Muffin Tin Meal

Thanks to a friend, The Island Mom, I have been introduced to Muffin Tin Meals. I decided to take a leap and try it out for lunch yesterday. This was a first attempted, and I was not quite as prepared as I would have liked to be, but overall I would call it a success.
I was worried how J.J. would do, as he has a tendency to throw his food, but other than the muffin paper cups and a few apple chunks, he did fairly well. D. really enjoyed this lunch experiment, and ate up his whole muffin tray.
If you have not hear about Muffin Tin Meals, check out the blog below and give it a try. It was a big hit at our house for both boys, and I have a feeling this will soon be a daily request.
http://www.michellesjournalcorner.blogspot.com/

Please note: Remember I was unprepared, therefore, do not have the nicest muffin tins. New tins are on the shopping list for next week. Also, while the wine bottles are empty, I promise no drinking was done when parental duties are required!



From left to right starting with the top row:
Half of a dinosaur shaped peanut butter sandwich, apple chunks, frosted animal crackers. More apple chunks, pretzel squares, and the the other half of the dinosaur peanut butter sandwich.

IRiley

This weekend we celebrated R's, 8th birthday. It's hard for me to believe she's getting so big already. Friday was her actual birthday, so after school we loaded up in the van and headed to the mall to get her ears pierced. When I was growing up, it was a family and tradition that 12 was the year of piercings. After much thought, and a lot of begging on R's end, we decided that she was old enough and responsible enough to take care of this right of passage.
She was nervous while we waited as the jeweler set up, but she never wavered from her decision to do it. When the moment come, she grabbed my hands, crinkled her face and squeezed. Then it was over. Not a tear or a flinch was made. I'm so proud of her.



Saturday it was time to celebrate...
Normally, we have a family cook-out style party with a few of R's friends there to enjoy the fun. This time we did it a little different. R had been asking for a sleepover...ICarly style. So, four 7 or 8 year old girls come over to eat spaghetti tacos, make sculptures and do some random dancing...complete with a pancake and bacon breakfast the next morning.

Project Bye Bye Paci

Today started project bye bye paci for both my boys. As a rule D, is only allowed to have it during nap/bedtime, while J.J. still has his at free will. But it's not working. D. will go lay in his bed as an excuse to have it, or more often then not, just steals J.J.'s. Nap time went well, but I kinda cheated as we were out shopping a little later than expected. I ended up giving J.J. his in the check out line and he fell asleep in the shopping cart within 2 minutes (and did fine with the cart to car seat and car seat to crib transfer). D. fell asleep in the car without his and went right back to sleep in his bed without asking for it.



Bedtime was a little harder. Right after baths, they get to play in there room for a bit while I clean up the bathroom mess, ect. D. started right away! I told him that they were all gone. This caused a 15 minutes scream/cry fit. I picked him up and set him in his bed and continued with our bedtime routine, ignoring his tantrum. Within 5 minutes of lights out, D. was sitting in his bed, crying and asking for his pacifier. Nope...I stayed strong. I did sneak J.J. his though. At this point, I believe he still needs it to sleep. I just reassured him that he was a big boy and reminded him he slept without it at nap time. The crying and asking continued, but not as loud and not as often. And guess what...I did it, I did it, I did it. It took an hour and a half, but I did it!

D. has been asking for a fish for the past week, so I think we may head to the pet store as a reward if naps go well tomorrow.