She Laughs!

L has been squealing for a couple of weeks now but yesterday (9/8/09) is the first time she laughed in context. B said, "Boo!" and she started giggling he then tried blowing on her stomach and she laughed even more.

Milestones Reached:
Follows Objects
Holds Head Steady
Smiles
Babbles
Blows Bubbles
Bats At Toys
Grasp Toys
Bears Weight On Legs
Plays With Hands & Feet
Imitates Sounds
LAUGHS!


Not Quite There Yet:
Rolling
Sitting Unassisted

4 Months!

4 months stats (08/24/09)

Length: 25" (82nd percentile)
Weight: 14lbs 1oz (65th percentile)
Head: 44cm (99th percentile, yes, 99th!!!)

3 Months!

Our little peanut is 12lbs 1 oz (50th percentile)

Lily has been teething for the past 3 weeks. When she doesn't feel miserable due to teething, she's babbling, smiling and looking at the world around her. One of the most wonderful moments of the past few weeks was when B came home from work, Lily reached out her hands as if to say, "Pick me up, Daddy!" and she nestled her head into his chest. Both B and & I had tears in our eyes.

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.

2 Months!

Height: 23" (74.73%)
Weight: 10lbs 13 oz (49.80%)
Head Circumfrence: 41.2 (94.74%)

L is now babbling up a storm and we love every minute of it.

We are so very blessed.

1 Month!

Height: 21.75" (78.61%)
Weight: 9 lb 4 oz (55.52%)
HC: 39.8 cm (96.14%)

So smiley!

2 Weeks!

Our sweet baby is already 2 weeks old. We had a 2 week checkup on Monday and is already 8lbs 2 oz, 21.25 inches and her head is a whopping 38.4 cm. She has gained an ounce a day for the last week and grew 3/4 of an inch! She's finally reached (and surpassed) her birth weight. She's in the 45th percentile for weight, 85th percentile for height and 93rd percentile for head circumference. Her doctor called her, "Scrawny" !

Her jaundice has disappeared and her hair is getting much lighter (maybe even red?!?!)

She had her first bath on 5/02/09 but her umbilical cord had yet to fall off so she couldn't have a full bath, with her belly submerged. Her umbilical cord fell off on the 7th day (05/05/09) to reveal the cutest little partial outie and she then had her first official bath, in the sink.

Her professional pictures are tomorrow afternoon and I spy some baby acne. I've heard that breast milk can help to clear it so we'll try that tonight after her bath. Speaking of breast milk, I've been exclusively pumping now for 10 days and my supply has seriously tanked. I've heard that oatmeal can increase supply so I ate that for breakfast this morning and will continue to do so. I'm also going to look into fenugreek, pumping more often and skin-to-skin contact as a means of increasing my supply. I should really go to the lactation consultant to see if we can give breastfeeding a whirl again but I'm still in a lot of pain and I don't know if I can make the trip by my lonesome.

I'm still slowly recovering, I went back to the doctor on Friday (05/08/09) due to the fact that I was still in a great deal of pain, unable to stand or walk. In turns out I had a lot of granulated tissue that needed to be cauterized (with silver nitrate, fun!) and that they needed to remove some unnecessary stitches (which was WAY more painful than the silver nitrate).

Mentally I'm doing well, I'm ready to get outside and moving.

Irritable Uterus

I also found out yesterday that I have an, "Irritable Uterus" meaning I've been having contractions this whole time. I always chalked it up to the baby moving but apparently the stomach tightening sensation is actually contractions. That explains all the contractions that showed up on the monitors during my stay in the hospital.

It's going to be nearly 80* here in Wisco today and I'm going to have another lemon ice :)

Good News!

My "sentence" has been reduced from strict bed rest to moderate! What does this mean? I can leave the house once a day so as long as I'm not on my feet for more than a few minutes. Woo-hoo!

In a matter of 3 days, I have some significant progress, I went from being a finger tip dilated, very long/high cervix and the babies head was "floating." I am now more than 1 cm dilated, 50% effaced with an anterior cervix, yay! What does this mean in terms of when I'll have the baby? Meh, not much. However, it does mean that should they have to induce me due to pre-e, the likelihood that the induction would be successful and not lead to a c/s is much greater.

Overall, a fantastic appointment. To top it off, LEMON ICE IS BACK AT CULVERS! This is truly the best day ever ;)

Hospital Bed Rest & 38 Week Appt

On 4/20/09 I went in to my OB's office around 9:00 am because I was experiencing some sharp shooting pains in my lower abdomen. My regular 38 Week appointment was scheduled for 4/21 so they decided to just have me come in a day early. When I arrived, I realized that I had a pretty bad headache but it was manageable. At each weekly appointment, they take my blood pressure, I pee in a cup, they check my fundal height and her heartbeat. Well, my blood pressure was high (146/98, normal is below 120/80, REALLY bad is 160/100) and there was protein in my urine (+1). So, they decided to order a bunch of blood work, have me collect my urine for 24 hours and I was put on bed rest. Normally it doesn't hurt when they take my blood but this time it felt terrible (I later found out they popped my vein). I was told to go home, take Tylenol and call immediately if my headache became more severe. Two hours later, my head felt terrible and I decided to call my OB's office. They told me to go to the hospital and I would need to be on hospital bed rest and monitored for 24 hours. So, here I sit, in the hospital waiting for the results of today's blood work and urine collection. I feel SO much better, my blood pressure is good and my headache has subsided.

Hopefully I'll be able to go home today and finish out my bed rest "sentence" at home.

Stay put little one, we love you.

37 Week Appointment

U/S 4/13/09

Baby's Estimated Size: 7lbs 2 oz (64th percentile)
Position: Heads Down!
Cervix: Long (5cm)...we have a LONG way to go until it's paper thin

"37 Week" Appointment

H/B: High 150's-Low 160's
B/P: 130/88 (borderline high)
Total Weight Gain/Loss: +1 pre preg

Observations:

Maternity clothes? Shirts barely fitting
Stretch marks? Really obvious near the top of my stomach
Sleep: Painful and kind of a nuisance
Best moment this week: Ultrasound
Movement: Painful, large movements, rolling and pushing
Food cravings: Anything fruity & ice cold; push ups, smoothies, Hi-C with ice, etc
Labor Signs: Occasional cramping and lightning
Belly Button in or out? Flat
What I miss: Rolling over, sitting up w/o assistance, sleeping on my stomach, bending over, standing in the shower w/o being light headed
What I am looking forward to: Meeting our daughter

Baby Update

The end is near! We now begin our weekly appointments.

36 Week Appointment- 4/7/09

H/B: High 150's-Low 160's
B/P: 120/82
Weight: -2 pre preg
Fundal Height: 38cm
Position: Unknown-NP thought she was head down but based on where she picked up the h/b, she may be breech

Because she is measuring 2 weeks ahead (see fundal height) and her position is unclear, we will have another growth u/s on Monday, 4/13. During the u/s they will determine her size and whether or not she is breech.

*Updated* Birth Date Predictions:
B 4/20 (We were in the hospital, but we didn't have a baby) NEW Prediction 4/25
C 5/5
W 5/7
N 4/28
A 5/2

Beef Stroganoff

1 1/2 pounds leftover chuck roast
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced (2 1/2 cups)
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped (we use 2 cloves)
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups beef both
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sour cream
3 cups hot cooked egg noodles


1. Cut beef across grain into about 1 1/2x1/2-inch strips.
2. Cook mushrooms, onions and garlic in butter in 10-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender; remove from skillet.
3. Place beef in same skillet, stir in 1 cup of the broth, the salt and Worcestershire sauce. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
4. Stir remaining 1/2 cup broth into flour; stir into beef mixture. Add onion mixture; heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in sour cream; heat until hot (do not boil). Serve over noodles.

Pot Roast

2-4 lb chuck roast
32 oz beef stock
6-8 carrots
3 medium onions (or 2 large)
2 t. Thyme (3 fresh sprigs)
3 t. Rosemary (3 fresh sprigs)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Pepper

First, heat a large pot/dutch oven over medium high heat. Then add 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil.

Generously salt and pepper your pot roast.

Now take a couple of onions and cut them in half from root to tip, slice off ends and remove peel. Cut 6-8 (unpeeled, washed) carrots in to 2" sections. Add the onions to the pot and brown for 1 minute on each side. Remove onions and set aside. Add carrots to the pot and toss a few minutes until slightly browned. Add roast to the pot and sear on each side (hold up to sear the sides as well) until very well browned.

Turn the burner on high to deglaze the pan, add one cup of broth and use your whisk to stir and scrape the bottom of the pan.

Pour "gravy" into 6 qt. slow cooker, add roast, onions, carrots, remaining 3 c. beef broth, rosemary and thyme.

Cover and cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours.

(If you don't have a slow cooker, you can just put your dutch oven directly into the oven. Put the lid on, then roast in a 275-degree oven for 3 hours, for a 3 pound roast. For a 4 to 5 pound roast, plan on 4 hours.)

Remove the roast, slice or shred and serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, whatever you like!

Buffalo Chicken Enchiladas

1 can (10-3/4 oz size) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 8 oz container ranch dip
1 bunch chopped green onions
3 cups chopped cooked chicken (I use leftover rotisserie chicken)
3/4 cup Frank's RedHot Sauce (whatever variety you prefer)
12 flour tortillas (6" size)
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 350F. Spray 13x9" glass baking dish with cooking spray.

In medium bowl, mix soup, dip and 1/3 cup of the onions. In large bowl, mix chicken and buffalo wing sauce until coated.

Spoon 2 Tbsp soup mixture down center of each tortilla; set remaining mixture aside. Top each tortilla with about 1/4 cup chicken mixture and 1/4 cup cheese. Reserve 1/2 c cheese. Roll up tightly and place seam side down in the baking dish. Top with remaining soup mixture.

Cover tightly with foil.

Bake 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Remove from oven. Uncover; sprinkle with reserved 1/2 cup cheese and remaining 1/3 cup onions. Return to oven; bake uncovered about 5 min longer or until cheese is melted.

Banana Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 overripe bananas

1 1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and lightly spray 2 muffin tins

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Mash 2 of the bananas with a fork in a small bowl so they still have a bit of texture. With an electric mixer fitted with a wire whisk, whip the remaining bananas, sugar and cinnamon together like you mean it, for a good 3 minutes. Add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla and beat well, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Fold in the mashed bananas with a rubber spatula. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins to fill them about halfway. Give them a rap on the counter to get any air bubbles out.

Bake until a toothpick stuck in the muffins comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before turning the muffins out. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Spicy Pesto Pasta

Spicy Pesto Pasta

1 8 oz pkg sliced mushrooms
4 Roma tomatoes chopped into bite size pieces
1 T. Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce
1 tsp. minced garlic
Pepper
3 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 (16 ounce) package farfalle (bow tie) pasta
Heavy whipping cream
4 T. Prepared Basil Pesto (we like Carlanna Gardens out of Stevens Point, WI)
Freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

Your choice of chicken, shrimp or Italian sausage.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place farfalle pasta in the pot, cook for 11 minutes, until al dente, and drain.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Saute mushrooms, tomatoes, chili sauce, garlic and pepper in a large pan until cooked, toss with cooked farfalle and two turns of the pan of heavy whipping cream. Let flavors combine for a minute, add pesto and continue cooking just until heated through. Top with Parmesan cheese and serve with chicken, shrimp or Italian sausage.

If you like Noodles & Co.'s Pesto Cavatappi, you'll LOVE this slightly spicier version.

Skillet Chicken Parmesan

Sauce (Or use your favorite pre-made)
2 T olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 can (28oz) crushed tomatoes
2 tsp sugar
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

Chicken
3 T. Olive Oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup Italian style dry bread crumbs, or similar
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (This is sick but we use an entire 2 c. bag, what can I say, DH likes his cheese)
Garlic Powder/Salt/Pepper to taste
2 TBS grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat 2 T. of the oil over medium heat in a 3 qt saucepan. Cook onions and garlic in oil 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; cover and simmer, stirring occasionally.
2. Between sheets of waxed paper, flatten chicken to ¼ inch thickness. In shallow dish, mix bread crumbs and 1/3 cup parmesan cheese. Dip chicken into egg, then coat with bread crumb mixture.
3. In 12-inch skillet, heat 3 T. oil over medium heat. Cook chicken in oil 10-15 minutes, turning once, until no longer pink in center. Pour tomato sauce around chicken in skillet. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over chicken; cover and heat until melted. Sprinkle with 2 Tbs Parmesan cheese just before serving.

Tater Tot Casserole

Tater Tot Casserole

1lb ground turkey
1/2 c. diced onion
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
garlic powder
1 small bag frozen peas
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
1 bag tater tots

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large skillet over high heat, brown the ground turkey with onion, garlic powder, salt & pepper.

Place turkey in 9x13 casserole dish, mix in cream of mushroom soup and peas. Top with cheese and layer tater tots covering entire top.

Bake in preheated oven for about 45 minutes, or until tater tots are browned and crispy.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Broccoli Cheese Soup (serves 4)

1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups half-and-half
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 pound fresh broccoli
1 cup carrots, julienned (I didn't have carrots on hand so I omitted this)
Few shakes of hot sauce (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar

In a large pan, saute (medium heat) the garlic & onions in the butter, salt and pepper. Set aside. Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and slowly add the half-and-half. Add the chicken stock whisking the entire time. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli, carrots, onions & hot sauce. Cook over low heat until the veggies are tender for 20-25 minutes. Add salt and pepper. The soup should be thickened by now. Pour in batches into blender and puree. Return to pot over low heat and add the grated cheese; stir until well blended & serve!

Enjoy!

Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken Enchiladas-serves 6 (or 4 really hungry people)

Ingredients:

• 3 boneless skinless chicken thighs, plus 3 large boneless skinless breasts
• 2 cans (10 oz) of enchilada sauce
  
• 1 packet taco seasoning (we prefer hot, use whatever you like)
• 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles (optional)
  
• 20 fajita size tortillas
  
• 4 cups Mexican blend cheese

Place chicken in crockpot. Cover with enchilada sauce, chiles plus 1 1/2 of a cans worth of water. Mix in taco seasoning. Cook 8 hours on low. Remove meat and shred with a fork.

Mix chicken with a couple scoops of sauce remaining in the crockpot, plus 2 cups of the cheese.

In a large baking dish, spoon enough sauce into dish to cover the bottom. Fill each tortilla with meat/cheese mixture, roll up tightly and place seam side down in the baking dish. Top with more sauce and remaining cheese.

Bake at 375 until cheese is melted and bubbly, about 20 minutes.

If you make the chicken ahead of time and refrigerate it, make sure to have one container for the sauce and one for the chicken. If not, the chicken will absorb all the sauce. Also, be sure to leave the enchiladas in the oven a bit longer to insure that the enchiladas are heated thoroughly.

These are really yummy! We serve this with Spanish rice, corn and chips 'n salsa.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

• 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts & 3 boneless skinless thighs
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
• 1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (I use the refrigerated pre minced kind)
  
• 2 cups water
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 small bag frozen corn
• 1 handful chopped cilantro

Topping:

• tortilla chips
  
• sour cream
  
• sharp cheddar
  

Place all the ingredients (except the toppings) into the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours. Before serving, remove cooked chicken, shred and add back into soup. Don't forget to take our the bay leaf too! Top with desired toppings.

I don't really like chicken so before I add the shredded chicken back into the soup, I make myself a bowl, sans chicken.

Hubby's reaction, "Mmm, this is Ahh-mazing." I'd say this recipe's a keeper :)

You can cook?

How does one really start blogging? Since I find introductions to be pretty awkward, I'm going to go ahead and skip the intro and go right into my first post...

You can cook? Is usually the response I receive when telling friends and family that I made this or that. So, I've decided to post my recipes & pictures (proof!). Most of the recipes are hijacked from other blogs and modified to our tastes.