Delish!

Zucchini boats! My Aunt Gail sent me a variation of this recipe that had you make an Italian Meatloaf to stuff into it, but I already had meatloaf leftovers so I just used that. If you had frozen meatballs, you could use those too. I just hallowed out a large zuke, salted it to draw out some moisture, and then stuffed it with my meatloaf leftovers. Poured spaghetti sauce over it and a little in the bottom of the casserole dish and baked it at 375 degrees for 45 minutes until it was hot throughout. I added parm and put it back in for 5 more minutes...Totally delish, and a great way to use zucchini and leftovers! Thanks Auntie for the idea!

Charlie Lately

{Who says girls can't wear blue? I'm good with it as long as she is wearing a giant bow also!}

Today Charlie is 7 weeks old and becoming a "real" baby right before our eyes. She has begun cooing a lot and smiling in a non-gas related way! I'm guessing she is around 7 1/2 lbs and fits most of her newborn clothes now. Jordan has become the comic in our household and can get Charlie smiling like crazy by making funny faces and doing weird things with his voice. It's super sweet and I can't get enough of watching those two.

To prepare for me going back to work in a week {booooooo} we have been supplementing my breast milk with formula to get her system used to it. We have to do this because A. I don't produce enough milk to feed her and save copious amounts and B. I won't have time to pump while at work so my milk production is going to go down. She has had zero problemos with formula...Milk, formula, bottle, breast ...the girl doesn't care as long as she can EAT!

She loves to have her back rubbed and her hair played with {just like her mama} but as much of a snuggle bug as she is, she is also pretty fiery {like her daddy}. I have a sneaky feeling she is going to give Jordan a run for his money someday. Life is great, and we are excited to move forward and see how this next phase will work out with me at work, and Jordan's hockey season starting!

Visitors!

snuggles with Grandpa

Charlie's first press conference

Can you believe all the produce Jim and Jill brought us from their garden?? We also had green beans, sweet pea pods, and lettuce!

Jim and Jill came to visit us this last week and we had such a great time hanging with Charlie, shopping, getting things done around the house, taking naps, changing diapers, cooking, and eating!! It was SO nice to have two extra sets of hands to feed, change, and cuddle Miss Charlie, and give Mama and Daddy a break! We are so fortunate for the families we have and are grateful that Charlie's grandparents are willing and able to visit so frequently. In fact, we have visitors scheduled to come at least once a month through the rest of the year! YAY! This excites me because Jordan has some crazy road trips this season and it will help me so much to have grandmas in and out to lighten the load!

My heart's capacity for love has

doubled

tripled

quadrupled.

Public Outing

Stinkin' wal-mart only had the boy set of mittens - So, Charlie is rockin' dinosaurs! (Meeting daddy for lunch)
We have taken lots of trips out and about since Charlie's birth, but not a real, adult get-together...until last night! We were invited over to my friend Kristin's aunt and uncle's house for a birthday party. She did wonderfully and slept almost the whole time! Most of the Sundog crew was there, which includes many women with older children...needless to say, she was not put down the entire evening! It was great to see everyone during the off-season and hang out amongst adults!

Things have been going really well here at the homestead. Against my lactation consultant's recommendations I went and bought the nipple guard...and it has changed breastfeeding for me completely! She is nursing for longer and is less distracted while feeding = sleeping for longer increments of time during the night. I am not crying every two hours anymore!!! YAY! Too many people suggested it to me for me to not try it and I'm so glad I did! Happy wife, happy life!