Well, apparently my blog is becoming a recipe blog since I can't seem to find time to post about anything else lately. Anyway, I tried yet another new recipe from Pinterest for dinner last night. It's called Chicken Enchilada Pasta, and it tastes basically exactly like the Cheesy Enchilada Casserole I made a week or so ago, but in pasta form, and with chicken instead of ground beef. Go figure. It turned out yummy, which was no surprise to me since I'm a fan of enchilada dishes, and it was nice to try a Mexican-style pasta dish for a change, since most pastas I've had are Italian recipes. I'm sure I'll probably make it again someday down the road. (Although probably not anytime too soon, unfortunately, since I'm breastfeeding, and it seemed to upset Baby Ryan's tummy last night. But that's another post for another day...) Anyway, below is the recipe I used if you'd like to try it. The original recipe (I omitted some ingredients... y'all know how I am) is included in the link above.
Chicken Enchilada Pasta
Ingredients:
2 to 3 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
1/2tbls. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2tsp. salt
2tsp. chili powder
1tsp. cumin
3 (10oz.) cans mild enchilada sauce
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 cup (8oz.) sour cream
1 box penne pasta
Preparation/Cooking Instructions:
Boil pasta according to package directions.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large pot on stove. Add minced garlic, and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently so as not to burn.
Add cooked, chopped chicken, cumin, chili powder, salt, and enchilada sauce. Let simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add shredded cheese, and stir until cheese is melted and heated through.
Add sour cream, but DO NOT bring to a boil. Cook on low heat, or sour cream will curdle. Stir until sour cream is mixed well and heated through.
Drain pasta, and add to chicken and sauce mixture; mix well.
Garnish with shredded cheese, tomatoes, a dollop of sour cream, etc. if desired.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Crescent Roll Casserole
In case you haven't been able to tell by a few of my recent posts, I've been on a trying-new-recipes kick lately. For dinner last night, I decided to make ANOTHER new recipe that I recently found on a recipe blog. This recipe is called Crescent Roll Casserole. I had never tasted this dish before, but based on the ingredients involved, I had a good feeling it would be something Jordan and I would like. Boy, was my intuition right! It was SO yummy! It is a tad bit time-consuming to whip up, because there are a few different steps involved, but it is WELL worth it in the end. I cannot wait to make this casserole again soon. If you've never tried it before, you MUST! If you do, let me know what you think! Here's the recipe:
Crescent Roll Casserole
Ingredients:
2 (8oz.) cans Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (for topping)
For sauce:
1 (10 3/4oz.) can cream of chicken soup
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup whipping cream
For crescent roll filling:
4oz. cream cheese, softened
4tbls. butter, softened
1/2tsp. garlic powder
2 large cooked chicken breasts, chopped
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2tsp. seasoning salt
4tbls. whipping cream
Preparation/Baking Instructions:
Step 1 (making the sauce): Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13x9-inch casserole dish. In a saucepan, mix 1/2 cup of whipping cream, 3/4 cup of cheddar cheese, and can of cream of chicken soup over medium-high heat. Heat just until cheese melts. Remove from heat and set aside.
Step 2 (making the filling): In a large bowl, mix cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add garlic powder, chopped chicken, 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, 4 tablespoons of whipping cream, and seasoning salt, and mix until well-combined.
Step 3 (preparing the dish): Drizzle a small amount of the chicken soup mixture on the bottom of the greased casserole dish. Unroll the crescent rolls, and place 1 heaping tablespoon of the chicken mixture on top of each crescent triangle, then roll up starting at the thicker end. Place into the casserole dish seam-side down. Repeat until all of the crescent rolls have been filled up. Drizzle the remaining soup mixture over the filled crescent rolls, and sprinkle 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese on top. Bake in 350-degree oven for 30 minutes.
Crescent Roll Casserole
Ingredients:
2 (8oz.) cans Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (for topping)
For sauce:
1 (10 3/4oz.) can cream of chicken soup
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup whipping cream
For crescent roll filling:
4oz. cream cheese, softened
4tbls. butter, softened
1/2tsp. garlic powder
2 large cooked chicken breasts, chopped
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2tsp. seasoning salt
4tbls. whipping cream
Preparation/Baking Instructions:
Step 1 (making the sauce): Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13x9-inch casserole dish. In a saucepan, mix 1/2 cup of whipping cream, 3/4 cup of cheddar cheese, and can of cream of chicken soup over medium-high heat. Heat just until cheese melts. Remove from heat and set aside.
Step 2 (making the filling): In a large bowl, mix cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add garlic powder, chopped chicken, 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, 4 tablespoons of whipping cream, and seasoning salt, and mix until well-combined.
Step 3 (preparing the dish): Drizzle a small amount of the chicken soup mixture on the bottom of the greased casserole dish. Unroll the crescent rolls, and place 1 heaping tablespoon of the chicken mixture on top of each crescent triangle, then roll up starting at the thicker end. Place into the casserole dish seam-side down. Repeat until all of the crescent rolls have been filled up. Drizzle the remaining soup mixture over the filled crescent rolls, and sprinkle 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese on top. Bake in 350-degree oven for 30 minutes.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
6-Week Postpartum Check-Up
Monday morning, I had my 6-week postpartum check-up with Dr. Dupre. Everything went well, and thankfully, I was in and out pretty quickly. I weighed 116 pounds, so I still have nine pounds to lose before I'm back down to my pre-pregnancy weight. Hopefully I'll be able to get it off soon, but with the way my eating habits have been lately, I'm not so sure... I've had the BIGGEST sweet tooth (which is not at all uncommon for me, a self-proclaimed "chocoholic", but still...).
Anyway, Dr. D came in, checked out Ryan (who was asleep in his car seat), and talked with me for a bit about how I've been doing. He said I healed up well from my episiotomy, and that I could resume all regular "activities" (just in time for Valentine's Day!). We also talked about what my options were as far as birth control. I had really been going back and forth in my heart and mind about whether or not I wanted to go on some form of birth control, and if so, what kind. I've never been on birth control of any kind before, partly because I originally didn't think I would need it. When I was diagnosed with PCOS five years ago, I was told that there was a good chance that I would struggle with infertility, and that, if anything, I would probably need medical help to conceive. Well, four months after Jordan and I got married, I found out I was pregnant with Rylee. I was quite shocked, to say the very least. I was not on any type of medication to help me conceive - it was all God. Then, the day before Rylee turned 11 months old, I found out I was pregnant with Ryan. Two pregnancies in less than two years. Needless to say, it doesn't look like I need medical help to conceive. I think God knows what He's doing. So anyway, even though I'm very thankful for my two unexpected blessings, I started talking to Jordan about the pros and cons of me going on birth control. I've never been comfortable before with the idea of being on birth control, partly because I don't like the idea of a foreign object being inside my body or taking some type of pill that could have all sorts of side effects (not to mention the fact that I've always had a difficult time swallowing pills, no matter how small they might be), but also because I just wanted to leave it in God's hands as far as if and when I got pregnant. I just never actually expected to have two children under the age of two. Although they are incredible blessings, it is also very overwhelming at times to juggle the responsibility/challenge of taking care of both of them, especially because I'm by myself with them all day during the week while Jordan is working. My body also needs a break. I went from being pregnant in 2009/2010 with Rylee, to breastfeeding her for 11 months, to being pregnant with Ryan in 2011, and now I'm breastfeeding him for hopefully at least the first year of his life. So my body has not been "my own" for over two years now. Although I know this is partly what God created me to do, it has still been quite a physical strain. So anyway, after much thought, I decided to go on the "minipill", which is safe to take while breastfeeding. In a way, I feel guilty and selfish for being on birth control. I know it clearly says in the Bible that the Lord opens the womb and the Lord closes the womb, and that children are a blessing from Him, and I feel that, by being on birth control, I'm not truly surrendering control of my life to Him. But at the same time, I believe He gives us a choice about this, and I just feel that this is what is best for me and our family overall right now. I know that, if I were to have another baby soon, God would equip me to handle it. I guess honestly, though, I just want a break for a little while. I want to be able to truly enjoy the two children He's already blessed me with for a while, instead of always feeling exhausted and overwhelmed. If being on birth control means missing out on another blessing from God, that's just something I'll have to deal with/accept one day when I get to Heaven. And I know that if it is in God's plan for us to have another baby before we feel we're "ready", He's not going to let a little pill stop Him. So anyway, ALL of that to say that I am now on birth control. Woohoo.
Anyway, that was the extent of my appointment. I have to go back in April for my yearly "female exam", but until then, I'm done with my frequent visits to my OB's office. Until next time...
Anyway, Dr. D came in, checked out Ryan (who was asleep in his car seat), and talked with me for a bit about how I've been doing. He said I healed up well from my episiotomy, and that I could resume all regular "activities" (just in time for Valentine's Day!). We also talked about what my options were as far as birth control. I had really been going back and forth in my heart and mind about whether or not I wanted to go on some form of birth control, and if so, what kind. I've never been on birth control of any kind before, partly because I originally didn't think I would need it. When I was diagnosed with PCOS five years ago, I was told that there was a good chance that I would struggle with infertility, and that, if anything, I would probably need medical help to conceive. Well, four months after Jordan and I got married, I found out I was pregnant with Rylee. I was quite shocked, to say the very least. I was not on any type of medication to help me conceive - it was all God. Then, the day before Rylee turned 11 months old, I found out I was pregnant with Ryan. Two pregnancies in less than two years. Needless to say, it doesn't look like I need medical help to conceive. I think God knows what He's doing. So anyway, even though I'm very thankful for my two unexpected blessings, I started talking to Jordan about the pros and cons of me going on birth control. I've never been comfortable before with the idea of being on birth control, partly because I don't like the idea of a foreign object being inside my body or taking some type of pill that could have all sorts of side effects (not to mention the fact that I've always had a difficult time swallowing pills, no matter how small they might be), but also because I just wanted to leave it in God's hands as far as if and when I got pregnant. I just never actually expected to have two children under the age of two. Although they are incredible blessings, it is also very overwhelming at times to juggle the responsibility/challenge of taking care of both of them, especially because I'm by myself with them all day during the week while Jordan is working. My body also needs a break. I went from being pregnant in 2009/2010 with Rylee, to breastfeeding her for 11 months, to being pregnant with Ryan in 2011, and now I'm breastfeeding him for hopefully at least the first year of his life. So my body has not been "my own" for over two years now. Although I know this is partly what God created me to do, it has still been quite a physical strain. So anyway, after much thought, I decided to go on the "minipill", which is safe to take while breastfeeding. In a way, I feel guilty and selfish for being on birth control. I know it clearly says in the Bible that the Lord opens the womb and the Lord closes the womb, and that children are a blessing from Him, and I feel that, by being on birth control, I'm not truly surrendering control of my life to Him. But at the same time, I believe He gives us a choice about this, and I just feel that this is what is best for me and our family overall right now. I know that, if I were to have another baby soon, God would equip me to handle it. I guess honestly, though, I just want a break for a little while. I want to be able to truly enjoy the two children He's already blessed me with for a while, instead of always feeling exhausted and overwhelmed. If being on birth control means missing out on another blessing from God, that's just something I'll have to deal with/accept one day when I get to Heaven. And I know that if it is in God's plan for us to have another baby before we feel we're "ready", He's not going to let a little pill stop Him. So anyway, ALL of that to say that I am now on birth control. Woohoo.
Anyway, that was the extent of my appointment. I have to go back in April for my yearly "female exam", but until then, I'm done with my frequent visits to my OB's office. Until next time...
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Cheesy Enchilada Casserole
This past Saturday, I decided to try another recipe I found on Pinterest for dinner. This one is called Cheesy Enchilada Casserole, and since I love Mexican food, I was pretty excited about trying it. It was quick and easy to make, and it turned out really yummy (Jordan and I both agree, though, that it tasted even better as leftovers the next day). I will definitely be making this dish again. Here's the recipe:
Cheesy Enchilada Casserole
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 large onion, chopped, or season with onion powder or minced onion (I omitted this ingredient... y'all know I don't do onions!)
2 1/2 cups salsa (I'm not a fan of salsa, so I substituted two 10oz. cans of mild enchilada sauce.)
1 can (15 ounces) black beans or red kidney beans, rinsed and drained (I used a can of pinto beans.)
1/4 cup Italian salad dressing
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
6 flour tortillas (8 inches)
1 small can of corn, drained, or about 1 1/4 cups of frozen corn
3/4 cup sour cream
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro (I omitted this ingredient. I don't know if I've ever even tried cilantro before...)
Preparation/Baking Instructions:
In a large pot, cook beef over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
Stir in the enchilada sauce, beans, Italian dressing, sour cream, corn, taco seasoning, and cumin.
Spoon a generous layer of meat mixture on bottom of a 13x9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with grated cheese.
Place a tortilla on top of meat mixture. Layer with some of the meat mixture and cheese. Repeat layers until you have used all of the tortillas and meat mixture.
The final layer should be a generous dose of grated cheese.
Cover with foil that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, and bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Let stand for 5 minutes before topping with lettuce and tomato.
Cheesy Enchilada Casserole
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 large onion, chopped, or season with onion powder or minced onion (I omitted this ingredient... y'all know I don't do onions!)
2 1/2 cups salsa (I'm not a fan of salsa, so I substituted two 10oz. cans of mild enchilada sauce.)
1 can (15 ounces) black beans or red kidney beans, rinsed and drained (I used a can of pinto beans.)
1/4 cup Italian salad dressing
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
6 flour tortillas (8 inches)
1 small can of corn, drained, or about 1 1/4 cups of frozen corn
3/4 cup sour cream
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro (I omitted this ingredient. I don't know if I've ever even tried cilantro before...)
Preparation/Baking Instructions:
In a large pot, cook beef over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
Stir in the enchilada sauce, beans, Italian dressing, sour cream, corn, taco seasoning, and cumin.
Spoon a generous layer of meat mixture on bottom of a 13x9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with grated cheese.
Place a tortilla on top of meat mixture. Layer with some of the meat mixture and cheese. Repeat layers until you have used all of the tortillas and meat mixture.
The final layer should be a generous dose of grated cheese.
Cover with foil that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, and bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Let stand for 5 minutes before topping with lettuce and tomato.
Valentine's Day
Yesterday was Valentine's Day. Around 11 o'clock, Rylee and I were in the kitchen, and I was standing at the island making her a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch. I looked out one of the kitchen windows and saw a UPS truck backing into our driveway. I figured the driver was just backing up to turn around instead of having to drive all the way to the end of the road, but then he stopped and got out of the truck. I was confused, because as far as I knew, we weren't expecting any packages. I picked up Rylee and went to the front door and opened it just as Mr. Paul, our UPS delivery man (and fellow church member), was walking up the porch steps with a somewhat long box in his hand. He handed me the box with a smile on his face and said "Happy Valentine's Day". I thanked him, shut the door, and went back into the kitchen with the box. It was primarily green and said "ProFlowers" on it. I opened it, and inside was a large ruby red vase with 20 beautiful red, pink, and white tulips. Then I saw a little envelope that said "SOMEONE IS THINKING ABOUT YOU" on the front. Inside the envelope was a card that read as follows:
Happy Valentine's Day, Love. You are so gorgeous to me. I cannot see my life without you. I love you more and more everyday. When I think I cannot love you more, I look at those two beautiful children you blessed me with. I love you with many more years of love to grow on. I love you forever and so much MORE, Jordan
Wow. Needless to say, I was in tears. The flowers were sweet, but that card was the true gift to me, because I know that it's not just something he feels one day a year - it's how he feels about me all year round. I realize more and more every day how blessed I am to have a husband who truly loves me just the way I am. I am SO thankful the Lord chose me to be his wife and spend the rest of my life with him. I cannot imagine a more perfect partner for me or a more amazing father for my babies. We are truly blessed!
Happy Valentine's Day, Love. You are so gorgeous to me. I cannot see my life without you. I love you more and more everyday. When I think I cannot love you more, I look at those two beautiful children you blessed me with. I love you with many more years of love to grow on. I love you forever and so much MORE, Jordan
Wow. Needless to say, I was in tears. The flowers were sweet, but that card was the true gift to me, because I know that it's not just something he feels one day a year - it's how he feels about me all year round. I realize more and more every day how blessed I am to have a husband who truly loves me just the way I am. I am SO thankful the Lord chose me to be his wife and spend the rest of my life with him. I cannot imagine a more perfect partner for me or a more amazing father for my babies. We are truly blessed!
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| my beautiful Valentine's tulips from my sweet hubby |
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| my beautiful Valentine's tulips from my sweet hubby |
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| When Jordan got home from work, he also surprised me with this Willow Tree figurine to add to my collection! |
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Three Cheese Chicken Alfredo Bake
As I mentioned in a previous post, I recently joined Pinterest. I love it. Quite addicting, to say the least. Anyway, this past Thursday, I decided to try one of the countless recipes I found circling the website. It's called Three Cheese Chicken Alfredo Bake, and given my love for Italian food - especially if it has anything to do with Alfredo sauce - I couldn't wait to whip it up. It was pretty quick and easy to make (just stir together a bunch of ingredients and bake), and it turned out really yummy. Definitely a dish I will make again. Here's the recipe:
Three Cheese Chicken Alfredo Bake
Ingredients:
1 (16oz.) package dry pasta (I used rotini.)
2 (10oz.) containers refrigerated Alfredo sauce (I used two 15-ounce jars.)
1 (8oz.) container sour cream
1 (15oz.) container ricotta cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups cooked chicken, chopped (I pulled from a Walmart traditional rotisserie chicken.)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I used grated Parmesan Romano cheese.)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (I used parsley flakes from a shaker. Didn't measure... just shook until it looked good...)
2 cups mozzarella cheese (I used a 6-cheese Italian blend.)
Preparation/Baking Instructions:
Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain and return to pot. Stir together all ingredients except mozzarella cheese. Spread mixture into a lightly greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
I'll be posting more recipes from Pinterest that we've tried when I have time.
Three Cheese Chicken Alfredo Bake
Ingredients:
1 (16oz.) package dry pasta (I used rotini.)
2 (10oz.) containers refrigerated Alfredo sauce (I used two 15-ounce jars.)
1 (8oz.) container sour cream
1 (15oz.) container ricotta cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups cooked chicken, chopped (I pulled from a Walmart traditional rotisserie chicken.)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I used grated Parmesan Romano cheese.)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (I used parsley flakes from a shaker. Didn't measure... just shook until it looked good...)
2 cups mozzarella cheese (I used a 6-cheese Italian blend.)
Preparation/Baking Instructions:
Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain and return to pot. Stir together all ingredients except mozzarella cheese. Spread mixture into a lightly greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Ryan's 4-Week Doctor Check-Up
Today, Ryan is one month old. I would usually probably say that I can't believe he's already a month old, but actually, I'm not sure if I really feel that way. I think with my lack of sleep, the days are just running together to me, and I don't have a very good sense of time right now, so I'm not sure how I feel about him being a month old already. I don't know if it feels like it has gone by quickly or not. In some ways, I think it actually feels like it has been longer than a month already. I've had a pretty rough time with this whole "mom thing" since he was born, so I think that actually sorta makes it feel like the days just drag on, because I'm always SO ready for Jordan to just hurry up and get home from work at the end of the day so he can help me before I lose my mind.
ANYWAY, though, yesterday, I took Ryan to the doctor for his 4-week "well" check-up. Overall, it went really well. He weighed 12 pounds, 3 ounces, putting him in the 97th percentile of weight growth among other babies his age, and he's 22 3/4 inches long, putting him in the 90th percentile of length growth among other babies his age. He's definitely a big boy (which we already knew... all you have to do is look at him to see that). The doctor did his usual examination of him and said that he looks great and is in perfect health. I did tell him my concerns about Ryan possibly having reflux, though (have I mentioned that on here yet?), and based on what I told him, he went ahead and prescribed him Zantac. I'm praying it will help him, because it breaks my heart when he's so fussy after I feed him. I can just tell he's in discomfort, and I feel like I can't do anything to help him.
Anyway, that was basically the extent of our doctor visit yesterday. I tried to take a picture of Ryan while we were waiting for the doctor to come in, but after I took it, I realized he had spit-up on his face, and I figured it wouldn't be too pleasant to post it. Here's a picture of Rylee waiting with us, though:
And here are some pictures of the kids that I've taken the past couple of days:
ANYWAY, though, yesterday, I took Ryan to the doctor for his 4-week "well" check-up. Overall, it went really well. He weighed 12 pounds, 3 ounces, putting him in the 97th percentile of weight growth among other babies his age, and he's 22 3/4 inches long, putting him in the 90th percentile of length growth among other babies his age. He's definitely a big boy (which we already knew... all you have to do is look at him to see that). The doctor did his usual examination of him and said that he looks great and is in perfect health. I did tell him my concerns about Ryan possibly having reflux, though (have I mentioned that on here yet?), and based on what I told him, he went ahead and prescribed him Zantac. I'm praying it will help him, because it breaks my heart when he's so fussy after I feed him. I can just tell he's in discomfort, and I feel like I can't do anything to help him.
Anyway, that was basically the extent of our doctor visit yesterday. I tried to take a picture of Ryan while we were waiting for the doctor to come in, but after I took it, I realized he had spit-up on his face, and I figured it wouldn't be too pleasant to post it. Here's a picture of Rylee waiting with us, though:
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| 4 weeks old (Jan. 31, 2012) |
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| 4 weeks old (Jan. 31, 2012) |
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| 4 weeks old (Jan. 31, 2012) |
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| 4 weeks old (Jan. 31, 2012) |
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| my 4-week-old "night owl" (Jan. 31, 2012) |
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| my 4-week-old "night owl" (Jan. 31, 2012) |
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| my 4-week-old "night owl" (Jan. 31, 2012) |
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| my two babies (Ryan obviously wasn't too happy...) (Jan. 31, 2012) |
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| my babies playing together (Jan. 31, 2012) |
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| my babies playing together (Jan. 31, 2012) |
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| Ryan playing on his floor gym (Jan. 31, 2012) |
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| my two babies playing together (Ryan is smiling at one of the toys - so excited I caught it on camera!) (Jan. 31, 2012) |
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| Ryan playing on his floor gym (Jan. 31, 2012) |
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| Feb.1, 2012 |
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| siblings playing together (Feb. 1, 2012) |
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| staring at his reflection in the mirror (Feb. 1, 2012) |
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| staring at his reflection in the mirror (Feb. 1, 2012) |
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| sweet Rylee (Feb. 1, 2012) |
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| Ryan is "dino-mite" (Feb. 1, 2012) |
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Much-Needed Encouragement
As I've mentioned in my last two or three posts, I've been having a pretty hard time adjusting to being a mommy of two young kids. If I remember correctly, people told me it's not as bad as everyone makes it out to be, but so far, I'm not sure if they really know what they were talking about. It's been rough - and I mean REALLY rough. I am physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted, and my relationship with God is suffering greatly at a time when I desperately need it to be thriving, simply because I feel too tired to read my Bible or even to find the words to pray (I know there's no excuse, though, and I've GOT to find a way to get back to having a consistent "quiet time" with the Lord). Ryan keeps me up all night long, and Rylee disobeys me all day long. I feel like all I do all day every day (aside from change diapers, of course) is discipline her, and no matter what I do, NOTHING works. Two seconds later, she's right back to doing whatever it was I just got on to her about. It is SO frustrating, but I never realized how emotionally draining it could be as well. Some days, she literally brings me to tears, because I feel like I am failing as a mother. If I'm a "good" mom, why on earth is my child so... "bad"? I hate to even say that, because I love Rylee with all my heart (duh), and she really is a very sweet girl. But her behavior lately has been terrible overall. She terrorizes our cat (pulls her tail, hits her, throws her toys at her, etc.), screams at the top of her lungs and pitches a fit whenever she doesn't get what she wants, tells us "NO!" whenever we tell her to do something, and gets into EVERYTHING that she knows she's not supposed to get into. She's not even two years old yet... if she's already acting like this, what am I supposed to expect from her as she gets older?!
Anyway, I say all of that to mention that yesterday, I happened to take a minute to read a post on one of the blogs I follow, Kelly's Korner. I am so thankful I read it, because it was exactly what I needed for what I am going through right now with my challenges with Rylee. If you are a parent of a young child, I highly encourage you to take a minute and read the post. Maybe it will bless you like it did me. I wanted to blog about it, because I'm sure I will need to come back to this MANY times for an encouraging reminder that I'm really not alone in this battle/blessing we call "motherhood".
*Unrelated side-note: Yesterday, Ryan turned 4 weeks old. Tomorrow morning, I have to take him to his pediatrician for his 4-week check-up. I know I haven't been blogging much lately (and for good reason... I've been a little busy...), but I will do my best to post an update sometime tomorrow on how the appointment goes, along with some recent pictures.
Anyway, I say all of that to mention that yesterday, I happened to take a minute to read a post on one of the blogs I follow, Kelly's Korner. I am so thankful I read it, because it was exactly what I needed for what I am going through right now with my challenges with Rylee. If you are a parent of a young child, I highly encourage you to take a minute and read the post. Maybe it will bless you like it did me. I wanted to blog about it, because I'm sure I will need to come back to this MANY times for an encouraging reminder that I'm really not alone in this battle/blessing we call "motherhood".
*Unrelated side-note: Yesterday, Ryan turned 4 weeks old. Tomorrow morning, I have to take him to his pediatrician for his 4-week check-up. I know I haven't been blogging much lately (and for good reason... I've been a little busy...), but I will do my best to post an update sometime tomorrow on how the appointment goes, along with some recent pictures.
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