Jaiden eats broccoli for the first time, laughs!

Tonight we tried giving Jaiden broccoli. He didn't like it very much and he got it all over his face, including his forehead! Just before I cleaned him up, I tried to make him laugh and he rewarded me with a really cute laugh. I happened to have the video camera handy so I captured the moment.

Update on snow and cake

It was actually raining last night! RAINING! We could hear the wind and rain pounding our house as we slept. I said "That's odd that it would be raining in January. I bet it snows." Sure enough, when I looked out the window, our cars, driveway, and the street in general are covered, deeper than it's been this year so far. Ugh, I really wish we had a snow blower.

After having made two cakes, I decide to make a smaller version of the cake (without frosting) to try to improve the taste. I decided that the foul taste I was detecting in the cake was not due to the whole wheat flour, but due to the olive oil (after tasting some plain olive oil by itself). So I replaced the olive oil with canola oil and remade the cake, using whole wheat flour, and half Splenda, half sugar. It actually tastes pretty good. In fact, Heather didn't even realize that I had used whole wheat flour!
So at this point, I would still like to eliminate as much of the sugar as possible so I thought as a possible compromise, I could replace half of the whole wheat flour with white flour, and add some Benefiber to offset the effects of the white flour. The problem is, I don't know how much fiber to add to make the white flour have as much fiber as whole wheat flour.

A healthier cake, and more snow

Last night, I tried an experiment to make a healthier cake. Instead of white flour, I used whole wheat flour. Instead of butter/margarine, I used olive oil. Instead of sugar, I used Splenda. Instead of eggs, I used egg whites.
The only area in which I "splurged" was using real powdered sugar for the frosting (mainly because I couldn't find a substitute for it).

How did it taste?
Like whole wheat pancakes, with a sugar-substitute after taste, and some chocolate.
It's not that good.
If I ever do this again, I will maybe mix the sugar-substitute with real sugar (as a compromise), and add some fiber to white flour (to approximate the same effect as using whole wheat flour). The olive oil and egg whites weren't a problem and I would definitely use them again.

This (Sunday) morning, it's snowing relentlessly AGAIN. Our street is completely covered with fluffy powder. I am not accustomed to the snow staying on the roads for this long. Shoveling the snow is becoming really tedious. I am becoming more and more in favor of a snow blower.

Christmas 2007, and Jaiden's first birthday

We had Christmas at my mom's house this year.

Jaiden is now one year old!

Jaiden has recently started doing this cute, curious thing where he puts his head and hands inside a white plastic box, and then stands up on his left foot, while raising his right foot in the air.

He only holds his foot up a brief amount of time, so it wasn't easy capturing this on camera.

Heather's wisdom teeth.. gone! Intense snow ensues!

Heather, Jaiden, and I went to an oral surgeon's office last Thursday and he drilled and/or extracted her two bottom wisdom teeth. She was "asleep" during the procedure (it's hard to really say that she was asleep since her eyes were open). She's been at home ever since and I took work off to look after her and take care of Jaiden. She is still feeling pain today and perhaps even a little sick. Poor Heather!
As I looked out the window, I noticed that it was a lot whiter than usual. It's snowing! Here's a picture I just barely took of our street. I don't think that I'll be traveling anywhere today unless this clears up soon.

Since Jaiden is looking so cute, I'll upload a picture I just took of him as well.

Jaiden's First Thanksgiving!

Jaiden had his first Thanksgiving.
In attendance at the feast were: Aunt Becky, my mom, my brothers, my sister, mommy, and myself.

Mommy making Jaiden laugh

Now it's mommy's turn to make the little guy giggle.