Blogger's Block

When people don't blog for a whole week, I usually assume they are up to all sorts of fun and exciting things. I await the next post enlightening me to all that has unfolded in the previous week. I wrote this because perhaps you are thinking the same thing about me, but alas, I just haven't felt like blogging lately. Sorry. I feel like I have had a hard time catching up from Christmas. Having Jeromy home, decorations out, extra meals to make, I feel behind. We have had alot of company over the last couple of weeks which has been wonderful, but definitely more work. I need to have a couple of "company" meals that are easy, go to meals when I have alot of people to cook for. Something that can be done mostly before hand that isn't complicated. I seem to bust out the fancy, high prep meals for guests and then spend too much time in the kitchen. I enjoy hospitality and want it to stay a joy, so coming up with some easier meals I think will help. Any suggestions? (We are allergic to wheat and dairy, so don't say lasagne!)

Here are some random pictures from the last couple of weeks.


Here is Ellie trying to watch the TV that was on.


We need to work on the "group photo."


Ellie's trick to keeping the binky in her mouth. She just puts her fist over it and holds it in. Too cute! She doesn't go to sleep at night with the binky and I still have her wearing a t-shirt that has her hands covered, but she has such a need for sucking that she wakes up with soaking wet "paws." I am afraid that if I let her hands out she will start sucking her thumb. She sucks on her fingers alot, but hasn't managed to get the thumb in there yet. We have encountered some rocky road with nursing the last few weeks as well. Some days she screams and turns her head when I try to nurse her. She is getting really "busy" and doesn't like to lie down, so I thought maybe that was the cause. I am also afraid it could be a food allergy that is bothering her tummy and making her not want to nurse. I looked in my nursing book for some answers, but it didn't help very much. I think she is teething already too. Before you say that she is only 3 months old, Bennett got in his first tooth a few days before his 4th month. Ughhh! Nursing babies with teeth are not my friend, so I was hoping Ellie would hold off awhile. Rachel got her first tooth at about 6 months. She has been drooly and fussy too, so I don't really know what the lack of interest in nursing is. The book said that she should be nursing 7-8 times a day and I CANNOT get her to nurse more than 6 times. She is gaining weight and looks healthy, so I am trying not to stress about it (at least not too much!) It seems to help if I go into a dark, quiet room, but how impractical is that around my house. For now, I am doing whatever I need to so that she nurses at least 6 times, and I've gone off chocolate and wine because I thought maybe one of those was bothering her. If it continues I will probably check corn and soy as well, but with my current gluten/dairy free diet what will I eat? Right now, Jeromy is saying MEAT! At least she has a mama that is willing to do whatever it takes for her to be healthy. I am waiting for a baby with no food allergies, that's for sure. I think it will take adoption to get that!