Rhubarb Cake

Had to share a quick rhubarb recipe.  I try to find a new one every summer and usually fail.  But I actually tried this one, and I love it! So yummy and very easy.  Enjoy!
http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/desserts/rhubarb-cake-2/

A little baby babble

This is what I got at a 6am changing.  How could you be upset that this little guy woke you up at 6am because he was wet and hungry?! This is what keeps me going even when I'm completely exhausted. 

Number 2!

Two years ago, I stepped into my white dress, walked down the aisle, and said I do to one awesome guy.  I couldn't have dreamt of a better 2 years.  Here's to another great year of many firsts and blessings in our lives. I love you, hubby!

Brody Update

It's been a while since I've visited blog world.  Thought I would share some pictures of my little man as he keeps getting bigger and bigger! 

We are slowly learning how to be good parents as Brody is learning about us and the world.  He's already had multiple trips to Wal-mart, been to his first cattle sale, first branding, hung out with the guys in the garage, and been to a birthday party.  Along with a lot of his firsts, he gets to see his Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins often.  Overall, life is pretty good.  Except the crazy ND wind that keeps us inside most days...

A Baby Story

Here I am, 2 weeks after baby Brody joined our family.  I've read birth stories before and always thought to myself that I wouldn't sit down and share mine because it was our story.  But this one is a little different.  Life had to stop and we had to bring baby into this world whether he was ready or not.

I went to my 39 week appointment (actually 38 weeks and 6 days) at 11:30am.  I had planned to get to my appointment, grab some lunch (Wendy's jr bacon cheeseburger to be exact!), and get back to work.  Hubby and I got in the room fairly quickly and I was excited because I was starving.  The nurse weighed me and checked my blood pressure like usual.  This time, we had a little different situation.  My BP was a little on the high side.  Well, doctor came in and finished out the appointment by having the nurse re-check my BP.  After she checked it, doctor came back in and said we are sending you up to the Babykind floor to be observed and have some labs drawn.  Okay, fine, I thought.  I called work and let them know I was going to be late because of this and headed upstairs.

We were put in a room, hooked up to a monitor, BP taken, labs drawn.  About an hour later, the charge nurse came in the room and said, Well, we are having a baby today or tomorrow.  I looked at hubby or support because I was in shock.  He asked the nurse what was wrong and she said labs came back abnormal and doctor wanted baby out but he would explain more when he came up.  I started crying and shaking because I was NOT ready for this (this is still hard to think about!). 

They put us in a labor and delivery room, gave me my lovely hospital gown, put me in bed and hooked up all the monitors.  At this point, I was scared and still in shock....and starving!  They brought me a lovely tray of a liquid diet and left me there for awhile before the doctor came in.  At this point, we had called and texted those few people we said we were going to inform.  The nurse came back to start my IV and about 6:30 the doctor finally came in.  In the meantime, my sister in law came to sit with us and hubby went home to shower and grab our bags.  When the doctor came in, he explained that I had preeclampsia and we had to get baby out for the safety of both of us.  He broke my water and they hooked me up to pitocin along with Magnesium Sulfate to help stabilize my BP.  There was no turning back now!

Still scared, I had no choice but to try to be brave.  I couldn't have done it without my hubby and sister in law there to keep me sane.  Things were progressing, contractions were coming.  I was even having contractions on my own and the pitocin was slowed...and then again increased...ugh!  All I wanted to do at this point was sleep.  I knew I needed it because we were on a long road.  I knew I couldn't have an epidural because my platelets were low again.  So my only option was to fight it without drugs or use Nubain.  I told myself that I didn't want to use the Nubain because I knew it had affects on baby, but I needed sleep.  I was having horrible back labor and couldn't sleep with that. 

Since my BP was so high, I wasn't supposed to be able to leave my bed except to use the bathroom.  But the nurse at that time was nice enough to bring me the exercise ball to sit on for awhile and let me sit in the rocker.  They also let me walk to another room to use the whirlpool tub.  The tub was my only relief and I sat in there as long as they let me.  Through all this, I was still a little in denial.  Contractions were coming and going and hubby was there by my side through it all.  Even though he woke up at 4:30am Wednesday morning for work and didn't get to sleep until Thursday night about 11:00pm. 

Morning came and went, even though I had no clue what time it was.  Sometime around 2:00, I was ready.  I was dilated to a 9 and needed to push.  My sister in law found the nurse and things started.  SIL was gathering her stuff to leave when I asked her to stay.  I knew that not only I needed her, but hubby did too. 

Things went on and the doctor came in.  We tried and tried and tried, but baby boy wasn't moving.  We found out that he was face up and that was causing problems.  Finally the doctor gave me 3 options.  I could keep trying, we could try the vacuum, or we could go in for a c-section.  Well, the c-section was our last option and I knew I couldn't keep going myself.  So we tried the vacuum.  After a few tears and concerns between hubby and I, we tried it.  This didn't work either.  The doctor was even frustrated and had already called the surgical team because he knew this wasn't going to work.  Finally, they were prepping me for my c-section.  Hubby lost it.  He wasn't going in the OR with me.  They said I couldn't have an epidural and I would have to be put under.  This scared hubby and he was done.  But they checked my platelets again and they came back normal and I was able to move forward with the epidural and quick surgery to get my son in the world.

At 4:52pm, Brody joined our family.  The team of doctors and nurses checked him over and let hubby cut the cord.  They wrapped him up and gave him to hubby.  I finally got to see him.  We shared some smiles and tears just looking at him.  But then I had to go to recovery and Brody still needed weighed and checked over again.  Hubby took him to the nursery where my parents and hubby's mom, sister and nieces were waiting to meet him. 

I was in recovery for about an hour before being taken to my room where daddy and baby were cuddling in the chair.  They got to spend some quality time getting to know each other.  What a special time for them.  Over the next 3 days, I recovered in my hospital bed and baby was taken care of by us and the nurses. 

Brody lost 1lb 3oz in the hospital and he was dehydrated.  We almost didn't get to go home on Sunday.  But I agreed to supplement feedings to get him hydrated and back up to his birth weight.   We had to bring him back to the hospital the next day to weigh him and check his bili because he was a little jaundice before we left. 

My BP was stable when we left and I had to make an appointment to get it rechecked later that week.  We are both healthy now and no worries about high BP or jaundice. 

This story really doesn't put what I went through into reality.  I can honestly say it was a long, exhausting few days, but I knew in the end baby boy was going to be here.  I don't remember having  whole lot of pain or going to hell and back before he was here.  I do know that I was the talk of the floor for a few days.  Even though there were 14 babies born in those 5 days.  The nurses all said I was one tough cookie and they wouldn't trade places with me.  I didn't realize what I had gone through until I started thinking about not having an epidural while they used the vacuum to try to get baby out.  Being so focused on the end result really helps with pain tolerance.  And I will never complain about those few days when I look at my little man! :) 

Introducing Baby Brody!

One week ago today, I was admitted into the hospital.  I thought baby B would come that day, but he had other plans. 
Born 4-12-12
4:52pm
8lbs 13oz
20 inches

Proud daddy!

38 weeks...a little late!

Yes, we are actually almost into the 39th week.  I have been in a slump where I don't want to blog,...or do anything for that matter!  I have been feeling sick and really tired, so all I want to do is try to relax and do nothing.  But that seems like a thing of the past.  I used to be able to sit on the couch and watch a good hour or two of TV and think nothing of it when I was tired.  Now, I sit down and start watching something, and 10 minutes later I'm up taking care of something.  Maybe this is my kind of nesting stage.  Our house is by no means dirty because we, yes WE, cleaned it and have been making a great effort to keep it that way so that I don't have to spend too much time working after work. 

But I think the reality of all this has finally set in for hubby.  He is worrying about things finally.  He never worries!  We do not have a basement on our house and we have talked about doing something since we moved in.  We've spent lots of hours at the neighbors when bad weather was coming or the sirens were going off.  But we both agree that packing up baby in the middle of the night to run to the neighbors doesn't sound like much fun.  So, he decided we are putting an addition on the garage where we can put a crawl space, or larger room.  I guess I agree that this is necessary, but I hate the thought of doing this now.  Seems like something that should have been done a few months ago! 

Anyway, back to week 38.  We are slowly getting there.  Seems like the last few weeks have been an eternity. 

37 Week update!

Here we are, 3 weeks and counting! Actually, I won't lie, I'm REALLY counting the fact that I only have 10 more work days :)  And then I will really start counting down baby's arrival.  Of course I'm more excited about him being here then being off work...but you get it, right?!
(sorry, no picture this week.  But trust me, I've gotten bigger!)

At 37 weeks, yup, I'm going to finally believe what thebump.com has to say!  He is the size of a watermelon! They say he has reached full term measuring around 18.9 and 20.9 inches and weighing 6.2 to 9.2 pounds.  He is still developing brain cells and growing and maturing.  These last few weeks are very crucial to his development and we need him to stay in there until AT LEAST 39 weeks.  As much as I would like him out now, I think it's best he keeps bakin'!

We had our 37 week appointment today and everything is good.  Measuring very close to where I should be.  Hubby asked the Doctor if he thought we were going to have a big baby or not.  Doctor said, please don't quote me, but I will say he will be around 7lbs 12oz.  He said it could be less, but he will say for sure that we are not having a 5 pounder!  We did learn that I lost 3 pounds in the last week, which we are contributing to water weight.  My feet and legs were pretty swollen in the last 2 weeks and that has all gone down.  Also, we are making progress!  We are at a 2.  Any progress is good to me :)

We had a little bit of a hiccup this past weekend.  I've been having pains in my upper abdomine.  They would come and go and they weren't all that severe during the week.  Come the weekend, I tried to sleep, but it wasn't happening.  I was exhausted and finally broke down.  I woke hubby up crying at about 4:30 Sunday morning.  He knew I meant business when I was crying because I don't usually do that.  So, we put on some clothes and headed to the hospital.  They took me straight upstairs to the baby floor and hooked me up to the monitors.  Of course, they first want to make sure baby is okay.  Heartbeat and activity were good, so they move on to mom.  They found nothing wrong except one blood pressure check that was a little high.  They took blood and my platelets were a little low, but nothing to be concerned about.  The doctor released me after 7 hours.  I went home without answers and a week full of appointments. 

I went in Monday for an ultrasound of my spleen, kidneys, and gallbladder.  And also lab work.  Results all came back normal.  Doctor said as long as Tylneol is working, we will keep doing that.  Until he hears from me saying that I need more drugs, he will leave it at that.  Because his thought is that it's the gallbladder and there's nothing they can do until after baby is born.  And the pain may just go away after pregnancy too.  But, I learned that if my platelets are below 100 when I go into labor and I want an epidural, it's not going to happen.  So now, that is a concern of mine.  I am going to be eating my spinach to get those platelets up!  You just never know when you might need that shot of drugs in labor!

A smoky week

Hubby spent a better part of this week fighting fires.  On Monday, they were called out to offer mutual aide to another fire department.  This fire claimed 1000-2000 acres and a farmstead of an old farmer.  This was a sad loss since the farm had been in this family for many years.  He was left with the clothes he had on, his pickup, and a tractor.  That is a hard loss to swallow for anyone.  The guys got back to the hall about 8:30 that night just in time to eat some supper, clean up trucks, and get home to their families.  Hubby had to miss our 3rd child birth class due to this fire, but that was more important at the time. 

Then, on Wednesday, about 4:15pm, the guys were called out to a fire west of town.  The other rural fire department had already been called out, but it was too big for them to handle.  After spending a good 30 minutes trying to figure out how to get to the flames through the rough terrain, they started the long battle.  Because of creeks and railroad tracks and valley's they struggled with the getting to the fire.  After being out there for about an hour, they had to call for more mutual aide.  Two other rural departments were called out because the guys couldn't keep up with water.  They fought this fire, keeping it from jumping both lanes of the interstate and taking on any farmsteads or other structures, for a good 5 hours before making any real progress.  The ladies auxiliary supplied the guys with chicken for supper and more beverages to keep them hydrated.  This was going to be a long night!  I talked to hubby at about 10:00pm and he said half of the guys were going to stay out there until 3 to watch it and keep putting on water, and then switch at 3.  Hubby came in the house about 3:30am lookin' like he hadn't showered in a month! After a quick shower, all he wanted was to crawl into bed and sleep for a good 5 hours and then get up and go into work late.  Considering he had been up since 4:30am the previous morning, worked a 10 hour day and fought a hot fire for hours, I thought he deserved more then 5 hours.

The other group of guys all came back to the hall at about 8am to refuel and clean trucks.  But, they were called out to the fire again at about 10 that morning.  The wind and heat didn't help the situation.  All we could do was pray for some freak rain shower to dump at anytime, but that obviously didn't happen!  Again, the ladies auxiliary supplied them with lunch and beverages because this was going to be another long haul.  When I got off work, I headed to the fire hall to start making supper for them.  Luckily, the guys were able to come in at about 7 and eat.  They weren't real sure if that was it for the day or if they were going to have to head back out.  But that was it.  Between the two departments, they would check it throughout the night and the next morning.

Being at the hall when they came in was an experience.  They all came in, totally exhausted, not wanting anything else but a chair, some food and probably a shower.  They all drug themselves in and sat down not saying a whole lot, which is not normal for this group of guys.  Finally, they decided it was just time to eat and keep going.  As they were eating, they started sharing stories and experiences from the last two days and they started joking and laughing.  This was the group that I know!  They cleaned their plates, but didn't just sit there.  They knew their duties weren't finished.  They thanked us for the food and headed to the shop to wash and restock trucks and check them over quick for any needed maintenance.  After finishing that and cleaning up the shop, they had a celebratory beer and then headed home to their families who they probably hadn't seen much in the last 2 days. 

What I learned from these guys in those two days is real heroism.  No, they didn't save lives from burning buildings or save a drowning victim.  But they put their families and jobs on hold to sacrifice their lives.  This selflessness really inspired me and made me so proud of these guys.  Volunteers.  They don't get paid for their long hours out there.  And some don't even get paid at work for those days.  Some of them had never gone that long without seeing their kids, but I hope those kids see their dad as a real life hero!  These guys deserve so much respect.  So much more then us ladies on the auxiliary can give them by just keeping them fed and watered and saying a simple thank you for their hard work.  And no matter what they just did to keep a fire from destroying the whole country side, they were so thankful for what us ladies had MADE them.  We heard more thank yous then we deserved for what we did!



My real life hero!



36 Week Update

Minus 4 weeks and counting! 

Baby Boy is the size of a coconut.  Still at a length of 17.2 to 18.7 inches and weighing in between 4.2 and 5.8 pounds.  He is continuing to pack on the pounds and his skin is getting smoother.  His liver and kidneys are completely functioning and he is almost able to completely breathe on his own.  His circulation and immune systems are also good to go. 



Minus make-up, hair pulled back, getting ready for bed...sorry for the scary picture!

 As for mommy, I'm holding in there.  Finally feel pregnant with only 4 weeks to go!  Minor swelling, nausea, and the ol' aches and pains.  Nothing we can't live with though.  And, as of last weeks appointment, Dr says we are are right on for an average first time pregnancy.  I guess that's a good thing!

Highlight of this month: Baby Shower!  We had so many friends and family join me at our house for a quick game, decorating onesies, and a round of opening gifts and eating cake!  I don't have pictures from the day yet, but I will be getting them from my friend soon.  I will post a few then.  But I do have a sneak peek into the amount of gifts we received! And boy, all I can say is we are so blessed with great friends and family!  Baby boy is so loved and he doesn't even know it yet.  We got an array of things, from outfits to blankets, bottles to toys and books, a tub to a bouncer, a cow humidifier to baby monitors!  We couldn't ask for a better life! 

Room one!

A few in the baby room

More in baby room

Quilt: Handcrafted by my mom...Never knew she could do this! But we love it :)

Diaper cake #1...took a long time to put together I'm sure, but just as long to take apart and put away!

Diaper cake #2, all those tiny hair bands wrapped around the diapers...I finally gave up!

Super cute diaper motorcycle!! I didn't want to take it apart!



Fire trucks with balloons tied to them and 1 diaper cake!

  As I said, LOTS of stuff!  And tons of diapers because the of the "man shower."  The guys were instructed to bring diapers as their entrance fee.  We let some of the guys in without them, though!

35 week update

5 more weeks!  Give or take a few days of course.  No matter what day he comes we will be happy...even if it is on Friday the 13th!

At week 35, our little peanut is now the size of a butternut squash!  Weighing in between 4.2 and 5.8 pounds and 17.2 to 18.7 inches in length.  His length probably won't change much in the next 5 weeks, but he will continue to pack on the baby fat.  Which means mom will continue to pack on the weight too!  Other than weight and length, his hearing is now fully developed.  He continues to grow and change as normal!

Baby boy hasn't been causing mom too many problems.  I'm still struggling with the heartburn and normal aches and pains and swelling of pregnancy.  We have another appointment today, so we will see where we measure at this time.  I don't feel like I gained any weight, but we will soon find out!

Tomorrow is St. Patrick's day and also our baby showers.  We are super excited to get together with friends and family and celebrate the new life that will soon be in our world.  It couldn't get much better than this! :)

The weather is gorgeous, breaking records left and right.  We are supposed to hit a high of 79 today!  It's only March, so that's a little scary but we also realize that....it's only March!  And that means there is still a large possibility of snow on the Great Plains of North Dakota.  But the farmers are taking advantage of the nice weather by getting farming equipment ready and enjoying the fact that calving season might not be as stressful as it is when the temps are in the single digits! 

Enjoy the weekend and have a green beer for me!  Happy St. Patrick's Day :)

In other news...

We spent the weekend in Duluth, Minnesota doncha know!  This was a quick, unexpected trip for a funeral.  Hubby's great-aunt passed away, so sister-in-law, mother-in-law, hubby and I loaded up in the car and started on the 9 hour drive.  I thought it would be tough and I would be a pain because I would need to stop all the time, but I wasn't the pain.  Baby and I were content being a passenger and stopping when anyone else needed to.  I'm not sure I would travel any later in pregnancy then 35 weeks because it did get a little uncomfortable on the way home due to swollen feet and exhaustion.  But, even though it was travel for a funeral, we did have a good time.

Hubby's family that came for our wedding made the trek to Minnesota also.  We got to spend some time with them, and only a few aunts and uncles were missing, and of course plenty of cousins.  Also a fabulous time when the clan gets together.  They sure know how to celebrate things, whether celebrating marriage or someone's life, they have a good time.  We played dress up with some of Aunt Bunnie's clothes, coats and hats, and shared some good laughs going through all the things in her house. 

After the funeral, we joined up for a little bit of touring the town.  If you have never been to Duluth, I'm not sure you miss a whole lot.  But I can now say I was on the beach at Lake Superior with snow on the ground! 

So after a long weekend of traveling, hubby and I are trying to catch up on our sleep and house work.  It's not working so well since he had things to do Monday night and Tuesday night we had our 2nd child birth class.  The next few days are dedicated to straightening and organizing and cleaning our house because my sister-in-law, good friend, and mom are hosting our baby shower at the house!  And after the baby shower, the ladies are crashing the "man shower" at the farm!  Here's to another long, eventful weekend :)  And beautiful Spring weather!!

33 week update

Week 40 is fast approaching! 

At 33 weeks, baby boy is compared to a honeydew melon.  This means he is weighing between 4.2 to 5.8 pounds and measuring between 17.2 to 18.7.  Obviously these are all average measurements and my baby boy could weigh 7 pounds already...which I'm hoping he does not!  But we had an appointment today and doctor says we are measuring just a tish above schedule.  My tummy measurements should about correlate in centimeters with number of weeks we are along.  So today, I should measure about 33 cm.  But I measured at 34.5 cm, up 3cm from our 31 week appointment.  I know this is only 1.5cm over the average, but I am starting to cut back on the junk food.  I don't want a big baby for him sake and mine!  By no means will I cut back on the calories we need, but just start to make healthier choices...like not eating almost an entire bag of popcorn before realizing it! More fruits and veggies for us!

But the higher measurement could mean anything from excessive amount of fluid, baby sitting in an odd position at the time, or even just poor measuring from the doctor.  So we won't be worrying about this unless it becomes a problem. 

Anyway, at 33 weeks, baby boy is continuing his growing and hiccups!  Still practicing his blinking, breathing, sucking, and swallowing.  He is pretty much ready to join the world, but for the sake of his complete health, it's best he stays put for a few more weeks.  Only 3 more weeks and we are considered full-term!  That's a little hard to think about since that's only 3 weeks away and I have so much to cover at work before I head off for 12 or 13 weeks!  He still moves and grooves a lot.  He is starting to keep mom awake at night which in turn keeps dad up, too.  This is just good practice for working off little sleep!

I tried to the the toilet out of the pictures, but I'm usually not aware of my background when I'm taking pictures....oh well!  



(Quick) 32 week update

No picture today...sorry family!  I was in a hurry this morning since Mother Nature decided to let Old Man Winter drop some snow on us like we should have.  Actually, she let it rain, then dropped the temps to freezing, and turned the rain to snow.  Nice sheet of ice on the roads covered in snow.  I do not mind the snow, it's the cold and ice that gets me every year!

Anyway, baby boy is the size of a squash this week.  Weighing in at about 2.5 to 3.8 pounds and measuring 15.2 to 16.7 inches.  Not much is changing this week except that his skin should be completely non-transparent!  He is just doing a lot of growing and eating and learning things to help him survive in the "real world."  Oh, and he is probably feeling more cramped since he is growing so much and momma is running out of real estate to expand to! 

I still haven't found that second wind that comes with the second half of pregnancy.  But I have started organizing and throwing things when I have the energy!  This would have happened eventually whether baby was coming or not, though.  Only major things left on my list before he gets here is to re-organize a few cupboards in the kitchen so that I have room for all his bottles and things and to steam clean the carpets after our baby shower, which is at our house.

Cheesy Enchilada Stack

After discovering Pinterest and all it's magic, I started following a new blog, Chef in Training.  I've found lots of great looking recipes on her site.  One that I actually tried was the Cheesy Enchilada Stack.  I only say "actually tried" because I print off tons of recipes that just sit in my cookbook or on the counter until I throw them away.  But since this was a mexican inspired dish, I knew my hubby would probably approve of trying it. 

Source: Chef in Training

I did make a mistake when making this, but we both loved it anyway!  I absentmindedly grabbed a can of mild green chili sauce instead of red enchilada sauce.  But, it still had great flavor!  And, since it's just hubby and I, and I wasn't sure how much of it we would eat, I only made half of the recipe.  I used 3 tortillas and cut them in half, and there was still enough for each of us to take for lunch the next day.  Along with a side of Spanish rice, we were both happy!  Highly recommend this recipe for something different and recommend checking out the Chef in Training!

31 week update

Only 9 more weeks to go.  Soon, there will be two of us pestering hubby at night when he is trying to get some sleep!  Poor guy has to deal with me getting up at least twice a night and all my moving around and trying to get in and out of bed!

thebump.com says baby boy is the size of a pineapple.  15.2 to 16.7 inches in length and 2.5 to 3.8 pounds.  It also says he is going through major brain and nerve development along with eye development.  All five of his senses should be in working order!  He might also be causing mommy back aches, dry, brittle nails, frequent trips to the bathroom, heartburn, difficulty sleeping, and shortness of breath.  And yes, she is causing a few of these things.  I may complain most about the heartburn because some nights it about kills me. 



I can definitely tell that I am growing!

 We had our last monthly appointment on Thursday.  Can't believe we are starting every two weeks and soon, every week!  Doctor says I am right on track with everything and we are healthy!  We will start discussing in more detail things about delivery starting at the next appointment. 

March is going to be a busy month.  My beautiful sister-in-law and good friend, along with both Grandma's, are hosting our baby shower on St. Paddy's day.  I am so grateful to have 2 wonderful ladies in my life to help me through this pregnancy.  They have both been a great source of information and support.  Along with the shower, we start our birthing classes.  We are gearing up for parenthood!

P.S.  I made the Butterfinger Cake...DELISH!  Highly recommended.  Next time I won't buy the 8oz Cool Whip though, I will get the larger one.

If you build it,

I'm thinking this was hubby's thought for a week.  If he built baby Buzz a cabinet, he could pass time and make Buzz's arrival come faster!  As much as I went him here already, I don't think we need to speed up time just yet.  Although, if these stabs and jabs get any stronger and more frequent, I just might be wishing time would speed up. 

In the meantime, hubby has been trying to find things to keep himself busy.  He keeps saying he has to get things done now so that he can come home from work and play with Buzz when he gets here!  He did accomplish a big project that I asked for and I love that he was so excited to make it. 

With a VERY small glimpse into the nursery! ;)

Sorry, the lighting is horrible in that room for picture taking.  Also, it's not as dark as it looks.  It actually matches the crib and dresser fairly well which are both espresso in color.  And, for this being the first project hubby has made for me (well, Buzz), I'm very impressed!  He even made the sides all fancy! All I had to do was tell him that I wanted a cabinet that I can put baskets in for toys and diapers and also have space for books, and find him a picture of my thought, and he was off!

We, yes we, worked on this cabinet almost every night for about a week.  I helped stain it with my mask and gloves on.  The one thing I did not help with was spraying on the clear finish...that was some strong smellin' stuff!  I'm so glad I helped a with what I could because we can tell Buzz someday that WE made this cabinet for him.

A good friend of ours was even impressed.  So impressed that she asked hubby to make one for her new little guy (Buzz's soon-to-be best buddy!). 

And, as promised, I am going to fill you in on my loss of mind situation...

Remember that I said I wanted a cabinet where I could put baskets in?  Well, turns out I found the exact baskets that I wanted.  At our local Wal-Mart, brown, canvas baskets...the perfect size.  The perfect size because hubby built the compartments to fit these exact baskets.  So, I found these baskets and made sure I wrote down the measurements of them for hubby (I remembered something!) so he could get started.  But, for the life of me, cannot figure out why I didn't just buy them.  Turns out these were the last of their kind being sold at this store, or online.  Do you know how hard it is to find another basket similar in size?!  Yeah, I didn't think it would be hard, but it was.  After 2 weeks of looking online and hoping the store would have more, I finally found some similar in size, but in red.  I'm thinking this was for the better though.  These baskets seem better in quality, and I kinda like the red better! 

That is only one incident of my absent mind though.  Hubby is sure I've completely lost it and it's nowhere to be found again.  When I go grocery shopping, I have to make sure everything that I know I need is on the list or it won't come home with me...but the sad part is, even if it's on the list, there's a chance that it won't come home.  It's amazing that I remember I have to get up in the morning and go to bed at night!  But this will all get better, I hope, after baby is here.  I've been told this is just "pregnancy brain." 

30 week update

Can anyone else believe it?! We have about 10 weeks left!  These weeks are just flyin' by, but I have my baby shower coming up and I am so excited.

Every time I see these pictures, I realize I'm not as big as I feel.  I'm wondering how big I'm really going to get in the next 10 weeks, but I have a feeling I will be surprised!

At 30 weeks, www.thebump.com is comparing baby Buzz to a cucumber.  What an odd comparison at this stage of pregnancy, but it's because he is approximately 15.2-16.7 inches long.  And continuing to produce fat deposits, he is about 2.5-3.8 pounds.  But, I'm convinced he is on the much lower end of that.  He has to be, he rarely sits still.  He is going to be a twig like his daddy!

As his skin is still getting smoother (due to fat deposits), his brain is gaining wrinkles that will gain lots of brain cells.  Not much else is going on with him, other then normal growing, eating, moving, and sleeping (which I'm convinced he doesn't do already).   

As for me, I'm still feelin' fine.  I forget that I have a belly sometimes and run into things.  And I'm struggling with the memory thing in general.  If you ask hubby, he will tell you that I just plain lost my mind!  A little story on that for another post. 

In the meantime....it's snowing here!  I'm not actually excited about this, but I am happy that the farmers are getting a little moisture.  Gotta take what we can get.  And after having too much last year, we never know what to expect for the remainder of winter and the rest of the year.  We can only hope and pray that it will even out and we will end up with exactly what is needed! 

Happy Mooooooonday!

Remember these cute little guys? And the green grass, blue water and sunshine... 

Well, they aren't so little anymore!  And the grass is no longer green and the blue water is frozen.  They are also a little dirtier thanks the crazy winter we have been having.  One day the ground has snow or ice and the next it melts and makes a big mess.  And cows love the muddy mess!

Thanks for stopping by!

Special delievery!

Buzz got his first package in the mail this week.  We were both very excited! 
He got some super cute onesies and fleece jammies from his buddy, Mr. T and his parents. 

How could you not love those cute little farm animals!  Can't wait to put these on baby boy.

 And the moose :)  and the super soft fleece!

Thanks a ton!  We appreciate all the gifts we've been getting.

Speaking of "gifts", the fire department gave hubby a gift at their monthly meeting. 

They said it's only the start of the number of batteries we will need!  Very appreciated!

29 weeks!

 Wow, I really can't believe I have made it this far and we only have (fingers crossed!) about 11 weeks left.  So much planning, cleaning and organizing left to do, but I know I will get it done.  thebump.com tells me it's time to start a hospital bag "just in case."  And that I should finish stocking the baby room with baby essentials....I think I'm a little behind on this!  Although, baby Buzz will be getting his first little newborn diapers this weekend from a friend who's boy outgrew them already. 

http://www.thebump.com/ is comparing my child to an acorn squash this week....??  Not real sure on this one, but they say he is 15.2 to 16.7 inches in length and weighs about 2.5 to 3.8 pounds.  And, that he will triple this weight before he is born! Whoa, this could be a big baby if he triples 3.8 pounds!  He is still continuing to grow fat deposits that are rounding him out so that mommy has lots of little rolls to love!  But, because of the growing white fat deposits, his energy is surging.  This would explain the over-active kicking and elbow flying I've been experiencing.  He still gets the hiccups at least once a day (which I've heard is actually a good sign of healthy lungs).  



my hand looks scary!

I've still got things to work on.  But a lot of this will come after we have our birthing classes, which we thought were supposed to be in February, but are actually in March.  I have questions that need answers, papers that need filled out, one registry that needs finished, corners and base boards that need cleaned, baby clothes that need washed and a little dresser that needs filled.  The list goes on and on, but I don't think it's ever supposed to end.

Right now, hubby is in the process of building an open storage cabinet.  Actually, he finished building and filling holes last night and now it just needs a coat or two of stain and a polyurethane finish.  He is so proud of this cabinet and so happy that he could build something for Buzz's room.  After borrowing a router table from a friend, he decided to buy his own and start building more things for baby, like a toy box and picture frames.  He can build until his heart's content if it makes him happy (and keeps the remote out of his hand and in mine!).

Banana Crumb Muffins

I've had banana's in the freezer for a while and knew I had to use them.  So, while spending a little too much time on pinterest, I came across this amazing looking recipe for muffins instead of bread.  Hubby and I love banana bread, but one loaf is a little too much for us and we seem to waste some.  So this time I went with the muffin's and they were a hit! 

If you check out the recipe, you will see what they are really supposed to look like.  I halved the recipe and my crumb topping went wrong.  But I won't complain, because the butter and sugar mixture caramelized and added some great flavor. 

Check it out and enjoy!....Banana Crumb Muffins

Week 28 update

At 28 weeks, I still can't complain! The biggest problem that I have is not being able to fit into my clothes!  It just hit me this week that it's time to invest in at least one more pair of maternity jeans.  And possibly give up some of my pre-pregnancy shirts that I have been trying to make work for the last few weeks.  And if you ask my hubby, his major complaint would be that I move too much at night.  I'm sure its a production if you were to watch me roll around and get in and out of bed!  Being 5'1 with a bed that is probably 3.5 feet tall is already a chore to get into without being pregnant!  But, at least I am sleeping good :)

According to www.thebump.com, baby boy is the size of a rutabaga.  1.5-2.5 pounds and 13.5-14.8 inches long.  He is-a-growin'!  They say that if he was born right now, he would probably be able to survive with a little help from the doctors.  His lungs and organs are pretty much fully developed now and his wrinkly skin is starting to fill with fat.  And I can't wait to see all those little fat rolls :)

I feel large this week, but I know I'm not and I know I have a long way to go!  Baby boy has been a-movin' and a-groovin' ALOT in the last 4 days.  I don't think he sleeps much, and I'm a little worried.

Oh...and the glucose test results came back normal! I am so relieved for baby and I.  Like I told my sis-in-law, all this worrying is just practice for motherhood :)  So, the cake coma will be coming! I will let you know how delicious the Butterfinger Cake is.  And if I don't get it made before next Sunday, I will be making it and sharing it with whoever invites us over for Super Bowl, or whoever comes to our house for the game.

Possible cake coma....

If all is well in my world after tomorrow's glucose test, hubby and I are going to be making this cake in celebration.  I just might be in a cake coma.  And if things don't go the way I hope, I will be saving this one (along with a bottle of wine) for after baby's born celebration.


Check out this recipe.  It's another take on Better Than Sex Cake, and it looks amazing! :)
Happy drooling!

Just when you think everything is perfect...

Here I am thinking that this pregnancy thing is pretty darn easy, I find out I failed my one hour glucose tolerance test.  No, this isn't the worst thing that could happen and it might not even be a problem.  But this is the first "major" issue I've had so far and it really upsets me.  My doctor said 15% of women fail the first test and about 1 in 5 fail the second test (which could have been his experience and not actual statistics).  But, this is when you start to think, what am I doing wrong?  Am I hurting baby boy without even knowing it?  Is this something that I could have prevented all along by eating better?  Is this something that actually didn't just develop, it's something I've had and never knew?  ....or, after failing the first test, am I going to pass this second one with flying colors and pretend this never happened? Either way, hubby and I are going to start eating better, watching our sugar intake, and doing more than sitting on our butts when we are not outside!  Or maybe that last one is just me...
So, wish me luck Thursday (or pray for me!).  I've heard people say an hour into the test they get really sick because of the massive amount of "sugar" they had to consume without eating anything before the test.  And I may go crazy sitting in lab for 3 hours!  Good thing I have my Kindle now and hopefully my dear friend Tania will be working that day and she can come visit me! 
Until then, I am going to try not to worry about it and pray that the first one was just a fluke! 

Week 27 update

I can't believe that I am 27 weeks along already.  Only 13ish more to go, almost single digits!  So many things going on trying to get the room finished and organized, finding things that baby definitely needs, and learning so much along the way.  We have our birthing classes next month and I'm kind of looking forward it them. 

At 27 weeks, baby boy is just around 15 inches long and weighs about 2 pounds.  His skin isn't nearly as transparent as it was 5 weeks ago and it is gaining pigment.  He is gaining more and more brain cells and brain activity can now be recorded.  This means hubby and I better get to reading to him and playing music for him.  He also has more taste buds now then he will be born with...just an odd little fact :)

And, at 27 weeks, I am still as happy as I was pre-pregnancy!  No problems, no concerns, and no major issues.  I haven't been sick, no swelling, and I sleep well.  The only complaint I can make is that my winter coat is on the verge of splitting when I zip it up and my coveralls are pretty much put away for the year.  I think the coverall part is more of a complaint from hubby because this means I won't be out helping as much when it's real cold out!  But, these are all things that come with pregnancy, and if my clothes and coats weren't fitting, I would say we had a problem.  I have been having a few Braxton Hicks contractions, but learned that they were brought on by trying to do too much.  I just had to learn to take more breaks while cleaning or helping hubby.  I am worn out a lot easier then I was before.  I can't continually clean the house in one day.  Grocery shopping trips are about the extent of my town trips.  No more spending the whole day in town walking around stores and wasting time!

I am still wearing SOME pre-pregnancy clothes and still have not bought new shoes just in case my feet do grow and/or swell.  I have no weird cravings.  I still enjoy all the foods I did before.  I do crave fruit more then I did pre-preg which I guess is a good thing.  I do know that after baby is here, I may go into a caffeine coma from drinking a few regular diet cokes in one day!

I took two pictures because at first, I thought stripes were deceiving, and then realized that black can be "concealing."  I feel bigger then I look.  And I do have a complaint....why does it seem that almost all maternity shirts are stripped!