3 Months

So hard to believe our baby boy is 3 months old already! 

Tripp almost seems like a completely different baby.  I've heard from so many Moms that 0-3 months is just survival mode and then all of a sudden, something clicks and you just get it.  You have a little person now instead of an 8 pound helpless blob haha.  Don't get me wrong, he was an adorable blob, but he's way more fun now!

-We were starting to get smiles a month ago, but now he's definitely Mr. Smiley. 

He also has some of THE funniest facial expressions:

 

 

-Patrick is his favorite person in the ENTIRE world.  I get my fair share of smiles when I go to get him out of his crib or when we're playing, but all Daddy has to do is look at him.  Its kind of disgusting really haha.  When we were on the plane coming back from the East Coast, Tripp would just sit there and stare Patrick down. 

 

 Whenever Patrick looked over at Tripp, this happened:



Adorable. 

-Tummy time is not a favorite over here.  He will either just lay there and lick the blanket (if he's in a good mood) or get incredibly pissed 2.5 seconds after I put him on his stomach.  When he's mad, that's when he squirms and tries to roll over so I try not to rescue him too soon.  Its so hard though!  Necessity breeds invention right?  That's what I keep telling myself.  He's lifting his head higher each time, so we're getting there. 

-We're so close to getting a laugh!  We found out he LOVES when you put his toes in his mouth.  He does this funny gasping thing, which I think is his way of laughing right now.  Its pretty hilarious.  I'll try to catch it on video one of these days, but I'm pretty sure I know how that's going to work out. 

-Tripp is a champion traveler.  I was so thankful and proud of him on our vacation.  We took the redeye over there and he slept the entire flight.  He actually wouldn't even wake up to eat during takeoff.  I tried, but finally gave up and figured he would wake up if his ears were hurting.  On the way back, we flew during the day and he stuck to his normal routine.  He fell asleep after takeoff, woke up when it was time to eat a few hours later, stayed up to play a little while and then went back to sleep.  Amazing.  I'm hoping it goes as smoothly next month when I don't have Patrick to help me. :-/

-He slept through the night!!!! Only twice, but I'll take it.  The first night was Friday.  I woke up to my alarm at 6:30am and was SO confused.  Tripp ended up sleeping until 7 that morning.  The next night was our first night back at home.  Technically he didn't sleep the whole night, but he woke up at 4 (probably feeling like it was 7) so I was okay with that.  We haven't had a repeat in a few days, but I'm hoping we will soon.  I thought he was going down for a nap at 5 yesterday and he didn't wake up until after midnight!  Then started today at 530am.....  If we could just shift that whole scenario to the right about 2 hours, that would be fantastic. 

Things get more fun every day.  We see new facial expressions, hear new sounds and get excited for the next thing to come.  I feel so blessed every day to have a happy, healthy baby boy.

Cloth Diapering 101

Morning everyone!

Let me start by saying that I am by no means a cloth diapering expert. There are a million different options out there, each with their own pros and cons. This is just what works for us...for now. That can always change as I find new products, Tripp gets older, I get lazier...haha. Cloth diapering isn't for everyone, but I have gotten a good amount of questions from friends that were curious/interested, so I thought I'd put it all out there for ya.

When I found out I was pregnant, I knew that I wanted to try cloth diapers.  We try to be as environmentally friendly as possible (reduce reuse recycle...sing with me Jack Johnson fans) so the thought of Tripp's diapers sitting in a landfill for umpteen years grossed me out.  Yes, its extra water that we're using to do the laundry, but I bought enough diapers so that we only need to do a load every other day instead of every day...it made me feel better anyway.  Our water bill actually hasn't gone up much at all, so I feel good about that.

A huge benefit to using cloth diapers is that a lot of cloth babies end up being potty trained at a younger age.  They are more aware that they are wet or dirty, and that's obviously uncomfortable, so they tend to want to get out of diapers earlier.  I'm okay with that! Another thing I heard was that diaper rashes tend not to pop up as much with cloth.  It may be pure coincidence, but the only time I've ever seen a hint of diaper rash coming with Tripp was when he was in disposables for a week.  We do use disposables when we are travelling since we don't have the luxury of a washing machine in a hotel room...and who wants a trash bag full of dirty diapers in their suitcase? 

There are several different kinds of cloth diapers available these days.  When I first told our parents we were putting Tripp in cloth, they were shocked.  They thought I was safety-pinning my child into a burp cloth haha.  Notsomuch.  Cloth diapers look a LOT different than when we were kids...thankfully.

(Source: www.babycottonbottoms.com)
Prefolds: Supremely affordable and the most durable cloth diapering option, it is no surprise that prefolds are also the most widely used cloth diapers. They are rectangular in shape and designed with three areas of varying thickness. Diapers listed as 4x6x4 have four layers of cotton twill on the side panels with six layers in the middle. 4x8x4 diapers similarly have four layers on the sides and eight in the middle. Prefold diapers necessitate a bit more of a pioneering spirit as they require minimal folding, optional fastening and waterproofing with a breathable diaper cover but provide superb absorbency and amazing economy.

Pockets: Pocket cloth diapers are not the most affordable option but are wildly popular for their comfort, convenience and ability to contain messes really well. They are made from two layers—an outer shell that is breathable and waterproof and the inside lining is made from a single layer of super soft fleece or suedecloth. The two layers form a pocket opening perfect for stuffing with an absorbent insert or tri-folded prefold. Parents also love the flexibility of being able to customize the diaper's absorbency with an insert based on their baby's specific needs. They are designed to secure around baby with Velcro or snaps and are available in fun colors.

All-in-One's: The AIO cloth diaper is a clear favorite among Dads and caregivers. All-In-Ones most resemble disposable diapers in the convenience they offer and in ease of use. Fitted and secured with hook and loop tape or snaps, the interior is absorbent and the exterior is made from a breathable waterproof shell. All-In-Ones are offered in an array of prints and colors that really makes cloth diapering fun.

All-in-Two's or the "Shell" system: Shell diaper systems usually consist of a cover and then one or several "lay-in" inserts. So unlike a pocket diaper, you don't "stuff" your diapers, and you can reuse the covers multiple times between washings. And you can simply turn the dirty diaper into the pail to drop out the insert and then load it with a new, clean insert. This simplifies diaper bags, too. Just carry more inserts and you're ready to go!

Fitted Diapers: A fantastic combination of convenience, affordability, and a great fit make the fitted cloth diaper a hot seller. They are shaped for a trimmer appearance and secured around baby with convenient snaps or Velcro. Gentle encased elastic around baby's legs and torso provides superior leak prevention. They are easier to use than prefolds and easier to clean than All-In-Ones. Simply wrap around baby and cover with a breathable & waterproof diaper cover.

We're a combination household.  I use BumGenius Flips (AI2 on the left) during the day and put Tripp in a BumGenius 4.0 (pocket on the right) at night. 

Pockets have a little more absorbency because you can stuff extra liners inside and they do better at containing messes when he wears a diaper a lot longer than he does during the day.  We've had leakage two or three times with the pockets, and I'm sure I'll have to revamp the nighttime situation as he gets older and pees more at night, but it works for right now.  I like the fun patterns too. :-)

I chose this brand because 1) I liked these types of diapers, 2) they are a little more friendly on your wallet than some other brands and 3) they are one size!!  Many brands offer three different diaper sizes (newborn, infant and toddler) so you have to buy a whole new stash when your baby outgrows them.  $$$!  Tripp's diapers fit him when he was 7 pounds, they still fit him at 12 pounds and they should be good until he is potty-trained (in 3 months according to his Dad) because of their handy snap system.  You just adjust the snaps to alter the size as your baby grows.  (bum)Genius!  Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

A big issue with cloth diaper naysayers is cleaning.  If you're trying to save money by not using disposables, getting a diaper service kind of defeats the purpose.  I wash Tripp's diapers at home and it's actually really easy.  After I change his diaper, I throw the dirty stuff into his diaper pail (which is nothing more than a bucket with a lid).  We use a dry pail and don't need to do anything extra.  When he starts solids, we'll get a diaper sprayer that attaches to the toilet and spray his messes off into the toilet, flush and drop the diaper in the pail. 

I throw everything into the washer for a cold rinse cycle with some Baby OxyClean to get the mess off of the liners.  Luckily, breastfed babies typically don't make awful messes.  Solid food changes everything.  After that is done, I do a hot wash cycle with an extra rinse using a chemical free detergent.  There are a few different cloth diaper-friendly detergents on the market.  We have tried Charlie's and Rock 'n Green. 

I honestly couldn't tell the difference between the two after using them both.  Charlie's is a little cheaper and the container is easier to scoop detergent out of, so that's our winner.  I've completely switched us over to Charlie's for all of our laundry.  Baby clothes shouldn't be washed using regular detergent and since it can leave a residue in the washer that will get on Tripp's clothes, I just use Charlie's to wash ours as well.  They smell just as clean as when I washed them with Tide.  :-)

Once a month I will toss all the clean diapers in the washer for a rinse with 1/4 cup of chlorine free bleach and then wash as usual to get stubborn stains out.  Liners go in the dryer with no fabric softener and diaper covers hang on the drying rack to dry.  That's it!  Super easy.  And no, there is no baby poop in our washer.  Promise. 

There is a wealth of information available on cloth diapers if you're interested in learning more.  Here are a few websites that I've enjoyed perusing:

http://www.kissedbythemoon.com/
http://www.cottonbabies.com/
http://www.fuzzibunz.com/
http://www.clothdiapergeek.com/

Have a lovely Thursday everyone! 
xo
Shaina

2 Months!

I can't believe our baby boy is 2 months old already!  Time is FLYING by...but when I think back to our hospital stay, it seems like it was ages ago.  Weird.

Headshot quality?  I think so haha.  

We go to the pediatrician this afternoon for his 8 week checkup.  I'm so excited to see how much he weighs!  I'm choosing to focus on the fun part of this appointment.

• Tripp smiled for the first time at the 6-week mark down to the day.  It wasn't for me or his Dad...for himself, while he was looking in the mirror.  So humble.  He didn't do it again for several days and we didn't start getting smiles on a regular basis until a few days ago.  He's a pretty smiley man when he first wakes up, so I get excited when nap time is over. :-)  For the record, I have a great respect for baby photographers. Getting a 2 month old to smile when you want them to is next to impossible. He would smile this morning when we weren't ready to take pictures and then as soon as the camera came out...nothing. I should have known, he did the exact same thing when I was trying to video him kicking in my belly. Punk. 
• I've been reading Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Baby and its AMAZING. I absolutely recommend it.  We put Tripp down drowsy, but still awake so that he learns to soothe himself to sleep.  Its working about 80% of the time right now - I'll take that.  Every once in a while he'll be fussy and want to be rocked to sleep.  Twist my arm. 
• He likes to stand up!  If I'm holding him in my lap he'll push on my legs with his feet and try to stand on his own.  Obviously I still have to support him, but if I hold him around the waist he totally stands there and looks around at everything.  I'm thinking he's going to love one of these in another month or so:

• He's starting to talk.  In his own language. ;-)  He likes to coo at the lion on the wall above his changing table during diaper changes.  Last night, I was giving him a bath and got the most "conversation" out of him so far.  I loved every second of it. 
• We're getting the hang of kisses.  Whenever we kiss his face (every 2.5 seconds), this is how he reciprocates:

You can slobber all over my face all you want kiddo.

Its absolutely amazing to see how different he is compared to last month.  4 weeks ago, we were only being greeted to demand food and then it was back to sleep.  I love that he's awake and interacting so much more. They say every age gets better and better...I believe it! 
Things I'm excited for:

• more baby babble
• belly laughs! The best sound in the world.  Tripp looks like he's trying to laugh sometimes, but hasn't quite gotten the hang of it yet.
• the first night Tripp sleeps all night...we're so close!  The last few weeks, he's been asleep by 9ish, will wake up around 3am to eat and goes right back to sleep, then wakes up for the day around 7:30am.  Last night, he went to sleep at 7:45, ate at 2am and slept again until 6am.  Almost there!!
• I can't wait to see him get excited over little things and interact with us even more. 

Sometimes I still can't believe we have our own baby.  A little man that we created out of this ridiculously disgusting love we have.  ;-)  It really is a miracle.

Pain At The Pump

source

Not that pump....but hilarious.  This pump:

source

I wrote before about how pumping wasn't my favorite way to spend 15 minutes and it seemed like only a few days later my pump said "you WILL learn to like me."  I wasn't really pumping that often - twice a day and not even every day.  I would pump in the morning after Tripp finished eating to make a bottle for that evening and then I would pump while he was taking the bottle.  I had a small freezer stash going, but didn't really need to build it up a lot.

The day after I started working out again, I immediately noticed a difference.  Normally, Tripp would fall back asleep before completely draining both sides during his early morning feeding, so I'd put him back down and get the rest into a bottle.  One day I went to pump...and nothing.  He hadn't eaten any longer than he normally does, but I thought maybe my supply was just regulating to his appetite.  I knew something was wrong when I went to pump that evening and nothing came out - and he hadn't nursed in about 3 hours.  Obviously, I had a minor panic attack.  I had heard of working out affecting breast milk supply in some women, but why worry about something before it even happens?  Tripp hadn't been fussy or seemed hungry that day, so he was getting what he needed apparently...but what if next time he wanted to nurse there was nothing for him?! 

I got pretty upset that night.  Breastfeeding has been so important to me and something that I really enjoy being able to do for our son.  I felt like my body was failing me and I wanted to fix it.  I did my research that night and maaaay have gone a little overboard the next day haha.  Things that can increase milk supply:

-concentrating on healthy fats in your diet (nuts, eggs, avocados, etc)

-staying well-hydrated & making sure you take in enough calories

-herbal supplements (Fenugreek & Blessed Thistle)

-pumping after each nursing session (even if nothing comes out, production is a supply & demand thing)

Obviously feeding Tripp was priority #1, so I absolutely would have stopped working out if I needed to.  That wasn't my first choice, but I did take a break for 2 days while I tried all of the above.  I went to the store and stocked up:

I take 2 Fenugreek capsules 3x a day and 1 mL of the Motherlove (Blessed Thistle) drops 4x a day.  I could have guessed from drinking Mother's Milk tea (a combination of the two herbs) that I wouldn't love the taste of the drops, but yikes.  Not delicious.  I also stocked up on about 275 avocados (not really...but close), raw walnuts for my oatmeal, and coconut water (in addition to the ridiculous amount of water I already drink).  I have either eggs or oatmeal every morning for breakfast and try to eat an avocado every day.  (try?  who am I kidding?  I have to try and not eat 4 haha.)  When you're breastfeeding is definitely not the time to cut calories, so I'm more focused on getting in snacks between meals.  Even if I'm not hungry, I'll have something small like a spoonful of almond butter for the healthy fats and calorie boost. 

I also got really friendly with my pump.  Best $300 I've spent in a long time.

Verdict:  two days after this regimen started, I woke up in the morning looking like I had just been in a wet t-shirt contest.  I guess it worked. :-)  I felt comfortable going back to working out, but ramped up slowly to try and monitor what would happen with my milk.  Everything seems to be going just fine.  I've backed off on pumping after every time Tripp eats, but am continuing with the rest - probably for however long he breastfeeds. 

Crisis averted...for now.  As much as I already loved breastfeeding him, I've learned to not take it for granted.  So many women have problems and can't breastfeed at all or have to supplement with formula, so I feel very lucky that I can give him all the nutrition he needs right now from my body.

Was it a combination of all the changes I made that actually worked?  Or was I subconciously stressing about working out affecting my supply and the placebo affect took over after I started making those changes?  I'll probably never know - and as long as my baby keeps growing, I honestly don't care.

*the opinions in this post are my own and I was in no way compensated for product reviews*

Mom For A Month

Happy 1 month Birthday to our sweet baby boy! 

I can't believe how quickly it has gone by!  Tripp continues to amaze me every day with new sounds and facial expressions.  If he's been laying on his changing table too long, he'll let out this little shriek to let you know he's not happy and you need to hurry it up haha.  You can tell he's trying to soak everything in and his personality is starting to come out....now that he isn't sleeping 23.5 hours out of the day.  When he first came home from the hospital, I literally had to wake him for feedings for a good two weeks.  Every picture looked something like this:

When we first came home, I honestly thought I would never get anything done...ever again.  How can any Mom want to do *anything* but sit on the couch and snuggle their new baby?!  I'm glad that wears off after a few weeks and I actually learned to put him down for his naps. ;-)  Babies sleep better that way anyway and I can either nap or get stuff done - so it makes for a much happier family all around.

Speaking of naps, can you really call them naps when babies sleep around the clock?  That doesn't make sense to me.  Until the two week mark or so, Tripp was never really awake.  He was half asleep through most diaper changes, woke up just enough to find the boob and went back to sleep on the job and was an angry little man when he had to be awake long enough for a bath.  Yikes.  He's much more alert (and fun!) now and actually didn't cry at all for his bath on Saturday, so we're making progress. 

Pumping.  Any woman out there reading this that had to pump after every feeding to boost supply or whatever reason....I applaud you.  If you had to pump at all, you're amazing.  I'm choosing to pump already just so that Tripp can get 1 bottle a day from Daddy and I have a small freezer stash for whoever watches him on occasion. Its a pain sometimes.  I usually pump a bottle in the morning from whichever side he doesn't go for (he's a one boob kind of man most of the time) and then I'll pump in the evening while he's getting a bottle.  Not my favorite way to spend 15 minutes but its working out so far.

I've started to put him down for naps in his crib during the day so he gets familiar with his room and isn't freaked out the first night we put him to bed in there.  I'm actually sad thinking about that...our room will be so quiet.  He makes the strangest noises in his sleep.  Sometimes Patrick and I will be talking in bed before we go to sleep and just laugh hysterically at the sounds coming from his corner of the room.  Its a mix between the grunting of an old man and the snorting of a pug.  We should probably tell him that he needs to get that under control before he gets married - which won't happen until he's 40 of course. ;-)

I'm just about back into the swing of workout things.  My ideal routine (at least for now) is to put him back down after his early AM feeding and scoot out for a run while the men snooze.  As my runs get longer, I won't have time to come back and do weights/yoga/whatever before he wakes up so I'll save that for his afternoon nap.  It was tempting to go back to bed this morning, but I resisted and went out for a short 2 mile run.  Up 1 mile from last week!  Feeling good so far, but definitely not jumping into a M-F routine juuuuust yet.  I'm taking it 1 day at a time and seeing how I feel in the morning.  So far so good.

Have a lovely Monday everyone! xo Shaina

Anxious....

Hey hey happy Monday!  I hope your weekend was fantastic and the week is off to a great start. :-)

We had a good one over here.  Friday night Farmer's Market that ended with a tamale that set my mouth on fire:

Saturday we got a special visitor from the East Coast.  Tripp got to meet his other Grandpa for the first time!  

What's a weekend without a fantastic grilled feast?

shrimp & veggie kabobs, sweet potato w/ a drizzle of honey and cinnamon, lettuce-less salad: cucumber, tomato, avocado, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt & pepper.

Yesterday was relax & catch up day, complete with Tripp's first time at church (he slept...shocker), a nap (!) and a 30 min walk with some stretching.  I'm not doing anything crazy on the workout front yet - but holy cow I can't wait.  Just walking, stretching and doing a few planks today felt so energizing!  I'm starting to add some planks and cobras in (only a few) because I can tell my lower back and abs are super weak.  I want to start lifting again as soon as I get the green light in a week and a half, but if I don't strengthen my back and abs a bit...it could be ugly. 

In other news, I'm a little anxious about tonight.  I'll be leaving the baby for the first time.  It will only be a couple of hours and he'll be with my Dad (who is awesome with babies and happens to be a fantastic ER nurse), but I didn't think it would be this soon and I cried on Friday when I realized it was going to happen.  Patrick & I have a dinner to go to that wouldn't really be appropriate for Tripp to attend.

 

I think part of my fear about leaving him was whether or not he would take the bottle - or if he did, would he take me back?  I started pumping toward the end of last week and everything went off without a hitch.  I feel a lot better than I did a few days ago.  I'll miss him like crazy and probably smother him with kisses the second we walk in the door...but I need to do this and get it over with.  I can do this.  I think.  (nervous laugh)

xo

Shaina

Thoughts From My First Week As A Mom

Morning!  I was wide awake after Tripp's 5am feeding, so I thought I'd come down and enjoy a quiet breakfast while my two favorite men snooze away upstairs.  As I'm sitting here, I started reflecting on the last week.  Yesterday, I was supposed to be taking my 39 week pictures.  Instead, I snuggled, smelled, loved, fed, changed and stared at this handsome guy:

Its amazing the difference 1 week can make!

-I don't feel nearly as sleep deprived as I expected to.  Maybe that's because the only time Tripp ever wakes up is when the buffet opens, or maybe my body just snapped right back into SWO mode and my Navy days prepared me for this.  Who knows.  I've been getting solid 3 hour stretches at night and I feel great (who says that btw!?).

-Whatever someone tells you about the major hormone dump after delivering a baby - believe them.  I must have cried about 12 times the day we came home from the hospital.  I finally told Patrick I needed to just get in the shower and have a good cry instead of always trying to fight it - so not to worry if he heard me crying in there.  I felt SO much better afterward, but it still sneaks up on me once or twice a day.  I was holding Tripp and singing to him on Monday while we were watching Patrick put the grill together.  It was some sappy Carrie Underwood song and the tears started flowing.  Fast, fun songs are definitely the way to go right now haha. 

-Doing your research and having a fantastic doctor/midwife/doula/whoever is so so important.  My OB was freaking fantastic and I will be forever grateful to him for the amazing experience we had.  You can't pick your nurses in the hospital (although I may try to request the same ones next time haha) but we hit the jackpot with our team.  My L&D nurse was OHmazing and I was honestly sad to leave my maternity nurse.  Is it weird to go to lunch with someone that's been checking your girlie parts for the last few days?  I felt so attached to her by the time we left!

-I am so grateful for Patrick.  He continues to amaze me when I watch him interact with our son.  He doesn't really have any experience with babies and has taken to caring for Tripp like he's been doing it for years.  The fact that Tripp peed on him while napping and he just sat there for 45 minutes because he didn't want to wake him made me laugh and cry.  The things you do for your kids....

-Speaking of peeing - a 3 day old little boy can have a REALLY forceful stream going!  At 1 am, Tripp managed to completely miss himself, his clothes and any part of the changing table...but shot completely up the wall and over his own head to the huge teddy bear sitting next to the dresser.  Impressive. 

-One of my fears during my pregnancy was that breastfeeding wasn't going to work for one of a million reasons.   I'm so thankful that its working out and I cherish that time that we spend together.  One the flip side of the coin, I can see where it will be a little bit of a relief to start pumping bottles so that other people can feed Tripp and I can take a few hours to maybe go for a long run or go out shopping without staring at the clock.

-Speaking of running, our first stroller outing was on Monday.  We needed a few things from Trader Joe's and I wanted to shake my legs out so off we went for a walk with my Mom.  It was about 2 miles round trip...and kicked. my. ass.  Didn't see THAT one coming.  It didn't hurt at all - it actually felt really good - I was just *really* tired that night.  Running might suck at first haha.

-More so when we're driving, but even when we are walking around the neighborhood with Tripp, I am the most vigilant person ever.  Eyes darting around looking for other cars & crazy drivers.  This Mama Bear protective instinct is no joke.  I'm not a violent person, but I wouldn't think twice about killing someone that tried to hurt my baby.

-I've always heard that having your own children makes you finally realize everything your parents did for you.  I have no idea how my Mom came home from the hospital and did this by herself.  I'm sure there will be many times that I say this over the next 30 years but Mom - I love you.  Thank you. :-)

My Two Favorite Men

Introducing Baby Tripp! He came into the world at 3:58pm yesterday and I have never been so in love - with someone I just met and with my husband. Patrick was the most amazing coach and there is no way I could have done that without him by my side.

I'm lying here at 4am in my hospital bed watching them both sleep and can't tear my eyes away.

Birth story and more pictures to come soon! Thank you so much to everyone for the sweet messages and all of your love and support.

xo
Patrick, Shaina & Tripp

38 weeks....

...still baking and hanging a little lower (and mama's tired).   

We actually had somewhat of a false alarm on Monday.  My blood pressure has been a little iffy, so when I woke up with fat feet and a headache, the doctor wanted some blood work done.  Off to L&D we went....after buzzing around the house cleaning, packing our bags (just in case) and getting some food together for Patrick.  We checked in, they hooked me up to the monitor, watched my BP, and drew some blood.  Everything ended up being fine so we went home a couple of hours later.  At one point, the nurse said "oh yeah, your contractions are about 5 minutes apart."  What?!  I thought that was gas haha.  Since then, they've gotten a little more noticeable, but nothing crazy yet.  Just waiting....  I promise you will know when its the real deal. :-)

Last night, we had the fam over for dinner.  I threw together a veggie lasagna - easy way to feed a crowd.  Dinner guests contributed the salad, garlic bread and dessert so we had a yummy feast.  Lasagna can be a looooong process, but if you're good at multi-tasking, its not too bad.  First, I prepped all my veggies and doctored up some sauce:

lasagna layers: sauteed chopped spinach, sauteed mushrooms, tomatoes, sauteed zuccini, roasted peppers (bake at 400 for 40 minutes and then throw in a ziploc baggy so the steam helps peel the skin off - a little trick I learned from my Grandma)

and the "ricotta cheese" :-)  it was actually tofu.  Throw a package of drained firm tofu into the food processor with some garlic, basil, oregano, salt, pepper and the chopped stems from the mushrooms and pulse until it has the consistency of ricotta.  A great way to add some protein to a veggie dish!
After all the ingredients were ready, I set up my assembly line:

layered the lasagna and baked at 350 for about 20-25 minutes, until the cheese started to brown.  After I threw it in the oven, I realized I forgot something....

sad.  No peppers.  It was still yummy though, and we have leftovers in the freezer. 

(I forgot to take a picture of my plate before the food disappeared.)

While we were all sitting around the table, our produce delivery came - 12 hours early?!  Our delivery guy is so cute - he's this 60ish year old man and he's so nice.  I think I'm going to start making him some treats.  He dropped off our amazing box for the week, and then came back 2 minutes later with goodies that he said were for the baby!

Fresh juice anyone?

In the box this week: 1 lemon, 1 avocado, 4 peaches, 1 package blueberries, 1 bunch broccoli, 1 bunch turnips, 1 bunch carrots, 1lb mixed lettuce, 1 lb assorted potatoes, 1 lb zuccini and a bundle of parsley!  I think a big pot of vegetable soup is in our near future. 

We're relaxing today.  Have a fantastic Wednesday everyone! xo Shaina

Showered with Love

I guess its a good thing I still have some energy reserves!  What a weekend its been!

Friday night, we went to our first baseball game of the season @ Dodger Stadium.  Last time we were there, it was a pretty eventful afternoon:

Friday night's game was a winner, but I don't think anything will top August 22nd, 2009. :-)

Patrick and I got to spend a few hours yesterday with friends and family at our baby shower and it was everything we could have hoped for.  Lots of good food, some fun games, and people we love.  I get a little emotional when I think about how excited everyone is for this baby to come - s/he is already surrounded by so much love. 

(I was a little tired by the end of the day.)



I definitely needed to sleep in this morning.  I'm just enjoying a leisurely breakfast while the troops are out on a trail run through the mountains.  Jealous?  A little.  Relishing the quiet?  Absolutely. 

2 eggs over-medium, sauteed spinach, black beans, homemade salsa, toast & juice

We're off later to celebrate an Eagle Court of Honor with some family friends before church and some much needed relaxation....and by relaxation, I mean baby laundry and putting away all the lovely gifts we received.  Let's be realistic.  I can't sit still for more than 20 minutes haha.

Have a wonderful Sunday afternoon! xo Shaina

What's in the Box?

Special delivery to the Anderson house this morning!

We're only on week #2 of produce delivery and I'm loving it.  Its like Christmas morning every Wednesday; we never know what's going to be in there.  This week:

3 apples, 1 grapefruit, 2 oranges, 2 avocados, 1 pint of strawberries, 2 BIG ears of white corn, 1 bunch of broccoli, 1 bunch white baby turnips, 1 bundle of spinach, 1 head of green leaf lettuce and....more rhubarb!  Haha oh no....good thing they send recipes with your box.  I'll make some rhubarb turnovers and give them away. :-)  All of this - local, organic and delivered to my door for $31.50 a week?!  Yes please.

Last week's box had 2 lbs of rhubarb in the haul...what does one do with that?! 

My first thought was Strawberry Rhubarb pie - something my Mom used to make often when I was a child.  I'm actually not a big pie person anymore - more of a pie *filling* person. ;-)  I browsed some recipes and decided on a crumble-looking thing from Betty Crocker (read: NOT healthy, but sometimes necessary). 

Ingredients:

Crust & Topping

-1 c butter or margargine, softened
-1 c packed brown sugar
-1 t vanilla
-2 c whole wheat flour
-1.5 c quick cook oats
-2/3 c chopped nuts (optional)
-1/2 t baking soda
-1/4 t salt

Filling

-2 cups turbinado sugar
-2/3 c whole wheat flour
-2 t milk of choice
-4 eggs (or egg replacer equivalent)
-4 cups sliced strawberries
-4 cups sliced rhubarb

1. Heat oven to 375. 
2. In a medium bowl, mix butter, brown sugar and vanilla.  Stir in 2 cups of the flour, oats, nuts, baking soda and salt until crumbly. .
3. Reserve 2 cups of this mixture for the topping.  Press the remaining mixture into an ungreased 15x10x1-inch pan.  (I didn't have this size so mine was just extra thick.)

4. In a large bowl, mix turbinado sugar, 2/3 c flour, milk and eggs with a spoon until smooth.  Fold in the strawberries and rhubarb.
5. Spoon the filling onto the crust.  Sprinkle with reserved crumb topping.
6. Bake 40-50 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the middle is set.  Cool slightly - about 30 minutes.
7. Serve with whipped cream, ice cream or plain - it was delish by itself.  Store covered in the refrigerator.

I actually had a little bit of an epiphany yesterday, which in turn took away my guilt about said unhealthy dessert.  I feel like my relationship with food and looking a certain way was a little unhealthy before I got pregnant.  Often times, we ladies have a skewed body image and the reflection we see in the mirror isn't what everyone else sees when they look at us.  Case in point: I saw a picture of myself from Feb 2011 yesterday and it kind of shocked me.  I never realized I was that small.  It wasn't unhealthy small (close), but I love my body so much more right now than I ever have...maybe minus the swollen ankles.

I haven't even gone through the most amazing part of this pregnancy yet, but I am already so amazed at what my body has been capable of - housing, feeding and protecting our sweet baby until s/he is ready to come out and greet the world.  I will be forever grateful to my body and am okay with however it looks after this is all said and done - within reason of course.  My focus is on being healthy and active so that I can take the best care of our family possible.

37 weeks - full term today!! :-)



(Its so nice to not have to take my own picture every week now.  Its the little things haha.)

Have a lovely Wednesday everyone! xo Shaina

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