Thursday, May 22, 2014

These Are the Days!



Our sweet, kissable, squeezable little man turned 6 months last week and I've been itching to write a blog commemorating it ever since. Honestly, I shake my head and wonder where the time has gone since he entered this world on that peaceful winter night....all 6 pounds 10 ounces of wonderful wrinkly newborn.
One hour old

At the same time, I know exactly where the days have gone! They go something like this....feed, bounce, play, clean a little, feed, clean myself a little, feed again, bounce, play, cook with baby strapped to chest (and by then it's only 10:30 am!)...and so the day goes on. Oh, and that has been, of course, running a simultaneous course to a similar but more advanced daytime routine with sweet little man's big sister! This whole hands-on motherhood reality is intense! I wouldn't be honest if I didn't admit that I've found many of these first days intensely difficult, in a majority of them I've felt so very down and unsure of my ability to "do this". And yet, these are the days! The moments of joy are SO FULL that my heart might explode....and I wouldn't have it any other way. 

One month old

Two months old
Our Judah is an absolute JOY. After those first few fussy months (and who could blame the poor little guy with his sore tummy and seeming intolerance to caffeine!), he has emerged as the happiest baby on the block. He has become pure BOY....and loves bouncing, banging, throwing, swinging, hanging upside down, EATING, and being being bare naked. He is a little guy who quite literally smiles to everyone who says hello. 

3 months

4 months
Snug as a bug with Mama at 4 months

Judah sleeps well, although of course he likes to nurse very frequently throughout the night but I've come to expect that from my babies and I just don't let it bother me. With teeth coming in or developmental bursts I like being what soothes them. He is a cuddly, tactile little guy who much prefers to be held over anything else...and there are lots of hands eager to snuggle him. 

While it is apparent that his mama is his first love (and I swoon!), he absolutely ADORES his daddy and Liliana. He could watch Liliana play all day and he laughs watching her. He thinks she is so entertaining. My heart is warmed by already observing the gift that siblings are to each other, and the gift that Joe and I have been able to give them IN each other. When Joe walks through the door from work Judah only has eyes for him, as though he is saying hold me hold me hold me! It is so sweet.  I've had the opportunity to go out for a few hours at a time and leave both babies with Joe. Judah takes a bottle of breastmilk so well from his daddy and settles easily. That is a total blessing!

5 months


6 months

6 months old and his first taste of rice cereal

At risk of babbling on and on about the joys of this sweet little boy, I will finish with the important stats. At 6 months old Judah David is 17 pounds flat and 26.5 inches. He is 40th percentile for weight and 88th for height! He can role over both ways, and sit quite well for a short time. His legs are gloriously chunky and he absolutely LOVES using them in his jolly jumper. No teeth yet!

How I love you, darling son. Your presence in our family has been such a gift, even in the challenging days I've been acutely aware that our lives are so much more full of joy because you are in it. I only pray that we can continue to love you and nourish your heart, mind, body and soul in a way that allows you to thrive. Your sweet smile and exuberant affection bring light to all those around you and make my mama's heart oh so full that it overflows. I am humbled to be entrusted with such a gift as your beautiful life. Thank you!





Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Baby Steps Towards Creating a Family Culture....


Yesterday was Cinco de Mayo, and we had so much fun here in the Packard house! My beloved man and I have been really thinking and praying hard about the type of family culture we would like to have. After reading this blog and doing some real soul-searching over Lent about what our family culture would be, we are finally taking baby steps towards creating it. 


ARRIBA for family culture!!
What is a family culture, you may ask? Well for us we are hoping it will be a unique blend of everything that makes us THE PACKARDS. This applies to how we live our Catholic faith within our home (Holy week, feast days, baptismal anniversaries), to what we do and do not do (Packards do not watch Barbie movies <hehe>, Packards do try new foods), to how we celebrate other special days, etc. We are excited to begin establishing meaningful traditions that truly speak to our children's hearts, forming them to become holy and happy men and women, as well as becoming memories they cherish and maybe even carry on.

As a side note this is something that I've dragged my feet on because the combination of being a perfectionist and constantly watching our budget always has me feeling as though I can't do something as well as I'd like. However, yesterday was such fun...simple but wonderful, even without fiesta coloured table clothes, balloons, and candles.

Joe wanted to add Cinco de Mayo to our list of celebratory events, because he is, of course, Texan and has a soft spot for all things Tex-Mex. 

To start off we made a pinata! I am slowly learning that to be not afraid of mess is to allow my children to learn well and grow in independence. We have set aside some clothes that are Liliana's work clothes....so whenever we do a messy project we just throw her work clothes on and she is ready to go! You will see that she is wearing it in her painting picture, as it was her job and her job alone to paint the pinata while I dashed around tidying our home for guests. 

Daddy and Liliana preparing the canvas

Creating a masterpiece
In the absence of Mexican coloured decor, we created a banner of senors and senoritas. Liliana painstakingly drew on each of their faces as Joe and I helped colour their ponchos. 


We created a fajita feast. I used this flank steak marinade, this slow cooker chicken fajita recipe, and of course we added rice, beans and all of the fixings. I marinated the fajita veggies in the flank steak marinade. They were such a hit. We finished off with chocolate cake covered in this incredible icing. On top of it all, Joe was bartender and made the most delicious blended margaritas (thanks to an old family recipe). With Cinco de Mayo radio playing on Pandora, we seemed to have found all the ingredients for a truly celebratory and relatively budget friendly fiesta. 

Nanny and Papa came dressed for the party!!
Adios!!

xoxo