Picky Eater Progressing?

I have this little baby recipe book that has some great meal ideas and also comes along with a suggestion for meals for the week. I'm trying my best to get into cooking mode and I'm trying different types of food for Sam in hopes she'll eventually like it. As I've posted in the past, Sam is a very picky eater. This is so normal at this age but it's quite a challenge to figure out things everyday. It usually goes on the floor or she'll push the spoon away. Today I made for lunch a broiled tuna fish sandwich 'surprise'. It has grated carrot, yogurt, basil and mayonnaise with a can of tuna and 2 slices of cheddar. I cut it into little stick sizes and she actually ate it all up! She must like the tuna or it would have come right back out. She must have really been hungry, as she just woke from her 3 hour nap! We'll try it again tomorrow. I've done this before with other foods to discover she doesn't like it after all. I've also taught her how to 'dip-dip' and I'll give her a scoop of hummus on the side. It seems that's the only way she'll eat her chicken - plus it's healthier than ketchup. I'm getting ideas from reading all sorts of things. I'm even adding a 1/2 tsp. of wheat germ to her yogurt at snack time. It's rich in vitamin B complex, vitamin E, enzymes, minerals and more! There are so many ways to get the nutrition into them without them having a clue. I'm now beginning to enjoy this cooking thing - as long as she's willing and I know she's eating healthy.

Bananas for My Monkey Girl

Sam's absolute favorite food is bananas. She cannot get them into her mouth fast enough - with both hands she shovels them in! We call her our little monkey.

I .....

I got this from Tara's blog and wanted to write one too. Let me know if you decide to do one so I can drop by.

I am: a survivor
i want: Sam to be strong, happy and successful in life
i have: the best family in the world
i wish: my dad would include me in his life more
i miss: my family back home
i hate: Ontario winters
i hear: chickadees and think of my grandparents
i wonder: if I'll ever live out West again
i regret: worrying so much for so many years
i am not: a confrontational person
i dance: with Sam in my arms because she laughs her head off
i sing: Sam's songs to see her face light up
i cry: when I see others cry
i am not always: as organized as I used to be
i make with my hands: creative albums with photographs
i journal: to let it all out
i confuse: myself a lot
i need: to learn to cope better with my anxiety
i should: visit Wayne's grandma more often
i start: projects I can't finish
i finish: the day exhausted

Damn Strait!

Last night's George Strait concert was by far my most favorite I've ever been to! Tracy and I sat just 17 rows back from the 'fan-friendly' square stage he stood and belted his amazing songs. We also were sitting right by the pathway he walked down through the crowd that lead to the stage! I was only 5 or 6 feet from him at one point! I didn't realize how short he is. I didn't have very much heel on my boots and I stood taller than his hat. His stats say he's 5'10 but I think not. Probably without his hat and my heels off he'd be my height 5'7 or so. Anyway, he's dreamy looking as ever! I've had a crush on him since forever. The second song he sang was one of my very favorites "Amarillo by Morning"...it brought tears to my eyes as it took me down memory lane to my days as a young prairie girl. He sang mostly new songs from his new album 'Somewhere Down in Texas'. I quite liked the rendition of Merle Haggard's 'Seashores of Old Mexico'. I was disappointed that he didn't sing many older songs, as you'd think he would for the older generation....such as myself..lol...no I mean OLDER. Still I was just so surprised he didn't at least sing out the song that he's best known for 'All My Exes Live in Texas', or others such as 'Marina Del Ray' or 'Living Well". Tracy and I were kind of disappointed. But all in all, I enjoyed every minute of that concert...from the time Miranda Lambert rocked the stage with her awesome hit 'Kerosene' - to a very impressive performance by Tracy Lawrence (whose few songs I was only a little familiar with... he was so enjoyable to watch), to George's encore when he paid a little tribute to Johnny Cash and sang Folsom Prison Blues. How awesome was that!!

What an amazing show- thanks for coming along with me Trace, we had a blast didn't we?? And Luke was kickin' up a stompin' time in that belly of yours too! Gotta introduce it all to him early ya know! LOL I cannot wait to see the million and one pics you took!

A Letter From A Friend

I love this letter. I have it printed out and on my wall next to my computer where I can see it everyday - it's reassuring in tough times.

Countdown to George Strait

Who could resist seeing this face and listening to that voice at tomorrow's concert? This has been one of my dream concerts I never thought I'd see, as he hasn't been to Ontario in nearly 20 years. Get ready Trace, we're going back in time! LOL

Another Cold and Ear Infection

The doctor says a baby will have a cold 10 times a year. It hasn't even been a month yet and Sam's already got another cold. I had to go to the doctor yesterday because I thought I had an ear infection. Turns out Sam and I both have one but it's supposed to clear on it's own. He gave me a prescription for antibiotics for myself in case it doesn't clear up in the next couple of days. In the meantime I'm back to giving Sam Tylenol Cold medicine and ear drops for myself. I knew something was up with her when this past week she hasn't eaten and sleeps twice as long as normal. Lovely hey? Last night though, she woke up at 3am and stayed awake for 2 1/2 hours. All she wanted to do was play. How frustrating when your sick and trying to get rest. There's one thing I HATE HATE HATE in this world is getting sick....especially now when it's all the time! ARGH! Excuse the fowl mood - I haven't had any sleep and Sam just keeps going going going.

Picky Eater

I'm having a challenge with Sam every meal time, to get her to eat what I put in front of her. She's even turning down food she used to like, but I know it's just a phase. I'm reading lots and hearing from people with similar situations. I also know it takes about 8 tries before she MAY become interested so I'm patiently waiting. In the meantime her diet consists of yogurt, orange or apple juice, cheddar cheese, bananas and whole wheat toast or bagel with cream cheese, whole wheat crackers, Cheerios to snack on, canned peaches. Guess that's ok but I really want to get some veggies into her. My last resort is her baby cereal by Milupa - the corn cereal with veggies. It contains iron as well so that's why I love to give it to her, but sometimes she won't even eat that. Ah well. :)

In Memory of 'Poppy'

This is a very sad day for the family. It was one year ago on this day that Wayne's dad passed away suddenly at the age of 63. It was a shock to all of us. He had a clean bill of health from the doctor just days prior to his passing and he suddenly collapsed on the golf course - and the thing about that is...is he always said if he had his choice to go any way, it would be doing something he loved. I don't even know where to begin to explain the kind of man that he was. He was a retired RCMP who had great respect by everyone who knew him. He was an outgoing and loving family man who I came to know and looked to as my own dad too. He was the family's rock and held his head high and remained smiling despite a bad situation. He'd do anything at anytime for anyone and you wouldn't hear him say a bad thing about it. He was a proud Irishman and the life of the party. He had many friends from coast to coast and his funeral greatly supported that! A week before his passing he had a bike made for me from scraps and he brought it over to our house. He even planned to put a seat on the back for Sam, all because I briefly mentioned one day that I'd love to take Sam for a ride if I had a bike. It almost brought tears to my eyes! That's who he was; he touched so many hearts. I'm so SOOOO glad he was able to meet Sam. We were able to snap a couple of pictures of him with her, but it was hard to get him IN pictures because he was usually the one taking them. So this is what I have of him - its' the first time he ever held her...she was 3 months old. Nicknamed 'Poppy' by my nieces Cassidy and Virginia, he and that name will forever live on in our hearts, even for Sam.

Father we thank You for the cherished times we shared with Mike here on Earth and for keeping him at peace with You. Please continue healing our heavy hearts in remembering him today and fill it with peace, joy and laughter, as we all know that's how he'd want it to be.