The Romaezis

Juice: Toddler Contraband

Christmas updates will come soon but first I had to share our laughter this morning.

One of my best buds has recently started juicing. Think juice machine, fresh fruits and veggies, and amazing for you. Not store bought concentrate. I’ve been juice curious myself and went for a visit yesterday with my refrigerator full of veggies in tow. Two jars of juice came home with me. So. Delicious. Seriously. I’m finishing off a beet and carrot juice as I write.

The very beet and carrot juice I had to run and hide to drink because my awesome food-loving toddler kept stealing it from me. You see, he only drinks water or milk and has only ever had apple juice twice in his life. He didn’t really like it much either. Beet juice is a totally different ball game. I went to a restaurant with him that served juice recently and he drank more of my juice than he did the “special treat” chocolate milk he and his friend were splitting. I had forgotten all about that until this morning. Out comes *my* beet juice and over runs my toddler, literally wagging his tongue to try it. He chugged and chugged and chugged the juice then smiled that cute bright fuchsia smile of his and asked for more. I shared but eventually had to run and hide since this is my breakfast today.

I’m so proud of this little dude’s food choices. Don’t get me wrong. Like any toddler, he asks for cookies if he sees them but apples are more frequently requested.

Check out these juice boy photos and giggle with us.

Second Not Birthday for Kam

Kamran’s 2nd “not birthday” as I call it has come and gone.  This year was a little easier to get through the anniversary date of my water breaking so prematurely.  I didn’t quite dwell on the scary experience as I did last year, but spent the day rather thankful.  I think my mind is healing from the trauma of it all.  That or I’ve pushed it further back in my mind.  

My hospital experience–while not something I EVER would have asked for–has certainly grown me as a person.  I learned to advocate not only for myself, but also my family.  Something new parents don’t realize as necessary right away.  My tiny hat business stemmed from the encouragement of others to keep me busy while in the hospital and it’s growing!  Kayvan and I also met some truly wonderful people and made some really great connections we would have otherwise not met.  Of course, that meant they were either in the same crummy situation as I or caring for the patients I have come to call friends.  

I still keep in touch with some of my nurse friends.  As a matter of fact, we delivered bagels to the hospital on the 23rd and got to visit with the select few nurses working during the holiday time.  We plan to keep up with this visit each year.  We also stop by whenever we are at the hospital for appointments but that is becoming less frequent, thankfully.

One of my HRP (High Risk Perinatal) Pals it turned out lives about 10 minutes from me and has become a really good friend in the almost 2 years we have now known eachother.  Our little ones were in the NICU together and in my dreamland mind, will grow up together.  She has twins so interestingly enough we are always asked when we are out if our kids are triplets.  Comical since her fair skin, blonde haired babes look nothing like my brown hair, dark complected boy.  It is comforting to have someone who just gets what you have been through and understands why some normal first time mom moments you feel jipped of may send you reeling down the “bad day lane.”

Which leads me to one of my internet pals.  We were admitted to the hospital at relatively the same time with completely different complications, in different countries even.  Our boys are 2 days apart.  Like all of my friends from this different hospital world, she gets it and is a text away if I need her.  

Another friend from the HRP unit moved out of state.  Our kids were also in the NICU together.  Before her family moved, we would meet for weekly walks post-hospital life.  She and her husband recently opened a store in their new hometown.  It’s adorable.  The sell mostly handmade items like reclaimed barn furniture…and my hats.  

When Kamran was in the NICU, our hospital only allowed parents to visit–not grandparents or any other relatives.  This means that our HRP friends whose babies were also in the NICU got to meet Kamran before our own family did.  With family not having the ability to get to know our son or even meet him until 1 month old, it means a lot to have friends who got to meet him as a newborn.

Reflecting on the 23rd, I realized that everything really does happen for a reason.  I knew it all along.  I’m glad it all worked out in my favor eventually, even though I had to serve some crummy time “on the inside” as I once called it.  

Since 12/23 fell on a weekend this year, we had some quality family time in the morning and visited the hospital with bagels, put Kam down for his nap and then visited friends to Celebrate for the holidays post-nap.  

Now that Kamran is 2, he is quite caught up with all of the non-preemies and I’m much more at ease with all of his developmental milestones.  He is starting to string words together and is also a great eater–thankfully!  I’m not sure how much longer into toddlerhood the eating thing will last but I’m sure “NO, MY DAT!” will stick around for quite a while. 

We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas day with family of course, and the week in between Christmas and New Years on vacation with friends.  Kamran is one cool, easy going kid.  I love this boy and he was worth every moment laying in that hospital bed.  One thing I never doubted. 

Here are my two favorite snuggle bugs on Christmas Day.  

Loopsi Daisy Adult Headband

My blogging has died off since my hospital days. Guilty. I am still crocheting like crazy though! Lately I have been asked by several of my Facebook followers if I make adult items. I DO! Check out this chunky headband.

The item is also here in my Facebook gallery.

Stuffed Pumpkin

Outside of pie, I’ve never really eaten pumpkin as part of a meal. I made pumpkin purée with cinnamon for Kamran when I was making him baby food last year and it was one of his favorites.

It’s almost fall again and pumpkins are back in the produce department at our grocery store. So I needed to figure out a pumpkin recipe I could make for the family which both Kam and Kayvan could potentially eat. A friend on Facebook posted that she was making stuffed pumpkin–and there I found my answer. The recipe she posted was rather meat intensive and finished off with bacon. I wanted something more fruity, below is what I came up with.

Ingredients:
Pumpkin
1/4 lb sausage
1/2 onion
1/2 cup cooked cous cous
1/4 cup cranberries
3/4 apple diced
Butter
Cinnamon
(hindsight says I should have added cinnamon or brown sugar…or both to the mix)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice off the top of the pumpkin, remove seeds and strings. Melt butter and lightly coat the inside of the pumpkin. Sprinkle inside with cinnamon.

Remove sausage from casing and sautée with onion, drain. Mix in diced apples, cranberries and cous cous.

Stir all ingredients together and stuff pumpkin as tightly you can.

Replace top, place in baking dish with 1/4 inch of water on the bottom. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes or until pumpkin can be pierced through with a fork.

To serve, cut in quarters.

Sun Dried Tomato Pasta Salad with Pine Nuts

I’ve been MIA for quite some time. SORRY!! Summer fun and all that jazz! Now that Kam is a toddler getting out is the thing to do!!

I got a hankering for sun dried tomato and turned it into a yummy recipe I thought I would share.

IT’s so super easy to make too.

Ingredients:
Pasta of your choice (I went with mini bow tie)
3oz Julienne cut sun dried tomato
2 oz pine nuts
14 oz artichoke hearts in brine (drained)
3/4 cup sundried tomato salad dressing
Fresh basil
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
Cook the pasta. The beauty about mini pasta is that it cooks quickly. Roast pine nuts in oil (optional). Mince basil and cut artichoke in bite size pieces. Add all ingredients, stir and refrigerate until chilled.

We will be taking this for lunch a few times this week. Yummy!