PTDT - Pecan Pie Phyllo Tarts

Pin There, Done That.

I added this little dessert bite to our Thanksgiving menu this year and it was a hit! I pinned this from SkinnyTaste. These little bites tasted just like your favorite pecan pie, but contain about an eighth of the calories. They were super easy to put together and they only take about ten minutes to bake. Even my minimal dessert eating hubby popped a few of these gems after our turkey dinner. These are so yummy and so easy that they'll make you want to eat pecan pie all year. And with only 68 calories per pie, you can without feeling any guilt. These will absolutely make a return appearance in our house.

Working Mom

That's me. Ugh. How did that happen so fast? Today was my first day back at work after 12 weeks home with my sweet Ellison. It went too fast. We should get to stay home for 6 months. Or a year. Or forever?

The good thing is that it wasn't as devastating as I thought it would be. I only cried once and she's been a smiley little nugget since I picked her up today. I take great comfort in knowing that she's well taken care of. Being that she's at the Child Development Center at the hospital where I work, I can pop over to see her anytime. Although, I stayed away today because I was worried if I went for a visit I might not go back to work!

I wasn't ready to leave her...would I ever be? But it was good to get back to work. I love my job, the families I work with, and my awesome coworkers. It would be great though if I could just bring Ellie with me and put her in a bouncy seat in my office!

We will survive. Everyday will get easier. She will learn so much and make lots of friends. I'll stay very busy because it's the holiday season at a children's hospital, and before we know it this will be old news. I'd rather be home with her, but I feel blessed to have been able to spend three months with her watching her learn and grow. I imagine our afternoons will he full of snuggles and we will never take our time together for granted. Here's to the weekend! ;-)

Heavy Hearts...

It has been a terrible couple of days for some very dear friends of ours. My best friend and her sister lost their father in a tragic fishing accident off the coast of NC on Monday. He was an avid fisherman and loved being at the beach. Sometimes it just doesn't matter how much experience you have. Terrible things shouldn't happen to great people. It's simply not fair.

He was such a wonderful man. He loved his family with his whole being. If you believe in soul mates, he found his and they had an enviable marriage for more than 25 years. Say special prayers for her. She didn't only lose her husband, she lost her very best friend. He was kind and generous and he passed those wonderful traits on to his daughters. His blue eyes and bright smile could truly light up a room His first grandchild is due at the end of February. I know that little one will shine with the same light he did. I don't know that he ever met a stranger. His friends were like family. He will be sorely missed.

Please include this special family and all who were blessed to know him in your thoughts and prayers.

As Promised...

A turkey for my little turkey. The possibilities are endless!

Crafty Goodness ~ Applique

OK, so I've been mildly obsessed with cute little appliqued onesies lately.  I've been perusing Etsy and local shops for personalized/holiday/themed outfits for Ellison.  Usually I'd find one I loved but not in her size or some in her size that were just OK.  I figured there must be a way to make my own, so I started googling.  Now, let it be known that I am not really that crafty.  I can't draw a straight line or sew a button.  But, I am really good at following directions. :-) 

After some searching, I found two tutorials that seemed pretty simple.  I found one here and here.  So, I headed out to Michael's to buy myself some supplies.  The Heat & Bond I used specifically says DO NOT SEW, but I was fully prepared to try to hand stitch this bad boy if needed (thank you You Tube sewing tutorials!).  I started with a onesie that Ellison can wear when we watch our Pirate games from the couch.  :-)  It took me about a half hour to complete, and I think that it will go faster in th future now that I've done one!  I think it turned out super cute!

 

I'm heading out to JoAnn's tomorrow to pick up some fabric for a turkey onesie.  I've already got my templates and am excited to try it again!  I'll post a picture of the finished project later this week.  :-)

 



 

Southern Christmas Show

My mom came into town to visit with us Sunday through Tuesday, and Monday we ventured out with Ellison to the Southern Christmas Show. I had never been before, but had heard good things about it. I figured Monday would be a good day to go,thinking it wouldn't be so crowded. Wrong! Hello, Veterans Day crowd. It was insane! So, so busy! Other than the mass of bodies, we had a good time. There were TONS of vendors. Tons! We were there fit about 4 hours and definitely didn't see everything. We got a handful of goodies and Ellison was a champ. She was so patient and well behaved! She really loved looking at all the lights and decorations! I think I'd definitely go back, but maybe without baby in tow. The stroller was a little hard to maneuver through the crowd and we couldn't easily move through some of the booths. Side note - if you're planning to go, valet parking is worth every penny!! We pulled right to the front door, and when we left we had help putting our bags and the stroller back in the car. If we'd parked ourselves, it probably would've taken 20 minutes just to walk to and from our car. Here are some of the goodies we found...minus a few gifts for some friends and family. :-)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daycare Orientation

Yesterday we went to Ellison's school for new parent orientation. We'd been before for a tour, so we new what to expect, but this time was definitely different because we're actually getting close to bringing her there. Ellison came with us and was so well behaved! She played in her carrier, snuggled with us a bit, and napped. She even went about four hours without wanting a bottle.

We're very happy with the center. She is in a classroom with about 15 babies and 5 teachers. So, their ratio is 1:3 which is better than the state mandated 1:5. The classroom goes up to 12 months, so she'll be with her teachers until her first birthday. They really do a good job of listening to the babies' cues and following their schedules. They also focus on developing fine and gross motor skills.

We are going to do a practice run next Monday and Tuesday so that my first day back at work and her first time at school won't be the same day. While I know that I will be so sad to drop her off, I feel so much better knowing she's right across the street and I can pop in to see her whenever I'd like. I think she'll learn a lot and I think it will be good for her to be around other children. In a perfect world, I'd stay home with her all day everyday until she's 30...but that's not reality!

Say special prayers for us that it will be a smooth transition!

Oh...and our Ellie Bean turned 10 weeks old too! Where has the time gone?! There was a six and eight week old on our orientation and it's really amazing to think how much she's grown and learned in the last month!

PTDT - Chicken Tortilla Soup

Pin There, Done That.

Last week, I whipped together an easy recipe for Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup I pulled from Pinterest. It came together in no time at all and made tons! I followed the recipe exactly as listed. I used frozen chicken breasts and threw them straight into the mix from the freezer. It is definitely a soup...not a stew or chili. The chicken broth makes it thin. We thought it was really tasty. Barrett added some fresh jalapeños to his and we both stirred in a little shredded cheese and tortilla chips. This is the best time of year for soups and stews, and I hope to be using my crockpot many more times in the coming months!  We had enough for dinner, two lunches, and some to freeze.  Definitely worth trying!

 

First Night in the Crib

Ellison spent her first night in her own room last night! She was 9 weeks and 1 day old. She'd been sleeping in our room in her Rock & Play. We'd been talking about transitioning her for a few weeks, and last night we finally bit the bullet. We were waiting until we bought a sound machine that would stay on all night. As much as I love her Sleep Sheep, it turns off after 45 minutes, and the silence is deafening! As soon as it turns off, she starts to stir. She definitely uses it as a sleep cue and falls asleep pretty quickly when she hears it, but she is also used to the noise so wakes easily when the noise goes away.

We are happy to report that she did really well for her first night! She was sleeping by 10:00, woke at 3:45 to eat, and was back down again from 4:15 to about 6:30. She looks so tiny in her big crib! Barrett and I slept better too because we weren't waking up at every little squirm. I know that she'll be used to her new sleep space very soon and that we will all be feeling much more rested!

Two Month Checkup

Ellison's two month checkup was yesterday. She was exactly 9 weeks. Everything looks good...she's a happy healthy baby. We are upping her dose of Zantac because she's getting bigger, and she has a nonspecific rash on her belly that seems to be nothing so were just keeping an eye on it for now. She had her first round of shots, and it was just so sad! It was the first time we'd heard her real pain cry, and it was pretty terrible! She had one oral immunization and three in her legs She did great though. Just cried for a little bit and was fine after a minute of snuggling. We spent the rest of the day running errands, and she was such a trooper! She was a little fussy later that evening, so we think her little legs might have been sore. Mommy is not looking forward to round two in two months!

Her updated stats are:

Weight - 11 lbs 4 oz (43 percentile)
Height - 22 inches (17 percentile)
Head circumference - 15.35 inches (38 percentile)