Happy Halloween!!!

Picture Taking Tip: If you have time a few hours before you go trick or treating (or before any major picture taking event; Christmas/Easter outfits, etc) take pictures of your kids before the excitement begins. You'll all be more relaxed! You can also take pictures a few days before or even the day AFTER the big event...no one will ever know that you dressed your kids back up for a photo shoot!

Tried it, hated it, won't do it again

Gentlemen readers beware: This post is for ladies only!
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After so many "would you just relax and enjoy your baby?!?!" type comments the other day (on the post where I mentioned already starting Jason on a schedule) I had the perfect opportunity yesterday to practice flying by the seat of my pants and going with the flow.
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I took Jason to his first pediatric appointment and he got (*gulp*) circumcised. He slept A LOT all day long, barely ate and when he was awake, he was screaming crying. He was not a happy camper.
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Part of the problem was that they didn't get us in to see the doctor until 8:30, which is when he's been taking his first nap. Every time he nodded off, someone needed me to strip him, they weighed and measured him, the doctor poked and prodded him, then they finally took blood and circumcised the poor boy, which I was not around for. (I excused myself to the waiting room...just couldn't handle it.) By the time we left, it was 9:45, he was exhausted and beside himself and I had to listen to him scream most of the 20 minute drive home. A lovely way to start the day.
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He should have eaten again when we got home at 10:00, but he was out cold and refused to nurse. This teaser caused the first of many painful engorgement issues all day. He slept. He was finally quiet. He needed to rest, so I went with it.
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He woke up (screaming) with a dirty diaper somewhere around 11ish and ate a little bit before passing out again. Unfortunately, he didn't eat enough to reduce my pain, plus I swear my body produced even more milk for the additional feeding. Oh, ouch.
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The next time he woke up was with another dirty diaper, he pretended to eat again, screamed for a while, took his pacifier and finally fell back to sleep. That was a fun stint in the early afternoon.
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Before long, his pacifier fell out and he woke up starving - mama got some relief. He was full, but not happy. I'm sure he was exhausted and probably in pain, but there was nothing I could do about it. I truly had no idea how to meet his needs. He cried and cried inconsolably.
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Around dinnertime, a friend stopped by and told me to try feeding him again, suggesting he may need to cluster feed for a day or two. But he just ate his first full meal an hour ago, I protested...he can't be hungry again! I gave in, tried feeding him and he ate for 15 minutes. Talk about Mommy guilt! He nodded off again with his pacifier afterward, then woke up screaming. Again.
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Just to re-cap, he had a day full of mini-meals/snacks, catnaps and screaming fits. Every time I thought he was awake and ready to actually eat a whole meal, my milk would let down only to find out that he wanted to suck, but not eat. Hence, his bliss over the pacifier to help calm him or lull him to sleep. By 9pm, both of us were confused and exhausted. And I was petrified that Jason would be wide awake all night after sleeping so much during the day.
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Let's just say that this whole system didn't work for me. I can't say I had much choice yesterday, given the doctor/circumcision issue, but seriously - I was a mess, he was a wreck, it was a joke. And I tried to just relax, snuggle, bond and respond, honestly I did!
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When my kids are on a schedule, even at a week old, I am much more able to anticipate their needs. I know when to feed them and when they're tired and if they're crying outside of those two time frames, I know to check their comfort level in terms of diaper needs, surroundings, temperature discomfort, etc.
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So even though it sounds like it would be more relaxing to let go and throw any sense of routine out the window these first few weeks or months, I just can't do it. I'm already exhausted and easily overwhelmed. It drives me crazy not knowing what to try next to console my baby. And I know they're happier on a schedule because they don't cry all the time, begging me to figure out what they need.
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Disclaimer: Please don't think I'm getting defensive here and pu-lease don't feel badly if you made a "relax and enjoy" type comment. I welcome all comments and am very difficult to offend. But seeing just how many of you told me to "lighten up," (especially friends that I know personally) well, I started thinking that maybe I was being too rigid on myself and on Jason. Interesting how God chose to show me the very next day that my seemingly anal, overly neurotic, type-A way of doing things might be the very reason I stay sane in the early stages of my kids' lives. Because, for some reason, it seems to work for me!

Missing the Hospital?

I'm so glad to be home, but I have to say that there were certain "perks" about staying in the hospital vs. being on my own at home.
Here is what I have come to miss in the last few days:
- Not only getting breakfast in bed, but lunch and dinner, too.
- When the meal tray was removed, the dishes didn't pile up in my kitchen sink.
- Amazing pain medication available at all hours of the day and night.
- That great bed that reclined and inclined so I could lie down or sit up at the touch of button.
- Turning the lights on and off without getting out of bed. (maybe I should invest in The Clapper?)
- The cool side table on wheels that held my phone, magazines, water pitcher, notepad and pen, everything within arm's reach and just a wheel away.
- Jason's rolling bassinet with drawers underneath holding anything and everything he might need.
- The giant receiving blankets that they don't seem to sell in stores.
- Not caring about being clean, pretty or presentable for 4 days.
- An endless supply of free diapers, wipes, formula, maxi pads and a gazillion other toiletries that magically replenished themselves when they got low.
- "Hospital Mike" who snuck me bites of his dinner during labor, interrogated the nurses about the health and well being of me and the baby at every opportunity and brought flowers (invisible at first when he couldn't find a nearby grocery store - he even pretended to put them in my water cup - then real flowers the next day) and a dozen Paradise Bakery cookies.
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What I do NOT miss about the hospital:
- Graham crackers. They were actually Honey Maid brand, but I think I ate my weight in apple juice and graham crackers during the 16 hours of labor and in between meals. I never want to see another graham cracker again.
- Getting interrupted at all hours of the night for the most ridiculous, inconsequential reasons. (I still want to know what possessed them to loudly change my trash liners at 4am every night.)
- The nurses who don't think it's necessary to whisper or keep the lights dim at 2am, even though your husband is trying to sleep 4 feet away.
- The nurses hounding me to force-feed Jason every 2 hours.
- The nurses unswaddling a peacefully sleeping Jason to "check something" then leaving the room, expecting me to remember how to calm a screaming, unnecessarily awoken baby.
- The t.v. speakers that were on my bed rails. Intended to be a convenience, hearing surround-sound-by-my-head football while I was trying to nap and Mike was bored was more than a little distracting.
- The fact that there was no where to put my towel in the bathroom. The toilet didn't have a lid, the shower didn't have a tub ledge, the hook on the door was too far to reach...I ended up dragging a chair in there so I didn't have to put my clean towel on the floor.
- The long brown hair on the wall of the shower that was clearly from the occupant before me. Or before her. Who knows when they cleaned that shower last.
- All aspects of showering at the hospital.
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I finally realized that I need to set up multiple "stations" all over my house for basic necessities, especially because we have a 2-story home. I have two diaper changing stations in addition to the changing table that is currently unused in Ryan and Jason's room, a bath station, a stack of burp clothes and a change of baby clothes near the two main places I change and feed Jason, an ample supply of...um, "post partum necessities" in both bathrooms, still and rocking contraptions to put the baby down in the family room downstairs and near the computer upstairs, receiving blankets and baby socks sprinkled throughout the house to quickly warm a shivering Jason...my house has been taken over with baby stuff.
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Sometimes I still can't believe we have a baby in the house. A baby who was crammed inside my belly just one week ago. I already have trouble remembering life before he showed up!

And the winner is...

The commenter who guessed closest to my actual delivery date and time for the Baby's Birth Day Contest was...Rebecca M. who guessed 10/23 at 5:23am. Congratulations, Rebecca!

I've already sent you an email, but just in case you didn't get it, please send me your full name and address to claim your prize. Thanks for playing, everyone!!!

Do You Eat at McDonald's???

I saw, touched and smelled a 3 year old McDonald's Happy Meal in person while I was pregnant with Kaylin 3.5 years ago. It prompted me to take a health class at church that changed the way I feed my family. We have been to McDonald's exactly twice since I saw that presentation, buying salads, apple slices and milk. I refuse to put that stuff in my kids' bodies.
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This video is a little longer than it needs to be, but if you ever eat fast food, PLEASE take 5 minutes and watch it. I don't know about other fast food chains, but McDonald's uses so many preservatives in their "food" that it doesn't rot or deteriorate, even after years of sitting around. YUMMY! Happy dining...

Waiting...waiting...

This waiting thing is for the birds. I almost wonder if it's worse waiting to be induced because I have to be on my guard and ready to walk out the door at the drop of a hat. If I was waiting to deliver on my own, at least I'd have a few hours to do stuff around the house while waiting for the contractions to get close enough before going to the hospital. But when I finally get the call from the hospital, it's going to be "get here now or we might give away your bed."
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So here I am. On the edge of my seat. Bag packed, toiletries sitting on the bathroom counter ready to be added to the bag, grandparents on standby, backup neighbors ready to come over in the middle of the night...who needs this stress?
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Apparently I do. I brought this on myself, kind of. I didn't create the ridiculous induction policy at the hospital and I didn't ask for a 7 day induction window, but I did ask to be induced. However, I thought they'd give me a one-day window like every other hospital on the planet. Little did I know.
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Here's the torment I've been going through: Sunday night, I called to find out the likelihood of being called in the middle of the night, just to get an idea. They said it would be Monday morning, at the earliest, and if I don't hear from them by noon, call back. That's why I was up at 3:16am...in addition to having contractions all night, my mind wouldn't shut off. I was under the impression that Monday was THE day. But the phone didn't ring, so I called back at noon only to be told that it would be Monday night at the earliest, anytime all night long.
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I got all of my ducks in a row, took a Tylenol PM so I would get one final night's sleep before the baby came, everything was set. I called this morning and found out that they didn't get to 3 of their 4 medical inductions last night, so they wouldn't start on the elective induction list until tonight. Oh...kay...I could wait another day. At least I wasn't waiting by the phone and could go about my (boring) day as usual. I scheduled a deep-muscle-on-all-the-trigger-points maternity massage at my chiropractor and hoped that would help throw me into labor naturally.
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Finally, I called tonight to find out the likelihood of getting called so I know where to put my kids to bed. (my childcare options are limited tonight) As it turns out, they now have SEVEN medical inductions to get in tonight before they start on the elective induction list. SEVEN. "Check back in the morning," they said.
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In the meantime, I'm still having contractions, still doing little (and big) things here and there to try and help along the labor process, I'm just so ready to meet my little boy! But no. He's nice and comfy where he is. Every time he moves, I think, "I could be HOLDING you! What is going on!?!?"
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Watch: this kid won't be born until this weekend. And I'll laugh that I thought I was frustrated on TUESDAY. The days are seriously just draaaaaaaaaaaging along. I need a project or something, yet I kind of can't get TOO into something because I need to be available to drop everything and leave for the hospital at a moment's notice.
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I think I'm going to go rent a movie. I need to get lost in something...

3:16am

What do normal people do when they can't sleep at 3:16am? Some people watch infomercials, others read. Me? I might never know what "normal people" do when they look at the clock at 3:16 and are sick of staring at the ceiling. Because I finally just realized that I'm not normal.
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People like ME act like we're high on speed. We upload videos to our blogs.
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And unload the dishwasher.

And do laundry.

And finish making the chicken stock that's been cooking in the crock pot all night.

And pour it all into nice, neat little ice cube trays for easy access.

And make a homemade chicken pot pie. Or two. With fresh green beans.

And were fully willing to make a homemade pie crust but didn't have enough flour, so decided to freeze them instead using the new freezing method in a recent blog post.

And put more chicken in the crock pot for dinner.

Then, people like ME will take pictures of everything and blog about it at 6:30am when there's nothing left to do and no one else is awake yet.
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Because people like ME who wake up ever hour on the hour with contractions and are anxiously awaiting a call from the hospital to get induced to get this show on the road...well, we have a little too much on our minds to sit still.

(my belly this weekend...one last shot!)

Bull Riding

I should have known this wouldn't end well. And can you hear who's egging them on? Yeah, that's me...

Last chance to enter!

I'm going to close entries for my "Guess Baby's Birth Day" contest tomorrow morning at 8am PST. I get 120-150 visiters a day and I only have 20-some entries? COME ON!!! You guys can do better than that!
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So here's your last chance to enter. Go to the original post (linked above) - do NOT comment here. I'll only be looking at the dates in the comments of the original contest post. Good luck!!!

Project 365 Details

I'm going to start answering certain reader questions as their own blog post, because some of you might wonder the same things. So here we go...my first reader question answered!
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My fellow mama friend, Rachael, asked: Katie, can you tell us more about the 365 project? I know it's a Becky Higgins thing but can you elaborate on the type of album and pages you are doing and possibly post a picture? Thanks!
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As some of you know, I am a huge Becky Higgins stalker fan. She's somewhat of a scrapbooking celebrity and I get tons of inspiration from her ideas and her blog.
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In January, she came out with a great kit called Project 365. The idea was to take a picture every day for the whole year and journal something significant about that day, compiling it all into a single scrapbook. Even if you're not a scrapbooker, this concept is an easy, streamlined way to document a year in your life. Her kit was extremely reasonably priced, but Mike was out of a job at the time, so I couldn't purchase it. The kits quickly sold out and by the time I had some money at my disposal, it was too late.
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So I had to get creative. I used the 12x12 We R Memory Keepers album that I always use because I like the 3-ring binder style. (you can buy them online here or here) They're leather and have a pocket on the spine so you can label the album's contents.
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As for the page protectors, I had to do a little searching. The pages that came with the kit had 4 pockets for horizontal 4x6 pictures at the top and 4 vertical 2x3 pockets for the small daily journaling cards along the bottom. I have a friend who sells Close to my Heart scrapbooking supplies and found that they had 12x12 sheet protectors with 6 - 4x6 slots for pictures. I figured out how to make that work.
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When the kits sold out, Becky posted pdf links to print out the journaling card templates and weekly date inserts that were included in her kit. What's cool is that this allowed me to type directly onto the journaling cards and print them that way, instead of writing them personally (because I don't like my handwriting).
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*I tried to link the free download site, but it's no longer valid. If you want the templates, send me your email address and I'll gladly send them to you.*
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Her kit also included day-of-the-week tabs and rub ons, so again, I got creative and used my HP program to add a "title" to each daily picture in the form of the date. To keep it streamlined, I use the same font and size each time, varying between black and white, depending on the background of the picture. (I add this before sending the pictures to be printed.)
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I knew I wanted to do Project 365 from the beginning, so on January 1, I started taking a picture each day. This was the easy part for me because I take TONS of pictures. I try to vary my pictures between shots of people/events and shots of something else significant. Even 10 months into this habit, some days I forget to take a picture and have to put a "filler" picture in the album; something that I want to remember but may not have happened that day.
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For instance, I have a picture of a Pull Up with coordinating journaling about how we were tackling getting Ryan to wake up with dry underwear at night. I have a picture of our Bibles on a Monday because we host a weekly Bible study in our home on Mondays.

I've also moved pictures from one day to the next, knowing that I likely won't remember that I switched dates years from now. For instance, Ryan rode the bus to school for the first time on my birthday, but I already had a picture of the day (POD) for my birthday, so it will forever be documented that he first rode the bus on August 20th, not the 19th. (I know - GASP! I'm such a rebel.)

I have a picture of my tennis shoes on a day when I needed to vent and called my neighbor to go on a long, last minute walk to air my frustrations. The picture of the shoes isn't all that interesting, but the journaling that goes along with it explains the "story" behind the picture. Plus, years from now, we might have a laugh over how ugly Nikes were in 2008.

The first time I took Kaylin to have lunch at Ryan's school, I brought my camera, but the battery was in the charger at home. I ended up taking a picture of the kids' lunch bags when I got home as my POD. Again, not exciting, but how many of you have pictures of lunch boxes from your childhood? Seeing them today might be fun and nostalgic. I know it would be for me because I don't even remember who was ON my lunch box!

The day we found out I was pregnant, I took a picture of the pregnancy test.

Right after we got our new camera, Mike was playing around with it and caught this picture of me in "planning mode" for Ryan's carnival birthday party. Seeing this picture months later is a little glimpse into my world during that time. Had I not been doing this album, I might have deleted the picture because it's really nothing special.

Wednesdays are the day when Mike's mom comes over to watch the kids so I can get my hair cut, run errands and catch up on my to-do list. One week on a Wednesday, nothing extraordinary happened that day, so I took a picture of my crossed-off to-do list. Again, it might be interesting to look back on years from now.

I try to take pictures of seemingly boring, everyday events like swimming, backyard picnics and playing board games with Mike. Most of these things aren't scrapbook-worthy, but give a realistic picture of my life.

Here is a sample of my journaling. Now that I know how to use Photoshop, I've figured out the font and appropriate size to use to type directly onto the template. I use CK Becky font (yes, it's Becky Higgins' handwriting...I used the word "stalker" for a reason...) in 16 point. I then print the journal blocks side-by-side (as they were downloaded) as a standard 4x6 picture and slide it into the bottom slots of the sheet protectors. Below is a journal for a 2 day block and the pictures that go along with it. Journaling comes fairly easy for me, and I try to keep up with it every month or two so I don't get too far behind. Some of my journaling is even pasted directly from my blog posts.



And now that I'm finally learning Photoshop, I can easily use a vertical picture for my POD and I occasionally combine 2-3 pictures if I can't decide which to use for my POD or if a series of pictures tells a better "story."



And finally, here are some pictures of the completed layouts...



While reading through my journaling blocks (to make sure there's nothing too personal in there!) I just realized I printed the wrong picture for what I journaled about on June 12th. Oops! That happens every now and then...I can't keep it all straight and organized ALL the time!

Easy Apple Turnovers

A teacher at Kaylin's pre-school made these last week and they smelled DELICIOUS, so I gave them a try. (with my recently free-after-sale-and-coupons Pillsbury biscuit purchase, these cost less than $1 to make) I'm normally not the quick-and-easy processed-foods kinda baker, but for those of you who are, you'll appreciate how simple this recipe is.

1 can Pillsbury (or any brand) biscuits
1 apple, cored and thinly sliced or diced (I kept the skin on and it worked fine)
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 T. white sugar + 1 t. cinnamon
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- Roll or hand-press each biscuit to 1/2 inch thick. (the kids had fun helping with this step)
- Mix sliced/diced apples with brown sugar until evenly coated.
- Microwave the apples for 30-60 seconds to soften slightly.
- Spoon a small amount of apples onto half of each pressed biscuit.
- Cover the apple side of the biscuit with the other 1/2 and press seems together with your fingers. (another fun step for the kids - my kids didn't seal them enough, but it didn't seem to matter)
- Sprinkle tops of turnovers with cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes, until the biscuit is golden brown.

Tuesday's Time Saving {Pic Printing} Tip

Being a scrapbooker, I print a LOT of pictures. Not to mention that I'm doing Project 365, taking a picture day for 2009 plus journaling about it.
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To stay organized with what needs to be printed for my scrapbooks, I write down all of the pictures I want to use for a particular event/layout, write them in my spiral notebook, then check them off once they've been ordered. (I posted about more of my scrapbooking tips a few months back: click here if you're interested) But I recently figured out an even MORE efficient way to print my pictures.
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I have a tendency to wait for the online printing sites (Shutterfly, Snapfish, Winkflash, Artscow, etc.) to have "free print" or "free shipping" types of offers before ordering my pictures. And those deals usually come in sets of 25 or 50 prints. That's a lot of pictures, right? And there's usually an order-by deadline of a day or two. I'm embarrassed to admit how many nights I'm online until 11:00 selecting, uploading, cropping and ordering pictures before the midnight deadline. Why put myself through that kind of stress for a $10 savings???
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I finally established a "Pictures To Be Printed" folder within my "Pictures" folder on my computer. When I know which pictures I want to print, I copy them into the "To Be Printed" folder so that I can quickly upload them onto the website when it's time to print them. Whether it's a cute picture of the kids that I want to print for the grandparents, pictures to scrapbook or a 5x7 that I want to frame in the family room, it goes in the folder. (sometimes renamed, "print as 5x7" or something so I remember) Once the pictures are ordered, they go to an "Ordered" folder, and after they arrive, they are deleted from the "Ordered" folder completely, since they are all copies of the original picture.
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This may seem like unnecessary work for some of you, but for the number of pictures I print and the possibility of accidentally ordering duplicates, this system works like a dream!

"Guess Baby's Birth Day" Contest!

I figured you could all be having a little fun while I'm waiting for this baby to make his entrance into the world. So why not have a contest to guess when he will arrive??? I have no idea what the prize will be yet, but it will be worth your 25 second entry.
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From what I understand, if I don't go into labor by Sunday, I'll be put on a waiting list for "elective induction" next week and could be called anytime between 10/19 - 10/25. So the LATEST I'll deliver is 10/25ish.
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To enter the contest, be sure to list the date and time you predict the baby will be born. Also list your first name and last initial and your email address. (listed as name(at)server(dot)com to avoid spam) One guess per person, please!
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GOOD LUCK! And may all of you who guess 10/25 have diarrhea for a week...

How NOT to go into labor

Friday night, I was timing contractions until after 10:00. I went to bed with the full assumption that I would be in the hospital cuddling my bouncing baby boy come Saturday. But no. Saturday morning I woke up without a single cramp. I still felt like garbage because of my cold, but it had nothing to do with the pregnancy. (*sigh*)
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So what do I do? Complain on Facebook. The first comment was from my friend Julie telling me that I wasn't allowed to go into labor because we had a double date that night. (that has been planned for weeks, so I wasn't looking forward to missing that) A few comments later was from a friend who read the date comment and suggested that we go to PF Chang's for some calamari, saying that it's been known to send women into labor. (her husband is the General Manager at the PF Chang's near our house) Ironically, before our movie, we WERE planning to go to PF Chang's for dinner. Maybe this was a sign from God?!?!
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I hate calamari, but I ordered it anyway. (it was actually quite good, BTW...not fishy or slimy or squid-like at all...I highly recommend it) And I proceeded to crush Mike's hand through contractions every 10 minutes or so during our movie. I got my hopes up again, came home, went to bed, and woke up feeling...are you ready??? Nothing. Not a twinge, cramp or pain of any kind. (*sigh*...again)
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The good thing that came from my Friday night contractions was a kick in the pants. The "honey do" list for the weekend became quite long, including minor little details like: set up crib, find nursing bras (I still can't find them anywhere!), wash infant carrier, set up car seat in the van, clean the garage (that's been on the list for weeks and it's finally cool enough outside to handle being in the garage for more than 5 minutes)...stuff like that. In addition to the fact that this was our normal house-cleaning weekend, there was laundry to do, regular weekend stuff.
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Mind you, I was still sick. I felt achy and my sinuses were on the verge of exploding. Not to mention that I'm 9 months pregnant and don't get around too quickly anymore, needing to "sit down and take a break" after the most menial, everyday tasks.
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But the list got done. All but 1 or 2 minor things. My house is spotless and sparkling. You could eat dinner off my garage floor. The crib anxiously awaits a baby to snuggle. Now would be a really good time to go into labor...everything's done!!!
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(Do you hear that, God? Just in case you care about my thoughts on the matter, the timing is perfect to have this baby tomorrow. Just sayin'...)
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It's not going to happen, though. I'm only 37 weeks. Who am I kidding? This is all wishful thinking. And the good news is that next weekend will be a slacker weekend because I was so bent on getting everything done THIS weekend.
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Is anyone else sick of me whining talking about this pregnancy? Because I sure am!

Meal Plan - 10/12/09

Breakfast
Oatmeal
Whole Grain Waffles
Apple Fritters (if I have the energy this weekend!)

Lunch
PB&J
Fruit salad
Cheese and crackers
Lagoon Chicken Salad over lettuce for me

Dinner
Monday - Garlic Chicken Farfalle
Tuesday - Crock Pot BBQ Pork over brown rice
Wednesday - Chicken Pesto Quesadillas
Thursday - Ravioli with Balsalmic Brown Butter Sauce
Friday - Baked Potato Bar with leftover Chili
Saturday - {Healthy} Cream of Potato Soup with Homemade Whole Wheat Bread
Sunday - Deceptively Delicious Spaghetti Pie

Gotta Get It Out

Sorry for so many random rambling posts lately. That's generally an every 2-3 month thing for me, but now it seems like 2-3 times per month. But I gotta get these thoughts out of my head. Thanks for humoring me!
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First and foremost, I'm getting sick. I can feel it coming on like a freight train and I am NOT happy about it. Yesterday on the way to Ryan's Taekwondo class, I was unusually crabby. Then during the 25 minute class, my throat got scratchy, my sporadic cough from throughout the day became more consistent and my body was slowly shutting down. We went out to dinner afterward, which was a great break, but I couldn't even enjoy myself. The food was just food...it didn't taste all that great. As I sat there in the booth, my legs got achy. My neck got stiff. My arms were weak. I felt like I could fall asleep right on the table.
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I went to bed way early, but just ended up waking up around 4am and laid there, nodding off periodically, until 6:30. So much for sleeping it off. My throat's still scratchy, so we'll see. I hate being sick. It is such a waste!
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Okay, so that's that. Not fun. In other news, I haven't done a big grocery shopping in weeks. Our fridge and freezers are going bare and I am not as concerned as I should be about stocking up before the baby comes. I haven't felt much like cooking, so I've quickly gone through my freezer stockpile of meals and quick-fix options. Last week, my neighbor called from the store to see if I needed anything and she brought me a couple of gallons of milk that held me off from going to the store for another week or so. Other than that, I bought my produce and bread from my co-op, so that's been our snacks and sides for lunches. I just keep thinking I'm going to get to the point where I have to go shopping, but it hasn't happened yet. I've spent under $100 in the last month on groceries, which is unheard of for our family! Apparently I was pretty well stocked.
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Speaking of food, I usually buy 2% cheese for our family and accidentally bought the real stuff recently. I was eating cheese and crackers with lunch today and WOW...when you've been eating 2% cheese for weeks and months, the real stuff is SO GOOD! Maybe I was just extra hungry, but it was perfectly salty, smooth and creamy. What does that have to do with anything? It doesn't. I just enjoyed my cheese today and wanted to share.
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I forgot how weird it is to be 9 months pregnant. Every appointment I schedule or commitment I make is followed with this disclaimer: "I'm due right around that time, so I'll try to remember to call if I go into labor or am in the hospital that day." Volunteer opportunities at both kids' schools, parent teacher conferences, park days, birthday parties, Ryan's Taekwondo class, Bible studies, chiropractic appointments, you name it. At this point, I need to make a list of phone numbers for last minute phone calls. Nothing like canceling plans in between contractions...
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In other news, I am so ready to do a clean sweep in my closet after this baby is born. First, to get rid of the stained maternity tops that I'm currently wearing around the house because they're the only shirts long enough to cover my huge tummy. I threw on a too-short something the other day and my mother in law giggled that some people have "muffin top" and I have a "muffin bottom" with my beer gut hanging out of my shirt and over my shorts. (that last part was my words, not hers!)
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Speaking of beer, at the bus stop yesterday, we were greeted with two empty 18 pack cardboard Coors Light containers and all of the empty cans that the boxes once contained scattered throughout the park. Being the good Samaritan that I am, (pat, pat, pat...that was my hand on my own back...) I cleaned them up and brought the boxes home to put in my recycle bin. Of course, several neighbors were leaving their homes at that exact moment. One said, "Now that's a concerning visual!" Me, all 9 months pregnant, carrying two huge beer boxes, walking down the street at 8am. He thought it was so funny that he actually took a picture on his phone. I'm tempted to ask him to forward it to me...I'm sure it was a sight.
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I've been extremely uncomfortable for the last couple of days. I think I might have delivery-envy because my girlfriend had a c-section yesterday. Regardless, it seems that elbows and knees and fists are being jabbed into my ribs and odd places that are attached to muscles that make me grunt in pain and gasp out loud.
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Even though I should have rested today, I spent over an hour both before and after my doctor appointment running a ton of errands. I returned library books, went to TWO Radio Shacks to find the right cordless phone batteries, returned a shirt at Old Navy, bought hair stuff at Ulta, took Kaylin to the mall to run around in the germ-infested play place, walked by the pet store to look at the puppies, then went to Trader Joe's for some eggs and a few other staples. There were stops in there where I sat and rested (the doctor, the play place) but now that we're home, I'm ready to collapse into bed. Especially after seeing the look on my doctor's face when I told him I thought I was getting sick...his eyes screamed "oh no!"
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Thanks for listening to my rant for the day...off to bed with me.

Distorted Beauty

Wow. Check out this 1 minute, time-lapsed video clip of a very ordinary gal getting transformed into a billboard ad. If it doesn't take you to the "Evolution" video automatically, click on it at the bottom.

That's what I get for trying to plan...

Don't hate me because I want to be induced. Yes, I know...it's not natural and I'm impeding on God's master plan and it's not my place to get to pick my child's birthday. But you have to realize: there are details that need to be worked out! I have kids who need to get to school and parents I'm trying not to inconvenience and other people's schedule's to consider. Like my BFF who is having her shower on the 24th. Do YOU want to tell her that I'm not going to attend because I'm in the hospital??? Because I don't.
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Okay fine. So my reasons are more like excuses for wanting the convenience of knowing when I'll be held up in the hospital for 3 days.
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My doctor has no problem inducing me. (HALLA!) Last week, he gave me the date of 10/21 "give or take a day" depending on the hospital's availability. I was happy with a 3-day window. I could work with a 3-day window! I figured out all of the "what if" scenarios (where the kids go every night is dependent on when I am called) and plans were made.
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Then today, I found out that this hospital does things a little differently. They schedule me for an elective induction for the "week of 10/19" - which means I could be called Monday the 19th or Sunday the 25th or any day in between.
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Hence the title of my post. I think God is up in Heaven giggling a little. So much for trying to be in control, huh?
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The good news is that I'll be home for Halloween. I'll get to help do Kaylin's makeup to be a fairy or a princess or Pinkalicious or whatever she decides to be. I'll get to put the baby in the "Got Candy?" shirt with candy corn socks that I bought for $1 each. I'll get to take pictures and sneak Snickers and meet some of the new neighbors who bought foreclosure houses in my neighborhood for cents on the dollar.
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But making it to Kaylin's family night at pre-school? Up in the air. BFF's baby shower? We'll have to see. Ryan's little friend's birthday party? Who knows.
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So I'm kind of in the same boat as waiting to go into labor on my own, except I'm at the mercy of hospital availability. But I'll admit that it IS better because I know I won't be sitting around expectantly for 2 weeks after my due date, waiting for my body to get sick of being pregnant. This way, I CAN call the hospital around dinnertime each night to find out if they have open beds and whether my name is at the top of the list or if they're jam-packed and won't be calling anyone who is an elective induction that night. But I will likely get the generic, non-committal answer each time I call, so that might not even work.
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Again...this is what I get for trying to plan my own delivery!

Maternity Leave

I woke up with a contraction this morning. It was big. And it hurt. Then it was over as quickly as it began. I looked at the clock at 5:28am and decided to time the rest of them, but they never came...
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At my appointment on Friday, my doctor told me that if I go into labor at this point, he won't do anything to stop it. So I could have a baby any day?!?! I know, don't push it...he needs to cook as long as possible, but is it wrong to be hopeful for an early delivery? (mothers of preemies, don't answer that!)
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I have no idea what kind of mush-shape my brain will be in after this baby is born. I'm sure I'll post pictures of the baby and brag about mention how cute he is and how in love I am...when I'm not longing for the days when I was "bored" and yearning for more then 2 hours of consecutive sleep in a row...
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But you might tire of that quickly.
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I know my audience isn't HUGE, but this got me thinking: I wonder if anyone would want to guest-post for me while I'm on my mental maternity leave? Do you have something fun or interesting you'd like to share? Maybe a Time-Saving Tip for a Tuesday, a craft idea, a kitchen suggestion or an organizational concept? I'd love to hear it!
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If you're interested in writing a guest post, please email me your topic idea ASAP to ktksu(at)cox(dot)net. Because I've packed my bag and I'm ready to start pushing. And upon the advice of a girlfriend, I even have a beach towel and a couple of size 4 diapers in the car, just in case my water breaks at an inopportune moment. Smart, huh?

Homemade Whole Wheat Bread (Bread Maker to Oven)

#40 on my list of 101 Goals in 1001 Days was to learn how to start homemade bread in the bread maker, then finish it in the oven. I accomplished that back in April, but tried a new recipe today that was delish. I found it originally on Money Saving Mom, then stumbled upon what was likely the original recipe on Tammy's Recipes when I was trying to find some instructions for those of you who don't have a bread maker.
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I tweeked it a little and adjusted the baking time so it was soft, soft, soft out of the oven. I should have taken a picture, but it's too late now...it's all gone. Maybe next time! This recipe fed us for one meal because everyone had 2...3...4 pieces each. There's just something about fresh baked bread out of the oven...
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Ingredients:
1 cup warm water (110-120° F)
1 T. milk
2 T. oil (I used canola, vegetable would also work)
1 T. honey
2 T. brown sugar
1 t. salt
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 t. dry yeast
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If you have a bread maker:
- Place the above ingredients in the bread machine IN THE ORDER LISTED.
- Set the "dough" cycle on the bread machine.
- When the dough cycle is complete, take the dough out and shape it into a loaf in a greased bread pan.
- Cover and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.
- Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until the top of the loaf is firm when you tap on it and it's golden brown.
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If you don't have a bread maker:
- Combine water, milk, oil, honey, brown sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir until combined. (if you have a large Kitchen Aide mixer, use the dough paddle to combine)
- Gradually add flour and yeast until a dough ball forms.
- Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth, about 10-15 minutes.
- Place in a lightly oiled bowl and allow to rise in a warm, moist place until it doubles in size, about 40-45 minutes.
- Punch down dough, knead for a few minutes until smooth and elastic, then shape it into a loaf in a greased bread pan.
- Cover with a lightly oiled piece of plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place until almost double in size, about 20-30 minutes.
- Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until the top of the loaf is firm when you tap on it and it's golden brown.