As you already know our thanksgiving holiday didn't start out as planned, and it followed that course or so it would seem.
Dinner was okay, the stuffing could have been better and the broccoli casserole was just ok. Football started out great and by the night game was boring. As for the rest of it...
I had great plans of sitting by the fireplace snuggling with my husband, my daughter asleep by my side... Didn't happen... Sleep patterns totally thrown off and the fireplace was a fake, plastic logs with a light under it!
I thought a short hike down a trail with my daughter wondering in front, steep hills and warnings about wildlife changed
our minds.
Indoor heated pools for her to play in and wear her out... Over chlorinated and mobbed by middle schoolers.
Playgrounds that Grampa could chase after her in the sunshine... Turned out to be Harley Davidson dealerships and dancing to AC DC at a sports bar.
While it was great seeing my Dad and watching him play with my daughter was wonderful, what I have learned from this is that you can't set your expectations too high when you have a toddler. Just getting through nap time and bed time in a strange place is a big accomplishment.
Get away over, back to reality and some sense of a regular schedule, oh how I miss that.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Thanksgiving Prep to remember...
The weeks leading up to Thanksgiving have been exciting. This will be the first time I can remember spending Thanksgiving with my Dad. He rented a house in the Poconos and we are meeting him there to spend the holiday together.
Since I am making dinner I planned out my menu weeks ago.
Lemon Herb Roasted Turkey
Stuffing
Roasted Potato Medley with Mushrooms, Brussel Sprouts, and Butternut Squash
Broccoli Casserole
Pumpkin Cheesecake
A local fruit pie
A fairly simple meal, right?
On the Saturday before, we braved the masses and food shopped for the items I would be making in advance; cheesecake and casserole. We also picked up the turkey because I was determined to get an organic, cage free bird. I actually had my mind made up on a fresh bird, but fainted at the cost. $4.99-3.99 a pound seemed a little much, I feel good about our choice and we didn't spend a small fortune on turkey! Now let's just pray the darn thing isn't still frozen Thanksgiving morning!
Anyway, so Monday morning I started out my prep day with a good breakfast. I often make a big breakfast for my husband, daughter, and myself and since my mother in law had stayed over I felt like it was a good idea. So I whipped up whole wheat toast, baked cheese and chive omelette, and sliced honey crisp apples. While chopping the apples with my Pampered chef apple slicer I cut a large gash in my right ring finger, this device is now in my recycle bin! Great start to prep day huh?
I've been cooking long enough to know that I should have stopped there, but I ignored that warning and forged on.
After the clean up, I started the broccoli casserole. Overall an easy dish, but it requires several kitchen items and makes a lot of clean up. Luckily my husband happens to love to chop, so I enlisted his aid with chopping the produce for the dish. Once chopped, I resumed kitchen duty to complete the dish.
I decided to play with the recipe a little this year (another dangerous idea since my luck is off today) and mix in cauliflower in addition to the fresh broccoli. I also banned canned items (for health reasons) from my home so we picked up a boxed organic cream of mushroom soup instead of the 2 cans requested in the recipe.
Casserole mixed, poured, ready to bake... Something doesn't look right... Oh yeah canned soup is condensed, boxed not so much! Ok I can do this... Bake uncover instead of covered, let the moisture evaporate. So far so good. I'll report later how this one came out.
Next on to the Maple Bourbon Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake. Sounds great right? !
Grind up cookies for the crust, bake... Smells great already! I used 2 different recipes here, one called for a water bath and the other didn't. I have never used a bath with my cheesecakes and they have all been great so I decided against it.
I get my cheesecake in the oven. Timer set. About 15 minutes in it smells like its burning? I peek in, nothing. Hmmm, must need to clean the oven. Another 10-15 minutes go by, I ask my husband, "do you smell that? It's smells stronger now!"
I peek in again and see a drip from the bottom of the pan. Hmmm ok. So I put a cookie sheet lined with foil on the rack below it to catch the drips. I run upstairs to do a load of wash and I come down to a smoky living room. Open to oven door to a fully enflamed oven floor!
I grab the baby and open the door before the smoke alarm goes off and my hubby puts out the fire. Needless to say the cheesecake is trash! It's grey from smoke. My house reeks!
Could this day get any worse?! After it cools I toss it and clean up the disaster area. I've decided it must have been the syrup from the cookie crust dripping and the sugar caught fire in the oven. Very frustrating!
Oh well! We will buy dessert in the Poconos, they have to have a mom and pop bakery right?
Stay tuned...
Since I am making dinner I planned out my menu weeks ago.
Lemon Herb Roasted Turkey
Stuffing
Roasted Potato Medley with Mushrooms, Brussel Sprouts, and Butternut Squash
Broccoli Casserole
Pumpkin Cheesecake
A local fruit pie
A fairly simple meal, right?
On the Saturday before, we braved the masses and food shopped for the items I would be making in advance; cheesecake and casserole. We also picked up the turkey because I was determined to get an organic, cage free bird. I actually had my mind made up on a fresh bird, but fainted at the cost. $4.99-3.99 a pound seemed a little much, I feel good about our choice and we didn't spend a small fortune on turkey! Now let's just pray the darn thing isn't still frozen Thanksgiving morning!
Anyway, so Monday morning I started out my prep day with a good breakfast. I often make a big breakfast for my husband, daughter, and myself and since my mother in law had stayed over I felt like it was a good idea. So I whipped up whole wheat toast, baked cheese and chive omelette, and sliced honey crisp apples. While chopping the apples with my Pampered chef apple slicer I cut a large gash in my right ring finger, this device is now in my recycle bin! Great start to prep day huh?
I've been cooking long enough to know that I should have stopped there, but I ignored that warning and forged on.
After the clean up, I started the broccoli casserole. Overall an easy dish, but it requires several kitchen items and makes a lot of clean up. Luckily my husband happens to love to chop, so I enlisted his aid with chopping the produce for the dish. Once chopped, I resumed kitchen duty to complete the dish.
I decided to play with the recipe a little this year (another dangerous idea since my luck is off today) and mix in cauliflower in addition to the fresh broccoli. I also banned canned items (for health reasons) from my home so we picked up a boxed organic cream of mushroom soup instead of the 2 cans requested in the recipe.
Casserole mixed, poured, ready to bake... Something doesn't look right... Oh yeah canned soup is condensed, boxed not so much! Ok I can do this... Bake uncover instead of covered, let the moisture evaporate. So far so good. I'll report later how this one came out.
Next on to the Maple Bourbon Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake. Sounds great right? !
Grind up cookies for the crust, bake... Smells great already! I used 2 different recipes here, one called for a water bath and the other didn't. I have never used a bath with my cheesecakes and they have all been great so I decided against it.
I get my cheesecake in the oven. Timer set. About 15 minutes in it smells like its burning? I peek in, nothing. Hmmm, must need to clean the oven. Another 10-15 minutes go by, I ask my husband, "do you smell that? It's smells stronger now!"
I peek in again and see a drip from the bottom of the pan. Hmmm ok. So I put a cookie sheet lined with foil on the rack below it to catch the drips. I run upstairs to do a load of wash and I come down to a smoky living room. Open to oven door to a fully enflamed oven floor!
I grab the baby and open the door before the smoke alarm goes off and my hubby puts out the fire. Needless to say the cheesecake is trash! It's grey from smoke. My house reeks!
Could this day get any worse?! After it cools I toss it and clean up the disaster area. I've decided it must have been the syrup from the cookie crust dripping and the sugar caught fire in the oven. Very frustrating!
Oh well! We will buy dessert in the Poconos, they have to have a mom and pop bakery right?
Stay tuned...
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Chowder...
Sunday is soup day at our home in the winter time and today was no different. It felt like the perfect meal, it's not too cold out, but with my mother in law staying over and me going out with the girls for a few hours, it was perfect!
I'm bored with the same ole, same ole lately so I went on the hunt yesterday for a new soup and found this one...http://www.healthyfoodforliving.com/new-england-clam-corn-chowder/
I knew I wanted to make a chowder and I had some clams and potatoes on hand, but wasn't in the mood for a traditional clam chowder...so tada! Shrimp, Corn, Clam Chowder was born!
I started with the recipe above as a guide, and improvised along the way. It was fabulous! Here is what I did:
Melt 3 tablespoons of butter into 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a stock pot
Sauté a good handful or two of each chopped celery, onion, thin sliced carrots, diced potatoes (4 small) until almost tender 5-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper
Add 5 slices of pre cooked bacon chopped and one clove of minced garlic, sauté a minute longer
Add 3 tablespoons of flour and stir to coat, cook 1 minute
In a blender or food processor purée 1 package of yellow corn with 1/2 cup 1% organic milk until smooth
(Note: I used canned clams, not fresh. I also used a variety of whole, minced, and chopped)
Add to the pot the juice of 3-4 cans of clams. Stir until flour has dissolved. Reserve clams. Cook 5 minutes.
Add to the pot some Thyme and 2 bay leaves. (In case you haven't guessed I don't measure a lot :))
Add the corn purée and a package of sweet white corn along with 1- 1 1/2 cups of 1% organic milk. Add clams.
Stir and reduce heat to low.
I like to let my soups simmer all day on Sunday, but if you don't have the time for that I'd leave this soup on medium heat and stir frequently for 20-30 minutes, then proceed.
Defrost and peel your uncooked shrimp. Add to the soup and stir. You are ready to serve once your shrimp are pink.
Just an FYI...I added the shrimp around 2 and left this simmer on low. My husband and mother in law ate at about 5:30-6 and the shrimp were perfect. I got home and ate at 7:30 and I thought they were too soft.
The next time I make this I think I will sauté the shrimp in butter and salt and pepper and add them bowl by bowl. They were fine this way, but I am not sure how the left over will re heat with the shrimp in the soup.
Also, this soup needed very little added salt. I only added one pinch to it at the sauté phase. My clam juice was quite salty, so be aware. Also, I think it old have used a little hot sauce as a garnish.
This recipe made 6-8 servings and could take as little as 30-40 minutes start to finish.
I hope you enjoy!
I'm bored with the same ole, same ole lately so I went on the hunt yesterday for a new soup and found this one...http://www.healthyfoodforliving.com/new-england-clam-corn-chowder/
I knew I wanted to make a chowder and I had some clams and potatoes on hand, but wasn't in the mood for a traditional clam chowder...so tada! Shrimp, Corn, Clam Chowder was born!
I started with the recipe above as a guide, and improvised along the way. It was fabulous! Here is what I did:
Melt 3 tablespoons of butter into 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a stock pot
Sauté a good handful or two of each chopped celery, onion, thin sliced carrots, diced potatoes (4 small) until almost tender 5-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper
Add 5 slices of pre cooked bacon chopped and one clove of minced garlic, sauté a minute longer
Add 3 tablespoons of flour and stir to coat, cook 1 minute
In a blender or food processor purée 1 package of yellow corn with 1/2 cup 1% organic milk until smooth
(Note: I used canned clams, not fresh. I also used a variety of whole, minced, and chopped)
Add to the pot the juice of 3-4 cans of clams. Stir until flour has dissolved. Reserve clams. Cook 5 minutes.
Add to the pot some Thyme and 2 bay leaves. (In case you haven't guessed I don't measure a lot :))
Add the corn purée and a package of sweet white corn along with 1- 1 1/2 cups of 1% organic milk. Add clams.
Stir and reduce heat to low.
I like to let my soups simmer all day on Sunday, but if you don't have the time for that I'd leave this soup on medium heat and stir frequently for 20-30 minutes, then proceed.
Defrost and peel your uncooked shrimp. Add to the soup and stir. You are ready to serve once your shrimp are pink.
Just an FYI...I added the shrimp around 2 and left this simmer on low. My husband and mother in law ate at about 5:30-6 and the shrimp were perfect. I got home and ate at 7:30 and I thought they were too soft.
The next time I make this I think I will sauté the shrimp in butter and salt and pepper and add them bowl by bowl. They were fine this way, but I am not sure how the left over will re heat with the shrimp in the soup.
Also, this soup needed very little added salt. I only added one pinch to it at the sauté phase. My clam juice was quite salty, so be aware. Also, I think it old have used a little hot sauce as a garnish.
This recipe made 6-8 servings and could take as little as 30-40 minutes start to finish.
I hope you enjoy!
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Lasagna... What a mess, but worth it?
I found this recipe on Pinterest a week or so ago. Since I have two boxes of lasagna noodles in my cabinet and usually have the produce needed on hand I decided to put it in my menu plan for this week.
Like all lasagna, this requires a considerable amount of prep, the thing I hate most about lasagna. The blog about this recipe touts it as a great left over recipe, it probably is but I never have these items cooked and left over.
See here...http://thekitchykitchen.blogspot.com/2012/02/roasted-butternut-squash-sauteed.html
So my prep began. I used her recipe as a guide, I changed quantities to make for the three of us.
-1 purple onion sliced thin, sautéed in olive oil until caramelized
1/2 a package of baby Bella mushrooms chopped, sautéed with onions
Sautéed above, added mushrooms after onions were almost done. Pressed 1 garlic clove into pan, added salt and pepper and dried italian seasoning then added spinach. Cover until wilted. Mix together. Set aside.
While that was going I peeled and chopped my squash. I reserved 1/2 of it for another meal and roasted the other half with olive oil and salt and pepper at 400 for 45 minutes.
Mixed my Ricotta until smooth (note: I hate Ricotta, so I bought a local, organic Ricotta at Whole Foods--- if I'm gonna make myself try it again I'm going from broke here!). I got about 1/2 pound of local Ricotta and mixed dried Italian seasoning and salt and pepper. Set aside.
Get your fresh Mozzarella cheese. I got 2 medium size balls. Slice thin, tip put them in the freezer for 5 minutes first.
Finally make a basic béchamel sauce and stir in parmesan cheese at the end.
Time to layer! I used a 9x9 glass dish and no boil flat lasagna noodles.
Spray your pan with olive oil (invest in a misto bottle, get rid of that spray Pam!) place a layer of noodles, I used 2. Top with 1/3 of Riccota, 1/3 of veggies, a few slices of motz, about 1/4 of your sauce. Repeat 2 more times
Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Grate Parmesan on top.
Put in a 325 oven covered with foil for 35 minutes. Test noodles, if soft broil top til golden. Let stand 5 minutes and devour!
Note: my method above made 4 healthy portions. Only thing I would change is double the squash to a whole squash.
Also, deemed too cheesy for my 12 month old, she ate some filling and left overs.
Final verdict: 3 thumbs up!
Like all lasagna, this requires a considerable amount of prep, the thing I hate most about lasagna. The blog about this recipe touts it as a great left over recipe, it probably is but I never have these items cooked and left over.
See here...http://thekitchykitchen.blogspot.com/2012/02/roasted-butternut-squash-sauteed.html
So my prep began. I used her recipe as a guide, I changed quantities to make for the three of us.
-1 purple onion sliced thin, sautéed in olive oil until caramelized
1/2 a package of baby Bella mushrooms chopped, sautéed with onions
Sautéed above, added mushrooms after onions were almost done. Pressed 1 garlic clove into pan, added salt and pepper and dried italian seasoning then added spinach. Cover until wilted. Mix together. Set aside.
While that was going I peeled and chopped my squash. I reserved 1/2 of it for another meal and roasted the other half with olive oil and salt and pepper at 400 for 45 minutes.
Mixed my Ricotta until smooth (note: I hate Ricotta, so I bought a local, organic Ricotta at Whole Foods--- if I'm gonna make myself try it again I'm going from broke here!). I got about 1/2 pound of local Ricotta and mixed dried Italian seasoning and salt and pepper. Set aside.
Get your fresh Mozzarella cheese. I got 2 medium size balls. Slice thin, tip put them in the freezer for 5 minutes first.
Finally make a basic béchamel sauce and stir in parmesan cheese at the end.
Time to layer! I used a 9x9 glass dish and no boil flat lasagna noodles.
Spray your pan with olive oil (invest in a misto bottle, get rid of that spray Pam!) place a layer of noodles, I used 2. Top with 1/3 of Riccota, 1/3 of veggies, a few slices of motz, about 1/4 of your sauce. Repeat 2 more times
Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Grate Parmesan on top.
Put in a 325 oven covered with foil for 35 minutes. Test noodles, if soft broil top til golden. Let stand 5 minutes and devour!
Note: my method above made 4 healthy portions. Only thing I would change is double the squash to a whole squash.
Also, deemed too cheesy for my 12 month old, she ate some filling and left overs.
Final verdict: 3 thumbs up!
Friday, November 9, 2012
So lonely...
As some of you may know, my husband got laid off a year ago this month. While it has been a financial struggle, the benefit of having my husband home as our daughter experiences her first year of life has been a tremendous blessing.
This week my daughter and I have gotten a small taste of what it will be like when daddy goes back to work.
Most would say it is nice to have another set of hands with a small child at home, and while that is nice, the truth is I am going to miss my husband when he finds full time employment.
I enjoy spending all day, every day with him. Most of our friends joke that they don't know how we do it, but we both feel it is harder to be apart.
We have been living together for 13 years this December, married 6 of those years. Since we first met, we have been inseparable. In fact, our first date lasted 4 days! From the minute we seen each other for the first time we were hooked.
He is my best friend, a great husband, the best father that I could have ever asked for, and a honest, genuine person. I pray that he finds full time employment that will support our family so that we may get ahead in life, but honestly I'd rather win the lotto so we can continue to spend every minute together. It is in his company that I feel most secure and loved.
This week my daughter and I have gotten a small taste of what it will be like when daddy goes back to work.
Most would say it is nice to have another set of hands with a small child at home, and while that is nice, the truth is I am going to miss my husband when he finds full time employment.
I enjoy spending all day, every day with him. Most of our friends joke that they don't know how we do it, but we both feel it is harder to be apart.
We have been living together for 13 years this December, married 6 of those years. Since we first met, we have been inseparable. In fact, our first date lasted 4 days! From the minute we seen each other for the first time we were hooked.
He is my best friend, a great husband, the best father that I could have ever asked for, and a honest, genuine person. I pray that he finds full time employment that will support our family so that we may get ahead in life, but honestly I'd rather win the lotto so we can continue to spend every minute together. It is in his company that I feel most secure and loved.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Hello Sandy...
Well I believe the worst of the beating is over, now we just wait for the tides to come and go, and repeat. As we sit here watching the news part of me can't help but wonder, "Is Long Island the best place to live?"
It is no secret that Long Island is a pain in the ass to travel on or in and out of, but add severe weather of any kind and the hassle triples ten fold.
So as we watch the tunnels in NYC flood in the dark (see picture below... Photo credit unknown), the bridges close, the subways flood, and our escape routes close, I have to wonder, "time to move or am I just over reacting?"
I guess only time will tell, for now I snuggle close to my hubby and my peanut and count my blessings that we are safe and sound in our dry home... for now anyway.
I pray that my friends and family can say the same.
It is no secret that Long Island is a pain in the ass to travel on or in and out of, but add severe weather of any kind and the hassle triples ten fold.
So as we watch the tunnels in NYC flood in the dark (see picture below... Photo credit unknown), the bridges close, the subways flood, and our escape routes close, I have to wonder, "time to move or am I just over reacting?"
I guess only time will tell, for now I snuggle close to my hubby and my peanut and count my blessings that we are safe and sound in our dry home... for now anyway.
I pray that my friends and family can say the same.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Love the way my house smells...
...after a day of cooking!
Today I made Roasted Cauliflower Soup for the first time. Cauliflower is in my husband's top 5 veggie list. I have come to like it over the years too. We steam it, mash it, make it into "rice", and now we roast it and make it into soup!
I started with this basic recipe... http://www.closetcooking.com/2012/02/roasted-cauliflower-and-aged-white.html?m=1... And made a few changes.
I had some chopped carrots I had frozen a while back so I added that to the sautéed onions, which I sautéed in butter instead of oil. I had chicken broth on hand so I used that instead of vegetable broth, and I added half and half at the end.
Start to finish this soup took me 45 minutes total to make and came out great! I served it with a large piece of crust bread, delish!
I also made Round 2 of our granola cereal/snack today. I made this by the recipe (omitting only the coconut) earlier in the week and it tasted burnt :(
Here is the original...http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/04/04/recipe-granola-bars-cereal/
Today I made a few changes, starting with temperature of my oven. I think my oven runs a little hot, so I started it out at 200 instead of 250. I still left out the coconut (we aren't fans of the texture) and added in 1/4 cup of brown sugar (Thanks Michelle) and reduced butter to 3 tablespoons adding 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. I stirred the butter, oil, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl and poured it over the dry ingredients, mixing to coat. Baked it for 45 minutes at 200, stirred and baked another 20-25 minutes at 250 until golden brown and sticky. Once cooled, I broke it into pieces and added dried cherries and raisins and placed in an air tight glass jar.
So now that my house smells yummy, and my kitchen is clean I'm off to enjoy some family time.
Hope the 3 of you reading this have a great day! ;)
Today I made Roasted Cauliflower Soup for the first time. Cauliflower is in my husband's top 5 veggie list. I have come to like it over the years too. We steam it, mash it, make it into "rice", and now we roast it and make it into soup!
I started with this basic recipe... http://www.closetcooking.com/2012/02/roasted-cauliflower-and-aged-white.html?m=1... And made a few changes.
I had some chopped carrots I had frozen a while back so I added that to the sautéed onions, which I sautéed in butter instead of oil. I had chicken broth on hand so I used that instead of vegetable broth, and I added half and half at the end.
Start to finish this soup took me 45 minutes total to make and came out great! I served it with a large piece of crust bread, delish!
I also made Round 2 of our granola cereal/snack today. I made this by the recipe (omitting only the coconut) earlier in the week and it tasted burnt :(
Here is the original...http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/04/04/recipe-granola-bars-cereal/
Today I made a few changes, starting with temperature of my oven. I think my oven runs a little hot, so I started it out at 200 instead of 250. I still left out the coconut (we aren't fans of the texture) and added in 1/4 cup of brown sugar (Thanks Michelle) and reduced butter to 3 tablespoons adding 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. I stirred the butter, oil, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl and poured it over the dry ingredients, mixing to coat. Baked it for 45 minutes at 200, stirred and baked another 20-25 minutes at 250 until golden brown and sticky. Once cooled, I broke it into pieces and added dried cherries and raisins and placed in an air tight glass jar.
So now that my house smells yummy, and my kitchen is clean I'm off to enjoy some family time.
Hope the 3 of you reading this have a great day! ;)
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
My Birth Story...
Tonight is the one year anniversary of my birth journey of my sweet peanut.
This time last year we were checking into Stony Brook University Hospital for a scheduled induction due to the fact that I had gestational diabetes. My original due date was October 20, so we were only a few days early.
Upon checking in, around 6:30pm, we were sent to antepartum wing where I changed into the lovely hospital gown provided to me. I was connected to fetal monitor, blood pressure cuff, and given an IV, already we were off to the exact opposite of the natural, unrestricted birth I desired, but the safety of my baby was what was most important so we proceeded.
At 9pm, one of the midwives came and explained the first step, the placement of the first Cervidil. I was now required to remain flat for 2 hours, then as still as possible for the next 10 hours with only liquids to drink. The entire time connected to monitors that at every move slipped and alerted the nurse to come and re-adjust me.
Needless to say, night 1 was sleepless. My loving husband, Craig, sat by my side and sleeplessly froze as I sweated and shifted uncomfortably in the bed. I had some mild contractions that night, so that gave us some hope that it must be working.
By 9am on Day 2 another midwife came to remove the cervidil and check my cervix, only 1cm dilated! You must be kidding me! It was suggested that I shower, order breakfast, and walk to halls. After eating I would be required to wait another 4 hours before round 2 of the Cervidil, then it would be another 12 hours before I could eat again... So I did as suggested. I showered, still connected to IV (that was fun-sarcasm), with the help of my loving husband. Then updated our families and walked while we waited for breakfast, then walked some more. It felt great not to be hooked up to the monitor for a while, I'm not sure which was worse--the scratchy belly band and big plastic pads on my large stomach or the limb squeezing blood pressure cuff that went off hourly.
At 3pm, round 2 of the Cervidil was inserted. Back to flat and still, at about 4pm I realized it had come out, so they reinserted it. At this point my cervix was "raw" for lack of a better term. (Imagine applying a bandaid to the same spot for 12 hours, ripping it off and reapplying all while putting something under it to soften the area.) Each exam is extremely painful.
Night 2 was even longer than the first, maybe it was my hormones but I was incredibly upset that this experience was SO far from the birth journey I had wanted. I wanted natural and positive, quiet and loving... This felt cold and negative, restrictive and barbaric. I cried a lot, thank goodness for Craig. I really don't know what I would have done without him.
The midwife came in around 4am to remove round 2, and told us to get some sleep and after shift change at 7am someone would come examine me. With the monitors and cuff off we were able to get a few hours sleep. (It is now Wednesday morning and we have been up since Monday morning give or take a few cat naps here and there.)
8am comes and the nurse insists we order food and shower, after the painful exam to determine the I am MAYBE 2 cm dilated! More tears!
So I shower, as does my husband, and we get food while we wait for the midwife to discuss our next step. Around 9:30 the midwife comes and walks me through the next step... Round 3 of Cervidil, which clearly isn't doing any benefit at this point or Pitocin with a Foley balloon or just Pitocin, the last 2 options would require moving me to Labor and Delivery. So we decided to go with Pitocin and learn more about the Foley Balloon.
By 11am I was in Labor and Delivery, settled into my suite, Pitocin started along with more tears. I wanted no drugs in my body, my baby exposed to nothing. We keep moving further and further from the birth journey I dreamt of.
The midwife explains the Foley Balloon, which they can't locate, and it terrifies me because she explains that due to my "sensitive" cervix she would recommend the epidural before insertion because she doesn't think I can tolerate the discomfort...you guessed it I'm hyperventalatingly crying at this point.
Craig finally gets me calmed down along with the help of our wonderful nurse, and they decide to do an exam to see where I am at. (I think it's about 4pm Wednesday at this point.)
They discover my water has broken and I am about 3cm dilated. The Foley balloon is now out, it only gets you to 4cm and its pointless now. We continue Pitocin.
Fast forward to about 10:30pm, contractions start... Hello active labor!!! I welcomed it at this point! It felt good to FEEL something other than disappointment and sadness. Surely this meant we were going to get to meet our baby SOON, right?
After about 3-4 hours of contractions 1-2 minutes apart lasting about 5 minutes each, I'm worn out! They decide to turn off Pitocin and do an exam, I'm already slightly over 50% of the max Pitocin I can have. I'm at 5-6 cm dilated, not progressing fast enough! It is decided that I need to rest and resume Pitocin the next day. :(
By Thursday morning we are beat! My husband and I are exhausted mentally, emotionally,and physically. I'm emotionally drained. We start Pitocin at 7am, at 10am it is strongly suggested I get the epidural. Once the contractions start again, they are concerned I don't have the energy to resume labor without it, lack of sleep and little to no food for 3 days will do that to a woman apparently...ugh!
So after a small emotional breakdown, I agree. Epidural inserted. My husband had to leave my side for the first time since Monday morning, I hated that part, but the midwife stayed with me and calmed me down. Thank goodness for her! I felt like I needed to be committed at this point!
At first the epidural only worked on my right side, so I was instructed to lay on my left side. By 1pm, I had the urge to push, even though I couldn't feel anything below my breastbone. Sure enough...fully dilated, lets have a baby, well maybe?
With the help of Craig and a student on one side and the nurse and the midwife on the other I pushed for 2 hours off and on. The baby dropped and the head could be seen! Progress! Yes!!! Shift change! No!!!
The new midwife turned off the Pitocin, and the student left. The new midwife wasn't as much help as the previous one, so I only had my hubby and the nurse to help with my dead legs and the encouragement, which I desperately needed at this point. The baby went back up, and the high risk doctor watching on the monitor came in and wanted me to stop.
They did a sonogram to see what was the matter. The baby was no longer in the birth canal, and she was laying on her side. The probability that she would rotate and I would be able to push her out were less than 50/50 and he recommended a c-section. I lost it, yet again. He said he would allow me a short window to continue pushing but the Pitocin was off and we were approaching the 24 hour mark from when they guesses my water broke.
The doctor said you can opt now for a voluntary c-section or risk an emergency c-section later, that was the deciding factor...c-section it was.
Craig was a great comfort at this point, he consoled me while we waited for them to come for us. The process was smooth and everyone was extremely friendly, I'm sure that was because my chart said--be nice!! Crazy bitch cries at the drop of a hat!!! If you upset her again its straight to the mental ward!!!!
At 6:08pm, the nurse came around the sheet with a beautiful baby... It was a girl! Finally after 72 hours, we could hold our baby and know she was ok!!! It was the happiest moment of my life! Our lives... I'll speak for Craig here :)
They laid her on my chest and my hubby and I held her, gazing in amazement at her. All 8lbs 3 oz and 21.5 inches of her. Gwyneth Avery, a perfect little angel.
You could say I had a traumatic birth journey, but it proved to me that I can do anything and that I will do anything for her. It showed a side of my husband that I always knew was there. He has proven what he never needed to prove, that he has got my back and that he is there to protect us... Most of all that he loves me like crazy! My birth journey brought my husband and I closer and as an amazing bonus we got a beautiful little girl too. Maybe it wasn't the journey I wanted, maybe it was what I needed.
Will I have another baby? Who knows, but if I do you can bet I am going to try and get that long desired natural birth! I can do it!
This time last year we were checking into Stony Brook University Hospital for a scheduled induction due to the fact that I had gestational diabetes. My original due date was October 20, so we were only a few days early.
Upon checking in, around 6:30pm, we were sent to antepartum wing where I changed into the lovely hospital gown provided to me. I was connected to fetal monitor, blood pressure cuff, and given an IV, already we were off to the exact opposite of the natural, unrestricted birth I desired, but the safety of my baby was what was most important so we proceeded.
At 9pm, one of the midwives came and explained the first step, the placement of the first Cervidil. I was now required to remain flat for 2 hours, then as still as possible for the next 10 hours with only liquids to drink. The entire time connected to monitors that at every move slipped and alerted the nurse to come and re-adjust me.
Needless to say, night 1 was sleepless. My loving husband, Craig, sat by my side and sleeplessly froze as I sweated and shifted uncomfortably in the bed. I had some mild contractions that night, so that gave us some hope that it must be working.
By 9am on Day 2 another midwife came to remove the cervidil and check my cervix, only 1cm dilated! You must be kidding me! It was suggested that I shower, order breakfast, and walk to halls. After eating I would be required to wait another 4 hours before round 2 of the Cervidil, then it would be another 12 hours before I could eat again... So I did as suggested. I showered, still connected to IV (that was fun-sarcasm), with the help of my loving husband. Then updated our families and walked while we waited for breakfast, then walked some more. It felt great not to be hooked up to the monitor for a while, I'm not sure which was worse--the scratchy belly band and big plastic pads on my large stomach or the limb squeezing blood pressure cuff that went off hourly.
At 3pm, round 2 of the Cervidil was inserted. Back to flat and still, at about 4pm I realized it had come out, so they reinserted it. At this point my cervix was "raw" for lack of a better term. (Imagine applying a bandaid to the same spot for 12 hours, ripping it off and reapplying all while putting something under it to soften the area.) Each exam is extremely painful.
Night 2 was even longer than the first, maybe it was my hormones but I was incredibly upset that this experience was SO far from the birth journey I had wanted. I wanted natural and positive, quiet and loving... This felt cold and negative, restrictive and barbaric. I cried a lot, thank goodness for Craig. I really don't know what I would have done without him.
The midwife came in around 4am to remove round 2, and told us to get some sleep and after shift change at 7am someone would come examine me. With the monitors and cuff off we were able to get a few hours sleep. (It is now Wednesday morning and we have been up since Monday morning give or take a few cat naps here and there.)
8am comes and the nurse insists we order food and shower, after the painful exam to determine the I am MAYBE 2 cm dilated! More tears!
So I shower, as does my husband, and we get food while we wait for the midwife to discuss our next step. Around 9:30 the midwife comes and walks me through the next step... Round 3 of Cervidil, which clearly isn't doing any benefit at this point or Pitocin with a Foley balloon or just Pitocin, the last 2 options would require moving me to Labor and Delivery. So we decided to go with Pitocin and learn more about the Foley Balloon.
By 11am I was in Labor and Delivery, settled into my suite, Pitocin started along with more tears. I wanted no drugs in my body, my baby exposed to nothing. We keep moving further and further from the birth journey I dreamt of.
The midwife explains the Foley Balloon, which they can't locate, and it terrifies me because she explains that due to my "sensitive" cervix she would recommend the epidural before insertion because she doesn't think I can tolerate the discomfort...you guessed it I'm hyperventalatingly crying at this point.
Craig finally gets me calmed down along with the help of our wonderful nurse, and they decide to do an exam to see where I am at. (I think it's about 4pm Wednesday at this point.)
They discover my water has broken and I am about 3cm dilated. The Foley balloon is now out, it only gets you to 4cm and its pointless now. We continue Pitocin.
Fast forward to about 10:30pm, contractions start... Hello active labor!!! I welcomed it at this point! It felt good to FEEL something other than disappointment and sadness. Surely this meant we were going to get to meet our baby SOON, right?
After about 3-4 hours of contractions 1-2 minutes apart lasting about 5 minutes each, I'm worn out! They decide to turn off Pitocin and do an exam, I'm already slightly over 50% of the max Pitocin I can have. I'm at 5-6 cm dilated, not progressing fast enough! It is decided that I need to rest and resume Pitocin the next day. :(
By Thursday morning we are beat! My husband and I are exhausted mentally, emotionally,and physically. I'm emotionally drained. We start Pitocin at 7am, at 10am it is strongly suggested I get the epidural. Once the contractions start again, they are concerned I don't have the energy to resume labor without it, lack of sleep and little to no food for 3 days will do that to a woman apparently...ugh!
So after a small emotional breakdown, I agree. Epidural inserted. My husband had to leave my side for the first time since Monday morning, I hated that part, but the midwife stayed with me and calmed me down. Thank goodness for her! I felt like I needed to be committed at this point!
At first the epidural only worked on my right side, so I was instructed to lay on my left side. By 1pm, I had the urge to push, even though I couldn't feel anything below my breastbone. Sure enough...fully dilated, lets have a baby, well maybe?
With the help of Craig and a student on one side and the nurse and the midwife on the other I pushed for 2 hours off and on. The baby dropped and the head could be seen! Progress! Yes!!! Shift change! No!!!
The new midwife turned off the Pitocin, and the student left. The new midwife wasn't as much help as the previous one, so I only had my hubby and the nurse to help with my dead legs and the encouragement, which I desperately needed at this point. The baby went back up, and the high risk doctor watching on the monitor came in and wanted me to stop.
They did a sonogram to see what was the matter. The baby was no longer in the birth canal, and she was laying on her side. The probability that she would rotate and I would be able to push her out were less than 50/50 and he recommended a c-section. I lost it, yet again. He said he would allow me a short window to continue pushing but the Pitocin was off and we were approaching the 24 hour mark from when they guesses my water broke.
The doctor said you can opt now for a voluntary c-section or risk an emergency c-section later, that was the deciding factor...c-section it was.
Craig was a great comfort at this point, he consoled me while we waited for them to come for us. The process was smooth and everyone was extremely friendly, I'm sure that was because my chart said--be nice!! Crazy bitch cries at the drop of a hat!!! If you upset her again its straight to the mental ward!!!!
At 6:08pm, the nurse came around the sheet with a beautiful baby... It was a girl! Finally after 72 hours, we could hold our baby and know she was ok!!! It was the happiest moment of my life! Our lives... I'll speak for Craig here :)
They laid her on my chest and my hubby and I held her, gazing in amazement at her. All 8lbs 3 oz and 21.5 inches of her. Gwyneth Avery, a perfect little angel.
You could say I had a traumatic birth journey, but it proved to me that I can do anything and that I will do anything for her. It showed a side of my husband that I always knew was there. He has proven what he never needed to prove, that he has got my back and that he is there to protect us... Most of all that he loves me like crazy! My birth journey brought my husband and I closer and as an amazing bonus we got a beautiful little girl too. Maybe it wasn't the journey I wanted, maybe it was what I needed.
Will I have another baby? Who knows, but if I do you can bet I am going to try and get that long desired natural birth! I can do it!
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
The perfect day...
Today was awesome! It was just the recharge I needed, you know what I did?
I COOKED!!! All day!!!
I made Red Beans with Turkey Sausage and Chicken over Rice, Butternut Squash Soup, Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes with a Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting.
The Red Beans and Rice is one of several starter pouches I bought at the Shreveport,La farmer's market in July. It was by far the best one so far (only the gumbo is left to be made.) I did a few things different, I soaked the dry beans overnight, sautéed onion and peppers (1/2 of a red,yellow,and orange), and added sautéed chicken and turkey sausage. If interested you can purchase the pouches here:
http://m.soumasheritagecreole.com/Products.html
Next I made the easiest Butternut Squash Soup courtesy of 100 Days of Real Food. I pretty much followed this recipe word for word, except I added a touch of cream at the very end.Yum!
(http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/10/03/recipe-butternut-squash-soup/)
I'm so glad Michelle turned me on to this blog. I read the 100 days on a budget blog and it was just the push I needed to feed my family better. If you haven't already, check it out. We all need to take a stand against processed junk that is ruining our bodies!
Finally, I made a dozen cupcakes as a trial run for my daughter's fast approaching first birthday. Oh my are they good! Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes with a lightly sweetened Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting (tinted purple with Blueberry All Fruit Spread).
http://www.annies-eats.com/2011/05/06/lemon-blueberry-cupcakes/
Cooking relieves my stress, relaxes me, and that in turn makes my family very happy (the full bellies don't hurt either).
So with Dinner made for the week, a clean kitchen, and my peanut's birthday coming together, I'm calling it a night, a good one at that!
I COOKED!!! All day!!!
I made Red Beans with Turkey Sausage and Chicken over Rice, Butternut Squash Soup, Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes with a Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting.
The Red Beans and Rice is one of several starter pouches I bought at the Shreveport,La farmer's market in July. It was by far the best one so far (only the gumbo is left to be made.) I did a few things different, I soaked the dry beans overnight, sautéed onion and peppers (1/2 of a red,yellow,and orange), and added sautéed chicken and turkey sausage. If interested you can purchase the pouches here:
http://m.soumasheritagecreole.com/Products.html
Next I made the easiest Butternut Squash Soup courtesy of 100 Days of Real Food. I pretty much followed this recipe word for word, except I added a touch of cream at the very end.Yum!
(http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/10/03/recipe-butternut-squash-soup/)
I'm so glad Michelle turned me on to this blog. I read the 100 days on a budget blog and it was just the push I needed to feed my family better. If you haven't already, check it out. We all need to take a stand against processed junk that is ruining our bodies!
Finally, I made a dozen cupcakes as a trial run for my daughter's fast approaching first birthday. Oh my are they good! Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes with a lightly sweetened Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting (tinted purple with Blueberry All Fruit Spread).
http://www.annies-eats.com/2011/05/06/lemon-blueberry-cupcakes/
Cooking relieves my stress, relaxes me, and that in turn makes my family very happy (the full bellies don't hurt either).
So with Dinner made for the week, a clean kitchen, and my peanut's birthday coming together, I'm calling it a night, a good one at that!
Friday, October 5, 2012
6 years ago today...
Six years ago today I married my best friend.
My husband and I had lived together for 7 years before we made our trip down the aisle.
Much if my family never thought we would get married, since living in sin seemed to suit us just fine. I still remember like it was yesterday our impulsive shopping trip to design my engagement ring. It turned out more beautiful than I ever imagined!
We told our families and had the wedding planned within a few weeks, doing most of it ourselves.
Our wedding was wonderful, looking back I would only have changed one thing... I wish my grandmother would have been there. Our family was going thru a tough time and my grandmother and I weren't speaking at the time. It was foolish and it is one of the many regrets I have to live with. Almost all my regrets concern this time that my grandmother wasn't in my life.
Enough sadness...this is a happy post! Our wedding was beautiful and simple. We surrounded our selves with family and friends and had an amazing weekend of celebration. It was very us. I love to look back at the pictures.
At the end of the day it didn't seem like much had changed, Craig and I had been together so long. We had new jewelry was all that seemed new.
Over the years though I have realized what a difference it has made. I am proud to call myself his wife. We have been through our hard times and had many good times. He was by my side every moment of my 72 hour labor with our daughter. He is a honest man, a loving husband, and a remarkable father. He is the love of my life. I look forward to spending the rest of my life with him. He is my sunshine, my only sunshine...even though the skies are grey at the moment, we will endure it and the sun will shine again.
I love you Craig Thomas Reutzel, you make me a better person just by loving me. Xoxoxoxoxo
My husband and I had lived together for 7 years before we made our trip down the aisle.
Much if my family never thought we would get married, since living in sin seemed to suit us just fine. I still remember like it was yesterday our impulsive shopping trip to design my engagement ring. It turned out more beautiful than I ever imagined!
We told our families and had the wedding planned within a few weeks, doing most of it ourselves.
Our wedding was wonderful, looking back I would only have changed one thing... I wish my grandmother would have been there. Our family was going thru a tough time and my grandmother and I weren't speaking at the time. It was foolish and it is one of the many regrets I have to live with. Almost all my regrets concern this time that my grandmother wasn't in my life.
Enough sadness...this is a happy post! Our wedding was beautiful and simple. We surrounded our selves with family and friends and had an amazing weekend of celebration. It was very us. I love to look back at the pictures.
At the end of the day it didn't seem like much had changed, Craig and I had been together so long. We had new jewelry was all that seemed new.
Over the years though I have realized what a difference it has made. I am proud to call myself his wife. We have been through our hard times and had many good times. He was by my side every moment of my 72 hour labor with our daughter. He is a honest man, a loving husband, and a remarkable father. He is the love of my life. I look forward to spending the rest of my life with him. He is my sunshine, my only sunshine...even though the skies are grey at the moment, we will endure it and the sun will shine again.
I love you Craig Thomas Reutzel, you make me a better person just by loving me. Xoxoxoxoxo
Two sips...
Two sips is our new nickname for our daughter. Recently she has developed this habit of eating or drinking everything in sight, with the exception of the last two sips.
It is highly frustrating! You can give her one of her favorites and she will gobble it up, checking through to see how much is left. Once there is only two bites left, she gives you the sign for done. She will them move on to something else, but very rarely back to those last two sips.
I think she thinks its funny. We laugh about it now. Every time the old saying our parents used comes to mind, "Their are starving children out there who would love to have these two sips, finish your dinner." We don't say it to her, but I giggle when I think of it.
I am blessed to have a great eater. My daughter loves fresh fruit and veggies, chicken and fish, cheese and yogurt. Most of the time she will eat whatever you give her and she is always looking to try what we have, if its different.
So if she wants to leave two sips behind, I suppose it's ok... But it still frustrates me!
It is highly frustrating! You can give her one of her favorites and she will gobble it up, checking through to see how much is left. Once there is only two bites left, she gives you the sign for done. She will them move on to something else, but very rarely back to those last two sips.
I think she thinks its funny. We laugh about it now. Every time the old saying our parents used comes to mind, "Their are starving children out there who would love to have these two sips, finish your dinner." We don't say it to her, but I giggle when I think of it.
I am blessed to have a great eater. My daughter loves fresh fruit and veggies, chicken and fish, cheese and yogurt. Most of the time she will eat whatever you give her and she is always looking to try what we have, if its different.
So if she wants to leave two sips behind, I suppose it's ok... But it still frustrates me!
Bring on the fall...
I love the fall. The chill in the air, a fluffy sweater and scarf, the smell of soup simmering on the stove, sitting by the window watching the leaves fall with a warm cup of apple cider. In fact the only thing I don't like is the fall is a warning from Mother Nature that she is about to freeze us out with winter!
Even though today is in the 70's, I am making my second pot of soup for the fall. It is one of my favorites, it requires very little effort and tastes amazing!
Try it out! I'm sure you will love it!
Tuscan White Bean soup
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/01/30-minute-tuscan-white-bean-soup-recipe.html
Even though today is in the 70's, I am making my second pot of soup for the fall. It is one of my favorites, it requires very little effort and tastes amazing!
Try it out! I'm sure you will love it!
Tuscan White Bean soup
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/01/30-minute-tuscan-white-bean-soup-recipe.html
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Tomato Soup
When I was younger I would spend part of the Christmas holidays at my Mom's house in Pennsylvania. Almost every year, she would make us grilled cheese sandwiches (always warm and gooey) and a hot bowl of tomato soup (she always put a pat of butter in it) for lunch. It is one of my favorite childhood memories.
I would try and replicate this meal after I returned home to Louisiana, and it never came out the same. Even now, it is warming and always makes me smile when I have it--but it's not lunch with Mom.
I rarely make it, for several reasons:
1. as my husband hates tomato soup, it requires two soups to be heated
2. I use whole grain bread instead of white bread...enough said!
3. It's just not as good at my house :)
Thanks Mom, for making a great lunch and such a sweet memory. I only hope I can make memories that warm the heart for my little girl.
I would try and replicate this meal after I returned home to Louisiana, and it never came out the same. Even now, it is warming and always makes me smile when I have it--but it's not lunch with Mom.
I rarely make it, for several reasons:
1. as my husband hates tomato soup, it requires two soups to be heated
2. I use whole grain bread instead of white bread...enough said!
3. It's just not as good at my house :)
Thanks Mom, for making a great lunch and such a sweet memory. I only hope I can make memories that warm the heart for my little girl.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
The effect you have on children...
I like to think of myself as easy going, well as easy going as a control freak can be ;)
Today, however, I was not relaxed and calm because a stranger lost their patience with my peanut... Because she wouldn't be still!! During our photo session the photographer got louder and more impatient every time our new walker wanted to approach the camera or reach for the toy she was shaking at her.
I became more and more irritated after we left, how dare she! Don't you do this for a living daily? Do you not work with 12 month old children on a regular basis? How many children have you photographed that when a new toy is waived in front of them, DON'T approach the toy?
Needless to say, none of the photos taken today were our idea of masterpieces, yes our princess looks adorable in them but her face is sad and confused.
Upon completion of the shoot, the photographer was visibly offended that we did not like the pictures, and shocked that we didn't even have an interest in the free sheet we were entitled to. Why do I want to remember this day? The day my daughter was tempted/teased and yelled at to the point of a tired sadness, I'd like to forget it ever happened, not commemorate it!
Let me also say, we have used this photographer in the past and been happy with the outcome. Maybe she was having a bad day, extremely hungry for her approaching lunch, or some other reason, but her treatment of a child was inexcusable.
I did learn a valuable lesson today, this will NOT happen again. In the future, I will handle the situation differently. I will stop the act the moment it starts and remind the offender that my daughter, no matter her age, deserves your respect and guidance and if you can not give it to her we will be happy to remove ourselves from your presence.
The picture below is the best shot of the day, the only smile we got... Along with a cheap, crooked plastic #1...why wouldn't anyone want 1,000s of these? Lets all cross our fingers that our redo appointment, at another studio, goes much better!
Remember folks, just because the little peanuts of the world can't respond verbally to you just yet doesn't mean you can't hurt their feelings or cause a change in their mood. They are human too and feed off of the emotion that you show them, so lets show them love and patience and you will be surprised how they respond to you.
PS. Thank you to my loving husband who made my night all better with brownies and chocolate donuts :)
Tomorrow is another day, extra veggies for me please ;)
Today, however, I was not relaxed and calm because a stranger lost their patience with my peanut... Because she wouldn't be still!! During our photo session the photographer got louder and more impatient every time our new walker wanted to approach the camera or reach for the toy she was shaking at her.
I became more and more irritated after we left, how dare she! Don't you do this for a living daily? Do you not work with 12 month old children on a regular basis? How many children have you photographed that when a new toy is waived in front of them, DON'T approach the toy?
Needless to say, none of the photos taken today were our idea of masterpieces, yes our princess looks adorable in them but her face is sad and confused.
Upon completion of the shoot, the photographer was visibly offended that we did not like the pictures, and shocked that we didn't even have an interest in the free sheet we were entitled to. Why do I want to remember this day? The day my daughter was tempted/teased and yelled at to the point of a tired sadness, I'd like to forget it ever happened, not commemorate it!
Let me also say, we have used this photographer in the past and been happy with the outcome. Maybe she was having a bad day, extremely hungry for her approaching lunch, or some other reason, but her treatment of a child was inexcusable.
I did learn a valuable lesson today, this will NOT happen again. In the future, I will handle the situation differently. I will stop the act the moment it starts and remind the offender that my daughter, no matter her age, deserves your respect and guidance and if you can not give it to her we will be happy to remove ourselves from your presence.
The picture below is the best shot of the day, the only smile we got... Along with a cheap, crooked plastic #1...why wouldn't anyone want 1,000s of these? Lets all cross our fingers that our redo appointment, at another studio, goes much better!
Remember folks, just because the little peanuts of the world can't respond verbally to you just yet doesn't mean you can't hurt their feelings or cause a change in their mood. They are human too and feed off of the emotion that you show them, so lets show them love and patience and you will be surprised how they respond to you.
PS. Thank you to my loving husband who made my night all better with brownies and chocolate donuts :)
Tomorrow is another day, extra veggies for me please ;)
Friday, September 14, 2012
The worst week...
This has been the worst week thus far in my parenting journey. On Monday my precious peanut went for her routine monthly well visit (we started vaccinations at 6 months, so now we go monthly and get a shot and check up) and round 2 of her DTap shot.
Things went great at the doctor, Dr. Kate is the best, we got her new stats 10.5 months old, 20.3 lbs, and 30 inches long. It's official I'm raising the baby version of the jolly green giant! :)
She got her shot, we nursed, and we were in our way home. Tuesday morning we awoke to a cranky, feverish little monster. (who can blame her really, probably scared out of her little mind!) we started Motrin that day and rode it out. Was it the shot? Is it that her top 2 teeth just broke threw? (so far all our teeth come in pairs, so cute!) is she coming down with something? Allergies?
We went back and forth via text with Dr. Kate and settled on Wednesday evening, after almost 36 hours of fever-no fever-fever, that we would bring her into the office Thursday.
The girls at Dr. Kate's office are always do happy to see my little angel, but she wasn't her normal smiley self Thursday. She spent the visit with her head tucked into my chest, snuggling tightly to me. Dr. Kate recommended if the fever come back we start antibiotics, ugh! My worst fear! I am already giving her more Motrin than I would like to at this age and now more drugs!
Natural momma aside, I want my baby to feel better NOW! I want my happy, healthy girl back please!!! So I fill the Rx just in case.
Later that night, the mean fever monster comes back (b@st@rd!) and we start the meds and head to bed, the first full nights sleep we have gotten all week.
Friday morning comes and I think,"Yeah!, surely she will be 90% better", but no! Fever still there and the cranky monster has still taken hold over my happy princess.
We spent the day running errands and getting some air, and napping in the car, which seemed to help. Finally at about 3:00 we tried Tylenol instead of Motrin. I think that did it! About an hour later, a gallon of sweat and 3 incredibly messy (I'll spare you the details) diapers later, the fever broke!
So excited! Happy baby back, tottling around celebrating and BAM! falls and hits her cheekbone on her push toy! REALLY! The universe hates us, I'm sure of it now.
So now as we head to bed, her body temp and feel of her skin feels "right" for the first time all week, and we have a puffy, red boxer's eye to close out our first adventure into the land of the sick.
Hopefully tomorrow morning will bring a sunny day and a happy, healthy baby. Lord hear my prayer!
Things went great at the doctor, Dr. Kate is the best, we got her new stats 10.5 months old, 20.3 lbs, and 30 inches long. It's official I'm raising the baby version of the jolly green giant! :)
She got her shot, we nursed, and we were in our way home. Tuesday morning we awoke to a cranky, feverish little monster. (who can blame her really, probably scared out of her little mind!) we started Motrin that day and rode it out. Was it the shot? Is it that her top 2 teeth just broke threw? (so far all our teeth come in pairs, so cute!) is she coming down with something? Allergies?
We went back and forth via text with Dr. Kate and settled on Wednesday evening, after almost 36 hours of fever-no fever-fever, that we would bring her into the office Thursday.
The girls at Dr. Kate's office are always do happy to see my little angel, but she wasn't her normal smiley self Thursday. She spent the visit with her head tucked into my chest, snuggling tightly to me. Dr. Kate recommended if the fever come back we start antibiotics, ugh! My worst fear! I am already giving her more Motrin than I would like to at this age and now more drugs!
Natural momma aside, I want my baby to feel better NOW! I want my happy, healthy girl back please!!! So I fill the Rx just in case.
Later that night, the mean fever monster comes back (b@st@rd!) and we start the meds and head to bed, the first full nights sleep we have gotten all week.
Friday morning comes and I think,"Yeah!, surely she will be 90% better", but no! Fever still there and the cranky monster has still taken hold over my happy princess.
We spent the day running errands and getting some air, and napping in the car, which seemed to help. Finally at about 3:00 we tried Tylenol instead of Motrin. I think that did it! About an hour later, a gallon of sweat and 3 incredibly messy (I'll spare you the details) diapers later, the fever broke!
So excited! Happy baby back, tottling around celebrating and BAM! falls and hits her cheekbone on her push toy! REALLY! The universe hates us, I'm sure of it now.
So now as we head to bed, her body temp and feel of her skin feels "right" for the first time all week, and we have a puffy, red boxer's eye to close out our first adventure into the land of the sick.
Hopefully tomorrow morning will bring a sunny day and a happy, healthy baby. Lord hear my prayer!
Sunday, September 9, 2012
A Whole New World...
If you would have told me a year or two ago that this is what my life would be like at 35, I would have laughed at you. Not that long ago I was a happily married woman with a full calendar and no free time to be found. Friends would call to make plans and we would run all over the place to try to see everyone.
Now the one thing that hasn't changed is my loving husband, I am still happily married but now we have a beautiful 10 1/2 month old little girl. My husband is unemployed and I am under employed, I work a few hours a week on occasion at a local wellness center as a skin care therapist, quite a change from the 60 hour work weeks I remember a few years ago.
When we found out we were pregnant everyone said life as we knew it would change. They said we would become home bodies, and that our schedule would revolve around the baby. We laughed at them and said no way!!!
Well we were both right! Our life has changed, but for the most part our darling girl is easy going and rolls with the punches, but somehow everything else seemed to disappear. Our calendar is no longer full?
I am not sure what happened? When our friends had children it wasn't this way. I remember being at their home on weekends playing cards and BBQing, while taking turns rocking a crying baby or reading bedtime stories. So why is it that now that it is our turn everyone has disappeared? Wasn't it our friends who for the last 5+ years kept asking "When are y'all going to have kids?"
It is crazy how life changes. Some days it feels like just yesterday when I graduated high school or met my husband, but both of those events were over 10 years ago.
I should be great full for the life I have had, I have great memories, and have made lasting friendships.
It has just been an adjustment period to my new life, and not the adjustment I was expecting. Time seems to go so quickly now a days, where did the last year go?
So here we go, from this moment forward it is Reutzel party of three ready to take on the world. No more waiting on everyone else, no more relying on other people. We can do this on our own :)
Now the one thing that hasn't changed is my loving husband, I am still happily married but now we have a beautiful 10 1/2 month old little girl. My husband is unemployed and I am under employed, I work a few hours a week on occasion at a local wellness center as a skin care therapist, quite a change from the 60 hour work weeks I remember a few years ago.
When we found out we were pregnant everyone said life as we knew it would change. They said we would become home bodies, and that our schedule would revolve around the baby. We laughed at them and said no way!!!
Well we were both right! Our life has changed, but for the most part our darling girl is easy going and rolls with the punches, but somehow everything else seemed to disappear. Our calendar is no longer full?
I am not sure what happened? When our friends had children it wasn't this way. I remember being at their home on weekends playing cards and BBQing, while taking turns rocking a crying baby or reading bedtime stories. So why is it that now that it is our turn everyone has disappeared? Wasn't it our friends who for the last 5+ years kept asking "When are y'all going to have kids?"
It is crazy how life changes. Some days it feels like just yesterday when I graduated high school or met my husband, but both of those events were over 10 years ago.
I should be great full for the life I have had, I have great memories, and have made lasting friendships.
It has just been an adjustment period to my new life, and not the adjustment I was expecting. Time seems to go so quickly now a days, where did the last year go?
So here we go, from this moment forward it is Reutzel party of three ready to take on the world. No more waiting on everyone else, no more relying on other people. We can do this on our own :)
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
The land where courtesy is lost...
My husband and I spent this beautiful summer day (70 degrees with a cool breeze) running errands...cashing in change, selling some baby items at a local consignment shop, baby food shopping, and our final stop...Wal-Mart...or the land where courtesy is lost.
Maybe it is just our local Middle Island Wal-Mart, or Long Island Wal-Marts in general but what is it about walking thru those automatic doors that turns people into rude, inattentive robots? I truly despise these stores! They are dirty, unorganized, and full to the brim of people having a bad day (or so I hope, I'd hate to think that they aren't walking through life like that!)
We only go to Wal-Mart about every 90 days, they have an amazing Rx program where a large selection of Rx medications are $10 for a 90 day supply (this is there ONLY positive attribute, in my opinion.) Today, unfortunately, we needed a handful of other items, and I did not want to subject my darling peanut to yet another stop.
Our much dreaded shopping trip started out with a bad buggy selection, is there anything worse than getting the buggy with one bulbous wheel so it rattles around the store like a car with a flat tire! Then to wander this disorganization to find the items we needed. This was step two in raising my blood pressure. Shopping is just like driving folks...we are in the US, keep you buggy to the right...not the middle or the left. If you choose to be an Englishman and drive your buggy on the left...then be courteous enough to slide out of the on coming traffics' way. Well fair warning, the shoppers of the Middle Island Wal-Mart are not aware of this common courtesy, EVERY aisle consisted of someone either parked mid aisle or standing mid aisle and when approached with an, "Excuse me please" returned the phrase with a hostile glance.
Finally we made it to the check out area, 3 registers open and each with at least 4 people in line. When we reached the front, Carol reluctantly ring us up, she obviously does not like her job and isn't afraid to let you know by the sour expression on her face. Forgetting my reusable shopping bags in the car, I asked her nicely to please place all our items in one bag and that I would be happy to hold the greeting card. No response, so i asked again, still nothing. I looked at my husband and asked, "Am I invisible?" Once the sales as finished, Carol blessed us with the standard, "Have a nice day" while looking at her register and clearly not meaning a word of it and off we went.
Now, I like most people shop at Mega stores because I like to save money, but prefer to support my local small business owners when possible, but when did getting a discount deserve receiving such an attitude? Can we not offer common courtesy and a bargain?
I know for a fact that not all Wal- Mart stores are like this. I have gone into other stores in Pa, Md, La, Tx that are staffed by friendly (or so it would seem) team members. The attitude of the LI team members is something Wal-Mart should address, but what about the shoppers?
Have we really become so busy in our daily lives that common courtesy is out the window? Would it kill us to be a little kinder to one another? What kind of an example are we setting for our children?
At the end of the day, can you look in the mirror and say you made the world a better place today? Maybe you held the door open for a mother pushing a stroller, or seen an elderly person struggling to lift her grocery bag out of the cart and offered assistance, maybe you just returned a smile to a stranger, or said "Thank you" to the cashier at your local Mega store and meant it.
I know I can't answer yes to that question on a daily basis, but I sure do feel better at the end of the day when I can. One smile at a time, we can make life a little happier...and who couldn't use a little more happiness in their lives, right?
Maybe it is just our local Middle Island Wal-Mart, or Long Island Wal-Marts in general but what is it about walking thru those automatic doors that turns people into rude, inattentive robots? I truly despise these stores! They are dirty, unorganized, and full to the brim of people having a bad day (or so I hope, I'd hate to think that they aren't walking through life like that!)
We only go to Wal-Mart about every 90 days, they have an amazing Rx program where a large selection of Rx medications are $10 for a 90 day supply (this is there ONLY positive attribute, in my opinion.) Today, unfortunately, we needed a handful of other items, and I did not want to subject my darling peanut to yet another stop.
Our much dreaded shopping trip started out with a bad buggy selection, is there anything worse than getting the buggy with one bulbous wheel so it rattles around the store like a car with a flat tire! Then to wander this disorganization to find the items we needed. This was step two in raising my blood pressure. Shopping is just like driving folks...we are in the US, keep you buggy to the right...not the middle or the left. If you choose to be an Englishman and drive your buggy on the left...then be courteous enough to slide out of the on coming traffics' way. Well fair warning, the shoppers of the Middle Island Wal-Mart are not aware of this common courtesy, EVERY aisle consisted of someone either parked mid aisle or standing mid aisle and when approached with an, "Excuse me please" returned the phrase with a hostile glance.
Finally we made it to the check out area, 3 registers open and each with at least 4 people in line. When we reached the front, Carol reluctantly ring us up, she obviously does not like her job and isn't afraid to let you know by the sour expression on her face. Forgetting my reusable shopping bags in the car, I asked her nicely to please place all our items in one bag and that I would be happy to hold the greeting card. No response, so i asked again, still nothing. I looked at my husband and asked, "Am I invisible?" Once the sales as finished, Carol blessed us with the standard, "Have a nice day" while looking at her register and clearly not meaning a word of it and off we went.
Now, I like most people shop at Mega stores because I like to save money, but prefer to support my local small business owners when possible, but when did getting a discount deserve receiving such an attitude? Can we not offer common courtesy and a bargain?
I know for a fact that not all Wal- Mart stores are like this. I have gone into other stores in Pa, Md, La, Tx that are staffed by friendly (or so it would seem) team members. The attitude of the LI team members is something Wal-Mart should address, but what about the shoppers?
Have we really become so busy in our daily lives that common courtesy is out the window? Would it kill us to be a little kinder to one another? What kind of an example are we setting for our children?
At the end of the day, can you look in the mirror and say you made the world a better place today? Maybe you held the door open for a mother pushing a stroller, or seen an elderly person struggling to lift her grocery bag out of the cart and offered assistance, maybe you just returned a smile to a stranger, or said "Thank you" to the cashier at your local Mega store and meant it.
I know I can't answer yes to that question on a daily basis, but I sure do feel better at the end of the day when I can. One smile at a time, we can make life a little happier...and who couldn't use a little more happiness in their lives, right?
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Fresh summer spaghetti
Good afternoon!!!
Have I mentioned I love food? :)
This past week I tried a new recipe that turned out quite good and thought I'd share it. It is a quick, simple meal with easy ingredients. Prep and cooking time was about 20 minutes. I made it for 2 people, but could easily be made in a larger portion.
1/2 box angel hair pasta
Mushrooms, sliced
Vine ripened tomato, roughly chopped
Vidalia Onion, diced
Italian Seasoning
Chives
Parmesan Cheese
Olive oil
Garlic, minced
Shrimp, optional
In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil for your pasta. Cook pasta to desired tenderness, (I'm a fish out of water around here because most people in LI prefer al dente pasta, but I like mine a little softer)
*** Interesting note, I heard from a TV chef somewhere that your pasta water should be the saltiness of the sea. I thought that sounded crazy, but it does make a world of difference. I use a large handful of kosher salt in my pasta water. ***
In a sauté pan, heat olive oil and sauté mushrooms (any kind, I used sliced white button mushrooms, about 1/2 a pint) and diced vidalia onion (1/2 a medium onion) until lightly browned. Add Italian seasoning and chives, to taste. Stir.
Once pasta is almost done, add garlic (to taste, I used just a pinch) and tomatoes(1-2 per person depending on size) to the sauté pan to cook garlic and warm tomatoes. You don't want to add these too early or you will burn your garlic and cook your tomatoes away. Add peeled shrimp at this stage as well if using.
Drain pasta.
Add pasta to sauté pan and mix together, season with salt and pepper. Serve with a generous amount of fresh grated parmesan cheese.
***don't waste your money on jarred parmesan cheese, buy the fresh wedge, keep it Ina ziploc bag in the meat drawer in your fridge. It taste a 100x better and lasts a good long while.***
You could mix this recipe up to use whatever produce you have on hand. Don't like mushrooms, use yellow squash and zucchini (add with tomatoes so they stay crunch) or add fresh spinach at the end to boost it up a little.
Hope you enjoy! Let me know if you try it out, and if you made any changes!
Monday, August 27, 2012
Intro
Hello! I have been wanting to start a blog for a long time and I have never pushed myself to do it. Well today's the day! This blog will encompass all my passions in life and hopefully someone will be able to benefit from what I have experienced or discovered.
My name is Jen and I am originally from Louisiana but now live on Long Island, New York. I am happily married to my husband, Craig, and we have one daughter, Gwyneth (Winnie) who will be a year old in less than 2 months (Sweet Jesus where did the time go?!)
We have settled into a pretty easy going lifestyle in the last year (babies will do that to you!) and other than the fact the we are both currently unemployed and money is tight, I can already tell that the changes we have made in our life are for the better.
When I found out I was pregnant and had gestational diabetes we changed our eating habits, we eat more organic and natural foods and less carbohydrates and sugars now (except chocolate...you can never have enough chocolate). We have fallen in love with fruits and veggies and love to try new things. In fact, I have made it my personal goal to try one new recipe a week, which I will gladly share with you. I love all aspects of food...growing it (although I do not have a green thumb), production, shopping for it, discovering it, and cooking it. My dream would be to write a cookbook or have a cooking show or have a food truck, but I have no culinary education beyond my kitchen!
In October of last year, god blessed us with a beautiful, healthy baby girl. She was the child we never knew we wanted and our life has been turned upside down in a fantastic way. We model our parenting style after the Attachment Parenting Principles (http://www.attachmentparenting.org/principles/principles.php) as that is what has come naturally to us. I am breast feeding Winnie and we cloth diaper her, we co sleep in a family bed, we try our best to respond to her needs with sensitivity and understanding, and so far she is an amazing little lady. We have met some great people through a local group, and they have been supportive and informative beyond what I could have ever imagined.
So this blog will most likely be a lot about Winnie and the experiences we will endure as first time parents and a lot about food. Of course I have other interests but I wont throw those at you just yet. I hope y'all stick around, and that you find this blog interesting and informative. Until next time remember to live your life with peace, love, and understanding and you can help make your world a better place...oh and don't forget the chocolate :)
My name is Jen and I am originally from Louisiana but now live on Long Island, New York. I am happily married to my husband, Craig, and we have one daughter, Gwyneth (Winnie) who will be a year old in less than 2 months (Sweet Jesus where did the time go?!)
We have settled into a pretty easy going lifestyle in the last year (babies will do that to you!) and other than the fact the we are both currently unemployed and money is tight, I can already tell that the changes we have made in our life are for the better.
When I found out I was pregnant and had gestational diabetes we changed our eating habits, we eat more organic and natural foods and less carbohydrates and sugars now (except chocolate...you can never have enough chocolate). We have fallen in love with fruits and veggies and love to try new things. In fact, I have made it my personal goal to try one new recipe a week, which I will gladly share with you. I love all aspects of food...growing it (although I do not have a green thumb), production, shopping for it, discovering it, and cooking it. My dream would be to write a cookbook or have a cooking show or have a food truck, but I have no culinary education beyond my kitchen!
In October of last year, god blessed us with a beautiful, healthy baby girl. She was the child we never knew we wanted and our life has been turned upside down in a fantastic way. We model our parenting style after the Attachment Parenting Principles (http://www.attachmentparenting.org/principles/principles.php) as that is what has come naturally to us. I am breast feeding Winnie and we cloth diaper her, we co sleep in a family bed, we try our best to respond to her needs with sensitivity and understanding, and so far she is an amazing little lady. We have met some great people through a local group, and they have been supportive and informative beyond what I could have ever imagined.
So this blog will most likely be a lot about Winnie and the experiences we will endure as first time parents and a lot about food. Of course I have other interests but I wont throw those at you just yet. I hope y'all stick around, and that you find this blog interesting and informative. Until next time remember to live your life with peace, love, and understanding and you can help make your world a better place...oh and don't forget the chocolate :)
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