Pictures...

We are enjoying adjusting to being a family of 4, and things are busy! I have been working a bit on Nathanael's birth story, but it will probably be a little while before I finish as spare time is a bit hard to find these days. He eats like crazy...pretty much every 2 hours from start to start both day and night. Must be because he's a boy... Here are a few pictures of our little munchkins.

He's Here! He's Here!

We are so thrilled to announce the arrival of our newest addition! Our chubby baby Nathanael ("Gift of God") has arrived, weighing in at 9 lbs 8 oz.


Thanks to the prayers of many, I was able to have a successful VBAC. Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you who prayed; many of you I do not even know personally, but I am SO thankful you took the time to pray for his safe arrival, that he came right on time, and I was able to have a vbac.

We were all able to go home only 8 hours after he was born! It is SO nice to be home already, and I feel amazingly well. Nathanael is nursing well, is a big-time snuggler who likes to be held a lot, and has his days and nights very mixed up right now!



We are all just SO happy and loving every moment with him. Children are such a blessing and we are all in love with him. One of these days I will write up his birth story and share it with you all. I know you'll all understand if I'm missing in action in the blog world for the next while. If you want to know where I am...a safe bet would be on the couch snuggled up with our precious son, soaking in every moment because the days are going to fly by :-)

No Baby Yet, Colds, & Menu Plan

Nope...no baby yet :-(

I had false labour on Friday for about 4 hours with regular (but not very painful) contractions, but I was pretty sure all along it wasn't the real deal. I debated whether or not to phone the midwife, but then all of a sudden everything slowed down to a near stand still, and here I am on Monday with no baby or imminent signs that anything is really happening. Boo. Tomorrow is my 41 week appointment. I'll probably find out how much time I "really" have before I am forced to switch care over. I am seriously dreading it because the clock is t-i-c-k-i-n-g. I am stressed out. I will probably have to have an idea of which OB I "want" to switch to, and honestly I am not overly thrilled with any of my choices as just about anyone will likely be very c-section pushy. I am trying oh-so-hard to not get discouraged.... Pray for me, please.

On Friday we were at my hubby's Mom and Dad's house for a visit, and Ellie started sneezing a lot. Well in the night things got quite brutal and she was up just about all night crying and not feeling good with a major stomach ache. So, yes, I was up nearly all night too. On the plus side, my hubby is off work now so he can help me out a lot more now, which is a HUGE blessing. Last night she was so exhausted she slept nearly all night! Thankfully I got a half-decent sleep, too!

It is FREEZING over here right now. Last week we had temps above zero Celsius and practically all the snow was melted, which is WEIRD for prairie winters. This week it is like a shock to the system...snow and COLD COLD COLD. Icy roads. -20's Celsius.

As for the menu...I'm not planning much since things could change quickly in the next few days.

Crockpot Pepper Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Veggies

Waffles with Saskatoon Berry Sauce, Eggs, Bacon, Fruit

Pizza & Salad


(Im)patiently Waiting,

Due Day!

Today is the official due day, and no baby yet. :-( I am getting soooooo impatient - mostly because the pressure is on and the clock is ticking to still have a chance at a VBAC. If it wasn't for that, I think I would feel less stressed. I pretty much need to have this baby in the next 8 days in order to stick with the midwife program and avoid a scheduled C-section. I am trying to remain optimistic and realistic. I know I will be a bit disappointed if I end up having another c-section; there is just no way around that. However, I do pray that if things should go that way, I will be at peace about it knowing it was the Lord's will.

BUT...any prayers sent up on my and baby's behalf would be much appreciated...please pray this baby would come in the next week (tonight would be even better ;-) ) I can't be induced and must go into labour on my own before 41 + 1 days in order to avoid a transfer to an ob/gyn which would almost certainly mean a C-section.

I am feeling very uncomfortable, nervous, a little anxious, and like I can do nothing but think about this baby all day long. Sleeping at night has been horrible, so I'm pretty much out of commission most of the day, which I feel badly about. I'm just focusing on keeping on top of the basic housework, trying to walk on the treadmill once in awhile (that is becoming increasingly difficult!), and resting when I can since I'm sleeping so poorly at night. I have to confess that I am not one of those women who really enjoys being pregnant. Yes, I still find joy and rejoice in being pregnant and the miracle that it is, but I do not really enjoy the many aspects of being pregnant, if that makes any sense. This pregnancy has been AWESOME, though, health-wise as compared to my first one, so that is a tremendous blessing. I was so terribly sick with Ellie and then at the end I was very, very faint and had to head to the ER a few times because my blood pressure would dip so low. I have had none of those issues this time around.

At least we know that one way or another....it will be a January baby!! 2 weeks or less and I 'll be holding my little bundle....:-D

Boy or Girl? What do you all think!?

Tuna Macaroni Casserole

This recipe is very quick and easy to put together. Since I always have a can of tuna, cream-of-something soup, and macaroni on hand, it is one of my go-to meals when I am pressed for time or have no idea what to make. It is one of Little Ellie's favourites.

Tuna Macaroni Casserole - adapted from a family cookbook

1 1/4 cup macaroni (dry)
1 can cream of celery soup (undiluted) (or substitute your favourite condensed cream soup)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup crushed corn flakes
1 1/2 Tbsp melted butter
3/4 tsp paprika
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp prepared mustard
1 can tuna, drained and flaked

Cook macaroni for 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain and set aside. In a 2 quart casserole dish, mix together soup, milk, mayonnaise, and mustard. Stir in cheese and tuna. Fold in the cooked macaroni. Combine the crushed corn flakes and melted butter. Sprinkle over casserole. Sprinkle paprika on top. Bake uncovered in 350 F oven for about 30 minutes or until heated through. Serves 4-5.

Brown Butter Brownies

I have tried quite a few brownie recipes, and this is definitely the best one I've made so far. This will give you a chewy, rich brownie. If you are still on the look out for the perfect brownie recipe, give this one a try.

Brown Butter Brownies - I found the recipe here

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon water
1/2 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder (spooned into cup to measure, then leveled)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, chilled
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon unbleached all purpose flour
3/4 cup pecan pieces (original recipe calls for 1 cup walnuts)

Place rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 325°F. Line 8x8 inch metal baking pan with foil, pressing foil firmly against pan sides and leaving 2-inch overhang. Coat foil with nonstick spray. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking until butter stops foaming and browned bits form at bottom of pan, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; immediately add sugar, cocoa, 1 teaspoon water, vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir to blend. Let cool 5 minutes. Add eggs to mixture 1 at a time, beating vigorously to blend after each addition. When mixture looks thick and shiny, add flour and stir until blended. Beat vigorously 60 strokes. Stir in nuts. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake brownies until toothpick inserted into center comes out almost clean (with a few moist crumbs attached), about 25-30 minutes. Cool in pan on rack. Using foil overhang, lift out of pan and cut into pieces.

Menu Plan

I'm getting impatient. These last days seem to go by so slowly. Hurry up, Baby! I'm going to try to stay busy so I'm not just sitting around here waiting...waiting...waiting. I think I'll do some of the baking listed below if I get restless.

Here's the plan for this week:

Sunday
Went out for lunch
Leftover homemade pizza for supper

Monday
Company Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Steamed Carrots

Tuesday
Leftovers

Wednesday
Firecracker Salmon, Stir Fry Veggies, Rice
*this one's been on my menu for many weeks now, but I haven't gotten around to it yet*

Thursday
Waffles with Saskatoon Berry Sauce, Eggs, Bacon, Fruit

Friday
BLT sandwiches & Potato Wedges

Saturday
Potato Soup & Baking Powder Cheese Biscuits

Baking/Other
Honey Whole Wheat Bread
Gingerbread Cake (NEW) with Whipped Cream
Banana Chip Muffins
French Breakfast Muffins (NEW)

*For more menu ideas visit Menu Plan Monday hosted by orgjunkie.com*

Ebook Giveaway

Jacinda from Growing Home just came out with her first ebook! She's giving away a copy to one of her readers. Go here to check it out!

Insomnia, 39 Weeks, & Potty Training

Insomnia

I. can't. sleep.

I don't know what my problem is, but for the past 3 nights I have been up ALL night till about 7 a.m. when I finally doze off and then I am woken up a few minutes later by a, "Wake Up Mommy!" This terrible sleep thing has caught up with me and is making me feel horrendous today. I feel like I have the flu or something. Muscle aches, back ache, stomache ache, indigestion, woozy head feeling, etc. This morning I resorted to doing something I hardly ever do - going downstairs with a blanket and pillow, turning the tv on and letting Ellie watch shows all morning while I tried to get a few short naps in. I pretty much never watch tv during the day when I'm home. We don't have a tv upstairs anymore, so I have to make an actual "effort" to go downstairs to watch something, which just doesn't happen. Anyway, the plan is to skip my afternoon nap today in hopes of being really, truly, exhausted and fall into bed for a decent night's sleep tonight. I hope that plan doesn't backfire on me. At night my mind is going a million miles a minute thinking about the baby, and then the terrible back aches keep me just uncomfortable enough to not sleep. Please, please, baby come quickly!

Midwife & VBAC update - 39 weeks
I had my midwife appointment yesterday, and the baby's head is now engaged. I am hoping this means the baby will arrive sooner rather than later. I am starting to feel anxiety about going over my due date because that will likely mean another c-section. I was under the impression that I *could* still be induced should I go too far over my due date and still try for a VBAC. However, I just found out this is not the case in our city. Once I am 41 weeks + 2 days over I will have to switch from the midwife to a doctor who will then be scheduling a C-section (and according to the midwife, most of them will push to have it done that day!) I could possibly do shared care with the midwife and doctor at that point, but the doctor would then be the boss, and most doctors here are not very VBAC friendly. They will not induce me here due to the increased risk of uterine rupture, so if I want a chance at a VBAC I *MUST* go into labour on my own ideally before 41 weeks 2 days to stick with the midwife and definitely before 42 weeks. A city a few hours away has some new technology that allows for safer induction of VBACs, but it is unlikely any doctor there would be willing to take me should I get to that point. With Ellie going 11 days overdue (41 weeks 4 days), I am feeling a little stressed even though I still have 2 weeks or so from today to go into labour on my own. We are praying, praying, praying this baby will not go that much overdue. Ultimately, though, this baby's birthday is already written in His book, so we do what we can do and leave the rest up to Him.

So far this baby is in an anterior position, which is optimal for birth. Ellie was posterior, and the labour was HORRIBLE from the beginning. There was really no easing into it. Then again, I have no idea what labour will be like this time, so maybe all labours are that horrible?? :-) I also had tons of strong braxton hicks with Ellie for weeks prior to going into labour but have had none that I know of with this one. It is so different this time around, so I'm hoping the labour will be *better* and faster this time, too, since this one is anterior so far.

Potty Training
I am happy to report that Ellie is now day-time trained! She hardly has any accidents anymore (maybe one every few days or so), and we only put a diaper on her at naptime and bedtime. We started a potty prize box to motivate her to stay dry, and this seems to have done the trick. I didn't really expect her to be trained before the baby arrives, but she was definitely ready and into it, so we gave it another go.

That's all to report for now....

Crockpot Chicken Curry

I am often experimenting with different curry recipes to find one close to my husband's favourite restaurant dish. This is one I came up with on my own after looking at several different recipes, and it's a winner for me and my husband. I think it's one of my new favourite meals. It makes the house smell SO good. This is also gluten free.

Chicken Curry

3-4 large chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes with juice
1 small can tomato paste
1 400 ml can coconut milk
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp garam masala
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp cumin
salt and pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 onion, diced finely

Saute onion, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes for a few minutes in a tablespoon of oil. Add everything to the crockpot and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until chicken is done. Serve over jasmine or basmati rice and naan bread.

Greek Salad with Creamy Feta Dressing

I love, love, love Greek salad. Instead of a vinaigrette, I made up a creamy feta dressing instead that is a definite keeper.

Greek Salad with Creamy Feta Dressing
Romaine Lettuce
Cucumber, sliced in half
Roma Tomato, cut into wedges

Creamy Feta Dressing - adapted from here
1/2 cup mayonnaise (not that fake sweet dressing-type stuff)
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil
dash or two or Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbsp corn syrup (start with about 1/2 this, and then adjust to your preference)
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

Whisk everything together, or if you like a smoother dressing, process in a food processor. I didn't bother processing it. Drizzle over salad. This also makes a great dip for veggies.

Menu Plan

Only 8 days away from my due date! (or 10 days if using a different calculation). I'm drinking my red raspberry leaf tea, chowing down pineapple, and have a few spicy dishes for this week. I'm getting terribly impatient!

Here's the plan for the week:

Sunday
Invited over for lunch
Leftovers for supper

Monday
Creamy Tomato Pasta with Salad

Tuesday
Firecracker Salmon, Stir Fry Veggies, Brown Rice

Wednesday
Crockpot Coconut Chicken Curry (using this recipe as a base), Mashed Potatoes (or leftover rice), Mixed Cooked Veggies

Thursday
Leftovers

Friday
Homemade Pizza & Caesar Salad

Saturday
Leftovers

Lunch Ideas
Oven Toasted Ham & Cheese Sandwiches
Curry Egg Salad Sandwiches
Greek Salad with Creamy Feta Dressing

*For more menu ideas visit Menu Plan Monday hosted by orgjunkie.com*