overdue baby update and two soups.

i didn't mean that baby is overdue. although sometimes i feel like he is. today i am 36 weeks and 2 days, according to my doctors info. baby is head down (i'm constantly reminded of this because i have a constant pulled muscle feeling in my right groin area, ouch). i'm measuring 37 weeks and my dr agreed to set up my induction date. i keep stressing how much i don't want to birth a 10+ lb baby, considering makena was 9lbs 8oz at 39 weeks and 6 days.  if he doesn't come before, i'll be induced at midnight on sunday the 18th (which technically I is monday the 19th). two and a half weeks to go, finally a light at the end of the tunnel. sadly this pregnancy has been miserable and i'm beyond over it. i'll spare all the whiney details but it's been brutal. so that's that! gonna try and enjoy my sweet girl until this new munchkin takes over! 

i made two soups within the last two days. i know, i'm aware it's in the 90's. i wanted to use the easter ham mom gave me and it was a crock pot recipe so i couldn't resist. i ate it for dinner and stuck the rest in the freezer but it was delicious! super light but hearty. here you go:

sorry, pictures of the recipe are gonna have to do this time. it's also on my pinterest. 

and here's the other soup. it's a cold cucumber soup. I was nervous about it but it was actually tasty and very refreshing! i'd half the amount of lemon zest and maybe only use 2tbsp of lemon juice, maybe 2.5. also needs a pinch of salt at the end. enjoy! 

ingredients

• 1 English cucumber, chopped
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup crushed ice
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/2 clove garlic
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. EVOO
• 2 teaspoons chopped chives

directions

1. In blender, puree cucumber, buttermilk, ice, lemon juice and zest, and garlic with 1/4 cup EVOO; season. Transfer to bowls; drizzle with remaining EVOO and top with chives.

and obviously I leave you with more pictures of the belly and the beauty...

t3! let's celebrate with some new recipes.

funny story before i share some new recipes with you.  today marks 27 weeks pregnant which means i'm also entering my last trimester, woo hoo!  i had an appointment w/ my ob this morning.  it's been a month since i last saw him.  anyways, i get checked in and they do the standard weight and bp check and make me pee in a cup.  i go wait in the room for the dr.  he comes in and without even saying hi goes,

"did she weigh you right?"
i'm like, "uh oh.  ummmm why do you ask?"
he's like, " did she?"  (take note his tone was not serious or demeaning, more joking-iike). 
i'm all "yes. i've gained a lot in the last month". 
he's like "ok just checking.  you've gained 10 pounds since you were here last (4 weeks)". 
i say,  "am i in trouble?"
he goes, "no no no.  you're only up 16 pounds total, i'm not worried at all."

whats even better is that he then notices my "workout clothes" and says, "are you still working out?"
i straight up laughed at him and he pointed to my clothes and i said "HAHAHHA no, these are because they are comfortable".  bet he felt stupid. lol

the same thing happened when i was pregnant with makena.  my weight gain was slow and then bam! 10 lbs in a month.  my ob in georgia, however, was not impressed.  my mom backed me up saying she used to experience the same thing when pregnant.  guess its just how we do!

the rest of the appointment went well.  strong heartbeat, had my rogham shot (i'm rh negative) and i was on my way.  he again assured me he wouldn't let me have a ten pound baby.  3 months left!

ok so here are a few new recipes.  i got excited about all the yummy meals in the simple & delicious magazine.  first up, makena's birthday cake.  here you have it.


rainbow layer cake:

ingredients-

-1 package white cake mix (regular size)
-3 eggs
-3 tablespoons each, lemon, strawberry and orange gelatin powder
-2 cans (16oz each) lemon frosting

directions-

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees. line bottoms of 3 greased 9-inch round baking pans with parchment paper; grease paper.

2. prepare cake mix batter according to package directions, substituting three whole eggs for egg whites. divide evenly among three bowls. stir one flavor of gelatin into each bowl until blended. pour each into a prepared pan. bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

3. cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. cool completely. spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake.

next up is a tortellini and chicken caesar salad.  also from the simple and delicious magazine.  and it was a total score to come across this because i had just bought a bag of caesar salad mix at costco so it made the recipe even easier.  its super easy and is best served cold so you can make it mid-day (wait to add dressing til you're ready to serve) if you have extra time.  perfect for warm, summer weather.  we ate it outside since it was such a beautiful night.

tortellini and chicken caesar salad:

ingredients-

-1 package (20 oz) refrigerated cheese tortellini
-1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into cubes
-1/3 cup finely chopped onion
-1 tablespoon olive oil
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-3/4 teaspoon salt
-1/4 teaspoon pepper
-1 package (10 oz) hearts of romaine salad mix
-1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes (i chopped them in half)
-3/4 cup creamy casear salad dressing
-3/4 cups shredded parmesan cheese
-6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled 

directions:

1. cook tortellini according to package directions. drain; rinse with cold water.
2. meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine chicken, onion, oil, garlic, salt and pepper; toss to coat. heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. add chicken mixture; cook and stir 4-6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. remove from heat.
3. in a large bowl, combine salad mix, tomatoes, olives, tortellini and chicken mixture. drizzle with dressing; toss to coat. sprinkle with cheese and bacon. serve immediately. yield: 6 servings.

the next one i'll share is a total comfort food.  i'm a sucker for broccoli cheddar soup, but really, who isn't?  i saw this in the s&d mag and it looked so easy with only a few ingredients.  i was really happy with the taste!  i put half in the freezer and half is in the fridge for us to eat tomorrow night.  i'm sure your kids would love it too, and its filling since it has chicken and rice in it.  be careful once the milk, broth and ranch mix start heating up.  i literally turned my back for 30 seconds and it boiled over and made a total mess so i had to add more milk and broth.  i also added a little extra of everything: cheese, rice, and chicken.

broccoli-chicken rice soup:

ingredients-

-4 cups whole milk (i used 2% cause that's what i had)
-2 cans (14.5 oz each) chicken broth
-1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
-2 cups fresh broccoli florets
-1/2 lb processed cheese (velveeta), cubed
-3 cups cooked rice
-2 cups cubed cooked chicken

directions-

1.  in a dutch oven, combine milk, broth and dressing mix; bring to a boil. add broccoli; cook, uncovered, 3-5 minutes or until tender. stir in process cheese until melted. add rice and chicken; heat through, stirring occasionally.

woops...

and lastly, i'll leave you with another soup.  this time its from rachael ray.  i had an old episode of hers on in the background last week and she was making this and it looked really yummy so i tried it.  i liked it a lot!  it has a nice kick to it.  and to be honest, i have no idea what chourico is.  i honestly thought it was chorizo until i was making the recipe.  so i dunno if its even the same thing, but i used chorizo, lol, and it was awesome! it would even taste good if you squirt some lime juice in before serving.  enjoy, and goodnight.  

portuguese chourico and kale soup:

ingredients:

-2 tablespoons evoo
-3 medium white, waxy potatoes (like yukon golds), peeled and diced
-2 medium onions, chopped
- 4 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped
-2 bay leaves, fresh or dried
-1 pound kale, coarsely chopped
-coarse salt and pepper
-1 (15 oz) can garbanzos, drained and rinsed
-1 can diced tomatoes
-1 lb diced chourico, casings removed (i used 24 oz)
-1 quart chicken broth
-warm, crusty bread

directions:

1.  heat oil in a deep pot over medium high heat. add potatoes and onions, cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

 

add garlic, bay leaves, and kale to the pot. cover pot and wilt greens 2 minutes. season with salt and pepper. add beans, tomatoes, chourico, and broth to the pot and bring soup to a full boil. reduce heat back to medium and cook 5 to 10 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.

serve soup with hunks of crusty bread and butter.

i forgot to take pictures of the process, sorry.

pregnant lady rant. kind of.

i have to laugh at all the comments that come my way while pregnant. none of them offend me or make me sad, they actually kinda crack me up. well known fact, I make huge babies. and it sure doesn't seem like that's gonna be any different this time around. i'm only 26 weeks pregnant and I look like I could pop at any time. i have to grow this little person for possibly FOURTEEN more weeks. the thought alone makes me wanna cry. i wonder how my body will be able to handle it? but then i think about kate gosseling and i feel way less sorry for myself. 

the next three months should be accompanied with some classic looks and comments from strangers. i already notice people's eyes instantly dart from my eyes to my belly and it makes me kinda chuckle. but the best are when people make comments. 

"getting close! how much longer?"

"sadly i'm only 26 weeks, i still have over 3 months."

"oh wow you sure have popped!"

"you're huge." lol

or my mom, who will just randomly look at me and laugh. a pity laugh. i can't help but laugh with her. it's better than crying!

or when people tell me how lucky i am to be carrying the baby all out front. how cute it looks. i will admit, my bump is pretty damn cute with it's perfect roundness, torpedo-like quality and my button that sticks out like the tie of a balloon. but lucky isn't exactly the word i would use. my back hurts. i already can hardly put on my pants and tie my shoes. half of my maternity clothes are already too small. holding my toddler on my lap or trying to snuggle her is almost impossible.  not to mention the consequences of carrying my "cute little basketball" all out front which include 643 stretch marks (probably pretty close to accurate lol), a herniated belly button and disconnected ab muscles. bye bye bikini days. 

can't wait to hear the comments in the weeks and months to come. when i tried walking makena out of me at the mall at 39 weeks, i was a straight spectacle. seriously I felt like an exhibit at the zoo or a freak show act at the circus. 

all that being said i really have nothing to complain about. i'd rather have big babies than premie babies. i'd rather "ruin" my body than have anything wrong with my precious little baby's body. i'm blessed that i'm able to be active and productive when a few months ago i for sure thought i'd be doomed to my bed by now. i do not take that for granted and thank god everyday that i'm able to still be a mom and a wife like i want/need to be. and i'm also thankful for such a helpful husband! 

gonna post some yummy recipes soon, i have a ton planned for the next week or two. but for now i can't think about food. i'm ten minutes away from my third blood draw after doing a 2 hour glucose test. which means i haven't eaten anything in 15 hours, and then had chug 8oz of pure sugar liquid, and sit in the waiting room for two hours. no food. elias is going nuts and i feel like i'm gonna pass out, but it's almost over! 

will follow up with a food post soon! 

26 week belly. waiting for my glucose test to end. 

dinner fail. and then a dinner success.

it sounded delicious. but it wasn't. sad day. we actually threw it out. so obviously  i would advise against this but i can't not post the recipe, especially because i took all the pictures dammit! if you can make the spaghetti squash almost undercooked and kinda crunchy (not at all mushy, it got too watery) and forget the blue cheese, it MIGHT be better. ehh, probably not. here you go. thanks a lot Pinterest.

sad huh? cause it looks good!

so that this post isn't completely pointless, i'll leave you with a super easy, fast and yummy meal. i actually just made a double portion of this today while makena ate lunch so i don't have to cook one of the nights this week. its a creamy pesto chicken pasta. 4 ingredients (plus evoo and salt and pepper). ok here it is. sorry, there's no picture because i'm honestly too lazy to stand up and walk to the fridge to take one. just picture green pasta with chicken, kinda. 

creamy pesto chicken pasta 

ingredients:

-about 2lb of chicken, cubed and seasoned with salt and pepper 

-about 1 tbsp evoo

-1/2 cup heavy cream 

-1 cup basil pesto

-1 lb pasta, I used fettuccine the first time and thin spaghetti the second time 

directions:

-cook pasta according to package instructions 

-heat oil in pan and cook chicken. remove chicken and drain juices

-add pesto to pan, heat until it liquified and then add cream and heat until warm

-drain pasta and combine with chicken and sauce. bam, done. top with some grated parm if you have it. 

grilled tilapia tacos w/ chipotle-lime dressing. and some pee.

i found the recipe on allrecipes.com under the healthy section.

you could say the recipe is somewhat tedious because you have to make a marinade, and then a sauce, and then still prep toppings. i suggest doing the marinade and dressing at the same time because they use a lot of the same ingredients. also, the amount of sauce and toppings to the amount of fish is not proportional in my opinion. I would double the fish (and marinade) next time or cut the sauce and toppings in half. also I cut up avocado and sprinkled some monterey jack on top of the tacos which was awesome. be sure to cook the fish on a grill, i feel like it really adds the perfect grilled flavor. make some homemade french fries as a side and you have yourself quite a tasty meal!

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 6 servings 

Marinade

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons lime zest
• 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay™
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, or to taste
• 1 pound tilapia fillets, cut into chunks

Dressing

• 1 (8 ounce) container light sour cream
• 1/2 cup adobo sauce from chipotle peppers
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons lime zest
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay™
• salt and pepper to taste  (needs a good amount of salt, some pepper, and even a touch more lime.  that adobo sauce is very strong in flavor!)
  
  
  Toppings 
   
• 1 (10 ounce) package tortillas
• 3 ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1 small head cabbage, cored and shredded
• 2 limes, cut in wedges

Directions

1. To make the marinade, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, lime zest, honey, garlic, cumin, chili powder, seafood seasoning, black pepper, and hot sauce in a bowl until blended. Place the tilapia in a shallow dish, and pour the marinade over the fish. Cover, and refrigerate 6 to 8 hours.
2. To make the dressing, combine the sour cream and adobo sauce in a bowl. Stir in the lime juice, lime zest, cumin, chili powder, seafood seasoning. Add salt, and pepper in desired amounts. Cover, and refrigerate until needed.
3. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil grate. Set grate 4 inches from the heat.
4. Remove fish from marinade, drain off any excess and discard marinade. Grill fish pieces until easily flaked with a fork, turning once, about 9 minutes.
5. Assemble tacos by placing fish pieces in the center of tortillas with desired amounts of tomatoes, cilantro, and cabbage; drizzle with dressing. To serve, roll up tortillas around fillings, and garnish with lime wedges.

as far as a personal update goes, there's nothing too exciting to report.  just getting bigger and starting to feel very....pregnant.  i have my daily struggles but who doesn't? i feel very happy and relieved to reach 24 weeks.  elias is now considered viable, which means if for some terrible reason he was born now, the odds of survival are in his favor.  i've got about 3.5+ months to go!

it's still a battle everyday to try and get makena to take a nap.  so freaking frustrating, she needs it so bad.  the nights she didn't nap she always sleep so terrible.  i'm out of ideas.  

i can't believe my baby turns 2 in a few weeks.  we are having a combined birthday party with jon's sisters kids (all 4 kids have birthdays within 2 months of each other) next weekend that should be fun.  it's just family and we are gonna do a zoo theme so i've been having fun working on little projects for that day. 

(proud, cheesy, tmi, mommy moment warning:) also, today makena peed on the potty twice! haha i know, you don't care and are probably slightly annoyed that this news is being shared, but this is my blog so i can post whatever i want. HA!  she's been saying "diaper" or "poo-poo" almost every time before she poops so yesterday jon and i decided that anytime she says it from here on out we will stick her on her little potty and see what happens.  we aren't really serious about getting emotionally invested in the idea right now since she's still so young and soon she will have a big life change with a new baby brother, but if she's showing an interest, then why not?  so this morning she said "diaper" so i stuck her on her potty and kept telling her over and over to go pee pee or poo poo. well after about 15 minutes she peed! haha i felt almost positive that it was just a fluke but we praised her a ton.  this afternoon we stuck her on the potty, and she peed again! could still be coincidence but its still exciting :) we will keep it up as long as she wants to! i've always thought she would be fairly easy to potty train but i never thought it would start this early. we shall see!

 and there you have it. happy peeing everyone!