Red Beans & Rice (Slow Cooker)

Ryan and I eat a ton of rice. Rice and veggies. Rice and sausage. Rice and beans. Rice goes good with just about everything, don't you think? We do.

It's so easy to make, and you can jazz it up with your favorite spices, sauces, vegetables and meats to create a pretty simple yet solid meal. 

I was super excited to try a new rice and beans recipe I found on Pinterest (surprise, surprise), and it didn't disappoint. 

Only a few steps and it was so good. 

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I always forget to snap a shot of my own finished product!

Here's the recipe with a few modifications....

• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced (I used dry)
• 14oz andouille sausage, sliced (I used Kielbasa because it is all we had)
• 3 tablespoons Creole seasoning 
• 1lb dried red kidney beans
• 7 cups water
• white rice (I used brown)

Dump all ingredients except for the rice into a 4-quart crock pot and cook on high for 6-7 hours. Serve over cooked rice. 

I'll eat you up I love you so

As expected, Evelyn came out with a full head of hair. It wasn't long after we got home from the hospital with her that we realized not only did she have a lot of hair, but she had a lot of unruly hair.

See what I mean?

Her hair was out of control and not for a second did I think about combing it down-- I liked it too much. Everywhere we went someone seemed to comment on "that hair." Not only had it become her trademark, but it also suited her spunky personality quite well.

I checked my email one afternoon to find an email from Ryan: a side-by-side comparison of our daughter and this little monster from the book, Where the Wild Things Are.

Yes! That's our Evie, I thought.

I love this book and I thought the resemblance was adorable, so I bought her a cute onesie and a few prints for her nursery off of Etsy.

And, yep, the idea for my blog title stemmed from this book. I think a rumpus is the perfect definition for any parent's first year with a baby. They flip your world upside down...in a good way of course, causing a wild commotion unlike any other.

Evie's hair as tamed down more recently, but her personality sure hasn't.

We'll eat you up, we love you so, dearest Evie.

6 Months

It's pretty strange to think that Evelyn has been with us for half a year.  In a lot of ways it's hard to picture life without her. Did I really use to sleep 8 hour stretches through the night? Was it really possible to leave the house in under 2 minutes?

Who needs that kind of rest and freedom anyway?

In all seriousness though, these last few months have been so so so fun. Each new stage really is the "best stage" which makes me even more excited for what's to come.

I can't write a post about Evie's sixth month without mentioning sleep. At about 5 1/2 months things just started "clicking" for her. All of a sudden days became less fussy, activities became less overwhelming and sleep become something that wasn't so complicated-- for all of us! Long story short with some trial and error, Evie (for the most part) is now napping during the day and sleeping at night in her crib.  Most nights it still takes a lot of time and energy to get her to fall asleep, but once down, she will usually only get back up once during the night, in which case I give her a little snack and back down she goes. This has been huge for us. Ryan and I are finally enjoying some alone time in the evening and Evie is getting the rest she needs through the night.

If I had to pick one word to describe our little girl right now it would be passionate. Since day one, Evie has been very enthusiastic about everything she does.  Although this personality trait can be hard to manage at times, I so love that our daughter is one with a lot of spirit. I can't wait to see how this passion  unfolds with each passing day.

Likes

*Still standing. You're happiest on your feet.
*Outside. The warm weather has been so good for the both of us. You love looking at the birds, squirrels and trees and taking in new sights and sounds.
*Stroller. Yay! You are so so chill just cruising in the stroller.
*Cans/Glasses. For some reason you are mesmerized by glasses of water and soda cans.

Dislikes

*Getting dressed. Anything that involves an article of clothing going over your head and arms puts you in rare form, which is pretty frustrating considering I have to change you 2-3 times a day.
*Men/Unfamiliar faces. Oh my, we are going through a stranger danger phase. On several occasions you have gone from perfectly content to frightened tears when someone unfamiliar (usually a man) come to say hello. Ryan thinks definitely OK that his little girl is fearful of "scary men."
*Going to bed in the evening. Nothing new here. You want to play 24/7 even if that means fighting through exhaustion. Maybe when you can crawl and walk on your own you will just move yourself to sleep.


Other

*Pinching. You have such a mighty grip for being a little thing. You are really into mommy's face right now. You'll grab onto my lip and cheeks and it hurts. Bad.
*Your hair is getting longer and blonder.  I love how your long bangs hang in your eyes.
*Teeth! You've been putting anything and everything in your mouth since 2 months, and finally, just the other day, there they were. Two very small teeth poking through on your bottom gums.
*Reaching. As soon as something interesting catches your eye, out go your little arms, reaching for that cool, new object that you want to put your hands and mouth all over. Lately the remote control has been a hot item. And the other day we walked by the counter and grabbed a towel, which means mommy should be a little more cautious of what's in your reach.
*First solids. We mashed up an avocado last weekend and you took it like a champ. I'm not sure you loved the taste, but you enjoy putting the spoon in your mouth. You may have gotten more on your face and hair than in your mouth.
You're on the move. We like to call it the caterpillar. When on your stomach, you slowly inch like a worm to whatever toy is in your sight. You can also now raise up on your arms and knees, but haven't quite figured out how to crawl.
*At your 6 month well-visit you weighed in at 14 pounds and 12 ounces and measured 25.5 inches long.

Happiest in her daddy's arms

Mmm avocado!

Little one, you amaze me every single day. It's going to be a fun summer.

Learning To Let Go So I Can Hold On

There's almost always a basket of clean, unfolded clothes in our bedroom that never get put away. The vacuum cleaner rarely leaves the dining room because I'm always going to "get to those floors tomorrow." Boxes of old clothes and photos wait patiently for me to organize and have been for six months.

Let go. 

There was once a time that I could enjoy a quick trip to the store to buy groceries;  get my hair done without thinking twice about the day or time; run to the mall for a new shirt or two.

Let go. 

I used to run. 10, 15, sometimes 20 miles a week depending on my mood. It cleared my head. It made me feel alive.  I did it for me.

Let go. 

These days? These days I feel like a million bucks when I sleep 6 consecutive hours.  Exercising is  lifting my 15 pound baby in and out of the car seat. Socializing means singing "10 little monkeys" for the eighth time in two hours just to hear my baby giggle. Getting out of the house involves eating drive-thru fast food at the park with my sleeping daughter in the back seat.

These days, happiness means watching her eyes light up when her daddy gets home from work; walking hand in hand with my best friend as we push a stroller during sunset; waking up on a Saturday morning to small hands on my face and spit-up on my pillow.

Putting away dishes I catch her smiling at the toy giraffe as she fumbles with its rubber limbs. It drops to the floor and her eyes find mine. And she smiles a smile so big that I can't help but drop the towel I'm holding to pick her up and draw her close. Twenty minutes pass and after two more rounds of "10 little monkeys" the dishes are still there where I left them.   

Letting go. 

I'm a slow learner, but one day at a time I'm learning the laundry can wait. The floors, "Ill get to them tomorrow." Running? Oh, I'm still running. It's just a different route with a few more bumps.

In 20 years, dusty counters and dirty dishes will still need dusted and cleaned. But the moments spent with my baby will have passed and I'll only be left with sweet memories.

So today, today I think I'll hold her a little closer, a little tighter, a little longer.

Easy Spinach & Tomato Penne Bake

Now that I am finally getting into a rhythm with having a baby around, I've had a lot a little more time to plan and prepare meals for Ryan and I through the week.

Almost all of the meals I try come from Pinterest. I love that I can do a simple search for a type of dish and thousands of results pour in from various websites and blogs across the web.

I select most of the recipes I make based on three things: finished product photo, number of ingredients and time involved (usually in that order). So yeah, I guess that makes me a pretty lazy cook. I like to think practical.

Anyway, I'm not usually one to crave pasta, but since Ryan loves it, and since pasta is typically a pretty quick and easy dish to prepare, I chose this one from Pinterest-- Penne Bake w/ spinach and tomatoes.

I wish I would have taken a pic of my actual finished meal, but I'm here to tell you that it really did look pretty much dead on the photo that convinced me to try it out in the first place and that rarely happens for me.

Here's the recipe (with a few modifications I made along the way)

* 1/2 yellow onion, diced

* 3 garlic cloves, minced

* 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

* 1 Tbs. butter

* 1 pinch crushed red pepper

* 1 Tbs smoked paprika

* 1 (26 oz) can diced tomatoes

* 1/2 pound penne pasta, cooked

* 4 cups baby spinach

* 3 cups shredded mozzarella

* 1/2 cup breadcrumbs

* pinch of salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400.

In a medium skillet, heat the oil and butter over medium-high. Add onions and saute for about 5 minutes until they start to soften. Add the garlic, crushed red pepper and paprika. Saute another minute. Stir in the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and simmer 5 to 10 minutes.

Add in the cooked pasta and spinach. Stir to combine. 

Pour mixture into a baking dish, sprinkle with cheese and breadcrumbs. (See suggestion below for sprinkling cheese and breadcrumbs in layers rather than just on top for even more cheesy goodness). 

Bake for about 20 minutes or until brown. 

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Next time I make this dish the only thing I'll change is how I layer the bread crumbs and cheese. The recipe says to add both on top before putting it in the oven, but I think layering it on top of the noodles throughout would be even tastier.  I might try adding some italian sausage as well.

It made about 4 servings which was great because Ryan was able to take some for lunch.

Serve with some Texas toast or a nice salad from your leftover baby spinach-- and enjoy!

5 Months

Slow days and fast weeks pretty much sum up month 5. Maybe that's because I don't really sleep, so the nights seem really (and I mean really) long. But since every day is pretty much the same, each week kind of blends together into a big 7 day jumble. I write this as I'm heating up my cup of coffee for the 5th time already this morning and watching the monitor as Evie entertains the idea of waking up for the day.

Ever heard of the 4 month old sleep regression? Apparently it's a real thing, and we've witnessed first hand just how much Evelyn's sleep regressed when she was 4 months old. Out of no where she went from 3 and 4 hour stretches at night to seriously waking up every 1.5-2 hours! Yes, that means I am waking up with her about 4-6 times A NIGHT, people. This has been going on all month. I have no idea whether this behavior is related to teething or just a lot of changes developmentally, but it seems as though she's seeking more comfort throughout the night, and it is exhausting.  Luckily, she usually just wants a quick "snack and snuggle" and we're back to sleep.  On the plus side she's been a bit less fussy in the evenings and easier to get down.

Like I mentioned, it seems as though her frequent night wakings could be directly related to how much she's changing every single day. This month was one of such growth. She went from barely being able to find her hands last month to now sticking her feet in her mouth and grabbing toys with such precision and enthusiasm. It must be a real job for a small infant to piece all of this together.  She's also desperately trying to be mobile. One thing I love about Evie is that she's strong-willed and determined. For instance, she's really into standing (bearing weight on her legs) right now. If she's sitting she gets so frustrated at us, so I spend a great deal of the day hold her up on her legs. She smiles so proudly....I think we'll have an early walker for sure. 

I am so incredibly thankful that I get to witness all of these small but important changes.

This month was tough for me as well. I feel like I am constantly in limbo between feeling like a complete nut case wondering what the heck I am doing wrong (why can't she sleep, why is she crying, is she sick, is she teething, is it her belly...and the list goes on) ...and then I'll talk to another mom or read a blog about another baby doing the same thing as Evelyn and it restores my sanity. OK, I'm not alone, this is normal, it will pass. Unfortunately at 2 in the morning when I am waking up for the 3rd time already to nurse Evie back to sleep I tend to gravitate towards the first.

Thankfully, I've been surrounded by some other super supportive new and experienced mommy's who are eager to send some prayers and hugs my way on a daily basis. A simple "I've been there, it does get better and you're a super mom" does wonders when I'm going on 2 hours of sleep and driving an overtired baby around in the car just so she will nap and I can get a few minutes of quiet time.

Ryan is also such an all-star daddy. He's been working a TON lately-- going into work at 5, coming home at 6 or 7. And that's usually coming off of a pretty poor night's sleep given that he's in and out through the night as I am waking up with Evie. Yet he never complains and is always ready and willing to take over for a bit as soon as he walks in the door. (Usually after he grabs a beer first, ha).  Luckily Evie thinks her daddy is the silliest and she always seems refreshed to see his face when he walks in the door. Watching her light up when she realizes he is home for the first time all day is probably one of my favorite things. Plus it gives me a chance to shower, finish that laundry that I put in like 6 hours ago and clean up dinner before I start putting Evelyn to bed.

Thanks to slightly warmer weather and easier to distract baby, Evie and I have gotten out of the house a lot more this past month as well. Whether it's a short walk in the sling, a trip to Target or play date in the park, the sunshine has been good for all of us, and I can't wait for even warmer days to arrive.

Isn't it funny how different phases in our lives rock our boat for that short period of time, and then it passes and we forget what the big fuss was about in the first place?  It doesnt seem short right now, but I know it won't be long until we are begging Evie to get out of bed in the morning and missing those sweet moments when we could cradle her in our arms. I hope I don't get to caught up in how I can "get her to sleep" or let my circumstances define the quality of our days ..... and instead just treasure the little moments and be thankful for ALL OF THE GOOD things that come with being a mommy to this special girl. 

Your Likes

Your feet, especially when they are in your mouth. As soon as I lay you on your back your feet automatically find your hands. This makes diaper changes quite difficult. 

The sling. We now own 4 baby carriers, none of which you were really fond of, until I started facing you out in the sling. It's been great for walks, getting things done around the house and calming you down in the evening when you start to fuss.
Standing. You absolutely love being up on your feet.
Tummy. You enjoy playing on your tummy better than your back. 

Your Dislikes

Being restrained. This includes the car seat and stroller.
Not being able to be mobile. You get so frustrated that you can't move where you want, when you want.
Getting dressed. Still not a fan of momma putting your shirts on over your head.
Weddings. OK, it's probably not the actual wedding event that you dislike, rather that weddings are in the evenings. Y

Other things...

Since day one we've had trouble getting you to fall asleep at night. White noise is seeming to help (a little).

Thumb. You are finding your thumb frequently. Wondering if you are going to be a thumb sucker? We hope not, but at this point, if it will soothe you, by all means-- suck on at that thumb!

You want to move so badly. It's sad to watch how hard you work at moving an inch or two when on your tummy. 

Love putting weight on legs. Yep, you are so proud when standing tall. Early walker? I bet so. 

Rolling. You are so smooth at rolling from your back to tummy. 

Bearing weight on arms when on tummy. When are your tummy, you can push yourself up to look around and reach for toys. 

At the end of this month you discovered your tongue. One evening you wouldnt stop sucking on it like a mint. So funny.
You learned how to blow air out of your mouth. Cutest thing everrr.

Who needs toys when you've got two feet?

That smile. 

Such a little ham.

Pouting?

If only I could figure out that crawling thing.

Enough with the photos already, mom.  

Busy little bee.

co-sleeping and why it works for us

I never thought we would co-sleep with Evelyn. In fact, in the days leading up to her birth, I had it all figured out. Evie would sleep in the bassinet (8-10 hours at night of course) right next to our bed. Once she was older and we were all ready, we would move her to her crib in her room-- easy peasy!

And then Evelyn was born.

After 2 weeks of no sleep, constant nursing and non-stop nighttime crying, Ryan and I were at our wits' end. How in the world can we get this baby to sleep and where do we put her?

We swaddled her per our pediatrician's recommendation: "Swaddle her tight and then go tighter" he said. It did seem to help a bit, but as soon as we'd get her to sleep and go to lay her down in the bassinet, she would wake back up screaming and we'd be back at it again.

"Just move her to the crib" our doctor said. I laughed inside when he suggested we "simply" move our daughter to her own room. If he only knew, I thought. Evelyn is a tough cookie when it comes to sleep....the crib would have to wait.

The only purpose that cozy bassinet next to our bed was serving was to hold Evelyn's burp cloths and blankets. We needed a sleep solution....

Thank goodness the one place Evelyn would settle down for the night was right between her mommy and daddy. We place her in bed at night, and then I nurse her to sleep without having to move her. Works like a charm most of the time. And so here we are, almost 5 months later and Evelyn still has her own place in our (now much smaller) queen-sized bed.

I remember the first few nights she slept between us being extremely nervous that one of us might roll over on her. To be honest though, that would never happen. Maybe it's just mommy intuition, but I always feel very aware that Evie is nestled right next to me. In fact, I'd even argue that she's probably safer between us than if she was alone.

Dr. Sears, a well known pediatrician and author of several baby books, even encourages co-sleeping stating that infants who sleep near to parents have more stable temperatures, regular heart rhythms, and fewer long pauses in breathing compared to babies who sleep alone.  This means baby sleeps physiologically safer. 

Co-sleeping has also made Evie's frequent wakings so much more bearable. My neighbor is a lactation consultatn (how lucky!) and she couldn't stress enough how much I should learn to lie down and nurse. It really has been a lifesaver. Now when Evie wakes up fussing, I can simply roll over without even sitting up to give her a nightime snack and back to sleep (usually) we all go!

This isn't to say that Evie only ever sleeps in our bed to this day. If we're feeling lucky we'll place her gently in her infant rocker or swing in our room. We've had the best luck with her having her longest stretches of sleep in both of these. The problem is settling her there without her waking up. 

Co-sleeping wasn't what I wanted and definitely not what I planned for, but it ended up being exactly what our family needed-- and a real lifesaver for us in those early months. How long will we co-sleep? I guess that's for Evie to decide. Some nights I wish more than anything that she would fall asleep in her bassinet or crib. But then other mornings I wake up snuggled next to my little girl and hubbie and think, it doesn't get much better than this.

If there is one thing I've learned about parenting, thus far, it's that every baby has different needs. And what might work for one family certainly won't work for the other. Every book, every video, every piece of advice-- they all are great, if it works for you and your baby, that is. And if they don't, then that's OK too. Evelyn just so happens to need that extra security at night, and since mommy and daddy NEED sleep, co-sleeping it is until she's ready to move on.