Jackson Has a Brush with Death!

Jackson was having a fussy afternoon yesterday, so I put in him in his baby pack. He likes to face out so he can see everything and wave his arms and legs around. This position makes it difficult for me to see anything except the back of his head, but it's never really been a problem . . . until yesterday. (cue slow, scary music)

I've been trying to figure out a healthy, yet yummy cookie recipe--one without much sugar or fats (side note: After MUCH experimenting, I've concluded it's impossible to create a yummy, yet healthy, treat. You can have one or the other). So I was mixing and baking away, with Jackson in the front pack and grabbing everything within reach. He grabbed the mixing bowl a few times, but I thought he just grabbed the rim. When I was finished making the cookies I took Jackson out of the pack only to find him happily sucking on his fingers, with cookie dough smeared on his hands and around his mouth.

Now those of you with children know that babies are not supposed to have egg whites, wheat, or peanut butter until they're at least a year old because babies can be highly allergic to them. These foods can cause hives, swelling, breathing problems, and in extreme cases . . . DEATH! Well, there was 6-1/2 month old Jackson happily sucking down all three at once, like a baby toxin cocktail! I quickly wiped him down and called his pediatrician, who asked a few questions to see if Jackson was having any allergic reactions, which he wasn't . . . yet. He then asked the one question that would get to the root of the problem, and solve all of my fears, "Did he leave any cookie dough for me?" :-)

Apparently, if a baby is going to have an allergic reaction, they will have it pretty much immediately after contact with the allergin. Since Jackson was completely happy and playful, the pediatrician told me just to keep an eye on him, but that he was probably going to be just fine . . . and he is. Whew!

The Best, Easiest Chili Recipe EVER!

If you've ever had the joy of tasting the savory deliciousness of my semi-homemade chili, you'll be surprised how easy it is to make. If you haven't had the opportunity to try it, you'll be surprised how good it is, even though the recipe is sooo simple AND it doesn't contain meat. If you're a big meat eater, I still recommend trying it once without meat--you won't miss it! It's one of the fastest dinners you can make, and it's healthy too.

Judi's Chili

In a medium size saucepan, add a 15 oz. can of each of the following:

whole kernel corn (drained)
kidney beans (drained)
pinto beans
black beans
diced tomatoes with chiles

Add a packet of McCormick chili seasoning and stir.

Let this simmer for at least 15 minutes on medium-low heat, then serve.

Please Welcome the Newest Member of Our Family

This morning we hit the local farmers' market, as we do most Saturdays, and there just happened to be not one, but TWO establishments there with rescued dogs to adopt. Was it a sign??? We'd known we wanted to get another dog for about a month, since our dog, Mali, passed away and here they were making it almost too easy.

After much deliberation and analysis, (aka, oohing, aahing, and petting) we chose Marley. No, it's not what you think. She's NOTHING like the dog in Marley and Me. She's actually a small, black cocker spaniel, with just a few accents of brown and white. The best part is that she's super mellow, quite unlike our other dog, Lucky. They think she's about 2 years old, so we won't have to deal with all the work that comes with a puppy . . . although, I have to admit I love puppy breath and fat, pink puppy tummies. She's already MOSTLY housebroken, walks well on a leash, and likes to cuddle. Awww . . . Now we're just crossing our fingers that she'll teach Lucky how to behave, and not the other way around!

. . . And Then There Were Teeth

The last few nights, Matt and I were wondering what had happened to our sweet boy who only woke up at night to eat, then went right back to sleep. Suddenly he started waking up to eat at night (which is bad enough), and then staying up for hours afterward. He was perfectly happy to smile and talk to us while we dozed off in a sitting position, unless we tried to lay him down, then the screaming would ensue.

After several looong months of drooling and chewing on everything in sight, and several nights of wakefulness (is that a word?) Jackson's first two teeth finally popped through yesterday. I was so excited that I called Matt at work to let him know when the first one came through. By yesterday evening, we could see the tops of both of his front, bottom teeth. Last night I gave him some Infant Tylenol, since I finally knew what the problem was, and he slept like a . . . baby.