Let's Paint PlayDate

With alil brainstorming and creative inspiration from the internet, I hosted a finger painting play date for Ryatt and his friends. I took vanilla (sugar free) pudding and dyed it with food coloring. Gave each kid a egg crate of colors and let them have at it! We all had fun! Babies loved squishing the 'paints' in their hands and creating striations on their 'canvas'. Mommies had fun watching the little people discover. It was all around a good time.

Alterations Made to God's Original Design

Its 10:12am. We have been waiting in the cafeteria of the hospital for about an hour now. My little baby is having his extra toes and fingers nubs removed. Its a minor surgery and I really shouldn't worry but I can't help it. This is my baby we are talking about; the most precious life in my world. Ryatt was born with an extra toe (bone, flesh, nail and all) on each foot and the beginnings of an extra finger on each hand. How special is that! We are expecting for it all to be removed and reshaped to look "normal". Besides my concern for him going under, I wonder if what we are doing is ok in God's eyes. Ryatt's making was the Lord's miracle to us and here we are making alterations to him. Its like getting a personalized gift from someone and then taking it to get revamped the next day. Maybe im looking into it alil much...but I can't help it. I really wish this wasnt an issue. I wish he could keep his original blueprint and never be made fun of for it. I wish it would never be a problem finding shoes or have foot problems. But I know that's not how it goes. Which is why I know this is how it has to be.

I can't stop thinking about how he's doing right now. I can only keep my faith that the Lord has heard my prayers ; he's sent down an angel to look after his child to make sure all goes well.


UPDATE: My super duper strong lil man is recovering well and resting at home. He was released the same day and sent home with meds. Ryatt woke up refreshed, like he had a nice long nap (which he did lol) but because of the meds he took a second long nap when he got home. Hes rockin LSU colored casts on both legs and is learning to navigate on them. I dont think these purdy boots are gonna stop this boy from continuing his quest to walk.

To all our family and friends: From the bottom of our hearts; Thank you! Your support helped us keep our sanity through this stressful experience and was so greatly appreciated.

Ryatt's First Birthday Rodeo

We planned our trip for Louisiana for the past year. It was exhausting trying to cover every detail and making sure everyone in the family was on the same page. Then the day came, we flew off island and in 8 hours we were in the sticky humidity of New Orleans Airport. We arrived early early morning, the day before the big 1st Rodeo Birthday. There was so much that needed to be done; greeting the family, settling in with the baby, last minute planning- all while adjusting to the 6 hour time difference. But thanks to our wonderfully executed planning, there wasnt much left to be done for planning. Most of the arrangements were being taken care of or already done. After a quick run to a couple stores we were back at Granny's house catching up and recharging for the rodeo games that would start tomorrow.

Morning of the 22nd of July. Main Event. I wake up about 7:30am, Ryatt is still stretched out next to me sleeping soundly. I wiped my eyes of sleet and then watch him as he smiles in his sleep. I dont usually watch him sleep because usually hes the one waking me up in the mornings. But today, his first birthday, the little cowboy decided to sleep in and I let him. He stretched a big stretch and then cracked one eye open. Then the other. When his vision came into focus, he looked at me and smiled a big toothy grin. Ryatt was ready to start the big day! So Ill be honest; when I pictured how the first day (his birthday of all days) I imagined a super cranky- inconsolable- time warped- baby. But he wasnt any of those things. He was such a trooper adjusting to the change and the new faces. Anyway, we had big things happening and all I could think about is how amazing it was that we survived the first year. [Lets recap: only 12 months ago we were waking up every 2 hours to nurse a crying 7lb baby, sleeping less than 4 hours a night, changing 12+ diapers a day, cleaning spit up every hour, trying every trick to stop the crying, juggling house chores that seem to be worst when theres a newborn. All while dealing with my own healing and hormonal imbalances AND not kill each other. Geez. We are considering more kids?! ] Well, the hour came. We head over to Granny Bertha's house where we have set up the party. Good ol' shrimp boil going on, tables out, family chit chatting and here was the birthday boy. Ryatt's First Rodeo was the theme, so as soon as we got there we handed out cowboy hats, bandanas and star badges to all the kids and some adults. Now all that was missing was my family who were all (13 folks) on their way in from New Orleans.

I havent seen my family in two years; its been that long since I left Virgina to move to Hawaii with my sailor hubby. My mom came out to Hawaii for Ryatts birth, but that was it. Goodness, I missed them so much. I didnt realize how much until I saw them. I was rushed with emotion when the first car arrived. My mom, Tia Zuby, sister, brother, his girlfriend, and Jason, climb out the car. I hugged them so hard, so hard they probably felt my pounding heart. The water works start up and we slowly make our way over to the rest of the party. One by one we introduced everyone and immediately the attention went back onto the birthday boy. He was the reason everyone was there. Everyone wanted to see him and meet each other. Then the second car arrived and again my heart pounded hard. My Tia Maria, cousins and  their partners climb out the car. I longed to see them again, but this time there was one person I especially wanted to meet. It was my godson, Aiden, who was supposed to be born a few days before I left Virgina and instead made his debut the day after I landed in Hawaii. I never got to meet my baby godson and now I finally got to hug him. We bring them over to the party and festivities continue. The family was all together, getting to know alil about each other and chowing down on shrimp/corn/sausage/potatoes. Looking back it at the party, everyone was so happy just like I had imagined. It was perfect. But that wasnt it! The cake came out and moment I dreamed about was about to happen. My baby boy was about to be officially initiated as a one year old toddler! I baked him an over-sized cupcake especially made for him to tear into. Needless to say, there was no delay in the demolition of the cupcake. Ryatt tore through that thing like a hungry bear; and a generous bear he was, sharing fists full of cake with Mommy and Daddy. After the damage was done, we removed the cake, cleaned up the boy and proceeded with the party. What an exhausting day that was but it was soooooo fun! The next day was another fun day of family and celebration.

Its-a-coming! 14 days in counting

Its hard for me to believe just how quickly this past year has gone. I guess time flies when you are completely consumed with a little human child running around, changing his diapers, washing load after load of laundry and catching every little special moment of his development. We are exactly 2 weeks....yes, 2 weeks! ....away from Ryatt's 1st birthday. (Which also marks 1 year of full breastfeeding for us. YAY!)

Ryatt's birthday party is going to be a spectacular event! The whole family is ecstatic for the day to come! This trip means so much to us all.We are all flying into Louisiana for the week and it means the reunion of myself and my siblings (of whom I havent seen in two years), its the first time I get to meet my godson (who was born late the day after I left to move to Hawaii), its the first time both sides of the family meet and its the first time Ryatt meets his relatives. So much time and energy has gone into planning this and now the time is coming near! Anyway, I just wanted to brag alil about how freaking excited we all are. I really hope it all comes together nicely. And I'll make sure to bring my camera with plenty of batteries. ;o)

The Last Frontier

It must of been summer when Vitus Jonassen Bering discovered Alaska in 1741. The Danish explorer  fell in love with the irresistible lush green scenery and snow kissed mountain ranges that line the horizon of this vivacious state. This is my third visit to Alaska, but my first time coming in the summer months and  Im starting to see why someone would call this place home. Currently, we are stationed in Hawaii. A beautiful little warm asian infused paradise to some, but a smoldering lava rock to us. (Dont get me wrong, Im grateful for each sunny day and love that we have had the chance to live here.) Anyway, the chance to get off the lava rock was really nice, and even better when we got to breath in the crisp and refreshingly cool Alaskan air without frost bite. 

This trip has been the best yet! We stayed with my in-laws in their mountain side home for a week. At first we were a little worried about how Ryatt would adjust to the 2 hour time change but it didnt seem to bother his schedule. What really effected him was the 23 hours of sunlight. It was the weirdest thing! We'd look at the clock, 10:45pm, and then look outside...what?! it looks like its 2pm! The absence of the moon effected my husband and I most; we were going to sleep much later than usual and paid the price in the morning when little one woke us up at 5am to start the day. We never really adjusted to the constant daylight but that didnt matter because we were having such a great time. Theres so much to do in the summer in Alaska. We took advantage and did something each day we were there. With the sun always up, Summer Solstice its called, it felt like we had ALL day to do everything. In the week we were there we ate at our usual "must have" places. One place called Moose's Tooth has the best pizza in Anchorage. If you are ever there, you have to have a slice. They serve slices for lunch and have a full menu of gourmet pizzas that are packed with fresh flavors. And if you are looking for some Alaskan halibut, go to The White Spot in downtown Anchorage. Its alil hole in the wall place thats been serving up griddle style foods - breakfast and lunch- since....well I cant remember the date but its a long time. Theres only a few tables and a row of bar seats, so get there early bc theres always a line. They serve up a variety of dishes (Im sure they are all great) but we go there specifically for the halibut sandwiches. MMMMmm  thinking about the buttery-fried goodness is making my mouth water. Anyway, we did some shopping around there and got great deals on summer clothes. (go figure- we are in ALASKA, duh!) We HAD to visit Knights Taxidermy, which is the place of a reality show we watch called "Mounted in Alaska". So many fun moments could of been caught on camera but my procrastinating self totally forgot the camera in Hawaii so I all we had was our camera phones. Surprisingly, the few shots we did get turned out pretty good. Im happily sharing my favorites =)  ***blogger photo upload is down right now. photos coming soon.

Since it was summer, I insisted on doing stuff thats only possible in the warmer months. The coolest thing we did was take a tour of glaciers on the Phillips 26 Glacier Cruise. I saw mountain ranges that Ive only seen in pictures. We were surrounded with the perfect back drop and all we had was a camera phone. So on the cruise we got to see otters out in the wild, a giant male seal, tons of black-footed birds and endless mountain sides striped with waterfalls. The big event was a massive glacier that sat low inside the valley of  mountain sides and into the ice water. We marveled at the phenomenon for about 30 mins, waiting for the iconic cracking sound and the ice crashing into the water. There were lots of teasers for awhile and just as we pulled off, an echo rang across the sound and we witnessed ice masses crash into the waters like a snap shot the National Geographic. At this point the cruise was a complete success! (except for the lack of camera, of course.) 

We really enjoyed ourselves with our family. Ryatt was a little clingy but that was expected since he was in a completely unfamiliar place- even the weather was unfamiliar. He still had a great time playing with everyone, especially his GiGi. Even our flights there and back were fairly pleasant. Great travels, priceless family time and Alaskan adventures- its safe to say that this trip The Last Frontier was a successful mini vacation. 

Finger Foods 2

Ryatt LOVES these sweet treats! And I love that they are packed with much needed iron and vitamins. These cookies are a great dessert or snack. If you make them with infant oatmeal and fruit they could be a great breakfast.  Hope your little one enjoys!

Cereal Veggie Cookies
*These are soft. If you want a harder cookie add more flour

2 tbsp dark brown sugar
1/8 cup of butter
1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup puree of carrot, squash, banana, raisin or pumpkin
2 tbsp of apple sauce
1/2 cup flour
1 cup of infant cereal
2 tbsp milk (or water or breast milk or formula)
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Preheat oven to 375F and grease cookie sheet. Cream together the brown sugar and butter. Mix in the egg, vanilla, cinnamon, puree and apple sauce. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda, infant cereal and salt. Add gradually to the butter mixture until all moistened. Add the milk (or which ever liquid you choose) a tablespoon at a time. Drop cookies onto the cookie sheet about 2inches apart and bake for 10-12mins. Refrigerate.

NOTE: This dough doesnt spread very much when baking so if you want a more traditional cookie shape, pull the cookies out the oven at about the 8min mark and press down on each cookie then return to the oven for the rest of the cooking time.

nom nom nom     nom nom nom    nom nom nom    nom nom nom    nom nom nom     nom nom nom


Coming Soon....
Oatmeal Raisin Cakes
Birthday Cake

Shape of a Mother

I love this. Ive been feeling alil self-hating recently. Picking out my flaws and dealing with my emotions has been hard on me, and unfortunately its been hard on my family too bc they have to deal with me. Im sure these emotions are coming from my raging hormones that are a result of my monthly coming back after being absent for about 20 months. To all the new mommies and the mommies of multiples, read some of the entries (and maybe share your story) of other moms and I hope you find some comfort as I did.


The Shape of a Mother 

Firsts: Wild times at the Honolulu Zoo

Ryatt's new big interest are animals. They capture his attention immediately and he starts to wiggle towards them. He loves to meet new dogs when we go to the dog park with Josey and lights up when he sees cats and birds. So when I realized how much he enjoyed seeing little animals, I filled the bird feeder and hung it by the glass door so when the birds visit Ryatt can watch them from inside. This kid just loves it! And here in Hawaii we have an array of colorful birds of all sizes come to eat treats. Anyway, naturally I thought he would love to go to see the animals Clifford visits in Ry's favorite book. So today we ventured to the Honolulu Zoo! Our first attempt a few months ago was a failure which then ended up successfully at the Aquarium. This time the zoo wasnt crowded so we were able to show Ryatt all the cool animals at the zoo.  At first, he was alil over whelmed by the giant elephants but it didnt take long for him to realize that elephants and chimps and turtles were fun too! And when we discovered the petting zoo area, it was all over!! Daddy helped Ryatt pet the goat while I freaked out. I swear that goat was gonna bite us- but he didnt. Then we said hello to the big cow, the clucking chickens and the pretty Koi fish. After all that, Ryatt slept the whole way home. We had too much fun today and hopefully we can make it out there more often.

Finishing up our picnic at the zoo park and gearing up for some animal adventures.

"what is that, Daddy?...thats not our Josey"

Crawling into the Koi tank with Momma and then saying hello to the GIANT Koi.

Visited with Billy the Goat and then ended our trip with ice cream =D mmmmmm we liked it, a lot.

Finger Foods!

A friend thought I should share my recipes (adapted from various sites) for the yummies Ive been making for my lil hungry hippo, so here they are. Enjoy!

Chicken Stix 

1 c ground chicken or turkey
1 med carrot or 1/2c carrot puree
1 med apple or 1/4c apple puree
1/2 garlic clove, minced
1/2 small onion
1 egg yolk, beaten
1/4c fresh breadcrumbs or baby cereal
pinch of dried thyme or basil
pinch of ground pepper

Peel and grate carrot, apple and onion into a bowl. Mix in the ground meat, egg, breadcrumbs or cereal, herb and pepper. Combine well. Take small balls of the mixture and shape into little "sausages" (or you could make patties) . Makes about 12. Place on a lightly greased grill pan and bake 350F for about 10 mins or until browned. Allow to cool  before serving. Store in an air tight container in the freezer for future consumption.

These are so yummy, I cant help but to steal a stix for myself!

UPDATED: So I decided to make these alil different and I think they are better. Not too big of a change; its easier and yields more.  I used the whole 1.75 lb of ground turkey, 1/2c baby rice cereal, 1 clove minced garlic, 4 tbsp carrot puree and half apple- grated, 1/2 onion- grated, 2 pinches of basil and 1 egg yolk- combined together. Then I took a mini muffin tin and greased it, then filled each mold to the top with the mixture. Baked for about 15-20 mins at 350F- until the juices were pouring out. I took them out the oven and let them rest so some of those juices could be reabsorbed. Then I popped them out onto a baking sheet to cool completely and later put in the freezer for about 15 mins. After those 15mins I went back and put those mini loafs into a freezer ziplock bag. Made 26 mini loafs.





Meatballs

1 c lean ground beef or turkey
1/2 c mashed potato or baby cereal
pinch of basil

Preheat oven 350F. Combine ingredients in a bowl and roll into bite sized balls. Make sure to not over mix bc you will make the end result tough and dry. (I roll into grape-sized balls and cut them in halves when I serve) Place on baking sheet and cook for about 20 mins or until browned. Let cool.

I serve these with squash puree as a dipper. Also great with alil cheese and cooked tomato. You can store and freeze these in a ziplock bag.


Sweet Potato Pancakes

2 tbsp Apple puree or Pear puree
1/2 c cooked sweet potato mash
2 egg yolks or 1 egg
1/3 c flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4c milk or water
drop of vanilla (optional)
dash of cinnamon (optional)

Mix sweet potato and apple puree with egg in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in the flour, baking powder, milk and vanilla. Batter should be lumpy and similar to regular pancake mix. Heat up a greased skillet over medium heat. Spoon batter onto skillet making rounds. When the round starts to bubble, its time to flip it. Use your spatula to flip each pancake and cook the other side 1-2 mins.

I like to serve these in cut up pieces with a dab  of apple sauce on each piece. These are great to serve sweet or savory, for breakfast or lunch. I make these in batches and freeze in pairs- wrap each pair in syran wrap and then store the bundles in one big ziplock bag.

Apple Muffins

1/4 c soften butter
1/4 c sugar
1 egg (or 2 yolks)
6 tbsp apple puree
1 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg


Preheat oven 350F. Cream butter with sugar in a bowl. Beat in egg. Beat in apple puree. Stir the dry ingredients together and then add them to the bowl, mixing just enough to combine. Spoon into greased mini muffin tins and bake for 15mins or until the edges are browned. Let cool on a wire rack and freeze.

I bet you could mix up the fruit in these. For example; instead of apple puree you could do plum or mango or bananas (but then dont do the cinnamon and nutmeg). You could probably add bits of fruit too; like bits of apple, raisin or blueberries. I think Im going to try that next time..... These can also be sweet or savory. For example they go well with Apple raisin puree OR Sweet Potatos as a topping or spread.

If you have any yummy recipes you'd like to share, PLEASE do! I love making food for my lil man and he loves eating like a big kid =D

Hope you enjoy!

Purees of the Past

Im sitting here feeding my son pieces of my lunch because hes refusing the purees Ive been feeding him for the past few months. Ive come to the realization that my baby wants to eat table food- further evidence that hes growing up. Im saddened by this realization because Ive just started to have fun making my own baby purees. Since I have probably made my last batch of cubes to feed the monster, I feel that I should share my easy-peasy super nutritional baby food combinations that Ryatt enjoyed. I think that combining fruit and veggies is a great way to pack in a double punch of nutrition, so here they are.

sorry I cant give you actual recipes. i made the basic purees like apples, pears, carrots, squash and then spiced up and/or combined with other flavors. However, these combos I made in batches together and would use the plain purees as adjustors of sweetness and flavor.


Spinach, Peas and Pears

Broccoli and Apples

Squash and Apples with nutmeg

Apples, Raisin and Cinnamon

Banana and Papaya

Sweet Potatos with cinnamon

Mango and Pears

Peas, Edaname and Apples


And we also make Sweet Potato Pancakes to eat on Saturday mornings. served with plain applesauce to act as our syrup.

These combos are so easy to make. And even though I dont have measurements here for you, they are so easy you can combine and make your own adjustments. My rule of thumb is the veggie is the prodominant flavor and the fruit was just the sweetner.

Hello Spring =)

We welcome the spring season with open arms. Although we live in Hawaii and the weather is always warm, springtime means more to us than rising temperatures. Spring is about new beginnings and getting together. Everyone is coming out of their winter hibernation, so its time to pull out the grill, turn on some tunes and throw a BBQ. And with Easter right around the corner, I couldnt resist getting photos done. Heres some for you to enjoy =) The rest are on Ryatt's website, www.babyryattsadventures.shutterfly.com

Firsts: hold on tight, we are CRAWLING!

With practice came perfection! After much awaited time, whether I like it or not, Mr. Ryatt Michael is mobile folks.

In the beginning he would scoot-scoot -scoot, using his arms to pull forward and his leg to lunge. Then from seated position he started to reach for toys and inadvertently getting into crawling position. It was kinda tricky for the boy to get moving, sometimes slamming his face into the floor. Thats when we decided that a padded floor mat was probably a good idea. Hahaha so needless to say, he has learned to transition from sitting to scooting and back to sitting. And the evolution continues! Scooting slowly turned into crawling on his knees. Now hes EVERYWHERE! Ryatt is fascinated with the floor fan- big no no- and the kitchen floor mats, the blinds are interesting too and dont forget how much fun it is to throw all the DVDs everywhere.  Ill put him down in the living room with his toys so that I can take two steps over to grab something, when I return hes gone! He has scooted/crawled over to the other side of the room! As you can imagine, I dont really get a moment to sit down if the beast is unleashed LOL Soon this lil rug rat will be walking...oh god....hes thinks hes pretty awesome at pulling his self up on things to stand. I cant wait (or I can) to see how impressed he is when he discovers he can walk along while holding and then let go some.
Speaking of walking- today he had Rowdy and I in stitches watching him in his walker. Ryatt had the small laundry basket wedged in the side of the walker and he was swinging a fly swatter around. He was flailing it around hitting the washer and laughing at the bang. Then he would try to move around, still swinging the swatter, and taunt the dogs. (who are petrified of the swatter AND the walker) hahahahaha he was having a ball! and we were loving it!

well, off to bed we go. tomorrow is another adventure :o)

Buzz Buzz Bump

OMG! Grandmother Priscilla got Ryatt a walker! Seemed harmless at first but now hes all over the place. Its like having a drunk driver in a flying saucer buzzing (or babbling) around the house. It took one day for Ryatt to learn how to move his legs and navigate the space ship walker. Once that was down, he started to move forward and backward. Then he realized he could move into areas like the hallway or his bedroom or chase behind the dogs. Hes bumping into everything, hes grabbing and hes exploring. This lil cowboy is on a whole new frontier!  Which also means Mommy has to monitor him and is running around behind him as he zips from one end of the house to the other. I feel bad for the dogs; when Ryatt is on the go, you can bet the dogs are being chased or run over. (sorry dogs!)  Which reminds me....if you are in the house and the walker is in use, your heels and toes are at risk of being ran over. You've been warned.

Keep it Simple: Babies

As a mother of an 8 month old curious baby boy I find my self talking about mostly just that- babies. Well to futher prove this I recently watched a documentary called Babies by Thomas Balmes. I remembered seeing reviews about this movie on Kathie Lee and Hoda so when I saw it on my Netflix I couldnt resist.

Babies is about four babies from different parts of the world; Ponijao, Mongolia, Japan and USA. The camera follows their growth from birth to about the first year. It was interesting the way baby humans are raised in different cultures and how simple life can be for them. (Here I am worrying about baby proofing my home and freaking out about every lil dog hair I find on Ryatt or what kind of diaper Im putting on him) There were two families in particular that really intrigued me. The first family the camera visits is in Ponijao (some where near Kenya I assume) where two babies, about a year apart, are constantly nursed by their mother. Naked and sitting on dirt floors, these two adorable little baby butts' played with odd objects together around their mother. And with dirty hands and feet they slept on the ground of their hut in the safety of Momma's arms. It seemed like they were always in Momma's reach, always there to nurse and cuddle these two. Then you are introduced to an infant in Mongolia. Out in what seems like the middle of nowhere, a baby is kept warm in a tight swaddle most of the time and seems to spend a lot of time alone or with his toddler brother while the rest of the family works. It was so funny to see how the older brother reacted to his new brother. He didnt seem to like him very much; he teased and taunted him. In one scene he even pushed his baby brother out the house in a stroller and left him sleeping out by the cows. That poor child was in for a surprise when he woke up to snarling cow. The animals weren't kept far from the children either. One scene is of the infant laying in bed and a chicken is standing right next to him. I thought of how I protect Ryatt from our dog licking him- I think about the germs and where her mouth has possibly been. Here a chicken is the babysitter and there isnt a care in the world about germs. Im drawn to how simple their life is. They raise their children to be members of society with just the essentials- no baby einstein toys or fancy play yards. In some places they dont even diaper their baby. There is a natural connection to each other that they listen to; like a rhythm and each mother and child is on the same tune. No "how-to" books - no baby websites - no closet full of baby clothes that just get worn once- no cribs- no baby monitors-  just instinct. Amazing isnt it?! I think it is. Its really beautiful too. I think our society in particular is so cluttered with gadgets and easy fixes that we have lost sight of how nature intended our bond to be.

So I started talking to my husband about the movie. He had seen tid-bits of it but enough for him to bring it up in conversation. He was just as intrigued by how simple life is for these babies. Reflecting on our own family together we laughed about how we used to freak out about a fallen pacifier and dirty hands. At the beginning, we were so cautious and as time has gone on we have become more relaxed. Looking less to websites and books, and trusting our own parental instinct. We go to each other and other family members if we question something. Its just kind of grown this way. I think without knowing, we were learning that instinct is the best way to go. (although we are still spoiled by our baby monitor) Theres no need to stress about what the text book says because really no one fits one-size. Its worked for us so far. And for families in parts of the world where life is much simpler, its also true.

Shedding Skins

A good friend of mine jokingly told me to 'enjoy my pre-pregnancy body because nothing is the same after baby comes'. Her first pregnancy was difficult on her body and completely transformed it from a boyish small figure to a curvy full figure plus a few scars. Thinking back to my own pregnancy, it went fairly easy but unexpectly left behind some scars.  I laughed her off but had no idea she was completely right. I used to see my body in a sexual light and now nothing is quite same.

I think I had a fairly positive self image. I didnt think I was fat- but wouldnt miss loosing a few pounds and I felt comfortable in the nude. Weight has always been something I monitored and kept a pretty good grasp on it. When I was in my early teen years, I had gained a good amount of weight over time and got pretty big. At about 17, I took control and started to get into exercising and changing my eating habits. It took me about two years to loose about 20lbs and I completely sculpted my physic. I liked where I weighed in, its just the right size to have some meat on these bones and junk in all the right places.

After having a baby, Im seeing that not only does my body work alil differently, but so did how I looked at it. That positive thinking is still there for the most part. I think the turning point was the moment I discovered my first stretch mark. My mother pointed it out and in disbelief I checked in the mirror. Sure enough, they were there and then came the tears. I really thought I had beaten the [later realized] inevitable. But there isnt enough lotion and oil in the world to stave off those dreadful scars. Then the delivery of my son left is own unique stamp that will always remind me of what I went through. Looking down my tummy, right above my bikini line, is the most noticeable scar I have other than my tattoos.  Its dark purplish presence makes its self known with random spots of tenderness.  I dont know if thats really normal after eight months of healing. Either way, I wish it werent there. Its bad enough I have the matching set of purplish streaks down the front of my tummy. And Ill save you the details on how breastfeeding has ruined my once-upon-a-time-exquisite breasts. Thats the other thing! At first I thought, "this is great! Breast feeding really does burn calories" and I eventually hit my pre-preggo weight and all was great. But I guess my body has adjusted (another one of those wonderful untold things) and its no longer burning calories like an inferno. Now Im back to my post preggo weight and Im battling to balancing my diet to hit my goal. WTH! I really wish someone had warned me. I guess its all good though; if I could do it before I *think* I can loose a few pounds again ;)

So although my friend was right when she warned me, I have to admit in many ways I like things the way they are now. I know what my body is really capable of and that gives me a new appreciation for it. The biggest change I have noticed is my sudden awareness of it. With the body I once strutted around in a two piece bikini, I carried a child in my womb and then delivered him into the world and now Im nurturing him with my breasts. Its so amazing. Looking at my body this way makes all those superficial flaws fade. They become Mommy Warrior Scars. Now when I look into the mirror I see all these changes, I see a mother who can nurture and still be sexy. This new body is more beautiful than it ever was before because of what it has been through and became. And when my husband holds my curvy hips and tells me Im beautiful, I believe he sees it too.

Momma's Love

I love all twelve of your toes

and your milky kisses

I love your button nose

and your sleepy-eyed gazes

I love you in so many ways
From the minute you awake
Til the moment you drift away
Seeing your face is all it takes

Growing from my baby to a boy to a man
Independent and strong
This is all part of the plan
Smart and charming and to live long

No matter what happens in your life you will always be my son
My love for you is eternal and can never be undone

Its my choice, the right choice.

I grew up in a single parent home with two other siblings. My mother did her best to provide what we needed, even if that meant working two jobs-7 days a week. I look back at the hell I gave her and I wonder if things would of been different had there been a second parent or if my mom had more time to be around. I love my mother very much for everything shes done. She has always put her children before herself, and I can now see that some of that has rubbed off on me.

Before I became pregnant, I was making plans to return to school and finish the Business degree I started years back. I also was in search a job that was flexible with a possible school schedule. As soon as I found out I was pregnant my objective changed. Those goals were set aside and a new agenda was in its place. My focus was now on the growing a child inside me and how I was going to be a mother to him. I took special care to eat right and to get enough exercise. I read everything I could about becoming a new parent and never thought twice about becoming a stay at home mom. Other mothers around me seem to be itching to work right away and itching to get away. (Not that that makes them any less of a parent. I understand its normal to want to do things and have time for yourself as well) There was a never a doubt for us that I would be a stay at home mom; its what I want and love. We are fortunate enough that Rowdy is able to work and I stay home; and Rowdy supports that 100%. But seeing them be so anxious to get back to pre-baby life made me feel like I was doing something wrong. Am I wrong for choosing to not be separate from my son, even for the slightest bit of time? I dont want someone thats not family raising my baby, thats our job.

Well now baby is 7months old and I still focus primarily on him. I still plan on going back to school, maybe when he starts going to kindergarden and I can go during those few hours. Then later on when he [and any other children we have] are more independent I would like to start up my business. But right now, with this precious baby growing before my eyes, school and work is not important. Being available to support and give a sense of security to our son is our number one priority. If that means putting school and work aside, then thats the sacrifice.

Im a survivor! ::playing Beyonce song::

WoW! Once again, I had to pack up my things, load the dogs and hope for the best as we await a tsunami to hit our shores. But this time around I had to haul a baby and husband around with me too. Do you have any idea how exhausting that is?! Around 9pm, Rowdy and I see on the news that Japan just had a 8.9 earth quake and Hawaii was now in a Tsunami watch. As soon as it upgraded to a warning I zipped out the door and headed to the store for water, baby food, dog food and diapers. (there is no way Im hauling dirty cloth diapers too!) Everyone eles in Ewa Beach headed out too because the gas station lines wrapped around the block and the grocery store was ravaged. Anyway, I found myself having a little bit of deja vu. About a year ago, Chile had a massive earth quake and caused a tsunami in Hawaii. Only then, I was pregnant with Ryatt and Rowdy was out at sea. This time around I knew how to better prepare and needless to say, things went alil smoother. We packed up and headed to a friends house in Pearl Harbor- out of evacuation zones. With the whole family in tow, including the dogs, we stood by and watched this tsunami unfold. Just as Rowdy predicted it was a kitten of a threat and we really could of stayed home (and actually slept).  I couldnt help but get moving and take such threat seriously, its mother instinct to protect our family.  But I admit, I kinda expected it to be nothing serious on our coast but I also couldnt help but to imagine the night mare it would be [and the regret] had we not evacuated and trying to save ourselves from massive flooding. In the end we had a sleepover and headed home the next morning. As usual, the sun was shinning bright over Oahu and the day went on. It was like it never happened.

Although our home is safe and in no harm, Japan was really hit hard. The footage of what is going on over there is heart wrenching. People's lives, people's homes, people's family- all washing away as they can do nothing but watch and fight to survive. I couldnt imagine such loss. It makes me even more aware of how we should never take our family and safety for granted.

Firsts- We've got TEETH!

Who would of thought that growing teeth would change everything! Just as his doctor predicted at almost 7 months, Ryatt sprouted his first tooth bud. Along with the lil tooth-ling came a whole new set of games and rules.  Big boy rules that is, and Growing Up is the name of the game.


That first tooth made its debut about a week ago and its been growing more and more ever since. It even invited a few of his friends to join the party. I noticed a few days ago that his other bottom and both top are also coming in. Soon my grinning smiles will be no more and Ill have nipple-chomping smiles. My baby is growing, and its more obvious everyday. He tries to chew on anything he gets his little hands on. Anything- the dog's ear, my hair, his highchair harness, his toes and his favorite is his pacifier. Teeth coming in, weighing 22lbs and almost crawling- yeah, its pretty obvious.

We're still trying new solids; now venturing into more exotic flavors like papaya and mango.  So far we have been very lucky to have no reactions to the simple stuff like apples, pears and carrots. Now one month into it, Im feeling more confident and relaxed about letting Ryatt try new things. We're trying new combinations of veggies and fruits and soon we'll try yogurt. Today we tried mangos and it seemed like he liked it. (Of course fruits are favorable, although bananas are his least favorite) He opens his mouth wide and gulps the whole spoon. Then he does his version of chewing which is a lot of spurting and smacking. Ryatt is so impressed with his self eating at the table. He looks down at the dogs with this teasing look on his face as if to say, "mmm this is good. you want some?" Now the dogs have a new human to beg while we eat at the table. Lucky for them, Ryatt is much more sharing and likes to spit them a dollop of dinner onto the floor. They're grateful, Rowdy and I are not amused. Along with solid foods comes solid poops. Great. And they stink, real bad. Baby boy is pushing out logs now and when he does he lets you know. His cute lil face freezes and he starts to grunt. Thats my cue- I rush him to the potty, rip off that diaper and plop him on the potty. So far its been pretty good. He doesnt mind it and even though sometimes I have to rush him three times in a row, I look at it as three times of practice.  My hope is that he will pick up on it and hopefully he'll potty by 12-18 months. I know its high hoping but like they say 'shoot for the moon and land upon the stars'. 


I realize there is nothing I can do to hinder my baby from growing up. Its the way its meant to be. That doesnt mean I can hold on to these wonderful stationary days. Soon Ryatt will crawl and become more interested in what things do and the cause and effect of everything. When that happens Im sure Ill probably go completely grey from all the stress of worrying for his safety. ...  a head of grey might look good on me. ..I worry about what hes eating and what hes exposed to- I dont even want to imagine what my anxiety level will be when hes able to crawl/walk.   


 o.O   oh my.   


Like it or not, I have to play along in this game of Growing Up. This is his game, he calls the shots. Strap on your seat belts, ladies and gentlemen, we are in for a bumpy ride! 
   

Firsts- Visit to the Honolulu Aquarium

It was a beautiful day on island. Perfect for a picnic at the zoo. We pack up and zipped over 20 minutes out into town to show Ryatt the zoo animals for the first time. Well, plans changed. After fighting tooth and nail for overpriced parking, we scrammed to get in line to enter. Apparently the whole island of Oahu had the brilliant idea of visiting the zoo on President's Day because the line swiveled out to the street and looked like there was no end to it. So on to plan B. We walked right passed the line of patient people and straight across the street to the Waikiki Beach Park to sit down and eat. The sun was perfectly peaking from behind a few clouds, and a breeze tickled our skin to keep us cool.  Surrounded by tourists and beach bums, we spread out our lunch to eat and people watch. Bums are funny and tourist are even more entertaining! Even Ryatt was people watching too as he ate spoonfuls of apple and pear sauce. When we all finished eating, we packed back up and headed a few blocks down the beach to the Honolulu Aquarium. This aquarium is pretty small so the whole visit there was about 30 minutes. Surprisingly, they dont have a Great White Sharks. I'd expect they would because Great Whites can be found one mile off the coast of the island. The coolest part is the jelly fish tank and the monk seals. We captured a few pics, here they are for you to enjoy =)

Apple sauce or Apple sauce

Today was a day of learning. We attended a Super Baby Foods Class at my local cloth diaper store, BabyAwearness in Manoa, Hawaii. (Great place!) There was a lot of information given out and a quick demonstration for a really nutritious kale and apple sauce recipe. The instructor had a lot of info to offer; most I agreed with and some I thought was just a little too much. Rowdy was annoyed with her "hippie" approach to feeding her daughter so automatically he blew her off. But whats important is that at the end of the class, Rowdy and I both agree on how cooking for our baby/family works for us. 

The class was based off a very popular book called "Super Baby Food" by Ruth Paron. We went over mostly everything, including some suggestions for first time foods, preparing healthy foods, and the benefits of using wholesome organic foods. This lady obviously has a lot of invested interested in cooking all organic and local, more than I do at the least. Anyway, Im all about eating healthy but I also have my own theories that differ from the typical 'all organic' diet.

Hear me out....(My theory...I dont know if there is study out there that proves or disproves this) I think there is a connection between microwaved and processed foods and the epidemic of cancers with causes unknown. In the 1950's the microwave come out and TV dinners were being nuked in almost every home. Now fifty years later folks are discovering malignant masses everywhere and people are being routinely screened for early detection. People who were around before the microwave ate more natural foods and then went nuts over a new way of cooking thats faster and easier than the conventional pot and pan. I think that switch from 'real' foods to processed foods like TV dinners has had a adverse effect on people and its now starting to show. SO now I foresee the same effect happening with parents feeding their child all organic non processed foods up until a certain age...or until its out of their control....and then later the processed-commercially grown stuff is introduced. Their little body is going to freak out when it gets alil taste of artificial sweeteners, corn syrup or any other commonly used additive in everyday foods. I really hope Im wrong because I think its great that parents want to provide the best start for their babies; its what we all wish for our children.

One thing that had me perk up an ear was how she mentioned that there are links between autism and ADHD and the consumption of pesticides from our produce. I certainly dont want to become part of that statistic. We do plan on reducing exposure as much as we can, but I also think we are doing more good than harm by allowing a balance of organic foods and commercial foods into our son's diet. For reasons I mentioned earlier, we want to provide that exposure so when our son is making his own food choices, if he chooses something commercially made it isnt going to throw his system into panic. So for now, while we have the choice as parents, we are going to make homemade fruit and veggie purees, organic when possible and buy the more uncommon stuff in jars. 

Two weeks ago, we started Ryatt on solids. Hes eating fresh mashed bananas, prunes, home made apples sauce and pear sauce, carrots, green beans, rice cereal and oatmeal. So far, it seems like he likes his veggies more than the fruit. We eat three times a day; oatmeal and fruit for breakfast, fruit or veggie for lunch, and rice cereal with veggie for dinner. Im so glad I waited til he turned 6months to start solids because Im confident he was ready for it. Hes taken to eating solids very well and really developing the skill of eating from a spoon. Its been a messy and fun milestone for sure!

SIDE NOTE: I am aware that there are other components to developing cancers and disabilities, not just in what we eat but also in the environment we expose ourselves to.

The Boys Club: No Momma allowed! [ our bedtime routine]

Every night our bed time routine sets the mood for Ryatt to sleep; it works most of the time. We all eat dinner together at the table around 630 or so, and then Rowdy swooshes Ryatt away to the No-Momma Zone. Im not allowed to participate in whatever they do but it sure sounds like fun from the kitchen. Im stuck cleaning up the mess left over from dinner- which usually consists of dishes, dirty counters and the carnage of Ryatt's meal. I hear all sorts of laughing, squeaky toys and music. Sometimes I peak in and see whats going on but they always catch me and send me away. Its not fair! I can only assume that bath time involves bubbles and duckies with splashy fun, and then getting dressed is a musical performance by Rowdy with peek-a-boos and tickles. The lights dim and then its story time. I dont even get to partake in that! Instead, by 8 o'clock Im beckoned to come nurse baby to sleep, like Im some sort of warm glass of milk.

After the monster is down resting his precious eyes, Momma and Daddy get to have grown up time. YAY! Usually you will find us cuddled on the couch together either watching episodes after episode off of Netflix or we are both typing away on our laptops enjoying the silence in the house. As you could imagine, we look forward to these few calm hours. We go to bed hoping to not wake up again til the morning. But its NEVER that easy. Usually he tries to wake up a couple times before midnight and a quick pacifier plug-in puts him back into his slumber. Then around 3 am baby boy wakes up and the battle begins. With our eyes glazed over with sleep, we take turns rubbing his belly and shhh-ing him, hoping he will doze off again. If we are lucky he falls back asleep within the hour. If not, then we cave and let the monster in our bed to nurse back to sleep. I know, I know, we arent supposed to do that. But when you have spent the whole day acting like a clown to keep a high maintenance child happy, you are drained of all your energy and become desperate for any minute of sleep. Now nursing him this time always works. He sleeps in with us til the late morning hour of 6 AM. And then the day begins again. 

17 years, 5 months, 14 days, 2 hours til we can hopefully sleep again

WeePlay and Learn

One challenge of being an At-Home-Mom with few friends around is making sure your kid gets the social interaction he needs to develop those specific skills. You may think its early but I assure you this baby is a sponge on steroids. He picks up on everything, even at this young age. So to help our situation I signed up Ryatt to participate in a baby interactive class called WeePlay and Learn.

We really enjoy going. Not only do I get to meet other parents with children of similar age but Ryatt gets to play with other tots. Every class starts with a welcome song where we introduce all the babies and then we follow up with toys, rattles, story time, dancing and sensory activities. Its so cute to see all the different little people with their drooly faces and curious eyes. They crawl all over each other exploring the room and people around them. After class babies are allowed to play in the class room which is filled with foam jungle gyms and ball pits. Its like a baby heaven of toys! I really think that Ryatt is developing so well because he has this exposure.... AND his great genes!

Just thought Id share....

Lets play Catch-Up

I really wish I had started this earlier so that I wouldnt have to bust my brains trying to remember the all moments Id like to share. Theres only one place to start, the beginning.....

After a painful long 22 hour labor, we ended up with a c-section birth because baby Ryatt was suspected to be tied up by his umbilical cord. With every contraction his heart rate dropped significantly and then jumped back up. These doctors did everything they could to deliver him vaginal but after so long it became a safety concern. I was cool as a cucumber because I trusted my doctors. Rowdy, however, was so nervous about surgery and really feared the worst. None of those fears mattered anymore once he saw his son for the first time in that operation room. Most my own memory of the hospital stay is blurry, but I could never forget how it felt to hold my baby for the first time. Its not what you think. I didnt have those typical feelings you read about where a mother gazes at her child and all that gooshy stuff. No, I didnt instantly fall in love either. Actually, I had a head full of questions. I looked at Ryatt and wondered first, "You guys sure this kid is mine?" He was so white and Im kinda dark, and he looked nothing like me- it just didnt match up. In fact, at the time he looked like a lil shriveled old man. Then I started to think about all the grief I just went through and wondered how something so beautiful could cause me so much pain. Many other questions were left unanswered when all of a sudden my motherly instinct kicked in. I immediately felt an over whelming call to breastfeed. I wanted nothing in this world more than to nurture this baby in my arms. Apparently Ryatt felt the same way because he latched on without a flinch and its been that way since. 

  We finally arrived home and settled in after three days in the hospital recovering. Its kinda hard recalling the things we did, partly because of the zombie-like state we were in and mostly because I was drugged up. I do know for sure we were mad-hatter happy to finally see the child that was growing inside me for 39 weeks. My mother was around to help and thank goodness because I dont think Rowdy and I would of been able to function. She took care of all the chores and took Ryatt off our hands so we could rest when ever Ryatt allowed it. If baby wasnt sleeping or being cuddled by Granma, he was attatched to me- either by breast or diaper. Im not exaggerating either. Literally, baby breastfed every two hours on the minute and pooped after every meal. I couldnt even tell you the amount of disposable diapers and wipes we went through. After my Momma left, Rowdy's mother came to visit and meet her grandbaby too. 

Ryatt was only a month old when I was left alone to do it all. Granmas came and left and Rowdy was back out to sea. I faced the next three months alone with a newborn baby and no hopes for sleep in the future. It was freaking scary! Guess it was that motherly instinct again that saved me because from the moment we dropped Rowdy off at the airport I didnt fear it anymore. I felt comfortable and I think Ryatt could sense it too. Right away we started getting into routines and I feel like the time alone with him allowed me to really tune into my inner mother. Im not saying it was easy. There were nights where I just couldnt do it and I cried for rest. But we got over it because it all passes. Those months were long too. There were days that just lingered and crawled by. Guess thats what happens when you dont sleep and you are counting the days til your other half [Rowdy] returns home. ...Oh the life of a military wife....

anyway, he did finally come home right before Christmas. By this time Ryatt is 4 months old, about 18lbs in weight and able to babble. He also had develop a little of an anxiety when around large crowds of people. So much that I had to hold off on going to baby classes (WeePlay) until it subsided. Rowdy came with us when we gave baby classes another try and Ryatt blended right in. For reasons unknown, this anxiety went away when daddy came home and I totally looked like a sissy liar. Well the next two months were fun. We went right into full time cloth diapering and continued fully breast feeding our baby boy. Disposable diapers have a funny fake smell to them and cloth is just so much cuter disposables. Ill just have to write a whole other blog post about how freakin awesome cloth diapering my child has been! 

So you are probably wondering by now when Im going to stop blabbering, so here it is. To wrap up my game of catch-up... I want to conclude that since these turn of events my life has never been the same. Im stronger and more in tuned with my natural self. Ive never been so selfless. Never have I felt such a deep love for another being. Never have I felt a stronger need for family. Mother hood has been nothing I imagined it to be, yet everything Ive ever wanted and its so perfectly fitting for me.

Aloha!

Aloha! and Welcome to our Ohana's blog!

I hope this brings some insight into our experiences as first time parents raising our adorable smiley baby, Ryatt. I cant promise this is going to be a piece of parenthood best-selling literature; but Ill give it my best shot. Hopefully you can relate in some way, find comfort in our experience and maybe even alil humor in it all.

Aloha! and thanks for reading =)