Happy feast day, Michael!

Today marks the feast of the 3 archangels, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. This feast holds a special place in my heart, because we have a Frances Raphael in heaven and our little Michael here on earth. We often prayed (and still do) to St. Michael for both spiritual and physical protection for our family, and Michael was always a name I wanted for one of our boys, and so it was an easy choice for our first-born son. It symbolizes strength, virtue, and godliness, and means "Who is like unto God"? We wanted to give glory to all that He had done for us, especially for the healthy pregnancy and birth despite my health problems. St. Michael is most famously known to be the patron against temptation and the powers of evil, but also of policemen, and...the archdiocese of Seattle, nonetheless, along with Gabriel and Raphael.

Raphael means "God has healed" and so was a fitting name for the baby from our first miscarriage. Even in our deep sadness, we trusted that God would heal our hearts, and my body in order to one day carry a pregnancy. He is the patron saint of bodily ills, physicians, and young people.

Saints Michael, Raphael and Gabriel, intercede for us. 

One of those days...

...where my to-do list goes out the window. Mama not feeling well + teething, needy baby = lots of cuddle time on the couch and in bed. Oh well. At least the diapers got washed and the meals were cooked. More importantly, Michael is feeling love, attention, and support during yet another baby transitory period. The bathrooms can wait. Reminded me of this little saying I read somewhere and had jotted down in my notes:

"Cleaning and scrubbing will wait ’till tomorrow, but children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow. So quiet down cobwebs! Dust go to sleep! I’m rocking my baby. Babies don’t keep." 

– Ruth Hamilton

This first year with Michael is speeding away never to return again. I am thankful for days like this which force me to stop and savor the moment, these precious moments with my darling first-born. This time will never be again. There is a different kind of sweetness for each season and I want to sear this current sweetness into my memory. I really am very thankful, for Michael is still such a good baby despite what he is going through at this time. He has had a hard last few days and has been clinging a little tighter to me, which prompted me to just let things go today.

Happy mothering to you mothers! Be easy on yourselves during days like this. Cherish these baby months. Feel accomplishment in the smiles of your little one(s). You will reap the rewards of your investment in this life and the next...

“Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom." 
Psalms 90:12

Visit with Aunt Catherine.

Andrew had a 3 day training course to attend this week in Tacoma, and so Michael and I decided we would drive 2 hours past his location to Portland, and spend a few days with our dear Catherine. Although Catherine was juggling work and choir rehearsal, she managed to make some time to spend with us. 

 We had some dear family friends over for dinner one night. We all enjoyed smiling at Michael's antics, sharing good food and wine, and hearing Catherine's stories of time spent abroad.

Michael enjoyed playing with Aunt Becky.

Catherine took Thursday off, and in the afternoon we drove out to the Columbia Gorge to the Bonneville Dam and fish hatchery. The trees are starting to turn autumnal and the fog was rolling off the mountains - beautiful scenery. 

 Beautiful Catherine, I am thankful for our "sister-ship."

 It was a windy day so we kept little man well bundled.

 We checked out Herman the sturgeon.

 Quite impressive.

Michael's new word of the month will be "fish." As much as he likes looking at, and playing in water, I think he was quite fascinated to see creatures living in it. Think it's time for a visit to the Seattle Aquarium... 

 We stopped for an early dinner and some local made raspberry ale on the way home.

So blessed to be living near this special aunt; thank you for making time for us; we love you!

Afternoon hike to Bridal Veil.

Today we hiked to Bridal Veil Falls. The first half of the hike was a constant upgrade, but relatively easy. The last haul up to the falls was quite steep and rocky, but well worth the climb.

Awesome viewpoint

We made it!

It really does look like a bride's veil. Or three.

Peek-a-boo. Michael napped most of the way up, and the sound of the waterfall woke him up when we reached the top.

 Happy boy.

He has been giving Mama kisses lately - love it.

Weekend 7's.

Weekend recap.

1) On Saturday we took it easy, as we were all feeling under the weather. Michael and Mama got a little vit. D and spread our toes out in the yard; not much longer to enjoy that, I'm sure!

 

2) Cooler temperatures have hit Seattle and the trees are starting to turn color; I am beyond excited; haven't experienced a real fall in 5 years. 

3) Advances in crawling - Michael now does the "army crawl", and scoots forward using his elbows. He will also propel himself forward by lunging off of his feet...oh, that boy will be on the real move soon...

4) On Sunday, we attended our parish's annual picnic. It was nice to have the opportunity to meet some more parishioners, especially some of the younger couples. Many people who already knew Andrew enjoyed meeting Michael. Ahhh, I am finding it harder then usual to break out of my personal bubble and talk to folks. Maybe it's the new mom status that I don't feel confidant in yet, maybe it's just the tiredness I have been experiencing lately, I don't know. Right now I'm content with spending time with my little family, but I know that talking to a baby most of the day long will catch up to me, and I need to form some acquaintances.   

5) In the kitchen - I've been spending time freezing berries to use for smoothies during the winter months. Also, I made bbq sauce and mayo for the first time = success and peace knowing exactly what ingredients I am putting into our bodies. This cooler weather is inspiring soup/chili/squash recipes - this weekend I tried the "south of the border stuffed acorn squash" - pretty tasty. What are YOUR favorite squash/fall dishes? Please share below!

6) Monday afternoon (today), we were feeling better and ventured out for a hike. Pictures in the following post.

7) Preparing for a busy week ahead. Since Andrew will be away for 3 days of training, I've decided to drive down to Portland to spend some time with Catherine before she starts school at the end of the month. I am looking forward to some girl/sister time and also plan to see a few friends who live in the area. As long as we are all feeling well upon our return, we hope to go camping at Mt. Rainier during the upcoming weekend; trying to take advantage of this beautiful weather before the rainy days set in...

A day of Paleo eats.

Going on 2 months now, I have been cooking/eating Paleo. Paleo is a dairy free, grain/gluten free, sugar free lifestyle (I refrain from using the "d" word, because it really should be seen as a way of life, of healthy living!) Breastfeeding only took me so far in losing baby weight and since I did not want to go on a diet because I am still breastfeeding, I decided to tweak my cooking and eating habits. I have never felt my best when eating grains or starches and so was immediately drawn to Paleo recipes. I'm also a lover of strong and spicy flavors, and am impressed at how satisfying a deliciously seasoned meal is even sans the starchy carbs. And...it's working! I'm eating good lots of meat, all sorts of veggies, good fats, yams, some dark chocolate, and even a little wine, and those baby inches/pounds are slipping off. People question the regular consumption of fats within Paleo. Good, clean stable fats are used as fuel by the muscles and is a fast burning element, while it's those starchy carbs that eventually turn into glucose and are stored in the actual fat cells, spiking insulin levels, contributing to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and the like.

Of course with any healthy lifestyle, one must keep active. I've bumped it up a notch by carrying Michael wherever I go instead of using the stroller or shopping cart. I've also made an effort to walk to the grocery store, to the post office or bank, and we live on the middle of a hill, just to give you an idea. And my load bundle of baby boy is no joking matter. ;) Andrew and I have also made it our goal to hike twice a week.

And so here is a sample day in my life of Paleo eats. 

First things first in the morning, I start either the coffee maker or the tea kettle.

I like to drink something warm in the morning to stimulate my "awake buds" and our chillier Seattle mornings invite just such a drink. As of late, it's been a toss up between TJ's French Roast, English Breakfast Tea, or some type of berry tea. Love putting a dollop of organic whole cream, yes whole (remember the fat deal) in my coffee/tea = delish!

Then I whip up some type of green smoothie for hubby and I. Usually a banana, spinach and/or kale, handful of berries or peach slices, and a little unsweetened coconut milk all topped with ice. Yum.

I pause to smile at this happy morning boy.

Next come the eggs - a staple source of protein. I cook them in a little coconut oil and top them with some type of veggie - this morning was tomato. Some mornings, I will serve a meat on the side. This morning, I finished off some eggplant bolognese leftovers and hubby had bacon. Those mornings when Andrew can't stay to eat, I try to send him to work with the smoothie and a few hard-boiled eggs.

Michael nibbled on some yam roasted in coconut oil/lil salt and chicken mashed together.

Lunch today consisted of ham/avocado/mustard wraps with a hearty side salad.

Some days, especially with breastfeeding, I will have a hunger strike in the afternoon and so go for a handful of nuts, a Lara bar (made from raw fruit and nuts), an apple with some almond butter, or a hard-boiled egg.

Dinner: chicken enchiladas topped with cilantro, avocado, olives, and lime juice w/roasted beets and yams on the side. Can I just say I am totally in love with beets these days? To me, they taste like sweet corn but with a potato-like texture. I did attempt some coconut flour tortillas for this dish; only half the batch came out in one piece - an art I must master. Although they were tasty, I still prefer my meat alone with veggies. Hubby appreciated them though. (I was just happy he didn't say he missed rice or corn tortillas or chips!)

And yes, some days we even have dessert, although I usually limit it to the weekends. This is one of our favs, being chocolate of course! Coconut milk chocolate pudding - simple, easy and decadent. I like to top it with berries; these blackberries were gathered from our private lane! Hope the neighbors didn't mind, but they weren't out there picking them. I even froze a bunch and have my eye on the next batch that should be ripening within the next 2 weeks. Free berries for the winter - score!

Recipe credits: http://everydaypaleo.com/ and Paleo Comfort Foods.  I have found many great websites/blogs with Paleo recipes and advice, some of course, gets a little too into the "caveman" mentality for me, but I'm able to apply some to aiding my baby weight loss. I'm feeling more energetic and stronger every day; am hooked for now. (Of course, I've slipped off the band wagon with a pastry or non-Paleo dessert here and there, but it's the getting back on track and sticking to it for the majority of the time that counts.) Perhaps in a later post, I'll compile some of the sites I've been accessing so you can try out a recipe or two. My one weakness is still...BandJ's coffee heath bar ice cream...but that's not in the budget now, right? :)

The many faces of a 6 month-old.

We had planned to do a little camping trip this weekend, but I woke up Saturday not feeling well and Michael, with a tickle in his throat, so we decided to stay home and give extra attention to our little man. :) I thought it also provided a good opportunity to do a 6 month update on said youngster.
Wow, here we are at 6 months already! Michael has grown to be such a happy, curious, and affectionate boy - as each day passes, we wonder how we could ever love someone more...

Here is Mr. Michael lately at his favorite pastimes at this 6 month mark.

 Waking up from his naps...

 and giving Mama a big smile.

 Chomping on some avocado... 

 and making funny faces, and a mess!

Spending time outdoors; so far, he really enjoys looking 

at water topography and playing with sand.

And of course, craning his neck to see the sights while being 

carried around by Mama either on hikes or for errands.

 Looking up at Daddy to see if he is making a funny face (which he inevitably is 95% of the time for Michael's reaction.)

 Giving Mama chubby handsome looks.

 He loves splash time after his bath...

 especially with Daddy.

I'm having such a fun time, Mama!

Michael has just been the best baby ever throughout our recent move, and while settling into a new home. Like all babies, he has a fussy day here and there, but does remarkably well for the majority of the time. He gnaws like crazy on anything he can get into his mouth. I can see his teeth through his gums, but no downward appearance yet. For the past month, Michael has shown an increasing interest in food, especially following each bite of ours with big eyes, opening his mouth and leaning forward. About 1.5 weeks ago, I finally gave in and gave him some banana. Since then, he has sampled cucumber, zucchini,  yams, apples, spinach smoothie and chicken. He mostly chews on a large stick of the firmer items, and the softer foods I have mashed up and fed to him. This food mill is wonderfully handy for grinding up freshly cooked veggies/meat and I like it because it doesn't puree the food, but leaves a little texture for Michael to experience (since he has the chewing part down). He loves drinking water and drinks it right out of a cup or glass. I tried a sippy cup, but he got frustrated as he only chewed on it (he still will only suck on one thing! ;) He even puts both of his hands on the sides of the glass to drink, drinks a sip and backs away to swallow, them brings the cup back to his mouth for more; so funny. It's hard for me to accept that he is at the food point already! He still wants to nurse, and so I haven't dropped any of his feedings yet, and only feed him a small amount of food after his breakfast and evening nurse. Some days, he shows less interest in food and so I'm not pushing the issue at this point. He does like to sit up on the table in his little chair and be near us at mealtimes, a habit I want to foster! :)

News flash! Michael is up and rocking back and forth on all fours - we should see some crawling action very soon! He often thrusts himself forward to grab a desired toy. He also enjoys sitting up to play. Favorite current toys: set of plastic cups from Ikea (thank you, Nana), his play-gym from Auntie Laura, and his Sophie teether. Any sort of tags fascinate him; he will spend lots of time examining one when he sees it attached to something. Once in a while he will re-discover his hands and turns them over and back in wonderment. This always makes his parents chuckle. 

We think Michael will be a very affectionate boy, as he often puts his forehead or check against ours while putting a hand on the opposite side of our face and holding us tightly that way. He will also reach up with both hands to touch our faces when he hasn't seen either of us for a little while - SO precious!! He loves coming in our bed for his early morning feeding and then lays between us looking back and forth at us both, and will smile big and usually stretch out a hand to each of us. 

Words Michael seems to affiliate with an object: tree, water, Daddy, and mama. I am working on "car" and "doggie," for we see many of those while out on our walks. When in our parish church, I will say, "Where is Jesus?" and he will look up to the huge icon relief of our Lord on the sanctuary wall. I am not sure if he knows that is Jesus or he is simply drawn to the bright colors, but it seems to be a start.

We can't believe how big our boy is now, and how far he has come from a 5.14lb peanut. Michael is at such a perfect, fun, good age now, that we want to pause time. (I especially, as I see the crawling/getting-in-to-everything stage draw near!) Will keep you updated on his progress!