Last night, Tim and I got a pizza from a little place a few miles away. Tim told me that since I was the pregnant one and my birthday is Sunday, I could order whatever I wanted.
*ca-ching!*
I ordered an extra large pizza with pepperoni, mushroom, black olives, and pineapple. We dubbed it my Pregnant Pizza. It was bliss!
Well, it was until I had to barf later. When is this mess going to end? I'm almost 15 weeks pregnant. I'd really like to feel better soon! Puh-lease?
Friday, March 11, 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Kefir
So, I love kefir. I really do!
According to www.kefir.net, "Kefir is a cultured, creamy product with amazing health attributes. Kefir’s tart and refreshing flavor is similar to a drinking-style yogurt, but it contains beneficial yeast as well as friendly ‘probiotic’ bacteria found in yogurt. The naturally occurring bacteria and yeast in kefir combine symbiotically to give superior health benefits when consumed regularly. It is loaded with valuable vitamins and minerals and contains easily digestible complete proteins."
Basically, it's a smoothie you grow in a jar on your counter :)
I ordered kefir grains (growing on the left is water kefir and growing on the right is milk kefir), started them per the directions, and now I'm just waiting for the grains to recover from the shipping process so that I can use them to make delicious kefir. I've made milk kefir before, but I have yet to attempt water kefir.
It is delicious and tart, especially blended with fruit! I enjoy using kefir to make smoothies with kale, blueberries, strawberries (all frozen last season when they were grown locally) and/or anything in season.
Have I mentioned lately that I cannot wait for spring and summer?!
From what I understand, you can actually use water kefir grains to make water kefir flavored with lemon juice to create a sort of fizzy, probiotic lemonade! Sounds amazing!
I highly recommend any of you that are interested in kefir to run to the store and buy some. Lifeway brand is easily found at Earth Fare or Harris Teeter. Try it! It is a bit pricey, so once you try it and develop a taste for it, start researching where to get kefir grains and prepare to get addicted to making your own! I'm happy to share my sources if anyone is interested!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
My new rules :)
Me at almost 14 weeks (a week ago)My new rule of parenting is: Never have more kids than you can take care of in the event that you get a debilitating stomach virus that lays you up for 3 days with no other adult in sight to help.
I broke it and that's okay. Rules were meant to be broken, right? Right?
I broke it and that's okay. Rules were meant to be broken, right? Right?
Jackson helping me listen to the baby with my doppler. HB is running in the high 150s, low 160s (between 156 and 162)Thank goodness that Keelin's dad is a cool guy and took her to his house yesterday afternoon so that he could take her to school this morning looking nice for her spring, school pictures. I don't think the school would have appreciated my version of "mommy is sick / homeless chic" - so I was thankful for that. I'm also thankful that she missed the worst part of my illness. I was so sick last night that I got to the point where I didn't make it to the bathroom and ended up a pile of Mommy puking all over herself laying on the floor of the hallway. Jackson stood beside me mimicking the noises I was making as I retched in the floor.
Pitiful. And gross. Not my most dignified moment ever.
My new rule of grocery shopping is: Never allow yourself to be stuck with only powdered orange Gatorade in the event of debilitating stomach virus. You will come to loathe the stuff.
Brilliant discovery: After eating no solid food for 3 days, you will crave really strange things. Tonight, the first time I've kept food down in a while, I have felt an overwhelming desire for grapefruit, a Bloody Mary (maybe because the recovery period after a tummy bug somewhat reminds me of being violently hungover?), a cheese pizza, and a few other things that absolutely do not go together under any circumstances.
I had some grapefruit, which has stayed down. So far so good! I really really want a bite of vinegar based coleslaw, but I'm pretty sure I shouldn't put grapefruit and vinegar in my tummy at the same time. Will probably just hit the hay for now.
Hopefully tomorrow I will be more coherent, less emotional, and a more interesting blogger.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Orange Gatorade and Uselessness
That has been the last 24 hours of my life.
Last night, I started to feel weak and nauseated. I took my temp and it was climbing. I started throwing up and knew I was in for it. Jackson started running a temp and acting pitiful, so I made us huge smoothies packed full of probiotic powder, organic yogurt, flaxseed oil, orange juice, and lots of ice.
When I start to feel ill, I load up on Vitamin C and probiotics, because we all (should) know that your immune system is a colon thing! Every wondered why people who eat crap constantly are sick more often than those who are health conscious? Yep, you guessed it. You crap (lol) on your immune system, and it will crap on you.
Back to it...
All 3 of us got into bed with our smoothies, watched a movie, and I noticed that it had gotten really quiet on the other side of the bed :) They were little sleepy bedhogs! I didn't have the heart to move them, so they stayed in my bed.
We're hanging in, even though I feel like I've been hit by a bus. *sigh*
I'm desperately tired, so it will be an early bedtime tonight!
Last night, I started to feel weak and nauseated. I took my temp and it was climbing. I started throwing up and knew I was in for it. Jackson started running a temp and acting pitiful, so I made us huge smoothies packed full of probiotic powder, organic yogurt, flaxseed oil, orange juice, and lots of ice.
When I start to feel ill, I load up on Vitamin C and probiotics, because we all (should) know that your immune system is a colon thing! Every wondered why people who eat crap constantly are sick more often than those who are health conscious? Yep, you guessed it. You crap (lol) on your immune system, and it will crap on you.
Back to it...
All 3 of us got into bed with our smoothies, watched a movie, and I noticed that it had gotten really quiet on the other side of the bed :) They were little sleepy bedhogs! I didn't have the heart to move them, so they stayed in my bed.
We're hanging in, even though I feel like I've been hit by a bus. *sigh*
I'm desperately tired, so it will be an early bedtime tonight!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
This weekend was
CRAZY!
That is honestly the only way to describe it!
I took this year off from school to spend more time with my family. I definitely have been! It's been great to not leave the kids for class, read for pleasure again, and being able to say, "Yes, we are trying to have another baby!" I couldn't be pregnant, be the kind of mom I want to be, and maintain my commitment to my classes. Something had to fall by the wayside.
I have found, though, that even though I tried to simplify my life, I'm still over-extended. I've started crafting for babies and children- making family cloth (reusable toilet "paper" that you wash with your cloth diapers), cloth baby wipes, etc. I took a few orders for friends and barely finished them. The first trimester fatigue just zapped my energy. I had none. So I finished the projects that I'd started and decided not to take on anymore.
I finished off the last of the baby wipes for a friend due in a couple of weeks. Those will be mailed off tomorrow. (That was Friday)
I (along with another Army wife) threw a baby shower for a friend. The feedback seems to be good, so I think it went really well. Will post some pictures of the decor I organized later. Think vases of flowers and bowls of lovely orange goldfish that my friend Patti's daughters and my kids took home after the baby shower to be loved (and fed regularly) as pets! $0.13 feeder goldfish getting saved from being fed to a bigger critter. I hope we can get them to last a while! (That was Saturday)
When I got home from the baby shower last night, I saw that Tim had finished up the kids teeter totter and swingset! Today, it was pouring rain allllll day! Keelin (our 4yr old) went outside in boots and a raincoat to play for a little while, but decided it wasn't a dry idea pretty quickly. I'm so thankful that Tim loves our kids like he does. He could have watched the History Channel and eaten Girl Scout cookies all day, but he showed his love for his kids on his day off. Absolutely precious.
As for today, I woke up when the kids started being noisy and immediately tapped Tim and started rattling off what we needed to do today. We ate some granola, blackberries, and almond milk for breakfast then got to work! The kids organized their toys, beds, etc. Tim cleaned the sunroom, dining room, and living room. I spring cleaned the kids toys/clothes, washed a ton of laundry, cleaned all of the bedrooms, bathrooms. It was a super productive day!
Right after I finished cleaning, my mom showed up for a visit that didn't prompt but certainly helped motivate the cleaning spree this morning. While she was here, a man stopped by to check out my car. Well, two hours later... after a test drive and a visit to a mechanic to check under the hood, he bought my car!!!!!
So this weekend was totally crazy, but amazing. I finished up my crafting plans, threw a baby shower that I've been planning for months, and cleaned our whole house!
I then realized that I'm now 14 weeks and 1 day. I cleared out my schedule, got my home spring-cleaned to a clean slate, moved outgrown toys and clothes to marked bags to pass on to friends JUST in time to start my second trimester of this pregnancy. My final pregnancy, I believe.
It seems like this weekend cleared my heart and mind of stress, worry, and brought me to a place in this pregnancy that makes me feel like it's time to start preparing for this baby to arrive.
It's time to start prepping our newborn sized cloth diaper stash, washing and freshening baby carriers (my Kozy and Ergo are begging to be worn with a wee one!), and getting myself centered... so I don't get to the point of feeling totally overwhelmed with things I've told people I would do. I certainly do not plan to stop doing things for others, making items, etc. but I do need to be mindful of my stress levels and pace myself. I just signed up to do way too much at one time. Moderation needs to be a word that I repeat to myself often throughout the day. I am not superwoman and do not strive to be. I just want to be a good mom and a good wife. And being stressed to the gills doesn't make me a better wife or mother.
That is honestly the only way to describe it!
I took this year off from school to spend more time with my family. I definitely have been! It's been great to not leave the kids for class, read for pleasure again, and being able to say, "Yes, we are trying to have another baby!" I couldn't be pregnant, be the kind of mom I want to be, and maintain my commitment to my classes. Something had to fall by the wayside.
I have found, though, that even though I tried to simplify my life, I'm still over-extended. I've started crafting for babies and children- making family cloth (reusable toilet "paper" that you wash with your cloth diapers), cloth baby wipes, etc. I took a few orders for friends and barely finished them. The first trimester fatigue just zapped my energy. I had none. So I finished the projects that I'd started and decided not to take on anymore.
I finished off the last of the baby wipes for a friend due in a couple of weeks. Those will be mailed off tomorrow. (That was Friday)
I (along with another Army wife) threw a baby shower for a friend. The feedback seems to be good, so I think it went really well. Will post some pictures of the decor I organized later. Think vases of flowers and bowls of lovely orange goldfish that my friend Patti's daughters and my kids took home after the baby shower to be loved (and fed regularly) as pets! $0.13 feeder goldfish getting saved from being fed to a bigger critter. I hope we can get them to last a while! (That was Saturday)
When I got home from the baby shower last night, I saw that Tim had finished up the kids teeter totter and swingset! Today, it was pouring rain allllll day! Keelin (our 4yr old) went outside in boots and a raincoat to play for a little while, but decided it wasn't a dry idea pretty quickly. I'm so thankful that Tim loves our kids like he does. He could have watched the History Channel and eaten Girl Scout cookies all day, but he showed his love for his kids on his day off. Absolutely precious.
As for today, I woke up when the kids started being noisy and immediately tapped Tim and started rattling off what we needed to do today. We ate some granola, blackberries, and almond milk for breakfast then got to work! The kids organized their toys, beds, etc. Tim cleaned the sunroom, dining room, and living room. I spring cleaned the kids toys/clothes, washed a ton of laundry, cleaned all of the bedrooms, bathrooms. It was a super productive day!
Right after I finished cleaning, my mom showed up for a visit that didn't prompt but certainly helped motivate the cleaning spree this morning. While she was here, a man stopped by to check out my car. Well, two hours later... after a test drive and a visit to a mechanic to check under the hood, he bought my car!!!!!
So this weekend was totally crazy, but amazing. I finished up my crafting plans, threw a baby shower that I've been planning for months, and cleaned our whole house!
I then realized that I'm now 14 weeks and 1 day. I cleared out my schedule, got my home spring-cleaned to a clean slate, moved outgrown toys and clothes to marked bags to pass on to friends JUST in time to start my second trimester of this pregnancy. My final pregnancy, I believe.
It seems like this weekend cleared my heart and mind of stress, worry, and brought me to a place in this pregnancy that makes me feel like it's time to start preparing for this baby to arrive.
It's time to start prepping our newborn sized cloth diaper stash, washing and freshening baby carriers (my Kozy and Ergo are begging to be worn with a wee one!), and getting myself centered... so I don't get to the point of feeling totally overwhelmed with things I've told people I would do. I certainly do not plan to stop doing things for others, making items, etc. but I do need to be mindful of my stress levels and pace myself. I just signed up to do way too much at one time. Moderation needs to be a word that I repeat to myself often throughout the day. I am not superwoman and do not strive to be. I just want to be a good mom and a good wife. And being stressed to the gills doesn't make me a better wife or mother.
Friday, March 4, 2011
It's Friday! I'm in love!
With Craigslist :)
We have had so many phone calls and visits about our car! I just wish that more people knew how to drive a 5 speed. The green machine would have been sold to the first visitor/caller if that had been the case! We have a very interested guy coming by in the morning, so hopefully he will buy it. That would be delightful!
I was productive today! Finished detailing the car with Daniel, did some yard work, ran a ton of errands, cleaned out the chick's area, washed a load of diapers, and now I am going to enjoy a yummy batch of sweet potato fries with spicy salt and no-HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) ketchup. Delicious!!
http://www.mamaeve.com/index.php/general-parenting/204-might-be-a-counterculture-mama-if/
This is a really interesting post. I found it through a parenting board I enjoy reading and I identify with most of the list. I guess I am a bit crunchier than I think I am! Which is definitely not a bad thing. I strive to be crunchier- getting back to the basics is never wrong, people. Anything you can do that is "mainstream" can be done in a healthier way. I promise- and you don't have to turn into a homebirthing, toddler nursing "Counterculture Mom." For example:
If you're addicted to tupperware, I can show you my amazing glass food storage that can go from baking in the oven to the microwave, to the dishwasher, to the freezer, etc. And no, it isn't more expensive than the plastic stuff! I paid $30 for a huge mixed-size of containers to start with and then added some Mason jars to the mix. They rock!
If you think little plastic tables and chairs are cute for kids, you should see the wooden ones! They are no more expensive and aren't going to off-gas or leach chemicals like a plastic set. They don't have to be handmade, either. We got our set from Ikea for $20.
Farmer's market produce that isn't organic might be better than organic, he or she may just not be able to afford what is required to be labeled organic. I pay less for farmer's market delights than people pay for Mexican produce at Walmart. Support your local little guy, stimulate your own little economy, love your earth, love your body... We bought some maple breakfast sausage from a farmer at our market that lives 20 minutes away from us. He handed me a dozen (free to us) eggs from his happy, free-range chickens and told me that he wanted to ensure that we would have delicious eggs to go with our delicious sausage. The egg whites were not pale yellow like store bought eggs, they were bright yellow/ almost orange, and the most flavorful eggs I've ever tasted. Cannot wait to visit him again and let him know how much we enjoyed his hard work and admired his commitment to his animals and to his customers. His free dozen eggs have earned him a customer- at least until our teeny chicks start laying themselves :)
Okay, my poor brain has had it. It is official, I need to treat myself to some sweet potato fries and then get some sleep before I drive 2.5hrs to do Elizabeth's baby shower tomorrow!
We have had so many phone calls and visits about our car! I just wish that more people knew how to drive a 5 speed. The green machine would have been sold to the first visitor/caller if that had been the case! We have a very interested guy coming by in the morning, so hopefully he will buy it. That would be delightful!
I was productive today! Finished detailing the car with Daniel, did some yard work, ran a ton of errands, cleaned out the chick's area, washed a load of diapers, and now I am going to enjoy a yummy batch of sweet potato fries with spicy salt and no-HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) ketchup. Delicious!!
http://www.mamaeve.com/index.php/general-parenting/204-might-be-a-counterculture-mama-if/
This is a really interesting post. I found it through a parenting board I enjoy reading and I identify with most of the list. I guess I am a bit crunchier than I think I am! Which is definitely not a bad thing. I strive to be crunchier- getting back to the basics is never wrong, people. Anything you can do that is "mainstream" can be done in a healthier way. I promise- and you don't have to turn into a homebirthing, toddler nursing "Counterculture Mom." For example:
If you're addicted to tupperware, I can show you my amazing glass food storage that can go from baking in the oven to the microwave, to the dishwasher, to the freezer, etc. And no, it isn't more expensive than the plastic stuff! I paid $30 for a huge mixed-size of containers to start with and then added some Mason jars to the mix. They rock!
If you think little plastic tables and chairs are cute for kids, you should see the wooden ones! They are no more expensive and aren't going to off-gas or leach chemicals like a plastic set. They don't have to be handmade, either. We got our set from Ikea for $20.
Farmer's market produce that isn't organic might be better than organic, he or she may just not be able to afford what is required to be labeled organic. I pay less for farmer's market delights than people pay for Mexican produce at Walmart. Support your local little guy, stimulate your own little economy, love your earth, love your body... We bought some maple breakfast sausage from a farmer at our market that lives 20 minutes away from us. He handed me a dozen (free to us) eggs from his happy, free-range chickens and told me that he wanted to ensure that we would have delicious eggs to go with our delicious sausage. The egg whites were not pale yellow like store bought eggs, they were bright yellow/ almost orange, and the most flavorful eggs I've ever tasted. Cannot wait to visit him again and let him know how much we enjoyed his hard work and admired his commitment to his animals and to his customers. His free dozen eggs have earned him a customer- at least until our teeny chicks start laying themselves :)
Okay, my poor brain has had it. It is official, I need to treat myself to some sweet potato fries and then get some sleep before I drive 2.5hrs to do Elizabeth's baby shower tomorrow!
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Randomness on a Thursday
So, it looks like my brother, Daniel, is saving me! He is detailing my car for me. Saves my back the 14 week-almost pregnant ache of bending for hours.
Happy 24th birthday to my friend, Kristin! Can't wait to give her the cute Etsy find I snagged for her birthday!
My dad leaves for Honduras in a few hours. I'll miss him! See ya in 8 days, Senor!
A friend Elizabeth snagged me ten cloth diapers from Craigslist today! $40 for ten pockets and a dozen inserts! I don't usually use pockets, but that was a pretty good deal, especially used twice! :)
I realized today that our chicks are seriously getting big! I can see now why I have to fill up their dishes twice a day!!
Met up with my tenth and eleventh grade English teacher's husband tonight to buy some of his organic, home roasted coffee beans! The proceeds will help fund their adoption. I wish Stan and Angie only the best. They deserve a child to love- and sooner rather than later.
A friend of our family's (love this lady!!) offered us her grandson's sandbox since he's a bit too old for it now. This thing is huge, in perfect shape, and saves us quite a bit of money. Thanks, Carol!!!
Okay, that's all I can swing today. My brain is fried and my eyes are closing involuntarily. Goodnight~
Happy 24th birthday to my friend, Kristin! Can't wait to give her the cute Etsy find I snagged for her birthday!
My dad leaves for Honduras in a few hours. I'll miss him! See ya in 8 days, Senor!
A friend Elizabeth snagged me ten cloth diapers from Craigslist today! $40 for ten pockets and a dozen inserts! I don't usually use pockets, but that was a pretty good deal, especially used twice! :)
I realized today that our chicks are seriously getting big! I can see now why I have to fill up their dishes twice a day!!
Met up with my tenth and eleventh grade English teacher's husband tonight to buy some of his organic, home roasted coffee beans! The proceeds will help fund their adoption. I wish Stan and Angie only the best. They deserve a child to love- and sooner rather than later.
A friend of our family's (love this lady!!) offered us her grandson's sandbox since he's a bit too old for it now. This thing is huge, in perfect shape, and saves us quite a bit of money. Thanks, Carol!!!
Okay, that's all I can swing today. My brain is fried and my eyes are closing involuntarily. Goodnight~
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