"Cuddles", Clinging, and Cooking

Wow, it's September...where does the time go? In just 4 months, Easton will turn 2. TWO!!!!! That is absolutely crazy to me. Then Baby Deuce will come along...I'm already thinking of a few things to give Easton as Christmas gifts. Last year he got so much stuff for Christmas and then his birthday 15 days later. It's nice having the only grandchild and nephew on both sides :) Heh heh heh (that's my sinister laugh). His birthday is when we're planning on doing his "big boy" room. That way he won't feel too put out by Deucie as he'll have already moved (let's hope, anyway).

Okay, I titled my post to keep me from being so chatty and what am I doing? Ugh! Anyhoo...

"CUDDLES"
This is just a cute-ish story from yesterday. Easton always sleeps with a burp cloth. I can't remember when or why we started that but he loves it. I call it his "Cuddles" (but I used to call it "burpy"). When Easton asks for it he calls it, "Ohhhhhhhh" (you know--the noise you'd make giving someone a big hug or something). Anyway...we have tons of these burp cloths and rotate them out frequently for washings and stuff. Well, yesterday I had him up on his folding chair helping me do a load of whites again. The first thing I put in was a burp cloth and Easton was so worried. He was like, "Oh!! Mama! Oh no!" and pointing into the suds. Poor guy. I told him we'd get a new, clean one. I guess I forgot that he probably doesn't realize he has a bunch of "back-ups". He likes to chew on the corners as he falls asleep. It's very sweet. It's really only a sleepy time thing, I'm glad he doesn't insist on carrying it all around the house or out in public. Or that he doesn't favor one particular cloth or anything. This way it's washable and replaceable. Whew.

CLINGING
So, I was thinking maybe the mean bully attack really did affect Easton yesterday? It's doubtful BUT, he woke up from his nap after about an hour and was whimpering pitifully (no log this time) so I went in and asked, "Do you want to rock in the chair with Mama?" and he reached up and we just sat in his rocking chair and ended up both falling back asleep for at least an hour! It was so sweet. I used to love napping in the bed with him but he won't do it anymore. So, this was the next best thing. I rested my cheek on his little forehead and we were sweating when we finally woke up. I loved our little sweet snooze.

Later in the day he seemed particularly clingy to me. Sometimes he does that but I always try to find something to blame it on: the bully attack, lots of recent babysitting by Gramoo, going out a bunch to strange places... Because he's normally so independent and non-cuddly I really try to take advantage when he's clingy--both to reassure him for his sake and then to get in a bunch of E love for my sake. Gotta strike while the iron is hot with this kid.

COOKING
Wow, I'm back! I'm finally cooking again. We used to plan out our week's worth of meals and then I'd do a shopping trip. Well, once the nausea kicked in that was out for a LONG time. So this week I was finally feeling up to planning a few meals and starting back slowly...I still have my occasional "moments" of not feeling my best so this was very smart of me. Plus I'm a lazy pregnant woman.
But, now we're talking about meals and this upcoming season of football snacks. It's great. I can even tolerate raw chicken again. Woo hoo! I know this seems minor to the non-recently preggers but it's big to me. Want to know what I made? On Monday we had ham, cornbread, and my delicious sauteed cinnamon apples. Wednesday was chicken marsala and then these yummy red potatoes from Green Giant. Last night Jason requested pancakes...but I still cooked them! Tonight we'll be enjoying a very garlicky French Farmhouse Chicken, balsalmic asparagus, and mashed potatoes. Just in time for the break in weather. Ahhh. Yay me! And, sorry Britty if I totally grossed you out talking about consuming animals. :)

Then, I got the urge today (not a craving, mind you) to make a pot roast so Easton and I headed to the store yet again to get the supplies to make my sissy's yummy dill pot roast that uses plain yogurt in the gravy. Sounds a little strange, I know, but it's quite yummy. I can't believe I'm doing all this cooking. And, I'm planning it all myself. In the past J and I would collaborate on the menu. But right now we still have to go with what I'm feeling like I can handle. Let me tell you though, he's not complaining. Those sauteed apples I make are one of his absolute faves and he's the chicken marsala fan too. Anyway... I'm back, baby!

Oh, and we went to the regular grocery store as opposed to Wal-Mart today and guess what. Easton got to ride in one of the super-cool car carts:

He's never done that before but he LOVED it. Wal-Mart doesn't have those kind of carts. He was steering all about and if I'd stop the cart to pick up something off a shelf he'd peek out the window and sign "more". First he'd usually try the other steering wheel, in case maybe the one he was using was broken and that's why we stopped. I was so excited to put him in one of those carts. I knew he'd like it. Other people were even smiling down at him asking, "Are you being a good driver?" or commenting "Look at him go!". We have Gramoo to thank for teaching him how to "drive".

And, if the car cart wasn't fun enough, we also took a ride on the penny pony. A pony ride for one cent? You can't beat that. So I put him on and he loved that too. He giggled nearly the whole time but had a hard time staying on. I spotted him a little as his legs are way too short to reach the "stirrups" and there's not much else to brace yourself with up on the slippery horse. At one point I was taking a video and he fell off. Oops! He was fine and got right back on. I felt a little bad but he didn't mind one bit. Gotta love that kid. I took pictures of him enjoying his first pony ride but because he's moving they're blurry. Darn. Here they are anyway:


And with that, I'm off! Giddy up!