One of Tim and my's favorite things to do on Saturday mornings is to go to the farmer's market. We're lucky enough to have a year round one (in the winter there are inside vendors...no we're not crazy enough to brave the snow). In the summer we especially like it because we can spend a few hours looking around, eating breakfast, and just enjoying the day! We also like it because it gives us a chance to get new foods or old favorites. Now that we have Leo the day is even more special and more fun and I can't wait to share it with him as he grows.
My goal this summer is to get at least one fresh food to use to make a new recipe. This weekend I made 2 new things! I didn't think about blogging them until after we ate them all up so their aren't any pictures but if you make them feel free to share yours!
Fresh Ingredient: Strawberries
New recipe #1
Strawberry Pie
You'll Need:
1 premade pie crust (Or you can make your own...I'm not that great at pie crusts so I just bought mine and it was still really good).
1 quart strawberries
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp corn starch
1 3 oz package of strawberry jello
* In a medium pan mix the water, sugar, and cornstarch. Heat to a boil and stir until clear and thick.
*Remove from heat and add the jello
*Let cool and then add the strawberries (cut these up of course in advance)
*Poor in pie crust and refridgerate until firm
*Eat it up (my favorite step!)
Recipe #2
Strawberry, Banana, Kiwi Crepes (aka really thin pancakes as Ricky Bobby would say ;p)
You'll Need:
Pre-made crepes (or again you can make you're own. It was early and we have a newborn so we're keeping it simple).
Filling:
4 oz Cream Cheese
2 tbsp powder sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup strawberries
Topping:
1 cup strawberries
1 banana
1 kiwi
*Preheat oven to 325*
*Mix all filling ingredients but the strawberries together
*spoon filling into crepes this recipe will make 6
*sprinkle strawberries on top of the cream cheese mixture and roll the crepes. put them seam down in pan
*bake for about 10 mins or until lightly browned
*top with banans, kiwi, and more strawberries
*share them with your husband and enjoy!
These were both super easy and quick little things that I got done with the help of my husband both in the kitchen and out when he took care of little Leo while I was making them. I can't wait to see what we come up with for next week!
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
What I've learned so far being a new mommy...
I have been an official mommy for 12 days now (and about 5 weeks earlier than expected might I add). It's been the best 12 days of my life with the day I found out I was pregnant running a close second. It's also been hard work...imagine that!
Here are some things I've learned so far:
*Planning is good in theory but just doesn't always work in practice anymore. I learned this when my plan of nursing did not go as planned. I really wanted to do this for all the reasons new mommies want to but unfortunately we were not able to do it for a variety reasons and made the decision to go to the bottle. This was very hard for my ego to handle but Leo is so happy and much more active and gaining weight and being a little guy that's what's important!
*Never make fun of another mommie because you might become her! So those mom's that call the doctor's for every little thing...I became one of them this week. Leo went 2 days without pooping and I was ready to rush him to urgent care. I got him into the doctor and he was perfectly fine...just learning how to use his new system. I've also found myself taking his temp whenever I think he feels the least bit warm. My anxiety was very high in the beginning but it's getting better and better everyday...it probably won't ever go away completely because how could it when I love Leo so much. I guess I'm a real mommy now!
*Poop and spit up is no longer gross. I mean it's still gross but I just don't notice how gross it is. It used to make me gag to just get a little on my hand but not anymore.
*Trust your baby...he'll tell you what he needs! So I did the same thing I did during pregnancy and googled and read way too much. Information is good but sometimes it takes the focus off of the real person in charge...your baby. I was so worried he wasn't eating enough so I'd set my alarm to feed him. Guess what...if he's hungry he'll tell me! The leader in our committed couples group at church put it best: "We wouldn't have lasted as long as we have as a species if we depended on our tired moms to set alarms to feed us. Babies are the alarms." He's also a doctor I'll trust that he knows what he's talking about :)
*My husband is totally capable and doesn't need my instruction. Having a baby can be stressful on mommies and daddies but I think it can be even more stressful on the daddy because he's left out and I think most of us want to direct them and correct them at first but they know what they're doing! Tim has been so amazing and the biggest help to me ever. I've learned he can cook, clean, and do the laundry and really doesn't mind. I just need to LET him do it. He can also change a diaper and feed and snuggle the baby just as good as I can. I'm so thankful that I have a husband that shares this new work load even after finishing up his finals in his master's level classes and working 9-10 hour days at work.
*Baby Blues do come and they do go away. I got the baby blues and would cry over most anything happy, sad, exciting...previews to movies and mother's day commercials. The whole time I was thinking, "Oh great I'm going to be the 10% that gets postpartum" After the poop ordeal though I'm happy to say that the tears haven't come for 3 days now! You just feel very overwhelmed and happy that you turn back into a 13 year old girl for a few days.
*Nothing is as amazing as when your baby looks at you. Nothing.
*You can begin a schedule right away for your baby! Leo (crossing my fingers) is on a pretty set schedule already for his feedings and sleeping. He eats every 3-4 hours. Goes to sleep around 9-10 at night and has been sleeping until about 1:30-2 gets a change and a feeding and then sleeps until 6-7 in the morning! I usually talk to him constantly when he's awake during the day but at night I try to keep very quiet so he knows that it's business time and not play time and it's worked! He eats and goes right back to sleep. I snuggle him for a little bit just to make sure he's sleeping really well and then he's back down in his bassinet.
*I've also learned that I have a million more things to learn and change and grow and I wouldn't change it for anything in the world.
Here are some things I've learned so far:
*Planning is good in theory but just doesn't always work in practice anymore. I learned this when my plan of nursing did not go as planned. I really wanted to do this for all the reasons new mommies want to but unfortunately we were not able to do it for a variety reasons and made the decision to go to the bottle. This was very hard for my ego to handle but Leo is so happy and much more active and gaining weight and being a little guy that's what's important!
*Never make fun of another mommie because you might become her! So those mom's that call the doctor's for every little thing...I became one of them this week. Leo went 2 days without pooping and I was ready to rush him to urgent care. I got him into the doctor and he was perfectly fine...just learning how to use his new system. I've also found myself taking his temp whenever I think he feels the least bit warm. My anxiety was very high in the beginning but it's getting better and better everyday...it probably won't ever go away completely because how could it when I love Leo so much. I guess I'm a real mommy now!
*Poop and spit up is no longer gross. I mean it's still gross but I just don't notice how gross it is. It used to make me gag to just get a little on my hand but not anymore.
*Trust your baby...he'll tell you what he needs! So I did the same thing I did during pregnancy and googled and read way too much. Information is good but sometimes it takes the focus off of the real person in charge...your baby. I was so worried he wasn't eating enough so I'd set my alarm to feed him. Guess what...if he's hungry he'll tell me! The leader in our committed couples group at church put it best: "We wouldn't have lasted as long as we have as a species if we depended on our tired moms to set alarms to feed us. Babies are the alarms." He's also a doctor I'll trust that he knows what he's talking about :)
*My husband is totally capable and doesn't need my instruction. Having a baby can be stressful on mommies and daddies but I think it can be even more stressful on the daddy because he's left out and I think most of us want to direct them and correct them at first but they know what they're doing! Tim has been so amazing and the biggest help to me ever. I've learned he can cook, clean, and do the laundry and really doesn't mind. I just need to LET him do it. He can also change a diaper and feed and snuggle the baby just as good as I can. I'm so thankful that I have a husband that shares this new work load even after finishing up his finals in his master's level classes and working 9-10 hour days at work.
*Baby Blues do come and they do go away. I got the baby blues and would cry over most anything happy, sad, exciting...previews to movies and mother's day commercials. The whole time I was thinking, "Oh great I'm going to be the 10% that gets postpartum" After the poop ordeal though I'm happy to say that the tears haven't come for 3 days now! You just feel very overwhelmed and happy that you turn back into a 13 year old girl for a few days.
*Nothing is as amazing as when your baby looks at you. Nothing.
*You can begin a schedule right away for your baby! Leo (crossing my fingers) is on a pretty set schedule already for his feedings and sleeping. He eats every 3-4 hours. Goes to sleep around 9-10 at night and has been sleeping until about 1:30-2 gets a change and a feeding and then sleeps until 6-7 in the morning! I usually talk to him constantly when he's awake during the day but at night I try to keep very quiet so he knows that it's business time and not play time and it's worked! He eats and goes right back to sleep. I snuggle him for a little bit just to make sure he's sleeping really well and then he's back down in his bassinet.
*I've also learned that I have a million more things to learn and change and grow and I wouldn't change it for anything in the world.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
The Story of Leopold Michael
I am sitting in the hospital next to the most beautiful baby boy I've ever seen. I may be partial to him because he's my first born son but nevertheless he really is beautiful in every way. I can't explain the feelings that are rushing over me and my newfound mommyhood but I have loved every second of it.
Yesterday I was 35 weeks 4 weeks pregnant and feeling great! Friday had been a really lazy day for me and I had felt tired and cranky but Saturday was my day and I woke up feeling great. Tim and I were going to work at the store and then enjoy one of our last weekends as just a couple before we welcomed our baby that was still 4 weeks or so away from being here. How quickly our plans would change!
We hadn't even opened up the box with the car seat in it. We still needed a few little things. No bag was packed and now list was even made up but our baby decided none of that mattered! He was ready to finally be with us.
At 4:45 I was still at the store anxious for the last few customers to leave and to go out on a date with my husband. As I was standing at the front counter all of a sudden I felt a big gush. At first I half thought/hoped that I just peed my pants! I looked at Tim and said, "Um I think my water just broke" and ran to the bathroom. That sealed the deal because it wouldn't stop and I started to have my bloody show. Yep I was going to have a baby! Tim knocked on the door and was so confused and nervous!
We called the midwife who had us meet her at the hospital and I was admitted right away and was already 3 centimeters along! I was expecting a long labor since this was my first. I was delightfully surprised that the first half was really not that painful...and when I was checked at around 9 I was five centimeters already. Oh boy did it progress from there! The pain was really intense and my monitors didn't agree with me because they would only work with me on my back so the midwife let me have the internal monitors so I could move more comfortably and use the exercise ball to help control the pain. If you are planning on having a drug-free delivery use the exercise ball! it is heaven! At about 11 they checked me around and I was 9 centimeters! And at 11:30 I was fully dialated and could start pushing!
Did I mention May 1st is Tim's oldest brother's birthday? We joked that we'd try not to have him steal the day but I didn't really think it would happen...but if it did we decided the middle name would be changed from Neal to Michael in honor to him. Pushing was very emotional and at times frustrating because I knew that this was it...he was going to be here but I really didn't know what I was doing! I was afraid of the pain and afraid a little bit to really be a mommy for real...but I did it and the pain was there but far better/different than I ever thought it would be. After about 21 minutes of pushing little Leo was born at 11:51 and I was all tears and smiles! I had great help getting through it from Tim and my mom as well as midwife and the midwife in residency.
They had a full room when he came out because he was so early but everything was perfect. He was 6 lbs 1 oz, oxygen levels were at 100%, and all his vitals were good. They didn't let me breast feed just because of blood sugars and that was a little disappointing to me but hopefully it will still be something I can do...it hasn't worked out well so far though.
So now I'm a momma and the little bean inside me is a Leopold and Tim and I and him are now a family. It's been so amazing and it's only been one day! I can't wait to for the rest to come!
Yesterday I was 35 weeks 4 weeks pregnant and feeling great! Friday had been a really lazy day for me and I had felt tired and cranky but Saturday was my day and I woke up feeling great. Tim and I were going to work at the store and then enjoy one of our last weekends as just a couple before we welcomed our baby that was still 4 weeks or so away from being here. How quickly our plans would change!
We hadn't even opened up the box with the car seat in it. We still needed a few little things. No bag was packed and now list was even made up but our baby decided none of that mattered! He was ready to finally be with us.
At 4:45 I was still at the store anxious for the last few customers to leave and to go out on a date with my husband. As I was standing at the front counter all of a sudden I felt a big gush. At first I half thought/hoped that I just peed my pants! I looked at Tim and said, "Um I think my water just broke" and ran to the bathroom. That sealed the deal because it wouldn't stop and I started to have my bloody show. Yep I was going to have a baby! Tim knocked on the door and was so confused and nervous!
We called the midwife who had us meet her at the hospital and I was admitted right away and was already 3 centimeters along! I was expecting a long labor since this was my first. I was delightfully surprised that the first half was really not that painful...and when I was checked at around 9 I was five centimeters already. Oh boy did it progress from there! The pain was really intense and my monitors didn't agree with me because they would only work with me on my back so the midwife let me have the internal monitors so I could move more comfortably and use the exercise ball to help control the pain. If you are planning on having a drug-free delivery use the exercise ball! it is heaven! At about 11 they checked me around and I was 9 centimeters! And at 11:30 I was fully dialated and could start pushing!
Did I mention May 1st is Tim's oldest brother's birthday? We joked that we'd try not to have him steal the day but I didn't really think it would happen...but if it did we decided the middle name would be changed from Neal to Michael in honor to him. Pushing was very emotional and at times frustrating because I knew that this was it...he was going to be here but I really didn't know what I was doing! I was afraid of the pain and afraid a little bit to really be a mommy for real...but I did it and the pain was there but far better/different than I ever thought it would be. After about 21 minutes of pushing little Leo was born at 11:51 and I was all tears and smiles! I had great help getting through it from Tim and my mom as well as midwife and the midwife in residency.
They had a full room when he came out because he was so early but everything was perfect. He was 6 lbs 1 oz, oxygen levels were at 100%, and all his vitals were good. They didn't let me breast feed just because of blood sugars and that was a little disappointing to me but hopefully it will still be something I can do...it hasn't worked out well so far though.
So now I'm a momma and the little bean inside me is a Leopold and Tim and I and him are now a family. It's been so amazing and it's only been one day! I can't wait to for the rest to come!
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