classic butternut squash soup

Something amazing just recently happened in our house: we actually made a meal out of one of my belly picture vegetables rather than allowing it to go to waste!

I'll admit: I've been horrible and lazy.  The acorn squash, the rutabaga, most of the head of lettuce, and about maybe a 1/4 of the cucumber went into the trash.  Sure, plenty of the other fruits and veggies have been consumed over the course of the last 30 weeks, but I've tossed out more than I planned to.

Until... I bought the butternut squash.  I was determined to make soup out of this gourd, as I've been craving and desiring to make homemade soups for weeks.  Instead of buying the produce and telling myself I'd look for a recipe later, I pulled one up on my phone before entering the store and bought the squash AND all the other items needed for the recipe all at the same time!  GENIUS!  (I know; not really, but I'm pregnant and my mind is jello so give me a break.)

The recipe I found is from Whole Foods and Oh. My. Gosh. this soup came out incredibly delicious.  It was very easy to make and called for simple ingredients (Eric did most of it but I did help prep!).  We didn't bother with puréeing the soup at the end, and I actually really liked it soft and chunky.  Paired with whole wheat Italian bread and pan-fried veggies, it tasted fabulous and was healthy!

Classic Butternut Squash Soup

pregnancy [week 35]

I'm almost surprised that it took until the last day of the last week of my 8th month of pregnancy to be so miserable as to take a belly picture with no make up, hair wet from the shower, wearing pajamas, and just not giving a damn.  I had stayed home from work in fear of the painful and repeated [non-labor] contractions I'd had the day before.  Other than utter exhaustion and normal pregnancy-related body weaknesses, I ended up contraction-free during the day and didn't experience an encore until that evening.  While the returning pain wasn't as scary and didn't last nearly as long, these Braxton Hicks are definitely making me wonder how much longer I'm going to be able to work.  I've been planning all along to stay on until I go into labor, but I'm not so sure of my abilities anymore.  Mainly, I'm just so freaking tired and uncomfortable that I'd love nothing more than to sleep all day, everyday, until Simon comes.

a cuter photo of me from earlier in the week

 Niners are going to the Super Bowl!

But don't get me wrong; it was actually a pretty great week.  We started things off with our very last baby shower, thrown by my fabulous and supportive co-workers.  Eric drove up to my school to join in the event, and boy we had no idea that he'd be joining in on the festivities in a performing capacity!  (I'll share more later!)  Then we had our hospital tour; we were in a group of about 10-15 couples and it felt so strange to be around so many other pregnant women.  Our group got to witness a woman in labor coming in to the hospital to check-in, which was so surreal and a little bit frightening for me.  Also as we were touring the family waiting room, we heard the lullaby play that signals a baby being born.  Hearing the tune nearly brought tears to my eyes and made me imagine the lullaby that will play for my family and friends when Simon comes.  The tour was great and I feel so lucky and thankful that I will be giving birth in such a state of the art, nurturing facility.  And finally as you saw above, we have a crib!  After sorting through all of our shower gifts, we gathered our duplicate items, gift cards, and the old crib we were given by our wonderful friends Jeff and Kerry that unfortunately we couldn't assemble due to missing pieces, and headed down to Babies "R" Us.  With the help of their trade-in event, we were able to recycle the old crib in-store for 25% off the purchase of a new one, and factoring in our gift cards and reimbursements from our returns we were able to save $100!  Simon finally has a bed and it was such a relief getting this major to-do crossed off our list (plus, it was a real treat watching Eric assemble the crib; he's really a dad now!).

 a preview of the baby shower shenanigans

At 35 weeks, our growing boy is the size of a coconut, and after deciding that I didn't have the energy to go out and find one, we ended up seeing some at the store yesterday... and they were way too small!  What isn't small is this baby, though; The Bump says that my uterus has grown about 1,000 times its original size!  As crowded as my lungs and other organs feel, Simon is crowded in his watery home as well and all of his movements and rolls make my belly protrude in crazy directions.  The swelling in my hands and feet--and sometimes ankles--has become a daily occurrence and is really starting to become uncomfortable.  My wedding band is always tight and now makes a clear indentation on my finger.  As much as the swelling and water retention is bothering me, I doubt it's anything outside of the ordinary, but I still plan to bring it to my doctor's attention at my next appointment.  Topping off the list of this week's symptoms are recurring back pain, regular leg cramps that wake me several times during the night, and persistent heartburn.  I know I am coming up on the finish line, but I'm having SO. MUCH. DISCOMFORT.  Simon is so going to be worth this long wait, but I am surprised to find myself already saying that I'M DONE and I don't think I'll really mind too much now if he comes a little early.  Baby boy, your mama is tired!     

baby shower #2

Two weekends ago, Eric's amazing hockey team threw us a co-ed baby shower.  Themed around hockey and the team's name and logo, the wonderful wives of the team captain and alternate captains put together the most adorable and man-friendly baby party to welcome Simon's coming arrival.  The ladies provided yummy veggie cups and fruit skewers and THE MOST delicious artichoke dip imaginable, as well as a really tasty fruit punch that was hard to believe was virgin.  To please the guys, a keg and an ice chest full of beer were on hand and the first round of NFL playoffs was on the TV.  And then of course, there was the hockey puck cake!  Chocolate with cream cheese filling; it was to die for.  We played a few trivia games (one titled "Christina or Eric?" -- 20 random facts and the guests had to guess which facts were about me and which were about Eric) and opened our lovely presents.  The group made us feel so special and loved and we are truly so very thankful to our teammates friends for their extreme generosity and the thought and planning they put in to making such a cute shower.  I was also impressed with all the menfolk who were willing to come; I promised beer and football so I don't think much arm-twisting was involved!  

the AMAZING cake!

 

the ladies

the men

 

the rest of the guys

adorable decorations

 

and presents

 

the Simon cup!

 

cute banner

 

playing trivia games

 

the delicious spread

 

the belly with the cake

 

parents-to-be!

 

Simon hanging out

 

more of our guests

opening gifts

 

San Jose Sharks onesies!

 

a future fan like Mommy

an outfit for hockey games

 

changing pad

 

watching the gift opening

 

totally appropriate skull onesie

 

the majority of our loot

A million thank yous to the Jones, Freeman, and Myers families (SPECIFICALLY Kerry, Debra, and Kathy) for our amazing hockey shower.  We love you!

pregnancy [week 34]

We began the week with our 2nd baby shower, this one put together by Eric's awesome hockey team.  While I will write more about it and share pictures in a separate post, I want to say now that I am still so in awe of the caring and generosity of so many people in our lives.  We are so incredibly lucky to have the love and support of our family and friends as we prepare to welcome Simon into the world, which will be in a few short weeks!  We're quickly coming into the homestretch of this pregnancy and it won't be too much longer before meeting our darling baby boy.

our awesome hockey shower cake!

  
I finally went back to work after 3 1/2 weeks off (2 1/2 weeks of winter break plus an additional 5 days of bereavement leave).  No part of me was looking forward to going back due to how much my energy level decreased during my time off.  I had such a great fear that my body wouldn't be able to keep up, and I got quite emotional worrying about it the night before my return.  Surprisingly, my body has quickly adjusted to my normal routine but my mind is having a hard time catching up.  The last 3 days have been like a fog and trying to acclimate myself to our new classroom schedule that was put in place before I came back has been similar to starting a brand new job.  The bright side is, though, that while my brain is struggling to retain all the new information and recall all the old, I'm not stressing out over my inability to keep up.  It's like I'm not even aware of what I'm missing, like I'm in la-la land!

Although I've been taking it easy since my return from New Mexico, I am still having swelling in my hands and feet.  It's been much more pronounced in my fingers, but Eric's given me a few wonderful foot rubs and continues to help me with dressing and getting around the house with my bruised and scabbed knee inhibiting my mobility.  I'm constantly thirsty from the moment I wake up in the morning until I fall asleep at night and find myself chugging ice water as often as possible, but my healthy hydration isn't doing enough to prevent the tingly feeling in my hands.  I took off my engagement ring a couple days ago because it was really hurting due to the swelling, and now my wedding ring is starting to cut off some circulation even though it's a looser band.  Eric is urging me to take it off now, but I was really hoping to make it through this pregnancy without having to part with both rings.  I'll eventually succumb when it becomes too painful; I definitely don't want it getting stuck on my finger!   

Simon is the size of a butternut squash at 34 weeks.  I'm not feeling any pressure in the lower part of my uterus and the boy continues to bounce off my ribs, so I think it's safe to say that he has yet to make his descent toward the birth canal.  I still think he is in the head-down position, as the tiny bumps that protrude from the side of my belly are really starting to feel like tiny feet.  Eric and I talk more and more about how we think our son will act and what he will do when he comes and what life will be like as a family of 3.  It's going to be such a change, but it's one we look forward to and are happy to be experiencing together.  In fact, Eric said the funniest thing to me this week about our current stage in life:

"We're such adults now; I'm going to work, you're pregnant... I have a beard."

Yep, we're definitely pretty grown up! 

pregnancy [week 33]

My trip with my dad to New Mexico was short and sweet, but MAN am I glad we didn't drive.  In 3 days I was more exhausted than I've ever been, and I know this ain't nothing yet.  But plane rides and car rides and lots of going here and there can be very tiring for an 8-month pregnant lady.  Simon did really well, and of course was his active little self during the whole trip.

The morning we left started out with a bang, and that bang was me.  I got up at 2:30 am to go to the bathroom and on my way back to bed, I clumsily tripped over my suitcase and went flying.  Thankfully, I landed on my hands and knees but of course the crashing noise scared the living crap out of Eric as well as my dad, who was sleeping downstairs.  I wouldn't allow myself to fall back asleep until I felt Simon move, which only took about 10-15 minutes, but I remained wide awake until my alarm went off at 4:00 am.  Needless to say, it was a very long day of travel and visiting with family with a bruised and horribly carpet-burned knee.  A waddle plus a limp equals a very slow-moving mama! 

I took my diaper bag for a spin as my carry-on for the plane ride.

This is us at the airport at 5:30 in the morning!

My grandpa's service was really nice.  Our family gathered in the small town where he and my dad were born, Fort Sumner, New Mexico.  The funeral began with a Catholic mass and was followed by a military honor from the Air Force Honor Guard.  It was a really moving ceremony to watch and I am grateful for our cousin who reminded us that my grandpa was eligible for military services.  The rest of our time was spent with our family.  My dad had just been in New Mexico 2 months prior for his grandmother's (my grandpa's mom) funeral, but I hadn't visited since 1998 and hadn't seen some of the family since 2002.  Everyone agreed that we all need to get together more under happier circumstances, and one of my grandpa's cousins has started talking about planning a family reunion, the first in 11 years if it's put together by this summer.  I really enjoyed seeing everyone and I am very grateful that I was able to attend the funeral.  I look forward to telling Simon about this trip when he is older and hope I get to bring him there again with Eric some day in the future.

At 33 weeks, Simon is the size of a durian... whatever that is!  After spending 2 straight days on the couch recovering from travel, there was no way I was going to even try attempting to find one of these things.  On a lighter note, our boy is measuring at about 4.2 to 5.8 lbs. and 17.2 to 18.7 in.  While we were in New Mexico, Simon began this new trick of beating on me really, REALLY hard when it's time for us to eat.  If dealing with hunger while pregnant isn't enough, having a baby use your insides as a punching bag isn't any better.  I also hit a milestone myself: my hands and feet finally became swollen.  My dad thought it may have been due to the elevation (we were at approximately 4,000 ft. in New Mexico), but I was still swollen during the entire day after we got back.  My hands and feet have since returned to their normal size, which leads me to believe that the swelling was really due to all my activity during the time we were gone and not enough relaxing with my feet up.  My rings aren't hurting me as much as they were and I've started wearing ankle socks so I don't have to worry about cutting off the circulation in my legs.  For now, I'm just dealing with the heat (internally, I'm a furnace!) and watching the clock tick and the days pass as we get closer to meeting our son.  Our hospital tour has been scheduled and before we know it, it will be time to pack the diaper bag and install the car seats.  This baby is coming soon!

pregnancy [week 32]

We rang in the new year of 2013 a few days into my 32nd week of pregnancy.  It was just another one of several get-togethers we've attended since I've been pregnant where I wasn't able to partake in a celebratory toast or shot or enjoy a taste of fabulous wine or other spirits, but I've gotten pretty used to it.  Sure, you may catch me jealously sniffing at the fruity aroma of Eric's blueberry beer, but I've chosen to 100% abstain from alcohol consumption while pregnant.  And as I enter my 8th month, I can proudly say that I have stayed true to my vow since learning of my pregnancy.  It truly hasn't been a difficult thing to give up, and while a sip here or there probably wouldn't harm Simon, I'd rather not even take the chance.  I'd prefer to just bring a can of Sprite along with me to a party and pig-out on all the tasty treats!

our first family photo of 2013!

I had this month's prenatal appointment rescheduled for this week to precede my trip with Dad to New Mexico for my grandpa's funeral.  My doctor said my weight gain and blood pressure are perfect, was impressed with my kick count card results and Simon's level of activity, and even complimented me for taking the stairs rather than the elevator.  We reviewed my birth plan and the importance of being aware of what sorts of things will be happening during labor, delivery, and postpartum, and why certain decisions should be made or considered in advance.  I understand that things may not go exactly as planned on D-day, and I am ready to be flexible and change course if needed to keep my son's health and safety a top priority.  I also addressed the issue of travel to New Mexico and my doctor assured me that it is safe to travel by plane up until the time you deliver your baby.  Most restrictions come from the airlines themselves rather than from practitioners, because no airline wants a woman going into labor and delivering a baby on board.  My doctor understood my concerns but gave me the green light to go, even sharing her opinion that I should fly rather than drive.

Had I actually posted this blog on time 2 nights ago (yeah right lol), you would be reading that my dad and I decided to stick with driving to New Mexico due to the expensive prices of airfare and the reduced expense of not needing to rent a car.  But because I am lazy, you are instead going to learn that just hours ago we changed plans and have decided to fly.  After checking out my car to make sure it was in sufficient condition to make the trip, my dad found some things that were in need of replacing and quickly began running out of time to finish everything that needs to be done before we leave.  He felt it best to just book airfare and finish up my car when we return and I agreed.  Eric isn't completely comfortable with me flying, but he wants me to go.  I understand his nerves of me traveling with the baby; honestly, I'm always nervous when traveling--pregnant or not.  But we plan to be as safe as possible, and flying will be a lot less stressful on my body.  With my doctor's clearance, I'm okay with it.  And I found out that I get 5 days of bereavement leave for an out-of-state funeral, which means I'll have plenty of rest and recovery time.  I feel very strongly about going, and I'm very glad that I get to.

Baby is the size of a squash at 32 weeks (and because The Bump did not specify exactly what kind of squash, I decided to be lazy and not buy one).  It's typical for babies to begin positioning themselves head-down at this point, and by my explanation of where I'm always feeling Simon's powerful hiccups my doctor agrees that he is most-likely already in the chest-down position, beginning to prepare for his exit route in the coming weeks.  It would also make sense for him to be feet up considering the beating my ribcage has been taking recently.  He's kicked me so hard, I'm thinking that I actually have bruised ribs!  It's painful to cough or sneeze, lay down or sit up, or even simply breathe.  Eric said he didn't think that the boy is big enough to bruise me, but he has no idea what I'm feeling and how much I'm hurting.  Stiffness in my back and burning in my throat from heartburn and indigestion are still frequent, and my sleep is starting to become interrupted due to discomfort.  But I remind myself as we enter this year of our son's birth that there will be many sleepless nights ahead before we know it.  And because these sleepless nights will include holding my baby boy in my arms, I am sure that somewhere through the exhaustion and weariness I'll find a reason to smile.    

pregnancy [week 31]

Near the end of my 7th month of pregnancy, we celebrated the holidays and the beginning of my 2 1/2 week vacation from work.  2 days before Christmas, Eric and I made an overnight trip to Tahoe thanks to my friend, Jen.  Her work had a 5-day timeshare at Lake Tahoe Vacation Resort and there were 2 nights when one of the rooms was going to be vacant.  She offered it to us and I practically jumped for joy (I say practically because I can't really jump at all lol) at the idea of a free night in Tahoe with snow just before Christmas.  We drove up in a pretty hairy snow storm, but with the 4-wheel drive engaged in Eric's truck we arrived safely and had a great time walking around in the sideways-falling snow.  Our room was a miniature apartment, complete with a kitchen and living room where we made spaghetti for dinner and cozied-up in front of the TV and fireplace.  The short trip was exactly what we needed to have some time together just the 2 of us, and luckily the weather was clear and sunny for our drive home.

We spent Christmas Eve at Eric's dad's house.  Benjamin could not contain his excitement looking at all of the treasures waiting for him, so we opened presents before dinner.  Simon had a few gifts under the tree, which was really sweet and made me so excited to think about his first Christmas next year.  After recovering from the food coma, Eric and I ventured out for our tradition of looking at the Christmas lights in Rocklin.  While the weather was clear, I wasn't sure if I felt up to walking the neighborhood and was debating asking Eric if we could drive through instead.  We apparently showed up earlier than we have in past years because the line of cars waiting to drive through was insane!  I decided that waiting in the car would be worse than getting out and walking, so we found a parking spot on the next block over and made the trek.  My back started pinching up toward the end, but I made it through the entire neighborhood on foot without falling or killing anyone.  As we made our way back to the car, I realized that when we come next year we will have a stroller in tow!  Our lives are going to change drastically after Simon's arrival, but our traditions will still remain and it will be such a joy to share them with him.

opening Simon's gifts

 

 Pappy (Eric's dad) thinks he's hilarious

 close-up of the onesies

 

Christmas morning began nicely.  Eric and I exchanged gifts before our dads made their way over for our omelet breakfast.  It was a short and sweet gathering with the absence of Eric's brother and sister, but enjoyable nonetheless.  Not long after breakfast did my dad's phone ring with the news about my grandpa.  It threw off the rest of our day and we decided not to attend Christmas dinner at my cousin, Teri's.  She and her husband, Jon, were sweet enough to drop by with food anyway and stayed for a short visit.  At this point, I am waiting for the county office to reopen after the holidays so I can contact HR about our bereavement policy.  From there, I will be seeing my doctor for a check-up and if both green-light me, I'll be making the trip to the funeral in New Mexico with my dad by car.  Losing a family member is always a difficult process, and dealing with the loss during the holidays makes it no easier.  I really hope I am able to attend the services, just as long as Simon's health and safety won't be compromised.

At 31 weeks, our boy is the size of a pineapple... which we chopped up and deliciously served with Christmas breakfast haha!  I am excited to learn that all 5 of his senses are now fully developed, but of course he won't actually be able to pick up any smells until he exits the womb and begins breathing oxygen.  His activity level is still in high gear, and as he's growing and becoming stronger his hiccups and kicks are very uncomfortable.  I wince in pain practically every time he decides to jab a body part into a sensitive place, and all his other movements feel like spasms.  Gone are the days of feeling cute, little movements--Simon is busting me up all over the place!  I'm still struggling to breathe as my love bug continues to crowd my lungs and diaphragm, and I am now looking forward to when he will begin to drop and I can inhale a little easier.  Although, dropping will mean he's preparing for his entrance into the world, and as much as I can't wait to meet him we are not quite ready for his debut just yet.  Still gotta get that nursery together!