23 Weeks

What a week.  It has been really busy and better than I thought.  K went to spend the week with David's family.  Sunday he was on service and worked in the ER.  I spent most of the day with a friend and her family for her little girl's christening.  I had the weirdest "episode" of nothing sounding good to eat.  I basically skipped lunch.  I felt fine later.  I'm actually wondering if it was heartburn.  I've never really had that, so I don't know what it is like. 

Anyway, then we got to spend the day together on Monday (after David finished rounding).  Then we did some housework until mid-afternoon.  THEN...we went to register.  Oh my!  That took forever and I still don't think we're really finished.  Tuesday, was a regular work day followed by massive cleaning in preparation for a realtor open house.  Per our realtor, things went well.  Hopefully, there will be some interest soon.

Wednesday night we just relaxed and watched What to Expect When You're Expecting.  It was a bit interesting and funny in parts.  I wouldn't say it's a great movie but entertaining enough.  Then we get to yesterday and today.  David has been working in the ER both days.  This is what made me fall apart last weekend.  I mean...fall...a...part!  Thankfully, I ended up having journal club yesterday at one of my favorite restaurants and didn't get home until about 30 minutes before David.  And tonight...well, David just walked through the door.  We plan on having an "us" day tomorrow before we get our little Miss K back on Sunday!

 As to the bump, it's growing but still changes based on what I'm wearing and day to day.  I kind of like the more close fitting stuff right now. 

Due Date: September 25, 2014
How Far Along: 23 weeks (and 1 day)
Fruit/Veggie: Large Mango, Bunch of Grapes, Papaya - 12 inches, 1.2 pounds
Gender: It's a BOY!
Exercise: Still exercising almost daily.  Piloxing was such fun AGAIN!  Maybe I can work on my balance some.  I find myself wanting to continue doing most of what everyone else does...but I'm TRYING to modify and not jump as much.
Sleep: I've been sleeping pretty well this week...except for last night when I was paged at 130am.  Took about an hour to fall back to sleep.

Cravings: Still no cravings really but I've decided that eating a broth based soup is sometimes difficult when pregnant.  It just sits in my stomach...uncomfortably.  Alas.
What I love: Feeling my sweet boy move around...and we THINK David felt him a couple of days ago!  :-)  Looking pregnant - patients actually started asking me without hesitation when I'm due.  Yay!  I love putting my hand on my belly and feeling like it's actually a pregnant belly.  I love how David looks at me!
What I miss: turning over in bed easily, being able to go "full out" at the gym, having energy for the WHOLE day!
What I'm looking forward to: moving back to my hometown, baby shopping, getting K ready for school, baby showers, family reunion
What I'm thankful for: my husband who takes care of me...even caters to me; family loving to spend time with K, a positive open house the other day, that my call week is almost over

Cheesy Bread

I was really excited when I saw the Daring Bakers' Challenge for May since it was "naturally" gluten free.  This meant that I didn't have to make any modifications.  Plus, David had been asking for some cheese rolls.  SCORE!  This month's Daring Bakers' Challenge took us on a trip to beautiful Brazil! Renata of "Testado, Provado & Aprovado!" taught us how to make Pao De Queijo, tasty cheese buns that make the perfect snack or treat, and that will make your taste buds samba!

I ended up making this to serve with a lentil soup.  I'm not sure if I used too much tapioca flour or it is just the nature of tapioca but these rolls were really spongy.  The flour solidified almost as soon as it hit the liquid and was really difficult to incorporate.  David and K liked them a lot.  I kind of wish I had made a half batch because they ended up going bad before we could eat them all.  I might try again but I might would also do the half batch.  All in all, a fun challenge that made my family happy!

Pão de Queijo
Servings:
Yields about 80 small balls
Ingredients:
500 gm (4 cups) tapioca starch (If you have access to sour tapioca, you can use 250gm (2 cups) of each)
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
2-3/4 tablespoons (40 ml) (1½ oz) (40 gm) butter
1 teaspoon (5 ml) (3 gm) salt (or to taste depending on how salty your cheese is)
3 cups (750 ml) (9 oz) (250gm) Monterey Jack Cheese (or another cheese of your liking, or a mix of cheeses), coarsely grated
1 to 3 large eggs

Directions:

• Heat milk, butter, and salt in a small sauce pan until it comes to a boil. Watch closely as it may boil over. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Sift tapioca starch into a large bowl.
• Pour the boiled (hot) mixture over the tapioca and start stirring with a fork. The milk mixture will not be enough to form a dough yet. You will have a lumpy mixture, that's what it is supposed to be.
• Keep stirring with the fork, breaking down the lumps as much as you can, until the mixture cools down to warm.
• At this point, preheat your oven to moderately hot 400° F/200° C/gs mark 6
• Add the grated cheese to the tapioca mixture and mix well, now using your hands.
• Add one egg at a time, mix with your hands until dough comes together. I suggest you lightly beat the egg with a fork and add little bits until the dough comes together into a soft but pliable dough. You only have to knead it a bit, not as much as you knead a yeasted bread. It's OK if it is slightly sticky.
• Form balls with the dough and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicon mat or lightly greased with vegetable oil. If necessary, you can oil your hands to make shaping easier. The size of the balls may vary from small bite-sized balls to the size of ping pong balls. They will puff up quite a bit after baking. I personally prefer the smaller ones.
• Bake for about 25 minutes or until they just start to brown on the bottom. You may have golden spots of cheese on the crust. Don't over-bake as they will get hard and bitter.

Cooking by Letter - Ooh-La-La Oven Pancakes (Gluten Free!)

It's been a while since I've done a post about food much less a cooking by letter post.  Well, I have LOTS of posts to get ready for you.  I'll try to get them going soon.  Back in January, we started doing gluten free again (and we're still doing).  So, when K's "O" recipe was for "Ooh-La-La Oven Pancakes",

I knew I'd have to make it gluten free.  (ON a side note, the title of this recipe made me think of "Fancy Nancy!")  I did it the easiest way possible - using a gluten free flour mix.  Thankfully, I've been getting better at modifying recipes.  This recipe didn't make as much as I'd have liked it to make but it was good and David took the leftovers to work for "second breakfast" - he's Frodo in his dream life I guess.  :-)

As always, K had a great time helping out.  Especially when I let her put chocolate chips on top.  Happy girl!

Ooh-La-La Oven Pancakes
1 cup gluten free flour (a mix or white rice flour)
1 Tablespoon sugar (or splenda)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk (I used buttermilk)
3 Tablespoons butter, melted (could use oil if you wanted to)
chocolate chips for topping

Preheat the oven to 375.  In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt...gently!  We don't want flour flying everywhere.  In a separate bowl, beat together egg and milk.  Then stir in the melted butter and stir together.  Stir the egg mixture into the flour mixture - stir until it is JUST mixed.

Grease an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray.  Pour the mixture into the pan.  Sprinkle with those chocolate chips...and let your helper eat 1 or 2 that "fall" on the counter. Place the pan into the preheated oven (this is an ADULT step!) and bake for 25 minutes.  Remove from oven when done and allow to cool  until warm. (Another ADULT step!).  Then....ENJOY! (KIDS ESPECIALLY!)

22 Weeks - The Week I "Popped"

I think I have officially "popped!"  I'm not sure I can really look non-pregnant anymore unless you're looking from the front. 

I still have some days where I feel bigger than others.  Yesterday was K's ballet recital.  I had a bit of a wardrobe crisis and couldn't wear what I wanted.  I ended up in this outfit, which kind of was on the "less pregnant" side.

Thankfully, we went shopping yesterday and I got some new clothes to wear to work (in addition to the ones I've already borrowed from great friends!).  It was fun and will hopefully last me through to the end. 


I'm already struggling with coming up with menus for our dinners.  Not much really jumps out to me food-wise right now.  No real aversions but no craving either. Plus, I'm getting tired around 5pm.  I kind of have the "week off" as K is gone for the week.  So, I got stuff to make David's favorite (meatloaf) and I will just find whatever for me.  We also have to do some cleaning for an open house this week.  Hopefully, it will be productive.  This picture is from today - big difference from yesterday.  Go figure!

Due Date: September 25, 2014
How Far Along: 22 weeks (and 3 days)
Fruit/Veggie: Corn/Spaghetti Squash - 12 inches, one pound
Gender: It's a BOY!
 Exercise: Still exercising almost daily.  Actually did modified Burpees this week and felt good doing it.  I tried a new class, Piloxing, and LOVED it!  It has some dance in it and made me remember my ballet days.  :-)
Sleep: Sleep is off and on.  I had one night when I woke up (due to K waking me up) and couldn't go back to sleep for an hour due to feeling like my abs were splitting apart.

Cravings: eating is kind of hit or miss right now - no cravings and it makes it a little difficult to decide what I want to eat
What I love: Feeling my sweet boy move around!  Looking pregnant!  I love putting my hand on my belly and feeling like it's actually a pregnant belly.  I love how David looks at me!
What I miss: turning over in bed easily, being able to go "full out" at the gym
What I'm looking forward to: a new "to us" house, baby shopping, solidifying a name, David feeling the baby move
What I'm thankful for: my husband who takes care of me; family and friends who share excitement with us; getting some new maternity work clothes, a good weekend watching K dance, spending time with family, and one less day of clinic this week!

21 weeks

Meet the return of fatigue!  That has been the name of this week.  I don't know if it's left over from Disneyworld or just how things go at this point, but I can be going strong and then 5 o'clock comes and WHAM!  I wish I had taken that nap earlier.  I took three naps this weekend totaling 5 hours.  I'm also feeling really snack-y.  We're getting close to a name...just need to agree on a middle name!  K had her graduation yesterday and did the prayer during the ceremony.  It was SO sweet.  I might have cried!  Crying - that's another thing that has returned (or never really left).  I think I get stressed more easily and tired more easily, which makes me much more likely to cry.  However, things are going really well.  I feel like I look like I'm pregnant for sure now and that's fun!

Due Date: September 25, 2014
How Far Along: 20 weeks (and 1 day)
Fruit/Veggie: Banana, Bok Choy - 10.5 inches, 11 ounces (though our ultrasound said he weighted 12 oz!!!)
Gender: It's a BOY!
 Exercise: Still exercising almost daily.  Less jumping and out of breath more quickly.  I also feel different when doing squats.
Sleep: Sleeping well.  Getting up 1-3 times a night, mostly just once

Cravings: no real "cravings" and not having a BIG appetite, just kind of more snack-y than usual
What I love: Looking pregnant!  I love putting my hand on my belly and feeling like it's actually a pregnant belly.  I love how David looks at me!
What I miss: turning over in bed easily, being able to go "full out" at the gym
What I'm looking forward to: a new "to us" house hopefully soon, baby shopping, solidifying a name
What I'm thankful for: my husband who takes care of me; family and friends who share excitement with us; a healthy baby at our last exam

19 and 20 weeks

Yikes!  I've gotten behind on every sort of posting there is!  It has been some kind of crazy around here.  You see, the day I turned 19 weeks....

we left to go to Disney World!!!  It was quite the fun trip.  K had a great time.  We spent most time at Magic Kingdom.  I'll do a post about the trip (or several) later on.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to do many rides.  I did most of the kiddie rides and had gotten permission from my OB to ride Splash Mountain!!!!  However, I couldn't ride any coasters...not even barnstormer, the kiddie one!  Oh, well.  It was there that K started kissing baby brother.  She has quite taken to that.  :-)

When we got back, I had my anatomic ultrasound.  This was right at 20 weeks.  Halfway!  I can't believe it.

 Mr. Man wouldn't turn for a profile shot but kept looking straight at us.  At one point, I said "Hello!" and right then he moved his little hand (which was up by his face the whole time).  Such fun!  He is quite the expert chewed and even yawned and stuck his tongue out.  Everything looks good: spine is closed, tummy closed, two kidneys, normal appearing brain, and 4 chamber heart!  YAY!  His head measured 20 weeks 5 days (77%) and his belly was right at 20 weeks.  She estimated that he weighs 10oz.  That is about 20 weeks 4 days. 

Due Date: September 25, 2014
How Far Along: 20 weeks (last week)
Fruit/Veggie: Sweet Potato/Bell Pepper about 5-6 inches long, 5-7 ounces
Gender: It's a BOY!  We're pretty sure about first name but working on middle name.
 Exercise: Still exercising almost daily.  Minimal jumping - I do jumping jacks but barely get off the ground and jump squats but that's about it.  Trying to do some weight classes.
Sleep: Sleep is off and on - some nights great, others not so much. I slept GREAT in Disney!

Food: no real cravings right now but everything looks good

What I love: Feeling my boy move!  It's still not consistent but I definitely can tell it's him moving
What I miss: enjoying coffee, being able to go "full out" at the gym
What I'm looking forward to: a new "to us" house hopefully soon, having some comfortable clothes, shopping and planning for this sweet baby, picking a full name!!!!!
What I'm thankful for: family, the gift of going to Disney, a healthy baby!