Cookies for Milk

I got this recipe from this blog: Rumble in the Kitchen. I figured that at the very least they would taste good and be fairly healthy, but I have actually noticed an increase in my milk supply! These cookies are great for any nursing mama.

Chocolate Oatmeal Lactation Cookies

Ingredients:

1 C butter (I accidentally only used 1 stick-1/2 cup- and they came out fine!)
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
4 T water
2 T flaxseed meal (no subs)
2 Lg eggs
1 t vanilla
2 C flour
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
3 C Thick cut oats (used regular old fashioned Quaker oats with no problem)
1 Bag Chocolate chips I used about 1/2 a bag because that's all I had)
2 T Brewers Yeast or Nutritional Yeast Flakes

Preheat oven at 375.

Mix 2 T of flaxseed meal and water, set aside 3-5 minutes.
Cream butter and sugar.
Add eggs.
Stir flaxseed mix into butter mix and add vanilla.
Beat until well blended and mixture turns a pale yellow.
Mix dry ingredients, except oats and choc chips.
Add butter mix to dry ingredients.
Stir in the oats and then the choc chips.
Drop on ungreased or parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake 8-12 minutes.

Seth is 7 months old! Alternate title: We've moved!

So much has been going on lately that I'm kind of struggling to keep up sometimes. On our two-year anniversary (September 1st), we closed on the house. We didn't think we'd be able to move in yet, but it turned out that the sellers were gone and we got our keys! That night Manny and I ate Thai food together in our new home. We spent the next several days cleaning, painting, and moving things, and on Saturday we were able to move all our furniture and start living here. We have gotten a lot unpacked, but there is still a lot to do. I am honestly flabbergasted by how much stuff we have accumulated since we got married only two years ago. When we moved into our apartment we barely had anything. We're blessed to have all that we do, and very blessed to have this home. It is wonderful. Here are some pictures of our moving process, and Seth's seven month shots of course. I will post photos of our home when we're done with everything.

Manny and his dad painting our bedroom

Our room, new paint color

Seth playing in the midst of all the work

Seth's room- before photo. Thankfully, we've ditched the yellow. More photos coming soon :)


Our living room on day one

When we were first starting to move boxes in

Empty boxes starting to pile up on the patio





Yum, carrots!

Seth's Half-Birthday

So it has been 6 months now since I gave birth to this awesome little guy. It is hard to believe. He is growing more every day and is getting to be more and more fun to hang out with as he gets older. He weighed 17 pounds at the pediatrician's office this week, and he is sitting very strongly and sort of trying to crawl. He has also started trying some solid foods. His first food was avodcado mashed with a fork, and he liked it and ate it really well for a few days. Then we moved on to sweet potatoes, and over the last few days he hasn't been so into eating solids- he tastes things but spits it out mostly. He is definitely much more interested in nursing still, but I'm not worried. At this stage solids are more for the experience of it all. I'll just keep offering. I am mostly making our own baby food, though I have picked up a few jars of Earth's Best organic. I love this website: http://wholesomebabyfood.com/. It has a lot of advice on when and how to introduce solids and which ones, etc, and has recipes and tips for making baby food.

Before Seth was born I was a little worried about losing the baby weight and all that, and I had it in mind that it would be nice to lose it all by the time he was six months old. Well, I made it. My stomache is still kind of "softer" than it used to be, but I am back to my pre-pregnancy weight. I haven't excersized a whole lot, but nursing has definitely been a huge help. I am always hungry- Seth still nurses every 3-4 hours day and night.
Besides physically, though, motherhood has been such a huge adjustment and challenge. It has brought me the most joy of anything I've ever done, but at times to most anxiety as well. Every emotion is magnified when you're a mom, especially a new mom I think. Even the smallest decisions regarding your child seem monumental, and you're always wondering if you've made the right ones. Staying at home with Seth has been hard but I wouldn't trade it for anything. I am still hoping that I'll soon have the time to do some work from home to help us out, but overall the financial sacrifice is well worth the time given to our little one. It has enabled me to truly use attachment parenting tools, and I believe that in the long run that will pay off.

We are living with Manny's parents now, and waiting to close on our home. A few weeks now if all goes as planned, and we will own a house. It's really exciting and I think we will appreciate it all the more after not really having our own space for a while and missing a lot of our stuff because it's packed away. But we are comfortable here and truly blessed to have family who are close and so generous.

And now that you have made it through all my babbling, here are some new Seth photos (that's why you follow my blog anyway, right? ;)

Big changes!

One day a week or so ago, Seth rolled over on his own for the first time! And the next day, he started sitting up on his own. He is changing so fast, getting stronger and more in control of his own movement.

Yesterday we went to a picnic organized by La Leche League, and afterward hung out with some friends. Eva is here helping me for the weekend so she came along.
Liam is 3 months old and he and Seth are on the road to becoming great friends. Though for now, he is pretty indifferent about Seth's existence, and Seth just wants to grab his face :-P

Eva and Seth at the picnic

Liam and Seth after the picnic- Seth had just woken up in this picture.

Seth thought sitting with Liam was a hoot.

The entire time we were taking these pictures, Seth kept reaching up to touch Liam's face. He loves to grab peoples' faces, so we had to to move his hand so he wouldn't hurt him!

My awesome man is also such a great daddy. He and Seth love to play together now that Seth is old enough to appreciate it more. It is so sweet to watch them bonding.





In less than two weeks we are moving out of our apartment and in with Manny's parents (for those couple weeks before our closing date- then we move again into the new house). So I'm in packing mode now and I feel like our house is being turned upside down. I can't wait to be in our new home. Until then, it seems, there will be a general feeling of chaos.

Our Lives Lately

Seth is exactly five months old today. I must say, four months was kind of rough, so I am really hoping five is a little easier. Don't get me wrong though, he is still just the coolest baby ever :) Just more fussy lately than he used to be, which can be hard on mama. He is so active now- constantly moving. He can almost sit up on his own, and he loves to stand up with someone holding him for balance. He laughs and smiles a lot and is overall a very happy baby.

We are waiting to hear back about the appraisal on our new house, but if that went okay, then we're just waiting for closing, which is set for August 28th. Our lease here is over on the 7th, so we have less than a month now to pack. We're going to stay with Manny's parents for the few weeks in between. I am so excited that we are going to own our home. It's funny- this is the house we wanted all along and didn't think we could get, and now it is all working out. Amazing.

Manny and I are doing well. I feel like we are facing every challenge that comes our way with solidarity, as we always have. Seth has tested and strengthened our marriage and our love. Manny is still working overnight shifts, and we have fallen into our own version of a normal routine. My photography business is pretty stagnant for now, unfortunately. I am seriously considering trying some freelance writing- maybe something will come of it.

Here are some shots of Seth being silly, (In his wool diaper cover from this Etsy seller.)

Four Months Old!

Seth is doing really well- he is a super happy baby, laughing and smiling all the time. Except, of course, when his gums are bothering him. :( Yes, our baby is teething now. He chews on everything he can get into his mouth, which is pretty much anything he can reach since he is now a pro at grabbing things. He is getting much stronger and does great with tummy time, and can sit if I hold his hands.

We have been house hunting a lot, and we're planning on making (another) offer soon, on a 3 bedroom townhouse. We're really looking forward to owning our own home. I can't wait to have a place that belongs to us, to paint and decorate and grow things...

Here are some new photos of the little guy:

Seth

This is when I love being a mom

When I hold my little one fast asleep, limp in my arms, completely trusting and perfectly peaceful

When he stops eating to look up coo and "talk" to me

When I look at him and he immediately breaks into and enormous grin

When he laughs, which makes me laugh, which makes him laugh more, and we're just looking at each other and giggling

When I remember how tiny he was and how much he's grown already

When I think about the awesome privileged it is to know this little person, and the opportunity I have to watch him grow up and influence his life.