tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47326520637543914402024-03-05T00:55:50.422-08:00Petal & ThornTo Have, To Hold, and To Wear...Kristin @ Petal and Thornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07853597551114837986noreply@blogger.comBlogger282125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732652063754391440.post-10885029762195122352015-12-23T14:46:00.000-08:002015-12-23T15:11:00.216-08:00Matteo's First Birthday Party<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pesto greeting the guests.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Ugly dry cakes. But hey, Matteo was impressed!</td></tr>
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A rainbow colored costume party with $20.00 worth of decor (streamers and balloons.) Really good food (salmon and chicken kabobs from<a href="http://www.grillhut.com/"> Grill Hut</a>). Red wine served at 10:30am with no shame. No games, favors or planned activities whatsoever, except the awesome balloon artist who kept everyone entertained (my one and only splurge). My paleo cakes came out a little dry and ugly, but that's alright. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">wake up birthday boy! the party's already begun!</td></tr>
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It was the best party I've ever thrown. Know why? Because I've finally learned the key to throwing parties, at least for an <a href="http://highlysensitivemom.com/">HSP</a> like myself. Parties are about relationships. Just being festive with family and friends. A chance for doting aunties and grandmas to snuggle with the birthday boy and celebrate his first year of life. Parties should not be stressful. Not for anyone, especially the birthday boy. Even Matteo had a blast! </div>
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I felt like such a rebel! Like a total bada$$. As someone who used to make events beautiful for a living, it's not easy for me to throw out all the high expectations of what makes a "good" party. But I've changed so much in the last few years. My home and my life are so much simpler, so why shouldn't my parties be? I suddenly felt united with the mothers of yesteryear. Those moms who just slapped up some streamers, blew up a few balloons, defrosted a Sarah Lee, and put out a bowl of punch. Those moms knew how to party. </div>
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I wouldn't have been able to do it without my awesome party planner, Sisi!!! She decided everything, from the colors to the food to the theme. She helped me bake the cakes and paint the posters. It was a great way to give her a little ownership over the party, which helped to curb the jealousy factor. After all, it's the first birthday party in the house that hasn't revolved around her. And even more importantly, it was a way to keep my hands off. My parties tend to start off small, and get crazier and more complex as they draw near. Sisi knew what was really important, so we stuck with that. </div>
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I've decided to throw parties every other year, alternating between Matteo and Sisi. Since both their birthdays are right around the holidays, I can't realistically do both. I will definitely make it easy on myself and let the kids plan their own parties from now on. They are way better at this than I am!!!</div>
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<br />Kristin @ Petal and Thornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07853597551114837986noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732652063754391440.post-70833297357791611302015-12-19T20:42:00.003-08:002015-12-19T20:42:37.315-08:00Matteo is 1 Year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My rosy-cheeked, crooked-smile baby turned one last week. I didn't even cry or get emotional. I just feel proud! I am so proud of how he is growing, and how he explores the world around him. How content and centered he is. I'm proud of him just for being Matteo, his own precious and unique self. Matteo is such a cuddler. We spent much of the year hard-core nuzzling. Sniffing each other, resting cheek to cheek. Long nursing sessions where he gazes into my eyes and never pulls away first. He would probably nurse for an hour if he could. <br />
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I remember feeling a sense of regret and sadness when Sisi turned 1. I really struggled through the first year emotionally, and felt like I missed so much. I am so relieved to say that this year was the opposite. This was actually the most balanced, calm, centered year of my life. Isn't that crazy? It wasn't without sleepless nights, meltdowns, sibling rivalry. We also lost my kids' only Grandpa, which was devastating. But overall, a sense of peace and confidence reigned in me and my household. I think we finally found our rhythm, and Matteo fell into it so naturally.<br />
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It's so neat to watch him climb the bridge that Joe made for Sisi three Christmases ago. </div>
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Matteo at a Glance: <br />
<br />
<ul>
<li> At his doctor visit a few weeks ago, he was 18.5 lbs. Still pretty small, but climbing up the charts. He is outgrowing his 12 month clothes, at least length-wise! He is 50th percentile for height, 10th for weight. </li>
<li>His crawling is more efficient and symmetrical now. Starting to climb onto low things like the doggy beds. Standing up, but on tip toes and bent over like a hunchback. No cruising yet. </li>
<li>He's very task-oriented these days and will repeat the same procedure fifty times until he gets it right. I watched him replace the cap to his bottle over and over for a good 10 minutes, a proud grin on his face each time he was successful. </li>
<li>Little scientist. Loves to thoroughly explore an object from all angles. If I pour a stream of water into the bath, he will put his hand in at the top, then the bottom, repeat 10 times, then stick his face in and decide he's not going to do that again. </li>
<li>Right handed I think (unlike Sisi and Joe and the many other left-handed relatives we have.) </li>
<li>Loves to groove to fast music. Flails his arms and legs rhythmically and pants like a dog to the beat.</li>
<li>Favorite toys are a toothbrush with a smidge of toothpaste on it, dog toys, and books. </li>
<li>Foods: becoming pickier about some types of fish, but still eats almost anything we give him. His recent favorites are meatballs, chicken drumsticks, sweet potatoes, guacamole, tuna salad, and any kind of fruit. </li>
<li>Words: still mama, dada, dog dog, and now has added "yeah" to his repertoire. </li>
<li>Amazing self-control. He will crawl toward the Christmas tree or the dog water bowl ready to make mischief. But if I tell him, "No, Matteo. Please don't touch," he will look at me, shake his head no, and stay away from it. It amazes me every time! </li>
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I love you to pieces, sweet boy. Here's to another magical year!<br />
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Kristin @ Petal and Thornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07853597551114837986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732652063754391440.post-32178111116596123272015-11-24T15:18:00.001-08:002015-11-24T15:18:34.161-08:00Matteo is 11 Months! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
This month was major for Mattay. He grew up so much. He bonded with Daddy while I was on my one week trip to Costa Rica. While I was gone, he began crawling on hands and knees. He now prefers to scoot forward on his tush while propelled by one foot and one knee. It's a bizarre way to get around, but it works! </div>
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These pictures were taken a few minutes after he crawled off this chair and face-planted into the tile floor. Yes, I turned my back for a few seconds to grab the camera. I'm sooo sorry boo boo! But you can see from these pics that he bounces back quickly. He is such a resilient, sweet (and forgiving) baby.</div>
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Matteo at a glance:<br />
<ul>
<li>A male cashier at Target remarked, "His eyes are so fascinating. It's like he's looking right into my soul. Where'd he get eyes like that?" </li>
<li>Just like that, at exactly 11 months, his hair stopped sticking up. I guess it got so long and heavy that it could no longer defy gravity. </li>
<li>He can say "dada" and "mama" and Joe swears he said "dog dog" but I was not there to verify. I think he can say "baba" for bottle but time will tell.</li>
<li>6 teeth! 4 on top, 2 on bottom. He is a moderate teether- typically gets a low fever and might have trouble falling back to sleep. But nothing too dramatic.</li>
<li>Sleeping well through the night. One short nap in the morning, one longer in the afternoon typically.</li>
<li>Growing, finally! Haven't weighed him in a while, but he fits into 12 month clothes just fine, so I assume he is on track now. </li>
<li>Nursing 6 times a day to build my supply back up after my trip. Also having a small bottle of raw goat's milk to supplement. </li>
<li>Now on 3 solid meals a day. Breakfast is "baby smoothie"- raw egg yolk, goat kefir and fruit blended. Lunch is puree or bits of whatever cheese, meat, and vegetables Sisi is eating. Dinner is some kind of meat/fish, some veggies, and fruit for dessert. </li>
<li>He seems to be getting pickier about food. He just spits out what he doesn't want or is unable to swallow, which makes our dogs Pesto and Basil very happy. He is still a remarkable eater though. </li>
<li>Fascinated by doors and gates, dog water bowls, and the water draining into the tub. </li>
<li>He barely noticed I was gone for a week in Costa Rica. He enjoyed his adventures and outings with his daddy so much, and drank all his bottles like a champ. When I came home, he stared at me like I was a ghost, like, "You look familiar, lady, but I can't put my finger on it." Then he buried his face in Joe's chest and wouldn't look at me for a few minutes. When I tried to nurse him he kept biting down and forgot what to do. Then it came back to him, he settled into my lap, and remembered that I am his mommy. Didn't realize I was so dispensable! jk. </li>
<li>He sometimes puts sand or pebbles in his mouth, but takes them back out with his fingers. I believe you should let babies figure out what is edible or not by themselves. I realized that if you are always reaching into their mouths to grab stuff away from them, you add stress and confusion to the situation, and make them want to do it more. </li>
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I can't believe we have only 1 more monthly update left! The other day, Sisi and I had a party planning meeting for Matteo's 1st Birthday. I brewed some tea and toasted some paleo bread with strawberry jam, and Sisi decided on colors (rainbow), theme (costume party), decor (balloons and streamers) refreshments (cheese platter, lamb and steak kabobs, salad), and cake (vanilla cake with vanilla frosting.) It won't be pinterest-worthy, but it will be swell and heartfelt! </div>
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<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/146838765" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe> <p><a href="https://vimeo.com/146838765">Matteo crawling</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user30494557">kristin brancaleone</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Kristin @ Petal and Thornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07853597551114837986noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732652063754391440.post-87336962599519068172015-10-14T20:52:00.000-07:002015-10-14T20:52:07.959-07:00Matteo is 10 Months!I've been told he looks like a baby Marlon Brando. He is dreamy, isn't he? <br />
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I adore him from spiky head to tiny curled toes. Knowing that he's probably my last baby, I am savoring him. When I rock him or nurse him, I sniff him, kiss him, rub noses, and rub my cheek against his cheek with a big smile on my face. Maybe it's overkill, but I don't want to take his delicious babyness for granted. <br />
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<br />
Matteo at a Glance:<br />
<ul>
<li>Growing! Thanks to the generosity of a friend, I am able to give him a few extra ounces of breastmilk a day. Even that small amount has made a difference in his chub factor and his demeanor. </li>
<li>Scooting around on his belly across the room. Has ventured out of his room a few times at Sisi's prompting (she sets up little toy "rewards" along the way). But still not that ambitious about moving around. </li>
<li>As of today, pulls to standing, but still very wobbly! </li>
<li>Eating like a champ! Two solid meals plus 5 or 6 nursings/bottles a day. His recent culinary adventures include blood sausage, lamb brain puree, and ahi poke. Now he prefers small bits he can feed himself over purees. Good pincer grasp- even able to pick up those slippery salmon eggs. </li>
<li>Sleeping <i>miraculously </i>well. </li>
<li>Currently in the thick of Wonder Week 46. Not seeing too much clinginess or moodiness right now. Only a few abnormal behaviors that I've noticed- he's crying himself to sleep lately, which is unusual. He's so tired that the crying only lasts a few minutes and then he's out. Also, he seems extra sensitive to loud noises (especially his sister's random outbursts.) </li>
<li>4 teeth! Sicilian gap tooth coming through :)</li>
<li>Claps with one hand and one fist. </li>
<li>Imitating some consonant sounds. For example, when I say Sisi, he will say "sss, sss, sss".</li>
<li>Separation anxiety has melted away. For now, he's easy to pass around and doesn't mind being babysat. This can change at any time. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This video is kind of boring, but I've found that the videos I cherish most over the years are the ones of everyday life. The everyday expressions, movements, and sounds that you can't consciously remember. When you see them on video, your heart remembers and you're brought back to those moments. And then you cry because time is marching on way too fast. </div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/142317111" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <br />
<a href="https://vimeo.com/142317111">Matteo and Siena 10/2015</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user30494557">kristin brancaleone</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.Kristin @ Petal and Thornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07853597551114837986noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732652063754391440.post-39434139898041895212015-09-12T20:01:00.000-07:002015-09-12T20:01:34.815-07:00Matteo is 9 Months! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>9 months in the belly, 9 months out! </b>Can barely remember life without Matteo. And pregnancy seems like eons away.<br />
<br />
Matteo is expressing his opinions more now (lots of baby tantrums!) and is quite vocal about his needs. But he is able to calm himself down pretty quickly. His mood changes every minute. He's been a bit clingy- always wants either me, Sisi or Joe playing near him. It's a little hard on me because at this age, Sisi was happy to play on her own for long stretches in her crib or playpen. I was a little spoiled. Matteo is not on board with "alone time" most days! But we're still working on it. <br />
<br />
It's been a month of incredible sleep. No complaints in the sleep department right now, as little guy has finally resumed sleeping through the night consistently. Round of applause!<br />
<br />
As a mom, it's hard to admit when you need help, but I may have to reach out for some breastmilk donations soon. Teo is healthy, but verrrry small. He's not gaining much weight from month to month. His pediatrician was not concerned, but I am a little. He almost always cries when I'm done nursing him, and I wonder if he's not satisfied. My instinct is telling me I need to supplement. I'm trying to boost my supply but not seeing a lot of improvement. I should totally be ok with this, since I supplemented with Sisi around 9 months too. It's my pride and perfectionism that is telling me I must do it all myself. He's my last baby and it's my last chance to prove myself! But prove what? Mommy guilt is the worst! I'm working on it.<br />
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Matteo at a Glance:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>3 teeth!</li>
<li>Recently able to chew and swallow some more solid foods, like ground beef, caviar, sardines, salmon, cheese, and melon. Still spoonfed most meals. Recent favorite purees are steak with asparagus and white sweet potato, beets with pork, and lamb liver with sweet potatoes and cinnamon. </li>
<li>Sushi lover! Devoured uni (raw sea urchin) and salmon eggs. I think uni is the PERFECT baby food- it's slightly sweet, mushy, creamy, and packed with healthy fats and nutrients. </li>
<li>Started scooting on his belly, but not very efficiently. Sometimes he accidentally scoots backwards and gets mad about it. Nowhere near crawling yet!</li>
<li>Sitting up well unsupported. Still tips over once in a while.</li>
<li>Drinks water from a straw! I discovered this on accident when I let him play with my iced tea.</li>
<li>We haven't pushed Sisi to embrace her new brother. We've been patient while she works out her mixed emotions. We are delighted to say that even though they were off to a rocky start, we're seeing evidence of strong bonding. She has been so tender and helpful lately. Sisi has started asking to bathe with Matteo, and loves to pet his fuzzy head, brush his hair, and feed him bits of food. The best part is that it's truly coming from her heart, with no pressure or prompting from us. Kids are pretty amazing if you give them time to shine.</li>
<li>My hairy Italian boy- peach fuzz on the face, furry eyebrows, and a slight mustache. </li>
<li>Has started bopping up and down to the beat of music with a goofy smile on his face. Loves when I sing "Winnie the Pooh".</li>
<li>Totally doesn't mind the carseat now, but not a fan of the stroller. It's a good thing he's so tiny because it's still doable to wear him a lot.</li>
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Kristin @ Petal and Thornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07853597551114837986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732652063754391440.post-54306063382601132812015-09-05T10:50:00.004-07:002015-09-05T10:51:43.808-07:00New Blog! For all you Highly Sensitive PeepsOk, so this blog has clearly become baby spam. I didn't intend to, but somewhere along the way I stopped posting about my etsy shop. I am still crafting masks almost every day (Lots of masquerade weddings these days!) but I don't really blog about them. Instead I've been journaling, with an actual pen and paper, about motherhood, postpartum depression, and being highly sensitive. I decided to type up these diary entries onto a new blog called <a href="http://highlysensitivemom.com/">Highly Sensitive Mom</a>. If you are HSP, a mom or want to be a mom, know an HSP, have a sensitive child, are introverted, or just an overthinker, you may find value in these posts. <br />
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Learn why I hate talking on the phone, why I can't drink caffeine, and how I discipline my highly sensitive child without crushing her spirit. <br />
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<b><a href="http://highlysensitivemom.com/">Click here to go to Highly Sensitive Mom! </a></b><br />
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Kristin @ Petal and Thornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07853597551114837986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732652063754391440.post-44004783856788308332015-08-17T21:16:00.001-07:002015-08-17T21:25:40.668-07:00Matteo is 8 Months!Teo, me say Teeeooo. Daylight come and me wan go home.<br />
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My smirky, babbly, serious yet fun-loving dude. Time is going too fast. He is now way closer to 1 than to zero. I love watching him grow up, but I'm also sad to lose my baby. I know, he'll be technically a baby for at least another year, but that year will whiz by and I'll have no more babies (unless God really surprises us.) His two tiny teeth will become a mouth full of chompers. His caterpillar fuzz will flatten out. I know it just gets better and better, but growing up is bittersweet. Makes me treasure each drooly kiss, each gummy chuckle, each raspberry. <br />
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Matteo at a glance:</div>
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<li>His head is ridiculously fuzzy. Everyone admires his spiky coif! I love to bury my nose in it. </li>
<li>First cousin playdate with several of his out of town "first-cousins-once-removed", Eudora, Ronan, and baby Miles, just 2 weeks younger than him. Such a special time!</li>
<li>Loves playing in the sandbox and at the beach. Doesn't eat too much sand. </li>
<li>Sitting up pretty well on his own. Falls down once in a while.</li>
<li>Still not crawling! </li>
<li>Very musically inclined! Mesmerized by my sub-par banjo playing. Loves to drum on pots and pans. </li>
<li>Likes to make sounds in general. Raspberries, fart sounds, babbles, scratching surfaces with his fingernails. </li>
<li>Starting to throw any and everything. </li>
<li>Two teeth and counting! </li>
<li>Still sleeping through the night about 50% of the time. Waiting patiently for the number to increase :) </li>
<li>Used to be a mini-Joe, but I think he's starting to look like me a little bit. Still doesn't look Korean at all! He is all Italiano! </li>
<li>Loving solids, although still only eating purees. He is not quite able to chew and swallow yet unless the food is super mushy. His recent favorite is lamb heart pureed with zucchini, carrots, cinnamon and coconut milk. </li>
<li>We've started giving tiny bits of fruit- loves it! </li>
<li>I'm nursing him a lot these days- about every 2 to 3 hours during the day, because he's so itty bitty I want to give him lots of the good stuff. Plus, it's been really hot and dry here in socal. </li>
<li>Loves his daddy! Joe is able to comfort him and put him to sleep just as easily as I can, at least for now. I'm so grateful for this since I'm leaving for Costa Rica (just me and my friend!) in November and Joe will be watching both kiddos for a week. I know, crazy! </li>
<li>Still adores Sisi unconditionally. Sisi is coming around more and more. I love listening to them babble to each other and crack each other up in the back seat of the car. </li>
<li>Sadly, had to say goodbye to his beloved Grandpa Sam this month. I will always cherish the sweet moments and silly smiles they shared. I know Grandpa delighted in Matteo, and did until his last days. </li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">miss you already, dear Grandpa.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eudora (2), Matteo (8 months), Miles (7 months)</td></tr>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/136561255" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <br />
<a href="https://vimeo.com/136561255">MVI 2978</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user30494557">kristin brancaleone</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.Kristin @ Petal and Thornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07853597551114837986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732652063754391440.post-17093840518878462972015-07-14T10:36:00.000-07:002015-07-14T10:36:25.542-07:00Matteo is 7 Months!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Still delightful. Still warming hearts with his gummy smile and dreamy brown eyes. I adore this boy from head to toe. My favorite moments with him are in the morning. I walk into his room and he is fussy and grouchy in his little zipadee zip sleep sack. I shouldn't say this, but I LOVE his grumpy face. Then I nurse him, and he gets all sleepy again, a soft curled up baby in my arms. We spend 10 minutes cuddling in the chair while the rest of the house is still asleep, and he looks around his room with a renewed sense of wonder and amusement. Every day is exciting and new to this little guy.<br />
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He is starting to recognize words. If I say, "Where's Basil and Pesto?" he will scan the floor for the dogs. I say "daddy" and he smiles expectantly. When we're nursing, I say "other side" and he pulls off to switch. It's amazing what a baby can learn and process at such a young age. </div>
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Matteo at a glance:</div>
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<ul>
<li>He's a small fry. He didn't gain any weight between 4 and 6 months. That's crazy, right? However, because he's nursing well, is so healthy, sleeping well and content between feedings, the pediatrician didn't seem concerned at all. I'm a teeny bit concerned, so I've increased his nursing sessions during the day and am giving him nutrient dense solids.</li>
<li>6 month clothes fit him best, but he can still fit into his 3 month onesies. Like I said, he's a small fry.</li>
<li>We have added daily reading to the bedtime routine. His favorite book by far is "I Love You Through and Through", which Sisi also loved. The pictures of the boy and his bear are so expressive. He does a funny grunt of approval, like "hhhhunh" each time he sees the boy's face. </li>
<li>No teeth yet! But I see a raw white bump on his bottom gums. </li>
<li>Likes to mimic sounds like raspberries, fake coughs and fart sounds. He LOVES when I fake cough at him. </li>
<li>Loving solid foods- especially the more complex combinations of proteins,veggies and herbs.</li>
<li>The mysterious birth mark above his right eye disappeared this month! </li>
<li>Killer tan from daily naked time in the sun and beach trips at least once a week. </li>
<li>Sleeping through the night more and more (about 50/50 chance). I'm now limiting him to one feeding per night so he will eat well during the day.</li>
<li>Two naps at approximately 9:30 and 2pm. Bedtime around 7 or 7:30, wakes up around 6:30 or 7am. </li>
<li>He is making strides toward mobility, but in a very type-B non-aggressive kind of way. He is strategically rolling his way toward toys and reaching and pivoting while on his back. He can cover some decent ground this way. But he's never attempted to crawl or use his arms to scooch, which I'm totally ok with :) He still seems content to observe the world on his back. </li>
<li>I secretly love when he tries to eat my chin or nose or fingers (baby hickies). <br />
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</li>
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<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/133411477" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe> <p><a href="https://vimeo.com/133411477">MVI 2883</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user30494557">kristin brancaleone</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Kristin @ Petal and Thornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07853597551114837986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732652063754391440.post-34013346764969418442015-07-07T20:56:00.000-07:002015-07-07T20:56:41.358-07:00Paleo Baby #2: Matteo's Solid Food Plan <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am grateful that my husband pushed to raise Sisi on a paleo diet from the very beginning. When Sisi first started solids 4 years ago, I wasn't even on the paleo diet yet. I was just dipping my toes in, and not fully convinced that it was the best diet for adults, let alone babies. I decided it couldn't hurt to raise Sisi paleo. She immediately took to healthy foods and we've never really had food battles with her. Mealtimes are generally happy and stress-free for us, and I attribute that to starting off with savory nutritious foods, coupled with the<a href="http://karenlebillon.com/books/"> "French Rules" </a>and the fact that she just LOVES to eat- that definitely helps. <br />
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Now it's just second nature to feed Matteo paleo. He turned 6 months a few weeks ago, so he's only had a few different things. He seems willing to try anything, but will only actually consume it if it's very smooth and liquidy. Most of it ends up on the bib or his face, but that's ok with me. I just want him to get used to different tastes. I know milk is his primary source of nutrients until 1 year.<br />
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<b>Our Strategy: </b><br />
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In theory, we like the idea of baby-led weaning (no spoon feeding, baby feeds himself chunks of soft food) but we also like the French way of eating (starts with simple vegetable purees, then they get chunkier and more complicated over time.) Since France has the lowest rate of child obesity in the developed world, and French kids are renowned for eating well, the French method won. <br />
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Before 6 months I'd given him little tiny bites of raw butter and coconut oil to make sure he wasn't sensitive to them. I knew we'd want to mix these into the purees right away. So far everything has been either steamed or lightly pressure cooked and pureed with breastmilk to a soup-like consistency. At this point, we're still nursing 5 times a day (plus occasional night feedings) and doing 2 solid meals per day (lunch and dinner.) Once again, I'm talking an ounce at the most. <br />
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I make a batch of food at a time (for example, steam a filet of salmon with some zucchini in the pressure cooker, then blend it with butter and milk in my mini blender.) I serve some right away, and freeze some in silicone storage trays for later. On days when I don't have time to cook, I take out a few different frozen portions and blend them together with a little boiling water. The boiling water warms it to the perfect temperature and helps it blend more easily.<br />
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Lunch is his heaviest meal, usually containing egg yolks or meat, and dinner is usually some veggies mixed with some kind of fat (butter, breastmilk, or coconut oil). <br />
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We are holding off on fruit, like we did with Sisi. In our family, fruit is a special treat or dessert served after the meal, similarly to the French. You should see Sisi's eyes light up when someone offers her a piece of orange or a berry. The farmer's market samples are her candy store. <br />
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I know you're supposed to start off super slow to catch reactions, and I kind of did. I waited a day or two between new foods. But after a few weeks, I couldn't resist mixing and matching and starting to add more interesting herbs and spices. I really want food to be delightful for him. I'm excited for him to try basil, oregano, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc. <br />
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First foods in order of introduction. *= actually ate more than a few spoonfuls.<br />
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<ul>
<li>steamed zucchini with raw butter</li>
<li>avocado with lightly cooked egg yolk</li>
<li>*egg yolk with lamb heart</li>
<li>*egg yolk with salmon and raw butter</li>
<li>carrots with butter</li>
<li>*egg yolk and breastmilk</li>
<li>avocado slices (didn't eat them)</li>
<li>green beans and carrots with butter</li>
<li>*green beans and salmon with coconut oil</li>
<li>sweet potato with butter</li>
<li>sweet potato with salmon</li>
<li>salmon with coconut milk and dill</li>
<li>*mahi mahi with butter and breastmilk</li>
<li>*lamb liver with spinach, butter and mint</li>
</ul>
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So far, he seems to prefer the protein meals instead of the veggies. When I try to give him avocado, he looks both confused and repulsed. He didn't even like sweet potatoes with butter, to my great surprise. His faves have been the egg yolk, pureed lamb heart, lamb liver, and pureed salmon mixed with veggies.<br />
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I bought the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/B%C3%A9b%C3%A9-Gourmet-French-Inspired-Recipes-Adventurous/dp/1615190708">Bebe Gourmet </a>for some new puree ideas. The combinations are creative and elegant! Elegant baby food- it's possible. I use the book more as inspiration, since many of the recipes are not paleo.<br />
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I truly hope we are raising another awesome eater! You just do what you can and hope it all works out. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaKeLm7PksIa6OYaG5ECkUYYDHAKIoAlvisRsMprMCMJ6CgftqHxSk7st_pG1TtN4OhzkPmqWlwV1bFU4Hr-0Q_VYo-KHlupeW60x2snW-4iiM5uN9qhTXIUxkrTaoHakMyr2YkzS9a8k/s1600/IMG_2813.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaKeLm7PksIa6OYaG5ECkUYYDHAKIoAlvisRsMprMCMJ6CgftqHxSk7st_pG1TtN4OhzkPmqWlwV1bFU4Hr-0Q_VYo-KHlupeW60x2snW-4iiM5uN9qhTXIUxkrTaoHakMyr2YkzS9a8k/s640/IMG_2813.jpg" width="640" /></a>Kristin @ Petal and Thornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07853597551114837986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732652063754391440.post-90086348760222118652015-06-12T10:28:00.001-07:002015-06-12T10:48:16.607-07:00Matteo is 6 Months! <br />
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We've already reached the halfway mark! It has really flown by, and it's been mostly lovely. Matteo is such an even-keeled baby. Even on hectic days, he remains pretty zen. <br />
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He does have his limits though- he likes to be in bed by 7pm, and if I stretch him too far past that, he gets quite fussy. He also wants to eat every 2 to 3 hours, sometimes even more, no negotiations. But his fussiness isn't usually wailing and screaming, it's more sad faces, silent cries, and whimpers. I can handle silent cries and whimpers. <br />
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I think he's incredibly secure for a baby. Not only has he been soothing himself to sleep since 5 days old, but I can already see good coping skills during the day, too. He is able to distract himself when he's feeling tired or lonely. He has incredible patience. Although he's getting more active and wiggly, he is pretty content to sit back and watch the world go by. It also means he's not super ambitious with the milestones, but we don't mind him taking his time. Trust me, we are perfectly happy with him not being mobile. <br />
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Matteo is so in love with his big sister. Siena's silly antics make him belly laugh. We're trying to teach Sisi that she doesn't have to be his mommy figure (she is constantly lecturing him- "Matteo, don't touch that. Matteo, don't smile at me. Don't even look at me.") But he seems to admire and look up to her anyways, like she can do no wrong in his eyes. I am excited to see how their relationship develops. <br />
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Matteo at a Glance:<br />
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-Pretty consistent schedule right now. Naps at around 9:30 and 1:30, for about 1.5 hours each, then in bed around 7-7.30, up for the day around 7am. <br />
-Still waking up to eat once or twice a night, but increasingly able to go back to sleep without my intervention. I try to wait at least 10 minutes before I go in, and by that time he's often back to sleep. He gave me a nice 11 hour stretch last night, but that is a rarity and a gift.<br />
- Starting solids today!!! I was trying to find some good solid food advice, so I googled "paleo baby first foods" and stumbled upon an <a href="http://www.hellobee.com/2012/09/27/paleo-baby/">old article</a> I'd written when Sisi was a baby. That's when I realized "if it ain't broke don't fix it" and maybe we should just do exactly what we did with Sisi, since she's a very adventurous eater. So we'll start him on avocados, liver, egg yolks, fish and assorted veggies like we did with Sisi and hope for another amazing eater!<br />
-The only solids he's had so far are tiny bites of raw butter and coconut oil. He likes it. <br />
- Finally takes the bottle (kinda!) Just a few ounces, but it's allowed us to get away from some date nights.<br />
- Starting to embrace independent play. This is a skill that I highly value in my kiddos for their own good and my sanity. I don't think it comes as easily for him as it did for Sisi since he's definitely a people person, so we're being strategic about it. We started leaving him in his crib with some very simple toys for a few minutes here and there, and each day we increase the time. I'm always sure to casually say, "I'll be back" and "I'm back" so he knows I always come back and he doesn't have to be watching for me. He's now doing up to 40 mins of play in the crib, although some days he refuses.<br />
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- Our dear Mother's Helper Miss Katie has graduated from high school and can't work for us anymore :( I'm forced to go on more outings with both the kids and it's definitely becoming second nature, but we keep it simple. We go to Dana Point Baby Beach once a week, the local library every 2 weeks, walk to the grocery store and Petco, the mall, etc. But our favorite thing to do is lounge around and sunbathe in the yard. Teo has a pretty good base tan going on. <br />
-Eyes are still brownish/grayish/hazel (aka brown). Inherited daddy's luscious lashes. <br />
-A few weeks ago, he woke up with a light brown birth mark above his right eye. Weird, right?<br />
-I cannot resist his fussy caterpillar hair and his intense Dave Matthews brows.<br />
-Someone said that he has "smiling eyes", and I agree! He is not a super smiley baby (in fact, he usually looks quite serious) but his eyes are very twinkly and full of joy. <br />
-Size 6 mo clothes, not sure about height and weight but we have a well-check appt next week. I am guessing he's still exactly average. <br />
- Nicknames- Teo, Taters, Saj (his middle name is Saja)<br />
-Nighttime routine- nurse, read 2 books, put on his zipadee zip, close blinds, turn on waterfall sounds, sing the "Matteo song" and gently place in the crib.<br />
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<b>Matteo Song by Joe Brancaleone</b></div>
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<i>Matteo, Potato bug butt.</i></div>
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<i>Matteo, Sack of potatoes in a swaddle. </i></div>
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<i>Matteo, potato bug butt. </i></div>
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<i>Matteo, lots of farts after his bottle. </i></div>
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<i>He's a lot of fun, </i></div>
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<i>He's a little baby. </i></div>
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<i>He's a lot of fun,</i></div>
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<i>He's a little baby.</i></div>
Kristin @ Petal and Thornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07853597551114837986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732652063754391440.post-71210013656013993302015-05-26T11:31:00.001-07:002015-05-26T11:31:37.248-07:00Do This Everyday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Real talk here... I'm exceedingly happy in my role as a mom, but in recent days I've been having these brief (thankfully passing) moments of dread that interrupt my contentment. Maybe not even dread, but a<i> heaviness</i>. Like a super duper mild version of the postpartum depression I suffered with Sisi. It's hard to put my finger on what or why. I think it has to do with the monotony of everyday life as a mom of two. My kids do so well with schedules and routines. Every day follows a somewhat predictable rhythm where I'm staying one step ahead of their hunger, fatigue, boredom and overstimulation. With Matteo, this routine is totally cyclical and happens 3 or 4 times a day- Wake up, nurse, diaper, play, nap. Wake up, nurse, diaper, play, nap. Over and over and over. Then I try to weave in Sisi's schedule as seamlessly as possible, and I find I'm always multitasking (which isn't really a strength of mine.)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">babywearing at dinner is the norm. that means lots of food gets dropped on matteo's fuzzy little head.</td></tr>
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Don't get me wrong, this rhythm is good and keeps us all sane. I'd rather have repetitive days than crazy chaotic days. But I find that I myself don't have a routine for my <i>own</i> needs. <i>My</i> meals, <i>my</i> showers,<i>my </i>playtime, <i>my</i> naps are never regular and sometimes just don't happen. I've managed so far to be very zen about this- to breathe and tell myself that it's ok for my own life to be a little jumbled up right now if it means giving my kids a calm and balanced life. It's a worthwhile sacrifice. </div>
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But those moments of dread still creep up a few times a day, and I don't like them. I've decided to listen to that tight-chested feeling. I think it's telling me I need to make time for my own little routines. Comfort rituals. If I can make the time to do these few things every day, I will feel a little more cared for.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Morning rituals:</b></span><br />
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1. <b>Brush teeth, use <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Thayers-Alcohol-free-Petal-Witch-Hazel/dp/B00016XJ4M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1432664684&sr=8-1&keywords=rose+water+toner">rose water toner</a> </b>(my fave! this stuff makes my face come alive, seriously. also, my pores are so small now) first thing in the morning. BEFORE I let the kids out of their rooms to start their morning rituals. As an HSP, the feeling of fuzzy teeth and an unwashed face REALLY bothers me. If I can take care of that first thing before I tend to my kids, I will feel one step ahead of the day. <br />
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2. <b>Get dressed and do makeup.</b> I've been pretty good about getting dressed thanks to my minimal wardrobe. I love everything in my closet and it's all comfortable, so it's not hard to pick something out for the day. My full makeup routine only takes 5 minutes because I prefer a really natural look, and I have a bare bones version (lip stain, powder, blush and curl lashes) that is good enough for days when I don't even have 5 mins to spare.<br />
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3. <b>Make the bed</b> (even if I know Sisi will mess it up later.) <br />
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4. <b>Stroll in the garden in the morning. </b>Sunshine is important for health and wellness, but morning sunshine between the hours of 8-11 is particularly beneficial. I don't know why, ask my husband. Anyway, morning sun just feels amazing on my skin and I love checking out the garden to see what flowers are blooming and which vegetables have popped up overnight. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Evening rituals:</b></span><br />
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Ok, the moment I've been waiting for. The kids are both tucked in, at least for a little while. The house is quiet, lights are dimmed. How should I spend this glorious hour or two before I fall into bed unconscious? The answer is not online shopping on amazon (so very tempting!)<br />
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5. <b>Do a bit of yoga. </b>Even if it's just a couple rounds of sun salutations. I sometimes feel like a hunchback with all the baby cradling, nursing, and bending down talking to tiny people I do each day. Yoga is the remedy.<br />
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6. <b>Cup of tea. </b> My favorite way to get hydrated before bed for those middle of the night feedings :) Right now I'm digging <a href="http://www.tazo.com/Product/Detail/3">Tazo Spicy Organic Ginger</a>. <br />
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7. <b>Acknowledge the dogs' existence. </b> I do feel bad that the dogs are my last priority right now. I don't have much energy left for them. But the least I can do is cuddle them and pet them for five minutes (and then immediately wash my hands because I've become very allergic to them since having kids). <br />
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8. <b>Read.</b> Preferably fiction. Feels so indulgent. My attention span for reading has grown so much since I stopped watching TV/movies. I go through a book a week at least.<br />
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9. <b>Most importantly, kiss the hubby goodnight.</b> Sometimes I'm so tired that I can't even make the effort to walk up to my husband and kiss him goodnight. That is soooo very sad. No more of that! <br />
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<b>Curious- what are your must-do rituals every day? I love to hear about how women incorporate the simple pleasures of life into their hectic days. We are definitely worth it.</b> </div>
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Kristin @ Petal and Thornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07853597551114837986noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732652063754391440.post-242316038679161192015-05-18T15:08:00.003-07:002015-05-18T15:08:23.884-07:005 Month Little Man<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Matteo is five months! He is still a delight- generally easy-going, friendly and full of smiles, chuckles and coos. He loves to be cuddled and tickled. He is very content to be held by the ankles upside-down for minutes at a time. He mouth-breathes with excitement at the dogs, gazes admiringly at his sister, and belly laughs when I kiss his neck. He isn't too phased by big crowds or loud noises (we were at my brother's college graduation and he had to put up with cheering and airhorns) which leads me to believe he is an extravert. The only extravert in our family, that's for sure. <br />
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Matteo at a Glance:<br />
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<ul>
<li>suddenly starving! waking up once, twice, or on an especially bad night three times to eat! also suddenly wants to eat every 2 hours during the day. ready for solids maybe? growth spurt? </li>
<li>unswaddled!! wears zipadee zip and peke moe so he still feels cozy and secure. </li>
<li>once Wonder Week 19 passed, he went right back to putting himself to sleep happily and napping longer stretches, thank goodness. i will honestly take that over sleeping through the night! a happy napper is my sanity! </li>
<li>rolled over a few times, but isn't obsessive about it like Sisi was. </li>
<li>definitely more interested in people and faces than in toys. </li>
<li>likes to take tiny sips of water from my cup. </li>
<li>still not a fan of the bottle! we will try a sippy cup with breastmilk soon.</li>
<li>no teeth yet</li>
<li>50th percentile for weight and height. still wearing 3-6 month digs. </li>
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<br />Kristin @ Petal and Thornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07853597551114837986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732652063754391440.post-41502829468265332662015-04-20T09:05:00.000-07:002015-04-20T20:38:55.913-07:00Matteo is 4 Months!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwPEEeQAudOmggf1p7rzzKtVNcafo0BbbZix56PNEZdkS_WtPt0SA8tPwZrsbVsuZIDrdVkA0sh2U-P_tvIMSYprJl4giwCaC9MmGwMUBuWXLgA7-WGc38jBKGxNIU34tU9KSeHu0v6wg/s1600/IMG_2618.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwPEEeQAudOmggf1p7rzzKtVNcafo0BbbZix56PNEZdkS_WtPt0SA8tPwZrsbVsuZIDrdVkA0sh2U-P_tvIMSYprJl4giwCaC9MmGwMUBuWXLgA7-WGc38jBKGxNIU34tU9KSeHu0v6wg/s1600/IMG_2618.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He keeps giving me Dave Matthews expressions.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Our little charmer is four months today. He is still a mellow, go-with-the-flow baby, although I find 4 month olds to be quite intense. He's no longer a passive observer; he needs to grab and stuff everything into his mouth. He wants to experience it all firsthand. There is so much he wants to do- the will and the energy is there, but the coordination is not. Some days, he needs extra cuddles and reassurance. Some days his naps and nights are crap, but we're getting through this phase just fine. I found this <a href="http://petalandthornhandmades.blogspot.com/2011/05/wonder-weeks-storm-clouds-and-sunshine.html">old post about Sisi and "Wonder Week 19"</a> and just had to laugh at myself a little. I remember taking Sisi's fussy periods so seriously (so personally, too!), and I would slip back into depression with each Wonder Week. It's only funny now, it wasn't then. I thank God almost every day that I am feeling so sane and balanced this time around. And HAPPY. I enjoy both my kiddos so much I get butterflies when I look at them. I expected to be a total wreck. How's that for positivity? ha. <br />
<br />
The (often contradictory) comments I receive most about him are: <br />
<div>
<ul>
<li>He looks like an adult! </li>
<li>He's a mini Joe. </li>
<li>He doesn't look like either of you. </li>
<li>He looks so Italian/masculine/not Asian. </li>
<li>What a mellow/content/happy baby! </li>
<li>He is so serious. </li>
<li>He has expressive eyebrows. </li>
<li>He doesn't look like Sisi. </li>
<li>He looks just like Sisi, but a boy version. </li>
</ul>
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<br />
Matteo at a glance:<br />
<ul>
<li>starting to understand object permanence. If I move a toy out of sight, he will look around for it. </li>
<li>when it comes to learning new skills, he seems pretty aggressive. He reaches, grabs, punches, slaps. Two days ago, he was just starting to think about rolling over. The next day, he was charging it and got 95% there! Is this a boy thing? </li>
<li>still happily swaddled in the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Blanket-Baby-Swaddle-Blue/dp/B000G0KQWQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1429545596&sr=1-1&keywords=miracle+blanket">miracle blanket</a> for night sleep. He was consistently busting out, then I found <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Boingo-Diaper-Fastener-Outrageous-Orange/dp/B0081CP518">boingo diaper clips</a> to keep the flap closed, and they work perfectly.</li>
<li>just for naps, we've eased him into the <a href="http://www.pekemoe.co.nz/">peke moe sleep sack</a>. He self-soothes much easier if he is allowed to suck on his hands, but I think he transitions sleep cycles better when swaddled. Any non-parents out there are probably annoyed at all this baby sleep jargon.</li>
<li>sleeps about 11-11.5 hours straight, although inconsistently. He'll do a great week of long nights, and then a crazy week with wakeups. Sisi was the same way- slept through the night very early on, but off-and-on until she was about 1 year. </li>
<li>sometimes gets himself to sleep by clicking his tongue or sucking on his bottom lip.</li>
<li>size 2 diapers, size 3-6 month clothes, no idea how much he weighs but he's a healthy little chunker. Definitely had a growth spurt last week. </li>
<li>sometimes 3 naps, sometimes 4. We're in that weird transtion period. </li>
<li>still won't take the bottle! Hope this changes soon so I can resume my Saturday morning surfing ritual. </li>
<li>eczema is pretty much a non-issue now that I can control it with Formula One cream. </li>
<li>first beach outing on Easter. Dog beach is not a good place for a baby, btw. He almost got trampled and peed on many times. </li>
<li>seems to love movement. He laughs with glee when I do airplane with him, and seems oddly content when Joe holds him upside down by the ankles. Sisi didn't (and still doesn't) like a lot of movement or horseplay. </li>
<li>finally has a middle name! "Saja", which is a Korean word. Does anyone know what it means? Hint: it coordinates with our last name. </li>
</ul>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">content to hang out in the grass for long stretches of time.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">better post a butt picture before it's no longer ok!</td></tr>
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Kristin @ Petal and Thornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07853597551114837986noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732652063754391440.post-51580338272688232972015-03-18T20:51:00.001-07:002015-03-20T20:56:52.862-07:00Matteo is 3 Months!Matteo turned 3 months last week! I enjoy him so much. He continues to fit like a glove into our family and he seems very happy to be here. I know I shouldn't put labels on him, especially this early, but I predict he will be an extravert. He is a people person, more interested in faces and voices than in objects or animals (opposite of Sisi). If you want to catch one of his smirky smiles, just sing him a ditty; he loves to hear songs, and he will try to sing back. He is not really a crier, but he doth protest a lot. Compared to Sisi (and we can't help but compare kids, huh? even though we shouldn't) he is quite vocal. In the last few days he started doing this adorable high pitched dolphin squeals when he's exasperated. It's so hard not to laugh at him when he does this. It's neat that he's discovering other ways to express himself besides crying.<br />
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Itchy cradle cap and eczema. Ugh. He's always grabbing chunks and scales off his scalp.</div>
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I think he's soooo handsome! A lot of people tell me he looks very masculine and adult-like.</div>
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He still sleeps in his <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Badger-Basket-Moses-Bedding-Espresso/dp/B0049U5UC0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1426736453&sr=8-3&keywords=moses+basket">Moses basket</a>, but he's almost too big for it! Luckily, putting the Moses basket in his crib has gotten him used to the crib, so it shouldn't be too rough of a transition. </div>
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Matteo at a glance:<br />
<ul>
<li>We took our first babywearing ballet class last week! He slept the entire time in the ergo carrier while I did my rond de jambes and plies. I am so grateful for creative ways to work out with baby. I am also taking him to my mommy yoga in the park and he just lays in the grass watching me do my sun salutations. </li>
<li>Size 3-6 month clothes, I am not sure how much he weighs. Probably like 13.5 pounds or so? </li>
<li>Still sleeping through the night most nights, but it's been a little rocky the past few weeks (eczema itchies? <a href="http://www.thewonderweeks.com/">wonder week</a>? who knows! I don't overthink it too much.) </li>
<li>Beginning to self-soothe by chanting, just like Sisi did around this age. She would do this "hmmmmmm" meditation to get herself to sleep, and Matteo does more of a melodic "haaaaa haaaa haaaa haaa" sound like he's doing vocal exercises or something. It's pretty fascinating. To all those who don't believe young infants can self-soothe, I beg to differ. When given the chance, they find creative ways to get themselves to sleep.</li>
<li>Starting to grab things. </li>
<li>Turns the pages of Joe's books on biophotons. </li>
<li>Drooling lots. Loves to suck my knuckles. Pre-teething? Is that a thing? </li>
<li>Was taking the bottle, now he's not. We've tried like 5 different bottles. It's a good thing I'm not working outside the home or this would be a very stressful situation! Google "3 month bottle strike"- apparently it's a thing. </li>
<li>His eczema is getting slightly worse each day, which is discouraging to me. I am already on a fairly strict paleo diet so I avoid the major allergens like gluten and dairy already. But I am also trying to cut out eggs (and maybe cut down on nuts, which is a super bummer for me) just in case it's diet-related. We use all-natural cleaning and bath products, and are now using<a href="http://www.amazon.com/WaterWipes-Super-Value-Wipes-packs/dp/B008KJQMA0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426736932&sr=8-1&keywords=waterwipes+baby+wipes"> water wipes i</a>nstead of our beloved costco wipes because we are wondering if he has chemical sensitivies. I also wonder if our household mold issues during pregnancy have anything to do with it? Eczema is an autoimmune reaction, and the fact that my bedroom was a petri dish of toxic mold could be to blame. Thankfully, his eczema doesn't seem to bother him as much as it bothers me. The so-called<a href="http://www.eczemacompany.com/cream-formula-one/"> "miracle cream"</a> that everyone raves about is coming in the mail tomorrow, so we will see if that makes a difference! I hope so, because his skin issues are starting to drive me bonkers. I can now empathize with other eczema mommies out there!</li>
<li>ECZEMA UPDATE- the miracle cream works. Just started using it yesterday and the redness and inflammation is gone, there is just some rough skin left but that is quickly disappearing. I'm totally amazed!!!</li>
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<i>Oh Matteo, you bring me so much joy! They say mommies and sons have a special bond, and I think it's so true. I can tell you adore me. You light up when I talk to you. It feels so good to be so needed and appreciated. Trust me, the feeling is mutual x a million!!! </i></div>
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Kristin @ Petal and Thornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07853597551114837986noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732652063754391440.post-68254973955226826392015-02-23T17:32:00.001-08:002015-02-23T17:32:04.356-08:00Paleo Meals Lately: Newborn edition<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Even though 4:30-7 pm is probably my most stressful time of the day (newborn witching hour + "hangry" toddler time), I still try to cook most nights. I would say my meals lately have actually been more inventive and thoughtful than ever. With all the repetition of the day (nurse, change diapers, swaddle, repeat) I need a creative outlet, and since I <i>have</i> to cook dinner, might as well try something new and interesting. </div>
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I actually used to find cooking really stressful. Early in my marriage, I'd yell at Joe in a hangry rage (hungry anger runs in the family), "I have no idea what I want to cook! Just go get takeout!" But now that I'm a stay at home mom, feeding my family is a big part of my job description, so I may as well put together a repertoire of good easy meals. And I may as well have some sort of plan for the week because on the paleo diet, there is no such thing as just resorting to spaghetti or grilled cheese sandwiches. </div>
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My meal planning is not very detailed. That just doesn't work well for me because I like a little spontaneity in the kitchen (If I were working away from the home, and more detailed plan would be necessary). I just write out 5 or 6 basic protein ideas for the week, like "sauteed salmon", "pork stir fry", or "something with ground beef." I use recipes as a jumping off point to do my own thing. I can't think of a time when I actually stuck to a recipe exactly. We get a big box of veggies every other week from our CSA program, so I incorporate whatever we get. Joe buys our meat from a handful of different sources, as he is picky about meat. </div>
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Some of our meals lately: </div>
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Home grown broccoli tossed with diced chicken, almonds, apples and bacon, with balsamic vinegar and paleo mayo for the dressing. </div>
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My dear friend<a href="http://heart-of-light.blogspot.com/2015/01/kristins-nautical-sip-and-see.html"> Rachel </a>made all this gorgeous paleo food for my "Sip and See" party, and we enjoyed the leftovers for quite a while! I froze the meatballs and had them for lunch 4 days in a row. <br />
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Beef Stroganoff (made with cashew sour cream, because I'm completely avoiding dairy while I'm nursing. Except butter. I eat lots of it, but it is mostly fat and very little lactose.) Roasted spaghetti squash on the side. This picture doesn't do it justice, it was fantastic.<br />
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The beef stroganoff recipe came from the<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/162860042X/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687602&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=1936608367&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1ZJAG307CWY54EYNJN58"> Against All Grain: Meals Made Simple cookbook</a>. I'm really impressed with this cookbook! Some of the recipes have more steps and require more pots than I usually prefer, but they are all truly delicious and foolproof.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZFo1XRhroMs2YqG3TTWGyerPpba16dYwZVKuWQx20woZg-aAvkPBnqA-zjkiYlGP9-606bb3i7i9QgFEGPABZXynzBaJdj3ELHqYrcUC63GGwDM4QzNE2HheyezEF6aAHC6puMpQPJdE/s1600/IMG_2437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZFo1XRhroMs2YqG3TTWGyerPpba16dYwZVKuWQx20woZg-aAvkPBnqA-zjkiYlGP9-606bb3i7i9QgFEGPABZXynzBaJdj3ELHqYrcUC63GGwDM4QzNE2HheyezEF6aAHC6puMpQPJdE/s1600/IMG_2437.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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Our new crock pot has a liner that can go on the stove, so we can brown the meat and then slow cook it in one pot. It's wonderful! I've only had it 2 weeks, and have already used it 5 times. <br />
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But sometimes it's nice to slow cook the old fashioned way. This is Pioneer Woman's Perfect Pot Roast. At the end, I blend half the veggies with a few cups of the broth and extra wine to make the most flavorful gluten free gravy. </div>
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Lobster is a splurge, but less so when you get it on sale at the Asian market. This guy was 4 pounds, and was almost the same size as Matteo. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsLWxMqTSQ0cvCgvpneurZCM_PXvxexpwZSMUdPHhUNbBFJJ2DwcP5ao3u0ti6tm6WME4ncOi1ssekWwMXJJD8eDab3t9yOJhXJcA8aZ_-hB2IZGz9o-FGn25Q-ca0xAERWUF50q2gRf0/s1600/IMG_2360.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsLWxMqTSQ0cvCgvpneurZCM_PXvxexpwZSMUdPHhUNbBFJJ2DwcP5ao3u0ti6tm6WME4ncOi1ssekWwMXJJD8eDab3t9yOJhXJcA8aZ_-hB2IZGz9o-FGn25Q-ca0xAERWUF50q2gRf0/s1600/IMG_2360.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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These pics are from the Summer, but all our lobster dinners are the same. Pressure cooked lobster, drawn butter with lemon, and steamed artichokes brushed with olive oil and balsamic. Easiest meal ever.</div>
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This one was a real crowd pleaser. I made<a href="http://myheartbeets.com/paleo-naan-indian-bread/"> paleo naan</a>, which is only 3 ingredients (almond flour, tapioca flour, and coconut milk) and is so chewy on the inside/crispy on the outside when cooked in butter. It would also make a great pizza crust I think. I also whipped up a samosa-inspired ground beef filling with masala spices, cinnamon, and pureed sweet potato all sauteed together. Sounds weird, but it was so tasty. On the side I made an apple-mango chutney.</div>
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Paleo Sloppy Joe stuffed peppers. </div>
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Sauteed salmon with greens and roasted sweet potatoes. </div>
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We don't eat chicken much because organic free range chicken is so expensive and relatively less nutritious than other meats, so for us it's a splurge. I think <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2012/08/roast-chicken/">whole roasted chicken</a> is such a treat, and so ridiculously easy to make. </div>
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Messy wedge salad with bacon bits, blue cheese and homemade<a href="http://paleogrubs.com/ranch-dressing-recipe"> dairy free ranch dressing.</a> </div>
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Made a nourishing chicken broth from the chicken carcass (the only way I can justify spending 20.00 on a chicken!) and turned it into tom kha goong (Thai coconut soup with shrimp.) </div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">And if you're curious, Sisi's lunches usually consist of leftovers and random finger foods. That day it was quiche and paleo naan with lamb, swiss cheese and frozen peas (peas are not paleo but she eats them in moderation.)</span></div>
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Another simple lunch- cheese, plantains, carrot, big ol strawberry, and tuna salad. I am a lazy mom and don't peel, let alone cut, the carrot. </div>
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Is anyone else obsessed with these salt and pepper pistachios from TJs? Sisi doesn't like how spicy they are, so they are the only snack I don't have to hide from her.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPzyimz03esXTZ6wN_SqGRd0ns1qZPhAzUTl_I7I3-UvzNHmMGvMcq1fKWSkofmnJ8YOqxI6bBTiwFk95ZVOqUcHskN5w_54BJJS6U3pjuVWfqlUFR5or-_L9CcuwaOCEYdnp0LeWsoOc/s1600/IMG_2461.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPzyimz03esXTZ6wN_SqGRd0ns1qZPhAzUTl_I7I3-UvzNHmMGvMcq1fKWSkofmnJ8YOqxI6bBTiwFk95ZVOqUcHskN5w_54BJJS6U3pjuVWfqlUFR5or-_L9CcuwaOCEYdnp0LeWsoOc/s1600/IMG_2461.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a>Kristin @ Petal and Thornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07853597551114837986noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732652063754391440.post-21301056144864347212015-02-13T21:46:00.000-08:002015-02-13T21:46:16.473-08:00Matteo is 2 Months! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I know it's totally cliche to say this, but I really mean it: it's hard to imagine my life without Matteo. He's only been around for 2 months, but he has eased his way so easily and peacefully into our family. He just belongs here. Being Matteo's mommy is easy (well, motherhood is never really easy, but<i> natural</i>.) I know I'm supposed to be really frazzled and sleep-deprived at this point, but I'm not. I'm actually full of energy and joy. Total opposite of the first time around. It helps that Matteo is a pretty contented baby. He seems to enjoy life and its' pleasures- loves to eat, loves to sleep, loves to observe. His smiles are crooked and squinty and soooo cute. They are still rare and fleeting enough to be ambiguous (gas or smile?) but there are moments when he will look right into my eyes and his face crumples up into the sweetest smile (definitely not gas) and I know we belong to each other. My dear little boy.</div>
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Baptized on January 11th at 5 weeks. </div>
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Personal space? What's that?? </div>
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Loves his Grandpa Sam. I so wish he could have met his other Grandpa, but he is blessed to have 3 adoring grandparents. </div>
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His eyes are that steely grey baby color, but I can already tell they are turning brown. Sisi's were already pretty blue by this age. </div>
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Morning ritual: reading books to Sisi while I nurse and cuddle Matteo. A great way to start the day!<br />
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At this age, he could care less about toys. We just stare at each other all day long and are both entertained.</div>
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I love his little round face. His head is not so round due to torticollis (prefers to look and sleep with head in one direction.) It's very oddly shaped in the back.</div>
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We are already practicing independent play. We put him on this soft beaver skin for 10 minute increments throughout the day to give him "alone time". We did that with Sisi and I really believe it's part of the reason she plays so well on her own.</div>
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Mama-baby selfies! #nomakeupdon'tcare :) Well, I do kinda care. </div>
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Matteo at a glace: </div>
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<ul>
<li>nurses about every 2.5-3 hours during the day (cluster feeds at night from 4:30-7:30.)</li>
<li>loves to be swaddled, but can bust out of the miracle blanket (aka baby straight jacket) already! just bought the "swaddle strap"- we'll see if it works! </li>
<li>started sleeping through the night (or as the French say, "doing his nights") at about 5 weeks. first 11 hour stretch at 6 weeks. no, that's not a typo.</li>
<li>sometimes he hates baths. sometimes he thinks they are alright.</li>
<li>11lb 6oz. wearing 3 month clothes. </li>
<li>started cooing and smirk-smiling a few weeks ago. reserves his biggest smiles for his big sister. true social smiles started about a week ago.</li>
<li>nicknames (mostly given by Sisi): matay, teo, theo, taters, tater tot. </li>
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Kristin @ Petal and Thornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07853597551114837986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732652063754391440.post-14841486408563951222015-01-20T20:55:00.001-08:002015-01-21T12:24:00.281-08:00Sisi is 4! <div style="text-align: center;">
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Siena Marie is 4 years old today. She is a big girl in so many ways, but she is still babyish, too. I know we are right on that cusp between toddler and girl, and I'm hanging onto it with all my might. While she does plenty of big girl things, she still likes me to dress her, take her potty, and brush her teeth for her. It's an interesting phase and I know it will be over before I know it.<br />
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Although I didn't intend on waiting so long between babies, I am so glad it worked out this way. While we had a few really rough weeks where Sisi was weepy, depressed and incredibly needy (I thought I'd lost my easygoing and independent Sisi forever!) she is quickly adjusting to our new family dynamic, and is a genuine help around the house. She's pulling her weight around here, lol. Her attention span and thoroughness for chores astounds me. She takes her jobs very seriously because she is so conscientious in general. She rubs stain remover all over Matteo's soiled onesies (doesn't miss a spot!). She scrubs dishes like a champ. She scrubs Matteo's feet in the tub, powders his butt, and even "babysits" him for me while I do things around the house. My heart bursts when she lovingly hugs him and declares how cute he is. Or tells me, "Mom, Matteo's crying! Go feed him!" I guess he won her over :) <br />
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Sisi at a glance:<br />
<ul>
<li>It's been almost 2 years since she started wearing a tail every single day, and that phase is still going strong. This kid is consistent! Dental floss, shoelaces, rope, feather boas- you name it, I've pinned it to her booty.</li>
<li>Except now it's a dinosaur tail instead of a dog tail. She eats, sleeps and breathes dinosaurs. That show Dinosaur Train is her favorite right now. </li>
<li>Her favorite time of day is "Mommy and Sisi time" when I set the timer for 15 minutes, and play whatever she wants to play (always dinosaurs) with absolutely no interruptions (even if the phone rings or baby fusses, they must wait.) She appreciates this undivided attention, as short as it may be. I treasure it, too. </li>
<li>Her favorite cds are the Annie soundtrack and the Sound of Music soundtrack. My sister bought tickets to Annie the Musical for her birthday, which is going to be an incredible first musical experience for her. </li>
<li>Her favorite foods are liverwurst on paleo bread, salmon cakes, dates, raisins, dark chocolate, sweet potato fries, tuna salad, and tamago sushi. She will still eat sardines any time of day. She LOVES my paleo baked goods, even the ones people think taste weird or not sweet enough. </li>
<li>She is very honest. If I ask her a question, I can usually count on an honest answer, for better or worse. And when she makes me a promise, I can trust her to follow through. </li>
<li>She is still very afraid of authority. All I have to do is give her my "mom look" and lower my voice an octave, and she is putty in my hands, at least most of the time. Even the gentlest reprimand can bring her to tears. I have to be so careful with my sensitive little girl. </li>
<li>Prefers her hair long, but I insist on semi-yearly trims. She's had at least 5 haircuts.</li>
<li>Still uber cautious, doesn't like slides or swings or carousels. Hates mall Santas, scary movies (she considers The Little Mermaid a scary movie!), and won't even attempt to ride a tricycle. But on the other hand, loves climbing trees, barefoot hiking, and off-roading with Joe. </li>
<li>Still very much an introvert, but is becoming more liberal with her hellos, hugs and kisses. </li>
<li>She is generous and usually happy to share her toys with others (which is a relief, because we <a href="http://petalandthornhandmades.blogspot.com/2011/10/sh-word.html">don't believe in forced sharing </a>and were patiently waiting for her to learn to share on her own.)</li>
<li>This year we didn't travel to any exotic destinations, but Sisi went camping three times, we did a week in Tahoe, and our <a href="http://petalandthornhandmades.blogspot.com/2014_10_01_archive.html">Mommy-Daughter road trip </a>up to San Francisco. </li>
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Sisi, I am so proud to call you my little girl. I love you with my whole heart! Watching you play, grow, learn, struggle, and triumph has been such a joy. God blessed me abundantly the day you were born!<br />
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<br />Kristin @ Petal and Thornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07853597551114837986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732652063754391440.post-30170098611837017402014-12-27T12:04:00.001-08:002014-12-27T12:05:01.378-08:00Matteo's First Photoshoot and Pop Quiz<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_uVmZv16YqzlrZqP5vysAnGgTpacB5UOo4jhMN1e-HTQmL-9Qu5gDwKX0T7U1VC-532LCKJgaFi2hQqiHVdpK18eROe2AQlSPpHlx8Vu-tTupLoqubUodvh4qv_utjhTqtnvPqN7vDk/s1600/orange-county-newborn-photography_matteo_0014+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_uVmZv16YqzlrZqP5vysAnGgTpacB5UOo4jhMN1e-HTQmL-9Qu5gDwKX0T7U1VC-532LCKJgaFi2hQqiHVdpK18eROe2AQlSPpHlx8Vu-tTupLoqubUodvh4qv_utjhTqtnvPqN7vDk/s1600/orange-county-newborn-photography_matteo_0014+(1).jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a>My little guy is just over 2 weeks now. He is still in that newborn haze where he has just enough energy to nurse, suffer through a diaper change, and give a little eye contact for 5 minutes. Then he's totally wiped out and needs to sleep for an hour or two before beginning the process again. He's eating every 2.5-3.5 hours, which feels totally manageable compared to Sisi who ate every 1.5 hours. <br />
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My biggest anxiety while pregnant was going through Postpartum Depression again, and I'm so happy to report I'm all smiles so far. Maybe a few panicky moments when the sun goes down (totally hormones), but nothing that deep breaths and <a href="http://www.amoryn.com/">Amoryn</a> can't solve. With Sisi, everything was so new and overwhelming. I'd never even held a newborn, and suddenly I was responsible for keeping one alive and happy. If she cried, I took it as a chastisement that I was a horrible mother. I remember being so surprised when she first smiled at me at 6 weeks. I thought, "Wait, you actually like me??? You're not miserable? I had no idea!" <br />
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This time around is so much easier, for lots of reasons. <br />
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<li>I have confidence in my mothering abilities. I realize that babies are sturdier than they look. I know to pause (aka "<a href="http://www.parenting.com/blogs/show-and-tell/sasha-parentingcom/getting-baby-sleep-through-night-french-style">le pause</a>") before rushing in to rescue him when he cries, not to be cruel, but to listen to him and figure out what he really needs from me. As a result, I feel I've gotten to know Matteo really well already. Also, an ounce of prevention is my motto this time around when it comes to sleep learning (not training, learning!). That means no crazy shenanigans to get him to fall asleep, because while rocking/nursing/shusshing and bouncing a 7 pounder to sleep is no big deal, when he's 15 or 20 pounds it becomes a huge burden. Babies can happily fall asleep on their own, I'm amazed to discover! </li>
<li>I think of babies as intelligent and worthy of respect. <a href="http://www.janetlansbury.com/2014/10/how-to-talk-to-your-newborn/">They are not just squirmy blobs, they are people</a>, and they are worth talking to and listening to. It's amazing how much Matteo relaxes when I just tell him what I'm going to do, whether it's a diaper change or nap time or even if I need to put him down to be by himself for a bit. When he cries, I listen to him and empathize. This sounds very kumbaya, doesn't it? But I really believe this kind of communication is so good for both of us. It's actually therapeutic for me to talk things out with him. He's like my little shrink :) </li>
<li>My physical recovery was fast. Thank the Lord, my labor was so short that it left me pretty much unscathed. That makes EVERYTHING easier to handle.</li>
<li>I have Sisi to distract me. My days just fly by, because while baby is napping, I'm busy caring for my eldest. With baby #1, each day never ends. It's like the twilight zone.</li>
<li>I have perspective. Every annoying phase ends. Nursing was pretty painful with Matteo at first, but I didn't despair. I told myself it would get better soon, and it already has. Even waking up every 3 hours at night is tolerable because I know one day, just when I think I can't take it anymore, he will start skipping those night feeds and I'll enjoy a full night's sleep again. And of course, watching Siena thrive is daily proof that it all works out in the end. Matteo is probably our last baby, so I am treasuring each moment with him. Every day I think, "I'll never have a baby this itty bitty again." </li>
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Ok, onto the newborn pics! <a href="http://tristalerit.com/"> Trista</a> blessed us with her talent yet again, and took some adorable pics of Matteo. Every parent knows how stressful the newborn shoot is. Sure, your baby looks all cute and serene in the pictures, but behind the scenes there is poop flying and lots of griping. Thanks to my aforementioned perspective, I was able to keep my cool and really enjoy the shoot!TRISTA LERIT, you are such a good friend and you are amazing at capturing wee babies!!!</div>
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Sisi is handling the changes pretty well, although I can see she is grieving a bit. I trust that she will work out her mixed emotions in her own time. She likes to help me with the baby, but does not want to hold him. I was actually surprised she did it for the picture! <br />
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And just for kicks, POP QUIZ! Can you tell Sisi and Matteo apart?</div>
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And try this one...</div>
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Kristin @ Petal and Thornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07853597551114837986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732652063754391440.post-26624737101489652192014-12-20T13:49:00.002-08:002014-12-20T13:51:39.943-08:00Matteo's First Week! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Fresh from the womb... </div>
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My dream team. Lindsey and Melanie from <a href="http://ocmidwifery.com/">OC Midwifery</a> are so amazing. </div>
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<b>I'd like you to meet Matteo. </b> He was born on 12/12/14, at 4:34 am- 6lb 15 oz, 20 inches long. <br />
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I probably won't share my entire labor story this time around (it's sacred!), but here are the main points. Cramps at 3am, tried to walk them off or sleep through them, but I couldn't. Woke up Joe who called the midwife and the doula, apologizing that maybe this was false labor. 20 minutes later, thunderstorm starts, water breaks, I'm pacing around the house trying to survive the contractions. Deep breathing, listening to the rain fall onto our roof, praying for strength. I retreat into Matteo's nursery, and try to count the fishes in his room as a distraction. I decide to get on hands and knees just to give my legs a little break, and suddenly BOOM!! head falls, I'm fully dilated and ready to push. Midwife and doula are still not here. Sobbing hysterically, trying not to push, remembering that the exact same thing happened with Sisi, staring at the Christmas tree and counting the ornaments. Hold him in, hold him in. Focusing on the monkey ornament. Midwife arrives. Doula arrives (both were coming straight from other births!!) Joe is trying to fill the tub in vain, midwife hears me pushing and guides me to the couch. No time for water birth, one excruciating push, then another, Matteo slides out and I'm making this face. Yeah, I was pretty overwhelmed with love, relief, thankfulness, and also terror. Being a mom is a mixed bag of emotions!<br />
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I'm so in love, so proud of this little guy. He is tiny and oh so sleepy; his eyes are almost always closed, unlike Sisi who was staring everyone down from day one. </div>
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Kristin @ Petal and Thornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07853597551114837986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732652063754391440.post-74916949964379004852014-12-09T21:53:00.001-08:002014-12-09T21:53:24.213-08:00Enjoying my last few days... before baby boy is born! I'm due in about a week, and the practice contractions are getting stronger and stronger. I'm having to pause and breathe through them as I write this. Baby is measuring great, in the ideal position, and I have a feeling we will meet him very soon. At this point I am more excited than I am anxious. I am so curious about this little boy. Will he look like Sisi? Will he be super active like he is in the womb? I'm even curious about my labor- will it be just like last time? Will I handle it with more grace and self-confidence this time around? I can't quite remember the pain, so I'm weirdly curious about how painful it will be. (According to the Hypnobirthing classes I took last time, I'm not even supposed to use the words "due date", "contractions" or "pain", and I've said all three in this paragraph. Let's be real, euphemisms don't always work.) <br />
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I'm not one to wish pregnancy away because I know how hard and tiring those first few months can be. I consider pregnancy to be a nice little vacation, a calm before the storm. I'm a pretty happy preggo, it's almost like the hormones put a little pep in my step! I'm treasuring my time with Sisi and Joe before the family dynamics completely change. Here's what I've been up to...<br />
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<b>Hubby time: </b><br />
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<a href="http://fermfarm.com/">Fermentation Farm</a> and lunch at <a href="http://www.fukadarestaurant.com/">Fukada Restaurant</a> (where we didn't mind the long wait because we brought reading materials :)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The goods: kimche, duck eggs, organ meat sausage, boar bacon, and red currant kombucha tea) </td></tr>
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<b> Nana time! </b><br />
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<b>Playmate time! </b><br />
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<b>Mommy-Sisi-Dragon time: </b><br />
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And of course,a few crafting projects for the nautical nursery. <br />
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I would show more pics of the nursery, but it would require me to move car seats and daipers and Christmas presents out of the way, and I'm just too lazy. Baby's room is still a bit of a storage area :/Kristin @ Petal and Thornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07853597551114837986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732652063754391440.post-8883156287763652762014-12-09T21:08:00.000-08:002014-12-09T21:08:52.269-08:00Totally Practical Gift GuideMost gift-guides on the internet make me cringe a bit. Gold-plated drink stirrers? Wiener dog shaped eye mask? Trendy geometric toothpick holder? These are clever gifts that make a really splashy first impression, but usually just end up adding clutter to your home. I probably sound like such a scrooge! I do like gifts, both giving and receiving, but my tastes have changed. I now appreciate more practical items- either things that make my life easier in some way, or consumable things that will be used up and won't gather dust for years and years. The coolest thing is that without my saying a thing, most people have picked up on my new minimalist tendencies. They end up buying me consumables. My sisters-in-law have gifted me with things like really good quality olive oil, raw honey, and shea butter. My brother gifted Joe with a huge leg of lamb for his birthday. That's what I'm talking about!<br />
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As the Christmases roll by, we have less and less gifts to buy. It's really liberating to just be able to enjoy the season and look forward to the traditions of Christmas instead of the stuff. Joe's family does a white elephant exchange, my family is just a handful of people and we have a 20.00 limit. Joe, Sisi and I don't really do gifts under the tree. Instead, we stuff each other's stockings with useful things, like the following...<br />
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Here is my little Gift Guide for the person who doesn't need or want a lot of frou frou stuff. It's the kind of stuff people could buy me over and over and I'd never get sick of it. <br />
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<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/minimalist_gift_guide_part/set?.embedder=317349&.svc=copypaste&id=142444271" target="_blank"><img alt="Minimalist Gift Guide Part 1" border="0" src="http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/up5ger3pFEVn85yWRTk6QA/cid/142444271/id/DibJAeR85BGm3oNnZFZllw/size/c600x541.jpg" height="541" title="Minimalist Gift Guide Part 1" width="600" /></a></div>
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<small>1. <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=317349&.svc=copypaste&id=125507375" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Amazon.com: Life Extension Liquid Vitamin D 2000 IU Mint Flavor:...</a> (A few drops a day keeps sickness away!) </small><br />
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<small>2. </small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=317349&.svc=copypaste&id=125507469" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bees wax tea light candle</a>s (Burn so much longer and cleaner than regular parafin wax candles)<br />
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<small>3. </small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=317349&.svc=copypaste&id=49388517" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Sea Salt tealight candle holder</a> (Made of a real salt chunk (I licked it to see), supposedly neutralizes the air of bacteria, mold, and allergens by emitting negative ions, but I just love the vibe of these candles.) <br />
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4. <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=317349&.svc=copypaste&id=125507227" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cupsco Classic Cup 16oz 4-pack Stainless Steel</a> (I break cups all the time, so these are Kristin-proof and baby-proof. Also, stainless steel is so easy to clean and is supposedly more hygienic than ceramic, plastic, or glass.) <br />
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<small>5. </small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=317349&.svc=copypaste&id=125507169" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Peak Fresh Re-Usable Produce Bags, Set of 10</a> (Essential for anyone who does CSA, or eats a ton of produce- keeps fragile greens like spinach fresh for 3 weeks, which is pretty amazing.) <br />
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6.<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=317349&.svc=copypaste&id=98860642" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Winter Dream Tea from Coffee Bean</a> (I get this every year- it's sweet and spicy and so good with a splash of cream and honey.) <br />
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7. <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=317349&.svc=copypaste&id=125507500" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Stella Mare Cranberry Tangerine candle</a> (Stella Mare is definitely my favorite candle brand. Soy wax, so it burns longer and cleaner, amazing scents, and super reasonably priced.) </div>
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<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/minimalist_gift_guide_part/set?.embedder=317349&.svc=copypaste&id=142666737" target="_blank"><img alt="minimalist gift guide part 2" border="0" src="http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/udouP97wLuDE4FCuBo0Fsw/cid/142666737/id/fNQfNJJ_5BGZWiLfqmAFrA/size/c600x503.jpg" height="503" title="minimalist gift guide part 2" width="600" /></a></div>
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8. <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=317349&.svc=copypaste&id=125508056" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Fruit Pigmented Lip and Cheek Stain</a> (100 Percent Pure is my favorite natural beauty brand, and this lip stain is such a pretty cherry shade. It's a lot like benetint, but no yucky chemicals. I put on a few layers on my lips in the morning, let them dry, and then apply clear lip balm on top. My lips look berry stained for several hours. Only bad thing is it tastes awful.)<br />
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9. <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=317349&.svc=copypaste&id=125673385" rel="nofollow" style="font-size: 13.3333339691162px;" target="_blank">Redmond Earthpaste Cinnamon Amazingly Natural Toothpaste (</a>This toothpaste is made out of mud. It's completely safe if swallowed, which makes it perfect for Sisi, too.) <br />
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10. <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=317349&.svc=copypaste&id=120905745" rel="nofollow" style="font-size: 13.3333339691162px;" target="_blank">Facial Primer by 100 Percent Pure (</a>I never used to use primer, but this one feels so wonderful on my skin and provides such a nice even base for my powder foundation.)<br />
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11. <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=317349&.svc=copypaste&id=125507857" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Everyone Soap</a> (This one bottle of soap has replaced my shampoo, body wash, shaving cream, dog shampoo, baby shampoo, and bubble bath. My shower has like 3 things in it- it's a minimalist's dream come true!!)<br />
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12. <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=317349&.svc=copypaste&id=124770170" rel="nofollow" style="font-size: 13.3333339691162px;" target="_blank">Paraben free deodorant</a> (Another great 100 Percent Pure product. Truth be told, I don't usually wear deoderant. I'm fortunate to not have smelly pits. But my pregnancy hormones have kicked in and I am finding deoderant is necessary. This one has only a handfull of ingredients.) <br />
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13. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pacifica-Wanderlust-Roll-on-Trio/dp/B00OM6YEVO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1418187014&sr=8-2&keywords=pacifica+roll+on+trio"> Pacifica Wanderlust Perfume Trio</a> (These fragrances are fairly natural and don't have a chemically scent. The blood orange and the vanilla are lovely, and would probably smell even better blended together!) <br />
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14. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pacifica-Wanderlust-Roll-on-Trio/dp/B00OM6YEVO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1418187014&sr=8-2&keywords=pacifica+roll+on+trio"> Primitive Sweet Almond Oil </a>(I read that French moms use this to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy. I've used it religiously this pregnancy, and I have very few stretch marks on my belly. It's also a rather light oil that absorbs quickly into the skin. It doesn't have a strong scent like coconut oil. I also apply it to my face, let it sit, then rub it away with a cotton ball to remove my makeup.) </div>
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Kristin @ Petal and Thornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07853597551114837986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732652063754391440.post-20009285752083282122014-11-04T14:06:00.001-08:002014-11-04T14:06:11.372-08:00Getting my Heart Ready for Baby #2 <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yesterday, I bought a container of heavy cream that expires just before my baby is due. That was a reality check! He's coming!<br />
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Where to even begin? This pregnancy has whizzed by so fast. The middle of next month is my "guess date" and I am finally finding time to prepare for baby's arrival. When I was pregnant with Sisi, preparing for baby was synonomous with preparing for childbirth. I took long baths, meditated, did my prenatal yoga faithfully, and read stacks of books on natural labor. It also meant nesting in a strictly physical sense- freezing meals, cleaning the house, preparing the nursery. I gave little thought to preparing mentally, emotionally, and spiritually for my life to be turned upside down (in a good way, in hindsight). Boy was I shocked when my very smooth pregnancy and childbirth led to the utter chaos of the newborn months.<br />
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I'm not so naive anymore. I have an idea of what to expect, although I'm also expecting that I'll need to throw those expectations out the window. Baby #2 will be his own little man. He might be the opposite of Sisi in so many ways. One thing I know for sure is that I will grow to love him fiercely, and that all the craziness will one day become my new normal. Even if I have trouble bonding in the beginning, even if I get PPD like I did before, I will one day be ok. That's really reassuring. <br />
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So how am I preparing this time? I'm still doing all those little nesting rituals because they are important for stress relief, but I'm also trying to pay attention to the <b>physical, psycho-emotional, and spiritual aspects </b>of bringing a new life into the world.<br />
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<b>Physical:</b> I feel strong and energetic, even though sometimes I wake at 4 or 5 am with back pain, unable to go back to sleep. On those days, I sip some tea in the dark and head to 6:30 am yoga class. I'm spoiling myself a bit more with this pregnancy, indulging in prenantal massage every 2 weeks (so so awesome) and frequent chiropractic appointments to straighten me out. Since Sisi broke her arm a few months ago, I've had to lift and carry her much more than is wise, and I'm paying for it big time with tweaked nerves and muscles. Baby is breech at this point, possibly due to all the assymetrical lifting I'm doing. Thankfully, Sisi's cast came off today and I can enforce a strict no lift policy from this point on.<br />
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I'm not really afraid of the pain of childbirth this time around. I've been through one home birth and a pretty rough miscarriage, so I know what to expect. I can expect a crazy amount of pain, but also have learned some tricks and strategies for coping. I also know the kind of environment I need for labor- quiet, calm, dark. After Sisi was born, I was upset at myself for not letting Joe soothe me and take a more active role, but I realize now that I was totally overwhelmed, and it's my normal reaction to want to close my eyes and zone out. Sisi is the same way. When her arm was broken before the pain meds, she wanted the room quiet and didn't want anyone to talk to her. As soon as the meds kicked in, she was more willing to be cuddled or entertained. Like mother like daughter!<br />
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I'm actually dreading the aftercare (midwifes hands up my uterus, the stitching up, etc.) more than the birth! I also remember that it hurt to pass the placenta, but I was high on happy hormones so I coped well. <br />
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Right now baby is breech, which is a little worrisome at almost 34 weeks. But my midwife and chiropractor have assured me that he still has time and space to move. If baby stays head up, I will have to come up with a plan B, find a doctor and a hospital and maybe have a totally different birth than I'm hoping for. I will not dwell on that until I have to. I have every reason to trust baby and trust gravity.<br />
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In the last two weeks, I've spent time with 5 of my girlfriends who have newborns and infants. Watching them breastfeed, change diapers and soothe their crying babies brought back vivid sense memories. The zombie sleepless feeling, the bliss of holding a sleeping baby, the awkwardness (and suffocation?) of breastfeeding in public under a nursing cover. It's been almost 4 years since Sisi was born, but it's all coming back to me. I'm expecting the newborn phase to be messy and sticky and tiring, so at least I'm being realistic.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRk1hkxrwpyKbXRsKQZd1rEgxeko0UHCw23rA3J51_DQZ-vrkIrWp7BxBkcvReQive2T4ybmeOKtxo0HivX4TerdVfTA1jqmlO6WWeSjCjilZJc4iF_H_inx9Boti9hNlltTczAsIT0wk/s1600/JG4A4117.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRk1hkxrwpyKbXRsKQZd1rEgxeko0UHCw23rA3J51_DQZ-vrkIrWp7BxBkcvReQive2T4ybmeOKtxo0HivX4TerdVfTA1jqmlO6WWeSjCjilZJc4iF_H_inx9Boti9hNlltTczAsIT0wk/s1600/JG4A4117.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a><br />
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<b>Psycho-emotional:</b> My therapist gave me a reality check the other day. She said that I need to chill out. I need to hire a maid instead of scrub the floors by hand. I need to let Joe tuck Sisi in so I can meditate in the bubble bath. I have to let the rest of my family take care of all the holiday plans. I might not even have time to buy Christmas presents or cook a paleo Thanksgiving, and that has to be alright. I HAVE to get comfortable with accepting help NOW, or I will not be able to do so when the baby is born. I feel like I've come so far with the whole perfectionism thing (it's why I'm in therapy in the first place), but apparently, it's my default mode when I go through major life changes.My performance-based attitude combined with wacky hormones is the recipe for post-partum depression. This is the reason why I made that Pre-pregnancy contract with myself before we even starting trying. My therapist said there are 3 options: 1) get help wherever needed 2) let go of the housework and be ok with chaos or 3) try to do it all myself and get depressed again.<br />
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<b>Spiritually: </b>Sisi is starting to ask more about God, and I love this aspect of parenting. What a responsibility I have to not only share my faith to my kids through words, but most importantly through my example. Living out the faith that I proclaim every single day, in the happy and hard times. At night when I can't sleep, I hold my belly and pray for this little child I have yet to meet. I know that I love him, but it's a little hard for me to bond with him in utero (even harder after the disappointment of my previous miscarriage) so praying for him helps to remind me that he is already a person, and is precious in God's sight. I also pray that this time I will be quicker to see the huge blessing that parenting is; that I'd see the big picture, especially during the first few months when every single day seems like an eternity. It really does fly by. Just look at what a beautiful little girl Sisi has become!<br />
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To all you mamas, how did you prepare for Baby's arrival?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJoOUkbrCQjErHN8l_MRUGgnhyphenhyphenLVWSwE99oIdaVz4jpLZEXYsf-pMRcR9NLxrjCAtea9lK1D_RnJC4GeYA9VbKNAKi50a6Hn8qM8J5A04eovp7xNrPan7ZRYPGhBinAfRr9xm_eW-BUYM/s1600/JG4A4642.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJoOUkbrCQjErHN8l_MRUGgnhyphenhyphenLVWSwE99oIdaVz4jpLZEXYsf-pMRcR9NLxrjCAtea9lK1D_RnJC4GeYA9VbKNAKi50a6Hn8qM8J5A04eovp7xNrPan7ZRYPGhBinAfRr9xm_eW-BUYM/s1600/JG4A4642.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
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All photos taken at Lake Tahoe by the talented <a href="http://www.whitbybphotography.com/">Whitby B Photography. </a><br />
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P.S. This post is all about me, but I'll probably write a follow-up on how I'm preparing Sisi for the arrival of her little bro. Kristin @ Petal and Thornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07853597551114837986noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732652063754391440.post-77469402525287972652014-10-26T15:41:00.001-07:002014-10-26T15:41:37.819-07:00Mommy-Daughter Road TripLike hippies travelling to Woodstock, Sisi and I set forth on an epic road trip from OC to San Fran to see her (our) favorite kids' band, <a href="http://www.okeedokee.org/">Okee Dokee Brothers</a>. Normally the trip isn't really epic- it takes about 8 hours to get to the Bay Area. I used to make the drive up to college in one trip (with an in-n-out break halfway) but when you're 7 months pregnant and have to pee every hour or so, the trip becomes an epic 5 day journey. We had so much fun travelling just the two of us. We might make it a tradition! I've been annoyed with California lately, but this trip made me fall in love with my home state all over again. There is so much natural beauty and charm beyond suburban O.C. <br />
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Our first night in Arroyo Grande, about halfway up the coast, we rented a Tepee on someone's ranch off Airbnb. It had a full bed and rustic but nice bathroom facilities. It felt pretty adventurous to be camping (er glamping?) without Joe there to protect us. <br />
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Arroyo Grande is so amazing. Joe and I daydream about moving up there, buying a few acres of land, building a small eco-friendly house from scratch, and surfing every morning. And when I daydream something, I usually find a way to make it happen :) It doesn't hurt that <a href="http://loveandsplendor.com/">my BFF</a> lives there, too. <br />
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Next stop, San Jose, where we stayed with my college friend Kim and Sisi bonded with her daughter, Lilybeth. <br />
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And the absolute highlight of the trip, the Okee Dokee Brothers concert!!! If you're a parent and have never heard of this band, I beg you to give it a listen. It's bluegrass/folk music that kids love and parents secretly love, too. I looked around at the audience and all the parents were beaming and singing along!<br />
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I got to meet the band afterward and tell them about how I started playing the Banjo because of them, and how Sisi and I drove 8 hours just to see them. I realize now how crazy that sounds. I'm totally a Okee Dokee groupie.<br />
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Using a jump rope as a microphone, Lilybeth inched her way closer and closer to the band until they were actually a trio. <br />
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Such nice gentlemen. I love that they promote getting into nature and minimalism, two of my passions :)<br />
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On the way back down South, we stopped at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.. We ate at<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/sea-harvest-fish-market-and-restaurants-monterey"> Sea Harvest Fish Market afterward</a>- 6 HUGE bbq'd oysters for 13 dollars, folks! Well worth the drive up just for those!<br />
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We stayed with my bff and her darling family in Pismo Beach for one night. Sisi and Olive had somuch fun giggling and playing and singing together. It makes my heart pitter patter when my daughter plays with my friends' kids. It makes me realize how grown up we all are, with houses and families of our own. Gone are the days of watching Napoleon Dynamite in pajamas while drinking boba milk tea in our crappy college apartments. </div>
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Angel showed us city folks a good time by taking us to her favorite farm and apple orchard. </div>
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And then we came home and ate boatloads of sushi with Joe. We missed him so much, but I think it was super special to strike out on our own for some extra bonding time before baby Matteo (90% sure that's his name) arrives in less than 2 months. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNnVLzWuPpWpApPcVbz8XnrQXVCr1iVI7F3b8i7jey21FX0bjNqna6ij3mJvK-7YHiJL0PHImL1SOw06irKAg5yHvdHm2EW4BhOB0UwgfR13_nis-yQKlbAAceYGQM3KmwEazvkEJ082s/s1600/pismo+beach+selfie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNnVLzWuPpWpApPcVbz8XnrQXVCr1iVI7F3b8i7jey21FX0bjNqna6ij3mJvK-7YHiJL0PHImL1SOw06irKAg5yHvdHm2EW4BhOB0UwgfR13_nis-yQKlbAAceYGQM3KmwEazvkEJ082s/s1600/pismo+beach+selfie.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Have you ever taken a mommy/baby road trip? You should. </div>
Kristin @ Petal and Thornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07853597551114837986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732652063754391440.post-79257588181732841472014-10-07T14:08:00.004-07:002014-10-07T14:09:33.510-07:00A Paleo Halloween?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsGKj-Va6H1t81JINqB9BX2Fb1DfiwTHNitJWlW1FnGz9wlsnzx9xve30NA5R3YlkQ9vJUUWwOIF9i9dl-Je1IzmMv_sAPekAingP17vI8BOT23f-qEOVUaEimaXa0p6BsoBKjFCavZiM/s1600/IMG_0403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsGKj-Va6H1t81JINqB9BX2Fb1DfiwTHNitJWlW1FnGz9wlsnzx9xve30NA5R3YlkQ9vJUUWwOIF9i9dl-Je1IzmMv_sAPekAingP17vI8BOT23f-qEOVUaEimaXa0p6BsoBKjFCavZiM/s1600/IMG_0403.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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A Paleo Halloween requires a little creativity and advanced planning, but it is indeed possible to enjoy the festivities without eating a year's worth of high fructose corn syrup in one night. This year Sisi wants to be a dinosaur and trick-or-treat with her gal pals down the street. I'm already busy making her semi-homemade costume. It's lime green with yellow spikes and she's going to look ridiculously cute in it. <br />
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In past years, Sisi wasn't all that aware of candy and it was easy to take away the bad stuff and give her some frozen bananas or homemade cookies instead. This year, she knows what candy is, and she is begging me to let her try a lollipop for the first time. Here are some ideas to make Halloween more paleo-friendly:<br />
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1. <b>Do a Halloween basket: </b> Let the kids trick-or-treat all they want, but at the end of the night, have a special Halloween gift basket ready and make them hand over the crap in exchange. Some things I will be putting in Sisi's Halloween gift basket this year:<br />
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<li>stickers </li>
<li>micro machines or dinosaur toys </li>
<li>dinosaur book</li>
<li>homemade cookies</li>
<li>stuffed animal </li>
<li>homemade turtle candies (using super dark chocolate, homemade coconut sugar caramel, and raw nuts.) </li>
<li>Trader Joe's honey peppermint patties (these are very sweet so I will be regulating her intake, but they are as healthy as store bought candies get as they are made with only dark chocolate, honey and peppermint oil.) </li>
<li>organic lollipop (trying to find one without sugar but it's challenging!)</li>
<li>organic fruit snacks/fruit leathers/raisins</li>
<li>85% dark chocolate bar </li>
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As long as it's personalized and wrapped up all pretty, I can't imagine any kid being too bummed about trading in the crap candy for the Halloween basket! It's still got sugar and fructose, but whatever. At least it's not pop rocks and pixie sticks. </div>
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2<b>. Do a Halloween Store: </b>Instead of putting the items above in a gift basket, you could easily set up a Halloween store with price tags that say "1 candy" "2 candies" etc, and have the kids use their trick-or-treat candy as barter. </div>
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3. <b>Take it to the dentist: </b>I've heard of dentists buying Halloween candy by the pound and giving money in exchange. Pretty cool deal. Do you think the dentists and assistants chow down on it after hours? Probably :)</div>
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4. <b>Halloween Fairy:</b> My chiropractor thought of this one. She has her kids leave their candy sacks by the front door, and when they wake up in the morning, the Halloween fairy has magically taken them away and left something awesome, like legos or cowboy boots. This is great for parents who want to avoid all sweets, even "paleo friendlier" ones. </div>
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5. <b> What to hand out?</b> Not only do I want to limit Sisi's candy intake, but I can't in good conscience give out crap candy to the neighbor kids. Not everyone feels this strongly, but I just can't pass out fun sized diabetes and cavities. I just can't. So Joe thought of a genius idea- let's pass out quarters! What little kid doesn't love money? We don't get a lot of trick-or-treaters, so it won't break the bank or anything. We're also going to pass out mini water bottles for the parents and glow stick necklaces for the really little kids who will just swallow quarters. Other ideas of things to pass out are the mini Lara Bars, trail mix, fruit snacks, bouncy balls, stickers, balloons, etc. </div>
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Kristin @ Petal and Thornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07853597551114837986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732652063754391440.post-45457996214688694132014-09-03T15:05:00.000-07:002014-09-03T15:05:14.190-07:00Our Life Lately 9.3.14I used to post picture updates like this often, but there are so many sweet moments in daily life that I don't capture in pictures. Partly because I don't have a camera phone (crazy, right?) and partly because we are on a <a href="http://www.handsfreemama.com/hands-free-mama/">hands-free journey</a> right now. But here are a few! <br />
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OUR GARDEN OF DELIGHTS: Every morning, Sisi and I run outside to see how many passion flowers have popped open. I will always be fascinated by these freakish blooms, and the fact that they only stay open for one day makes them even more special. Still haven't seen any passion fruit yet.</div>
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BABY "SPRINKLE". I helped throw a mellow baby shower for a sweet friend at church. It's her third baby, so she didn't want a big fuss. Good food, pretty flowers, and sweet friends were all we needed.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Which one is 8 months preggers?? :) </td></tr>
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Thank you Trader Joe's for the cheap stock, snapdragons, mums and roses. $30.00 of flowers was more than enough to decorate the whole house.</div>
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CAMPING TRIP: We had our first family camping trip in a pretty remote part of Big Bear. And about an hour after we arrived and set up camp, a very large bear came super close to us. He was sitting kind of dopey-like on his haunches, staring at Joe, just hoping he'd share our pulled pork with him. Us women-folk jumped into the truck, and Joe scared him away with a rusty old machete. The first thing I said to Joe was, "You said there were no bears in Big Bear!!!" I guess there are, but they are more like raccoons than bears. Still gave this suburbanite a scare!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">belly shot, about 22 weeks. I'm 25 weeks now and feel twice as big as this pic!</td></tr>
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Joe's camping coffee setup.</div>
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Joe said that this was a more comfortable spot to sleep than the tent! </div>
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He scampered up that rock face in 2 minutes like a squirrel. My husband is such a stud.</div>
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Sheep's milk yogurt with grain-free granola (essentially "nut-ola") for breakfast. </div>
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FAMIILY DINNERS. Lately, most of our dinners take place al fresco, on the patio. This was a particularly yummy paleo meal- cauliflower mash, almond flour breaded pork chops, and artichokes dipped in drawn butter. </div>
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I am also heeding the advice in the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/French-Kids-Eat-Everything-Discovered/dp/0062103296">French Kids Eat Everything </a>by making dinner time special every night. An everyday dinner is the perfect occasion for candles, flowers, and music. I even splurged on real cloth napkins yesterday, which is a first. I am also making an effort to sit still and wait for Joe and Sisi to finish eating before I hop up and tackle the dishes. This is a tough one, since I'm always the first one done and I am eager to get on with the clean-up duties. But dinner time is such a special time and should be savored, right?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh56JXbLWRHhBlXmXLVmE8M7aOTAxr6YYIbGuj24-9alIwhyLyG4-0nTM-7twAg5kwfLQCNhNhwAJfbMfelmpcz-HRsAU8RoLxlyvTyHDOiP3F_BY-uTSiBM6ZSVmSwTdycQE2Rg9hJePY/s1600/paleo+pork+chops+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh56JXbLWRHhBlXmXLVmE8M7aOTAxr6YYIbGuj24-9alIwhyLyG4-0nTM-7twAg5kwfLQCNhNhwAJfbMfelmpcz-HRsAU8RoLxlyvTyHDOiP3F_BY-uTSiBM6ZSVmSwTdycQE2Rg9hJePY/s1600/paleo+pork+chops+2.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgusPbEE-lq-q_DVCyx-WgRFgveVJq2lWlIge8FDM2fgk_urHOWalPv2OizzGX-YRSctt64rHkT-yzaw5Mo_9A4ql2qYZKYIz8I4-2Aro6PeF_tunMSStViKpBdj2vATeFx2XAalc6yfzg/s1600/paleo+pork+chops.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgusPbEE-lq-q_DVCyx-WgRFgveVJq2lWlIge8FDM2fgk_urHOWalPv2OizzGX-YRSctt64rHkT-yzaw5Mo_9A4ql2qYZKYIz8I4-2Aro6PeF_tunMSStViKpBdj2vATeFx2XAalc6yfzg/s1600/paleo+pork+chops.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Not pictured: a major water damage/mold issue in our home, scouring craigslist daily for furniture for baby #2's nursery, and lots of etsy mask orders. </div>
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<br />Kristin @ Petal and Thornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07853597551114837986noreply@blogger.com2