the countdown continues

i guess i am still going for it, even though i lost that one day *sigh*. four more days of NoBloPoMo.

my food diary has gone out the window but i am still eating the same--maybe slacking on the between meal snacks but that is b/c i can go longer without getting hungry and nauseous. a weeks worth of diary is pretty darn good. if a midwife requests one, it's usually 3 to 7 days of record anyway, so i'm good. next appointment on Dec 6th. always look forward to those. we are going to try hearing the heartbeat with the fetoscope this time.

other developments...my boobs are huge. (haha, no pun intended, of course.) but they were already huge, you say. well they got bigger, just this last few weeks, i reply while showing my milky white, heaving cleavage. nothing new there. i like v-necks. no one can make me cover-up my chest. crew necks on women with large breasts make them look even bigger and disproportioned, or as they say on What Not to Wear, "like they are growing from your neck." big no-no. so my cleavage shall be there for all to enjoy, but mostly it's for me. and my man. and my babies.

wow, i get to nurse a baby again. i get a faint tingling let down sensation just thinking about it. my breasts are breastfeeding breasts. i believe that 99% of women can actually successfully breastfeed (given the appropriate support, of course) and overcome most bfing obstacles like flat or inverted nipples, or milk supply issues. but i have never had an ounce of a problem. my nipples stand out a good 1/2 inch, so much so they called me Nip in high school. that was fun.

when i had isadore, Mayan was 2 and still "hitting the sauce" so my nips were in prime form-- perky and with little to no sensation. sweet isadore didn't not get to try latching on until her 10th day out of the womb, and as i "prepped the dairy bar" the nurse took one look at my nipples and said "i bet a horse could nurse on those." it was the weirdest compliment i have ever gotten. then they kicked my milk out of the nicu fridge, because i was hogging too much room. i probably could have fed all the babies in that room for a week with all of the milk i ended up throwing out. such a shame.

betcha didn't know this post would be all about boobies. yeah, me neither. maybe i should i should change the title....nah. that might attract the wrong kind of attention.

food diary 11-19-07, photobooth saves me again

tomorrow i will be 27. not a fancy number, but still comfortably in my 20's.


breakfast--scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, toast, pear, oj, water

snack--.....don't remember...

lunch--bowl of lentil and lamb stew (lamb, lentils, onion, leeks, carrots, celery), water

snack--brownie, water, satsuma orange

dinner--cheeseburger with lettece and onion on whole wheat bun, garlic fries, water



got silly with the girls tonight on photobucket:

food diary 11-17-07

Ack! *insert witty blog post here*

Blake has been giving me some subtle crap for always being *disconnected* in the evenings, glued to the laptop, clicking away on my Mothering thread....and it's true. By the time I get to the blog, I am feeling rushed and want to close up so I can spend some computer-less time with my hubby. Is there a NaBloPoMo support group for spouses of bloggers? Lol.....

This is exactly what I look like when I blog:




Breakfast--2 pancakes with peanut butter, bacon, oj and green tea

(yoga)

Snack--carrot and cucumber sticks with yogurt dip

Lunch--mixed green salad with chicken, sharp cheddar, grated carrots, and balsamic v-grette (ha ha like that new spelling?)

Early dinner--small burger with cheese and greens (totally boring and sad)

Cake Party--all sort of delectable sweets!

Snack--chips, more tea



VERY excited about the sushi dinner my friends are having for me tomorrow as an early b-day celebration. Bring on the lovely faces and the spicy tuna rolls!

food diary 11-16-07, belly pic

We bought vegetables today! This is very good news...I was feeling awful without a big green salad on hand...

Breakfast--the most perfect and basic breakfast: bacon, eggs over medium, toast, oj, water--perfection

After a surprise visit from the mother-in-law (!!!)..

Snack: pregnancy tea, crackers, pear, cheese

Lunch: lamb patties on pita with feta and cucumber yogurt sauce (really really yummy)

Snack: more tea i think

Dinner: (here come the veggies!) chicken sauteed with lime and garlic on corn tortillas with refried black beans, sour cream and avocado, brown rice, salad with baby greens, grated carrots and zucchini with a lime and oregano vinagarette, water


Still depending on Photobooth for belly pics--here is one by special request!

food diary 11-15-07

feeling a little better today--the day started off really yucky and i got kind of worried but now i have a lot of energy back and am not nauseated.but it was probaly my worst eating day since i started the diary. we are out of leafy greens and i am very sad about that, and no money until monday. seinfeld starts soon and i want to read some of my blogs of love so..

breakfast--this is very sad, i sat down to eat what sounded really good then it looked terrible, so i only ate half of the following: fried potatoes (you know things are off when potatoes don't sound good), scrambled eggs with broccoli, toast, small glass of oj

snack--tea, didn't really get hungry so i made myself eat lunch soon after.....

lunch--grilled ham and cheese, water, juice squeeze

snack--cashews, water

dinner--brown rice, lamb patties on pita bread with cucumber yogurt sauce and feta, few orange slices, water

it's looking like i will be eating...some crackers with cheese and salami, maybe some chocolate later. i want salad--boo-hoo!!!!!

food diary 11-14-07 and maybe a little whining...

all-in-all, i love being pregnant. it's a very special time--a time to marvel at the female body and it's capabilities, a time of introspection, tender vulnerability and empowerment, a time to have sex without having to worry about birth control!

my last two pregnancies were classic, i guess you could say--very sick in the first trimester (all-nausea, tiredness), sexy and fun in the second, and fertile goddess-like in the third (but with some leg cramps and heartburn.) most of the later symptoms were things that could be treated naturally or with some care, and were all just a part of the glory of carrying a child. i am never one to bitch and moan and say "get this THING out of me!" that "thing" is your child and everyday you live together as intimately as two human being could ever be--your breath is their breath, your food is their food, your life is their life--pretty cool really!

so based on my past i should be in my "golden trimester"--round belly, healthy glow, feeling energetic and frisky. well, from about 12 weeks to a few days ago, i was reveling in my 2nd tri glory....but then i regressed! i feel as bad as i did on week 9...sour stomach, bad taste in my mouth, and just sluggish and tired! its the nausea that bothers me the most. luckily, i am not puking during the day, just a nice food-less session in the morning to clear out the stomach acid and mucus from the night (which i am fiiiiine with) and i'm also thankful that i am eating. i have these windows of hunger where food sounds great, so i eat..then after 5 minutes my stomach starts to turn...i gag but keep my food down, then i just spend the next few hours (until i get hungry again) feeling like...poop. so whats up that? i know it's hormonal, and there is nothing i can do. i guess i am just feeling a little gyped.

at the same time i am feeling humbled because i always kind of judged those women that complained about all-pregnancy nausea, that maybe they just weren't taking very good care of themselves, eating the right foods, or moving enough...or that they were just plain sour, pregnancy-is-a-pain types. i feel like i am doing everything "right" and still that is the way is this time around for me (eating balanced meals and indulging cravings, exercising regularly, drink fluids, getting chiro.) i will accept it. i will not complain (much.) i will still try to enjoy the good stuff as best i can. 'cause, you know, i am growing a BABY. and that is just too cool.



breakfast--pancakes with pb and syrup, bacon, oj

snack--tea (i woke up reeeally late)

lunch--nachos with cheese, beef, avocado, sour cream

snack--yogurt with raspberries, water

dinner--sauteed chicken livers, steamed broccoli, baked potatoes, glass of raw milk


i'll eat an apple later.....who knows what else...

food diary 11-13-07

i am not sure how long i can survive without a camera. it's pathetic. we can afford one until our property sale closes just AFTER the holidays. no way, man. not cool.

the only upside is that since i usually am the one losing things, and blake was the one that lost the camera, he can no longer roll eyes, get annoyed, or otherwise give me crap. he IS human afterall! i always had my suspicions...



let do this, House is on:

breakfast--scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and cream cheese, toast, oj, pear slices and raspberries

snack--small plate of nachos: corn chips, cheese, sour cream, HOT salsa, water

(hike with Breana on Powell Butte)

lunch--salad with tomatoes, cuc, feta, garlic vinagerette (i am spelling that wrong? b/c spell check keeps giving me hell...); fries and half a strawberry shake from burgerville (all Breana's fault by the way!)

snack--satsuma mandarin (yay--they are in season!!)

dinner--leftover spag and meatballs, more salad! with zuc, carrots, feta...it was really good.

just now--two peanut butter cookies


is this getting boring yet? at this point, knowing i am going to have to write this down is helping me eat more balanced, but i know leftover spaghetti and scrambled eggs with toast AGAIN is not, like, a to-die-for read.

but thanks for hanging around anyway:-)

food diary 11-12-07

must. have. spaghetti and meatballs.


breakfast--smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, two pieces of toast, oj

after that we were officially out of food. shopping we went. had some samples along the way...cheese, taters, satsumas...

lunch--beef stew with root veggies

snack--preg tea, cashews

dinner--(yet to be eaten) spag and meatballs, salad (mixed greens, carrots, purple cabbage, cuc, vinagrette)


okay. i just cried at a fred meyer commercial. about using their reusable, collapsible grocery bags. that's the hormones talkin'.

food diary 11-11-07, kitten story

sunday breakfast--more pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs, oj (simple and wonderful)

snack--oops long hot bath instead (*see additional story below)

lunch--little pile of lasag (it all gone now), big pile of sauteed chard, toast, water

snack--ruined my dinner at a potluck eating cashews, salmon dip (salmon and cream cheese), assorted crackers and bread, lentil and squash salad with feta...and a hot chai!

dinner--small bowl of beef stew with root veggies


now that it's almost 10pm...i am very hungry.

ETA--snack--apple, pregnancy tea, crackers with smoked salmon and cream cheese, dark chocolate with almonds. told you i was hungry.



*while i was in the bath, the kitten came to check things out...he seemed very cautious but sure-footed--found a way to get a little drink of bath water (ew.) later i got out to dry off, didn't drain the bath all the way b/c i though the girls would want to get in. while i was drying off, i heard it: SPLASH! followed by many more short, frantic splashes. Poor kitty! i rushed in to get him out, and there he was pathetically and desperately "cat paddling" his way out of the tub. i assisted his escape and wanted to dry him off but he was GONE, totally embarrassed and licking his drenched fur under the bed not wanting any human assistance. i checked on him a few moment later and he was already gone....i had to follow the trail of water downstairs to the dining room where he then let me towel him dry. it was sad and hysterical at the same time...and i am pretty sure he learned his lesson and is a full-on hydrophobe now. wish i had a picture....

food diary 11-10-07

i'm tired....i better write this before i forget what i ate today....


breakfast......shoot. what did i eat?

oh!

breakfast--big leftover pancake with peanut butter, three pieces of bacon, oj, water

(yoga)
snack--pear, cheese slices

lunch--mixed greens with chicken, tomatoes, feta with sherry vinagrette, water

snack--ANOTHER pancake with pb and syrup...they are sooooo goooood, milk

dinner--leftover meat and veggie lasagna, seeded baguette, cranberry juice



oops, forgot to drink my tea today...might have one cup left i'll drink before bed......zzzzzzzzz

food diary 11-9-07

breakfast--scrambled eggs with zucchini and cheese, few pieces of bacon, sprouted grain toast with raw butter, oj

snack--yogurt with fresh raspberries and maple syrup (again! i know but i ate all the raspberries this time...so, you know...that's the end of that), pregnancy tea*

lunch--(ate late and had a HUGE hankering that had to be satisfied) tall stack of buttermilk pancakes with peanut butter and syrup...and it was sooooooo goooooood, more oj, water

dinner--homemade meat and veggie lasagna (beef, italian sausage, broc, carrots, zuc, lots of garlic, ricotta, mozzarella, tomato sauce); salad with mixed greens, radish, apple, almonds, and sherry vinagrette.

i am sure i will be hitting more of that lasag later tonight...oh, yeah!


*I made my first infusion of pregnancy tea, filled a quart jar with the dried herbs and can now make a quart a day easily to drink. the tea is:

2 parts red raspberry leaf
2 parts nettles1 part oat straw
1/2 part rose hips
1/4 part red clover
1/4 part spearmint

(I based this variation from the book The Natural Pregnancy Book by Aviva Jill Romm)

can't you guess?

Breakfast--yogurt with fresh raspberries and maple syrup, scrambled eggs, last half of leftover potato pancake (a little morning after quickie), water

Snack--apples, cheese, salami (few slices of each), cup of tea

Lunch--one perfect slice of sausage and roasted potato pizza from Pizzicato (thank you, B!!!), big ol' arugala pear salad with walnuts and blue cheese

Snack--no snack, i fell asleep

Dinner--lamb chop, risotto with peas, water, cranberry juice


So, we had our second prenatal visit with the "wives" today...Blake got to hear the heartbeat for the first time and also got very chatty and did some bonding with the ladies (it's a team of two plus their apprentice). Baby (which should be about the size of an avocado) sounds great, still very deep in my body and kicked then floated away from the doppler. Heehee....

I have been making a big effort to be really good to myself but not be nuts (that isn't my style anyway)--yoga once or twice a week, walking one to two miles a few times a week, staying very hydrated, napping when the urge hits...one of the great things about pregnancy for me is that extra nudge to be good to yourself. That is not to say I don't treat myself--in fact, the juxtaposition is that it also gives you the excuse to splurge a bit. Like the pound of fries I ate at Hawthorne Fish House the other day with Breana (that is to say I went with her but I didn't share one single fry, I shamelessly downed to whole pound) and snagging the uneaten potato cakes from my friends plates last night. Do we see a theme developing here? The current joke is this baby will be named "Tater." Fried potatoes in any form rule.


Blake misplaced the camera on his trip to Bend last weekend--so here is the weekly belly shot taken by PhotoBooth:

So later than evening.....

Food diary cont.
(....but keep reading for something juicy;-)

Snack--tea, half apple

Dinner--potato pancakes, kraut, one beer sausage and weiss wurst.....oh my gooooooood it was gooooooood. and mustard. and a half of a pilsner (with two glasses of water over two hours)



We threw a surprise dinner for a friend at the Berlin Inn. I just want to give a little shout out to German food: German food, you rocked my world tonight. Once I saw your crisped-to-perfection, golden potato pancake exterior I knew that although it was Joi's birthday, this night was about YOU and ME. I like how you started me off slow with the mild, herbed veal Weiss wurst...but then you kicked it up a notch and got fiesty with the beer wurst--lubed up with some smooth as silk mustard. All the while whispering sweet kraut nothings into my...mouth.

Oh, yes we will see each other again. Would I seem to eager if I called you tomorrow.....? Maybe I could just stop by....

Worthy of it's own post

I just saw this on my BFF's blog and had to give it some due.

20 things that are more dangerous to children than lead in Mattel toys.


Word!

****
Anyone want to know what I ate so far today? Well, I am going to tell you anyway...

Breakfast--scrambled eggs with turkey and zucchini, sprouted grain toast because it rules the universe (esp with our raw butter), orange juice

Snack--plain yogurt with raspberries and maple syrup

Lunch--big ol' bowl of pea soup, small slices of seeded baguette, juice squeeze



Okay, I should go drink some water.