No post in over 10 days… next week we should be back on top of things… hopefully. Just to prove the DW and I haven’t been slacking, here’s a quick glimpse of what we’ve been up to instead of typing — Lulu had the stomach flu and Peanut had an eye infection during the first part of last week. Pip’s back on guard duty, but was greatly confused by one of the best opossum playing opossum acts I’ve ever seen – she’d grab him by the back of the neck and flip him up into the air, but he wouldn’t give up the act. Then I got bit by the spring bug and realized that I have a lot of things I wanted to have finished before spring not even started yet. So, once I had everything lined up for the new furnace to go in this coming weekend I started removing the cabinet doors and front drawer panels in the kitchen. We’d planned on cleaning and refinishing them all winter – no time like the present. We also started our tomato, pepper, and eggplant seeds – though with winter not willing to give up, they may never make it to the garden. More on all of that to come…

Needless to say, I’m a little behind on my national news the last few months. But after I noticed the price of lettuce at the grocery store last week I found this article…

CNBC – Your Salad Will Cost More

Apparently a cold stretch in California and Arizona damaged lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, and other winter vegetables. Prices have jumped because of it and a handful of other factors – according to the article “romaine lettuce prices have nearly tripled in a year to as much as $32 for a carton of 24 heads of lettuce. Broccoli prices are up 288 percent to $33 a carton, and spinach prices are up 150 percent to as much as $25 a carton.” I’m guessing that’s wholesale pricing, but it helps explain the serious $ I was charged for a head of lettuce last week.

Maybe I didn’t go overboard with the garden seeds this year. On second thought, maybe I didn’t get enough…

If Bill Cosby’s “Kids Say The Darndest Things” show was still on TV…I’d have the perfect guest for him. Lulu. Okay, okay, I’m sure that every child at some point in their toddler years has said something that made their parent(s) think “what the heck did he/she just say”! Such is the case with our Lulu….ALL. THE. TIME. So, I’ve decided to start writing these Lulu-bytes down. I should have done this with Potato Boy and Sissy – although they still say some pretty entertainig things – it’s fewer and far between. Lulu’s timing and delivery in most of these cases make it all the more entertaining. Her mind must be working in overdrive, as she says the most random things at the most random times.

Bill Cosby & Lulu…I can just see how this interview would play out!

Recent (random) Lucy phrases:
“Daddy, I love you more than mommy.” (Eating in Applebee’s)
“Daddy, I’m going to find a nice boy to marry me”. (Driving home from work/daycare – listening to the radio).
“When I have a baby, I am going to change her diaper and empty her bag”. (Assuming all infants come with ostomy bags).
“Mommy, why are your boobs big if you’re not pumping milk anymore?” There’s more…but it’s not appropriate for the general public. Lulu will NEVER again shower with mommy 🙂
“Daddy, can you tell me a story about someone who cut their hand, if you don’t mind”. ?!?!?!
“When I was in the car by myself, I said bad words.” (After we ran Peanut into G’ma & G’pa’s house and left Lulu by herself for all of one minute).
“Grandpa why do you walk like a turtle?”
“Mom, I want a different jam song…yeah, yeah…I like this beat”.
“What the heck…I have hair on my legs!!!”
“Mom, guess what I just pooped out?! POOP!!!”

What funny things have your kid(s) said? Comment below!

No chance to snap a photo, but here’s a simple favorite of ours. It’s great with shrimp or grilled chicken. You can even throw in a few mushrooms if you’d like.

12 ounces dry bow-tie pasta
2 red bell peppers, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (more or less based on your preference for heat)
1 cup reduced fat sour cream
3/4 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Toss hot pasta with sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste; serve.

Maybe I was bit by the “spring-bug” or the fact that I hate standing in the store staring at a giant garden seed display while trying to find the one variety I want and they don’t have. Either way, I broke down and ordered most of the seeds we’ll need for the garden online this year. Depending who you ask, I may have went a wee-bit overboard.

But, I only got things I know we (the kiddos) will eat and can be stored. Here’s the plan so far:

Sweet Green Peppers
Eggplant
Green Beans
Peas
Carrots (2 varieties)
Spinach
Cucumbers
Butternut Squash
Zucchini
Summer Squash
Broccoli (2 varieties)
Tomatoes

For the kiddos pumpkin patch:
Ornamental Corn
Gourds
Pumpkins (4 varieties)

I also ordered some blackberries, black raspberries, and blue berries to be delivered later this spring.

There’s already red raspberries, strawberries, and garlic (hopefully) in the garden, so we still need potatoes and onions and we should be set. I’m a little leery on the tomato seeds we’re trying this year -they’re supposed to be a “seedless super-Roma” variety – so I may pick up a couple started tomato plants later this spring in case the “super-Roma” is a super flop. Let’s just hope it rains.

Okay, so no one is perfect, but nine is the perfect age for a boy (in my humble mom opinion). Nine-year-olds still snuggle, hold your hand in public, and freely give you hugs and kisses. [Sigh] I wish it could last forever! Our Potato Boy sure is the SWEETEST boy in world! Happy 9th birthday to our “baby boy”. 🙂

– Photo courtesy Milestone Portraits by Thea –

When you live the life of Peanut, any day that calls for “cute girly outfits” instead of sleepers are big days – and few and far between. Wednesday was just that – it was Peanut’s first check-up at the UIHC in 3 weeks. A lot had changed in that time – the introduction of green beans, as well as her copper supplement, and the stopping of her IV fluids. The day included a check-up with her surgery team, a check-up with her GI physician, and blood work. Fortunately, Peanut enjoys sleeping in the car and was well rested for all of the poking and prodding.

The general consensus from the doctors was that Peanut is doing good. Her growth has gotten back on track with the introduction of the green beans and she now weighs just over 12 lbs 10 oz. The stoppage of replacement fluids hasn’t seemed to affect her. And though not all of her blood test results are ideal, she is showing steady improvement in most areas of concern.

All this good news means that Peanut will have to wait even longer for her next day out as the doctors don’t feel the need to see her again for another five weeks (they will continue to monitor her progress by scheduled blood work and weekly data we email, though). In the meantime, we will slowly increase Peanut’s green bean intake from 3 oz to 4oz and then 5 oz a day and, depending on how that goes, her total milk intake from 640 cc to 680 cc per day. As a precaution against clots and infection, we will continue to use heparin and/or ethanol in her central line on a daily basis even though she will not be any IV fluids threw the line. If she doesn’t need the line for replacement fluids between now and the next check-up, the doctors will likely discuss having it removed – one of the two surgeries we know that Peanut will need in the near future. But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves… we still have a lot of green beans to tackle the next five weeks before we worry about that.

I haven’t said much lately about the work we’ve been doing on the house. The obvious reason is because we haven’t been doing much, but that’s not entirely true. We’ve been… orchestrating. Let me explain.

Before we ever moved in, we knew the house would need more insulation. It’s a basic fact – hundred year old homes don’t have enough (if any) insulation unless considerable work has been done. The previous owner had done some insulting, but more is needed – especially in the attic. Adding insulation was on the top of the list – until we realized we would need a new roof sooner rather than later. The existing roof wasn’t more than 10 years old, but it was installed incorrectly. It leaks in one of the valleys and around the chimney. Every time a strong wind blows through another shingle or two comes loose. There is no sense in adding insulation to the attic while the roof is leaking. It would only trap moisture and hide any new leaks if they developed.

A new roof and insulation doesn’t sound so bad, but to find the delay on the new roof you have to go to the other end of the house – the basement – and the 40-something year old oil furnace. There is nothing wrong with the furnace, but given its age and inefficiency, it’s a cat on its ninth life.

Here’s how it all ties together – the furnace is currently piped through the original chimney that runs out through the roof. A new gas furnace would be vented through a series of PVC pipes out the side of the basement wall eliminating the need for the chimney. Once the chimney isn’t needed, the roofers can knock it off the top of the house and roof cleanly over it eliminating the risk of a water leak around the chimney a few years down the road. Once the roof is water proof, insulation can be sprayed in the roof joist and we’re finally back to accomplishing the original goal.

What We’d Like The Attic To Look Like By Next Fall (click photo for source)

But it doesn’t end there. Once the attic roof has the insulation installed, the attic will be a controlled environment – meaning it will be heated and cooled with the house rather than whatever blows through the vents. This allows a second furnace and AC unit to be set in the attic. The house can then be split into two zones – the upstairs/attic and downstairs – for more efficient heating and cooling. We can also start working on finishing the attic at this point for a family room and/or bedroom(s).

So even though we haven’t been working on anything visible lately. It would be safe to say we have set up quite a trail of dominoes and once we install the new furnace next month things should start falling into place quickly.

Peanut has been in a bit of a holding pattern the last month as she’s been adjusting to some of the latest changes – most notably the addition of green beans to her diet of milk and rice cereal. Peanut’s output continues to be higher than what her doctor would like to see it and the addition of green beans (high in fiber) will hopefully help slow her digestive system down. Peanut’s copper levels have remained low as well, so a copper supplement has been added to her medication regiment.

As Happy As Ever

Still, for all the times we’re forced to wake Peanut while she’s sleeping, she remains an extremely happy baby. She continues to grow stronger in her physical therapy and has started to love the time spent on her stomach – that is, when she wants to be on her stomach. Peanut has mastered rolling over and is quick to go from her stomach to her back when she wants to. (I gave up last weekend on one designated “tummy-time” have she proceeded to roll over five times in just a few minutes.) Peanut is also trying to get from her back to her stomach – she’s done it once or twice but it surprised her as much as us and she hasn’t been able to repeat it.

Getting Stronger

The big news of the week is that Peanut’s doctor had us stop her IV as of Sunday night. Peanut was still receiving a nightly IV of replacement fluids to help counter the fluids lost with her high output. As a test run, Peanut will go without the replacement fluids until tomorrow when she has a check-up with blood work scheduled. If the lab results look good, Peanut will remain off of the IV while her hydration will be monitored at least weekly through blood draws. Peanut has been on an IV since the day she was born – almost seven months now. Her IV has always been the “safety net” for medication and nutrition when things weren’t going well, so the idea not needing an IV and having the central line removed is a bit intimidating – as odd as that sounds.

The IV Pump and Replacement Fluids

There is a very likely chance that Peanut will have to go back on the IV, so we’re still taking things a day at a time and simply enjoying the fact that Peanut is growing and gaining strength. It would also appear that she’s fallen under the wing of her older sister, as moments like this are becoming more and more common…

Since the DW forgot to post after Peanut’s last appointment, we wanted to mention that she got to see a few of her (and our) favorite friends from the NICU. We love these folks!!!

Dr. Lindower

Nurse Mikael

Nurse Tammy…and Peanut eating her hand 🙂

I’m a steak and potato guy through and through and we stock our freezer with beef my brother raises, so I almost feel like I’m cheating by writing this…

In my opinion the most under utilized “buy” at the meat counter is the boneless pork loin. Not the little marinaded tenderloins or anything else pre-cut, but the entire pork loin – about 10 pounds worth. Locally, I can pick one up for around $1.90 a pound.

What do you do with 10 pounds of pork? With a knife and a little imagination, you can do a lot. To start with, just google “pork loin” and click on “Images.” If one of the hundreds of images that pops up doesn’t make your mouth water you need to have your pulse checked. You’ll see the loin stuffed, seasoned, grilled, and marinated in all kinds of simple to copy ways (even wrapped in bacon – everything is better with bacon). Just slice the loin into roasts the appropriate size for your needs, wrap it tightly in the freezer paper, tuck it in the freezer bag, and freeze it until you’re ready to use it. (Just make sure your freezer is cold enough if you’re planning on long term storage.)

If that’s not your thing, take 3 pounds of the pork loin with a little salt and pepper and cook it in the slow-cooker until it’s done. Then, shred it with a fork, add your favorite BBQ sauce, let it simmer for an hour or so, and you have great pulled pork sandwiches. You could also make shredded pork in this manner and use it in Mexican dishes.

Additionally, you could slice the loin about an inch thick for some great boneless chops – the loin is where the chops are cut from anyway, you’re just the one making the cut. Grilled, fried, baked, flattened and rolled around stuffing, even on a stick if that’s your thing. The possibilities are endless…