Three Months!

Blaise is 3 months now! He's so much more aware and alert-smiling, babbling and laughing more and more. When David comes home from work and says hello, Blaise will give him a big smile. So precious!  He has rolled over from his belly to his back and holds his head up for much longer. He weighed around 14.5 lbs on his 3 month mark. Here are few pics from the last month....

Reading a truck book with daddy

Yes...he's eating! These nursing tanks are great!

Playing in the exosaucer

Uncle Paul couldn't believe how much he'd grown since August!  

I love my hands! 

hiding in the warm laundry

chilling in the carseat

Airplane!

A Healthy & Simple Dinner

Mmmm, this is a new favorite recipe and I wanted to share it. Alisa, a friend from church, made it for us after Blaise was born. It's also in the Simply in Season cookbook. Healthy and delicious!

Black Bean & Sweet Potato Burritos

Ingredients:

3 cups sweet potatoes,diced (usually one large sweet potato makes this much)

1 small onion diced or chopped

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 cups cooked black beans (one can)

1 tsp ground cumin

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

8 tortillas (I use whole wheat)

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

sour cream & salsa

Preparation:

Saute sweet potatoes until tender. If they start to stick, add a little water. Add black beans, onion, cumin, cinnamon, salt; cook until heated through. (Last time I added a little brown sugar too which was tasty-of course!;)

Divide bean mixture & cheese among tortillas and roll up. Place in a 9x13 pan. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 20-25 min.

Serve with salsa, sour cream, and/or avacado. Also great with rice and corn on the cob!

Enjoy!

A Camping We Will go....

For several months, we've been planning a camping trip with the Newmans, some good friends of ours from the Rolla days.  (David had structural classes with both Annie and Nathan.) As October approached, and the cool crisp evenings lingered, we became more and more excited for our little excursion. We originally looked at camp grounds outside of STL then decided to stay closer to home and head to Babler.  Well, apparently LOTS of other people had the same idea, it was a gorgeous autumn weekend.  When we showed up at the State Park to stake out a site Friday afternoon, the sign very cleary said "No Vacancy." What?! Our car was loaded down with food, a tent, bedding, and a gazillion other supplies needed for a weekend away.  We drove around to look, just to make sure. Then David checked with the camp host and sure enough, NO room. Just peachy. What to do? The other place we were looking into was booked to, of course. We had to go somewhere and there was no way we were going back home. So, we ended up....

In my parents backyard! haha so fun! Yes, we camped out in the great Wildwood-complete with the lovely comfort of indoor plumbing.  The Newmans met us there and we sat up camp like normal, enjoying David's ever famous foil dinners for our meal (hamburger, potatoes, onions, and carrots cooked on the fire) and of course, s'mores for dessert. I think it was quieter and more private than a campsite would have been.  It was gorgeous weather and nice and cozy in our tent that night (I had two layers of matress pads for us to sleep on from my parents basement-nice!) Blaise seemed to enjoy the outing as well- Mimi bought him a fuzzy bear sleeper to wear at night. Bummer, I don't have a pic;( he was adorable in it. 

A bonus, Blaise got to play with Mimi in the morning while everyone slept in, and momma got a fresh fruit smoothie, yum!

Saturday, after everyone awoke, we made Nathan's speciality, pigs in a blanket (cooking biscuits on a stick and mini sausages over the fire.) Later we went to Rockwood Reservations for a picnic and a beautiful hike. Blaise enjoyed the ride on daddy in his Ergo and eating for the first time in the woods. 

Annie and Nathan are expecting their first baby in early March. This is a picture of Nathan  holding Blaise-his first time ever to hold a baby. Good job, Nathan! 

It was a great weekend away with friends, enjoying God's beautiful creation. I think I'm pretty thankful that the campgroud was full-my old backyard was just perfect! Thanks for hosting us, mom and dad! :)

Smile!

Blaise started smiling at us a few weeks ago. It's so fun to have him look at us and give us a huge, gummy grin! I finally managed to capture one on camera. 

And I captured his adorable little pout face too...

Two Months!

Blaise is now 2 months old! He weighs 12.8 lbs. and has grown to 23" long.  He is smiling and cooing (babbling) more and more.  He loves to squirm and wiggle, and is getting stronger and stronger everyday- (i.e. holding himself up on his feet, holding his head up for longer while on his belly etc).  We are loving this cooler fall weather and hope to go camping soon if the rain stays away!

Blaise's favorite toy-the mobile! Mimi thought he would like one and boy was she right! His eyes become wide as saucers and he kicks and moves his little arms and legs so fast when the music starts-so exciting! 

Grandpa Harold came over after work last week and watched Blaise while David and I went out-to the Y! It was weird for both of us to be out with no one in the car seat.  It such a strange feeling too to do the elliptical really hard and to push myself with the weights. (Couldn't do this while I was pregnant!) Blaise and I have been enjoying the mommy and me yoga class too. 

David discovered Blaise's favorite position - the football or cradle hold. He loooves it! He also loves to bounce and move. David often sings, "Blaise likes to move it, move it!" 

Over Labor Day, we went out to Innsbrook where my dad's parents live. Here a shot with a few of the girl cousins-Melaina, Bri, and Kayla- and Blaise. 

Great Aunt "Little" Debbie (my dad's youngest sister) and Blaise 

My mom's good friend, Janet Tubessing (my sister's best friend's mom) and Pam Reed graciously threw me a baby shower-after Blaise was born! (I didn't want to register for the nursery stuff before I knew if it was a boy or girl!) It was a nice way to have friends meet Blaise and celebrate with us! 

My 27th Birthday- celebrating at my parent's house with family. My mom made a delicious brisket meal and an amazing chocolate raspberry cheesecake that my friend Alisa from church originally made at the church shower. Yummy! It was a drizzly afternoon; Blaise enjoyed spending time with Boppa, rocking on the porch swing outside and then rocking inside, looking out the big kitchen window.  He also found Boppa's fuzzy arm hairs fun to grab onto like his cousin little Natalee did.