Henry is 6 Months and his 1st Easter

We've had a busy couple of weeks (see previous post) so I'm just now getting to post Henry's 6 month photos and update.

He's grown so much over the last month. When people ask how old he is, they're usually surprised at how big he is! His stats: 20 lbs. and 27 1/4 inches long.

He now has 4 teeth and another one coming in on top- 3 on the bottom and 1.5 on top. This partially explains the recent fussy bouts he's been having. That, and all the traveling he's done the past month. He's such a champ though.

He can sit up unassisted. He can also get up on his hands and knees for a brief moment, rock, and scoot backward, but no official crawling yet. Although, he still manages to get around just fine by rolling EVERYWHERE! He's actually very quick at it. You turn away for one second and he has rolled himself out of sight!

He has tried many foods/fruits and veggies, and so far loves whole wheat cereal, prunes, sweet potatoes and squash. He does not like peaches or apples. Must be a texture thing.

He sure does love his momma! If I so much as walk out of his site, he's making some sort of noise to show that he is not pleased. Reminds me of the song for the "My Buddy" doll from the 80's- "My Buddy, my buddy, wherever I go, he's gotta go. My Buddy, my buddy and me." :) It's tiring, but I try to bring it all back to one thing- a day will come, maybe too soon, when he won't care if I'm in the room anymore.

His favorite toy right now: these soft, squeaky blocks his Aunt Courtney gave him!

Henry's First Easter

We celebrated Henry's first Easter in Illinois. My sisters, Cherie and Scarlett, and nephews Noah and Peyton all joined us there as well! We were sad that Banana (my mom) and sister Shelby were sick and couldn't come.

He got this toy chick that peeps when you hold it in your palm. He loved this toy! :)

Another successful "first" holiday with our lil big guy! :)

Heisel Rules!

Remembering Pop

We've had a rough past couple of weeks. We're just now getting settled back home after 3 visits to Illinois in 4 weeks' time. Matt's father had a heart attack a couple weeks ago. When we got the call, we drove there the next morning. At the time we thought we were just going to be there to check on Andy and keep him company, and any reason to bring Henry to visit his grandparents, right?! Andy was readmitted into the hospital the next week due to symptoms of what seemed to be a blood clot. He passed away unexpectedly hours later, on April 3. Heaven welcomed another "Big Chief".

For reasons we will never know, the Lord knew it was Andy's time to go. That last week we got to spend with him in the hospital now has new meaning. Things we brushed off as just keeping him company now mean so much more- random chatting in between visits from friends and family, quiet moments of solitude, the visit of the Chaplin where Andy reassured him {and us} that if anything were to happen he'd be going to heaven. Those moments that seemed routine- his fountain soda sitting on the table, enjoying his hospital meal, and holding his bouncing grandson on his knee, trying to keep Henry from pulling his IV out of his hand, I'll now hold these memories close to my heart. We casually took pictures during that week, and now I'm so glad we did. I cannot get myself to delete even the blurry ones. Those mark the last time we hugged him and saw his smile. I swear he could light up a room. It'll be tough to move on with life without this remarkable man, but I knew he'd want everyone to do just that.

We are so blessed to have gotten to have Andy for our little family's special moments- he got to be there for Matt's military moments, Matt's first house in KY, our wedding, and our first baby. We are so thankful for all that time we got to spend with him. His last week of life was spent with people he loves and I'm pretty sure that he would't have had it any other way. He haphazardly made a comment that last week in the hospital, "All these visitors coming to see me, you'd think it was my funeral." That's where he was wrong-there were MANY more visitors at his funeral. He was well loved, and it showed.

My heart breaks for the people he left behind, and a great deal for my son. Henry will never know the man that helped shape his father, the man that influenced so many people. But I'm sure Matt will be able to pass on all things he learned from his father, interjecting those Andy-moments, keeping his memory alive. Henry, even though you will never know your Poppa, he loved you SO SO much and it showed at the visitation when people came up to me asking if this was the infamous Henry that his proud Poppa talked about.

Matt said it right- "It's not about quantity, it's about quality", referring to his father's life. Andy lived a full life even though he was only afforded a short amount of years.

We love you, Andy, and you are greatly missed. Our life was better because you were in it. While you're in heaven, say hello to my dad. It's been a long time, but I'm sure he'd love your company. And if you get a moment in your busy day hanging out with your loved ones there, can you send a few spirit hugs to your son? I'm sure he'll need those from time to time.

Heisel Rules!

Taco Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I love chicken. I love chicken cooked different ways. However, I sometimes feel like I run out of ways to prepare it, it gets boring. Know what I mean? I made Skillet Enchiladas the other night and happened to have leftover seasoning, which prompted this yummy chicken recipe! :)

This recipe is so easy and tastes so yummy, and the best part? It's really good for you!

What you need:

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp taco seasoning

1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced

1/4 cup onion, sliced

2 lettuce leaves (I used green leaf lettuce, but you can use any kind)

1 chicken breast, sliced against the grain

1 piece of provolone cheese, optional

Prepare:

Heat oil in pan on medium heat. Sprinkle 1/2 of the taco seasoning on the chicken and add to pan once the oil is hot. Cook chicken until just about done. Add mushrooms and onions, and cook for about 3-5 minutes. You don't want the mushrooms to get soggy looking. Sprinkle remaining taco seasoning over the contents of the pan, stir, and cook additional 2 minutes. Turn off heat, add cheese on top.

Wash lettuce leaves and dry. Add 1/2 of the chicken/veg to each lettuce leaf. And enjoy! 

Heisel Rules! {the Kitchen}

Henry is 5 Months!

Henry is 5 months old today! 

This lil guy is growing, growing, growing! Everyday I look at him and he's changing! Current height- 26.5 inches Weight-18 lbs.

It has been a very busy month for this little dude! He has done soo much! Here's his current resume-

Henry Marshall Heisel

Henry is very alert; he doesn't let much get by without checking it out. He is an active listener with strong interpersonal skills, (although he mostly prefers Momma). He is motivated and determined. :)

Skills & attributes:
Has a tooth! (his front left)
Rolled over both ways-back to belly first and most recently, belly to back!
Pulls his knees up while on his belly-he's gonna be crawling soon!
Can sit unassisted (mostly with arms to support) for a few minutes before he topples over.
Babbles and has said a new sound…mmm
Recognizes Daddy by voice (without seeing him first)
LOVES it when Daddy plays guitar.
Likes texture. He scratches his fingers and nails on everything.
Sleeps well thru the night. (only wakes a coupe times to eat)
Had his first bite of real food- baby whole wheat cereal and applesauce. He didn't care much for applesauce, but he seems to enjoy the wheat cereal.
Notices Bella (the dog) and even laughs when she barks.
Is attached to Mommam like really!
Spent his first night without Daddy. :(
His first outside play time!

We had gorgeous pre-Spring weather today (in the high 60's) so we took advantage by going outside to enjoy the much-needed sunshine! Once Henry warmed up to the brightness, he loved it!

serious baby

smart baby

friendly baby (with Sophie)

happy baby

first tooth!

This little boy is growing so quickly! I read Parents Magazine for the monthly development milestones, and he's always ahead, which I'm always so proud of! I'm so glad that he's healthy and growing, but I wish I knew how to bottle up these days and store them forever!

I have these moments of clarity throughout the day that remind me to take it all in- to stop, close my eyes, and breathe-to remember these fleeting moments, the small ones that get lost in the hustle and bustle of a "busy" day, and to intentionally think about the way I felt right then, right now. Like the way his chubby fingers touch things in discovery, how happy I get when I hear him laugh (I'm certain my heart will explode with love), how his smile in the morning brightens my entire day. I realize that one day I'll be replaced by a younger woman, one that I hope I can give as much love to as him. But for now, right this moment, he's all mine and I'll continue to enjoy him, even on those stressful days when nothing seems like enough.

I'll probably still yearn for these days when he's all grown up, when he depended solely on me, but I hope I can also be at peace knowing that I did all I could to take in each moment, to live for the present and not be a slave to the past. It makes my heart happy and ache at the same time, a feeling I'm not quite accustomed to. I suppose one day I'll get used to it-after the countless bumps and booboos that will undoubtedly hurt me more than him. Until then, I'll kiss and snuggle him as often as I can.

My Mom said to me today, "...little boys hold your heart forever", and I hope that's true because my heart was no longer mine the day he was born.

Five months have come and gone, and if it's even possible, I love him more everyday.

Heisel Rules! 

Simple Cream Cheese Apple Dip

Several years ago my family and I attended a baby shower where they served this glorious apple dip, along side granny smith apples. I admit that I had a little bit of apple with {a lot of} dip. We loved it SOO much that we asked the hostess for the recipe, to which she gave up much easier than I would've thought! ;) We've been making it ever since then, but I've adapted it a little bit...because I kept losing the original recipe…errr I mean, to taste. Let's not get caught up in the details, k? Just look how smooth and creamy it looks! ;)

Not only is this super yummy, but it's also super simple.

The goods:
1 pack cream cheese, softened (just leave it out for about an hour)
4 Tbsp brown sugar (add more or less to taste)
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
splash of lemon juice
tiny pinch of salt
apples, sliced

Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a bowl until well combined. You can mix with a blender if you'd like, but you can totally mix this by hand really easily, and NOT have to clean those dreaded beaters…with your tongue water! ;)

Serve in your favorite piece of Fiestaware with any apples you love. Tastes especially yummy with granny smiths, that sweet with a little sour of the apple. I only had Braeburn apples on hand and I can attest that it tastes amazing with them as well! It's so good that I dare you NOT to eat it in one sitting. :)

Enjoy!

Heisel Rules! (the Kitchen}

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

I've made this soup countless times before and had every intention of posting on the blog. Well, I suppose I got busy because it never happened. But today was particularly cold outside and soup seemed the right thing to make for dinner.

This soup is really creamy and yummy. Although not the healthiest, what with the bacon grease an all, but it's so good! You won't regret making this yummy goodness! The best part? It's a one pot meal!

Ingredients-
1 pack bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
4-5 medium potatoes, chopped
1 broccoli head (or 1 bag frozen), chopped
3 cups milk
3 cups water
5 tsp chicken bouillon
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
1/4 cups all purpose flour
3 cups cheddar cheese, shredded (set aside 1 cup for garnish)
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 package cream cheese

Directions-
Cut bacon into small pieces and cook in tall pot until crispy. Pull bacon out, leaving the "juices" in the pot. Add all veggies and simmer for 5 minutes to start to soften them. Add water and chicken bouillon. Bring to a boil. Add 2 cups milk, salt and pepper, and allow it to boil another few minutes (to soften the veg). In a separate container, combine flour and 1 cup milk until combined, then add to the pot to thicken. Stir well.

Allow the soup to come to a simmer again to get really hot. Reduce heat and add all cheeses. Note- the cream cheese takes a few minutes to combine and become creamy, but I promise, it will combine.

Garnish soup with cheese and crumbled bacon, green onions if you don't forget them at the grocery store like I did. :) And get some really good crusty bread to use for dipping.

Get creative and mix up the cheeses. I always add mozzarella and cream, but I've used pepperjack and colby jack in place of cheddar. I like to buy cheese in the blocks and shred it myself. I'm not a glutton for punishment, they just taste fresher. :)

Enjoy!

Heisel Rules! {the Kitchen}