34 weeks

My sweet girlie and I went in for our first Non Stress Test and Amniotic Fluid Index (NST/AFI) tests today.  Our perinatologist recommended then as a precaution, so from here to the big birth day we'll be doing them every week.  I think NSTs are the best medical test ever.  For thirty minutes, I sit and relax while listening to my baby's heartbeat and feeling her jabs and kicks at the fetal monitor.  Then, while the amniotic fluid is measured via ultrasound, I get little glimpses of the miracle that is my growing girl.  Today she was putting on show smacking her lips- I can't imagine she enjoyed tasting that fluid unless she was enjoying the remnants of my breakfast, but still, yucky- or maybe she was singing sweet songs to fill the time. Whatever she was up to, she kept at it for quite some awhile and the ultrasound tech let me watch for as long as she went about her business. I was so glad she did, it was wonderful not to be rushed and to have someone, especially someone who sees babies all the time, marvel at my babe along with me.  

That's just one of the many reasons why I love our birth center. I was already walking through the front doors with teary eyes- every step recalled the last time I walked through those doors- but being around the kind and very sincere staff, not feeling the least bit hurried and instead being flooded with the calm of what has got to be a piece of heaven made we want to weep with joy. And contentment. And a whole lot of excitement.  Just as it was for our first baby, I know it will be a wonderful place to welcome our second to our family and the world.

The Toddler Who Ate Broccoli

That is steamed, cold broccoli trees with no butter or salt, my friends. He loves it! And tilapia, salmon, prunes, whole wheat cereal, green smoothies, coconut rice, carrot muffins, tomatoes, pinto beans, black beans, great northern beans....beans! pickles, hard-boiled egg yolks, cucumbers, parmesan cheese bitten right off the wedge, greek yogurt, and even more oddly-assorted foods that one wouldn't expect a toddler to even look at, and yet he eats them with gusto.

But not sweet potatoes. Or bread. I've never been able to figure that out.

Pregnancy Faves: Something New

Sippin' on Red Raspberry Tea

Red raspberry leaf tea is supposed to be a lady's wonder tea.  Every box I've bought proudly declares itself to be the great "[supporter] of the female system." So whatever that means, it sounds like an awesome best friend for my female system currently in hyper-drive.  I read about red raspberry leaf everywhere, and so I first checked with my midwife, then started drinking it as often as I could remember. I'm currently remembering to drink it once a day, and I'm going to check again with my midwife to see if upping my daily dosage is advisable as I approach the big birthing finale; the tea is supposed to help tone the uterine muscle, decrease labor pain, and ease the entire birthing process. I'll drink as many cups as I can if it's good on its promises.

Sleeping with the Boppy Total-Body Pregnancy Pillow

I've been loving this pillow because it's three separate pieces that velcro together, so I can take them apart, rearrange them, or only use the piece I need-and it's pretty awesome.  I stuff it under my tummy, wrap it around behind my back, or snuggle up to the whole thing.  And possibly most fun of all, it helps me stake more territory at night, so for once in our lives, Jeff is the one sleeping on a sliver of the bed.


Just a collection of things I've noticed with my second pregnancy:

• it hurts more.....surprise! I thought it would hurt less since my tummy had already been stretched out and my body had been through all the changes before, but not so.  I've got a fire behind my belly button that will not be snuffed, my hip flexor muscles ache, and I'm one 10-second tidy away from snapping my back.
• some of my symptoms started sooner and lasted longer. Like the nausea, and the big belly growing, and the heartburn.  At first I thought I was just being wimpy since last time I was a year out from cancer treatment and numb to the drudgery of daily physical pain, but apparently this rise in discomfort is a widespread occurrence with second pregnancies, and I'm not just slowly devolving into a ninny.
• more contractions, more often.  I have a ton (in comparison, that is)!
• in some ways, it's easier.  It's so since to know what's going on and what to expect.  Even more so than with my first, I feel more in control and involved with not only my medical care, but day-to-day pregnancy stuff.
• I know I can I do this, and not simply because I've done it before.  It's almost as if confidence has bloomed within me along with my dear baby, and though the pregnancy has been hard and the experience at times trying, I am wonderfully, courageously, at peace in my strength.

Pregnancy Faves: Tried and True

My book of choice:

There are SO MANY pregnancy guides out there, it was really overwhelming to even go to the library and survey the shelves, let alone delve into the depths of amazon's book stores.  I found the Sears' book by perusing the library and checking out books that looked like they were worth reading- a pretty ground-breaking method, I know.  But even before my first pregnancy I had been following a few mommy blogs and had been reading Baby Center, so I had formulated an interest in certain birthing methods and philosophies. As I read the Sears' book, I found it supported how I felt about birth and babies, especially on all my big points.  I also liked the format better than "What to Expect When You're Expecting," which is also a great resource but a bit overwhelming at times.  "The Pregnancy Book" reads, well, like a book, not an encyclopedia, so I made it part of my nightly, relaxing, baby-prep routine.

Anti-Nausea Tools:

• Laying down on my left side, because a nice lie down is always helpful when making a person, and for us preggers gals, left-side laying is best for baby.
• Smaller, more frequent meals
• Cinnamon candies-like cinnamon bears or Hot Tamales
• Peppermint Tea
• Pretzels or Saltines and sips of water

My Go-To Stretch Mark Defender: 

 Palmers Cocoa Butter for Stretch Marks

Stretch marks might be dependent on your DNA, but my philosophy for using stretch mark lotion is simple: if I'm gonna get them, at least I'll be reducing their appearance while they form and keeping my tummy lathered and moisturized helps fend off that pregnant belly itching which is unattractively reminiscient of a redneck woman.  I love the way this lotion smells, it's like chocolate and roses, and it's not greasy or too "balmy." One of my friends recommended it to me when she found out I was pregnant, she absolutely swore by it-she's a tiny girl and came out of her first pregnancy with nary a stretch mark.  I used it with Sawyer and only got a teenzy mark on my side. 

How I Cope with All Those Body Changes:

• I never look at the scale!

And whoever does isn't allowed to tell me what's there.  My midwives only talk about my weight if it appears unhealthy. So far in two pregnancies we've only had to talk about my weight once, and that was when I had suddenly lost some pounds late in pregnancy with Sawyer.  Not knowing how much I weigh helps me focus so much more on being healthy and enjoying my rotund physique, and not charting and comparing my weight gains.  It's really such a relief.

• Pregnancy Clothes!

It's like playing dress-up for nine months! I know some people have trouble justifying the expense, but not me :) I have no trouble in this instance, since properly-fitting clothes are so much more comfortable and help me enjoy and feel confident about every shape change in pregnancy.  I've also developed some pretty awesome, nearly foolproof pregger-clothes shopping techniques.  Here are some of my rules:

-Shop for items that will fit for the full nine months.  This maximizes wear and usefulness.  Bonus points for clothes that pull double duty for pregnancy and post-baby body, and I'm a triple crown winner if I can find something that works for pregnancy, post-baby, and nursing.
-Keep it Cheap, as in, $50 or less per piece (not cheaply made-that's never a winning situation).  I usually spend around our under $25 an item, and only spend more if I know I will wear it frequently during pregnancy, or if it complies with rule #4...
-Look for clothes that aren't maternity-specific, but will accommodate a bump nicely and still fit post-baby and post-baby-weight loss.  Shh! My big secret is that most of my maternity clothes aren't really maternity! They're just styles that look good with a big belly. This is what I look for:

1. Empire waist
• tops and dresses that hit above the bump and below the chest, with plenty of wiggle room for that bump to grow.
• sometimes a size up is in order, usually to accommodate the enlarging ladies 
  
  
2. Stretchy and long
• gotta have length to cover that tummy
  
  
  
  
3. Tunics
• I wear a lot of these in the beginning bump stages, since they're flowy and comfy. But once I pop they get a bit tight around the middle unless they have stretch.
  
  
  
  
4. Pieces with Forgiveness
• the most easily-transitioned pieces, and very accepting of all shapes and sizes
• button-ups
• cardigans
• I pair them with a maternity tank or t-shirt
  
  
  
  

  

  {double give! button-up and a back zipper; a boutique find}

5. Maxi dresses, maxi or midi skirts
• Fitted and stretchy or with a high waist, maxi dresses almost always work, and I usually don't even have to size up.
• I like to wear maxi or midi skirts under my tummy until it's nice and round, then-since I have all that length to work with, I like to wear them over my belly. Super cozy and cute. 
  
  
6. Leggings galore
• I wear my regular leggings throughout pregnancy, mostly because I've found that if I size up, the leggings slide down and I'm always adjusting them.  I love a few pairs of maternity leggings though, especially as the end nears, and Old Navy has my favorite, under the belly kind.
• Lots of ladies like to invest in a good pair of maternity jeans, and I think that's a good idea, I just haven't done it yet.  My maternity jeans are Old Navy and forever21 (their maternity line is now extinct), but I've always preferred pairing leggings with tunics and shorter dresses, and now that I'm up and down and crawling on the floor pushing trains around all day, leggings suit me best.

None of those outfits above are pregnancy clothes, just clothes that fit well during pregnancy.  I typically forage for finds at H&M, forever21, Francesca's Collections, TJ Maxx, asos, and local boutiques.  Now, I know I'm not a fashion genius, these are just some tips and tricks that work for my situation and budget, but I'm sure you could tweak them to fit any budget and style.

Stay tuned for some new things I'm trying out this pregnancy!

Pumpkin Butter

I've got a Peter Peter pumpkin hater in my house, so when pumpkin season hits it's pretty much up to me to make and eat all things pumpkin.  Not usually a problem, but I've been feeling lazy lately and the prospect of mixing and measuring and cleaning up dishes all for something that I'd be enjoying all alone was not enticing me.  When I was stuck with leftover pumpkin puree from our orange and black Halloween dinner (creamy pumpkin sauce+sausage pasta....yum....that's pumpkin the hater will eat), I stared and stared at that puree until quintessential autumnal spices started tingling the foggy memory corners of my brain and I began to recall the magnificent taste of pumpkin butter.  Suddenly, I knew exactly what to make and that I'd be more than happy to eat all of it.

Because it had to be easy, I wanted to use a slow cooker recipe, and because I'm eating every last bite, I wanted it to be healthy.  Not chia seed and flax seed healthy- which I did find recipes for- just more like not-too-sweet, mostly-about-the-pumpkin healthy.  I used a lot less sugar than most recipes, and my version is well-spiced, but it mellows out as it stands and if you like a sweeter butter, it's as easy as adding more sugar, or even maple syrup, to taste at the end.

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Butter
adapted from: Eggs on Sunday

Ingredients:
1 large (I think it's a 32 oz?) can pumpkin puree
2/3 C applesauce
1/4 C brown sugar
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
pinch of allspice
hearty toddler pinch of kosher salt (he nails about 1/4 tsp every time)

Method:
Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on low for 5 hours, stirring once in a while to keep the edges from burning. Allow to cool completely before storing, and it tastes best if chilled before eating.  Pumpkin butter can't be canned and it won't keep forever like jam does, so eat it while fall is here :)

32 weeks

Somehow I got behind in my week count and I was 32 weeks the week of Halloween-and I ate all the candy and drank all the cider just to assert my pregnant-ness.  Or maybe it was to cope with all the flu that surrounded me last week, because candy and cider is the new chicken soup and orange juice around here.  Luckily we, meaning my girl and me, escaped unscathed.  Sadly, the same can't be said of Sawyer and Jeff and those six loads of laundry they racked up.

A Bunch of Thankful Turkeys

Every Monday our little bunch has a special family night where we spend some good old fashioned quality and quantity time together.  Some nights we march around and play instruments, other times we head out to the park or a special activity, we've been known to hand out family-made treats to our neighbors, and occasionally we just sing songs, share stories, then cuddle our bug during a movie.  I also like to sprinkle in some substance to these nights of fun, so we usually talk about things going on in our family and take some time to teach Sawyer about them (usually just a microsecond though, he's not one for sitting around).

We had one of those aforementioned, more substantial activities this Monday to kick-off the month of November with a focus on being grateful- ya know, a sort of Thanksgiving countdown.  But I've also been worried lately that while so many good things happen to us, we sometimes forget to acknowledge them openly. Then I was reading this article and came across the quote that is now most happily plastered to our door: "A grateful person is rich in contentment.  An ungrateful person suffers in the poverty of endless discontentment." We've had the wonderful pleasure of being students our entire married lives and we're usually getting punched in the face with tuition and part-time paychecks, so this particular allusion to gratitude and riches struck home with me.

I realize that graphic design here is non-existent and the project is definitely lacking in 21st century cuteness (like, "come on Rach, construction paper and markers?!"), but my babe loves to trace his mitts, can't get enough of pumpkins, and especially sweet to me is whenever I put a paper turkey hand up on the door I feel like my mom.  She was always decking our halls in the most clever, well-thought-out, family focused, fun substance that filled our childhood with color. And I'm still grateful for her handiwork- in fact I think I'll go put a turkey up for her.

Feel free to be thankful with us turkey lurkeys this month! Let me know if you manage to come up with something better than construction paper :)

31 weeks

Thanks to my fellow mamas for tips on warding off nausea, I'm finally feeling well enough to function good and proper.  These days, after Sawyer goes to bed, you'll find me sipping peppermint tea while sewing little headbands and embroidering baby bodysuits.  Working my fingers to the bone :) What I really love though is when Sawyer is awake and I'm sewing and he sidles over to where I'm sewing, clumsily works his way into my lap and clearly pronounces it time for "ouuurrr turrrn." I say "Your turn?" He flops his fluffy hair with an emphatic nod, points to his chest and declares, "baby's turn. Shark. Watch out." Meaning, of course, that it's his turn with the "sharp" needle and he'll be careful. I gingerly place the needle in his still chubby fingers and he stabs it down, with remarkable accuracy, into the fabric, then cranes his head to look back at me with triumph.  While praising the daylights out of him I work the needle back through the fabric and we again follow the process of baby's turn.  I've always enjoyed handcrafting for people I love, but detailing onesie's for my dearest baby girl with the help of  my precious big boy is like literally stitching the fabric of our family. I am overjoyed at becoming a family of four and though much of our routine will change, the things that truly matter will only get better. What we already have will simply, and maybe slowly, become more full and more fulfilling.  Kind of like how the perfectly spaced, even stitches I created seemed to be ideal, but those wobbly, toddler-initiated stitches are so much more perfect.

Halloween Manicure

 

I love painting my nails, and while it's usually a ritual I do every week, between the smell and some people saying the chemicals/odor are bad for the baby, I can't follow my norm during pregnancy.  I was lamenting the loss of fancy nails, until I remembered that I had stashed away some nail effect stickers that Jeff got me like a year ago.  I thought they'd make the perfect Halloween manicure, if they could just last as long as they suggested they would-10 days.

If you've never used these before, here's the run-down:
Super cinch to put on.
They have a slight odor, but I don't think I'd notice it if I wasn't pregnant.
Mine lasted from Friday night to Wednesday looking acceptable; they started to chip pretty fast, but luckily this design hid it well.  So, obviously, they didn't last as long as I hoped, but I didn't really expect them to stand up to dish-washing, floor scrubbing, crafting, or toddler nibbling.
I thought I could save the extra strips for touch-ups, although the instructions say to throw them away immediately. I was right and wrong. The strips dry out really fast once their pouch is opened, but I applied a clear coat to my bare nail, stuck on the dried out nail effect, snipped it down to shape, then applied a clear top coat and it held for another day or two.

Overall, I loved how easy these were to use and that my nails were dry and usable right away, but they are a little pricey considering they don't last very long with my hard-hitting lifestyle (hah).  So great for me during pregnancy, but I'll be going back to the usual once the baby comes along.

Back to Halloween manicures like these:

Halloween Layered Drinks

 

I was on the look out for something easy but festive to do for the Halloween playdate I'm hosting for a few mama's in my neighborhood when I came across layered drink ideas.  Easy-check. Festive-check.  While the kiddies nibble witch fingers or goblin eye balls, we'll be sipping on some bewitching brews.

Here's how to do it:

You need drinks with different levels of sugar content, like 30 grams, 15 grams, 0 grams. I found that the difference in sugar needed to be at least around 10 grams. Fill a glass with ice, then slowly pour in the drink with the highest sugar content, filling glass about 1/3 full. Repeat with the next highest sugar content, then finish with the drink with the lowest sugar content.  Remember, pour SLOWLY! 

I only used two different drinks because baby doesn't like artificial sweeteners and colored drinks with low- to no- sugar aren't really in existence.  I used pina colada drink mix for the bottom layer, and orange gatorade, green margarita mix (just the mix, no alcohol of course), and blueberry pomegranate juice for the top layers. I drank the margarita mix one first (yeah, it was that kind of day), but liked the juice the best.

Now go get brewing!