rice cereal :)

I'm ready for my dinner, mom!

February mommas - 4 month wakeful??

     I was on thebump.com and read about the 4 month wakeful. I had heard of it before but thought it was something to do with teething.


     After a little further research, I read descriptions of EXACTLY how our nights are going. Brett and Emma are waking more in the night than they did a month ago. And they are waking up happy...wanting to play. Or screaming, wanting to play. It could be 1AM, 4AM...doesn't matter. We have tried pacifiers, feeding, even a few minutes of entertainment. I am hoping it passes soon! 


     Here is a Q&A thread from thebump.com with some tips from other moms. I hope some of you find this helpful- Q&A:4 month wakeful


      It looks like we are going to need to do a little more sleep training. Brian said I should sleep somewhere else for the night and he will "take care of it." Haha...anyone want to go to Vegas?? 

  

4 months old!!

    Brett and Emma turned 4 months old last week. WOW! They are growing so fast, it's unbelievable. We are already 1/3 of the way to their first birthday party - which I am planning already! 


     At their 4-month check-up we got the OK to start on solids. Fun stuff...we started with rice cereal. 

I followed the instructions on the box, clearly too much cereal!

Emma loves it!

Brett would rather have his bib!

     Our pediatrician said we can introduce foods in any order, but to wait about 5 days between foods when introducing something new. This can help to detect any possible allergies or reactions to new foods. 


     Any moms looking for information on starting solids can find a lot of information at www.wholesomebabyfoods.com. Whether you are interested in purees or baby led weaning, the website has a lot of information, recipes, tips, etc. for introducing solids and helping your child to be a healthy eater that chooses a wide variety of foods to eat! 

                  So...for the 4-month stats:

Emma: 13 lbs, 14 ounces. 
Brett: 15 lbs, 7 ounces. 


They are both in the 50% for their weight and head circumference. Brett is in the 50% for height and Emma is in the 75th! They are actually the same height (around 24 inches), but they are on different boy/girl growth charts. 


We have been having a lot of fun lately, as always :) Luckily, I have the pictures to prove it!

Hanging in Brett's crib, watching the mobile.

Brett hearing a bedtime story from Daddy.

Emma in her favorite play yard!

Post-bath cuteness!

More post-bath cuteness!

Back to Back Baby Blogs!

Brett: Hello again!

Emma:  Let us first appologize for our mommy.  She has not written a blog since we stole her computer last time.  Its not her fault...

Brett:  she has been very busy!

Emma: yeah, that and we totally hid her computer from her!

Brett: OH YEAH!  In yo face momma!

Emma:  We've been able to to take things lately, since learning to use these mysterious objects at the end of our arms.
Brett: Yeah they are good for grabbing stuff, but they are also delicious! Now if only I could figure out how to grab the camera from the paparazzi!

Emma: Today we ate rice cereal for the first time.

Brett: not impressed!

Emma: I thought it was okay

Brett: Do they make steak cereal?

Emma: do they make baby muzzles?

Brett: Heyyyyyy

Emma:  J/K

Both: well, bye for now....

Oh the places you'll go....out to eat

Emma:  Mommy and Daddy take us lots of places
Brett: yeah, thanks!
Emma: We've been to the Aquarium, the Pier, and to a Lightning game to name a few of the places.
Brett: But the places mommy and daddy have taken us the most are restaurants!
Emma: Nice ones too!
Brett: Here is a list of all the restaurants we've visited since 2/1/11 (the best day ever)

Bascom's Chop House
PF Changs
Maggiano's
Parkshore Grill
Marchands
Cassis
The Columbia
Bella Brava
Sonny's BBQ
Carmelita's
The Cheesecake Factory
Champs
Casa Tina
Timpano Chop House
Boulevard Bistro
Bonefish Grill
Fuji Yama
The Lime
MJ's
Oishi (thai)

Brett: is that it?
Emma: I think so
Brett: What a twin brotha can't get reservation at Bern's
Emma: You'd probably sleep through it anyway.
Brett: Just as well, all I ever get is Similac advance
Emma: Mommy said that will change soon.
Brett: STEAK!!!!
Emma: more like rice cereal
Brett: Major bummer!

Emma: Well, that's all the time we have today ladies and gentleman. For Brett Boksen, I'm Emma Boksen, have a good night.
Brett: ....and don't forget to have your pets spayed and neutered

Where we've been!

     I know I have been a pretty bad blogger lately! But it is quite the balancing act taking care of the two cutest babies, two adorable puppies, my home, and being back in school. We are keeping very very busy around here!!


   Last weekend we went to the Taste of Pinellas in downtown St. Petersburg. We didn't stay long because it was so hot! But we did have some fun in the time we were there.

Brian wearing Brett, me wearing Emma!

     Brian's playoff beard has grown very quickly! And everyone thought he looked just like Zach Galifinakis in 'The Hangover' when he wore Brett in the Baby Bjourn. 

Hangover Shot

     The rest of the week was pretty normal. I took Brett and Emma on some adventures but for the most part there wasn't too much going on. Until Thursday - when Brian decided he wanted to go to Boston for game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. (That's hockey - FYI!) It was a last minute trip and we didn't plan on staying long. I was so excited at the idea of a last minute trip that I said yes immediately, and Brian booked our tickets! And then it hit me....I was scared to leave Brett and Emma overnight. Not because I didn't trust Brian's mom to take care of them, but because I hadn't anticipated being away from them so soon. Luckily everything was fine and Brian and I were able to make the most of the trip, with a few check-ins and constant photo updates :) 

    The trip itself was OK. I did enjoy some time with Brian and a break from all my motherly duties. It was nice only having to wipe one butt for a few hours! hahaha! But if anyone was watching the game, I am sure you can understand why us Tampa Bay Lightning fans weren't too thrilled with the outcome! And some of the Boston Bruins fans didn't do anything to make us feel welcome in their city. So there is  my mixed review. It was OK, but I can guarantee that we will probably never see Boston again. I did get a couple of pictures though! (Of course!)

Quincy Market

Holocaust Memorial near Quincy Market

Enjoying a Sam Adams Boston Lager

And here are some of the great pictures that got us through our overnight stay....

Emma relaxing!

Brett looking for his thumb.

Best friends playing together!

     

Welcome, Hunter!!

     My little sister, Rosie, had a baby boy on May 12 - Brian's birthday!! His name is Hunter Robert and he was born 5 weeks early.

     He had a week-long NICU stay and then was able to come home with Rosie and her fiance, John. Even though it was hard for Rosie to be leave the hospital without Hunter, she did need the time to get the nursery ready and some other baby items because she was not prepared at 35 weeks! (Really, who is??) Hunter was actually born two days before her baby shower. She was released from the hospital that morning so she made it just in time :) It all worked out and now they are all home together, snuggling up!!

     Brett and Emma cannot meet Hunter for a little while :( He can't be around large crowds, babies, or kids for almost two months. But we have shown them lots of pictures and I know they cannot wait to meet Hunter and go on lots of play dates. When I got my new car one of my first thoughts was "yay now we can fit three car seats back here and go places with Hunter and Rosie!!"

     AND he was a big boy for a preemie. 6 lbs, 10 ounces at 35 weeks!

Introducing Hunter Robert........

Hunter Robert

Hunter and Daddy

Leaving the hospital in the car seat we got him :)

Adorable!!

Hunter and mommy!!