Rossi Update!

Calvin is now 15 months old! Time surely flies when you're having fun, and let me tell you...he is a BLAST. I have not blogged at all in 2012, and to my loyal friends who care about my ramblings, I apologize. One of my goals for this year was to blog more, and well, you can see how great I'm doing on that one! Haha! Here is what our toddler is up to lately, some of my current favorite products, quick fixes, and ideas:

 -Guess what, Calvin eats like a big boy! He is still somewhat picky, but he tries food every day and is doing so much better with mealtime. It is completely true that each child is an individual and you cannot force things before they are ready. I've read some articles that say toddlers live off of air, and it's true...most toddlers just snack all day long and still need breastmilk or another form of milk as their primary nutrition. I still send a puree mix when he is at the babysitter. I love Happy Tot, it's a squeeze tube of organic fruits or veggies and he really likes those. I also send snacks and other foods. Oatmeal is a favorite of his. Every night before bed, we enjoy a bowl of oatmeal and watch one episode of Yo Gabba Gabba entitled "Sleep". He loves this routine, and so do I! The only juice I give him is either Orange Juice (Simply Orange or Tropicana) or Fruitables by Adam and Eve. The Fruitables contain veggie juice too, so they're actually good for him instead of just pure sugar.


MMM, Bacon!

 -He's into, well, everything. Calvin's always been curious, but I've found that he is much more easily entertained by random items than he is his by toys. I use things we have around the house, for example I hide plastic straws and tupperware in the cabinets he can access. He loves "finding" them and playing with them. I'm also loving the website Pinterest for toddler activity ideas. Our first craft project is going to be making Valentines, and I can't wait!


See what I mean? Into Everything.



What, Mommy? I'm not doing anything wrong...



What do we have here?

 -He is sleeping so much better, and I've noticed he loves to wake up early, then go back to bed. This makes getting to work on time quite the task...but on the weekends I love it. He's in our bed, and I am sure it will stay that way until he is ready to sleep in a big boy bed.
-Calvin loves to "read" books, "draw", and "talk" to us. He gets frustrated when he can't do something, and I can see he definitely has my personality!

-I still swear by Triple Paste diaper cream. I'm also still a Pampers fan. We tried Luvs, but ladies...if you have boys, you know how much they pee!
-I've always used Burts Bees lotion on him, but I discovered Burts Bees Calming lotion. It has lavender and eucalyptus in it, and smells so great. Perfect for after a warm bath!

I realize this is a blur, but this is what my house looks like most of the time. Kids, toys, and craziness!

This year has already been so busy for our family! My Dad's health is still stable, which we praise God for. It's still a struggle to deal with, and we still have tests, results, and an uncertain future. Brandon is with us on a semi-permanent basis, and I have to admit I love having the extra help. He is 14 now, and boy is it nice to have a half grown extra set of hands! For my close friends who know the history of our situation, I am no longer referring to Brandon as my "nephew". He has always called me his sister (which legally, I am his sister), so I want to respect his choice. The two younger boys call me their Aunt, and until they decide differently, that's ok with me.

Elio works so hard, and he has been pulling a lot of overtime. I love him so much, and I thank God for him...good and bad! Marriage is not a sprint, it's a marathon. It's hard work, but the benefits are the best. We've been stretched to our limit at times, but I could not ask for a better partner.

As for me, well...I am still working. I have had some especially difficult weeks at work that have been very trying. (Hence the lack of blogging, and lack of sanity on some days) I am praying for clarity about how, where, and when God wants me to make a change. I am thankful though that a few co-workers have told me that I have changed their mind about certain things, for example breastfeeding. People are more open to the conversation and providing me with support. Seeing me with my pumping bag every day has obviously sent a little message to my fellow social workers. Or maybe it's my big mouth...I'm not sure which. ;-)

My 2012 goals include:
-More blogging (Be on the lookout, I have a lot to say!)
-Graduate School (I put that on hold when I had Calvin, and when my Dad became ill)
-Crafting with Calvin & Scrapbooking his first year
-Getting more involved with our church
-Home projects, like decorating and improvements
-Vacations! (This may be more like a dream than a goal, but we'll see)
-Exploring my passions and making time for me
-Letting Go...as in if none of these goals are attained, I'll be ok with it. ;) Let's see how that works out, shall we?