Cooper is Three Months!!!

Cooper at 3 Months

(April 14, 2013)

Three months.  Sigh.  My little guy is getting so big....really.  He is such a chunker.  Although, what would I expect from my 9lbs. 6oz. newborn?  We didn't go see the doctor this month, but he has got to be every bit of 14 lbs.  Momma's arms sure do burn after only a few minutes of snuggling!

Month three started a little intense.  Cooper caught a little stomach bug from his big sister which caused him to projectile vomit for 24 hours.  Ryleigh had a 24 hour bug back in February and that was the first time I had ever dealt with a vomiting child so two kids in two months was not exciting for me.  Let me tell you, sick infants are not fun.  The minute he'd throw up, he would be crying because he was now hungry.  I was feeding him 1/2 oz. of pedialyte every 20 minutes until I upped it to 1oz., then 2oz.  When I finally decided to try formula again...ralph.  So I was back at 1/2oz of pedialyte.  It was exhausting just keeping up with where I left off in the pedialyte schedule.  When he finally did keep down his formula, the weight off my shoulders was crazy.  I didn't even realize how tense I was, just constantly waiting for that next bout of puke to come.  But he survived...and so did Mommy.

The rest of the month was much nicer.  Cooper is laughing and smiling so much.  I forgot how amazing it feels when you realize your baby is actually seeing you and recognizing you.  I love watching him watch his big sister run around and I LOVE it when she talks to him and makes him laugh.  Hearing Ryleigh say "Baby Cooper, look at me!" and then watching her do something ridiculous to make him laugh brings the biggest smile to my face.  I know I need to cherish these moments because soon enough they will be tattling on each other more than loving on each other.

This month we also traveled to Michigan to visit family.  11 hours in a car with a 2 1/2 year old, 3 month old and 3 year old dog is NOT something I wish upon someone else.  It wasn't awful...but it sure wasn't something I'm signing up to do again anytime soon.  Cooper was able to meet a lot of new family members.  He had lots of fun snuggling with his Aunt Cristin, as well as his Aunt Lori.  He also met his Papaw, Mamaw, GGpa and GGma.  That leaves only one more set of Greats to go!  Gammy & Grandad made sure to get in lots of lovin' and his cousins, Tyler and Kylie did too.  We always love when we get to spend time with our family : )

Sadly this month Mommy had to go back to work which means Cooper started daycare.  I worked part-time with Ryleigh up until she was 13 months, so going back full-time with Cooper at 3 months has been a little more difficult, but I know that I am a much better Mommy when I have something outside of the home to take pride in.  When I am home with the kiddos I am much more relaxed and have much more fun with them rather than being all stressed.  (I know there is at least someone out there that understands that).  He has been in daycare for one week and has been doing wonderfully.  There are only 4 other babies in his class and he has 2 teachers.  He also has his own little crib and plenty of playmat and bouncy seats to keep him occupied.  He doesn't really sleep much while he's there, which isn't a problem since it doesn't really cause him to get fussy...but it does result in full nights of sleep!  HALLELUJAH!  

Cooper is making his way through the infant checklist month by month.  In the next month I'm hoping he starts rolling over a little more and hopefully starts pushing up on his elbows.  He is cooing a lot, so I'm guessing he'll start babbling a little bit here soon as well.  We'll be sure to keep ya posted : ) 

playtime at the park

quality bonding time with Daddy

meeting Aunt Cristin

with Aunt Cristin and Kylie

Ryleigh and Cooper watching morning cartoons with Grandad

Easter Sunday

Our little family : )

Daddy tickles!

first attempt at Bumbo sitting

Ryleigh loves making her little brother laugh and smile

Cooper on his first day of daycare

getting well acquainted with his lovey

taking advantage of the breeze coming through since our AC is broken

Ryleigh making sounds to get Cooper to laugh 

being creepy

just chillin'

And since we missed our post from our trip to Michigan...here are some pictures for that visit

searching for all the eggs Aunt Lori hid at her house

digging in to her Easter basket



It's Spring!

Ryleigh took advantage of this gorgeous weather we have been having this week.  We broke out the little pool and bought some new toys to play with.  Bring on the sunshine and warm weather!

We started out by having fun in the pool.....

....Lucy sunbathed while Ryleigh "swam".....

...then Ryleigh blew bubbles and Lucy chased them.

Cooper is Two Months!!

Cooper at 2 months

(March 14, 2013)

Well another month has gone by and our little guy has grown and grown.  We went to the doctor today and he weighs in at 12.10 lbs and is 24 inches. 

Cooper has been much better with his sleep schedule and getting into a routine.  He is usually in bed at 9pm now and sleeps until 3am or 4am.  He usually only stays up for 30 minutes and is back asleep until 7am or 8am.  Every few nights we have an iffy night, but we've also had a few lucky nights where he has slept all the way through. Hallelujah!  This makes Mommy much happier because I can anticipate what's coming and can prepare for it.  Just this little bit of routine has really helped me feel like a better Mommy to not just Cooper but Ryleigh as well.  My patience is back & I'm not as exhausted so I'm able to play and goof around so much more with her....and that makes me happy.

Cooper has been smiling a lot this month and had his first chuckle.  Mommy was lucky enough to be recording him while he was laying on his playmat and all of a sudden he just started giggling.  After that, Mommy and Daddy tried everything to get him to laugh again and finally Daddy found the answer....tickles and shakes.  Now we tickle and shake (but not in a violent way, obviously) him every chance we get just to hear that sweet little laugh.

Cooper has also rolled over a few times from his back to his tummy.  Now, that could be a fluke because he was laying on the sofa and the cushions could have been slightly slanted offering him a little assistance in the roll process.  But he did it, so I'll take it!  He has lots of time to perfect the roll.

So far, Cooper has been a pretty laid back little guy.  He enjoys swinging in his swing, but he likes to cuddle too.  He likes watching his sister run around, laughs whenever Lucy licks his face and every  so often you can catch him watching TV.  I've really enjoyed these last couple months with him and I am so sad that in 2 weeks I have to send him to daycare : (  but such is life, and this just means he is about to get super fun!  Soon he's going to be babbling, interacting with me, playing with toys, sitting, yada, yada, yada.  As much as I love the newborn phase, I love this next phase more!  Can't wait to see what next month brings!

a face only a mother could love : )

keeping a close eye on her little brother, making sure he doesn't roll anywhere

Ryleigh came running into the kitchen and said "Mommy! Baby Cooper likes ponies!"

my three babies

Cooper's first time eating with a spoon

so strong : )

These next photos are part of his 2 month photo shoot with Mommy.  We were given these adorable monthly onsies, but it is impossible to get a good picture of him in them!  So here are the attempts...and then some much better takes once the outfit was changed.



Weigh In Wednesday

It's been two weeks since my last weight loss post because we have had a very rough last couple of weeks here at the Richardson house.  Ryleigh has been fighting a tough cough for almost two weeks now, plus she had a few days where she was fighting some sort of stomach bug.  Then, of course it wouldn't be fair if both Mommy and Daddy didn't catch some form of said stomach bug as well.  It seemed that as soon as someone got better, the next one went down.  So needless to say, we've been a little preoccupied over here.

Through it all I was able to pretty much stay on track diet wise...exercise is another story.  I was a little sleep deprived a few days from my sleepless nights between Ryleigh & Cooper.  Then I was feeling a little weak from my allotted sick days.  Then after that I was on full time kid (and Daddy) duty because it was Daddy's turn to feel under the weather.  So once again, exercise has taken a back seat to everything else.  I have a little over one month left of my maternity leave and I am determined to stay focused the rest of the way!  I have made an exercise plan for the month and have posted it up on the wall so I can mark off the days as I go.

The Weight Watchers is going wonderfully and the hubby is being such a good sport.  We've definitely had some misses in my recipe selections, but he never says a word...just eats whats in front of him without complaints.  He might be keeping his mouth shut because he has actually lost 10 pounds himself, so maybe he's secretly happy with the change in nutrition.  He did steer me adrift a little bit this past weekend, but I know he can only take so much.

Since the last time I posted I have lost 3 pounds...

so not that great, but enough to keep me feeling motivated and happy.  Also, I'm starting to see the changes in how my clothes fit and I'm fitting into more and more of my pre-pregnancy clothes as the weeks go. Hopefully I can stay motivated with my work outs so I can start toning up a little bit more too.  Keep your fingers crossed!

Honey BBQ Meatloaf (8 points) with Smashed Potatoes (3 points) & Green Beans

Honey Barbecue Meatloaf

makes 4 servings   8 WW points/serving

1 lb 90% lean ground beef
½ cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
3/4 cup smoky barbecue sauce, divided
2 tablespoons honey, divided
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, use your hands to mix together the ground beef, panko, 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce, the spicy brown mustard, 1/2 cup of the barbecue sauce, 1 tablespoon honey, salt, and black pepper.
Shape the mixture into a long, thick log and place in an oiled baking dish. Be careful not to pack the meat too tightly or you’ll end up with a very dense, tough loaf.
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup barbecue sauce, 1 tablespoon honey, and 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce. Spread half of this mixture evenly all over the meatloaf. Reserve the other half for serving.
Bake for 45 minutes. Slice and drizzle with reserved honey barbecue sauce.

Smashed Potatoes with Sour Cream & Chives
makes 4-3/4 cup servings    3 WW points/serving

1 1/4 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes (about 4), chopped

1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth, warmed
1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
1 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
salt & pepper

Boil potatoes until fork-tender, about 12-15 minutes.
Drain potatoes and return to their pot.  Add the warm broth and coarsly mash.  Stir in sour cream and chives.  Season with salt & pepper.

Wonton Tacos (5 points) with broccoli & carrots

These Wonton Tacos have been around Pinterest for a while now and I finally decided to make them.  For some reason we actually had wonton wrappers in our fridge and when I figured out the points it turns out 4 of these tacos are only 5 points!!  They are from hungry-girl.com and they actually were pretty delicious.  The only thing is the recipe tells you to drape your wonton wrapper over the side of a baking dish and bake them in order to create the "taco" shape, but this makes the opening very small & frankly I could barely fit any stuffing in the taco because it was so tight.  So I would recommend finding somthing a little wider to use in order to form your wonton taco shape because once they're cooked and shaped, they aren't budging!

Wonton Tacos

makes 2 servings   5 WW points/serving

8 small square wonton wrappers

4 oz. cooked skinless lean chicken breast, shredded
2 Tbsp BBQ sauce with about 45 calories per 2-tbsp. serving
3/4 cup dry coleslaw mix
2 Tbsp Newman's Own Lite Low Fat Sesame Ginger dressing

2 Tbsp chopped cilantro  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

To make the wonton shells, spray the inside and outside walls of a deep square or rectangular baking pan with nonstick spray. Evenly drape wonton wrappers over the pan's walls on a diagonal, making triangle-shaped "shells." (Use two pans, if needed, to keep wontons from overlapping.) Bake for 3 - 4 minutes, until just crispy enough to hold their shape. Remove pan from the oven and set aside to cool.

Combine chicken with BBQ sauce in a bowl and mix well. Set aside.
In a microwave-safe bowl, combine coleslaw mix, dressing, and cilantro. Mix well. Microwave for 45 seconds, until slightly softened. Set aside.

Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. One at a time, carefully remove wonton shells from the pan and fill each with a heaping tablespoon of BBQ chicken and a heaping teaspoon of cilantro slaw. Lay filled wontons gently on their sides on the baking sheet.

Spray the upward-facing sides of the wonton shells lightly with nonstick spray (for added crispiness) and bake for about 5 minutes, until warm and crunchy. Let cool slightly and serve!