On March 9th, Luc had his half birthday. For Hudson's half birthday, I asked Melinda at CakeGoodness to make it. She had never done one and of course made the cutest cake, but it was pretty pricey (on a side note, she makes them quite regularly now, so we started a trend). Anyways, I just didn't really feel like paying tons of money for a cake so I decided to attempt to make one myself. Since I am still following the elimination diet, I used my favorite chocolate crazy cake recipe and found an allergy free frosting recipe. I was really happy with how it turned out. I hung up a banner I got for free at Inspiration Unlimited from Teresa Collins and snapped a few photos. Happy 1/2 birthday my little man!
Monday, February 29, 2016
Luc's Half Birthday
Sunday, February 28, 2016
RSV
Poor little Luc got sick from Hudson, who seems to be sick all the time now that he is in preschool. By March 7th, right when I was leaving for Vegas, he had a fever, bad cough and congestion. This was the worst illness he has had so far and it was heartbreaking to see. Luc's nose has been so snotty, Nic has been doing the snot sucker a ton, even every time Luc wakes up for a feeding overnight. His cough also sounded awful. They ended up confirming at his 6 month appointment that he had RSV. My poor, sweet little guy! He was sick for quite a while too. I think it ended up being from March 4th to March 17th until he was completely back to normal.

Saturday, February 27, 2016
6 Months
On March 9th, Luc turned 6 months old. He weighs 17 pounds and 10 ounces. He is the drooliest child I have ever seen. He is really scooting, pushing up on all fours and grabs everything at the moment. Of course everything he grabs goes straight into his mouth. He is such a handsome little man and we all adore him.
Friday, February 26, 2016
Kim's Bachelorette
On March 7th I drove down to the OC to meet up with Kim, Amy and Kim's friend to ride up to Vegas together for Kim's Bachelorette weekend. Judson has been sick all week and just as I was leaving Luc was starting to get it, which of course made leaving way tougher. I feel so bad that I won't be there to nurse and comfort Luc. I had to pump on the way up which I'm sure scared everyone out of wanting kids someday, haha. When I checked in with Nic, he said Luc struggled with the first few bottles, but by the third one he seemed to be doing pretty well, so that put my mind at ease a little.
We stayed at the Cosmopolitan hotel and upon arriving I pumped once more before we all headed out for the pool to meet up with the rest of the group. It was a bit chilly, but the pool had a gorgeous view of the Eiffel Tower, which was awesome. We grabbed a bite to eat poolside, then headed back to the room to get ready for dinner. We ate at an asian restaurant in the hotel and they very nicely were able to accomodate my diet. I had a delicious salmon and used my special coconut aminos on it (as a side note I brough along homemade banana bread and a few other snacks so that I wouldn't starve while on my crazy diet. Even though Luc had just tested negative for all allergens, we decided I should introduce foods back in one at a time to make sure his stomach and digestive issues don't flare again). Anyways, the dinner was really fun.
After we ate, we went back to the room where I downed some wine while sneaking in another pumping session.
Then we walked across the street to the Planet Hollywood Hotel to see the Britney Spears show. It was so much fun! She wasn't the greatest, but compared to her concert a few years ago, it was pretty good, and I love all her songs and it just felt great to be out enjoying myself without worrying about my little tiny humans (who I obviously adore). After the concert, we hopped in a limo and went to the Palms to check out the ice bar. It was an interesting experience. From there we went back to the Cosmopolitan to head to the club when we got invited to some suite that had a view of the Bellagio fountains on one side and the club on the other with direct access to the club. It was fun to check out and after dancing for a few songs in the club, I decided I am too old for that scene and headed up to the room to get my pump on (I was in quite a bit of pain by this point).
You would think I would have gotten a great night of sleep since I was away from the kids, but I was woken up pretty early by my engorged boobs and had to hide out in the bathroom to pump so I wouldn't wake anyone else up. haha. It was still a much better night of sleep though then I would have gotten at home so that was a bonus. When the other girls woke up, we went over to see how Kim was doing. She was struggling a bit, but I think that is a sign of a great night, right? :)
We packed up and got back on the road to head home. There was a lot of traffic and it was a bit stressful because Nic was running out of milk and poor Luc had been really sick all weekend. I got home around 8:30 that night and immediately went in Luc's room to nurse him. I missed him so much and was so happy to be able to re-connect right away with some cuddles. He ended up having a great night sleep wise. He did a 6 hour stretch, I fed him around 2, then he slept until 8:30 in the morning. Thank you Luc, mama really needed that!
We stayed at the Cosmopolitan hotel and upon arriving I pumped once more before we all headed out for the pool to meet up with the rest of the group. It was a bit chilly, but the pool had a gorgeous view of the Eiffel Tower, which was awesome. We grabbed a bite to eat poolside, then headed back to the room to get ready for dinner. We ate at an asian restaurant in the hotel and they very nicely were able to accomodate my diet. I had a delicious salmon and used my special coconut aminos on it (as a side note I brough along homemade banana bread and a few other snacks so that I wouldn't starve while on my crazy diet. Even though Luc had just tested negative for all allergens, we decided I should introduce foods back in one at a time to make sure his stomach and digestive issues don't flare again). Anyways, the dinner was really fun.
After we ate, we went back to the room where I downed some wine while sneaking in another pumping session.
Then we walked across the street to the Planet Hollywood Hotel to see the Britney Spears show. It was so much fun! She wasn't the greatest, but compared to her concert a few years ago, it was pretty good, and I love all her songs and it just felt great to be out enjoying myself without worrying about my little tiny humans (who I obviously adore). After the concert, we hopped in a limo and went to the Palms to check out the ice bar. It was an interesting experience. From there we went back to the Cosmopolitan to head to the club when we got invited to some suite that had a view of the Bellagio fountains on one side and the club on the other with direct access to the club. It was fun to check out and after dancing for a few songs in the club, I decided I am too old for that scene and headed up to the room to get my pump on (I was in quite a bit of pain by this point).
You would think I would have gotten a great night of sleep since I was away from the kids, but I was woken up pretty early by my engorged boobs and had to hide out in the bathroom to pump so I wouldn't wake anyone else up. haha. It was still a much better night of sleep though then I would have gotten at home so that was a bonus. When the other girls woke up, we went over to see how Kim was doing. She was struggling a bit, but I think that is a sign of a great night, right? :)
Labels:
2015,
Bachelorette,
Travel,
Tri Delta,
Vegas

Thursday, February 25, 2016
25 Weeks
On March 3rd, Luc hit the 25 week mark. Luc weighs around 17 pounds and 7 ounces. We began round two of sleep training this week. It seems a bit more promising this time around although he did still cry for 2 1/2 hours the first night. Luc also had his allergy doctor appointment this week and all allergen tests came back negative.
Labels:
2015,
Luc,
Luc Weekly Photos,
Weekly Photos

Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Allergy Testing
On March 2nd, I drove the boys down to Santa Monica for an allergy doctor appointment with Dr. Braskett. Both boys were getting allergy tested, Luc for the first time, so I asked Nic to leave work to come help me. I felt so bad for the boys, not only do they get pricked with a bunch of little needles, but then they have to sit still for 20 minutes while their back swells and itches. Poor Huddy is still allergic to dairy, eggs and nuts, but all of Luc's tests came back negative, which is a huge relief.

Luc Sleep Training Round 2 and Puddle Jumping in the Rain
So we decided to give sleep training another try. We began round 2 on February 28th and it seemed a little bit more promising, even though Luc still cried a torturous 2 1/2 hours the first night. We didn't really feel like Luc was ready for another round, but I was going away for a weekend at the beginning of March so we were hoping to get Luc sleeping before then. He of course continued his bad habits and didn't really improve much. I guess this kid thinks sleeping is for the weak.
In happier news, we got a little rain on March 1st, which Hudson was ecstatic about! He absolutely loves jumping in puddles! This makes my heart so happy!
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Hudson Kings Game
On February 26th, Hudson went with Nonna, Uncle Ty and Auntie Beena to a Kings hockey game. He had so much fun! He was dancing around, cheering and even got himself on the jumbo tron!!

Monday, February 22, 2016
Hudson's 2 1/2 Year Doctor Appointment
On February 25th, Hudson had his 2 1/2 year doctor appointment. He is now 37 inches tall and weighs 30 pounds. Hudson is such a little character and I love watching him grow and develop.

Sunday, February 21, 2016
Hudson Toilet Adventures
So we haven't really pushed potty training with Hudson. Instead we casually ask him before bathtime if he wants to try to potty in the toilet. Sometimes he says yes and sometimes he says no. When he says yes he doesn't always go, but up until now when he did it was always pee only (which is still always exciting). Tonight, February 24th, Hudson did his first poop! It is funny, because pre-parent it was really hard to understand how this milestone could be so exciting, but I can't even express my pride and excitement for Hudson. Way to go Buddy!!

Saturday, February 20, 2016
24 Weeks
On February 24th, Luc turned 24 weeks old. He weighs about 17 pounds 4 ounces. Everyone that Luc meets comments on how kicky he is. His legs never stop moving. People also comment all the time on how drooly he is! Luc has been reaching for and grabbing everything. Then whatever he grabs goes straight into his mouth. Luc was sitting up while dada and Hudson played Legos. They rolled a car they built past Luc and he impressively grabbed it breaking off the top and putting it in his mouth. Then even after giving him his own toys, all he wanted was Legos. He is moving a ton. Rolling all over the place, scooting, spinning, etc. He is pushing up onto all fours.
Labels:
2015,
Luc,
Luc Weekly Photos,
Weekly Photos

Friday, February 19, 2016
My Gym and Cookie Making
Hudson went to his second My Gym Preschool Prep trial class on February 23rd. He did really well again. He loves running around in circles. The teacher said he did better with older kids. He seems to really enjoy it.
On February 24th, I did some allergy free baking. I made think mint cookies and "oreos" Hudson of course helped - mostly with eating. The base cookie was the same recipe, and both end results were delicious! I would definitely make these again.
On February 24th, I did some allergy free baking. I made think mint cookies and "oreos" Hudson of course helped - mostly with eating. The base cookie was the same recipe, and both end results were delicious! I would definitely make these again.
Chocolate Wafers:
1 1/2 cups Gluten free flour mix or Authentic Foods GF Classical Blend
3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons Hershey's "Special Dark" cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons dairy-free, soy-free vegetable shortening
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 teaspoons Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 2 tablespoons water
1. Measure flour mix, using a large spoon to scoop flour into the measuring cup, then level it off with the back of a knife. Whisk with the xanthan gum, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk well, breaking up any lumps of cocoa powder. Set aside.
2.In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat shortening and granulated sugar on medium speed, about 2 minutes till fluffy. Add vanilla extract, applesauce, and egg replacer, and mix till combined, about 30 seconds.
3. Add dry ingredients to stand mixer, in two batches, mixing on medium-low speed, until fully combined, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.
4.Using a rubber spatula, transfer cookie dough to a sheet of parchment paper. Mold into a ball. Cut in half, and transfer one half to a second sheet of parchment. Cover both with a top sheet of parchment paper, and use the palm of your hand to press dough down into disks. Roll out dough to 1/8th-inch thick. I like to use my trusty rolling pin rings to do this.Transfer rolled out dough to a cutting board, or trays, and chill in fridge at least 2 hours until firm.
5.Preheat oven to 325°F. Remove one sheet of dough from fridge, and peel off top sheet of parchment. Using a 1 1/2-inch biscuit cutter cut out cookies. Transfer to parchment lined baking tray, spacing cookies about 1-inch apart. You may want to use a frosting spatula to transfer the cookies. You should be able to fit about 24 cookies per baking tray.
6.Bake in center of the oven 10 minutes, till set. Transfer tray to cooling rack, and let cool on tray 5 minutes, before transferring cookies to cooling rack to cool to room temperature. Repeat with remaining dough, gathering up scraps and re-rolling until you’ve used it all. I sometimes roll it out and stick it in the freezer for a few minutes to get it to firm up again.
I made one batch of chocolate cookies. Then halved the thin mint coating. I dipped half of the cookies then used the remainder to make oreos using the vanilla crème frosting below (I added a few more spoonfuls of shortening). I stored both in the fridge and both were delicious!!
Mint Chocolate Coating:
3 3/4 cups dairy-free,
soy-free chocolate chips*** (half is 1 ¾ cups + 2 tbsp.)
5 Tablespoons
dairy-free, soy-free vegetable shortening* (half is 2 tbsp. + 1 ½ tsp)
3 3/4 teaspoons
peppermint extract (1 ½ tsp. + 1/4tsp.
1. Once cookies have
cooled to room temperature, dump them all into a freezer safe container, and
stick them in the freezer, uncovered for about 30 minutes to chill. This will
simplify the coating process.
2.Combine chocolate
chips and shortening in a microwave safe bowl, and melt in microwave, stopping
to stir about every 30 seconds, for a total of about 2 minutes. Do not
overcook, as chocolate burns easily. Remove from microwave, and stir till
smooth. Add peppermint extract, and mix in well.
3. Remove a handful of
the chocolate wafers from the freezer. You will be making these cookies one at
a time. Drop one cookie into the melted chocolate mixture. Use a fork to flip
it once, so both sides are now coated. Use the fork to lift the cookie out of
the chocolate mixture, and run the bottom of the fork along the edge of the
bowl, wiping off the extra drips of chocolate. Set coated cookie down on
parchment lined baking tray. Repeat, until you’ve coated all the cookies. You
can let them set at room temperature, but I speed up the process by sticking
them in the fridge for about 30 minutes, till set. Once the cookies have set,
store them in an airtight container, between layers of parchment or wax paper.
Keep them in the fridge, or, for longer-term storage, keep them in the freezer!
Frozen thin mints are also a real treat!
Vanilla Creme Filling
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons organic palm shortening
1 tablespoon milk substitute (optional)
1 teaspoons vanilla
Can also use this cookie recipe to make oreos.
Mix together the following for the cream center:

Thursday, February 18, 2016
Hudson's Half Birthday ~ 2.5
On February 22nd, Hudson celebrated his half birthday. Hudson is so smart. He can remember things from months ago with extreme detail. He is really into imaginary play. He becomes a kitty cat which has a distinct voice and behaviors (kitty is very loving and cuddly). He becomes a baby dragon who throws fire and all sorts of other characters. He has pretend friends like baby whale and princess Minnie. He loves helping with things, especially dishes. Hudson sits in a booster seat at the table now. He is getting better at using a fork and drinks from a regular cup. Hudson is such a sweet little boy and we love him so much! It is a joy watching him grow! Happy 1/2 birthday!!
Labels:
2015,
Birthdays,
Half Birthday,
Hudson

Wednesday, February 17, 2016
Eye Surgery
On February 19th I had eye surgery to remove a sty from my upper right eye lid. Our nanny was supposed to watch the kids that day, but bailed the morning of my surgery because her car broke down. Nic had taken the day off work since he was planning to go with me to the surgery. I frantically messaged all my mom friends trying to figure something out. My dad ended up picking me up and dropping me off for the surgery. Then I called Nic when I was done and he brought the boys with him to pick me up. I was pretty nervous leading up to the big day, since vision is so important, but my mom kept saying to think of it like a spa day. She said it would finally be a day away from the kids with a chance to relax and get some rest. How sad has my life become that my eye surgery is seen as the equivalent of a spa day? lol. The saddest part is that it sort of was. I didn't have to worry about anyone and came after the surgery and got to sleep! I can't remember the last time I got to sleep through the night let alone in the middle of the day! All joking aside, the surgery went well, it wasn't too painful and although it was a very stressful day, it all worked out.

Monday, February 15, 2016
Valentine's Day Pictures
On February 18th, I decided on a whim to take the boys to the mall to get photos done with the Picture People. I don't love the photos they take, but I hadn't been able to find a photographer offering mini sessions and figured they would be better than nothing. This is the same place I did photos with Hudson for his first Valentine's Day. This year, I decided to hop in a few of the pictures too.
This just reminds how much can change in a year. Last year Hudson was practically a baby himself. Now he is such a big boy and we have a new little baby taking up some of that space in our hearts.
Just for fun, I put together a few photo comparisons. This first one is Hudson on his 1st, 2nd and 3rd Valentine's Days.I can't believe how much he has grown!
This is Hudson's first Valentine's Day photo shoot in the photo booth vs. Luc's. They are almost the exact same age in these photos.
Labels:
2015,
Hudson,
Luc,
Photoshoot,
Valentine's Day

Sunday, February 14, 2016
23 Weeks
On February 17th Luc turned 23 weeks old. He still weighs 16 pounds 14 ounces. He has had blood in his diapers quite a bit this past week. It seems like his diapers have gotten worse since I started eliminating foods from my diet and I just feel lost as to what to do. I have been keeping a food journal, but can't seem to pinpoint what could be causing problems. On top of that, Luc got really sick this past week. He had a fever on the 13th of 100.9 with watery red eyes and a cough. Poor little guy has had a bit of a tough time lately.
Labels:
2015,
Luc,
Luc Weekly Photos,
Weekly Photos

Saturday, February 13, 2016
Mammoth
On February 14th, Nic and I drove up to Mammoth with the boys in tow. Hudson brought every stuffed animal he owns and we brought a carload full of "necessities" The boys weren't too horrible on the drive up so we considered that a success. When we got there, Hudson tried on his ski boots and skis (the same ones Tyler and Justin used when they were little). My dad slid him around the living room so he could get a feel for skiing and Luc just lounged around watching.
On February 15th, we took the gondola up to the top of the Mountain. It was pretty windy up there and Luc was not a fan. We quickly ran out, got some photos, then hopped back in the gondola to head down. The gondola ride had some spectacular views and the boys, especially Hudson, enjoyed the ride. My mom, dad and Sabrina skiied down then met us at the Locker Room to get Hudson ready for his first time skiing.
On February 16th, my dad and Hudson spent the morning making snowmen using Hudson's valentines. Then we went out in search of an area to sled. There wasn't much snow so the few small hills were packed with people. We checked out the sledding park, but Hudson was too little for it, so we just pulled off the road in a turnout and walked into a beautiful area with a tiny little hill perfect for Hudson to sled.
We took the gondola up for dinner at Paralax. After we ate, Hudson and Sabrina played outside in the snow and Hudson was in heaven. He loved it!!
We took the funniest video of Sabrina and Hudson throwing snowballs into the air in slow mo. We didn't realize the sound would be all distorted and it still cracks me up every time I watch it.
After dinner, Luc, Nic and I took a snow cat ride down the mountain. We got to sit in the very front with the driver, which was pretty cool. Luc was so excited about the experience that he took a little nap, lol.
Sabrina, my mom, my dad and Hudson (in my dad's arms) skiied down holding torches as part of the torch ski. It was really beautiful to watch and Hudson thought it was pretty cool.
When we got back to the house, we enjoyed special vegan Valentine cookies from Mimi's.
He didn't love walking in the ski boots, but he seemed pretty relaxed about everything. My dad and Sabrina took over the lesson, while Nic and I video taped and photographed the moment. It was so exciting watching Hudson ski. He did really well and we were so proud of him!
On February 16th, my dad and Hudson spent the morning making snowmen using Hudson's valentines. Then we went out in search of an area to sled. There wasn't much snow so the few small hills were packed with people. We checked out the sledding park, but Hudson was too little for it, so we just pulled off the road in a turnout and walked into a beautiful area with a tiny little hill perfect for Hudson to sled.
The very first time, Hudson went by himself and ended up falling off. He was a bit upset, but once he went back on with Sabrina he was all smiles.
Luc even got in on the sledding action with me just on a slight incline with Nic pushing us.
Hudson's absolute favorite thing about the trip though was the snowball maker and throwing snowballs. He could have done that all day! He loved it! We had the most gorgeous weather and had a really fun time with my family up in the snow. We had to leave that afternoon to trek back home, but we are already looking forward to our next trip up.
Labels:
2015,
Charlie,
Firsts,
Hudson,
Luc,
Mammoth,
Marianna,
Sabrina,
Skiing,
Sledding,
Snow,
Traditions,
Travel,
Valentine's Day

Friday, February 12, 2016
Valentine's Day Potluck
On February 13th, I took the kids to the park for the Moms CLub Valentine Potluck. Hudson gave out his Valentines and all the kids made them right then and there. They were a big hit!I passed out Luc's for him since he was just hanging out in the stroller.
Here are some of the decorations out throughout the house:
That afternoon, I convinced Hudson to let me take some fun Valentine photos of him. He showed off his Valentines, posed with the big red balloon and threw felt valentines in the air. He is such a silly little boy who fills my heart with so much love and joy.
Here are the Valentine projects the boys made. Luc made the footprint LOVE and Hudson used his hands to make a heart. I love these two so very much! Happy Valentine's Day!!

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