First Tantrum!

I caught Tanner's very first tantrum in pictures.  I was playing with my new DSLR the second day of having it (so the lighting is way off and they're a little blurry), and making Tanner do some tummy time. 


He's really close to moving.  He can go backwards, and can lift his butt up in the air by getting on his knees for a split second.  I was using my iPhone as incentive, since he just loves it.  

Haha!

See the line of drool?  This is when I took the phone away.

So mad! I gave him the keys instead.

Still fussing about the keys...

"I guess the keys aren't too bad"

Hello, Canon.

YES!  My sweet, wonderful husband bought me a DSLR camera! We did some research and decided the Canon T2i would be the best fit for us.  It's not the newest Canon, but it's pretty much the same as the T3i but without the swivel LCD screen, which we definitely do not need.  


I am so excited to learn as much as I can about this beauty.  I also can't wait to take it outside and shoot some pictures of Tanner with natural light.  But the 105+ temperatures are making that very uncomfortable.  Maybe next week when we are staying in lodging on base, instead of this apartment, we can go out in the morning and play. :)


I am definitely not great at using this camera yet, not even good.  But I will post some pictures anyway.  Maybe I can look back on these and compare to future pictures.  


So, don't judge me!  These are the first pictures I took!

This IS the very first picture I took. Too much light, I know.  But I love it anyway.

Check out those eyes! They're changing!  Looks like he will have his Momma and Daddy's hazel, green eyes!

I'm spending a lot of time on The Pioneer Woman's (my favorite chef!) Photography website learning as much as I can.  Pinterest helps too.  And my wonderful friends on my December 2011 Mom's Facebook page are a wealth of information as well.  I'm just SO excited! 


Now, to figure out how to edit pictures without spending $$$ on photoshop...

Tanner is on the move! Sort of...

This morning I put Tanner on the floor to do some tummy time.  He still hates it but he is getting a little better at tolerating it, especially if he can reach some toys.  I had the camera on the table so I figured I would snap a few of him playing.  And then he started moving!!! Only it was backwards. Haha!

He's fussing here.

His paci fell out here and the fussing stopped...

Got to get that paci back!

...almost...

Got it!

And the fussing starts again.  Especially since he can't go any farther.  I think it's so funny how his leg is over the table leg!

Succulent Braised Pork

Nick and Tanner got me a dutch oven for Mother's day.  Ever since I've been on a rampage to make different recipes using it.  For the record, I LOVE it!  I use it every single day.  I use it as a skillet, an oven, and a frying pan.  It's ceramic on the inside so it doesn't stick like the cheap pans we have here in Texas (we rented everything for the 4 months we are here).  


I have tried many recipes and have loved pretty much every one.  So yesterday I decided to take a few pictures while I was making this dish to share with you, if I liked it like I have the other recipes.  


I found this recipe from Food Network online.  It's from Melissa d'Arabian.  Her show bugs me, I don't know why, but this meal was great.  You can find the recipe in it's original form, here.  

Ingredients

• 2 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 6 large chunks (I cut it into 3 chunks)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped (I used more)
• 1 carrot, chopped (once again, I used more. Yum!)
• 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 1/2 cups beef stock or broth
• 1 bunch parsley stems, tied with string
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup water (I didn't end up having to use this)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Pat the pork dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.

In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, and working in batches brown the meat on all sides until a golden crust forms. Transfer the pork to a plate.

I probably could have seared it longer, but I was dealing with a fussy baby, too.

To the pan add the onion, celery, and carrot and sweat until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and sweat another 2 minutes. 

Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes to cook off the raw flavor and caramelize it. 

Sprinkle with the flour and cook another 2 minutes to cook off its raw flavor. Whisk in the wine and reduce it by half. 

Return the pork to the dutch oven, then stir in the beef stock, parsley stems, and bay leaves. Add the water if liquid does not come up to the top of the pork. Do not cover the pork with liquid. 

Cover the pan and place it in the oven to braise until the meat is fork tender, about 3 hours. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer to a serving platter and serve.  (I shredded the pork instead of leaving in chunks and I served it with rice).

"MOM! You aren't paying any attention to meee!"

New FavoriteToy?

Notice a trend?

It's the little things

Ever since moving to Texas for a 4 month TDY Tanner has been napping while being held.  Either nick or I would hold him for both of his naps every single day.  At first it really didn't bother me.  We didn't have his crib here, or any of our furniture (a reclining sofa that he use to nap on, which is very difficult for him to move on).  I also enjoy holding him because I know he is growing so fast and he won't want me to hold him like that forever.  And I have a Kindle Fire that sits easily next to him and I can use with one hand.  I have read 10 books since the end of April, all while Tanner has been sleeping.


I also realize how non productive that is.  So I have been trying to get Tanner to sleep in the pack n play for his naps.  I started out not really worrying about it because he goes to sleep in it for the night easily.  I didn't want to force anything and have bedtime get screwed up.  So I went slow.  Well, I am still going slow.  Today has been a week of nap #1 in the pack n play.  I nurse him in the living room and hold him until he gets super drowsy, and most of the time he is already sleeping in my arms.  Then I put him in the pack n play and he immediately rolls over to his side and goes back to sleep.  He stays asleep for an hour, almost to the minute.  This morning it was closer to an hour and a half. Which I attribute to not sleeping last night, yawn!


Today is the very first time he has had both of his naps in the pack n play.  I may be pushing it though, as he is still sleeping. I keep hearing little noises on the monitor and expecting him to start talking or scratching on the side of the pack n play.  I doubt he will stay asleep as long as he usually does for his afternoon nap.  But I'm sure that will come with consistency.  


It was a lot harder to get him to fall asleep this time than it is in the mornings. I figured I would nurse him in bed, in the dark room and then just move him over, but he was having none of that. But after an hour of rocking and soothing and singing to him he fell asleep and stayed asleep.  I still don't let him cry it out, it's just not something I want to do.  


Now with all this extra time I have on my hands I can get some stuff done!  Like playing around on Pinterest. :)

Nick's Day

So I said my next post was going to be Tanner's favorite things from Months 3-6...but I'm still working on taking pictures of him with his toys.  I want that post to have a lot more pictures in it than the first "Our Favorite Things" post.  

Yesterday was Nick's very first Father's Day.  He said he enjoyed it, but I feel like I failed.  Tanner picked out a shirt for him (he literally pulled it off the shelf at the store lol), and I made a large photobook from Shutterfly full of the wonderful pictures I have of Nick and Tanner together.  

Here's where I feel like I failed at letting him have a great day.  We had to go grocery shopping, because I meal plan on Sunday mornings. He was in a "cleaning mood".  So we (and I mean mostly he, since I tried to keep Tanner occupied) picked up trash, organized the tables, did laundry (clothes, sheets, and diapers), and he started organizing the spare room that has all of our storage crap in it.  Also, I wasn't able to make the dinner I wanted because I don't have all my kitchen utensils I need here in Texas.  I tried, but it so didn't turn out the way I wanted.  Such a bummer.

I just wish I could really let him know how much I appreciate him.  I mean I tell him all the time, but I feel like I need to do more.  He is such an amazing father to Tanner.  If you were a complete stranger, you would be able to see the bond the boys have when they are together.

I love him.