Until you can eat buffalo...

So, Ella's appointment really went pretty well. She always cries when the doctor starts checking her, and she got pretty upset when they gave her the shots, but she didn't cry nearly as much as she did last time, and she's been alert and happy the rest of the day (last time she was really fussy and really sleepy).

She's four months old, she weighs 16 1/2 pounds, and she's 26 inches long. Little bit of a dry skin rash, but other than that, we didn't have much to talk to the doctor about.

I asked about starting solids. It seems like a lot of people have told me that their babies started cereal at around 4 months. But our doctor said that concerning solids, his underlying principle was to "remember our roots: which means, you get breastmilk until you can eat the buffalo Dad brings home."

I laughed about that one all the way home. Anyway, he strongly suggested holding off even cereal until 6 months. I'm sure we will, because we aren't in a big hurry, and she seems to be just fine with just nursing. She acts satisfied and she sleeps fine, so no big rush.

Developmentally, she seems to be on the verge of a lot of things, but not quite there yet: she wants to sit up, but can't quite manage it yet; she CAN roll over, but either doesn't want to or has forgotten that she can; she reaches and grabs for things and usually gets them, but sometimes she can't hang on to them; she tries to put her own pacifier in her mouth, but then she doesn't know how to let go, so when she moves her hand, the pacifier comes with it (that one makes her really mad). She's really alert and mostly cheerful, although a little wary of strangers still.

We really dropped the ball on getting Christmas pictures of her. During most of our family events, she wanted either mama or daddy to be holding her at all times (during one of them, she cried hysterically when anyone else tried to take her). Sooo, we didn't get a lot of photos. This monkey hat picture was taken when we were on our way to the Vogt family Christmas. The others were taken today. That inchworm is one of her new favorite toys. She hugs it, studies it, tries to put it in her mouth, etc.

Baby on the Brain

And I quote...

Danielle: [talking to Johnny about her Sonic gift card]...But that's supposed to be for diapers...I mean, Dr. Peppers.

Adventures in Whole Wheat Baking...parts 2 & 3

Well, the whole-wheat pizza crust really turned out pretty good, but there are a couple of things to work out before I post the recipe. But it was pretty successful. Next, I tried these.

The honey-wheat flavor was nice. I think after I added all of the whole-wheat flour, I ended up using 1/2 c. all-purpose flour to add to the dough, plus the all-purpose flour that I used for the kneading and rolling. I didn't use the nuts. I didn't make them in the butterhorn shape, although I think next time I will. I definitely recommend adding the eggwash step that Heidi suggests.

Ella goes to the doctor this afternoon for her 4-month appt. and her shots. :( So I'll post later today with all her new height/weight info and some new pictures.

Testimonies

In the past week or so, the Lord has really blessed us with opportunities for sweet fellowship with other believers. A brother passing through Wichita needed a place to stay, so we got to spend an evening with him. As so often happens when Christians meet for the first time, we spent most of the evening sharing our testimonies. And this particular brother brought with him the news that the Lord had saved his wife that very morning! Praise the Lord!

This past Sunday, we had lunch with a couple from our church that we're just getting to know...and once again, much of the time was spent sharing about God's work of redemption in each of our lives. How encouraging to reflect on the salvation we have in Christ, and also on how God draws each one to Himself through circumstances, the hearing of truth, crossing paths with Christians, etc. That same night, Johnny heard the testimony of another brother in our church (we're still kind of new to this church and just getting to know everyone).

We could--and will--reflect forever on God's mercy just in saving us, period. But after hearing all these testimonies, I've also been thinking about all the other kindnesses of the Lord in each believer's testimony--things like keeping marriages intact for years before conversion, or (also before conversion) restraining the person from particularly damaging sins, or restoring certain relationships after conversion, or just blessing a new Christian with a sweet friendship with another believer, and on and on and on. I mean, He didn't have to save us in the first place...and of course, justification and Christ's righteousness and peace with God and a new heart are the things we really need. But then it seems like God just floods the believer with all kinds of blessings.

"Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!"

Great is His faithfulness!

Adventures in Whole Wheat Baking...part 1

Oh, my goodness.

I may never make cookies with "all-purpose" flour again.

Today I bought whole wheat flour at the store, because I was planning to make a whole wheat pizza crust. See, Johnny and I both love pizza...but we don't love the cost of ordering pizza, or that gross "I just ate greasy pizza" feeling. And homemade pizza is easy. Soooo I thought I'd start making it when we were in the mood...and if you're going to make it at home, why not go all out? Low-fat cheese, low-fat sauce, fresh veggies on top...and whole grain crust to boot.

I haven't tried the whole wheat crust yet, although I found a recipe that looks promising. But there on the back of the flour sack was a recipe for whole wheat chocolate chip cookies that I was dying to try.

Well, not dying.

So I started rummaging in the fridge, checking my ingredients...and I was out of butter. Sad...but by this point, I really wanted to make whole wheat something-or-other. I did some searching on the internet and found a recipe for peanut butter-chocolate chip cookies that required no regular butter (but used all-purpose flour). I read it and wrote down some of the amounts for the major ingredients, went to the kitchen and modified it quite a bit...and here was the end result. They were quite good. Notice I'm not saying "these were the best cookies in the universe." That's just because they're peanut butter--no peanut butter cookie will ever get the "best in the universe" label from me. I just prefer plain jane chocolate chip cookies...BUT as peanut butter cookies go, these were delicious in my book. And made with only whole wheat flour! I really didn't taste a difference, although occasionally I felt a little fleck of wheat in my teeth.

Of course...there's still sugar...and an egg...and chocolate chips...so don't start calling them "healthy." But it's a start.

Oh, by the way--if you bake a lot, you'll know that peanut butter cookies are supposed to be rolled into balls, then flattened with a fork. That's just the way it's done. But I didn't mess with all that nonsense...I just used my cookie scoop as usual. Trust me, the universe did not implode...and the cookies tasted fine.

Whole wheat peanut butter chocolate chip cookies


1 c whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 c + 2 tbsp. firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 c milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 c crunchy peanut butter
2/3 c chocolate chips (I also had an insignificant amount of peanut butter chips that I threw in for good measure...probably a tablespoon or so...)

Preheat oven to 375.
Combine flour and baking soda in a small bowl.
In a large bowl, combine sugar, milk and vanilla. Add egg and beat well. Stir in peanut butter, then chocolate chips. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture a little at a time, mixing well. Drop by rounded teasponfuls (or use a cookie scoop) onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 9-10 minutes (you want golden-brown tops, but don't overbake!). And enjoy the whole-grainy goodness!

We thought we'd try a bow in her hair...

...I'd say it went over well, wouldn't you?? ;)

What REALLY happened

So, I thought what happened in that last picture was fairly clear...maybe just because I know that guilty, head-down "pose" Coda has in the picture. I thought it was funnier to post it without an explanation, but I've had some questions about it.

What really happened: Coda is a major watch dog and he HAS to look out the window pretty much anytime anyone (or anything) stirs outside. We've stopped trying to discourage it, because we want him to be a watch dog, and this is the ONLY window in our house that he can see out of. But sometimes he catches the curtains on his way up or down the couch...usually without much damage...until now. He got so tangled in the curtain that his weight just destroyed our cheap-o curtain rod--hence, the results you see in the picture. :)

I've been way too busy enjoying Ella the past few days to take any new pictures. :) Our new favorite game is a sounds game--she finds any kind of blowing, spitting, "raspberry," or clicking noises hilarious. She tries to imitate them...sometimes her imitations are funny because they're way off, but other times she gets it pretty close. She LOVES this game. Her laughs are getting cuter all the time.

She'll be four months old 2 days after Christmas...I can't believe it!

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

More pictures

Oops...

I realized this weekend that people were having trouble viewing the videos. They should be working now. Sorry!