My NEW/REALISTIC New Years Resolution

A couple weeks ago I posted that my resolution would be to organize our storage unit...after some thought it is totally unrealistic.  It would require lots of leaving Z while I sort boxes and piles of stuff in our living room...both don't work with a baby on the move.  Rather than giving up a week into organization and having a broken resolution, I went ahead and came up with something much better to try this year!
I have several cookbooks...most have tons of post'its marking recipes I want to try.

 Plus I got some new ones for Christmas!

I LOVE cookbooks...I know you can get recipes online but I like using books.  If I find a recipe online I usually end up writing it on post'its because I hate how they look printed out. 
This year I want to try at least one new recipe each week. 

I feel like it's reasonable considering I cook three times a week, the other days I make some easy pasta, heat up leftovers or a can of soup and a sandwich.  This will be a great thing to do for my family, Adam LOVES new things and Zachary is going to start eating more table foods (cue my new book: "The Sneaky Chef").  There are plenty of recipes to choose from...where should I start????

HERE GOES NOTHING!

Baby Proofed

Z man has been upset with me lately...

doesn't he look like a kid on TV that needs a sponsor?  I guess he isn't so "Bannanas over Mommy" at this moment

 We started off by blocking the entertainment table...Adam suggested buying a new flat screen and hanging it on the wall out of reach...I figured this $25 Craig's List find was a smarter choice:

 These are really starting to annoy me...they are hard to get out when I need to vacuum!

 I took the rummer tips off the door stops but my boy showed me that wasn't enough.  I used to let him sit here while I was in the kitchen and if I stopped hearing the spring I would pay more attention...one day the noise ended and I found Z-man with the door stop off the wall and in his mouth.

 Little did he know that this fun new box would turn into this...

 I didn't take into account when buying the "tall" gate that the lip of the counter top would make it so I couldn't use the extender...I did order a new short gate and will move this one to the office area.  Until then we won't be playing Dominoes.  So far it works!

I just have to remember not to put things so close to the gate.  He opened this Mountain Dew box  and tried to pick up a can from outside the gate.  It is really nice not to wonder what bit of food fell on the floor that Z is going to eat or getting on my hands and knees cleaning every time I cook.  I still clean...it's just not on my knees.  Hopefully he won't figure out how to get past the gate...

Frustrated it didn't work, but that won't stop him from trying again!

9 Months

Zack is really growing up!
According to his 9 month appointment last Monday he was in the 90% for height and 70% for weight but only 25% in head size...which totally baffles me.  I can't imagine what putting shirts on must be like for mommies with normal to large headed babies, because Zack hates it and some shirts are even a little tight going on. 
The doctor said that nothing about any part of Zack worries her. 

He is really moving.  He gets into EVERYTHING...trash cans, toilets, presents, my wallet, games, etc...  I put up a gate leading to the kitchen because it was getting really hard to make sure there wasn't anything on the floor.  I would sweep and get on my hands and knees looking for pieces of food and he would still find something.  I keep all the doors closed (which I hate...I will be buying more gates). 

The biggest thing about being 9 months is the new clothes...his pants have been a bit too short for about a week but I am having a hard time saying goodbye to some of his outfits.
Zack is very strong and lord help you if you stand still for more than 10 seconds or decide to have a seat on the floor.  You can expect Z to come to you and climb all over you.  He loves the computer and our i-phones.
He is beginning to take less formula and doesn't like when I feed him.  We are working on finger foods but he doesn't chew very well (even though he has 5 almost 6 teeth!) so we do soft finger foods that are in big enough chunks for him to pick up.  Avocado and Banana are the easiest for him (besides graham crackers).

GO PACK!

Adam graduated from NC State and loves watching State play football.  This year wasn't the best for the team but they were asked to play in the Belk Bowl in Charlotte.

How often does your favorite team play near free child care and housing for a Bowl game?  We HAD to go to the game!  So we extended our Chirstmas trip which was nice because we don't get to see my Dalland Grandparents very often.
Scottie (my "little" bro) and Bethany (his wife) came with.  It was nice to have a double date of sushi and football
SIDE NOTE: It is supe strange to be on a double date with my little brother and discuss things like real estate...man we are getting old.
We put on long johns, hats, gloves, scarves, jackets, blankets etc...

and watched the Wolf Pack KICK BUTT!

It was a very exciting game to watch...even for someone with a short attention span like me.

Christmas with the Miltons

We spent Christmas day with Adam's side of the family. 

Brenda made a HUGE breakfast, which was WONDERFUL!
We opened gifts...

We played games...

We hung out and let the kids play with their new toys...

It was a wonderful, restful Christmas with family.

Christmas with theMarum's

Christmas night we went down to Huntersville for Christmas with my side of the family.

My Grandma and Grandpa Dalland came down from PA, and Grandma Marum was also staying (she lives 45 min. away).  Zachary is the only grandchild/great-grandchild/niece or nephew on my side so everyone LOVES watching him.  Ask any one of these people what they think of Z-man "oh he is so smart/cute/good etc..., and I am not just saying that because I am his grandparent/great-grandparent/aunt/uncle.         

Monday mom made omlets...

We opened presents...

and introduced Z-man to his new toys...

We had a great time!

SANTA CAME!

We asked Santa to not go overboard with gifts for us this year because we don't have a lot of space, there isn't anything we need and Zack doesn't understand Santa...yet. 

Since we had to be out the door at 8:30, Adam and I woke up and got ready at 7:30.  We showered, dressed and finally decided to open our gifts without Zack.  We packed the car and waited for Z to wake up.  He finally woke up (with a little help from me making noises in his room) at 8:15.  Of all days to sleep in...
Anyway I think he was a little confused that there were MORE presents for him to open.

However, he quickly got over that...

He got socks, a sippy cup, a toy car, some pj's, goldfish crackers and some puppets...

now what?

Christmas Eve

Adam and I wanted to start a new tradition as a family of 3...until now we had just taken part in our childhood traditions which was fun but having 4 Christmas's was pretty exhausting.  Last year we were in Australia on the beach and unfortunately that option wasn't on the table for this year. 
We began the day with breakfast at the Flying Biscuit Cafe (EXCELLENT...this will defiantly be continued next year.

Then we came home, packed and got ready for a gathering at our friends house.

We all went to Church together.

After church we came home I made appetizers,

Adam poured the wine,

and Zachary examined the gifts.

"FOR ME???"

After our snack we opened gifts...this was a very exciting Christmas for me...I finally came up with a gift for Adam that he wouldn't expect and that he would LOVE, and it was my little man's first Christmas.  I really didn't expect much out of him, but his excitement was awesome.  He was crazy crawling this way and that way opening gifts, playing with new toys, eating bows and smiling and laughing all night. 

We took turns helping him open gifts

yes, he is chewing on wrapping paper...but this is the coolest toy ever for babies who love i-phones.  You can put your phone in here download the Fisher Price App's and your baby can play with your phone without damaging it.  It has a drool guard and a cover for the power button.

he was so overwhelmed that he fell and rolled 3 times over his clothes.

Adam's gift was a Keurig coffee maker (which he opened last)...he began by opening coffee and a thing of creamer that he thought was to bring to work...

but no...it was for his very own machine!

I am super excited because Adam got me a ravioli making attachment for my Kitchen Aid mixer. 

basically we officially have a tripped out kitchen.
Of course we had to play with all our new "toys".  My camera strap looks perfect on my camera.  Adam made his first cup of coffee...oh and...

Adam let Z play with his i-phone

Adam blew up the ball pit

I took a turn...they really should have included a pump

This was the most still he was all night

guess who LOVED the blocks...

yep...I was asked to hold Zack back so he could build it really tall

We settled little man down with a bath and a bottle,

We had dinner (baked ziti...perfect make ahead dinner)

and desert...gilato and a canoli (had to keep it Italian...next year I am thinking Mexican).

We hung our stockings on the baby gate hoping Santa would visit!