As I move into my third trimester of this pregnancy, I leave the second with a little bit of excitement and a little timidness. You always hear that the second trimester is the easiest. With Amelia, I felt pretty crappy the whole time. But with this pregnancy I have come to feel pretty amazing considering I am incubating a human. I have said previously that sometimes I even forget I am pregnant! I guess the easiest way to describe the pro's and con's is to make a list....
Pro's: Piper has reached viability, We are getting closer and closer to meeting our baby girl, I definitely look pregnant and not so FAT, I am starting to get a little more help now that I am not so mobile
Con's: I feel like a whale :) Piper is getting stronger and stronger (which means that her kicks hurt worse) Hormones are kicking back up again
Now speaking of hormones... I wasn't aware that they return in full force in the third trimester :( So hello crazy Mommy!!
Mommy! What's that sound?.... That's what I have woke up to at 5am every day for the last week. I like to think that I am pretty good at tackling new problems and situations that arise, but this one just has me stumped!
Somewhere, somehow Amelia has suddenly became aware of all of the noises around and in our home. She wakes up like clock work at 5am and screams like someone is attacking her, that she is scared and monsters are coming to get her. In reality we live fairly close to train tracks, and a train comes through at about that time each morning. I am assuming that the train is what is waking her up and startling her. The odd part to me is that, we have lived here for almost a year. Until I can come up with something to remedy the situation... I will just have to remain stumped!
On a good note, we have been able to put Amelia to bed without a juice cup for a week and counting! I think that going to a "big girl cup" has helped a lot. I put her to bed, tell her goodnight, and give her a sip of milk out of a regular cup. Then she goes to bed and knows she isn't allowed any more until the morning when she gets up. I am trying to get her as close to the big girl bed as I can before Piper makes her arrival. For Christmas she is getting bed rails, a new comforter set (thanks to Nanny and Granddaddy), and a twin sized bed (once again thanks for Nanny and Granddaddy. Now if we can just get a routine together for bath, book, bedtime... I believe we will be there!
So I called and scheduled my breast feeding class today at the hospital. The lady asked me if I wanted to do the birthing class as well, my response was "I have already had one kid, I think I got that part down" LoL
All jokes aside, I am determined that I am going to be successful this time. When I had Amelia, I thought that I was ready to go. I headed to the hospital completely unprepared. After her first 15 minutes at my breast, she had pulled up fluid filled blisters on both nipples, I had no lanolin, no nipple shields, and not even a nursing bra. I continued to feed her for 2 weeks while in agonizing pain each time (now I know that if latched correctly there will be no pain). I have always just heard about how much Bf'ing hurts and I assumed that it was supposed to feel that way.
So a word to the wise, if your expecting and planning on breast feeding... schedule a breast feeding class. It doesn't matter how much you THINK you know, a little extra knowledge is way better then getting off to a bad start and ultimately failing. The fun part... it's a couples class and I am making Matt go with me, I want him to know just as much so maybe I can get a little extra help and understanding :)
Easy peasy lemon squeezy! I came up with this recipe tonight while looking through some of the stragglers in the freezer. I was trying to figure out what to do to get rid of the frozen sausage patties that no one had touched and the last few potatoes.
Ingredients:
4 frozen sausage patties heated in the microwave according to directions (or regular sausage browned)
3 potatoes diced into small squares
1 med. onion
4 or 5 eggs
2 tbsp. butter
1 cup cheese grated
Salt and Pepper to taste
I just threw the butter in a pan with the diced potatoes and onion and let them cook on med. heat until the potatoes were cooked through. Then added the sausage to allow it to infuse the potatoes. Then I drained off some of the grease. Thew the mixture into a big bowl and topped with cheese. Then fried our eggs over med. and put them on top. Viola! I serve with toast or biscuits to help absorb some of the sausage grease :) Yummy!!
I know I know... Some of you out there hear the word "Spam" and think ewww!!! Well my Daddy didn't allow that word at the table... and neither will I ;) If you cook it right and mix it with other foods, it tastes just like bacon, and who doesn't like bacon?
To make this recipe a LITTLE healthier, I use Turkey Spam. I also add in veggies and a couple eggs to bring it all together. So here we go...
Ingredients:
1 can Turkey Spam diced into small cubes or thin sticks
1 bag frozen broccoli and cauliflower
1 can corn
1 small onion or 2 green onions sliced
1/2 cup julienned carrots
2 eggs
2 cups rice
2 cups water
soy sauce to taste
-Cook rice according to directions on package (I cook about 2 cups of rice with 2 cups water)
-Brown Spam in deep saute' pan with onion
-Add broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots
-Add cooked rice and soy sauce to taste
-Scramble 2 eggs in separate bowl and then mix into rice mixture
-Allow all ingredients to cook through and I allow rice to crisp up a bit on bottom
-Enjoy!!
**Although I have never tried it, I would also imagine that Spam, Pineapple, and green onion would also be a great combination!
Four dreaded words during pregnancy! I know it sounds awful of me for being so annoyed at the fact that friends and family are showing their thoughtfulness. But when someone asks me how I feel, I FEEL like I have just been diagnosed with some kind of terminal disease! I am sure that the people who ask are just trying to be nice, but geeze! I am pregnant.... my belly itches, I have heartburn, I am constantly having to count to ten to keep myself in check, and I have to carry tissues around with me all the time because I never know when I will burst into tears... other than that, I feel great!
One one of my many many pregnancy web sites there is a cartoon of a woman standing on the train. Her t-shirt reads "I am due in March, It's a girl, No you can't touch my belly, Have a nice day". I want one!
Now don't get me wrong... I love being pregnant and am trying to enjoy every little bit of it until it's over. I guess the "dreaded question" is one that all pregnant women hear repeatedly, and loath!
Have you ever flipped out on someone, and the entire time you are telling yourself that "it's just hormones"... but you can't help yourself? I feel like an alien has taken over my brain sometimes. I know that before I knew I was pregnant Matt and I got into a colossal fight, and I should have known then that something was off. We never fight, accept when I'm pregnant and can't control my freakin emotions! I think a couple of weeks later I finally caved in and took a pregnancy test, squatted down in the middle of the woods thinking "yea right, there's no way!" When I looked down and the stick and saw it was positive I felt my heart fall into my stomach and a sense of DUH! all at the same time. Then the roller coaster really started.. Most days I am a very pleasant person to be around, but every now and then the hormones take over and I can feel myself spiraling out of control. I guess that is one of the things that makes my husband so wonderful... he knows it's just my hormones so he just lets me get it out and waits for me to feel bad and apologize :)
I am a very... throw a bunch of stuff in a pot and hope it all tastes good kinda gal. With that said, tonight I am going to attempt meatball subs :) I will update to let you know what Matt and Amelia thought and if I would change anything
Meatballs:
1 lb ground pork
1 lb ground beef
1/2 medium onion
1/2 c. ground Parmesan cheese
2 tbs. natures seasoning
1 c. ground seasoned croutons
2 eggs
-Mix all together with your HANDS and roll into whatever size meatballs you want, then set aside.
Sauce:
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1/2 c. beef stock
1 c. tomato juice
-Throw into a pot and bring to a boil
-Brown meatballs in a separate pan and when almost done throw 2 tbs of beef stock in to de-glaze the pan, then just dump it all into the pot.
-Allow to simmer on the stove for about 30 min with the lid on
-Remove the lid and allow the sauce to reduce for a few hours
-Spoon meatballs and sauce onto any kind of sub rolls or french bread you like
-Top with a few slices of cheese and viola!
**Update... The meatballs were awesome! I sprinkled a little extra Parmesan cheese in on them after I pulled the lid off for the sauce to reduce. I also baked a french loaf that is made by Pillsbury and found in one of the handy dandy tubes in the refrigerated section. Cut a big slit down the middle and made it a sandwich :) These would also be really good over spaghetti noodles!
While I am laying at bed at night I always think of the most perfect things to write about in my blog. By the time I get up in the morning the dreaded "preggo brain" has hit and I can't remember that awesome topic I wanted to talk about. For those of you who have been pregnant and have a baby bump, you know that getting out of bed to write down ideas is just not an option. Once you get comfy... you don't move! With that being said, here goes my thoughts for the day...
Throughout this pregnancy I have caught myself saying "Oh yea... I forgot about that!". As my baby girl grows and grows I am experiencing things that I experienced with my first pregnancy, but time has made me forget. For example, before I started to feel Piper kicking around in there... I was laying on the couch one night and realized that one side of my tummy was rock hard, and the other side was soft. She was laying on the right side all balled up in a ball.. It was so neat to be able to actually tell that there was something in there! Of course when I first started feeling her rolling around in there it was an amazing feeling, but familiar because I had been down this road before. Not all of the things are so pleasant either though. I think your brain blocks out some of the negative things about pregnancy, like how hard it is to get comfy at night and find just the right position where your belly can be supported.
I feel like I can actually enjoy being pregnant this time around. When I was carrying Amelia, I was so caught up in so many other emotions I never just sat back and enjoyed what was going on in my tummy. I was constantly worried that something was wrong, or so scared that something was going to happen before she was born... that I never felt comfortable just getting excited. I guess age and experience help a lot in that department too. It's hard to not get caught up in the horrible stories out there about the many women who lose their babies late in their terms, but with experience and age you learn to not focus on the bad and just enjoy the good.
This pregnancy has been so surreal to me. Often I find myself taken back when Piper rolls around or kicks me. I will be sitting on the couch watching TV or playing on the computer, and BAM I get a startling reminder that there is actually a person in there! When I was pregnant with Amelia I was sick for most of the time... so I was constantly aware of the fact that I was a human incubator. But now that I have a ripping roaring two year old to keep up with, it's a lot easier to get lost in the every day life of being a mom and house wife. Everyone keeps telling me that there is a huge difference when you go from one child to two. I have no doubt that it's going to be different, but I seriously doubt that it will be more of a change than going from no children to one! My biggest concern is my sanity... lol I tend to be a little over protective of Amelia, I just hope I don't turn into this crazy momma bear that tries to attack anything that approaches her baby cubs ;) I don't think that the fact that we are going to be parents all over again, will set in until she is actually here.
Matt is actually excited about our very loved surprise, this time. Not that he doesn't love his "little buddy" to death... but he was scared out of his mind that he was not going to be able to fit the bill when Amelia graced us with her presence. Now that fatherhood is no longer a big unknown, he is actually ready for her to get here. Actually he has been joking (and not) that he wouldn't mind having a few more after this one. I reassure him that after Piper is born, this baby making factory is CLOSED! I think that my personal limit for my sanity is two. One parent for each child, no one gets left out or neglected. Plus... we get the challenging periods of a child's life over in a relatively quick period of time (I said relatively).
My sciatic nerve feels much better today. I am actually able to get around the house without looking like a pirate with a wooden leg dragging behind me. It still smarts a little when I bend over to pick something up or turn just the right way, but I can handle a little pain without a doubt. It was so cute yesterday... every time I would bend over I would grimace a little and Amelia would say "Be careful Mommy!" I try not to let her know when I am in pain, or concern her with grown up things, but it's good to let her know that Mommy is human too and sometimes I just hurt.
Amelia is fully aware of the fact that she has a little sister in my belly, and that once Mommy get's really fat then Piper will be ready to come out. We try to practice being gentle with her baby dolls, and with Lilly. She will bring me her snow white baby and her blankie and get me to wrap her up. Then she will cradle, kiss, and tell her that she loves her so so much. I just hope that once Piper does get here, she understands that she's not allowed to just pick her up and walk around. I forsee a fit coming when she discovers that her little sister isn't her personal baby doll just yet ;)
Tonight.... we are having pot roast!
1 London Broil
2 pks. onion soup mix
4 Lrg. white potatoes
2 cups of baby carrots
1 Lrg. onion
Easy as pie... peel and cube the potato, chop up the onion in large pieces, and dump all in your crock pot :) Add water until about 1/2 inch below the rim. Let it sit till dinner time and enjoy! I love one pot wonders!
**I also sometimes switch up the potatoes to red potatoes. No need to peel them, just quarter and throw them in with everything else.
**I sometimes put everything over rice too! Just put some cooked rice in your bowl and add all of the yummy goodness from the crock pot on top
I surely hope not! I woke up this morning with the most aweful pain that runs down my left leg. I never had to deal with this kind of pain when I was pregnant with Amelia. I have to say that I think I am a pretty tough woman... but I hope I get some relief soon! I don't like to take any medications unless absolutely neccesary, and I don't know if I could deal with this kind of pain day on and day out without some kind of help.
At the moment, I am sitting at the kitchen table with a heating pad on my back... lets hope that is all it takes ;)
Hi, I am Stephanie. Wife to Matt, mother to Amelia Claire, and puppy mom to Lilly. I am a Stay At Home Mom, who is fully aware of the fact that I am very lucky to be able to share my day with my daughter on a daily basis. I have a very tender heart, I hate to see my loved ones taken advantage of, or manipulated. I am strongly opinionated, but timid at times. I believe that all of the money in the world couldn't buy anyone happiness for long. With that said, we may not have much money, but we have all of the love in the world... and that means more to me than being able to go out and buy the latest trending outfit or accessory. I am a little bit hippy, a lot country, and just the tiniest bit city.
Now... with that big mess of a paragraph said, here goes my blog!
