Baby Training

My closest college girlfriends and I all went to visit Katy in Houston a few weeks ago. While we would love nothing more than an adult girls trip, everyone always brings their kids bc we all live in different cities and don't get to see each other OR the little ones often enough. It was crazy chaos, but so wonderful (we ALL stayed at Katy's house!) I learned a lot about babies of all ages, and we all just played and caught up! All of my friends' babies are so beautiful and full of personality. It is really cool to see my friends transform from the college girls I once knew, to moms. Everyone parents differently, and everyone was amazing with their child. This was good for me to see- how babies and kids can be so different. Libby is the first one to have two, so I watched in awe of her parenting a toddler and a new baby. I took lots of mental notes. :) The only one that couldn't make it was Jordan, as she lives in Australia, but she is preggo with her first as well! Five of us are due this summer.

 This is us before our senior year "Kite and Key" date party in early 2005. You can tell little slinky silk dresses were "in." Geez, we were skinny!

 AND this is us now. 6 babies later with 5 more on the way (including Jordi.) How times have changed...

I also got to play with my sweet neice and nephew while in Houston. My sister-in-law is where I get the most parenting tips bc I have spent the most time with them over the past few years, and she is amazing- she kills it being a working parent (as I will be.) They are both at such fun ages right now. Jackson is 5 and was reading a book to me for the first time (dreamy for a reading teacher) and was slamming baseballs off the tee in the backyard. Charley, almost 2, finally really knows me, talks to me nonstop, wants me to hold her, to do her hair, and to read with her. I love every second of it! Love being an aunt to these two! I keep telling my sisters how much fun being an aunt is! You get to love on them constantly, and you don't have to worry about the discipline and constant decision-making of a parent- it's awesome! 

23 Weeks with a Feisty Acrobat

At 23 weeks I am feeling very pregnant! I make a weird "umph" sound when I get up from the floor when teaching or tying my shoes or when I have to bend over. My bigger non-maternity clothes no longer fit. My appetite is quite large, though I have finally gotten over my crazy sweet tooth (though don't ask me to turn away a cupcake.) This is me maternity clothes shopping Tulsa to try to expand my currant rotation of a wardrobe.

My favorite thing about pregnancy has been feeling our baby move around, which has been constant lately! I started feeling it for a few days at 15 weeks, but then felt nothing for 3 more weeks after. Starting at about 18 or 19 weeks I started feeling the occasional flutter. But now, at 23 weeks, it is ALL THE TIME. Sometimes it is a hard kick, and sometimes I just feel like the baby is rolling around. It is so cool, and I really love when both Thomas and I can feel it. The first time he felt our baby was when we were praying for the babe, as we do when we are lying in bed at night. His hand was on my belly and in the middle of the prayer we felt a huge one. Our eyes flew open and we simultaneously said "did you feel that?" It makes the whole thing so real. The babe is showing off his/her skills in the below ultrasound. We call this the acrobat pic because the baby is literally folded in half, with feet above head. This was at 21 weeks.

This has nothing to do with baby, but Thomas and I used our new kitchen "toys" this week. Thomas used his mandolin and fryer to make these amAzing rosemary parmesan french fries, and I used my new juicer for the first time to make juice! I asked my friend that makes juice all the time, Maggie, for her favorite combination.

This is pear, carrot, pineapple, and lime juice. It was so good!

What's Been Cookin in the New Year?

Maple Pecan Cinnamon Rolls- a twist on Pioneer Woman's recipe

Take a favorite pasta dish and

crack a few eggs on top. Bake in

over for about 10 minutes and

amazing! On this one we also 

added some mozzarella  & basil.

Thomas loves to make pulled pork. And everyone in my family loves to EAT the pulled pork, so he makes it almost once a month for Sunday family dinners. We cook a few pork butts in our dutch oven very slowly during the day, with Thomas's special rub mixture and onion. We then make enough to have it for several dinners throughout the week. The other night we made pulled pork nachos and they were to die for. We had it with green chili and bacon corn chowder (perfect on a cold weather/sweatpants type of day.)

 

         We love us some pulled pork tacos

 One time we had it in grilled cheeses with jalapenos, pickles, bbq sauce, and a variety of cheese. Oh my! Mule and your "Macaroni Pony" sandwich, step aside! I also roasted some tomatoes and made a roasted tomato basil soup. I guess I like soups with pulled pork.

I LOVE asian food (probably bc the variety of delicious sauces) and I love to make potstickers. I knock two birds out with one stone and use the same ingredients to make them into wontons for wonton soup as well. This time I tried to make it a bit healthier AND more convienient since I had it in my fridge- but I used turkey instead of pork. It was still pretty tasty!

Wonton soup and edamame

What I call "Winter salad" which is basically kale, roasted butternut squash, avocado, candied walnuts, and goat cheese. With the way to Thomas's heart- baked potato soup.  

Butternut squash curry soup, made with leftover butternut squash from above salad. Serve topped with a dabble of greek yogurt, parsley, and warm wheat pita.

Super food salad- quinoa (love love love this) with kale, edamame, mango, tomato, and avocado. Served with baked chicken.

 Our favorite salad- beets, goat cheese, blood orange, and candied walnuts. Inspired by salad of Wolfgang Puck

 I am not a great food photographer, but wanted to post this ugly pic because I want to remember the recipe. Inspired by Giada's show- her halibut with artichoke and olive caponata (the sauce was unbelievable) and her orzo with mint salmoriglio sauce. I just added some spinach, kale, and used wheat orzo. It was literally one of those days where I watched her show, she made both of these things and I immediately went to the store and copied her.

Seared scallops- we make them for every special occasion. For Valentine's Day I did a lemon white wine sauce and capers.



When I was first pregnant I couldn't stand the smell or taste of fish. I got back to my senses when at Paseo Grill with my family and Bailey ordered a salmon with a picatta-like sauce, mashed potatos, and green beans. Thomas made the most AMAZING mashed potatoes I'd ever had- with goat cheese and rosemary, and made me ones with sweet potatoes. MMmmmmm



Growing

This is a few weeks ago on Ash Wednesday (hence the ash on my forehead.) I was 21 weeks and getting LARGE. An updated pic coming soon. It's hard to take "selfies" bc I never want a pic of just me!

The frame Adriane got us. Love our little babe in it.

2013

I wanted to post some pics of what we've been up to in this new year. Besides the obvious craziness of having a baby , we've stayed pretty busy with work, working out, cooking, looking for a house (still), and spending time with friends while we can so freely/pre-baby. Since the new year Thomas has been working out before work and during his lunch breaks. I'm so proud that his health check at work improved dramatically in the last few months, all because of consistent exercise! We've always eaten healthy during the week and splurged on the weekends, so that has stayed the same. My pregnancy hunger has really kicked in the last 3 weeks, however, and I am craving sweets all the time, along with any other food in sight. Luckily I have been able to walk my dogs frequently and do Barre 3 (which I LOVE) several times a week to try to compensate for the amount of sumo wrestler behavior hunger I've had recently. 

Kicking off the New Year with an awesome party at the top of the Devon tower that my parents hosted with several friends/family. Once I FINALLY found a dress that fit me in this "awkward stage," we had a blast. This is when I finally started feeling better, so I was actually able to stay out late, dance, and have a good time!

  

Nana's 85th birthday! She requested T and I's Italian meal (which is my mother-in-law's recipe of meatballs and suga.) Mom made lemon cake and Amanda made her famous lemon cream cheese icing. Love that Nana!

It has been unusually pretty weather in January/February, so I've been able to spend time walking with the pups, which they love more than anything... except bacon. We took them to Hafer Park and hiked around the trails for an hour and it was lovely.

Amanda and Kevin got a new pup, Brody. The cutest little fluff you've ever seen. Luckie's new best friend (because he doesn't know his size and loooooves little dogs.)

Oh hello cute profile

We had so much fun seeing our baby yesterday! It was crazy seeing a little person with little hands, feet, and features all moving around. We told the tech immediately that we didn't want to know the sex, so we just looked away when they got to that "area." We almost accidentally found out, however, bc the tech forgot to tell the doctor that came and reviewed everything. She ran in with a sticky note, he glanced at it, and then admitted the sex was seconds away from leaving his lips. I have a few friends that are convinced it is a girl, and others think boy. It will be fun to see bc neither Thomas nor I have any idea, and we go back and forth with what we "feel" the baby's gender is.

The baby is healthy- 11 oz and measuring right in line with our June 25th due date. The only bad news was that my placenta was too low, so I need to go back in 3 weeks to see if it has moved up a bit. We are just really thankful that the baby is healthy.We are in love already...

I started feeling movement at 15 weeks- very early, I know. It wasn't the "flutter" that people talk about, it was a definite and constant kick. I felt it on and off for 4 days, then it stopped for weeks. I know positioning has a lot to do with it. Well,  the tech had to bounce and push on my stomach over and over to get the baby to move so we could get a profile pic, so I guess it really stirred it up in there bc he/she started kicking like crazy last night, and I've felt it on and off today. It makes it so much more real to see and feel this little one. I think this little profile is so cute. As BOTH my sister and Thomas said when first seeing this pic, "well it doesn't have your big pouty bottom lip." Thank you....

Having a BABY

My computer is broken so I haven't blogged in a while. A LOT has happened since the early November post.

We are having a baby in June!

First, we announced we were pregnant to my family right before Thanksgiving. We kept it a secret for 5 weeks WHILE living with them. One of the hardest things I've ever done. I did a bad job when videoing and not getting Bailey in the video, but she was there too. Please watch my brother-in-law Kevin and my dad during the beginning. We framed the above pic of my dogs, and my mom and sisters realized right away, while Kevin glanced at the pic (thinking I just gave them a random pic of my dogs) and then had to get again and look hard to see what everyone was making a fuss about. My dad is looking confused bc he watched everyone open their gifts, not knowing. Once he starts laughing you can tell he is figuring it out.

We told Thomas's fam on Thanksgiving. We gave Jackson an early birthday present, and the dog picture was in a "super cousin" super hero frame. Try to catch when he says "I was hoping for a toy," hilarious.

We told a bunch of friends during my birthday dinner. Thomas threw a "Mad Men" style dinner and wine pairing party. So fun surprising everyone. We told my extended family that same weekend when celebrating my 30th, and I'm so sad we didn't get it on video! Our Christmas card with the announcement went out about a week later.

14 weeks- starting to bust out of my pants.

16 weeks- getting to be more of a definite bump.

18 weeks- now. Bigger by the day. Craving really spicy or really sweet things. Spicy is pretty typical, but craving sweets is really odd for me. The babe is a size of a mango. :)

Our baby's heartbeat. Nothing is sweeter.