elefantitas alegres

36 weeks

2012-02-01T07:00:00.000-06:00

35w3d before Work Baby Shower

36 weeks

Marination Time 36 weeks yesterday. As of this week's appointment, we're pretty sure Quesita will in fact be a February Baby {just like her mama, dad, great-grandmother, and 3 of her great-aunts!}... Which means, as of today, she will be born this month. Nuts-on-a-stick, y'all.

Maternity Clothes: For work, I'm down to a pair of pants and a maxi skirt from Old Navy and dresses with leggings. On the weekends, it's all about my Old Navy skinnies, leggings {my favorite are Ingrid & Isabel}, and yoga pants. I only purchased two "special event" dresses for this pregnancy and both still work...but the Blue or Red {ASOS Maternity, but no longer for sale}, Blue or Red, Blue or Red decisions are getting a bit tiresome.

I had a few questions about the outfits in the photos above. The printed dress is actually a Milly trapeze dress I've owned for 3 or so years. It is not maternity... basically just a knit sack sans belt. The floral belt was one of my first ever Etsy purchases and is made by Heart of Light. The black maxi "dress" in the second photo is actually the Old Navy maxi skirt paired with a black maternity tank and one of my beloved Heritage cardigan.

Fruit of the Week / Size: TB still says Honeydew, and BC says Crenshaw Melon. Not sure if I've ever tasted or seen a Crenshaw Melon. Huh. Our growth scan this week showed a huge jump in weight... from 5 lbs to 6 lbs 12 oz. In the exact words of my OB... "bullshit." She guesses Baby Girl is currently weighing in somewhere closer to 6 lbs even.

Movement: This is graphic but... it literally feels as if her feet are jiving inside my hoo-ha. I seriously expect to go to the bathroom and find a wee foot poking out. Beautiful imagery, I know. But, sure enough, during my first internal exam yesterday, my OB felt her feet springboarding off my cervix.

Cravings: Same, same, same... ice cream, grapefruit, ice water.

Annoyances: Those stiff joints from last week? Pregnancy-induced carpal tunnel. Awesome. I've noticed the swelling in my feet at the end of the day is uneven - with my left side much larger than my right. Twitter was 100% correct... it's just due to how she's positioned. Lastly... for the past few days, I've felt as though I threw out my back. I've racked my brain for potential causes, and the only thing I can come up with is the hour of filing I did last Friday. Yes. I said FILING. I guess that's another lesson learned... failing to properly push paper for a month is hazardous to one's health.

Belly Button Watch: IN.

Highlights of the Week: The shower thrown for LJH by my sweet coworkers {there was ICE CREAM CAKE... I love those peeps}. Kicking off E's birthday week celebration with a family dinner at Perry's.

Medical Updates: We officially have Full Footling Breech baby on our hands. As my OB said "she is really mucking up my vaginal delivery rate!" To which I replied... "she's mucking up my vaginal delivery rate, too!" All kidding aside, we're not surprised in the least to find ourselves in this place at 36 weeks, but it was super surreal to actually schedule her birthday yesterday. If she insists on being stubborn right to the bitter end, she shall be born on Tuesday, February 21st. I have to admit, I'm a bit enamored with the date... Fat Tuesday + New Moon + Odd Number {Gran Jan loves odd numbers} + "Tuesday's child is full of grace." I also admit I'm hoping that, by proclaiming my love of the 21st, Bebe Girl will decide to show me a thing or two about spunk and flip right on around at the last minute. Time will tell! And, until then, I shall embrace my Inner Dallasite and book my mani-pedi and blowout. I may not have my perfect Ina May Gaskin Experiencebut DAMNIT, my hair will look AMAZING.

Growth scans and NSTs continue to go very well. Our perinatologist is no longer concerned with growth restriction! Three cheers for that! As I mentioned above, she was actually measuring HUGE yesterday {compared to her past measurements, that is} at 6 lbs 12 oz - 71st percentile. I think we'll go with my OB's more conservative measurement of 6 lbs flat though - especially considering that my belly didn't grow at all in the past 2 weeks {measuring 34 weeks instead of 36}. The important thing is that she is definitely a getting bigger and continues to do impressive, mini-prodigy-esque things like practice her breathing and grow hair {HAIR!}.

First internal exam showed zero dilation with some effacement. Almost impossible to put an exact % on the effacement because Cheesette's feet were pressing back again my OB's hand. The "lack of progress" didn't surprise me in the slightest as I've had no contractions {Braxton Hicks or the real deal}, cramping, or other pre-labor signals. I was hoping to decline the rest of the internal exams, but my OB needs to know if there is any natural progression in order to continuously evaluate the delivery date. My prediction is I'll stay zipped up tight until Feb 21 or - if she flips - until after my due date. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the idea of an actual February Baby... I really didn't think this nugget would be born until March!

Photo-a-Day: January*

2012-01-31T07:00:00.000-06:00

On a whim, I decided to join in on the Photo-a-Day Challenge.

Sure, it's mostly crappy iPhone photos semi-disguised with funky filters, but it's been a fun, easy way to memorialize life's mini-moments.

For this month's installment, I followed the photo prompts seen plastered all over Instagram. We shall see if this trend continues for the next 11 months or if I blaze my own trail.

I know. I can feel you all on the edge of your seats.

Anyhoo...

1: You... Making scones.

2: Breakfast

3: Something You Adore

4: Letterbox... Not a fan of our teensy communal mailboxes.

5: Something You Wore... Sherpa Slippers & a Sleepy Terrier

6: Makes You Smile... Usually not a big Sharer of the Uterus Photos,

but I'm rather fond of those chubby cheeks!

7: Favorite

8: Your Sky... A Gray Day in Dallas

9: Daily Routine... Post-Work / Pre-Supper Relaxation

10: Childhood

11: Where You Sleep... New Bed Love!
You'll be happy to learn it now boasts appropriately-sized pillows.

12: Close-Up... Winter Pears

13: In Your Bag... Nope. I do not travel with a fifth of Crown Royal. That would be my camera!

14: Something(s) You're Reading

15: Happiness... Austin Eats & Austin, in general

16: Morning

17: Water... Santorini

18: Something You Bought... Bliss Fix!

19: Sweet... Flavor of the Week

20: Someone You Love... x2

21: Reflection... an iPhone Oldie / Goodie = Mirror Self-Portrait + CatPaint

22: Your Shoes... None of my cute ones fit, but HOORAY for a pedicure!

23: Something Old... Vintage Dairy Glass

24: Guilty Pleasure... Fancypants Skincare. Bonus Points for Oodles of Samples.

25: Something You Made... Grapefruit Pound Cake

26: Color

27: Lunch... OOTD for Lunchtime Work Shower

28: Light... View from 3:24 AM Insomnia

29: Inside Your Fridge

30: Nature... Thai Orchids

31: You, Again... 36 weeks

*Oh, HEY, 1000th Post! Probably should have planned something slightly more exciting...

Menu Sunday

2012-01-29T18:51:00.002-06:00

The lineup from last week...

Hamburger Stroganoff

courtesy of Cooking Light

While I grew up eating pretty "wholly" {before such a thing was... "a thing"}, there are two straight-from-the-box foodstuffs that immediately remind me of childhood... Velveeta Shells & Cheese and Hamburger Helper Creamy Stroganoff. Mmmmmm, processed delciousness. Here we have Cooking Light's Adult Hamburger Helper... pretty good and super easy! Modifications: I only used half a cup of sour cream and I axed the mushrooms. Served with steamed broccoli... just like Jan used to do it!

Beef & Barley Stew

courtesy of How Sweet It Is

The perfect meal for a very rainy evening! Super easy to throw together... just make sure you have 2-3 hours to let it simmer! Modifications: I used halved pee wee potatoes instead of dicing up russets. I only simmered for a little over 2 hours {adding the tomatoes after an hour and a half}, and the meat was ridiculously tender - definitely didn't need the 3rd hour! I also didn't add the water... I like my soups and stews a bit thicker.

Crockpot Parmesan Chicken w/ Orzo & Roasted Brussels

chicken & orzo courtesy of How Sweet It Is

roasted brussels recipe here

I think this has the potential to be a good crockpot meal... but I overdid it on the cook time. The recipe says 6-8 hours on low, and, fearing coming home to still-pink chicken breasts, I cranked the dial all the way to 8. Learn from my dry meat and err on the low end. I also think mixing the veggies in as the recipe states is a better way to go about things than my on-the-side presentation. Oh well. Que sera, sera.

Whole Wheat Sour Cream Banana Nut Muffin

adapted from Martha Stewart

I made these to freeze for easy snacks / breakfast when Quesita makes her big debut... but of course we had to taste-test! Pretty delicious! Modifications: I used whole wheat flour, light sour cream, and walnuts. And, obvs, I made muffins instead of bread... and thus modified the cook time to about 26 minutes after consulting Twitter.

PPT: V-Day Letterpress

2012-01-26T07:00:00.000-06:00

Just about three weeks until Everyone's Favorite Hallmark Holiday, y'all!

Which, ~~AHEM~~, means just about three weeks until Everyone's Favorite Birthday.

Well. My Favorite Birthday, at any rate.

Semi-Related Tangent: When I went off to college, someone bestowed upon me this little tidbit... There is an age at which one should stop expecting others to make a huge deal over their birthday. And that age? Is 11.

In which case, we're considering this year my eighteenth 11th birthday.

Hmmmmmm.

ANYHOO.

VALENTINE'S LETTERPRESS, shall we?

Fancy Seeing You Here

Pink Orchid Press

Have you procured your lovey-dovey paper products yet?

I believe...

2012-01-25T07:00:00.000-06:00

{*a sliiiightly less introspective version}

... in expensive knives and $2.99 HomeGoods spatulas.

... in splurging on skincare, bags, and shoes.

...in Target sports bras, costume jewelry, and Old Navy pajama pants {preferably of the obnoxious seasonal print variety}.

... in name brand trash bags, toilet paper, and plastic wrap.

... in generic paper towels, vitamins, tampons, and tin foil.

Source: boards.4chan.org via Zane on Pinterest

... in the Oxford comma.

... that Rachael Ray is absolutely worthless save for One, Lucky Stroke of Genius: The Garbage Bowl.

... that anyone who actually buys an Official Rachael Ray Garbage Bowlinstead of using the $2 mixing bowl already in their cupboard is a bigger imbecile than Rachael Ray herself.

... in high threadcounts.

... in Amazon Prime.

... in children's birthday parties consisting simply of a park, a pizza, and an unattractive homemade cake.

... that unattractive homemade cakes are usually the tastiest.

... that some folks abuse the power of the crockpot.

... in Bruce Springsteen with the windows rolled down.

... in spending a little more for food that's not only better for us but better for the world as a whole.

... that Velveeta is beneath no {wo}man.

What do you believe?

Flood 3.0

2012-01-24T07:00:00.000-06:00

Y'all.

We need some burning sage and an exorcist in here, stat.

Yep. If you're keeping count at home, this would be our third bout of toilet troubles in seven months. Thank the Baby Cheeses {not to be confused with the Baby Cheesette}, neither of the past two have "lived up" to The Granddaddy of Them All, but they've been highly obnoxious to say the least. After F2.0, I honestly thought I'd solved the vast majority of future bathroom conundrums with my Online Degree in DIY Home Plumbing {grazi, WikiHow!}, but I'm a thinkin' I got a weeeee bit too cocky with the Banking Soda / Vinegar Bomb this go 'round.

In an attempt to make lemonade from toilet water sludge {on second though... ew}, I'll just be thankful we pushed for new tile instead of straight-up replacement of the half-bath's old wood floor during the "remodel." Smart cookies, we be.

Be back manana after the spin cycle replenishes our linen supply.

35 weeks

2012-01-23T08:00:00.000-06:00

...amidst shoes that no longer fit my piggie feet

Marination Time: 35 weeks tomorrow.* That means we're at the 35/35 landmark... 35 weeks down & 35 days until our EDD of Feb 28th!

*Posting this a teensy bit early in place of my "How I Became a Crazy Hippie Natural Birthing Wannabe" post, which still requires a bit of tweaking {and perhaps a smidge of bravery} before publishing manana.

Maternity Clothes: Per strict spousal instruction, I took advantage of a GAP / Old Navy 30% off sale last week and ordered three new items {here, here, and here} to keep my fashion morale afloat during these last few weeks. I'm loving all three purchases, but the maxi skirt in particular is rocking my socks off. I think it'll be a great post-partum transition piece as well. GAP Body was also kind enough to send me some late term maternity staples {Tank, Long-Sleeve T, and a super soft hoodie I can't find on the website} along with some awesome looking non-maternity workout pants... Is it weird that I'm really looking forward to getting back into shape after this little one comes?

**As most of y'all know, I am lucky enough to be a GAP Brand Enthusiast and do receive freebies from time to time. I am never asked to blog about these items and only choose to do so when I really love the product... which, quite honestly, is 95% of the time!

Fruit of the Week / Size: TB and BC are on the exact same page this week... Honeydew!

Movement: Lots of rolling movements that sweep all the way across my belly like she's scraping my insides... Super strange feeling! I keep hoping I'm feeling a flip-over, but, alas, I can still feel her head lodged snugly up under my rib cage... it must be her arms, Doin' the Freddie.

Cravings: Grapefruit and icecream are still big contenders. Roasted corn crema from Urban Taco. And ice water. So much ice water.

Annoyances: Super stiff hands and feet when I get up in the morning. Is it possible to have pregnancy-induced arthritis? Swollen feet at the end of the day. They were puffy enough to warrant a bit of concern on Friday, but my blood pressure remains in the low range of healthy, so I guess marshmallow feet are just all part of the fun at this point!

Belly Button Watch: Innnnnnn-nie!

Highlights of the Week: During natural birthing class number three in our series of five this Thursday we took the grand tour of the L&D wing of the hospital. In general, I like knowing exactly where to go and what to expect when faced with new experiences, so I felt a little lighter and a little more prepared after getting the lay of the land. It's worth mentioning that I really, really enjoy our birthing classes overall, and I nerdily look forward to them every week. E will tell you this is because class usually involves some sort of massage exercise benefitting the mamas. And I will tell you that E likes going because there are snacks. And we're, ummm, both learning a lot too. And stuff.

We also had another great relaxing weekend running errands, washing more itsy-bitsy socks and cloth diapers, cleaning, and rewatching Moneyball and Midnight in Paris. Well, I say it was relaxing but I must have overdone it with the nesting on Saturday as it took me a while to be able to walk normally on Sunday morning - I felt almost as sore and stiff as I did after Day 2 of the 3 Day. Which feels pretty pathetic, but what can you do. On Saturday night, we hosted E's parents for supper and a nursery viewing. We haven't had many guests Post-Flood 2011, and it was fun to entertain.

Speaking of the Nursery... I am happy to report that the nursery is basically finished and ready for it's close-up once our curtains arrive! I've probably mentioned this but our glider{ours is gray with white piping} is currently residing downstairs in the office so as to be available for easy late-night feedings when Quesita is super-wee and sleeping with us. While this makes complete practical sense, I am severely bugged I cannot take pictures of the glider-included nursery for several months. I am still attempting to convince E to haul it up the stairs for a proper photo shoot and then haul it back down. For some reason, he doesn't find "a cohesive design aesthetic" to be a compelling reason for all that manpower. LAME.

Medical Updates: After our great appointment with our peri last Tuesday, I saw my regular OB on Wednesday. I was excited for her to see LJH's growth progress and to also discuss different methods of flipping a breech baby. I was a little surprised she did not seem all that jazzed about the growth scan... until she measured my actual belly and remarked "woah, baby really did grow a ton!" Apparently she's skeptical of scans showing large jumps in growth restricted babies until she also sees physical proof... which she received in the form of a 4 cm belly stretch over a period of 2 weeks! More fabulous progress!

As to the flipping methods, she is not willing to perform version on the Cheesette due to the state of her umbilical cord. Forcing the baby to move at this point could be dangerous to the blood vessels exposed by the VCI. As you can imagine, we are a-okay with this decision - the last thing we want is a ruptured cord! She also echoed a really compelling thought my dad voiced the night before... being that nature has a pretty miraculous way of correcting its own problems and that perhaps the breech position is just a better position for Bebe Girl at this point. She's been head-down for our entire slew of scans up until 32 weeks and her growth steadily declined during that time. Now, all of a sudden, she's breech and growing! Perhaps she's somehow able to receive more nutrients in this position. Or, it could also be that facing head-down with her legs kicking up towards the cord and placenta could aggravate those exposed vessels now that she's larger in size, so she's playing it safe by staying right-side-up. Or it could be totally random and she'll flip on her own, naturally, today... tomorrow... 3 weeks from now. It's all a mystery! But the "everything happens for a reason" stance is pretty cool to think about!

On that same note, if she's still breech next week, we'll schedule a c-section for around 39 weeks {with continued monitoring for growth, etc. and the understanding that if all goes well in that department and if she flips between 36 weeks and her eviction date, we'll revert back to the original plan}. I think I'm doing a decent job of being Zen about this one {E might disagree}. In all honestly, I'm really trying to let go of all expectations for this birth... It feels like every possible roadblock to a low-intervention delivery has cropped up somewhere along the way, only to drop out of the picture later on... or at least go back to waiting in the wings. Which means I could end up laboring the way I've wanted to all along. Or I could end up with a medically necessary induction or c-section. Who the hell knows. All we want is to meet our healthy, happy baby!

But, I would like to say... I GET IT, UNIVERSE. I AM NOT IN CONTROL. LESSON LEARNED. WE CAN STOP WITH THE "SURPRISES" NOW.

See? TOTALLY ZEN.

Menu Sunday

2012-01-22T10:23:00.000-06:00

Another week, another menu...

Italian Beef with Cheesy Polenta

courtesy of Cooking Light

New recipe I've had dog-eared from the November CL issue... Big, big hit! Sometimes E is weird about things like grits and polenta but he gave this two enthusiastic thumbs up {fine holiday fun!}. Modifications: Not many... didn't have any oregano {odd} so I used dried basil in the polenta. And I didn't add the chopped onions since my sauce {Ma's Angry Sauce} had plenty of flavor.

Brussels Sprout Slaw w/ Avocado, Grapes, & Mustard Vinaigrette

a la {le} Internet Cooking Princess

Out of this world. Seriously knocked our socks off. Not sure what else I can say... E is currently scarfing the leftovers straight out of the Tupperware... they only lasted an hour after their initial debut at supper. Modifications: I used a raspberry dijon mustard instead of plain dijon and did not add vanilla. Served with rotisserie chicken. Update: This was such a hit, I made it again for dinner with my in-laws.

Jan's Nine Bean Soup

Aside form being a Phallic Cookie Baking Extraordinaire, Jan makes a mean Nine Bean Soup! I'm not sure if I've posted this before but it'sso easy and just gets better as it "ages" {= delicious leftovers and great for freezing}.

Ingredients

- 2 c. bean mix

- 1 onion, chopped

- 1 can of Rotel {or 1 can of chopped tomatoes + 4oz can of green chiles}

- 6 c. water

- 1 beef bouillon cube {you could also use beef stock instead of water}

- 1 ham bone or 3/4lb of sausage {I used smoked venison sausage this go-round}

- salt & pepper to taste

Pick through beans, then allow them to soak overnight or for 8 hours. Drain.

If you are using sausage... Brown / saute sausage and onion together in a large stock pot or dutch oven. Add remaining ingredients and bean mix, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1.5 - 2 hours.

If you are using a hambone... Bring all ingredients to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1.5 - 2 hours. Remove bone before serving, pulling excess bits of ham from bone and stirring back into the soup.

Serves about 6. Goes great with cornbread.

Orecchiette with Spicy Chicken Sausage & Broccoli Rabe

adapted from Giada's Everyday Italian

This was just "meh." I liked it reheated the next day better than I did freshly made, but there are so many other amazing pasta dishes out there, why waste any time with one that's just so-so? Modifications: I used spicy chicken sausage... Admittedly, this could be why the dish didn't turn out as yummy as I'd hoped. I also added peas.

Lazy Paella: Rotisserie Chicken with Lemon Saffron Rice

adapted from Cooking Light

Any recipe that allows me to whip out my teensy "drug-dealing" bag of saffron is usually a-okay in my book! {Seriously, don't y'all feel like black market apothecaries when you pull out that little black satchel?} This was the perfect dish for leftover chicken - super quick for a weekday! Modifications: Obvs, I used rotisserie chicken rather than shrimp. Everything else stayed the same.

Grapefruit Pound Cake

courtesy of Cooking Light

Given my current obsession with grapefruit and the rave reviews this recipe has already racked up, I had a feeling this would be a Grade A Winner. I made this for dinner with the in-laws and everyone agreed it was a homerun - super moist, great flavor {but not overpoweringly grapefruity}. This would be easily adaptable for any other flavor of pound cake, too! Modifications: I used full fat cream cheese. Duh.

friday funny

2012-01-20T08:00:00.000-06:00

I fell down a Shit _____ Say Rabbit Hole last night, and came out alive... with this gem in tow.

Shoutout to my favorite place in the world... we'll be back... one day!

PPT: Lulie Wallace

2012-01-19T08:00:00.000-06:00

Today, it's more like P{Art}T.

100% ganked from one of my favorite virtual eye-candy spots, these Lulie Wallace acrylics made an instantaneous jump to the tippity-top of my "If I Had An Art Budget" List.

Source: youaremyfave.com via Kate on Pinterest

Source: luliewallace.bigcartel.com via Kate on Pinterest

Source: youaremyfave.com via Kate on Pinterest

Source: luliewallace.bigcartel.com via Kate on Pinterest

Source: youaremyfave.com via Kate on Pinterest

There's even one entitled Bouquet for Kate...

Source: luliewallace.bigcartel.com via Kate on Pinterest

Coincidence? I think not.

34 weeks

2012-01-17T12:00:00.000-06:00

Marination Time: 34 weeks today.

Maternity Clothes: I have reached the point where I despise all of my maternity clothes. And I flat-out refuse to purchase anything else. Thus, my closet and I are at an impasse. This makes getting dressed in the morning SUPER FUN. ETA: Apparently E is tired of the SUPER FUNNESS that is getting dressed with me in the morning and I've been ordered to purchase something pretty for myself. Love that man.

Fruit of the Week / Size: Either way you slice it, Quesita is the size of a big ol' melon! {Honeydew on TB / Cantaloupe on BC}. AND... drumroll... our growth ultrasound today showed the not-so-wee-one weighing in at 5 pounds! This is HUGE for us, as it means she jumped from 26% on the growth chart to 39%! Ridiculously proud of our little piglet this week!

Movement: We've felt hiccups three more times - I love them. I could do without the bladder tap dancing, although, really, I just like knowing she's grooving in there.

Cravings: Grapefruit; ice cream; aged sharp white cheddar on toast.... Really, I'm just starving in general lately. So glad to know it's all been for a good cause after our growth scan!

Annoyances: The aforementioned Tired-Ass Maternity Clothes. Still with the RLP. And my fingers, feet and ankles are definitely swollen at the end of the day... although not swollen enough to warrant peanut gallery commentary.

Belly Button Watch: Innie, what-what!

Highlights of the Week: Such a good week, for the most part! I had a blast celebrating the last single months of RJB which, relatedly, involved a little mother-daughter bonding moment before festivities began...

This weekend marked the last time I'll see one of my best friends and my parents until LJH makes her arrival... That was a big WOAH Moment for me, getting as close as we are.

We also enjoyed some Golden Globes action on Sunday... always a fun time, even though I was feeling under the weather and refrained from my usual Twitter commentary {major sad panda}. MLK Day brought welcome extra hours for recovery and some final nursery touches... The room is just about ready for reveal!

Medical Updates: In addition to the awesome growth scan this morning, LJH is looking good in all other areas as well... save for the fact that Sister is still breech. It's Spinning Babies for us, starting tonight. The new growth development also has us cautiously optimistic that, while induction for medical necessity is still possible, it may no longer be probable. Keep on sucking up that Blue Bell and citrus, little one!

KEEP: Circled. Underlined. Exclamation Point.

2012-01-12T07:00:00.000-06:00

I lived in the same apartment throughout law school.

Yes, I had to sign about seventeen lead-based paint disclosures before moving in, and it was all low-ceilings and bad lighting, and I'm pretty sure the "car mechanic" across the street was running a meth lab, but it was home.

Plus, it had really big closets and was 4 blocks from the Dairy Queen.

Anyhoover, three years in one space is a long time after yearly switcharoos in college. And without a move every nine months or so forcing me to clean out, I managed to amass an impressive amount of crap. {Big closets, remember?} An impressive amount of crap that became one gigantic thorn in my side when I learned that, due to a management mix-up regarding exit dates, I'd have to be 100% moved out of my humble abode by the last day of the Bar Exam.

For the average bar taker {re: graduated in May / takes bar in July}, this would have been an annoying inconvenience, what with the break in the regimented BarBri two month study plan and all.

For the masochist Baylor bar taker {re: those who designate summer quarter as their last quarter of school} {re: those who are still in class and studying for final exams 10 days prior to the Bar} {re: those who don't even officially graduate until after the Bar is complete} {re: OMG WHY DOES ANYONE EVER THINK THIS IS A GOOD PLAN}, this was...

...uh...

A Slightly Bigger Deal.

Taking away one or more of those 10 days would have meant Mortal Death. Hell, stopping to sleep for four hours was, at that point, just a Generally Poor Decision.

Enter: Jan.

My sweet mom volunteered to pack up - and clean - my apartment.

Yep. I know. I have it good.

Every night, I'd stagger home from the library to find more and more of my things carefully packed away. Piles of crap for me to sort also greeted me, labeled with Post-Its reading "Keep, Donate or Trash?" I'd circle the appropriate response, and Jan would whisk it away to its proper destination.

On my final night in the old digs, had you been a fly on my lead-painted walls, it would've appeared I had only a sleeping bag, pillow and alarm clock to my name.

Well... those items and...

{DRAMATIC REENACTMENT}

Thank gawd for mamas who run your shit without judgment.

4 years after Jan helped me survive that move...

... I am thrilled to celebrate the woman who helped me survive law school itself... replete with the trusty baking accessories that survived law school themselves.

Happy Bachelorette Weekend, RJB!

{and I love you, Mom!}

Baby Crap For Which We Registered*

2012-01-10T07:00:00.000-06:00

*grammar bonus point

Ahhhh yes. Here is the post wherein I tell you all about the many, many pieces of primary-colored plastic that are currently overtaking our house. Your job is to pretend to give two shits and/or overlook the fact that, presently, I have no actual baby and, therefore, little street-cred when it comes to baby gear reviews.

Kidding.

Kind of.

For the reals though, this post is going live now for a few reasons:

Reason the First: I was clueless as to what we should add to our registry and found other mamas' posts on the matter to be extremely helpful... if only for the "how many of X should I scan?" factor and not for the "must scan this particular brand / color" factor.

Reason the Second: Registering for a bebe is not like registering for a wedding. Wedgwood doesn't malfunction and accidentally rip your arm off {let's hope}. And when you select your whisks and cheese knives and bed linens, you know they are things you are going to enjoy, because... duh... you picked them out for yourselves. Now you are selecting items for a helpless, opinionated mini-person you haven't even had the pleasure of meeting. And because I'm decently terrified of killing / maiming / boring to death my own helpless, opinionated mini-person, I did a whole lotta research on said items. Point being... it's possible my particular child won't be a fan of everything on this list, but you can rest assured the things I've listed are (a) safe and (b) well-loved by a trusted someone's kiddo out there.**

Reason the Third: This way, we can all come back in five months and laugh at how naive I was. That's always a hoot.

Before I dive right in, it's worth mentioning that we registered with the following things in mind... (a) We only had one shower, so we chose to focus mostly on the itsy-bitsy baby essentials, and, because of the generosity of our family and friends, Baby Girl is pretty much set for her first 6 months and beyond. There will be other "necessities" {a convertible carseat, toys, and eating accouterments come to mind} as she grows, but we'll take care of those on an as-need basis. If you plan on having several showers or you have an uber-large family, it's probably worth adding some of those "older baby" items to your registry. (b) Folks love to give clothes, books, and blankets, so we left those suckers off our registry. (c) There seem to be lots of items that peeps shy away from when selecting a gift... I knew well and good that cloth diapers and breast feeding accessories were not going to be hot picks, but scanned 'em on in anyway since I can now use my registry completion coupons to buy them myself at a discount.

Enough chatter...

The Big 'Uns

Bumbleride Indie Stroller in Fog {All-Terrain / Jogging Stroller}
After considering several stroller options, we settled on this sexy beast for our jogging / all-terrain / everyday / BE MY EVERYTHING stroller. Several reasons it beat out Bob & Co... (a) It's lighter than both the Bob and City Jogger. Yes, it has a lower weight capacity {45 vs. 70 lbs}, but I'm pretty our stroller needs will cease before Quesita reaches 70 lbs... what is that anyhow, like the 3rd grade? (b) Super, super easy to maneuver and fold-down with one hand... jogs just as smoothly as other popular joggers. (c) Car seat adapter comes included with the stroller at no additional cost. (d) Super duper cute. Big Thanks to Emily for answering my trillion emails regarding this purchase!

Baby Trend Single Snap N' Go Stroller
This seems to be the Number 1 Snap-n-Go Pick for padres with our infant car seat. Raves include: dual cup holders and large storage basket.

Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Car Seat {Ours is the "Fuego" color - oo la la}
I debated long and hard between the Peg Perego, Britax Chaperone, Graco Snugride, and this guy. All received top safety ratings, so this decision came down to price, weight, size, and good looks. The Peg and the Britax are definitely "prettier" carseats {yep, this is what my life has become...}, but those mo'fos are heavy {and pricier}. After some consideration, I decided I'd rather have feeling in my arms than the Louis Vuitton of carseats. Plus, the Britax is rather long and wasn't easy to move in and out of the backseat of my Camry unless the passenger seat was pushed all the way forward. That left the Graco and the Chicco, and, to be honest, I liked the color combos offered by Chicco better.

Chicco Lullaby LX Playard{Color: "Luxor" aka: Orange}
There seem to be lots of great Pack-n-Plays {remember when we could call them playpens?} out there... I feel like everyone loves theirs. We selected this one because it included a removable changing station and a bassinet attachment - both of which will be essential since Baby Girl will sleep here for a good while. This model is also unoffensive to the eyeballs and smells like Texas Team Spirit {guess who got to pick the color?}. It is worth noting that my mom purchased a great, basic Graco PnP to keep in Austin at Costco for a mere fifty bones... the perfect option if you're in the market for a good product sans bells & whistles.

Motorola Digital Video Baby Monitor w/ 3.5 Inch Color LCD Screen
So, this is the one purchase we didn't research all that much. E thought it "looked really cool" and our good friends had it on their registry... so we played copycat. Still might exchange it for the very well reviewed Summer Infant Baby Touch Digital Color Video Monitor.

Kiddo Containment Devices

Fisher-Price My Little Snugabunny Cradle 'n Swing
I've been assured this swing is Baby Crack by more friends than I can count.

Fisher-Price My Little Lamb Deluxe Infant Seat

Same as above goes for this guy. This is one item we haven't received / purchased and are holding off on until the Cheesette arrives... the hope being she'll be so enamored with the Huge Ass Swing that we won't require another soothing gadget. One can dream, yes?

Bumbo Baby Sitter Chair with Play Tray

Every mother is required by law to purchase this just so internet strangers and annoying Facebook "friends" can warn against the perils of its misuse the first time she snaps and shares a photo of the baby enjoying her new-found upright status.

Ergo Baby Performance Carrierwith Infant Insert
My child will likely hate this with a mad passion, just because I spent more time than reasonably necessary reading baby carrier reviews and carefully selecting the Ergo for it's ergonomics {obvs}, versatility, and environmental responsibility {how snooty did that just sound?}. Whatevs.

Wrap-Style Carrier
I'm sure we'll also purchase a Moby Wrap or K'tan or something else that requires several YouTube videos and an entire bottle of wine to master, but we'll cross that spandexy bridge when we get there.

Balboa Baby Shopping Cart Cover{"Geo Black"}
Another item that we haven't received or purchased, but in which we will likely invest once the kiddo is old enough to sit sans carseat in grocery carts and restaurant high chairs.

Feed Me, Seymour

Dr. Brown's BPA Free Polypropylene Natural Flow Newborn Feeding Set
Born Free Twin Pack Wide Neck Bottles
Both of these are highly recommended generally and specifically for breastfeeders. I only registered for one of each {6 bottles total} so we could see what she prefers before stocking up.

Breast Pump
Still deciding. Shall report back.

Lansinoh Breastmilk Storage Bags){25 Count Boxes, Pack of 3... x3}
Medela Quick Clean Micro-Steam Bags {5 bags per box, 20 uses per bag... x2}
Self-explanatory, yes?

Simple Wishes Hands-Free Breastpump Bra
I essentially wanted this so I could recreate the not-awkward-in-the-least stock photo for my personal collection. And so I could blog and pump simultaneously. Wipe that mental picture from your mind immediately, please.

Boppy Bare Naked Pillow
My Brest Friend Pillow
Yep. Two breastfeeding pillows. All Hail the Queen of Excess. Actually, several friends suggested registering for both... Most prefer the Brest Friend {WORST NAME EVER} for actual breastfeeding, but find the Boppy useful for travel {more compact} and as yet another Place to Set Your Kid. A few have also mentioned that it's nice to have two pillows - one for upstairs and one for down - if your nursery and main living areas are on different floors.

Boon Grass Countertop Drying Rack

OXO Tot Bottle Brush w/ Nipple Cleaner & Stand
Necessary. Functional. Cute enough to be left out on my countertop.

OXO Tot Sprout Chair{in Green / Walnut}
Why do most high chairs come swathed in fabric? Even to a novice, this seems idiotic. The Sprout is 100% wipeable / hoseable / Windex-able. Bonus Points for its modern design. Extra Bonus Points for being Christina Applegate's high chair of choice on Up All Night.

Baby Bjourn Soft Bib{x3}
Just like the high chair... no fabric to deal with here.

Baby-Led Weaning
Oh yeah. Another hippie parenting choice to defend. Bring it.

Beaba Multiportion Freezer Tray{Various Colors, x3}
More items on which we're holding off until she's actually eating whole foods, but I hear these are stellar for freezing.

OsoCozy 6 Pack Prefolds Unbleached Cloth Diapers
All my Mamas-in-the-Know love using old school CDs as burp clothes. Absorbent... no embellishments to fret over when washing... sounds good to me!

Aden + Anais Muslin Burpy Bib{Various Designs, x3}
Burp clothes, then bibs... I love a multi-tasker.

Rub-a-dub-dub

Prince Lionheart washPOD Bathe
Yes, I bought a fancy bucket in which to bathe my baby. Hush your face, it's supposed to be womb-like and its European. I realize this will either be a gigantic success or a massively hysterical failure.

SwaddleDesigns Terry Velour Hoodie Towel{x2}

SwaddleDesigns Terry Velour Baby Washcloth Set{Set of 2}

Various California Baby Products & Aveeno Baby Products

Skip Hop Moby Bath Spout Cover

More self-explanatory items, yes?

Goodnight, Moon

Summer Infant Basic Comfort Ultimate Crib Sheet{x2}
I think these are genius. Not only are they a waterproof mattress cover, mattress pad, and crib sheet all in one product, but they only cover the very top of the mattress... allowing your decorative bedding to peak through the crib slats as depicted above. That way, you only need one "pretty sheet," and you're triply-protected from nighttime leakage. Fancypants, right?

Summer Infant 2 Pack Swaddleme{x2 - one microfleece, one organic cotton; fits 7-14lbs}

The Miracle Blanket Swaddler{fits newborn to 14 weeks}

HALO SleepSack 100% Cotton Wearable Blanket{Medium fits 16-24lbs}
Oh the swaddlers... another category that overwhelmed me with options and opinions... which basically means another slew of products that the baby is either going to love or hate. These three varities seemed to be the most popular picks, but I've only unwrapped and washed one set of the Swaddlemes. We'll see how those pan out before committing to / testing the others.

Aden + Anais 100% Cotton Muslin Swaddle Blankets{4 Pack, Various Designs, x2}
The It Baby Item of the Moment... everyone loves these. I see mama friends use them for swaddling, stroller blankets, tummy time, impromptu burp clothes, nursing covers, etc.

iHome iH15 LED Color-Changing Speaker System for iPod
E already has LJH set up with her own iPod and playlist. Sister is going to be well-versed in the joys of Van, Pearl Jam, James Taylor, Texas Country, Mumford, and many more of our favorites. Not only will this coolbeans speaker cube be used for jamming out, but also for chilling out with soothing colors and several white noise tracks. {Clarification: the cube provides the fun colors but the white noise tracks are actually downloaded onto the iPod.}

Crane Adorable 2.1 Gallon Cool Mist Humidifier{ours is an elephant... duh}
Adorable is right. I've heard some complaints that these are finicky, but I think most cool mist humidifiers {which are recommended for babies as opposed to warm misters} require some fiddling. We shall see.

Diaper Duty

bumGenius One-Size Cloth Diaper 4.0 w/ Snaps{x14; various colors}
Charlie Banana® 2-in-1 Reusable Diapers{x3; various colors}
Fuzzibunz One Size Diaper{x3; various colors}
My Cloth Diapering Game Plan is likely the subject for another post, but here's the gist... We're going with the one-size pocket style and think the bumGeniuses will probably be our favorite brand {based on conversations with other CD moms and the mere fact that they are just way easier to stuff than the other two brands we're testing}, but we didn't want to invest in a full stash of BGs without trying out some other fan favorites. We registered for 20 diapers total and currently have a stash of 15 {10 BGs, 3 FBs, and 2 CBs}. I'd like to buy a few more before we start cloth diapering {when she reaches 8+ lbs} but won't build up a full collection until a front-runner emerges. Basically, it's another one of those "try out a few brands and see what sticks" situations.

OsoCozy Flannel Unbleached Baby Wipes{15 count; x3}
Cloth WIPES??? DO YOU HAVE NO STANDARDS, WOMAN? Yes, I thought the same thing. But what do you do with a wipe when you're done with it? Pop it in the diry dipe and dispose, right? Can't do that with a disposable wipe and a cloth diaper... unless you want to be picking wipe-particles out of your lint trap.

BabySmart Cooshee Changer{ours is lime}
Same idea as the high chair... why do dirty business on top of fabric? More props to Emily for this suggestion.

Kissa's Antibacterial Pail Liner{x2}
We'll have a tightly-lidded trashcan + these liners as our "diaper pail." Add a little Bac-Out& {apparently} you're good to go for a few days as far as foul odor elimination is concerned.

Kissa's One Size Antibacterial Wet Diaper Bag{"Mocha Swirl"}
Itzy Ritzy Zippered Wet Bag{"Urban Jungle Pink"}
Diaper bag necessities for CDing mamas.

California Baby Diaper Area Wash
All the better to wet your cloth wipes with, my dear.

Magic Stick All Natural Diaper Ointment
Can't use traditional diaper creams with cloth. Some people use straight up coconut oil, but this seems like way less mess and definitely easier for on-the-go changes.

Rockin' Green Classic Rock Smashing Watermelons
I've already busted open my bag to prewash all the bebe frocks... Its almost impossible to pass the laundry room without sticking my nose in it now!

Land's End Natural Zip Top Canvas Tote {Medium; Navy}
I think I added and removed 8 different diaper bags to our registry over the course of three months. None of them were exactly what I wanted {ie: durable, lots of pockets, cute but unisex enough that E would carry it, not so pricey that I'd cringe every time I spy baby barf on it}. Lands End totes are all that with enough room leftover for your bag of chips.

Playtime

Fisher-Price Rainforest Melodies & Lights Deluxe Gym

This is hands-down the gaudiest piece of baby crap we now own. It's straight up eye and ear molestation. Which apparently makes it the Baby Bomb Dot Com. And so I'm down with it residing in my living room for the foreseeable future.

Lamaze Play & Grow Toys{Mortimer Moose, Jacques Peacock, Bill D. Beaver}
I've been told to attach these to the carseat, stroller, above-described-playmat, etc and watch the baby go ga-ga.

Vulli Sophie the Giraffe Teether& Teething Ring
Never have I seen a piece of rubber more popular.

Baby Einstein Musical Motion Activity Jumper
Yet another item we don't presently own, but I'm sure it'll beat out that playmat for Badass Small Fry Entertainment in 6 months or so. Bonus Points: It speaks my language {ie: Spanish} and the language of love and Le Creuset.

PHEW. Are we exhausted yet?

Hopefully this endeavor was helpful in some slight way... I promise an Actual, Informed Update once Quesita is actually enjoying {or rejecting, as the case may be} our picks.

And, muchas gracias to all the other brave souls who've gone before me... if it appears I've ganked 60% of the registry items you posted about in the past, it's probably because I think you're the cat's pajamas. Consider yourself a Baby Crap Genius in my eyes.

** Main Sources consulted include mama friends {"real life" and otherwise}, Consumer Reports, Lucie's List {which I adore... sign up for the newsletters... they're free and they're fab}, and the much-touted Baby Bargains Book.

33 weeks

2012-01-09T07:00:00.000-06:00

...with a Fashion Flashback to 20 weeks...

Musings on Weekly Photo: Crazy the difference 13 weeks makes, yes?

Marination Time: 33 weeks tomorrow. I got a wee bit lazy on the post that I mentally scheduled for today - hence the early-bird update.

Maternity Clothes: As depicted above, almost all of my maternity shirts now require a cami for "extension" purposes... Just like 15 year olds sporting plumber crack in low-rise jeans, no one likes a sneak-peak of the full maternity panel. We've also reached two very depressing lows: (a) One of the two t-shirts I find most comfortable for sleeping is E's Duke tee. Part of me died a little bit inside when I slipped it on. (b) My current bra is too large to fit inside my beloved BraBaby.Sad Panda.

Fruit of the Week / Size of Baby: The Bump finally upgraded LJH to a honeydew, and Babycenter says pineapple! Last week, she weighed in at 3lbs 13oz. Even though she's small, percentage-wise, I am definitely starting to feel more cramped this past week. I'm hoping this means she's gone through a little growth spurt!

Movement: A late-ish term breech baby opens up a whole new world of sensations... Kicks to the bladder now stop me dead in my tracks with a "Holy Shit Did I Just Pee My Pants" Moment. And her sweet little noggin tends to press against the right side of my belly, creating a loooovely phantom bruise feeling.

Cravings: Still with the grapefruit. Sweets. Ice water. I had some cured meats on an antipasti platter Saturday night and now all I can think of is jamon iberico.

Annoyances: The RLP continues to be pretty miserable, and it's becoming more and more difficult to get up off cushy furniture. But! My energy still makes an appearance every now and again, our new Tempurpedic is making nighttime much nicer... life is good.

Belly Button Watch: Innie.

Highlights of the Week: Y'all. Our new king-sized bed + Tempurpedic is rocking my socks off. Hip pain, begone! Precious sleeping real estate, increased! We should have done this months ago. Bonus Points: Foam Smell. Its like sleeping encased in a giant Nerf ball. The only thing better would be a bed smelling of fresh tennis balls.*

The Boom approves. And, yes, we need king-sized pillows.

We also attended our first natural birthing class this week. I really enjoyed our instructor's approach, and E really enjoyed providing a running commentary based on his observations of our fellow "empowered birthers." I can't blame the man... it is some damn good people watching. Anyhoover, I think it's going to be a worthwhile class, even though 2 of the 3 possible delivery scenarios with our complications involve an intervention I did not want {well, do not want - present tense - but we're all aboard the What's Best for Quesita Train now, which tends to overshadow the Perfect Natural Birth Plan Train}. Still planning on writing that {hopefully non-divisive} Low Intervention Birth Post... now with a Crap, I Likely Have a Medical Need for The Great Devil Pitocin addition. Someday it'll happen.

*Yes. I'm serious. Foam is my world.

Menu Sunday

2012-01-08T07:00:00.000-06:00

Well. It's been a while for the ol' Menu Sunday post, what with the holiday hubbub and all! I haven't been doing a whole heapin' ton of regular weeknight cooking, but here's what's been happening in my kitchen amidst the requisite December / Early January Baking of the Cookies and Creation of the Tuesday Supper from Cocktail Party Appetizers.

Chicken Tortilla Pie

modified from Everyday Cooking

This was actually a Top 10 Favorite last year... and it is a super scrumptious casserole if you (a) use the right ingredients and (b) don't get lazy with them. Unfortunately, I broke both of the rules this go 'round. I had four leftover "artisan" tortillas, made from whole wheat and blue corn, and half a jar of chunky salsa in the fridge. In an effort to ~~not get off my ass and go to the store~~ be resourceful, I used what I had instead of straight-up yellow corn tortillas and the less chunky salsa verde I prefer. To make matters worse, I didn't toast the tortillas at all before layering the ingredients. The flavors were still there, but the whole dish was a textural nightmare... chunks + mush. Not okay. So, ya know, DO AS I SAY AND NOT AS I DO and all that jazz.

Chicken Pesto & Broccoli Stuffed Shells

Big ol' post on this recipe here + links to my favorite freezer meals.

Taco "Cupcakes"

adapted from Plain Chicken

I spied these on Pinterest and thought they'd be a fun way to {cliche alert} spice up traditional tacos since I had some leftover wontons in the freezer. {Bonus Point: Way Lower Carb than tacos with your traditional tortilla!} I was quite pleased with the end result and think these would be really fun party food... perhaps set up in taco bar fashion! Modifications: I initially wanted to do taco meat + black beans and corn, but only added corn {+ Tillamook medium smoked cheddar} because we didn't need any pre-holiday leftovers, and the beans would have increased my cupcake count by at least 3. Annnnnd I only used one wonton wrapper per cupcake, instead of layering as the original recipe suggests.

Peppermint Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

Um. YUM. The week before Christmas, driven by my dark chocolate craving and the gift-giving baking necessitated by the holidays, I dreamed these suckers up with a little inspiration from the back of the Ghirardelli package and Two Peas & Their Pod. Result: Christmas Baking Bliss.

Ingredients:

- 2 1/4 c. unsifted flour

- 1 tsp baking soda

- 1/2 t. salt

- 1 c. butter, softened

- 3/4 c. brown sugar, packed

- 3/4 c. sugar

- 2 tsp. Mexican vanilla extract

- 2 eggs

- 10oz Ghiradelli 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips

- 4 candy canes, crushed

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Stir flour with baking soda and salt; set aside. Beat butter with sugar and brown sugar at medium speed until creamy. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed until incorporated.

Gradually blend dry mix into creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by heaping tablespoon onto greased cookie sheets or cookie sheets lined with parchment paper / Silpats. Press candy cane bits into wet cookies. Bake for 9 -11 minutes {11 minutes on my Silpat / 10 minutes on a regular greased cookie sheet}. Allow to sit for 2 minutes, then remove to cooling wrack. Makes 2-3 dozen cookies.

Buttermilk Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze

adapted from Pinch My Salt

So... I'm going to call these "rustic"... aka: Not Pretty Like the Picture. But they are delish! Notes: The only thing I changed from the recipe was the cranberries... I subbed fresh blueberries. And the blueberries are awesome but my scones definitely needed the lemon glaze for that added kick since they didn't have the tiny extra sugar boost from the sweetened dried cranberries. My one complaint is that the dough is really, really wet. Like, I triple checked my measurements because I swore I'd added too much buttermilk or too little flour... Nope. The end result was great, but I have no clue how you'd use a cookie or biscuit cutter as depicted in the original recipe. Also! I learned a handy new ingredient substitution... make powdered sugar by blending {yes, in your blender... not food processor} 1 c. granulated sugar + 1 T. corn starch.

Asparagus, Goat Cheese & Lemon Pasta

adapted from Smitten Kitchen & Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Healthful Cooking

E gave me thiscookbook for Christmas {pretty good for something he picked 100% on his own - the photography is gorgeous!} and we spent a little time last Monday looking through it and making a list of recipes to try. He specifically pointed out a goat cheese and asparagus pasta that was strikingly similar to something I've had pinned for a few weeks. A very excellent selection indeed! A bit summery for January, perhaps, but, hey, everyone could stand a little sunshine during the post-holiday slump! Modifications from the Smitten Kitchen Recipe: W-S's recipe suggested roasting the asparagus which I much prefer to blanching anyhow. So into the oven it went {450 degrees for 7-10 min with olive oil and kosher salt}, along with a handful of cherry tomatoes I had on hand. I used dried tarragon instead of fresh. And added red pepper flakes. This did require a few splashes of reserved pasta water and about 1/2 T. of fresh lemon juice. So easy and really delicious.

Chicken Divan, "Lightened Up"

adapted from Skinny Taste

This recipe was a suggestion in the comments on my post about freezer meals. E loved it and was pumped to hear that another portion is now residing in our freezer. I thought it was just slightly better than average. It felt like it was lacking something to me... I think stirring a little dijon mustard into the roux might kick it up a bit. Modifications: You'll notice the quotes around "lightened up"... low fat cheese just does not exist in my world, people. And I usually cook with 2% milk. Other than that, I didn't deviate from the recipe.

PPT: Wall Stuff

2012-01-05T12:00:00.000-06:00

There's a little place in Miami, OK {My-Am-MUH, if you'll recall} called Mom's. Sure it's just a glorified double-wide with a kitchen I'd rather not inspect too closely, but Mom does make some damn good biscuits.

Mom also has a penchant for Betty Boop memorabilia.

Which apparently people swipe on a semi-regular basis.

Thus justifying signage dictating the following warning:

DON'T STEAL THE WALL STUFF.

Descriptive and To-The-Point.

Well done, Mom.

Anyhoover, I've poured over a whole-lotta {technical term} Wall Stuff for Quesita's nursery, and, in the process, stumbled upon oodles of fabulous Etsy artists. Obviamente not all of these gems will end up adorning the Cheesette's walls, but I felt they were worth a share for those of you on the hunt for unique, colorful, and fun children's ~~wall stuff~~ art.

Pea Press - Super punchy prints from Down Under.

Zuk Zuk - If I can't have chickens in my backyard, perhaps my child should have them on her walls.

Raw Art Letterpress - I am particularly fond of the Music & Children's Lit Quotes...

The Wheat Field - Breezy watercolors.

monthly goals: take two

2012-01-04T22:35:00.000-06:00

Last year, in place of the ever-popular yearly resolutions, I set {mostly} manageable goals to accomplish at the beginning of each month.

I made it to June.

I'll give myself a pass on July through December, because, hey, six out of twelve months of proactivity ain't half bad {well, I guess it is half bad, but it's half good, too!}. Plus, after June, my goals mostly consisted of (a) don't puke in public, (b) don't fall asleep under your desk, (c) don't Google that cramp, and (d) don't strangle the dog for hate-peeing all over the Residence Inn.

Lofty, I know.

But!

New Year... Big Changes Ahead... Time for New Goals! The hope being that they'll keep me on track as we attack brand new challenges and acclimate to our new roles as parents.

Forgive me if this month's roundup more closely resembles a {really boring} glorified to-do list rather than legit goals... we're taking baby steps towards actual baby here, people!

January 2012 Goals

{1} Decide on {or "hire?"} a pediatrician. I'm very tempted to just point at the doc my OB loves and proclaim YOU SHALL DO JUST FINE, but I suppose I'll at least pretend to make the interviewing effort with one or two other options.

{2} Read baby books. I'm loving Major Pettigrew's Last Stand but I really need to jump on some of my "How Not to Kill Your Baby" literature. On my list? Heading Home with Your Newborn: From Birth to Reality, Baby 411, and Secrets of the Baby Whisperer.

{3} Finish nursery & prep "temporary nursery" in office. Quesita's official digs are about 85% complete. We're just lacking the "wall stuff," as E calls art. Oh, and curtains! While I'm hoping we will hang out and nap in the nursery {upstairs} a lot during the day, LJH will be spending her first few months of nighttime sleeping in our room and/or in the office space right across from our room. I've already cleared out some of the built-in drawers and shelves in the office but still need to divvy up some supplies to keep downstairs.

{4} Pack hospital bag. We now know this baby won't be cooking for the full 40 weeks. I'm a-hopin' we won't be grabbing this sucker for at least another 30 days, but it's better to be safe than sans-phone-charger and clean-underwear-less.

{5} Procure pack-n-play and breast pump. Those are the two big ticket items we're lacking that we need immediately upon birth.

{6} Go on at least one Fancy Date with E. We a pretty good job of regular "date nights" {ug, I hate that term}, but we want to do it up big, dinner-style, {hopefully} a few times before The Big Debut.

And there we have it... six "goals" that I probably should have just written in the back of my planner instead of posting on the internet. But... whatever gets it done, right?

Anyone else doing monthly goals instead of resolutions this year?

32 weeks

2012-01-02T22:11:00.001-06:00

{I got a bit photo-dumpy this week! Apologies!}

Nearly 32 Weeks

Flowers + Belly

Musings on Weekly Photo: I generally feel as if I look huge in photos now... but I'm still not feeling uncomfortably massive in real life. I'll consider this a good thing.

Marination Time: 32 weeks.

Weight Gain: Why did I ever think that posting weight gain on the interwebs was a grand idea? Surely it was a mix of "let's keep it real" and "tra la la, I've barely gained anything at all during 1st Tri." I'd like to go back in time and kick that superior, newly preggo bitch in the shins.

Maternity Clothes: Same. I have noticed that the panel on my ~~only remaining~~ favorite pair of jeans now stretches about 3/4ths of the way up my belly instead of all the way up... hopefully they'll keep on keepin' on as long as Quesita continues to cook!

Fruit of the Week / Size of Baby: Jicama! {or Squash, if you haven't become bored to tears by the Bump's timeline}

Movement: We felt hiccups for the first time yesterday whilst enjoying a Summer Heights High mini-marathon... Cutest Thing Ever {The CheeseFest cannot be controlled}.

Cravings: Out of nowhere: GRAPEFRUIT. I've never been a huge grapefruit eater, but damn, is it delicious. Rosemary Pumpkin Mac... might have to make that again soon. I would do morally repugnant things for a large, Sonic diet coke. I haven't had diet coke in over 10 months and really haven't missed it... until now.

Annoyances: RLP. Sausage fingers...especially when I wake up and feel as if they are uncomfortably stiff. Leg-Shaveage and Toenail Clippage have become... hmmmm, we'll go with "comical."

Pride Points: Even in the shadow of The Weight That Must Not Be Named, I shall remain smug about the continued lack of stretch marks. And even though E is obnoxiously monitoring the up-to-the-minute state of my bellybutton, that sucker WILL NOT pop out, mark my words. I have one deep-ass bellybutton.

Anti-Highlight of the Week: I received my first "Well, you're about ready to pop" comment this week. No, Fabric Store Hag, I am not. But get your filthy paws off my curtain liner before I "pop" you in the nose.

Highlights of the Week: An entire week off, spent with my parents, prepping for LJH in Dallas and relaxing in Austin. T-Pop spent a total of about 9 hours wrestling my IKEA purchases into submission, while GranJan and I cleaned out closets and cabinets, organized, ~~stalked creepy ex-Bachelors~~, and styled. The wee Cheesette is so lucky to have such amazing grandparentals!

A few nursery sneak-peeks...

While in Austin, I had a prenatal massage {thanks mom!}... while I definitely prefer the standard "knead me like I'm a really finicky batch of bread dough" treatment, the gentler variety reserved for the knocked up was lovely too!

Our NYE was wonderfully lowkey... dinner and a movie con mis padres, followed by impromptu fireworks scopeage in the RunTex parking lot and Coldplay at Austin City Limits on the telly. And a sparkling peach juice toast, natch.

party on!

our last NYE as a family of three!

Medical Update: Our latest growth scan with the perinatologist was this morning and things are looking good. Baby Girl had her first non-stress test and made out like a total champ! Fluid, blood flow, and all other "could-be-wrongs" were right on track, which was very comforting. Growth percentage is down to 26% {from 42, I believe} but that is still normal, so I won't fret too much. We'll switch to scans and non-stress tests every 2 weeks now.

After 13 weeks or so of being perfectly head down, our little sasspot is now completely breech. I know she can change positions again, but I just had to laugh...so continues my lesson in "You Are Not in Control!"

what are ya doing...

2011-12-30T07:00:00.000-06:00

The Great Irony of The Year-End Holidays As Fodder for Blog Posts can be stated thusly:

So Much Built-In Material. So Little Desire.

The link-ups. The recaps. The year-in-reviews.

They're all there for the easy pickin'... a "low-hanging fruit" bonanza, if you will.

And yet...

I'd much rather sit and enjoy the last hours of 2011... relish in the company of family... quietly give thanks for all this year has granted us {yep, even the arse-schooling moments}... and look ahead in giddy anticipation to 2012.

Maybe I'll wake up on Monday with a hankerin' for a photo montage of our last 365 days. It is a nice little virtual scrapbooking opportunity, after all.

Or maybe there'll be one less New Year's Resolutions post for you to mark as read.

As mi madre would say, "time will tell."

For now, I'm going noisily eat another Harry & David grapefruit, take one more walk under the blue Austin sky, bid adieu to college football, fold one more pair of unfathomably cute baby socks, and marvel as the trees' twinkle lights take their final bow.

E sent this to me yesterday... and it makes my heart burst into three thousand champagne bubbles of happiness. Which, I think you'll agree, is not a bad way to go out.

Sometimes a little simple harmony is so much better than a bang.

Welcome, 2012.

2011 Reads

2011-12-29T17:59:00.000-06:00

Every year, I keep a running list of books I've read in the back of my planner, usually with some sort of schizophrenic rating system that inevitably changes sometime in May and becomes indecipherable by November. Learning how to effectively use my GoodReads account would likely serve me better, but that's a fish to fry for another year. For the time being, here's 2011's Mini Book Reports, in 30 words or less. {Top Five Favorites notated in the swirly brackets.}

New-to-Me Books

The Hour I First Believed Too many issues to manage emotionally. I'll stick with She's Come Undone- an all-time favorite.

The Zygote Chronicles It's like my Pregnant Brain penned a mini-autobiography, except Finnamore is {forever} wittier than I could ever hope to be. {#3}

Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain Had to quit halfway through. But, probably a decent read if you don't have Moderate to Major Food Baggage.

Cutting for Stone Glad I finished but it felt like an Ironman Competition in the interim.

One Day Loved it until the end, and then I wanted to stab myself in the eyeball with a dull butter knife.

The Lost Symbol Um, it's a Dan Brown Book: Intriguing Topic & Storyline / Prose a la Third Grader with Crayon.

The Art of Racing in the Rain So charmingly wonderful. {#2}

Room If this were a high school English paper, I would say "thoughtfully written; enjoyable use of unexpected narrative voice."

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks The best non-food-related nonfiction book I've read in years. {#5}

Sarah's Key Maybe it was all the hype and my expectations were too high, but... meh, predictable.

I Was Told There'd Be Cake Good stuff. Good, good stuff. {#4}

Bossypants Oh Tina. Yes. A thousand chuckles, yes.

The Girls from Ames: A Story of Women and a Forty-Year Friendship Another great nonfiction read. My nerdy inner sociologist was quite pleased.

The Rainmaker Um, it's a John Grisham Book: Makes You Want to Be a Litigator / Unless You're Actually a Litigator & Then You're Just Bummed That Life Isn't a Grisham Novel.

Her Fearful Symmetry BOO. Didn't expect it to top The Time Traveler's Wife

- another all-time favorite - but this was so bad, I was actually pissed I paid for this.

Girls in White Dresses More good stuff. Really liked the vignette format.

Then Came You I'm officially too old for chick lit shit that is any fluffier than the aforementioned Girls in White Dresses. This one confirmed it.

The Tiger's Wife See: Cutting for Stone.

State of Wonder If this were a cheesy People Magazine book review, I would use words like "spell-binding" and "breathtaking composition." {#1}

Fertility & Pregnancy Related

Making Babies: A Proven 3-Month Program for Maximum Fertility

Taking Charge of Your Fertility

What to Expect When You're Expecting

Your Pregnancy Week by Week

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth

I'd recommend all of the above, save for What to Expect, which I found to be unduly dramatic on the 1st Trimester "What Can Go Wrong" junk and annoyingly sing-songy elsewhere.

Rereads
Ruth Reichl's Tender at the Bone& Comfort Me with Apples

Middlesex

Water for Elephants

Obviamente, I'm an all-around big fan of these suckers.

On Deck for 2012...
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

The Marriage Plot

What were your favorite reads in 2011?

31 weeks

2011-12-27T07:00:00.000-06:00

Musings on Weekly Photo: Puffy Face. So not happy to see you. Also, please note that I thought we'd be showcasing our Christmas tree in this photo... not so much seeing as I now take up the entire frame. Oops!

Marination Time: 31 weeks on the nose.

Weight Gain: 3 pounds up... making the grand total 25 pounds. Note: I would much rather say "up 25 pounds" than utter the number that actually appears on the scale these days. It is The Weight That Must Not Be Named.

Maternity Clothes: Same as the last few weeks... I'm really hoping not to purchase any more maternity wear, although I should probably invest in a few more pair of these guys, if only for the sake of my water bill.

Fruit of the Week / Size of Baby: Damn Bump still says Squash. Next time around, I'll roll with the Baby Center chart... they seem to have a much better grasp of the variety of produce available. {32 weeks = Pineapple... me gusta!}

Movement: Rockin' and rollin' like a champ. She definitely reacts to music... all three hours of Les Mis and Silent Night at the candlelight Christmas Eve service were big hits this week!

Cravings: With so many Christmas goodies abounding, I'm not sure I can say I've had any actual cravings... more like "let's eat every sweet available and top it off with a big bowl of Texas Trash and call it a craving for peace of mind."

Annoyances: ROUND LIGAMENT PAIN. Hate it, hate it, hate it... especially since it feels scary, even though it's 100% normal {sudden, stabbing pain to the belly? no problem!}. Achy hips on whichever side I happen to be laying on... as a result, I am one large rotisserie chicken at night.

time for a new stocking addition!

Highlights of the Week: Christmas, duh. As is tradition, we spent Christmas in Waco at my grandmother's home, surrounded by family. Lots of good food, good conversation, good ~~waddles~~ walks, and good people! And it sure was ~~excuse me while I hyperventilate~~ exciting to imagine what next year will be like... with a 10 month old! I am more thrilled than is likely normal to have Santa visit us again... it's been a long time.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T07:30:00.000-06:00

...from our mustard-lovin' family to yours!

We hope your day is filled with good cheer, love, and laughter!

like a crazed squirrel stockpiling nuts...

2011-12-21T07:00:00.000-06:00

Subtitle: Freezable Recipe Bonanza, Ahoy!

Yep, this is totally what my freezer looks like.

{If it were 1995, this where I'd pause and then exclaim "NOT!"}

A few weekends ago, I cleaned out our freezer to make room for new additions to the Post Bebe Food Stash I began whiling away this month.

I discovered two things...

{1} I seem to think we eat a lot of edamame.

{2} We don't actually eat a lot edamame.

Pour one out for the sad, frost-bitten soybeans, y'all.

I also compiled a list of my favorite freezable recipes... and thought I'd share in case you're looking for some make-ahead dishes! If you have a "must-make" gem in your repertoire, I'd love to try it... feel free to link on up in the comment section!

Asian Turkey Meatballs {make the meatballs, but freeze before cooking}

Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Muffins - GF/DF {my notes} {bake, then freeze - heat in toaster oven}

Bow-Tie "Lasagna" Pasta Bake {I like to use the Roasted Red Pepper Sauce, below, in this}

Chicken Cashew Chicken

Chicken Tamale Casserole

Hatch Turkey Chili

Herbed Turkey Turkey & Spinach Meatballs {make the meatballs, but freeze before cooking}

Jan's Nine Bean Soup

Lighter Chicken, Broccoli & Rice Casserole

Lighter Spinach Lasagna

Mama J's Beef Vegetable Soup

Pumpkin Mac-n-Cheese

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Spinach & Artichoke Pasta with Grilled Chicken

Taco Soup

Traditional Chili

White Chile Casserole {my notes}

**I think the trick to great, freezable pasta dishes {ie: great, baked pasta dishes, as they tend to be one in the same} is cooking your pasta slightly less than al dente. If you start with too-crunchy noodles, you'll end up with perfectly cooking pasta after you eventually bake the dish.

Searching for something new to add to the list of yummies above, I whipped up these Pesto Chicken & Broccoli Stuffed Shells after a burst of inspiration from What's Cooking, Chicago last night.

I know my iPhone skillz are lacking when it comes to food photography, so you'll just have to trust my word that these were scrumptious... 'cause they sure as hell look weird in the above picture. So many stuffed shell recipes are tedious, but this turned out to be simple and fresh. And the cherry on top of the proverbial sundae? The ingredients below easily yield three 8x8 casserole pans full of goodness {about 10 servings total}.

Pesto Chicken & Broccoli Stuffed Shells

Ingredients

- one 12oz box of jumbo shell

- 2 large {or 3 small} broccoli crowns, stems removed and chopped

- 2 c. fresh pesto, divided {FYI: Whole Foods' pesto, found in the olive bar, is insanely good and tastes homemade... excellent discovery for the dead of winter!}

- 4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature {I had the whipped kind on hand for bagels and it was so easy to blend}

- 1.5 c. freshly shredded Parmesan, divided

- 1.c shredded mozzarella

- chicken from one rotisserie chicken, picked from bones, skin removed, and chopped {about 2.5-3c.}

- salt and ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Spread 3/4 c. of pesto into the bottom of your casserole dish(es).

In heavily salted boiling water, cook pasta a bit less than al dente {my shells had a 10 minute cook time on the box... I boiled them for 7}. When you have about 2 minutes left to cook, toss broccoli into the pasta pot. Drain the whole shebang and pick out shells, setting aside on paper towels.

Transfer steamed broccoli to a large mixing bowl and "chop" with a spoon, separating the crowns into tiny pieces. Add chicken, 1c. pesto, 1c. Parmesan, mozzarella, and cream cheese to the broccoli and stir well to combine, adding a little salt and pepper if you so desire.

Stuff shells with mixture and place in pesto-lined dishes. Sprinkle remaining 1/2c. Parmesan on top. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until shells are bubbling. {&/or cover in a layer of saran + a layer of foil and freeze.} Warm remaining 1/4c. pesto and drizzle on top of shells before serving.

To reheat from frozen: Preheat oven to 375 and bake 30-40 minutes or until shells are bubbling.

30 weeks

2011-12-20T07:00:00.000-06:00

Note: I have no earthly idea how I managed to screw up the text colors in this post. All of a sudden, I hit preview, and everything was highlighted in white. This is the least eye-stabby I could make it without retyping the whole shebang. My apologies to your retinas.

Marination Time: 30 weeks today. Thirty. Weeks. It feels like a lifetime and a split second at the same time. Since the VCI means an early arrival for Quesita, I am now down to single digits in the Weeks Left Cookin' This Bun tally... this FAH-REAKS me out to no end, but we are really ready to meet this kiddo!

Weight Gain: Nothing to report until Thursday.

Maternity Clothes: I'd be utterly lost without those hand-me-down Old Navy pants I mentioned last week. I wear those suckers at least four times a week now. HUGE thanks to Colleen for those! My GAP City flats and Missoni for Target flats are my go-to shoes. My favorite gray boots still fit, but I can't get them off by myself... which means they are out for work unless I want to trudge around in them for 3-4 hours after I get home, waiting for E to come free my feet. I wonder how Uggs fit into my company dress code? My "hanging 'round the house" t-shirts are officially ridiculous looking. I should have married someone fatter, because E's don't work any better.

Fruit of the Week / Size of Baby: Still a squash.

Movement: I think she's more into summersaulting than kicking these days. She's definitely a little sasspot... I'll brag that she's a mellow little cheesette, and the next minute she's aggressively attacking the water aerobics. Dislike for Pigeonholing? Duly noted, Baby Girl. Additionally, she either loves or detests Florence & The Machine's latest jam... cracks us up!

Cravings: Reubens... with mustard {haven't scratched that itch yet, though}. Dark chocolate chips. Asian food. F Bomb sushi roll from The Fish {happily, it contains cooked crab and crawfish, so I got to indulge!}.

Annoyances: Sausage fingers, toes, wrists, and ankles...My watch now feels weird as I like to wear it looser. I'm pretty damn warm most of the time - I'm not sure how you Summer Mamas do it! Forget about cute Christmas pajama pants... it's sleep shorts, tanks and the ceiling fan on high for me! Acid reflux LIKE WOAH in the afternoons {very thankful it doesn't keep me up at night, though!}. E says I'm starting to waddle...I disagree, but might just be delusional. Minor stuff aside, I recognize how lucky I am to still be feeling this good!

Highlights of the Week: E and I spent a very relaxing weekend together, accomplishing enough to feel productive but logging a lot of relaxation time as well. With the holidays and end of the year hubbub, we haven't had many of those. Our days as a family of Two + Boom are numbered {duh}, and it was pretty glorious just to hang. Since we spend Christmas in Waco with my family, we also enjoyed our Christmas celebration with E's family this past Sunday.

Nursery / Baby Prep Progress: All L's clothes sizes 0-6 months are now freshly washed! After registering and un-registering for about 11 different "official" diaper bags, I finally pulled the freakin' trigger and ordered a canvas tote from Land's End. More on that schitzo decision in the inevitable Baby Shit I Bought post, but check out how badass my child's monogram* is when printed in diamond configuration! It's the little things, people...

As far as the nursery itself is concerned... our bedding arrived, the dresser and nightstand are in my trunk, and the only item left to be delivered is the glider. Windows were measured for curtains this week {thank you, Eileen!}. I cannot wait to see the room come together a bit more after Christmas when my parentals are visiting!

*Name Notes: I swear I'm not trying to be ~~too~~ obnoxious ~~well perhaps just a little bit~~ about the Big Secret Name Thing. She's actually "out" - for the most part - in "real life."** We're really just trying to figure out how searchable we want this little one to be in regards to social media. After all, poor kid didn't choose a mom with a propensity for internet overshare any more than she chose one who likes to bake sans pants whilst singing O Town's "All or Nothing."

**and now I've made my poor child sound like a pint-sized, cross-dressing can-can dancer. Oy vey, the therapy bills.

Menu Sunday

2011-12-18T07:00:00.000-06:00

Lasagna "Soup"

from A Farm Girl Dabbles

A mighty fine Pinterest find, although it wasn't super soupy... perhaps "Lasagna Stew" or "Lasagna Goulash" would be a better moniker. Modifications: I halved the recipe but added an extra cup of chicken broth and a handful more of noodles. I topped our bowls with shredded mozzarella and a little bit of parmesan... I left the ricotta out. Oh! And I didn't add the oil to cook the sausage - it will brown just fine on its own if you keep the heat on medium and don't get antsy with it. E raved about this dish.

Turkey, Broccoli & Spinach Quiche

Not to be a self-horn-tooter, but I sure am glad I ~~randomly got lucky one day~~ painstakingly took the time to perfect a light quiche recipe... Once you have the base down, you can throw almost anything into the mix and have a delightful meal in no time {well, more like "with very little prep time"... cook time is 50 minutes}. Original Recipe Here, but my base is essentially 3 eggs + 2 egg whites + personal container of nonfat Greek yogurt + 1 c. cheese. Add seasoning, meat and veggies to match your egg-eatin' heart's desire. This guy boasts 1/2 lb. ground turkey breast, browned, then sauteed with 2 handfuls of fresh spinach, and chopped crowns from one head of broccoli. Red pepper flakes, cracked pepper, and kosher salt are givens. I did try a new crust this week - it was a gluten and flour free Gillian's frozen crust. Not a fan. I'll stick with Wholly Wholesome from hereon out.

Baked Potato Soup

courtesy of Cooking Light

This soup definitely didn't feel "light," but I suppose its all relative when you're talking baked potato soup. If you're a lover of loaded potato soup, you'll likely love this recipe... it verged a little too much on the EWWW CREAM SAUCE side of things for me, but I still enjoyed it freshly prepared. Heated up as leftovers... not so much. Modifications: In normal me fashion, I halved the recipe {4 servings instead of 8}. I used a mix of red potatoes, purple potatoes, and fingerlings, and I boiled those suckers until tender instead of spending an hour baking them. I did not use reduced fat cheese. Such a thing is ridiculous and should not exist. I added chopped crowns from one head of broccoli for a little veggie action {stirred in with the onions and sour cream}.

Steak Salad with Roasted Veggies

modified from Cheeky Kitchen

How many times have I made this salad? It simply can't be topped! It's thle easiest thing in the world to throw together, and we always end up practically licking our bowls once supper is over. This go-round, I took Rachel's advice and threw in some halved brussels sprouts... yum!

first world parenting problems

2011-12-15T12:00:00.000-06:00

I went to public school.

E went to public school.

My mom taught at a public school for 39 years {thus ensuring her sainthood... or at least a lot of European vacations after retirement}.

We are Public School People.

Public School People who happen to live in Dallas Proper where you don't send your kids to public school unless illiteracy is your jam.*

*HUGEASS Over-Generalization Alert. But, for the reals, the schools in our particular neighborhood are total shit.

So now we get to fret over where to send our not-yet-born child and half our paychecks.

Apparently this decision - one that won't go into effect until 2017 - is one we should have been contemplating back in 2006... sometime after our initial meeting in the library but before trying to impress one another with our well-developed beer palates at Cricket's.

That was not a euphemism for "we made out in a bar on our first date," by the way

Although, if memory serves me correctly, we did make out in a bar on our first date.

ANYHOOVER.

Thus far, our highly-scientific research consists of walking around the neighborhood and checking out the yard signage and bumper stickerage for the folks with nice-but-not-too-nice cars who also recycle.

We also like to pull up school websites, exclaim over the extreme cuteness of all the neat, jumper-clad, multicultural kindergarteners finger-painting in harmony, before glancing at the tuition tab and quickly clicking the browser back to A Safe Place... Facebook, Reader, Google Searches for "Cabybras Wearing Saddles," etc.

Kidding aside, I don't think I could be more unconcerned about this rigamarole, much to the chagrin of Those Who Know Better About These Things. The kid will learn the ABCs. Maybe not in Aramaic. But what can you do.

I have bigger fish to fry, frankly. Like "hmmmm, perhaps we should discuss purchasing either the crib mattress or the pack-n-play... just in case we actually ever want her to sleep when she comes home."

But every now and again, an email exchange will once again stir up the Private School Debate... and subsequently tickle me to the point that I just have to stop and have a chuckle at this "How in the Hell Did I Get Here" wonderful, crazy life...

11:03 A.M. I love [Fancy-But-Not-Too-Fancy Private School Full of Families Who Recycle]. It's so cute. That's where I want [Quesita] to go. But it says for the admissions process, she will be evaluated in a classroom setting and on the playground. Wow. Intense.

11:20 A.M. What if she can't do the monkey bars? I could never do the fucking monkey bars. Does she get points deducted? WILL THERE BE A RUSSIAN JUDGE WHO IS A STICKLER FOR DISMOUNTS?

a non-holiday craft for uncrafty folk

2011-12-14T07:00:00.000-06:00

Subtitle: Because You Don't Have Enough to Do in December

I'm not the craftiest mo'fo on the cul-de-sac. I'm sure I've mentioned this before.

I'm the reason Etsy was created. And my pins? 98% recipes {that I can actually make} or adorable things {that I can pay others to make for me}.

This is me. I am so okay with this.

But, every once in a blue glue gun, I'll stumble upon an idea too brilliant and too easy to pass up. This is one of those times. Bear with me as I walk you through the easiest craft in existence.

Source: designsponge.com via Kate on Pinterest

Brick Bookends: A How-To

Materials Needed:

2 bricks {for one set}
1 paper grocery sack
pretty paper {needs to be thickish} - fabric could work too!
Scotch tape or glue stick {or fabric glue, if you're going that route}
glue gun

Step #1: Wash Yo' Bricks, Yo. If you live in a brick house, you likely have a stash of extra bricks stacked somewhere. I'm not exactly sure why this is, but it seems to be a Fact of Life. Ancillary Fact of Life: those reserve bricks are really dirty. So are those bricks you randomly procured elsewhere {for those of you who don't boast your very own brick pile}. And if you randomly went out and bought brand-spankin new bricks just because you were that inspired by the gloriousness of this post... well, you probably have too much time on your hands. But I'm sure those virgin bricks are kinda dusty too. So give 'em a good scrub. And let them dry completely. Then pretend that it's totally normal to give bricks a bath when your husband comes home and finds you cooking amongst your newly unsoiled friends.

So fresh and so clean, clean.

Step #2: Preliminary Wrap. Remove handles from your paper sack {look at you, repurposing!} and cut away the skinny sides and bottom, leaving two rectangles with which to wrap your bricks. Then... {rocket science}... wrap 'em. Just like a present. This doesn't have to be your neatest work since it's just the base layer, but you should try and get those corners nice and crisp.

Please excuse my unkempt "wrapping station" a/k/a "huge pile of crap"

Step #3: Pretty Paper Wrap. Next up... wrap 'em again! This time in the pretty paper {or fabric} of your choosing. If you have a Paper Source or other specialty stationery shop nearby, you're likely to find gorgeous, thick wrapping paper for sale by the single sheet. The lovelies featured here actually came from my baby shower gift wrappings. Confession: I was almost as excited about the paper as I was the presents from my awesome hostesses!

Take a bit more care on this part... Make sure the pattern on the paper is even and the seams are straight. If you don't want tape to show along the back seam, you might give the glue stick a go. The sides where the paper folds up, then down, envelope-style were my biggest concern, as those are slightly visible from certain angles when your bookend is doing its job. Enter the glue gun. Small dots anchoring the flaps ensure a tape-free existence.

Step #4: Enjoy! Yep, you're finished. Time to reap the fruits of your labor, and savor the satisfaction of a bookshelf where your books stay right where they're supposed to stay. KEEP IT IN LINE THERE, BETTY SMITH.

Life changing stuff here, peeps.

These guys and their twins are destined for the shelves in Quesita's nursery.

Some moms sew curtains... I prettify bricks for my unborn child.

This is me. I'm so okay with this.

29 weeks

2011-12-13T07:30:00.000-06:00

Musings on Weekly Photo: Much improved over last week! This dress {tunic for us tall folk...from ASOS Maternity} is definitely one of my favorite clothing items at the moment - comfy and festive with the sequin belt {that randomly came on a pair of pants from Old Navy about 5 years ago}.

Marination Time: We're on Real Time now... 29 weeks today!

Weight Gain: No updates until my next appointment on the 23rd.

Maternity Clothes: My holiday party staples are the aforementioned ASOS tunic + my favorite leggings {Ingrid & Isabel "Belly Leggings"} and my Isabella Oliver Knot Dress. Aside from those, my "everyday essentials" include my Old Navy full-panel skinny jeans, GAP's shirred long-sleeve tees, three sweater dress/tunics from Pea in the Pod, and a pair of hand-me-down pants from Old Navy that feel like I'm wearing Lululemon to work {major score}.

Fruit of the Week / Size of Baby: Squash! Slightly odd, since I always envision summer squash or zucchini when I hear "squash," but my email update looked more like a medium sized pumpkin.

Movement: Busy, busy, busy... to the extent that I get worried if I haven't noticed her for a few hours. Usually its just because I'm moving around doing other things and not paying attention. She's excellent at easing my mind, if I'll just be still for a second! People keep asking about hiccups... none yet!

Cravings: Mustard. Vanilla frozen yogurt with toasted pumpkin seeds, pecans, and dark chocolate chunks. Sausage and spinach balls, since I made them for a shower on Friday and had to physically remove myself from their presence to keep from polishing them all off myself before the event on Saturday.

Annoyances: My feet and ankles are still pretty swollen at the end of the day, and I think it might officially be time to give up the heels for a bit. Boo. I've been feeling Charlie Horses looming large {used to get them all the time when I danced... always in my right calf} for a few weeks, but have been starving them off with water. A real beast finally overtook me early Friday morning. I woke up screaming, which really freaked the shit out of E. I've also been doing this odd thing where I'll flip over in my sleep and pin my arm underneath my belly. Then I'll wake up and half my body is numb... which really freaks the shit out of me until I realize the my belly is merely kicking the crap out of my arm in some sort of twisted wrestling match.

Highlights of the Week: Getting organized! It was one of those rare weeks where I felt like I got a decent amount accomplished at work and shit got done around the house. The Great Washing of the Things hath officially commenced, and somehow folding itty bitty outfits and stuffing cloth diapers is much more fun than matching adult socks and wrestling with fitted sheets.

In addition, outdoor lights were strung, Christmas gifts were wrapped, and the second to last batch of holiday cards were addressed and stamped. We also built a gingerbread house. Ya know, just practicing for when Construction of Wee Candy Buildings is a skill that might come in handy somewhere down the line. Fact #1: The taste of gingerbread kit icing has vastly improved since 1989. Fact #2: The said, the idea that icing will actually cement tiny walls together is just as big a pile of bullshit in 2011 as it was in 1989. Glue gun to the rescue.

Medical Updates: No gestational diabetes, but I am anemic. Not surprising as I've always had lowish iron levels. Rx iron pills from here on out.

Number of Times I Wrote "Shit" in This Post: 3, with an honorable mention for "bullshit."

{insert song lyric lovin' on New York here}... Vol. I

2011-12-12T07:00:00.000-06:00

We don't do "babymoons."

If there's one word in the Modern Preggo Dictionary that makes me visibly cringe, it's that one.

What we do do are super fun and festive mini-holidays to New York City that just so happen to occur immediately prior to "you can still fly" cutoff date!

Let's recap, shall we?

The Chambers. We flew into LGA on Thursday evening and just had time to check out our temporary digs before meeting L & D for a late dinner. The Chambers came highly recommended by the Adams-Hanger Camp... and those kiddos don't mess around! If you're looking for a centrally located hotel in Midtown {right between 5th & 6th on 56th... 3 blocks from the Park, walking-distance to the Theater District and Rockefeller Center, and steps away from fancypants shopping on 5th} with a boutique-y feel and a super attentive staff, this place is para ti. Also? Best. Rainforest. Shower. Ever.

Babbo. After checking in, we cabbed it over to Babbo in the Village for a truly exception dinner with one of my favorites and her beau. I've been wanting to eat at Babbo for years, and, given the heartache one suffers to procure a reservation, I'm guessing a lot of people are in the same boat! We actually had a table at another Batali establishment {Lupa... which I hear is lovely!}, but L & D took the initiative and arrived at Babbo around 9... Our party was seated by 9:45, right as E and I walked in the door! Moral: Babbo saves a few tables for walk-ins, and, if you're willing to eat on Euro Time, you may very well get lucky! You might also see Neil Patrick Harris and his adorable husband noshing it up at the bar... I was tempted to throw out a hearty, "suit up!" but thankfully controlled myself.

Babbo was all I hoped it would be and more... so scrumptious and posh {did I really just say "posh?"}, but unpretentious. If you're curious {I always am!}, the four of us enjoyed...

grilled octopus
baby wild arugula salad {with the most ridiculously huge strips of shaved parmesan I've ever had the pleasure of meeting}
goat cheese "sformato" {this was my selection and it occurred to me after I ordered that it was highly possibly unpastuerized... I took one bite and decided not to care - it was insanity. And would Mario Batali really serve baby-poison-cheese? I think not.}
mint love letters
chianti-stained papparadelle with wild boar ragu
housemade orecchiette with sweet sausage and rapini
barbaqued skirt steak with eggplant alla piastra

Balthazar. And one great meal follows another. After our late supper, we called it a night so as to rise bright-eyed and bushy-tailed the next morning. We awoke ready to tackle the City... and breakfast. I was a bit too slow on the uptake to reserve Balthazar for Saturday brunch, so we settled for Friday breakfast. The brasserie was oh-so-festive in its Christmas finery, and I was impressed with the hostess' lack of stank-eye when we arrived nearly 20 minutes late {we'll blame the directionally-challenged spouse for that one... which, sadly, is yours truly}. We started with their homemade doughnuts {yummm...and I am not a doughnut fan in general} and cappuccino... and moved right along to a couple delicious egg dishes {buckwheat crepes with scrambled eggs, ham, and gruyere for me and scrambled eggs with toast and hasbrowns for E}. Deee-lightful! Not so joyous? An unflattering photo to start off our pictorial tour:

Breakfast at Balthazar

Shopping in SoHo. Since we were in the neighborhood {and E had never explored NYC before}, we meandered around SoHo for a good while, flitting in and out of little treasure troves. Kate's Paperie was a favorite, for obvious reasons... Even E found some pretty paper he liked!

We also poked around Giggle... and by "poked around," I mean we picked up practically everything in the store, cooed like imbeciles, and tried to imagine what our lives will look like in 2 months. My, my... shopping outingss sure have changed!

We stopped for a sweet snack at Vesuvio Bakery {chocolate cookie for E / homemade marshmellow for moi} before hopping the C train back up towards Herald Square...

Empire State Building. After peering in the Macy's windows, we walked on up to the Empire State Building. Like I said, this was E's second time in NYC {the first being a super-quick, no-time-for-sights visit} and we had Big Items to check off our Big Apple / Big Tourist List! A lot has changed since I last zipped up those Empire State elevators... apparently there are all kinds of advance tickets and packages available for purchase to avoid the lines. Since we didn't get that memo, we opted for some sort of Fast Track tickets that were astronomically priced but ensured a speedy trip to the top. The Fast Track also included a cheeseball virtual rollercoaster. In the security line for this "attraction," a very kind employee told us I wouldn't be allowed to ride the ride and should just scurry on ahead of the lines... and bestowed on us the cheaper, "we totally planned this and paid in advance 2 weeks ago" ticket. Clueless Pregnant Gal, for the win!

The Empire State Building was... ya know, the Empire State Building. Super tall, loads of people taking crummy photos of fantastic views, bad gift shop. But! We crossed it off the list!

NY Public Library. We decided to walk back up towards our hotel to take in all the hustle and bustle of 5th Ave. On our way, we stopped into the New York Public Library to pat the lions and check out the seasonal decor. Turns out, its the Centennial Celebration of the NYPL, and there was an incredible free exhibit featuring rare treasures from the archives just past the lobby. We spent a good hour exploring the cases {displaying Malcolm X's Koran, first drafts with author's notations of Native Son and Huck Finn, anti-Nazi literature covertly printed on the back of seed packets, James Audobon's rough sketches... just to name a few}... talk about stumbling on to a real gem!

No cameras allowed in the exhibit... the lobby's Christmas Tree will have to suffice

Fifth Avenue. After consuming a little brain food, we were ready for full-on commercialism! The stores were a bit crowded for our tastes, but we enjoyed the extravagant Christmas lights and window displays. I loved the moving tableau combined with drawings from patients at Children's Hospital at Lord & Taylor.

Rockefeller Center. Our final stop before resting back at the hotel pre-theater was Rockefeller Center. I distinctly remember ice-skating on that rink during the Blizzard of '93. My Mama J and Daddy Jim took me to New York for the first time at the age of 10, and I've been smitten ever since. I've seen Rockefeller Center many times, but never decorated for the holiday season. The tree really is amazing - to look at it makes you feel like a goofy kid again.

Phew. This was not supposed to be a two-parter, but my down comforter {and, unfortunately, Monday morning} calls! Tune in next time for politically incorrect show tunes, wine in sippy cups, and more photos of my heinously unattractive maternity coat!

four years from "yes"

2011-12-08T09:11:00.001-06:00

Why yes, we do celebrate our Engagement-versary. Why not?

After all, it was a damn good day.

ramblings, vol. who knows

2011-12-06T19:11:00.001-06:00

New York Recap tomorrow.

Tonight, this is about all the ol' noodle has in it...

(1) I'm not a huge fan of those "Expectant Mothers" parking spots. Wouldn't it be more appropriate to reserve those for "Parents with Small Children?" I mean, I can still walk just fine, thankyouverymuch, and I tend to think those brave souls toting a bundle of extra gear and wrangling a toddler or three are much more deserving of prime parking than me and my "delicate condition."

(2) That stuff I just wrote up there? Does not apply when it's below 40 degrees outside. After all, my High Horse won't haul my teeth-chattering bum from the back of the Whole Foods parking lot to the warm glow of the entrance, now will it?

(3) Tonight, I lovingly wrapped our outdoor pipes with duct tape, dish towels, and recycled Target shopping bags. And by lovingly, I mean "hopping up and down in weather-inappropriate ballet flats, gripping a flashlight in between my teeth, and cursing my unpreparedness." If you'll recall, I lovingly wrapped the pipes last year, only to come home from Las Vegas to find a geyser spewing from our back faucet. Fingers crossed that my love goes a bit farther this go-round, because I don't think we can take any more Fun with Water Being in Places It Shouldn't.

(4) E watched Black Swan for the first time the other weekend... His single take-away? OUR DAUGHTER WILL NOT DANCE BALLET... {ENUNCIATED IN ALL-CAPS}. With dance in my background, I had to laugh... and agree for the most part. She can do whatever she wants to do, of course, but I secretly hope she plays soccer. I strongly feel girls should have an organized activity where they are encouraged to kick the shit out of something. And, is there anything cuter than a gaggle of small fryettes chasing a ball around, wolf-pack-style?

(5) We received our first batch of Christmas cards in the mail today, and they made me ridiculously happy! I did realize, though, that we should probably add a bunch of our professional contacts to our recipient list... but would you send a sliiiightly cheeky card to business folk? Not cheeky like "off-color"... more like "Oh those Hs! They sure are big nerdals!" Perhaps I'll have some separate ones printed. We do have a nice Rockefeller Tree Photo. Sigh. First World Holiday Problems.

(6) Per their request, I sent my holiday wish list to my mom and E's mom about a month ago, but I honestly cannot remember half of the items I mentioned now. I know there were some fun goodies on there, so I'm pretty pumped to be surprised on Christmas morning!

(7) I encounter someone on a near-daily basis who now consistently greets me with "awwww where's the baby?!" in a chirpy, sing-song voice. Well, I decided to cart her around in my handbag today - she likes it there amongst my lipgloss and errant Starbucks napkins. Thanks for inquiring, asshole.

(8) We've been singing along with the Book of Mormon soundtrack quite a bit for the last 48 hours. Sometimes it feels wrong to exclaim "I have maggots in my scrotum!" whilst sauteeing brussels sprouts or folding socks, but can you really argue with 9 Tony Awards? Nah.

(9) Well that should yield some interesting Google Analytics Search Results.

(10) Let's end on that high note, shall we.

27 & 28 weeks

2011-12-05T18:11:00.001-06:00

Musings on Weekly Photo: Heinously unflattering. I'd been battling IKEA all afternoon, so you'll have to excuse me.

Marination Time: My week changes on Tuesday, but I've been posting these little updates on Saturday. Since I'm running a little late this week and tomorrow marks Week 28, I'll be zipping along in "real time" from now on!

Weight Gain: 22 lbs. WELL, HELLO. Now, I know what you're thinking... "Damn, double her old total weight gain in 5 weeks! How ever did she get so lucky?" Some gals are just plum fortunate, folks. {VANITY POINT NUMERO UNO: It's freakin' cold here, I was wearing jeans and double layers, and Bitch Nurse wouldn't let me take off my Uggs.} {VANITY POINT NUMERO DOS: Tons of walking from our NYC trip caused some major swelling in my lower extremities... Water Weight, Water Weight, Water Weight... right?} {~~VANITY POINT NUM--~~ Okay, I'm over it.}

Maternity Clothes: I wish I could justify a nice, well-fitting, wool maternity coat, but it just doesn't seem worth the money for a Texas winter. Instead, I paid $30 for this sucker... a glorified sweatshirt disguised as a pea coat. It's thin, it pills, it's impossible to pull on without getting the sleeves of your regular cloths all bunched up. Blech. However... Full Panel Skinny Jeans = Redemption for Old Navy Maternity. Love these guys.

Fruit of the Week / Size of Baby: Eggplant last week {27} and eggplant this week {28}. Our little eggplant is currently 2 lbs 8 oz according to today's ultrasound.

Movement: Quesita is becoming quite the busy bee - she's much more active these past few weeks! She also seems to like her space - whenever I wear pants that aren't full-panel, she kicks right at the waistband. Smart girl.

Cravings: That same ol' mo fo Captain Mustard! NYC offered up quite the bounty... street vendor pretzels, kosher dogs, and mini pigs-in-a-blanket with horseradish mustard, classic French's, and Jack Daniels Old No. 7 mustard. Deeeeee-light!

Annoyances: My feet and legs swelled up like woah after 2 days of extensive city walking. My heels and ankles are actually bruised from all that activity... activity that wouldn't have even phased me 6 months ago. I'm also running out of room in my rib cage... not really annoying unless I yawn, but still a really odd sensation.

Highlights of the Week: Our trip to the Big Apple, por supuesto! Full recap to come, but we had a glorious time sight-seeing, eating and visiting with one of my favorites. We got some adorable goodies for the wee one as well.

Medical Updates: We had a great ultrasound with the perinatologist today. My placenta is super high and there is no concern for vasa previa {VP} to develop with my Velamentous Cord Insertion {VCI}. The membranes are looking "much less concerning" than they were 4 weeks ago {concerning because of fluid levels, I believe}. Most importantly, Baby Girl is growing right on track for her due date. She is measuring 42% on the charts, but we will continue to monitor her growth carefully to watch for restriction. Restriction is unlikely to become an issue before 32 weeks {and hopefully much later than that} so we'll begin biweekly or weekly {depending on future findings} in 4 weeks time.

white bean & garbanzo chili

2011-12-02T07:00:00.000-06:00

I made chili three times this past week. My mom's traditional lean chili {which I swear I've posted before, but can't seem to find in the mess that is my archives} makes the perfect post-Thanksgiving meal. We knocked out an entire pot with E's parents on Friday evening and missed the leftovers so much that I whipped up another batch on Monday.

Come Wednesday, my warm, stew-y mood lingered along with the cooler temperatures in Dallas, but I didn't want a huge soup surplus chilling out in our fridge while we traveled.

Cue this little concoction. Perfect for two peeps but easily doubled / tripled / etc., it was just the ticket for a pre-vacation supper!

Out-of-Towner White Bean & Garbanzo Chili, for 2

inspired by Cooking Light's White Bean & Hominy Chili

Ingredients

2 links {about 1/3 - 1/2 lb} smoked sausage of your choice {I used spicy lean venison sausage}, halved, then thinly sliced
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
3 roasted Hatch chiles {or poblanos} - seeds and veins removed, then chopped
1 can cannellini beans {15oz} - drained, rinsed, and partially mashed with a fork
1 can garbanzo beans {15 oz} - drained and rinsed
1.5 c. chicken broth
2 T. chili powder
1 T. cumin
2 t. Tabasco
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 c. water, only if needed

In a stock pot, cook smoked sausage over Medium heat for about 3 minutes. Add onion. Cook, stirring often, until translucent. Stir in chiles and beans, then broth. Add chili powder, cumin, and Tabasco. If the soup seems super thick, add up to a half-cup of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to Low and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve with rustic crackers and extra sharp cheddar.

Serves 2, with a bowl left over for a quick, pre-airport lunch.

arrivederci!

2011-11-30T22:30:00.000-06:00

We're zooming off for a little pre-Quesita mini-break while I'm still cleared for flight... be back next week with the full scoop!

In the meantime, I'll leave you with my first-born, who seems to think she'll be doing some zooming of her own in the new fancypants buggy her parents bought, just for her...

Holiday Recap: By the Numbers / a la Instagram

2011-11-29T15:30:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving dishes prepped and served: 5

3 were grand-slams... I'm afraid the pie and the dressing were disappointments {at least by my standards}. The dressing never melded as I felt it should {which is a shame, since it smelled delectable in the oven} and the Honeycrisp apples I mixed with my normal cast of Granny Smiths were so juicy that they liquefied the bottom of my crust while baking. Lessons learned, I suppose.

Turkey comas sustained: 3

The Official Plate Licker fared well on Turkey Day too!

Films attended: 2

Relatedly: Bags of Sour Patch Kids consumed: 2

We saw The Descendants and The Muppets, both spectacular for {very} different reasons. Unless there's a magical performance on the horizon of which I haven't yet caught wind, I predict a gilded, bald friend in Clooney's future. And could I love Jason Segal {or Kermit} more? Nay.

Enemies vanquished: 2

In my family, you identify with "Longhorn" long before you learn to write your own name... it's just how we birth 'em. And nothing tastes as sweet on Thanksgiving night as watching the Aggies wave their wee white flags of surrender {as my Mama J is fond of calling those obnoxious rags}... one final time. Totally made up for my watery pie. E and I also cheered his Bears to victory over Tech {for the first time since 1995!} Saturday evening down at the Death Star... where I also became a walking cliche.

Baby gear assembled: 6

Teensy, tiny socks folded: a Bazillion

E's dad was kind enough to volunteer his time and toolbox to Operation: OMG We're Actually Having a Baby. Quesita now has a functioning: crib, jogging stroller, snap-n-go, swing, high chair, and car seat! Girlfriend is pimped out. While the menfolk figured out how Parts A through QQQ fit together, I completed the Ultimate Make-Yourself-Feel-Organized-But-Don't-Really-Do-All-That-Much Task... I made a shitton {technical term} of piles. Now, as we accumulate even more small-fry stuff, I can confidently say "there's a pile for that!"

Halls decked: All of 'em!

It's officially Christmas 'round these parts. The Spode is out, the obligatory cursing over twinkle lights has concluded, and our home is feels - and smells - cheerily festive! Note: here, Christmas trees are real and never "themed"... much to the chagrin of certain non-blood relatives.

Here's wishing your holiday weekend was just as you hoped!

a shower for quesita!

2011-11-28T12:00:00.000-06:00

Two weekends ago, three of my favorite women hosted a gorgeous baby shower in honor of the wee quesita.

Knowing me oh so well, there were bright colors, delicious sugar cookies, cheese galore, and three different types of mustard for slider dipping. Heaven.

there's a teensy name hint...

It truly was a wonderful afternoon with family and friends... E and I are so thankful to have so many fun, loving, and generous people in our lives who are almost as excited as we are about Bebe Girl's arrival!

E made an appearance near the end of the afternoon...

just in time to tag-team the last of the gifts

yes, that would be a scarf for a small fry

I'm not a huge fan of the massively-overused adjective "blessed," but blessed is exactly how we feel. Big, honkin' gracias-es to Colleen, Eileen and Rory for throwing such a pimped out baby shower!

26 weeks

2011-11-27T20:24:00.001-06:00

Musings on the Weekly Photo: Two Words: Donut Bellybutton. Not cool.

Marination Time: 26 weeks last Tuesday.

Weight Gain: Unknown until the 5th.

Maternity Clothes: Stocked up on a few more items this weekend -- thank the lawd for after-Thanksgiving sales and early Cyber Monday deals! At this point, my whole "gimme color!" issue with maternity wear has become simply "gimme a sweater that covers this huge belly!"

Fruit of the Week: Still an eggplant.

Cravings: Ice cream. And pie. And hotdogs. {MUSTARD}

Annoyances: No stretch marks... but it looks like I will have a linea negra. Which just reminds me of that nasty black vein you have to pull out when you clean shrimp. Blah.

Highlights of the Week: So many fun things this week! We enjoyed a beautiful, fun baby shower with family and friends last Sunday {full recap to come}. Then Thanksgiving, of course. On Friday, my father-in-law helped E put together a ton of Quesita's gear {crib, stroller, snap-in-go, carseat, swing, and high chair, oh my!} and I organized a bunch of her clothes. Shits gettin' real, y'all... in a really wonderful way! And, finally, our halls are officially decked out in their holiday finest... Yay Christmas!

thankful

2011-11-24T13:51:00.000-06:00

I am thankful for so much this year.

But I'm a-bettin' y'all are too busy enjoying carbohydrates and stretchy pants and football to read yet another long "What I'm Thankful For" post. I don't blame you. I'll likely be hitting Mark All As Read come Monday morning, too.

So I'll keep things short a sweet. There's a fire crackling and sweatpants calling my name, anyhow.

It's not a groundbreaking list, but it means the world to me ... E... my family... my friends... neurotic, cuddly terriers....

... this pregnancy... Quesita... hippie voodoo and fancy-pants modern medicine...

... great jobs... new metal washers on my toilet supply lines... good home insurance.

And pie. Always pie.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Food Prep & Menu

2011-11-22T08:00:00.000-06:00

This year marks the first Thanksgiving in a long while that I've been able to flex my culinary muscles, and I'm pretty thrilled to be contributing five dishes to Thursday's feast!

Since I'm working through Wednesday, and we're eating our turkey early {around noonish}, I had to get a little OCD with my food prep schedule. And, as I am apt to do, I'm already off my timeline. Oh well. It will all come together... my master checklist assures me as much!

Full reviews coming on Sunday's Menu Post, Thanksgiving Edition, but here's the rundown on what's cooking in my kitchen this week, in case you're still on the hunt for that last-minute side dish!

T-Man's Cranberry Sauce
My father is quite proud of this dish... as he should be! After all, his masterpiece is printed on the back of every package of fresh cranberries!

1 package of fresh cranberries, picked over
1 c. water
1 c. sugar

In a small sauce pan, bring all ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat and stir until cranberries burst and the liquid cooks down to your preferred consistency. Cool and refrigerate. Serves 4-8, depending on your fervor for cranberries.

Jan's Squash Casserole

So delicious and relatively healthy for a casserole. Of course, I add a tad more cornbread stuffing and a smidge more butter. I also add 1 more pound of squash. So it all evens out, yes? Original recipe can be found here.

Hatch Chile Mac-n-Cheese

Courtesy of the lovely Waspy Redhead. E thinks he doesn't like mac-n-cheese. Something about lactose intolerance, I don't know. But when I made an entire pan of this all for myself back in October, the little sneak had a portion and immediately requested this dish be added to the Thanksgiving roster. Ask and ye shall receive.

Cornbread Dressing with Smoked Venison Sausage

I'll let y'all know how this one goes... I'm inventing it on the fly, using my Mama J's traditional cornbread dressing recipe along with a dash of this Cooking Light version. Add in my dad's smoked venison sausage and I am hoping socks will officially be knocked.

Apple Pie with Cheddar Crust

Apple pie and I have a Relationship. One that I've honestly neglected over the past few years. So I'm pleased to get reacquainted. I'll be tweaking my original recipe by mixing in some Cameos with the Granny Smiths and with the addition of Alexandra's cheddar cheese crust.

Wish me luck!

What's on your menu this Thanksgiving?

for the hostess with the mostest

2011-11-21T07:30:00.000-06:00

With holiday parties in full swing, it's convenient to have a go-to hostess gift at the ready. Depending on the event, I'm always a big fan of vino {Cupcake and Layer Cake always feel festive}, Williams-Sonoma's striped dishtowels {sounds like a snoozeville gift, I know, but those are the best damn dishtowels in the world}, or ceramic "take out" coffee mugs. But my favorite by far is this little sucker from Anthropologie...

Perennial Mini Colander

{and, yes, that would be me taking an Instagram of my computer screen... class act}

Slightly out of the ordinary for a hostess gift? Probably. But I like a unique gift, and hopefully this one becomes something the recipient never knew they couldn't live without! This ceramic colander is pretty enough to sit out on the counter and perfect for rinsing berries, herbs, small vegetable and pasta portions, and canned beans or corn. In the summer, mine is continuously filled with cherry tomatoes.

in action during this year's early Thanksgiving prep fest

Pop some fancypants chocolates or other goodies inside the colander {HomeGoods has great prices on Lindt truffles and Ghiradelli squares}, wrap it up in the free packaging Anthro oh-so-wonderfully provides, and you are good to go!

What are your go-to hostess gifts?

Menu Sunday

2011-11-20T07:00:00.000-06:00

My five meal plan for the week was foiled, but here are the survivors...

Pumpkin & Rosemary Shells & Cheese {w/ Roasted Brussels}

{recipe here}

This sucker deserved a post all it's own.

Beef & Broccoli

adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

This repeat is healthier and tastier than takeout... Modifications: I used flatiron steak instead of flank and broccoli instead of snow peas; added sesame seeds as a garnish and totally forgot to add the scallions.

Mustard Chicken & Squash Casserole

easy marinade for chicken / squash recipe

Oh so easy when the squash is already sitting in your freezer!

Pinto, Tortellini, and Kale Soup

inspired by Eat, Live, Rune

This was delicious and filling, yet light. Perfect for Texas Fall evenings. Modifications: I only used about 40 oz of chicken broth + 15 oz can of tomatoes. I chose pinto beans, added them {after soaking for 8 hours} to the broth after the 2nd step, and allowed them to cook that way for an hour or so before finishing the soup.

25 weeks

2011-11-19T08:28:00.001-06:00

Marination Time: 25 weeks last Tuesday.

Weight Gain: 11 lbs at last appointment... It should be "fun" to see the scale right after Thanksgiving and our upcoming long weekend in NYC.

Maternity Clothes: I had to retire my two favorite pants {pour one out for the GAP Always Skinny Demi Panel and the GAP Demi Panel Perfect Boot Black Pants} this week... the demi panel was not longer cutting it {or, rather, was really cutting it - as in, jack-knife to the mid-section}. This is deeply upsetting {first world pregnancy problems} as I hate full panel pants... they give me saggy-butt, I'm constantly pulling on them, and they itch like a mo-fo.

Fruit of the Week: No more papaya... It's eggplant time!

Movement: Not as many to-the-belly japs and kicks this week, making me think she's found a new position she enjoys... one with easy access to the dance floor that is my bladder.

Cravings: I made the mistake of sampling ~~eight squares~~ a square of Ghiradelli peppermint bark that I purchased as part of a hostess gift, and now I would like to eat only Ghiradelli peppermint bark for the rest of my days.

Annoyances: The Hot-Again Texas weather is leaving me cold... There aren't many "regular" clothes I still fit into comfortably {at least not ones I'm bored sick of}, and all of my maternity clothes are winter oriented.

Highlights of the Week: Complications aside, I can honestly say I'm really loving this part of pregnancy. I'm actually looking the part, but the belly isn't huge enough to majorly get in the way, and I'm still feeling generally great. My shower is tomorrow and I can't wait to celebrate Quesita with sweet friends and family... and then get cracking on the nursery!

lighter & brighter

2011-11-16T12:00:00.000-06:00

Sisterwife Hair, begone!

Please excuse the cheeseball-wannabe-Playboy-lips... sometimes, they just happen.

Big props to Joelle at Pompeo... who looks like Kate Middleton, shares my love for Delilah, and does good hair.

Big. Sigh.

2011-11-15T20:59:00.001-06:00

It's been one of those days...

Where it seems like instead of actually interacting with people on a professional level, it'd just be easier to hold a boombox up to their faces, ~~Lloyd Doggett~~ Lloyd Dobler-style and play the Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want" on a continual loop...

Where your brain is so soft-boiled that it fails to properly compute 80s pop culture references and defers instead to the popular Texas rep of the "fajita strip."

Where you return home too late to start that supper you so thoughtfully planned out, but you thank your lucky stars there is a Hail-Mary package of fresh tortellini in the fridge and a jar of roasted red pepper sauce in the freezer...

Except somehow that sauce has gone rancid {note to self: labels with dates are your friend}, a fact you don't discover until after you've poured it on the pasta...

So you rinse dinner off and drain, turning then to the pesto in the fridge that you opened a couple of weeks ago. After a good toss, you sit down with your DVR and Zooey Deschanel for a "not-so-stellar-but-what-can-you-do" dinner...

Only to find, after eating half the bowl, that the pesto has an alarming aftertaste, bringing to mind That Time Your Mom Had Major Surgery & Someone Brought a Vat of Homemade Cobbler That You Ate & Ate & Ate Until 9 Days Later When You Realized Too Late It Was Molding From Lack of Refrigeration...

And now the oven is preheating to 425. Whole Foods Uncured Pepperoni Pizza, don't let us down.

Yeah. So.

One of those days.

Cheese as Prozac

2011-11-14T10:09:00.001-06:00

We could chatter all day about the universal reality that is food as comfort versus the particularly-American tendency to abuse that phenomenon.

But sometimes it's necessary to close your pie hole, shut off your brain, and just experience it...

Chopping as as pacifier.

Carbohydrates as a band-aid.

Whisking as therapy.

Cheese as Prozac.

Yesterday, after hours of early Thanksgiving food prep, with 5 lbs of squash chopped and steamed and casseroled into submission, cranberries cooling in jars on my kitchen ledge, I decided we deserved a little insta-comfort. Back to the market we went... back to the cutting board and the oven and the stove.

Whisk in hand, a mountain of dishes soaking in the sink, I started to feel less frantic... less jumbled about inside.

We sat down together, steaming bowls of velvety pumpkin shells steaming between us, and talked about our daughter. And how excited we are to meet her.

And I started to feel peace... to feel the faith.

Pumpkin & Rosemary Shells & Cheese

adapted from PBS' Fresh Tastes

served with Roasted Brussels Sprouts {recipe here}

Ingredients

- 16 oz. whole wheat orecchiette

- 3 T. butter

- 4 T. flour

- 3 c. + 1/3 c. milk

- 12 oz. cheese, grated {I used a mix of sharp cheddar, mozzarella, and parmesan}

- 8 oz. Velveeta cheese, cubed {this is 1/4 of the large brick}

- 1 c. pumpkin puree

- 1 T. fresh rosemary, minced

- 1 t. salt

- 1/2 t. fresh ground pepper

- 1/2 t. cayenne pepper

- 1/2 c. panko or breadcrumbs {I used breadcrumbs I had in the freezer made from whole wheat pita}

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cook pasta in heavily salted water, removing from heat and draining 3 minutes prior to the specified cook time on the package.

Melt butter in a large skillet over Medium-High heat. Add flour, whisking for about 30 seconds. Add 2 cups of milk and the rosemary, whisking continuously until smooth. Add the third cup of milk and continue to whisk until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.

Turn down heat to Medium {if you're using an electric stove top and a pan that is not non-stick, you might want to go to Medium-Low}. Reserving a handful for topping, add cheese blend and whisk until combined. Add Velveeta and stir until fully melted and combined. Add salt, pepper, cayenne, and pumpkin, followed by the additional 1/3 c. of milk. Stir / whisk until smooth.

Toss cheese sauce with cooked pasta and pour into a greased casserole dish {9x13}. Top with grated cheese and breadcrumbs Cook for 30 minutes. If you're a Crispy Topping Guy or Gal, switch your broiler on at the very end for 1-2 minutes.

Enjoy with someone who makes all your days brighter.

Serves 8.

Menu Sunday

2011-11-13T15:18:00.000-06:00

All new recipes {new to us, that is!} this week...

BBQ Brisket Pizza

My sweet grandmother sent us home this weekend with Waco's finest Uncle Dan's lean brisket and bbq sauce. As E is fond of saying "one of your life's ambitions is to create a pizza out of everything," so I seized the ~~day~~ leftovers! Pizza dough + BBQ sauce + chopped brisket + white cheddar + red pepper flakes = pizza perfection!

Black Bean Soup with Hatch Chile Chicken Sausage

I wish I had an exact recipe for you, because this soup was simply delicious... but it was a "clean out the freezer & fridge / make it up as you go" kind of creation. Here's my best stab at measurements...

Ingredients

- 6 cups of black beans, cooked lovingly by your mother with onion, cumin, garlic powder, etc {or you can roll with the canned variety and add seasoning until you approve of the taste}

- 3 links of chicken sausage {I used Hatch Chicken Sausage from this summer's Hatch Fest... as that particular variety is unlikely to be at your disposal, throw in a few diced Hatch / Anaheim / poblano peppers while the sausage browns}

- 1/2 large onion, finely diced

- 1 c. water

- 1/2 c. reduced fat sour cream

- 1/2 T. cumin

- 1/2 T. cayenne pepper

- salt and pepper to taste

Remove sausage from casings. In a stock pot, cook sausage and onion {and peppers} over medium-high heat, crumbling the sausage with a slotted spoon. Meanwhile, puree 3 cups of the black beans with the water, sour cream, and spices {I just used my blender rather than dirtying up all my Cuisinart parts}. When sausage is cooked through, add whole black beans and puree to the pot. Add more water if soup seems too thick. Bring everything to a simmer, then serve garnished with white cheddar and crusty bread.

Orecchiette Carbonara

courtesy of Bella Eats

So ridiculously delicious. After some sage advice from Rachel, I added a few extra slices of bacon to the mix... Perfection.

White Bean, Asparagus, Spinach & Orzo Bake

inspired by How Sweet It Is

So yummy for a vegetarian dish... Modifications: I used half a yellow onion instead of red, a bunch of asparagus instead of the mushrooms, no green peppers, and 1 extra cup of spinach.

24 weeks

2011-11-12T08:30:00.000-06:00

Marination Time: 24 weeks last Tuesday.

Weight Gain: 11 lbs.

Maternity Clothes: Three cheers for the Brits... ye friends across the pond who don't relegate pregnant women to drab black, gray, and camel! I auditioned a baby shower option {above} by Isabella Oliver {conclusion: great, but requires a cami}, and another selection from ASOS is zipping its way to me over the Atlantic. Another fab maternity discovery: Fold-Over Briefs from Motherhood Maternity. Yes ma'am, I am talking underpants up in here. These are comfy, comfy, comfy!

Fruit of the Week: I am so effing sick of papayas. Marsha, Marsha, Marsha... PAPAYA, PAPAYA, PAPAYA. Our little papaya is currently weighing in at 1 lb, 10 oz... perfectly on track, which is really comforting news in light of Wednesday's findings.

Movement: I saw the movement for the first time this week... incredibly amazing, once you wipe that scene from Alien from your mind {you know the one}.

Cravings: Sick of hearing about mustard yet? Not me! And I discovered a delightful new seasonal treat: Bluebell Christmas Cookie Icecream. Yummm. I also cannot stop thinking about the orecchiette carbonara I made on Tuesday {recipe manana}... it might just have to pop up again on next week's menu!

Annoyances: My feet are fine but my calves are swollen, and I cannot pull my very favorite brown boots all the way up... which is really not helping diversify my ever-shrinking winter wardrobe.

Anti-Highlight of the Week: The discovery of my janked up umbilical cord / placenta and partially separated membranes. And my subsequent meltdown(s). I've since had a very frank conversation with my regular OB and have peace of mind about a lot of my more dramatic worries. I'm sure I'll write more about this, but the real concern is growth restriction in the third trimester, which wasn't made entirely clear to us initially. I've since been told, pretty emphatically, that I won't be waking up on Feb 28 pregnant. And I can kiss that intervention-free birth plan good-bye. I won't lie and say my inner-hippie isn't upset by that portion of this development, but it's really small potatoes. All we care about now is chunking up this quesita! {more carbonara?}

Highlights of the Week: I can honestly say all of your thoughtful tweets, emails, comments, and phone calls were the shining star of this week. Your good vibes and positive thoughts are palpable. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

on a lighter note...

2011-11-11T07:00:00.000-06:00

This little piggie better be under the Christmas tree with my name on it, is all's I'mma sayin'.

It's the gift that delights on so many levels.

My inner 11 year old boy is particularly thrilled that you plug into his butt.

West Elm's Ceramic Pig Speaker.

Doubt. Fear. Faith.

2011-11-10T09:00:00.000-06:00

Trying to conceive taught me a lot about Doubt.

Doubt in my body. Doubt in its ability to give my husband a child... my parents a grandchild... my grandmother a great-grandchild. Doubt in Western medicine. Doubt in my own strength. Doubt in life decisions long ago made.

Trying to conceive taught me a lot about Faith.

Faith in something bigger than myself. Faith in pro-activity... in my ability to self-advocate. Faith in the seemingly strange... in the alternative... in the holistic. Faith in my marriage. Faith in a positive outlook.

These two continued a diametric waltz through that first positive pregnancy test and right on to the second trimester.

Faith. Doubt.

Doubt. Faith

I guess I can say I've learned a lot about Fear as well.

I can jump out of airplanes... horror movies alone in the dark are a personal favorite... I can ride that rickety, loopy roller coaster until I am blue in the face. But I knew entirely too much to ever relax during the first trimester. Every cramp, every temperature dip, every drop in progesterone signaled the greatest fear I never knew I had coming to pass.

I didn't allow myself to become too excited... to day dream too long about nurseries... to look too closely at teeny tiny baby clothes... to tell anyone outside my closest circle.

Too much Doubt. Too much Fear. {And, let's be honest, entirely too much Information.}

It will be easier this way, if.... I told myself, never quite finishing the sentence.

Mercifully, at some unseen point, with every passing week, every milestone attained, every baby flutter... Faith took over.

And it has been a beautiful thing.

Yesterday, we went in for a routine Level II ultrasound with our perinatologist. I've been seeing the high risk obstetrician in addition to my regular OB for second trimester cervical checks because of past history... just making sure all my lady bits stay zipped up tightly. As expected, my cervix and our girl are perfect. Some other essential parts, however, are not.

Big words were thrown at us...

Chorioamniotic membrane separation {CAS}. The two membranes encasing the amniotic sac have separated. The chief concern was that the amnion membrane had actually ruptured, causing a fibrous band to float untethered in the sac, potentially leading to strangulation of the umbilical cord or in utero amputation of a digit or appendage {WHAT.}{THE.}{FUCK.}.

Thankfully, both membranes remain in tact, and the fibrous band we were concerned about is anchored at both ends.

Velamentous insertion of the umbilical cord. Instead of being attached securely to the the placenta, our girl's umbilical cord is attached to the chorioamniotic membranes. If my placenta were located in the lower region of the uterus, rupture and hemorrhage could occur at any time, or upon my water breaking.

Again, thankfully, my placenta is relatively well-placed for this condition. The doctor assured us that the chance of random rupture was "about as great a chance as me playing for the NBA."

...to which I responded "how tall are you?"

Doubt.

Fear.

We left with very few answers. The doctor didn't seem all that concerned. Both conditions can stunt fetal growth, but she's right on track... "perfect," he said.... no real need to worry. He will continue to monitor me throughout the pregnancy instead of releasing me at 28 weeks as planned. No real restrictions aside from no weight training {HA} or running {DOUBLE HA}... Essentially, there's not much to do... aside from keeping Faith that things will continue to progress normally in spite of these conditions.

I sat in the empty parking lot of a Sonic Drive-In afterwards, tears spilling into my Route 44 water, mentally congratulating myself for hoarding all those Starbucks napkins in my console, but otherwise gripped by Fear... overcome with Doubt.

Doubt in the specialist's nonchalance in light of these findings {Google "chorioamniotic membrane separation" and feast your eyes on the number of results with "sudden fetal death" in the titles. Don't worry, my ass.}

Fear that we'd be on the losing end of {what we're told are} good statistics.

Doubt in my body's capability to do anything reproductively-related sans dramatics.

Fear of the lack of proactive tasks I've been given... of the uncertain... of the unknown... of things I can in no way control.

As a practitioner tasked with equal ethical responsibilities and liabilities, I should know my physicians have every motivation to take irregular findings extremely seriously. I should know when I am told I don't need to worry, that I really don't need to worry. I should know that this is the double-edged sword of extra monitoring... that I likely would have continued with a seemingly-normal, complication-free pregnancy without these bonus ultrasounds.

And I think I do know these things.

I'm just waiting on the Faith.

more tidbits

2011-11-07T08:30:00.000-06:00

1. I'm officially bitter about my last, childless "Fall Back" Daylight Savings Time Change. Instead of reveling in an extra hour of sleep, I awoke at 4:00 A.M. to a husband apparently stricken by Sudden-Onset Restless Leg Syndrome and a 14 lb. terrier who thinks she deserves at least 90 lbs worth of bed real estate. Remembering all guest beds were currently occupied at my parents' home, I eventually fell back asleep wrapped in an afghan on the living room floor around 6:30. Not cool. Not cool at all.

2. I think Birkin bags are heinously ugly. If someone offered to purchase me one, I'd ask for the remaining balance on my car payment instead. Also the name "Birkin" reminds me of gherkins, which I know are actually cucumber-like, somehow inspire visions of Vienna sausages, and those suckers are nauseating. Yep, these are the places to which my mind roams.

3. In that same vein{ish}, I am very ready for the Antlers As Home Decor trend to die. Antlers belong in hunting lodges, not in my living room... even if they're made of smugly green recycled paper products.

4. Our mantle is decorated for Fall! Not sure if the set-up deserves the exclamation point, but I had everything already on hand save for the gourd vase fillers {World Market, natch}. Plus, non-Christmas seasonal decor is not my strong suit so... E for Effort? Maybe?

5. This is the first year in 10 years that I will not be traveling for Thanksgiving {exception: Felicity Thanksgiving 2009, spent sans new husband - thanks Old Firm! - but with fabulous friends}, and I'm thrilled about that. No jammed freeways... no ornery airport employees... no weather delays... no stinky rental cars! That's four things to be thankful for right there. I'm also ridiculously giddy about preparing the majority of the side dishes for our holiday feast. On my menu: Cornbread Dressing with Venison Sausage, Hatch Macaroni & Cheese, T-Man's Cranberries, Jan's Squash Casserole, and Granny Smith Apple Pie. My oven {and stretchy pants} are at the ready!

6. Quesita's nursery is coming along... and by "coming along," I mean "watch me online shop for things and then store them in the office." E and I did manage to open up the crib {ours is white} package this weekend. The intent to actually put the thing together was present... but my Phillips head screwdriver was not. E for Effort? Second of the day?

7. Longhorn football has us all jazzed up again {in a realistic fashion, I'll add}. Going from a National Championship Game season to.... whatever the hell last season was is an ego-blow for sure, but me thinks our star is back on the rise. My family's been to the Rose Bowl three times in the last 6 years, and we'll take another trip to Pasadena January 2014, please and thank you!

8. One day soon, I'll write an actual post with cohesive thoughts. Pinky-swear.

Menu Sunday

2011-11-06T09:00:00.000-06:00

Two pasta dishes this week.... And two dishes with bacon. Oh yeah. Thank you, Quesita.

Spinach Artichoke Pasta with Grilled Chicken

adapted from Heat Oven to 350

If you like Spinach Artichoke Dip, this is about your rock your face off. Just warning you.

Ingredients

- 13oz. box of shell pasta {I used whole wheat}

- 2 chicken breasts, grilled and chopped

- 1 T. butter

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 8oz. package of cream cheese {don't be a wuss with the nonfat junk}

- 1/2 c. milk

- 1/2 c. reduced fat sour cream {you're allowed to be a wuss here}

- 1 T. lemon juice

- 1 tsp. fresh ground pepper

- 1 tsp. {or more} red pepper flakes

- 1/2 tsp. salt

- 1 14oz. can of artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed and chopped

- 1 10oz. package of frozen spinach, dethawed and squeezed of excess water

- 1.5 c. shredded mozzarella

- 1 c. shredded Parmesan

- 1 c. bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook pasta according to package directions, minus 2-3 minutes. Drain, rinse and set aside.

In a large pot, heat butter over Medium-High. Saute garlic until fragrant. Add cream cheese and stir until partially melted. Add milk and whisk until cream cheese is completely melted. Whisk in sour cream and lemon juice. Add pepper, flakes, and salt. Remove from heat and whisk in 1 c. of mozzarella and 1/2 c. of Parmesan. Add artichokes, spinach, chicken, and pasta. Stir to coat pasta.

Pour mixture into a greased 9x13'' casserole dish {or two 8x8s}. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bread crumbs. Cook for 20 minutes, then pop under the broiler for 2 minutes to brown.

Steak Diane with Roasted Brussels & Rice Pilaf

steak courtesy of Cooking Light

This was E's "Guessed the Baby's Sex Correctly" meal. As you can see, we enjoyed it so much, crappy phone photography slipped our minds! My favorite brussels sprouts recipe below...

Ingredients

- brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved, with outside leaves removed {I just buy the little mesh bag of fresh brussels at WF... I would guess those are about 3 cups worth}

- 2 strips of bacon, chopped

- 1 T. butter

- 1 T. EVOO

- 1/2 c. dry white wine
- 1/2 c. chicken stock.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook bacon until crispy. Remove pieces with a slotted spoon. Melt butter and EVOO. Add brussels and saute for 5 minutes. Stir in white wine, chicken broth, and bacon pieces. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes before popping in the oven to roast for 15 minutes.

Smoky Pumpkin Soup

courtesy of The GranJan

This is mi madre's pumpkin soup recipe. And it's delicious. Except when Kate gets Pregnancy Brain {a term I severely oppose, btw} and forgets half the pumpkin and the roasted pumpkin seed topping. There were tears. Ugly tears.

Ingredients

- 6 slices of bacon, chopped

- 4 T. butter

- 6 c. roasted & pureed / canned pumpkin

- 6 c. beef stock

- 1/2 c. Marsala wine or sherry

- 1 t. thyme

- salt and ground pepper to taste

- toasted pumpkin seeds to garnish

In a stock pot, cook bacon pieces crispy and remove with a slotted spoon. Add butter and melt. Add pumpkin, sauteing and stirring continuously for 15 minutes. Whisk in beef stock and simmer for 30 minutes. Add Marsala {or sherry}, thyme, salt, and pepper. Add bacon and simmer for another 10 minutes. Serve topped with toasted pumpkin seeds.

Pesto Orecchiette with Chicken Sausage, Green Beans & Cherry Tomatoes

adapted from Real Simple

Love this dish... It is the perfect meld of flavors and textures. And yeah, it's "out of season," but, meh, I live in Texas. Read my adaptations here.

23 weeks

2011-11-05T18:41:00.000-05:00

Musings on the Weekly Photo: I cheated this week. This photo is actually from last weekend - 22w5d. But I'm currently sitting with wet hair and a partial left shoulder sunburn feeling anything but photogenic. Forgive me.

Marination Time: 23 weeks last Tuesday.

Weight Gain: 11 lbs total. Having been in possession of a body that loooves to gain weight for the last 28 years, I've decided just to savor this single, solitary "low weight" moment in time {while it lasts} ~~and completely ignore the fact that I started off this pregnancy experiment about 10-15 lbs heavier than I'm most comfortable~~.

Maternity Clothes: How hard is it to make flattering maternity wear in a color other than black, brown, gray or navy? Kudos to Michael Stars for tops like this one, because they are few and far between.

Fruit of the Week: Still a papaya, according to The Bump. One would think there'd be enough fruit to go around, but apparently not.

Name: Yep.

Movement: Pretty constant now.

Cravings: More Mustard! Mustard Everything! Merry Mustard!

Annoyances: Continual flipping whilst sleeping... I'm like a big flapjack. I also find myself involuntarily grunting more often than I'd care to admit.

Highlights of the Week: A lovely dinner date with E last Saturday at Perry's... and a fabulous Texas win over Tech today!

on repeat

2011-11-02T07:00:00.000-05:00

The Civil Wars - "Poison & Wine"

Evidently, I'm late to the party on this one... but I would like to point out that this is likely due to the fact that I haven't been keeping up with truly horrid television shows that just so happen to employ genius music supervisors.

If The Civil Wars are new to you too... you're welcome.

If this is all old-hat... you win... but you also probably watch Pretty Little Liars.* So, really, that makes us about even.**

*I realize there is an Option Three... that being: you have cutting-edge-awesome taste in music and knew about this song pre-Grey's two years ago. I totally know how I you feel. I knew about the Spice Girls before "Wannabe" hit American radio stations because I had a super cool friend in middle school whose family watched the BBC Music Charts or maybe knew people in the music business, I can't really recall., but, ya know, same sort of thing. It's hard being such a musical trend maven, yes?

** says the woman who has over twelve hours of Real Housewives saved on her DVR.

Welcome November

2011-11-01T07:00:00.000-05:00

The Name Game, Vol. 3

2011-10-31T07:00:00.000-05:00

E: Siri is a pretty name... What about Siri?

K: We are not naming our child after some iPhone app.

E: It's actually an OPERATING SYSTEM, Kate.

Menu Sunday

2011-10-30T09:00:00.000-05:00

Whoopsie Daisy. Blogger posted this week's menu before I was quite ready!

Cajun Chicken Pasta

a la Pioneer Woman

I had such high hopes for this one, and, while the end result was acceptable-ish, the "journey" there was annoying as all get-out. This sauce does not thicken as the recipe says it should... a phenomenon I've witnessed with practically all of PW's cream sauces {and a gripe that is shared amongst many of my Twitter buds, I quickly found}. I'm not sure what that woman has against a good roux, but damn if she ever starts a cream sauce out with one. I always end up making a cornstarch slurry ~~or four~~ to thicken things up... or simmering for an hour or more. Major Mistake This Go 'Round: Not trusting my gut and going rouge with a roux / not simmering or slurrying prior to stirring in the noodles, veggies and chicken. When it became apparent that the sauce wasn't going to stick to the pasta, I had to drain the whole shebang and attempt to simmer and slurry the sauce down. Cue cursing and fervent wishing that an entire bottle of Sauv Blanc wouldn't cause Quesita to blow a 0.09 in the womb. WTF, Ree? Between your Cream Sauce/Base Disasters and your refusal to promote any simblance of sustainable, whole cooking {YOU LIVE ON A CATTLE RANCH, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?}, I fear we're through for good.

Asparagus & Heirloom Quiche
base from my Lighter Quiche recipe

Captain Obvious Statement: I make some version of this lighter quiche a lot. It's so easy, and it's a great way to pack in some protein and dairy without wrestling a bunch of meat / heavy calories. In theory, this variation should have been awesome... simply roasted asparagus layered over slices of the last heirloom tomatoes of the season? Sign me up! Unfortunately, I didn't really take into consideration how the juiciness of the heirlooms would affect the end result... --> Watery-Ass Quiche. Tasted great, but the consistency was all mushy. Sad panda.

Pot Roast w/ Purple New Potatoes & Carrots

Crockpot Pot Roast is Minimal Effort / Maximum Results at it's best. Trimmed Chuck Roast, rubbed with EVOO & seasoning salt, tossed in the slow cooker with potatoes, carrots, sliced onions and 1/2 c. stock = Legit Comfort Food, 8 hours later (cook on low).

Mixer Made Soft Pretzels

modified from Food Mayhem

These guys are a favorite in our casa. On Saturday, after prepping my yeast, I realized I was low on all-purpose flour... so I went with mostly whole wheat {1.5 c all-purpose + 3 c. whole wheat}. I did have to add a smidge more oil to the dough as it was mixing and about 1/4 c of water, but the pretzels turned out great. I think we might prefer these slightly nuttier suckers to the regular variety!

22 weeks

2011-10-29T15:41:00.001-05:00

Musings on the Weekly Photo: So. I don't think this thing is going to go away. We are officially bumping. Although I still think it's funny how much bigger I look in the afternoon vs. morning.

Marination Time: 22 weeks last Tuesday.

Weight Gain: All will be revealed come Wednesday.

Maternity Clothes: I would like this wrap top in every single color Lilac makes, please and thank you. Also obsessed with my Ingrid & Isabel leggings. Still making due with Tucker and Anthro tunics / camisoles and open cardigans as well.

Fruit of the Week: Size of a papaya. Which is substantially smaller than week twenty's cantaloupe, if you ask me. Peeps need to brush up on their produce.

Name: Still got one.

Movement: E felt her kick for the first time last night... which made for a nice October 28, 2011 Milestone other than The Day the Rangers Lost the World Series...Again.

Cravings: Mustard, mustard, mustard. All that World Series jibber jabber only fueled my passion for French's. Homemade soft pretzels are definitely on tap for this weekend.

Annoyances: Hip soreness. Judgy Hipster Barristas.

Highlights of the Week: Is it lame to say the "cold" front? The weather is insanely gorgeous, and I wore boots 3 times this week!

PSA: Monster Cookie Ice Cream. Only the most glorious thing to come out of Target since... everything else that's awesome that comes from Target.

brain mush

2011-10-28T11:30:00.000-05:00

It's Friday... my noggin hurts from last night's game... this is all I've got...

(1) Totally still grinning from all the CD Love! To say I am psyched about cloth diapering would be a massive understatement. You can expect a full post {or eight} on this topic. I know, I know - yet another blogger on a Cloth Diaper Platform.... It's becoming about as cliche as the "mommy guilt" posts. But other bloggers have been my greatest source of information on the topic {oodles more helpful than the chatboards that make your head spin with their intimidating acronyms}, and if my ~~totally OCD color-coded spreadsheets~~ ramblings can somehow "pay it forward," then I'm happy to clog your Reader with more Hippie Mama Propaganda!

(2) In a similar vein, I'm attempting to write a post on why I'm aiming for an intervention-free birth that isn't divisive. I realize you can't please everyone but, damn, peeps get their panties in a wad reeeeeal quickly over simple, declarative statements such as "I'm aiming for an intervention-free birth." I suppose we all read judgment where we want to... but I just have to chuckle, because when's the last time someone wrote about their decision to buy a home and received a slew of comments to the tune of OMG YOU ARE PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVELY SHITTING ALL OVER MY PERSONAL DECISION TO RENT WITH THIS SANCTIMONIOUS POST!

(3) Switching gears completely, Dexter isn't really doing it for me this year. Which hurts my Michael-C-Hall-lovin' heart. I'll still watch 'til the bitter end, but I think the show likely reached it's pinnacle with the Trinity season.

(4) There are few things that will turn me off of your product more than employing intentionally misspelled words for the purpose of being cutesy or catchy. No, I do not want to drink "koffee" at your "korner." Ever. And I'm really miffed that, one day soon, I will actually own a product called the "My Brest Friend." Dude, we would have gotten the "best friend for my breasts! haha, get it?" association if you had spelled "breast" correctly. Also, who are you marketing this thing to? 12 year olds? Does it come with matching, break-apart necklaces for me and the pillow? Friendship bracelets? A medium pepperoni pizza and a phone book for prank calls?

(5) I'm in the market for an excellent pumpkin soup recipe, if anyone has one!

(6) After a few requests, someone had a little too much fun with Publisher last night...

(7) That same someone has no earthly idea how to embed a PDF into HTML for others to download. So if you'd like to join my Campaign for Halloween Etiquette, shoot me an email and I'll share. And YES, I do have a version that doesn't call small children asshats. It's substantially less awesome, but, ya know, more practical, I suppose.

(8) Baseball isn't really my thing {although, ballpark hotdogs very much are}, but this World Series jazz is pretty exciting. And it would be great to see the Rangers win. I love a good Underdog Success Story. And I love Nolan Ryan. And men in tall socks. And ballpark hotdogs. Did I say that already?

(9) Happy Friday!

nerd excitement alert

2011-10-27T19:08:00.000-05:00

Tell me the truth...

They'll totally revoke my Hippie Card if I monogram a big ol' scrolly H on the bums, right?

So. Stinkin'. Cute.

elefantitas alegres

36 weeks

Photo-a-Day: January*

Menu Sunday

PPT: V-Day Letterpress

I believe...

Flood 3.0

35 weeks

Menu Sunday

friday funny

PPT: Lulie Wallace

34 weeks

KEEP: Circled. Underlined. Exclamation Point.

Baby Crap For Which We Registered*

33 weeks

Menu Sunday

PPT: Wall Stuff

monthly goals: take two

32 weeks

what are ya doing...

2011 Reads

31 weeks

Merry Christmas!

like a crazed squirrel stockpiling nuts...

30 weeks

Menu Sunday

first world parenting problems

a non-holiday craft for uncrafty folk

29 weeks

{insert song lyric lovin' on New York here}... Vol. I

four years from "yes"

ramblings, vol. who knows

27 & 28 weeks

white bean & garbanzo chili

arrivederci!

Holiday Recap: By the Numbers / a la Instagram

a shower for quesita!

26 weeks

thankful

Thanksgiving Food Prep & Menu

for the hostess with the mostest

Menu Sunday

25 weeks

lighter & brighter

Big. Sigh.

Cheese as Prozac

Menu Sunday

24 weeks

on a lighter note...

Doubt. Fear. Faith.

more tidbits

Menu Sunday

23 weeks

Sponsored Post: Holiday Cards from Shutterfly

on repeat

Welcome November

The Name Game, Vol. 3

Menu Sunday

22 weeks

brain mush

nerd excitement alert