So Many I Love Yous!

Daddy and Baby laying on the floor watching TV together.

So it's twenty ten and with the new year comes a new set of goals. We are committed to eating healthier and exercising more often and more consistently. Ever since he turned 25 Erik has been on a diet of raw fruits and vegetables and water. So far it has been two days and he is still going strong! The plan is to detox on this raw diet for 20 days and after that gradually add back in healthy food choices such as fish, milk, whole wheat breads and cereals, etc. He was telling me last night he never appreciated food so much until he couldn't have it anymore! Of course he can eat all he wants - it just has to be fresh from a plant and uncooked. I know he can do it! I, in turn, have been trying to be healthier in my food choices as well, although such a restrictive diet isn't possible for me since I still have the little guy depending on me for sustenance. For now I will stick to the simple plan of water instead of soda and maybe a little less junk fast food and a little more home cooked whole food. The exercise part is easy - now that Erik has a Wii! He has a Wii Fit board and let me tell you, it sure is easy to exercise for 30 minutes on that thing! The time just flies by - and it's not an easy workout, but it is fun! He loves it.

Christmas joy in motion. Ari in front of our Christmas tree.

Erik and I discussed it and we agree - this Christmas was by far the best Christmas yet. Having a little one of our own has brought a whole new dimension to the meaning of the holiday and you know you are a parent when you are more excited to see your child open his presents than you are to open your own. Of course, Ari doesn't quite "get it" yet... he ripped up some wrapping paper (he loves the crinkling sound it makes when he grabs it) and definitely noticed the toys under the tree on Christmas morning. He saw them right away and stared at them and I imagined him thinking, "Are those for me? Oh boy!"

Aritchie Design's latest website is a culinary creation sensation!
Visit www.familyrecipes.us and add your own favorites today.

One of the best Christmas presents we received this year was a website! My dad created www.familyrecipes.us and it is an awesome site for sharing recipes and anyone can join. You can search for a recipe, try it out, comment on it, add to it, upload your own, vote on your favorite foods, and way more. My personal favorite function is the ability to see all recipes containing a particular main ingredient. For instance, I have some chicken in the fridge that needs to be eaten but I am tired of making the same old dish (true story!). I can go onto www.familyrecipes.us and click on "Main Ingredient" under "Recipe Menu" on the side bar and see all recipes that have chicken as the main ingredient and get some great ideas for dinner! Everyone should get on and create a username and check it out because the more users we have, the more recipes we can share! Just make sure it is a tried and true recipe that is already someone's favorite. You can even include the story behind it or special tips on how to prepare it.

Like father, like son!

Out with the old and in with the new, I say! At his four month well-baby check up I talked to our pediatrician about starting Ari on solids and to my surprise he did not recommend the standard text book answer of rice cereal at four months til six months when you can introduce vegetables and fruits. He said the new recommendation is starting with vegetables and skipping the cereal step since it starts babies off on less nutrient-dense carbohydrates.

The Official Royal Taste-Tester Who Wants A Bite Of Everything

So it seems as though we are raising quite an adventurous little gourmand. But with parents like us, I am not surprised. It is not an overstatement to say we LOVE food! In addition to Mom's milk Ari's menu now includes strained green beans, squash, and carrots and he loves it when daddy shares licks of his pineapple, orange, and mandarin with him, although you wouldn't know it to see his reaction. He screws up his face at the taste as he tries to make sense of the new sensations in his mouth - new textures, different temperatures, sourness, sweetness - and smacks his lips with a grimace on his face. After this display he promptly opens his mouth wide like a little bird for more! Needless to say it cracks us up to watch him. The only thing that he does right now that makes us laugh more is when he talks to himself in the morning. When he first wakes up he oohs and ahhs and makes all sorts of new noises and consonant combinations. I imagine he is practicing his words. He brings us so much joy in everything he does.

As of this week, Erik and I are going to be resident managers of an apartment complex here in Chico. It's a great gig and we are very excited to have the opportunity. With this new adventure comes a new two bedroom, two bathroom apartment which means... you guessed it... we are moving AGAIN! Arg. :)