26 weeks

I think that last weeks post was a lot of fun.  Maybe closer to the end we'll do another one.  This week has been a little stressful just because of impending business.  We were also very busy this week, though it was a fun busy.  I got a good bit of "practice" holding babies this past weekend.  Friday I babysat for a friend so she and her husband could go out to eat for their anniversary.  K and their son are good friends, so they played the whole time.  Miss Rachel and I just played and then she went to bed, quite easily I might add.  Saturday, we had a party with some of David's co-workers.  It was an enjoyable evening, albeit K got to be LATE!  I held one of the babies for most of the night after I put him to sleep.  Sweet baby kisses.  :-)  Sunday we subbed in the nursery with the crawlers.  Shockingly there was only one baby.  David said, "Man, I'll work in the nursery every week for that!" 

Then came Tuesday....um, yeah!  I think I was majorly overwhelmed and had a surge of pregnancy hormones or something.  I think I cried around five times that day.  Most of it was in irritation.  Then I "couldn't" find anything to wear to yet another party.  I finally found something (that was, ironically NOT maternity).  Then another dinner that wasn't appealing, so I waited to get home to eat.  K had a BLAST swimming all night except for when she ate.  I enjoyed chatting with different people I don't see much at work.  Then we left...around 845.  Close to an HOUR after K's bedtime.  She went to sleep quite quickly.

Wednesday was a fairly normal day.  I got K and took her with me to the gym and then we went to church.  She fell asleep on the way there...which made me feel badly about keeping her out late again.  Of course, she refused to fall asleep on the way home.  Thursday we had no plans and so I thought K could play in the sprinkler.  Oddly, she was excited but wouldn't really play.  Later we determined she had fever.  No other symptoms really besides clinginess and being tired.  She was in bed by about 7 and slept until 715.  She and David did some errands yesterday and she has been fine since.  I think she was just so tired that a tiny virus knocker her harder than usual.  

Today, she had a splash pad birthday party and tonight we go to another work party.  End of the year fun!  We close on our new house Monday and then move after that.  Craziness around here!

Due Date: September 25, 2014  
How Far Along: 26 weeks (and 2 days)
Fruit/Veggie: butternut squash, green onion (length) - 13-14 inches, 2 pounds
Gender: It's a BOY!  
Exercise: Still exercising almost daily.  I was exhausted on Friday, almost skipped though I'm glad I didn't.  Today, I'm pretty sure I pulled some sort of muscle in my gluteus maximus on the right and my calf on the left.  I'm falling apart...or maybe my ligaments are starting to relax?  Guess it's time for that! 

Sleep: I'm pretty consistently up at least twice a night but can fall asleep fairly quickly.  Apparently, I sleep better on my left side because I always wake up facing that directly.  The pregnancy pillow is GREAT for naps.  David and I might switch sides of the bed when we move so I can try it for night time sleep and not disturb him.  I'm starting to get hot in the middle of the night and want to sleep without covers...but this apparently messes up David's covers as he always yanks at them when I get out from under them.  Another reason to switch sides!

Cravings: Very difficult to tell.  Sausage biscuits, cool, sweet things like fruit and lemonade, cereal, Carbonation!  Otherwise, it's actually pretty hard for me to actually decide what I want to eat.  Nothing just really stands out and being good.  Is this NORMAL?!  It seems strange to me.

What I love: Watching for the baby to move!  I actually got a video the other day.  Getting closer to moving. Looking at stuff for the house. 

What I miss: turning over in bed easily, sleeping well, being able to go "full out" at the gym, having energy for the WHOLE day!  None of this has really changed recently.

What I'm looking forward to: Getting the fabric swatches in on the bedding options for the nursery.  Moving and setting up the house, hopefully selling this house, baby showers, getting K ready for school

What I'm thankful for:  My sweet husband, always taking care of me.  He is so understanding about my mood swings, my inability to help as much with packing (Y'all, I have been SO tired!). That K continues to show interest in learning about Jesus and the actions involved in faith (telling other people!).  A healthy pregnancy.  The rain that is currently falling outside my house...love that sound!

25 Weeks - His and Hers

I thought it would be fun since it's Father's Day today, to have a post from David's perspective.  So, what is in bold, is his view and the regular type is mine.

We made caramel bars for Claire this week.  You can expect to see them posted sometime within the next 9-12 months.  Claire spoils me even when it's not Father's Day.  Today she suggested Penn's for lunch.  The fried catfish was excellent...Claire didn't eat (until we got home, I DID eat when we got home! There just wasn't anything there that sounded good to me...and they had run out of shrimp!  Really?!).  She made me waffles for dinner and peanut butter blondies last night, at my request.  We've been watching our plants grow. We planted tomatoes, peppers, cauliflower last Sunday and they are sprouting now. Claire has been staring at her belly and taking videos of it. The best video I got (which wasn't very good) has David saying "WOW!" at the end.  Not about the baby moving, but about a basketball play.  Ha!  This is the busy season for us.  Lots of parties, too many ER shifts, K just got through with VBS.  Claire's mom came for that which was very helpful and K enjoyed.  We got to play a new game with Allie (my mom) and promptly lost the game.  You were supposed to cure all disease and apparently the correct answer was NOT "It's a virus. It'll go away on it's own." We were doing pretty well...just ran out of time/cards.  I have started getting nervous about having a new baby.  I even had a dream about Claire going into preterm labor but no one would treat her, so we were going around trying to fake asthma exacerbations so that someone would give her magnesium. Um...hopefully, this is just a stressful dream.  I mean, I have hit viability but he needs to stay in there a lot longer!!!  FYI, magnesium is used to treat preterm labor.

All in all, it was a pretty good week.  I had a doctor appointment this week.  Nothing big happened.  My blood pressure was good and I'm gaining appropriate (I guess!) weight.  She said "You have the cutest little stomach," which was funny to me because she sees pregnant bellies all day long!  I did come home with that lovely Glucola stuff.  I get to do that in about 3 weeks.  Yay!  On the plus side, we do get another ultrasound at that visit.  So, I'm looking forward seeing little man again.  After that visit, we went to get frozen yogurt and then K played in the "splash pad" next door.  She came home SOAKED! K had a great time with my mom and I enjoyed seeing her as well.  Like David said, we started planting some plants for a garden.  our new house has a couple of planters already.  K has loved watching them sprout.  Hopefully we will have success.  Nothing better than homegrown tomatoes.

Due Date: September 25, 2014,  September 25, 2014
How Far Along: 25 weeks (and 3 days), 25 weeks and 3 days - but I've been looking over your shoulder.  At first I thought we were either 26 weeks or about to be 26 weeks
Fruit/Veggie: Rutabaga, Napa Cabbage - 13 inches, 1.5-2 pounds
Gender: It's a BOY!   Male
Exercise: Still exercising almost daily.  Lunges are more difficult but I can still do jumping jacks.  Still daily and active, some modifications.  You skip the more intense classes.

Sleep: Sleep has been a little off and on.  I'm waking up 2-3 times a night to go to the bathroom.  Turning over is getting a little more difficult and I'm having some "stretching" sensations at night which can be a bit uncomfortable.  Though I have noticed that it's mostly when I'm on my right side.  Maybe I really do need to sleep on my left side  Up and down....sometimes literally.  I tried to buy you a pillow.  actually, he DID buy me a pillow - verdict is still out.  I got a snoogle hoping she'd sleep better.  Not sure if she likes it or if it makes a difference.

Cravings: Hmmm...like David said, I'm suggestible.  Someone ate my yogurt at work and I didn't have breakfast.  He suggested I go get a sausage biscuit between patients.  Of course, then I really wanted a sausage biscuit.  If I crave something, it's mostly something that's not very good for me...though fresh peaches could definitely be included on this list!  Yours? You can be talked into cravings.  Still sausage biscuits.  You seem to want olives on stuff.  I don't know - I mean, she'll sit in there for 10 minutes with the fridge and freezer open and still not find anything to eat, which is a weird problem to me.  You seem to have slowed down on the Cheez-its. As to MY cravings - nothing has changed...still macaroni and cheese, breadsticks, meatloaf...anything with gluten that I can't have.  Oh...and cereal....always!

What I love: Watching for the baby to move!  Feeling him move.  Looking at stuff for the house.  Uh...I don't know.  Your boobs.  yikes!!!!  Looking at the house on Zillow.  Seeing how excited you are about the baby.  Having you slow down to match my pace, take naps with me...BTW, it's over.  The Spurs WON!!!!

What I miss: turning over in bed easily, sleeping well, being able to go "full out" at the gym, having energy for the WHOLE day!  Sometimes it's hard to have my midnight snacks because you get up to go to the bathroom and miss me if I don't come back real quick.  Um, I thought you didn't have those anymore.  Not everyday!  You don't have any go-to clothes, which makes deciding what to wear an adventure.

What I'm looking forward to: being moved!  The thought of it and all the work involved really kind of stresses me out!, baby shopping, getting K ready for school, baby showers, family reunion  Being in the new house, seeing K with the baby, watching you with the baby.  Right now I'm back to the "being nervous about having a baby" stage.

What I'm thankful for: My mom, who was able to come help with K this week for VBS.  Offers of friends and family to help us move.  My sweet husband, always taking care of me.  That K is growing and learning about Jesus, His love for her, and the actions involved in faith (telling other people!).  You.  K.  A healthy pregnancy.  A job that I enjoy.  A good church with growing friendships.  A God who has been faithful.

King Cake - Gluten Free

Yes...I know!  Lent is over, Mardi Gras has passed, but this was a really good recipe and I am bound and determined to share all that I've been making over the past few months despite NOT posting.  I'll try to be a better blogger.  Anyway, one of the things David wanted before we began this gluten free thing was king cake. 

Well, I decided that I'd find one to make for him anyway and it turned out great!  I might actually like it better than the gluten-full version.  :-)  The dough did have a tendency to break, which I've found to be the biggest issue with formed gluten free items.  The filling is more cinnamon roll-like but that's what David likes...and I do too.  Come on...cinnamon, sugar?  YUM!  I'm pretty sure I sent some to work with David because he wasn't going to get to eat all the king cakes that everyone else brought.

Gluten Free King Cake from Jules Shephard
Pastry Ingredients:
¼ cup warm water (110 F)
1 Tbs. granulated cane sugar
2 ¼ tsp. (1 packet) highly active, fast rise yeast
½ cup unsalted butter or non-dairy alternative (e.g. Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks)
3 Tbs. granulated cane sugar
¼ cup warm milk (dairy or non-dairy)
2 large eggs
3 cups Gluten Free All Purpose Flour (or your own mix - this one already has xanthum gum in it)
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tsp. gluten-free baking powder
½ tsp. salt (¼ tsp. salt if using non-dairy alternative)
2 Tbs. milk (dairy or non-dairy) for brushing on pastry before baking

Filling Ingredients:
4 Tbs. butter or non-dairy alternative (e.g. Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks)
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ cup Gluten Free All Purpose Flour

Gluten-Free Icing Ingredients:
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1-2 Tbs. milk (dairy or non-dairy)
Colored sugar (purple, gold and green)

Directions:
Prepare the filling by melting the 4 tablespoons butter and setting aside. Whisk together the brown sugar and cinnamon.

In a small bowl, combine the warm water, 1 tablespoon sugar and yeast; stir and set aside to proof.  If the mixture is not bubbly (or fluffy appearing!) and doubled in volume after 5-10 minutes, toss out and start again with fresh yeast.

In a large mixing bowl, blend the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and butter until lighter and fluffy. Add the milk and eggs and beat until well-integrated. Add 2 cups of Gluten Free All Purpose Flour, salt, baking powder and nutmeg and mix well. Stir in the proofed yeast-sugar-water mixture, then add the remaining 1 cup Gluten Free All Purpose Flour.  Beat another 1-2 minutes, until the dough is clumping together and is not too sticky.

Prepare a large baking sheet by lining with parchment paper. Turn the dough out onto a pastry mat or a clean counter dusted lightly with Gluten Free All Purpose Flour. Roll the dough out to an elongated rectangle 24-30 inches long by 9-10 inches wide. Brush on the melted butter for the topping, coating the entire rectangle. Sprinkle the topping mixture on top of the melted butter, spreading to the ends of the rectangle, but leaving 1/2-1 inch without topping on each of the long sides of the rectangle.

Using a pastry blade or a spatula (or gentle fingers!), gently peel up one of the long sides of the rectangle and begin rolling it as you would a jelly roll. Once the entire pastry is rolled upon itself until no pastry remains unrolled, a 24-30 inch long roll will remain.

  Slowly and carefully pull the two ends of the roll together to form a circle or oval.  Dabbing the ends of the pastry with water, join the ends together to close the circle. Gently transfer the ring to the parchment-lined baking sheet, or transfer the ring on the silicone baking mat to the baking sheet. Using a large sharp knife, make a cut in the top of the pastry every 2 inches to expose one layer of the roll...unless of course, the dough has already broken some and done this for you!

Move the roll to the pan you plan to cook it on.  Then cover the cake and let rise in a warm spot for 20-30 minutes like a warming drawer or an oven heated to 200 F then turned off.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 F (static) or 325 F (convection).  Uncover the roll, place the pan in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow the cake to cool.  While cooling, mix icing ingredients.  Drizzle over the cake when it is cool.  Sprinkle colored sugar on top of wet icing, alternating colors between each cut in the top of the cake. Serve when fully cooled and ENJOY!

24 weeks

And another busy week!  No slowing down around here.  David worked the ER both Thursday and Friday last week.  Then we spent Saturday together.  We finally got one of our paintings from London framed and browsed around at Homegoods.  We got stuff to plant a garden when we move!!!!  So excited about fresh tomatoes.  Then we had a LATE lunch at Izzo's...and David made me come home to nap.  So thankful he did that since I napped until 6pm! 

Sunday we went to church and got a surprise call about a showing at our house that afternoon.  I was excited about the showing but basically lost my entire relaxing afternoon to cleaning and having to be gone.  Alas!  K came home that day, too...so it's been back to getting her to school and such before work in the mornings. 

Apparently, I've really started to show this week in a way that people are sure I'm pregnant.  It's been crazy to me how many people didn't know!  I can tell that he's filling out some.  My belly is firmer, my belly button isn't quite as deep (though still a definite innie), and I'm feeling him move around a lot more. 

Per my doctor, I have an anterior placenta; so, she warned I might not be able to feel movements until around this time, but thankfully I've felt occasional (now daily) movements since about 18 weeks!

Thursday, David and I went to a nice restaurant for the graduation dinner of the pediatric residents.  I wore a non-maternity dress but I think it worked well.  Fun to show off the bump! 

I have my next appointment on Tuesday.  Not sure if I'll do the glucose test then or not.  Hopefully just a quick check up...then we might take K (with my mom whose here to take her to VBS!) for a treat.  Sno Biz or something else frozen maybe?!

Due Date: September 25, 2014
How Far Along: 24 weeks (and 1 day)
Fruit/Veggie: Corn (again!?), Eggplant - 12 inches, 1.25-1.5 pounds
Gender: It's a BOY!
Exercise: Still exercising almost daily.  No problems there.  I'm getting short of breath occasionally during the regular day but not overly working out.  Odd.
Sleep: Sleep has been a little off and on.  I'm waking up 2-3 times a night to go to the bathroom.  Turning over is getting a little more difficult and I'm having some "stretching" sensations at night which can be a bit uncomfortable.

Cravings: No cravings really but I did have such a hungry day yesterday.  Woke up hungry and stayed that way through early afternoon.
What I love: That David has felt him move even though it isn't a consistent thing.  :-)  planning for baby.  We are now trying to figure out what to do for bedding.  I can't find much I like, so might have to custom order or make. 
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.  Y'all he is GREAT!  He's always making sure I get time to rest even though he is probably busier than I am. That K gets to go to VBS next week and a visit from my mom.