Caleb and the Fish Tank

So, we realized pretty early on that Caleb liked fish.  On our last trip to PetSmart to get dog food, we ended up with a 10 gallon fish tank and 7 fish.  Don't worry, we didn't forget the dog food.  Anyways, the fish tank is set up in his room and often provides more entertainment than a TV would.  Even if you mention to Caleb (only 6 months) about his guppies, he will get all fired up.  Him watching the tank has become our new entertainment.  We posted a video below.  Enjoy!

Now I Understand...

July 11, 2010.  Probably not a date many circled on their calendar.  But it is significant to me.  You know why?  Caleb is 6 months old!  I always here, especially around graduation season, parents saying "I remember like it was yesterday when they were 5 years old.  Man they grow up fast!".  Now I understand.

It really is hard to believe it has already been 6 months since we were introduced to Caleb James Black.  That was a crazy, crazy day!  And we have been trough so much with such a small boy in the span of just 6 months, but we have been so richly blessed in those 6 months!  God has made himself known to us through this time, and all of Caleb's accomplishments are at the credit of no other than the maker of everything, our heavenly father.  Thank you all for your thoughts, prayers and support.  It has been quite a ride already.

Update: Last time we posted an update we were really struggling with reflux.  That has since improved!  We are not 100% out of the woods, but it has certainly improved.  Thank you for your prayers.  He weighed in two  weeks ago at 13.5 lbs.  We continue to ask for prayers over Caleb, for healing of his reflux as well as his growth and development as we move into the time period where he really makes strides in development (rolling over, crawling, eating, walking, talking).  We pray for our little boy and we pray that each one who has taken time to petition the Father on our behalf for Caleb be blessed as well.  Thank you!

Blackberry Crumble

Yesterday we went to our favorite Blackberry Farm to pick. Summer Berry Farm in Concord, is very family friendly, and best of all they have thorneless bushes with no pesticides. So we get to sample as we pick :) Caleb did very well and was a cool dude with his sunglasses.

We picked a gallon and froze half of the berries to use in smoothies, a few cups in the fridge for munching and the rest went in a blackberry crumble.

Here is the recipe for Blackberry Crumble, I got this recipe at one of my weight watchers meeting and it was for Mixed Berry Crumble, but since we didn't have Raspberries and blueberries, we used all blackberries.

4 Cups blackberries

3/4 cup all-purpose floor

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 stick butter, melted

Take floor and sugar, and mix in a bowl. Take 3 tablespoons of the floor mixture, and mix in the berries. Next add the butter to the remaining floor mixture. mix well.

Put berries in a glass 8inch pan. Then take flour mixture and crumble on top of berries. Bake at 350 for 35-40min or until berries are bubbly. serves 8.

June 11th, 2010

June 11th, 2010.  More than just the day after my 27th birthday.  Forget all of this conference expansion talk, 5 months ago, the Black family had an expansion.  Caleb is 5 months old today!  Can you believe it?  5 months!  That's a month shy of a half a year!  Time just does not stand still anymore.  I want to thank everyone for prayers for us and Caleb. He has been through so much as such a little guy.

• Born 2lb 12.8oz, 8 weeks premature
• But, the biggest concern was lungs/breathing and he was only on breathing assist for 10hours!
• He kept his body temperature far sooner than he "should have been able to"
• Released from Hospital Feb 16
• Liver function concerns
• Fixed it's self
• 3 hernias
• Had surgery March 26 when only 5lbs
• Surgery went great and all marks are already healed!
• Reflux

This little guy is a fighter and he has clearely been blessed by our Heavenly Father.  The creator of the universe has delicately handled Caleb's growth and development every step of the way.  We are proud to say that Caleb has grown to weigh in last week at a whopping 12lbs 5oz!  We continue to petition your prayer over Caleb as his reflux is VERY bad.  He can at times spit up his entire feeding (3-4oz) just minutes after completing a meal.  This is something that seems to be tied to a immature digestive tract.  We believe in healing though.  All that God has done leaves no question.  So please pray with us in faith that he be healed.  I believe I can update this post and that last bullet point with "reflux healed" in a matter of days.  Pray that it be so.  Also pray for Sarah and I as we cope with this in the mean time.  It is troubling to see you infant child spit up 2-3 times a day 2-4oz each time.  Thank you, each and everyone of you for your support, your calls, your card, emails, flowers, gifts, time, meals, etc....  It has been so wonderful of a reminder of those God has put in our lives and how blessed we are.


Thank you!


5 months down.  A lifetime to go!

Quick and Easy Pork Ribs

Here is another Crock Pot, Easy Meal.

Pork Ribs

1 family pack Country Style Ribs (bone-in or boneless)

1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce

Brown Sugar, Honey, hot sauce to taste (we will add either brown sugar or honey depending on BBQ sauce used)

Place ribs in the crock pot, top with BBQ sauce and additional brown sugar/honey/hot sauce. Cook on low for 4-5hr or high for 3-4hr. When done meat will fall off the bone.

Chicken Azteca - Crock Pot

Well Crockpot meals have been a saving grace around our house for the past few months since Caleb has come home. And there have been a few favorites, one being Chicken Azteca that my best friend gave me. It is quick, easy and not too many ingredients and makes a lot of food (so far 1 pot has served 5people dinner, 4 lunches and i have 4more servings in the freezer for dinners later on!)

Chicken Azteca

8-10 boneless skinless Chicken Breasts

2 cups Salsa (I sometimes add a 3rd cup)

2 Cans of Black Beans (rinsed and Drained)

2 cans of Corn (drained)

2 Tbsn Cumin

2 Garlic Cloves, Crushed

2 pkg Cream Cheese (i use fat free)

Rice, shredded Cheese, Sour Cream and Chips

Mix together 1cup of salsa, black beans, corn, cumin and garlic in the bottom of crock pot. Add chicken to top and cover with remaining salsa. Cook on high for 3-4hrs or low for 4-5hr or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken and cut into chunks, and add back to crock pot. Cook rice according to package (i cook 3-4cups of brown rice). Add cream cheese and cook rice to crock pot (turn to low/warm) cook until cream cheese melts. Serve with Chips, Shredded Cheese and Sour Cream. (serves 10-12)

Cloth Diapering Venture

So some of you know that Josh and I decided while we were pregnant that to be cost effective and Eco-friendly we would do cloth diapers. When I thought of cloth diapers, I thought back to the old-school prefolds with the plastic pull-over cover and then having to do the dunk in the toilet, ewww, I just couldn't bring myself to do that. But after much research, we found that cloth diapers have come such a long way and many look just like a disposable diaper.

Josh and I calculated the cost of disposables and for 1year of pampers and it was going to be around $500-650. Where with cloth diapers we spent around $400-450 for 18 diapers that we can use up until Caleb is 35lbs and then use for future kids too. Yes there is a large up-front cost, but it sure bets running out of diapers at 3am! Right now we do diaper laundry every 3rd day, and man is it easy.

Here are somethings that we have found helpful to have and what our diaper stash looks like:

• we have 12 BumGenius 3.0 pocket diapers, each comes with 2 different size inserts and run about $18 apiece and are for infants 7-35lbs.
• we also have 3 Flip Day Packs; each pack includes 2 covers and 6 inserts. again these are for infants 7-35lbs. These run around $45 per day pack (the basis of these are that you just change the insert and continue to use the cover til soiled)
• Stainless Steal Kitchen trashcan with lid ($45 from walmart).
• 2 waterproof diaper pail liners ($13 each).
• Cloth wipes (we bought 24 baby washcloths from marshals $8)
• 1 medium wetbag (for when we are out, for wet/dirty diapers $15)
• Thirsties Booty Luster Spray (Just found this yesterday and love it, $11)
• Bummis Flushable Diaper Liners (put this in the diaper to catch all solids and then flush, 100 per roll for about $6, we go through 1 roll in 1 to 1 and 1/2 months)
• BumGenuis Odor Remover Spray ($6 per bottle, we put 1 spray on each diaper before it goes in the pail, this bottle will last us a little over 2 months).
• Charlies Soap (made in NC, this is a fantastic laundry soap that is safe for diapers. We ended up ordering a 40gallon bucket that will last us 2 years and now use it for all of our laundry!)

There are 3 different places we love to get our diapers and supplies from, 2 online and 1 store in Charlotte. The Milky Way is located in Dilworth, and they carry a wide range of diapers and accessories and hold a free cloth diapering class that go over all of the different types of diapers and options you have. JilliansDrawers.com is our next favorite, they have great prices and also do a trial run of diapers for 21days for $10. Cottenbabies.com is our other favorite online store. Also on both sites they sell gently used diapers for a reduce rate.

When it comes to washing, we do diapers every 3rd day. We take the diaper pail liner and empty the contents and liner in the washer, and do a cold water rinse. then a hot water wash with Charlies soap, and then a cold water rinse. All covers are hung to dry and inserts dried on hot.

That's what were are doing now, and will post new things as we continue our venture.