Lauren on Living – Page 4 – A Lifestyle Blog about Simplifying Healthy Living

Bennett’s Monthly Growth Series // 7

September 29, 2015 by lauren.anvari@gmail.com Leave a Comment

Rolls to get around, itching to crawl, started solids and loves food, sleeps 12 hours through the night, moved into her crib and shares a room with her big brother now, loves watching everything Asher does, super smiley

This month has whizzed by, I know I’m constantly saying that but it’s true! I feel like I blink and she’s another month older. I can’t handle it!

Bennett started solids this month, and has been loving them thus far. Her first food was avocado and it pretty much snow balled from there. Most of the time she eats what we’re eating, just a pureed version of course. If we’re having lentil curry, so is she. When we eat koresht badamjan (persian split pea and eggplant stew) so does Bennett. Spiced cauliflower soup and salad? You bet! If I didn’t love my vitamix before (which I absolutely did) I am over the moon now. The baby bullet is archaic by comparison. The only thing I haven’t given her is nuts, but I may start giving her some soon. Towards the end of this month I started giving her rougher textures rather than smooth purees and I also started letting her practice picking up and eating those little rice puffs.

The other big development this month was that she now sleeps through the night! I night weaned her and that was that. It really only took one night and she was a pro. I’m going to write a separate post on my “no sleep training, sleep training method” because it was the easiest thing ever! Bennett and Asher now share a room (although most nights Asher somehow ends up in our bed) and it’s so nice having our room back! I’ve been really enjoying reading in bed.

Bennett is Asher’s biggest fan! She loves watching him and if he’s around it’s nearly impossible to get her to focus on anything else. Asher in turn is just as fond of her. Watching their relationship blossom and unfold is really one of the sweetest things on this earth. The following pictures illustrate just how enamored Bennett is with Asher.

Bennett’s Monthly Growth Series // 6

September 5, 2015 by lauren.anvari@gmail.com Leave a Comment

17 pounds 12 ounces (78th percentile), 17.5 inches head circumference (95th percentile), 26 1/4 inches long (64th percentile), first international trip (visited Yap, FSM), went on 9 flights this month (making it 13 total), first boat ride, first time in a pool, first time in the pacific ocean, first time meeting her first cousins and uncles jared and evan and aunt sholz, sleep has been all over the place, super curious about eating.

I cannot believe that half of her first year is already behind us! I mean, seriously, what. just. happened?! I have been enjoying every second of this sweet time with her and she is an absolute delight. This has been an insanely busy and hectic month. We were literally traveling from August 1-28 and are still trying to return to normalcy. We spent 2 weeks in Eliot, Maine at my parent’s house. I took my first solo trip with two kids and actually survived it! My whole family, (parents, brothers and their families and us) flew half way around the world to the tiny island of Yap in the Federated States of Micronesia, where I grew up. The journey there was quite an adventure and features, a tropical depression, torrential rain, a mechanical issue, spending three days in the tropics with no luggage and more. So stay tuned for that epic tale. After that we spent five days in Hawaii with my older brother’s family before heading home.

Bennett has always been and continues to be a complete joy. For the past month the 4 of us have been sharing a room, which was really good in many ways because I think it helped prepare B and A for when they’ll share a room but the room sharing combined with the jetlag has resulted in Bennett’s sleep being all out of whack. However I will say that bed sharing probably made the jetlag so much more bearable because when she would wake up in the middle of the night she’d just nurse until she fell asleep again and I’d barely have to wake up at all.

This sweet girl is probably at her peak chub right now and I’m loving it. She’s in the sweet spot. You know the one. The time when they are able to sit up and are very engaging but can’t move around yet. It’s glorious. She’s all smiles and flirty eyes 95% of the time. She has been incredibly curious about food and looks at us longingly whenever we’re eating. I did let her taste a little bit of fresh coconut but I don’t think she actually swallowed any. I think she may have had a tiny bit of hair growth. Nothing to really write home about, but it’s a start!

Bennett’s Monthly Growth Series // 5

July 28, 2015 by lauren.anvari@gmail.com Leave a Comment

Rolls over (back to tummy), first plane trip (across the country – coast to coast), loves to grab her feet, delights in watching Asher, sits up in tripod formation for short periods, hates being on her tummy for too long, really likes being upright

Bennett rolled over the day she turned 4 months old and basically became a pro over night. She loved to flip herself onto her tummy, but then is far too lazy to flip back so she just squawks her disconnect until someone rolls her over. No sooner than you roll her over however, will she then almost instantaneously flips back onto her tummy and the cycle continues.

She is utterly enamored by her feet and spends nearly all the time she isn’t rolling onto her tummy gripping her toes instead. Inching them ever closer to her mouth.

Ben Bucket had her first plane trip this month! We flew across country to first Oregon and then to California, 4 flights in total and she was a total rock star, with the exception of one extremely over tired fit in the car. Her sleep was thrown off somewhat by the trip but nothing too bad.

Asher and Bennett are interacting more and more. Asher intentionally makes Bennett laugh and laughs at things she does in return. It is the cutest thing. I LOVE having two children. Is is hard and challenging and some days I don’t know up from down, but it is quite simply the sweetest thing…most of the time. Asher has hit Bennett a couple times thing month. It’s unclear what motivates him to do so. I’m trying to nip it in the bud but it really breaks my heart and is very unlike him as he has really never hit anyone. For the most part however, he is still in complete love with her. Always wanting to hug and kiss her. He delights in her presence.

Month 5 is going to be a busy one, but I’m so looking forward to watching it unfold!

Erika’s Big Ol’ Bowl of Oats

July 21, 2015 by lauren.anvari@gmail.com Leave a Comment

Our friend Erika is something of a health foodie. She’s awesome and for as long as we have known her she has made a big ‘ol bowl of oats for breakfast that leaves the whole kitchen smelling divine. Her base of oats, peanut butter and banana pretty much always stays the same, but then she adds all kinds of delightful ingredients that really takes oatmeal to the next level. It’s hearty, delicious, super nutritious and sure to pack an energy punch that will keep you going for hours. Not to mention, these oats are also a great galactagogue food for all the breastfeeding mamas out there! I begged one of her main go-to recipes off her and was surprised to discover that it’s actually incredibly quick and easy to make. Tasty? Check. Healthy? Check. Easy? Check. Toddler approved? Double check. What’s not to love about that?

Serving size: 1

Ingredients:

– 1 cup of unsweetened plain almond milk

– 2 tbsp water

– 1/2 – 1 whole apple, peeled and diced

– 1/8 cup raisins

– Cinnamon, to taste

– 1/2 cup oats

– 1 tbsp chia seeds

– 1 banana, chopped

– 1 tbsp peanut butter

Directions:

Put the almond milk, water, apple, raisins and cinnamon into a medium sized pot and bring to a boil. Then add the oats and turn the heat to low and let simmer for 3-5 minutes. Add the chia seeds, banana and peanut butter, mix well and let simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add a bit more almond milk to give it a really creamy texture.

Optional Toppings:

Sunflower seeds

Pumpkin seeds

Variations:

Sub out the apples and raisins for any other fruit combo you want. Peaches and shredded coconut perhaps? Pureed pumpkin, with almond butter (instead of peanut butter) and pumpkin pie spice for a delicious fall breakfast. Berries, coca powder, dried cranberries, topped with chocolate chips anyone? Just get creative people!

The Anvari Chronicles // Albany, Oregon

July 16, 2015 by lauren.anvari@gmail.com Leave a Comment

We spent last weekend visiting some close friends in Oregon. Bennett handled her first plane trip like a champ and Asher didn’t have a single accident on the entire cross country journey! We had a really nice low key visit that consisted of blueberry picking, playgrounds, hiking and lots of laughter. They have two kids pretty much the same age and we had so much fun all together. We are so lucky to have such wonderful people in our lives. We went blueberry picking and no joke, these blueberries were hands down the best blueberries I have ever had! I will be dreaming about those blueberries for the rest of my life. Same face!These two were fast friends and were quite the match for each other! Heaven! These blueberries have ruined all other blueberries for me. Collector of sticks, rocks, pinecones and other such treasures. “I’m the Chuck Norris of mommies!”

Hazel-Eyed Boy

July 14, 2015 by lauren.anvari@gmail.com Leave a Comment

When Asher was born I was surprised to see that he had grey eyes, nonetheless I fully expected them to turn brown but…they didn’t! My sweet first born has dark hazel eyes and I’m constantly trying to capture them in a photograph that does them justice. At first glance you think his eyes are brown, but upon closer inspection you can make out the olive green and honey tones. They’re beautiful and I’m always driving him nuts by urging him to look towards some light source so I can make out all the different colors and tones. This picture doesn’t even do them real justice but it’s the closest I’ve come thus far.

Genetics is just so cool and eye color even more so!

Recipe: Calico Baked Beans

July 8, 2015 by lauren.anvari@gmail.com Leave a Comment

This recipe is straight out of my childhood. It’s a crowd-pleaser and a potluck go to. This is the perfect summer time cook out dish. My mom made this quite a lot when we were kids and a while back I pleaded the recipe off her and now I share it with you. It’s so good. Eating it instantly brings me back to hot summer days at the beach while being buffeted by salty ocean breezes. This is a definite staple in our house because it is just so delicious!

Ingredients:

1 large chopped onion

1 16 oz can vegetarian baked beans – DO NOT DRAIN

1 16 oz can kidney beans -DO NOT DRAIN

1 16 oz can butter beans or cannellini beans or baby lima beans or any light colored canned bean really -DO NOT DRAIN

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp spicy brown mustard

olive oil (optional)

Variations:

A great thing about this recipe is that you can really play with it and make it your own.

I usually add an extra 16 oz can of vegetarian baked beans as well as a 16 oz can of black beans just to give it more bulk and to add another color. You can also adjust the ketchup and mustard amounts depending on whether you prefer it on the sweet or savory side. I have even been known to substitute the brown sugar for molasses or just to omit it all together.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Brown the onions with a bit of olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Once the onions are ready, add the rest of the ingredients and stir until well combined. Cover and bake in the oven for 1 hour.

Enjoy!

For Your Viewing Pleasure // You Look Disgusting

July 7, 2015 by lauren.anvari@gmail.com Leave a Comment

This is a wonderful video put out by Em Ford of My Pale Skin about what it’s like to be cyber bullied about her appearance. This video hit a cord with me, because in recent years I’ve often struggled with feeling beautiful with my bare face when I look in the mirror, but I consciously try to push against society’s pressure to cover up. The days I feel the most unattractive are the days that I purposefully resist the urge to wear makeup. I never want to feel so at home wearing makeup that I begin to hate my face without it, but it’s impossibly hard to love the skin you’re in when it doesn’t meet the standards for beauty imposed by society. My issue has never been acne, but I have been struggling with melasma (expect a separate post on this in the near future). I’ve continually striving to be kind to myself and failing, and striving some more.

Women in particular are so closely scrutinized on their appearances that it can really be hard to learn to love yourself when everything and everyone around you are saying that you need to improve. There is always something wrong, you can always be thinner, taller, have better hair, longer lashes, fuller lips, bigger busts, firmer butts, more distance between your thighs, etc. The list is endless. This video does a great job of hitting the “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” nail on the head. It’s almost the norm that if you step out without makeup on that you’re going to be asked if you’re tired or sick or worn out or any other combination of words that add up to your brain translating this to mean that you look unattractive or worse…ugly.

Let’s not do this to ourselves. We would never speak to other people the way we speak to ourselves. Let’s be kind to ourselves and to each other even if it’s from behind a screen. Especially if it’s from behind a screen. It’s so easy to forget that the 2 dimensional figure on your screen or the operator of that car in front of you are people, with thoughts, feelings, families and dreams. We need to stop dehumanizing each other.

I’ve had an idea for a while now for a 365 project that I’ve been trying to figure out how to execute and this video reminded me just how much I need to do it.

So watch this and tell me what you think!

21 Books My Child Has Loved

July 3, 2015 by lauren.anvari@gmail.com Leave a Comment

I absolutely love to read. I can become so completely absorbed in a book that I barely remember to carry out basic human necessities for survival. For a while, Asher wasn’t that into books, but he has since really come to love them. Here is a list of his favorites thus far. Some he loved when he was under a year, some he loves now but all fall into his ‘read this book 1000 times in a row’ category. I’ve tried to list them by order of age, starting with books for younger babies and moving up to older toddlers.

1. Pudgy Pals – this is a book from my childhood and it’s very simple with sweet illustrations, my brothers and I loved it and so did Asher:

2. Baby be Kind – this is a wonderful book that teaches such virtues as kindness, sharing and others. It’s great for babies who are starting to interact with other children:

3. B is for Bear – this book is exactly what you’d think it is, but it’s a great way to teach letter’s and early reading. Asher loved the touch and feel aspect of it:

4. Moo, Baa, La La La – a delightfully silly book about animals and the sounds they make.

5. Red Hat, Green Hat – a great book that helps kids learn colors and never failed to make Asher giggle.

6. Good Night Moon – a classic go-to bedtime book, Asher loved it, I loved it, and its fun to try and find the mouse that is in every picture of the room:

7. Good Night Gorilla – this book contains almost no words, but that doesn’t stop it from conveying a sense of mischief and fun. Can you find the balloon in every picture?:

8. The Owl and the Pussy Cat – beautiful illustrations and whimsical writing, Asher loved having this read to him over and over…and over:

9. The Snowy Day – a book about a little boy’s adventures on a snowy day, it does a great job of conveying the curiosity of childhood:

10. I Know a Lot – a fun book that teaches children about opposites:

11. Each Peach Pear Plum – a great “I spy” book about some of the classic fairytale characters, with gorgeous illustrations:

12. You’re Getting a Baby Sister – when I was pregnant with Bennett I got Asher several books to prepare him for the arrival of his baby sister, and this one was by far the favorite. It does a great job of expressing the excitement of a new sibling, while also keeping it real:

13. Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes – a wonderful book that helps children learn colors with a heart warming moral at the end. Asher LOVES this book! He is obsessed with singing the song!:

14. The Pout-Pout Fish – a book about learning to see the best in ourselves. Another book Asher is currently OBSESSED with:

15. Gideon and Otto; Best Friends, Lost and Found – Asher loves all the books by Olivier Dunrea but this is one of his favorites. It’s totally sweet and endearing:

16. The Baobab is Big and other verses from Africa – a collection of short verses that are sure to delight and inspire:

17. 1 to 20 Animals a Plenty – an amazing book that helps children learn their numbers and animals through the use of rhyming. Gorgeous illustrations!:

18. Boom, Snot, Twitty – another beautifully illustrated book that is all about learning to be content with whatever comes your way:

19. Coco Can’t Wait – this was my favorite book when I was 3 years old and I am just so thrilled that Asher loves it too. It conveys the special bond between grandparents and grandchildren:

21. The Dream Child – this book does a great job conveying the whimsy and magic of childhood and is another book from my childhood:

22. The Book with No Pictures – Asher laughs every time we read this. It’s a great book that teaches children the power of the written word:

What books do your children love?

Bennett’s Monthly Growth Series // 4

June 27, 2015 by lauren.anvari@gmail.com Leave a Comment

14 pounds 13.5 ounces (70th percentile), 24 3/4 inches long (71st percentile), 16 5/8 inch head circumference (93rd percentile!), got her first cold, has started grabbing things with her hands, eyes are still blueish grey, no hair growth whatsoever, quick to smile, super easy going, wakes once at night, refuses the bottle, still likes her pacifier but only when sleeping, wants everything in her mouth, babbles constantly

This past month has been slow in terms of milestones. Bennett is actively grabbing now and putting anything she can manage straight into her mouth. While she was quick to role from her tummy to her back she seems to be in no rush to roll from her back to her tummy, which is likely because she HATES tummy time. She loves to babble and to carry on “conversations.”

B Girl has two modes: 1 – totally laid back and chill and 2 – banshee screaming. There is little to no build up or warning. She simply goes from being utterly content and happy to inconsolable. Luckily this only really happens if she gets over tired or over hungry and then it’s almost always my fault because I missed her subtle clues that she wanted to sleep or eat. But boy can she scream. This girl has some serious pipes and a persistence that astounds me. She won’t even nurse when she’s like that, even if the reason she’s like that is because she’s hungry. So I find myself doing all sorts of acrobatics to try to calm her down enough so she’ll eat.

Asher had a cold this month and although I tried it was near impossible to get him to refrain from kissing her on the face and/or hands so of course Bennett got it, but thankfully as far as colds go it was exceedingly mild. Bennett also ran a low fever after receiving her 4 month vaccines and was only content to be held skin to skin and I soaked all the cuddles in. Skin to skin really does work miracles.

Now that Bennett is able to grab things, Asher finds it super entertaining to give her all the toys at once. SHE MUST HAVE OPTIONS! This normally results in her being buried under a pile of toys and pacifiers but it’s so fun to watch their interactions develop.

Raf tried giving Bennett a bottle once while I was out this month and try as he may she flat out refused. He tried several different kinds but nothing worked. I too refused the bottle as a baby. This girl is so much like me that it’s kinda freaky, in the most endearing way possible of course.