Week 29

Date: 30 December 2009
How far along: Week 29, Day 5. Whoo Hoo!! Already in the third trimester!
Weight gain: Lost 1 pound this week. I'm eating smarter and working out a lot. So, even though I probably have another inch around my belly, I think I've lost a little around my butt and thighs.
Sleep: Sleeping is getting more uncomfortable. I sleep with a pillow between my legs but am up often to pee, then sometimes I can't get back to sleep, thinking stressful thoughts about my mother and sister. But, then Baby starts to kick and I consciously turn my negative thoughts to positive ones.
Best moment this week: Getting my library moved out of the 2nd bedroom, soon to be known as the nursery. Can't wait to paint and decorate!
Movement: I can now distinguish between hiccups and kicks.
Food cravings: Tea. I finally bought some decaf black tea, some barley tea and some decaf sencha. I'm reading the second book in the Earth's Children series and that keeps tea on the forefront of my mind. It's my second time through this series and I gotta say, it's blissful sitting around reading for a couple of hours each day. I also take the book with me to workout and thirty minutes go by on the treadmill like a breeze.
What I miss: Eating holiday chocolates. Who knew these had liquor in them? Is that common for holiday chocolates?
Next challenge: Making a decision about a doula. I haven't been able to meet with the one that is located in my neighborhood. You all know how much I love my neighborhood, so I really want to keep this one local, but if she doesn't have the time, I have to start looking elsewhere. I have one more recommendation to follow-up on and am avoiding this for a couple more days in the hopes that the local doula gets back to me.
What I am looking forward to: I'm missing wine. The Big D got several bottles from work clients and I am so looking forward to drinking them!
Weekly Wisdom: From Meditations for Pregnancy: I caress my belly and you float and rise in me. You whisper fathomless invitations, and I hear the echo of your form, sweet and ancient in the night. I relish our oneness and send you my joy to permeate every cell of your being. This is such a wonderful book. I recommend it to anyone pregnant or considering pregnancy or seeking a good pre-natal gift.

Here's me! I talked it over with the Big D and we decided it was OK to be a little more revealing in my photos. And considering last week's photo was one of me in my underwear, I figure my face can't be that much more shocking. Besides, I know I will want to put up pictures of baby and I certainly can't keep hiding behind my camera. It does very little for my self-esteem, this hiding behind my camera thing. I'm pregnant and over thirty pounds heavier than I've ever been. But, again, I'm pregnant and this is how I should be, right? Right.

This Friday we are going to go see a band and meeting some folks that I haven't seen in over 15 years. The band's guitar player is an old friend. I had a few freak out moments trying to figure out what to wear, wanting to look as good as I did when I was in my twenties, but then I just sat down and realized, I'm being dumb. That's the real reason for this shot of me and my face, a little bloated and swollen. But, I figure, if I can put it out to the world, showing up a dark nightclub can't be much worse.

From BabyCenter: Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day.

I read this and suddenly, I'm hungry for some butternut squash bisque! BTW, I had some awesome barley soup this week and the recipe came from A Good Appetite. Just perfect for a cold winter's night. I think I will make that squash soup. Then later this week I am going to take all my root vegetables: celeriac, turnips, beets, some cabbage, and carrots, and make a bunch of eggrolls that I can freeze and eat until Spring arrives. I'll post the recipe when I get around to the big project, sometime later this weekend or early next week.

A new year, a new adventure, the last stretch, the beginning of the end, and the beginning of all things new. Oooooh, Baby, I just can't wait!

Introducing Teddy Marley

I made this! It took me one whole trimester and a whole lot of tinkering, but he's finally done! There was a lot of uncertainty and frustration with how the pattern was written, but he got done. I'm suppposed to make sweater for Teddy, but have opted to just clothe him in a t-shirt. But, this one is a little too big. Baby will get it when she's older. It cracked me up when I realized that Baby Girl will be smaller than Teddy. He'll just have to sit and wait in the corner of the crib for her to grow a little bigger.

I hope she loves him!

Last week, I found this CD at a local shop and I just had to have it. I wrote about Bob Marley for my doctorate dissertation, but unfortunately, I have not been able to listen to his music since then. I am very excited to have a very different reason to listen to Marley and how cute is this?



Now, take a look at the original Wailer's album and compare the cover art for both these CDs. Too cute!

Week 28

Date: 24 December 2009
How far along: 28 weeks, 5 days
Weight gain: 2 lbs. since last pre-natal visit. I was really excited about this until I realized it's just been two weeks since my last appointment. I guess I'm right on track now - 1 pound per week.
Sleep: Strange dreams in which I sometimes tell myself I should write a novel about this, Stephanie Meyer style. I am sleeping now with a pillow between my legs which is super comfortable. I've noticed I have trouble sleeping when it is snowing outside, must by the low pressure system over the region.
Best moment this week: With D off from work the whole week, we've had time to relax with each other. I like the early morning when I get to pull his hand to my belly and let him feel Baby kicking. He chuckles in this sleepy way that I find to sexy. He's already talking about staking out his time with her and that just makes my heart grow and soar!
Movement: I wake up early in the morning to her kicking and it feels like fireworks are going off in my belly! Definitely feeling the hiccups!
Food cravings: Fish and chips. I am eating carrots instead of chips with my sandwiches and man, does that hit the spot. Crab legs tonight for Xmas eve! Yum!
What I miss: I have been walking on a regular basis on at treadmill at the gym. Every time I go I walk longer and faster. Now, I'm craving a short run, but am hesitant to take it to that level. I also miss regular yoga classes. And believe or not, I miss shoveling.
Next challenge: Checking my blood sugar levels in the morning after breakfast. My doctor told me to experiment with what I eat to pinpoint the foods that are harder to process. So, I will be eating a little something different each morning. Everything from cream of wheat to cold cereal to an egg with a whole wheat english muffin. She said I could return to my daily habit of starting the day with half an apple with cheese which I'm really happy about because it gets me hydrated right away after a night of fasting.
What I am looking forward to: Next Christmas. D sings corny songs to me and I just wait to see him share these with Baby.
Weekly Wisdom: From an old friend, Dr. G, who emailed this bit of advise, "food combining is what's really needed, good portions of fat, fiber, and protein in the right proportion to carbs will help you to avoid spiking your blood sugar, and keep you healthy." I really appreciated this sort of advise because it acknowledged that I do eat healthy, but that I could be smarter about my healthy eating.

As you can see from this picture, I'm getting big. I felt like a grew a few inches around my belly just over the weekend. It's getting a little harder for me to get up off the couch and bend down to put on my shoes. I bought a new pair of boots that allow me to zip up the front and that helps me a bit.

D came with my to my pre-natal appointment and that was fun. We both got a chance to talk with the doctor about gestational diabetes. We reviewed my diet and she confirmed that I am eating healthy and encouraged me to have some treats. The one thing she said to change was doing my daily workout in the morning rather than in the afternoon. She said chances are my blood sugars are higher in the morning, so a walk should help bring those down. She also assured me that there are a few steps we can take before having to resort to insulin.

From BabyCenter: By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

I can't wait to see her pretty, pretty eyelashes!! I can feel her spine on the side of my belly and find it so cute that she does circles in there!

Gestational Diabetes

I am floored by the news that I have gestational diabetes. I am a healthy eater. I eat mostly organic food, produce delivered directly from a local farm. I don't drink sodas, never really have. I'm not drawn to many sweets. Sure, I'll get a craving for carrot cake or chocolate cake, even an ice cream sundae with hot fudge, but I never over do it. A pint of ice cream can last me a month. A sundae from Dairy Queen will take several days to finish and the last one I had was back in October. I buy slices of cake, one at a time, if at all. I do eat lots of fruit, but that should be part of a healthy diet! I am married to a diabetic, so a diet low in sugar is the norm for us.

Ok, I've got to bitch a little first. I'm troubled by the glucose test. I had two where I had consume a very sugary drink that was loaded with glucose. Because my levels were slightly elevated (I was at 136 with a cut-off at 130), I had to return for the fasting + three hour lab. The second time around, my fasting blood sugar was normal (88), but the other three after consuming a sugary drink with an even larger amount of glucose than the previous test, showed elevated levels of sugar in my blood. Here's my bitch and moan: I don't drink sugary drinks, so, of course, my body is not accustomed to processing all that glucose! Not fair! Why test me with something that is not a regular part of my diet? And I'm sure that it's not a regular part of my diet because my body has never been able to process it.

As it turns out, I am part of one of those ethnic groups that are prone to gestational diabetes: South Asians. Again, I think that is because high-sugar foods have never been a part of the Gujarati diet. I did not know this before today. It makes me feel a little less guilty, but dang, I sure do feel bad about all this.

The Big D is a type-1 diabetic. This is my biggest fear having lived with him so long. Now, I have to do as he does that is checking my blood at least four times a day. I pray and pray that I don't have to take insulin. Just the thought of pricking my finger to draw out blood really upsets me. I guess next week's holiday joy will be marred with adjusting to this new lifestyle and diet. But, then, as I read more about diet, I realize that's how I eat normally so really, I see no way out of this without having to shoot up insulin.

I am floored by this news. Just when things were starting to feel right, I get slammed by this development. I know that it's best to catch this now so as to avoid risk to baby. Here's the thing: the women that I know that had gestational diabetes are the ones in my life that do not eat healthy. A couple of them are diagnosed as obese, several of them eat fast food on a regular basis, none of them exercise. This sounds shitty and judgemental of me, I know, but I am upset that I am in the same category after all the effort I've put in to eat healthy. And much of that effort was prompted years ago by my husband's diabetes. So, most of my married life has been filled with healthy eating which only ramped up even further when I got pregnant. OK, maybe not in the first trimester, but definitely, in this second one. Now I'm approaching the third trimester all stressed and scared for the baby.

[ETA: That little rant, I realize now, was uncalled for. Another good friend of mine had gestational diabetes with her first pregnancy. She eats healthy and exercises on a regular basis. My mean judgements reflect my own disappointment with myself and this new development. Yesterday, after I wrote this post, I had many, many tearful moments. I don't want to prick my finger 4 times a day, I don't want all those little holes on the tips of my fingers. And, jeez, the thought of having to shoot insulin is totally unbearable! I don't know how the Big D does it, and he still plays his guitar despite all the little holes on his fingers. I need to get over this resistance, because whether I want it or not, this is my going to be my life for the next three months.]

Another thing that I'm distressed about is that as I read about gestational diabetes diets, I realize that I am already eating in this manner. The only difference, I guess, is that I need to eat on a schedule. I am also a bit upset that the diet suggestions encourage foods that are not in season. I've been trying to eat foods that are in season, things grown locally. If not that, then things grown regionally, and if not that, then things grown in the US. The diet suggestions include fruits and produce that are not growing in North America right now. I have to figure out how to deal with that, especially since eating things that are not in season or grown thousands of miles away do not have the same nutritional value nor the great taste that satisfies my appetite. Some diet suggestions actually recommend diet sodas or sugar-free items. I just don't understand a health care regiment that OKs putting chemicals in my body rather fresh fruit juices. Ugh. I'm frustrated.

Maybe this is how the Mars retrograde will effect my life. Oh, yes, I just went and read about it again and absolutely, this is what is happening. I'm going to include it here because of how eerily relevant it feels to everything going on right now. From the Low Down on the Far Out at Evolving Door Astrology:

He's baaaaaack!! Mars now turns retrograde until Mar.10.2010, creating a need to reconsider the direction and use of our energy. For a week or more before and after today, your physical energy may be a bit erratic or wonky—here one minute and gone the next; active one minute and lethargic the next. Forward progress that was made over the last couple of months may seem like it has hit a roadblock or forced into an annoying detour. Tempers can flare easily from frustration and trying to push through the obstacles that don't want to budge. This can also trigger old unresolved anger, which might need to be worked through over the coming retrograde period. This might also be a time when you feel a bit depressed or lethargic due to repressed anger, particularly if you find it difficult to own, express or accept anger as a natural emotion.

Although this might sound like a totally negative experience, it's not! All that energy can also fuel a time of great productivity and determination. The retrograde period could also be a time of respite from anger, conflict or high stress, as you pull back for a while to coast, regroup and rethink how you want to deal with a stressful situation. It is a time to take stock of what you are investing your energy and ambition in and consider if you are spending your energy wisely. It is a time to evaluate whether your plans and actions are working for you, or whether you need to make some adjustments in your direction, or whether you need to consider a complete change of direction. It is also a time to work hard in preparation for plans that can be put into action after Mars goes direct (Mar.10.2010). Think of it as taking inventory, revising your goals and adjusting your plans for the next two years (until the next Mars retrograde).

I guess this means I need to change direction, retreat and rethink my goals. All in preparation to welcome baby.




No more fun cake to eat. BTW, the amount of cake that was left over is about the amount of cake that is missing from this picture. And I shared the remainder with Lone Star and the Big D. Cake is eaten. Now the work begins.

27 Weeks

Date: 18 December 2009
How far along: 27 weeks, 6 days
Weight gain: At least three more pounds this week
Sleep: Intensely, weird dreams with major leg cramps early in the morning.
Best moment this week: I put on a tight-ish brown sweater and felt proud of my pregnant belly.
Movement: A tickle on my side. I woke up one night and thought that either D or one of the cats was tickling me. The tickle was coming from the inside and I think it's when her hands are moving around.
Food cravings: None since I've had left over baby shower cake to eat all week.
What I miss: Feeling normal.
Next challenge: Coping with gestational diabetes. It's official, I have gestational diabetes. I'm floored by this because I am someone who eats healthy, organic healthy. I have to start testing my blood sugars four times a day.
What I am looking forward to: March and the opportunity to work out more intensely. I'm not comfortable with all this weight I have put on.
Weekly Wisdom: Feeling down this week, haven't found the moment of weekly wisdom. Got some to offer?

This picture was taken last Sunday and I tried to capture what my belly looked like behind the sari. Just today, I looked through the pictures from the baby puja and needless to say, I am not pleased with how I look. The sari doesn't help. My face looks all blown out and swollen. D looks so trim and fit in all the pictures and I'm sad that I don't look like him. Throughout the 15+ years of our marriage, we always manage to look similar in our pictures. But I feel like a cow next to him. Gives a whole new meaning to "ten cow woman."

This week has been an emotional roller coaster week with many ups and downs. The baby puja went fine, "better than expected" so says my mother, but she and I are fighting again, and the news about the gestational diabetes has me very troubled.

But, D is home on vacation all next week. And, hopefully, he will be able to help me adjust to this new development in the pregnancy. Found a great second-hand clothing store that has great maternity pieces, so have been relieving depression with some shopping. Got a new 50mm prime lens that should be fun to play with. I want to make an effort to get back the baby bliss before the new year. Working out every day with D will help with that.

From BabyCenter: This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.

26 Weeks

26 Weeks

Date: 12 December 2009
How far along? 26 weeks, 6 days

Weight Gain: Another seven pounds since my last prenatal appointment. We talked a little about this, my doctor and I. I informed her that by the time I had come to my first visit at her clinic, I had lost over 8 pounds because of the progesterone the previous doctor had prescribed. So she adjusted my start weight and now, according to this figure, I've only gained 19 pounds, which puts me back to the normal range. However, my glucose test results were not the greatest - 136 - so, I'm a little bit above normal and may have to return for another 3 hour test preceded by fasting. My doctor said that 50% of women has abnormal results, so not to worry because as we reviewed my diet, she confirmed that I was indeed eating very healthy. I came home and promptly downed a huge square of carrot cake...later, I read on the internet that the cut-off for the glucose testing is sometimes 140, sometimes 130, so I may still be in the clear. Also, I did eat a little bit in that hour before my test and so, that may have also effected my test results. On top of all that, my mother called and totally stressed me less than 1/2 hour before my test and I do know that stress can also be a factor.
Sleep: No nightmares this week. It's getting a little more difficult to roll out of bed because of my bigger belly. I am getting better at staying sleepy while in the bathroom. However, I have had a couple of early mornings when I could not get back to sleep. I hope that I don't get insomnia, something I became too familiar with that when I was young.
Best moment this week: One night I dreamt of the little baby girl. She was dark haired and so very tiny.
Movement: I've noticed that she starts to kick at the top of each hour.
Food cravings: carrot cake and decaf lattes
What I miss: I miss beer. I hear mixed messages about drinking beer when breastfeeding. Mostly, though, I hear it's good to drink dark beer when breastfeeding. Yum. My favorite kind. I'm going to have the Big D pick up some stout on the way home from the hospital, maybe, probably.


I've been wearing a lot of brown lately. Today, I had my prenatal appointment and it was funny how many times I changed clothes. I was trying to find something that didn't add to my total weight. I shot this image right before my appointment and settled on the brown sweater when I realized that it didn't matter what I wore.

I'm starting to really enjoy my pregnant belly. I've recently found a great 2nd hand clothing store that had a huge rack of maternity clothes. There was variety and style, there was fun stuff and a range of clothes for a bunch of different occasions. There wasn't much I didn't like. Whereas every other place I've been, whether it's the mall or large department stores, I rarely found a single thing I liked. I bought a piece here and there just to have something, anything. My only other good score was contacting someone through Craig's List. 2nd hand stores and Craig's List are my two recommendations for decent maternity clothes!

What I am looking forward to: Drinking dark beer!

Weekly Wisdom: “I hope you have a wonderful puja and are enjoying every moment of being celebrated as a new mama. It is so important and beautiful for you to be honored now. Soak it up." Amelia, the doula. I am meeting with doulas next week to make a decision of which one to go with. I had already emailed Amelia last week, but got overwhelmed with all the puja planning this week, so I emailed her back to postpone our meeting. I started to cry when I read her email response. It was so sweet and supportive. Honestly, it made me realize all that I am missing in terms of support from my own mother, who is driving me crazy. I cannot wait for the Sunday afternoon when this puja is done. Anyway, this email from Amelia may just be the deciding factor.

From BabyCenter: "The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. And he's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel."

There are times when one of my kitties start to purr really, really loud. And, when that happens, the baby starts to kick. I'm sure she can hear the cat purring. I hope she remembers that friendly purr when she comes out into this world.

I'm almost getting used to this whole pregnancy thing and starting to feel that bliss, except on days that I've talked to my mother. I haven't been sick at all during this pregnancy and have opted not to get the flu shot. I've talked to my doctor about this and have her support. I've been walking on the treadmill pretty regularly. I feel very healthy and am certain that all these efforts are what has kept me from getting sick. For this reason, I am surprised that pregnant women are in the high risk category for the flu. Most pregnant women eat healthy, take their vitamins and generally are more fit than the general public.

I may not be as fit as I once was, but, I definitely am the healthiest that I've even been in my life.

Baby Puja Planning Committee of One

So the big event is on Sunday. My baby puja. That's what I'm calling it now because it seems noone has any better description. My in-laws are a little freaked out because I called it a baby shower and according to them, those are only attended by women. All my male relatives are invited to this event, some male neighbors and other male friends. The only males disturbed by this concept is my in-laws. So, baby puja.

Although there is a puja to kick things off, that's not the main ceremony. This particular puja begins with a ceremony of gratitude to the deity Ganesha, or more commonly referred to as Ganapatiya in Gujarat. Then, we move on to the baby ceremony that marks the period of time when the pregnant mother moves back into her mother's home for the remainder of the pregnancy. There is more, but I'll describe that in another post. But, this also reminds me that I do need to do a little write up for all my American friends and family that are attending.

Add that the committee's list of things to do. The Baby Puja Planning Committee of One - that's me. When my mother decided to do this she made the decision just days before leaving town. She left to attend another puja in Oklahoma and then to my sister's house in Florida. She didn't return until the week before Thanksgiving and planning could not wait for her return.

Enter the Lotus. Who quickly forms a committee (of one) and sets about planning an event for which she has vague knowledge of. I took the charge seriously because I've never had another major event in my life celebrated as such. No wedding, no graduation, no Ph.D. party.

The most enjoyable and pleasant experience in all this was ordering the flowers.

Chenoweth Floral is near my in-laws home and just down the block from the neighborhood center where the puja is being held. They were wonderful! The colors for this puja are pink and green and brown and gold. I wanted pink Gerbera daises on the tables.


The first thing that happened was that the really nice, young man who helped me, very tactfully, informed me that I was pronouncing the flower name wrong. It is Gerbera and not Gerber (like the baby products).



Then he encouraged me to order an assortment of colors. I was already feeling like there was way too much pink at this event, so this turned out to be a fantastic suggestion. They ordered directly from a supplier in Columbia which reduced the price per stem (just over a dollar, another place quoted me $4 a stem. Yikes!) and they ordered 100 stems. Then, they called me today and I was able to pick the 3 dozen that I wanted. I picked out pink, a darker pink, yellow and some orange. It was great being in the midst of all this color during this monotone season of snow and slush.


I also picked up a bouquet of small carnations for the puja, at a reduced price, I might add. Rock on! They were so awesome! I mean, Chenoweth was awesome and I highly recommend them for your next floral purchase, whether it be big or small!



And, since they right down by the neighborhood center, I decided to stop and take a picture. It was quite the ordeal finding a venue for this event. All the places in Minneapolis require selecting a caterer from their approved list, and needless to say, there were no Indian caterers on that list. I started driving from one community center to another, until I finally found this place in my in-laws town. I also managed to get a discount because my in-laws are residents. And, the bonus is that this is a stand-alone building so there aren't any other activities scheduled like there were at all the other community centers.



There is a cute little gas fireplace, too!


My sari turned out to be a lot pinker than I had planned. I ordered it from India and that turned out to be way cheaper than picking one up in Chicago where there is a large number of Indian apparel stores. I ordered these poms online from Etsy. Why? Because I love them! Also, I can hang them in the baby's room when all is said and done. Something for her to gaze at hanging from the ceiling.

So once I realized that there was getting to be too much pink, I made efforts to balance that out. Green plastic table cloths. Chocolate cake with green flowers.

Whew! I'm glad the big stuff is done. Now there are just the little details to take care of. And, now I have to go, because one thing I really need to keep my sanity throughout this whole thing is to work out. Off to the gym I go and of course, that means I get to eat more cake! Right?

Week 25

I hate admitting this to myself, but the truth is, I need structure in my life. I enjoyed my weekly schedule when I was working a regular job. I always felt more frazzled in the academic environment where months could by before an important deadline hit.

I want some structure here on this blog. I want some structure in recording/documenting my pregnancy. My pregnancy journal is not taking off and at this point, is more like my travel journals. This blog is all over the place in terms of topics, focus, stuff. Maybe a little bit of structure would help anchor it.

So, I'm going to try something new. I found this somewhere when looking for journal prompts and it seemed like something I could get into. Anyone else out there reading this pregnant? Lani? Want to give it a try?

OK. Here goes:

Week 25

3 December 2009
How far along? week 25 day 5
Weight gain: So much! More than what I planned for. I've been eating healthy, I swear. And, now the baby is getting noticeably bigger so the weight gain is not just me.
Sleep: Interrupted about 3 times a night to go and pee. Some nightmares. Wonder why I even have nightmares when I never really had so many before. Dreams are surreal and vivid, so much so that I wake up confused and uncertain about what is real.
Best moment this week: Realizing we could have matching pigtails. Oops. Just gave it away: It's a girl. And, realizing what a great father the Big D is going to be.
Movement: Tons of kicking. Oh My Goodness. I can't imagine it not starting to hurt when baby gets bigger. Sometimes the kicks are so strong, my stomach shakes.
Food cravings: Fruit. Can't get enough fresh fruit.
What I miss: Drinking herbal tea and China Cola.
What I am looking forward to: I've always wanted a friend who would be adventurous with me in the kitchen, cooking, canning, etc. I just realized that baby might be interested in keeping me company, or at she will be until she gets bigger and runs out of the kitchen.
Next challenge: Glucose test next week. Gotta eat super healthy this week so that the test comes out good. My sister tested positive for gestational diabetes, but then she did opt to eat McDonalds on the day of the test.

This was all the daring I could muster for as big as I feel. Everyone says "you're supposed to gain weight." Yet, even my doctor seemed concerned at first, but just recently she said that some women just put on more weight than others. The women in my family get round all over and right now, I'm not ready for that phase of my life. My mother is no help. When getting measured for my sari blouse for the baby puja, she insisted the tailor (seamstress) add a couple inches in the seams so that it can be let out should I get even bigger. No way! I'm planning to slim down after this whole pregnancy thing is over. Baby will keep me going, I'm sure! Got a health club membership so that I could swim, but haven't dared the bathing suit yet. Probably should before I get even bigger!

Weekly Wisdom: "Every little girl needs a good father." I don't know where I heard this, maybe a movie or TV show, or even a commercial (blame it on the prego ditzyness), but when I did, I just knew that my little girl will have the greatest father there is. Someone who is whole-heartedly supportive, full of love and compassion and is, best of all, someone who is fun. I should know. I married him for all these reasons!

From BabyCenter:
"Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. Her weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but she's beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. As she does, her wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and she'll start to look more and more like a newborn. She's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture."

I can't wait to see what you look like, Baby! Will you have D's thick blonde hair? Probably not the blonde, but hopefully the thick. Will you have his hazel eyes or my dark brown? Will your skin be dark brown like mine or somewhere in between his Norwegian pale and my Indian dark? All I do know for sure is that with this large of a gene pool, you are going to be extra beautiful and extremely smart! And representative of all that is good in this country, this millenium and this world!

Abundant Gratitude

There is so much to be grateful for this day. 6 months of a healthy pregnancy. 3 more months to give us time to prepare. The wonderous anticipation of the arrival of our new little family member.



The joy of buying tiny little baby booties.



And immense gratitude for my hubby who graciously helps me set up the shot!

Week 17

Sometimes I think I should call this "Lotus in Wonderland". My walks in the neighborhood seem so psychedelic. A friend suggested that I try to capture this trippy element with my camera, but I'm not sure this can happen. Here are the images, Baby, from last week. I had to bundle us up in layers because the temps were in the 40s. Rain came in the middle of the week and the chill in the air makes me look forward to snow. Whee! Can't wait for you to meet snow!


Orange is my favorite color. I wonder if you'll like it.




Just down the street from the large Catholic church, there is this garden Buddha. I love that the flowers grown all around him.




This is one of those psychedelic moments. Just walking along, minding my own business, I glance down and suddenly there are bright yellow and black feathers. Makes me think the bird must have been a Steelers fan. Baby, did you know your Mama grew up as a Steelers fan in Indiana, PA?




The bright colors of the trees in the Fall are dazzeling.




These flowers are Steelers fans as well.




I think they put this bench on the boulevard just for me. It's in an odd place and noone ever sits there. Noone except me. And, you, of course.



Oh, goodness, Baby, by the end of the week we got snow. Everything looks different. And it just doesn't look right so early in October. The leaves are still green and hanging on the trees.



I needed just one more week to get the garden prepared for the winter. Hopefully the sun will melt everything away and keep it away for a few weeks. Otherwise, this is going to be one looong winter.

Week 17

Sometimes I think I should call this "Lotus in Wonderland". My walks in the neighborhood seem so psychedelic. A friend suggested that I try to capture this trippy element with my camera, but I'm not sure this can happen. Here are the images, Baby, from last week. I had to bundle us up in layers because the temps were in the 40s. Rain came in the middle of the week and the chill in the air makes me look forward to snow. Whee! Can't wait for you to meet snow!


Orange is my favorite color. I wonder if you'll like it.




Just down the street from the large Catholic church, there is this garden Buddha. I love that the flowers grown all around him.




This is one of those psychedelic moments. Just walking along, minding my own business, I glance down and suddenly there are bright yellow and black feathers. Makes me think the bird must have been a Steelers fan. Baby, did you know your Mama grew up as a Steelers fan in Indiana, PA?




The bright colors of the trees in the Fall are dazzeling.




These flowers are Steelers fans as well.




I think they put this bench on the boulevard just for me. It's in an odd place and noone ever sits there. Noone except me. And, you, of course.

Love and the Slow Cooker

My mother did not have a slow cooker when I was growing up. I grew up with certain fantasies about "American" food. Bacon, stews, mac-n-cheese, sandwiches: these were not things that were prepared in my mother's kitchen. Along with fantasies about "American" food, I also had fantasies about "American" cooking. I imagined an easy domestic lifestyle full of microwaves and slow cookers. By the time I got a microwave and slow cooker, I had no idea what to do with them. I mostly use the timer on my microwave. I never understood how people could actually cook with a microwave.

But, the slow cooker was different. I never knew, until recently, that slow cookers have a bad reputation amongst certain crowds. A bad reputation that comes with an association with canned goods and cheap cuts of meat, bland overcooked tastes and lazy cooking habits. I never knew because immediately after I got my slow cooker I purchased Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook which includes a number of recipes that start with fresh ingredients. The title of the cookbook cracks me up because, like I said, my mother never had a slow cooker. She has one now. I think it's still in the box sitting on the shelf in her basement pantry area.

Well, here it is. My slow cooker. [Please ignore the shiny wall that makes my new paint job look like crap. Blame it on the flash and the Mercury Retrograde.]



We met and fell in love somewhere back at the turn of the century. Things really got heated up when I was working full time. We rekindled the flame last summer when I realized that she came in handy for summer recipes. It took me a while but I caught on. Slow cookers are not only great for Fall and Winter meals, but also absolutely perfect for preparing meals on hot summer days.

Not all recipes work out great in a slow cooker no matter what the cookbooks try to tell you. There are some things that better left for cooking on the stove. But there are a surprising number of really good things that can cooked up the in the slow cooker. That negative association with cheap cuts of meat? Well, that's a bunch of snobbery, if you ask me. Although my mother did cook some meat when I was growing up, she didn't cook a lot of different cuts of meat. As a result, I'm a little timid about meat, but the slow cooker helps me get over my issues.

OK, so this post isn't about a cheap cut of meat, it's actually about sausages, but I'd thought I would throw that bit in here anyway. Seems appropriate, doesn't it? When talking about slow cookers there is a general sense that anything can be thrown in. Onward to the recipe!

Sausages with Beans and Peppers. Some people would turn tail and run the other direction with from a recipe like that. But, I'm not going to think about those people because I have a lot of CSA peppers, it's cold outside, and we need something warm and yummy for a Sunday evening.



I got some chicken sausages with apple. I try a different kind each time I do this recipe. Sometimes I'll use some leftover ones from our trips to the trailer.



Halfway through cooking the sausages I realized I was looking at the wrong recipe. The one I wanted had beans and tomatoes in it. The one I was preparing didn't. This seems to happen to a lot to me lately. I blame it on the pregnancy.



I cut up the sausages and sent the Big D to the store to get me one more can of beans. Usually I'll cook up a pot of beans ahead of time, but for obvious reasons, we had to go with canned beans. The reason: I messed up and wasn't looking at the right recipe.



I then pulled the chopped up peppers from the slow cooker and threw them in to soften on the stove. See these recipes don't call for just throwing things in the slow cooker. There is prep required.

Here is a shot of the final results. If it looks like I've eaten out of the bowl, it's because I did start eating before I remembered to take a picture. Whee! What a dizzy girl I've become while pregnant. Nonetheless, it was yummy and perfect with some french bread!



So, a recap of the recipe adapted from the above mentioned cookbook. I say adapted because I had to wing it halfway through.

Sausages with Beans and Peppers
Brown 1-2 pounds of sausages. Sliced up.
Chop 3-4 peppers, 3 cloves of garlic and 1 large onion. Saute in pan until softened.
Add peppers to slow cooker. Top with sausages, 2 cans of beans (any beans- today I used black beans and kidney beans), 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz) and 1/4 cup red wine.
Cook in slow cooker 6-8 hours.
Serve with crusty french bread or maybe some rice. Or maybe, just maybe I'll make some maple hoecakes again.

Love and the Slow Cooker

My mother did not have a slow cooker when I was growing up. I grew up with certain fantasies about "American" food. Bacon, stews, mac-n-cheese, sandwiches: these were not things that were prepared in my mother's kitchen. Along with fantasies about "American" food, I also had fantasies about "American" cooking. I imagined an easy domestic lifestyle full of microwaves and slow cookers. By the time I got a microwave and slow cooker, I had no idea what to do with them. I mostly use the timer on my microwave. I never understood how people could actually cook with a microwave.

But, the slow cooker was different. I never knew, until recently, that slow cookers have a bad reputation amongst certain crowds. A bad reputation that comes with an association with canned goods and cheap cuts of meat, bland overcooked tastes and lazy cooking habits. I never knew because immediately after I got my slow cooker I purchased Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook which includes a number of recipes that start with fresh ingredients. The title of the cookbook cracks me up because, like I said, my mother never had a slow cooker. She has one now. I think it's still in the box sitting on the shelf in her basement pantry area.

Well, here it is. My slow cooker. [Please ignore the shiny wall that makes my new paint job look like crap. Blame it on the flash and the Mercury Retrograde.]



We met and fell in love somewhere back at the turn of the century. Things really got heated up when I was working full time. We rekindled the flame last summer when I realized that she came in handy for summer recipes. It took me a while but I caught on. Slow cookers are not only great for Fall and Winter meals, but also absolutely perfect for preparing meals on hot summer days.

Not all recipes work out great in a slow cooker no matter what the cookbooks try to tell you. There are some things that better left for cooking on the stove. But there are a surprising number of really good things that can cooked up the in the slow cooker. That negative association with cheap cuts of meat? Well, that's a bunch of snobbery, if you ask me. Although my mother did cook some meat when I was growing up, she didn't cook a lot of different cuts of meat. As a result, I'm a little timid about meat, but the slow cooker helps me get over my issues.

OK, so this post isn't about a cheap cut of meat, it's actually about sausages, but I'd thought I would throw that bit in here anyway. Seems appropriate, doesn't it? When talking about slow cookers there is a general sense that anything can be thrown in. Onward to the recipe!

Sausages with Beans and Peppers. Some people would turn tail and run the other direction with from a recipe like that. But, I'm not going to think about those people because I have a lot of CSA peppers, it's cold outside, and we need something warm and yummy for a Sunday evening.



I got some chicken sausages with apple. I try a different kind each time I do this recipe. Sometimes I'll use some leftover ones from our trips to the trailer.



Halfway through cooking the sausages I realized I was looking at the wrong recipe. The one I wanted had beans and tomatoes in it. The one I was preparing didn't. This seems to happen to a lot to me lately. I blame it on the pregnancy.



I cut up the sausages and sent the Big D to the store to get me one more can of beans. Usually I'll cook up a pot of beans ahead of time, but for obvious reasons, we had to go with canned beans. The reason: I messed up and wasn't looking at the right recipe.



I then pulled the chopped up peppers from the slow cooker and threw them in to soften on the stove. See these recipes don't call for just throwing things in the slow cooker. There is prep required.

Here is a shot of the final results. If it looks like I've eaten out of the bowl, it's because I did start eating before I remembered to take a picture. Whee! What a dizzy girl I've become while pregnant. Nonetheless, it was yummy and perfect with some french bread!



So, a recap of the recipe adapted from the above mentioned cookbook. I say adapted because I had to wing it halfway through.

Sausages with Beans and Peppers
Brown 1-2 pounds of sausages. Sliced up.
Chop 3-4 peppers, 3 cloves of garlic and 1 large onion. Saute in pan until softened.
Add peppers to slow cooker. Top with sausages, 2 cans of beans (any beans- today I used black beans and kidney beans), 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz) and 1/4 cup red wine.
Cook in slow cooker 6-8 hours.
Serve with crusty french bread or maybe some rice. Or maybe, just maybe I'll make some maple hoecakes again.

The Heights

First off, let me say that if you live in the Twin Cities and haven't gone to The Heights Theater, please make this a priority in the next month. I remember going here when I was really young. There are new owners and a fabulous renovation. So good that it makes me jealous I hadn't thought of such a thing myself. And it makes me wonder why I haven't tried to buy the Hollywood Theatre that's located right here in my own hood for a similar renovation. Sure, the screen isn't as big as those gigantic new Mall theatres. But the interior is beautiful and there is even a curtain that draws back right before the movie begins. It would be such a great place for a poetry reading night or even a burlesque show. It's the interior that inspires that last comment. I just imagine beautiful women in showy, ostentatious clothing prancing around the velvet walls and crystal chandeliers. Wish I had been allowed to take my camera in to take a picture. I guess you all will have to just take a look for yourselves.

I have some new pregnancy resources that are all about finding comfort and spirituality throughout the experience. One thing that was mentioned was finding time to indulge oneself without feeling guilty about it. I decided to go to a movie. My second such solo outing since getting pregnant. And the Heights Theatre is perfect for the pregnant movie-going experience. Especially is one chooses to sit in the very back row, just mere steps away from the women's bathroom.

The first such outing was to Julie & Julia. I've read several bloggers who mention the oddity of identifying with a movie character for the first time, Julie being a blogger and all. For me, the viewing just made me hungry and inspired a renewed interest in my CSA. The theatre was filled with old folks which for some reason I wasn't anticipating, but perhaps it was for that particular movie.

As I pulled into the parking lot yesterday, just minutes before the start of the movie, I found I was the only one. This picture doesn't really show how many empty spot there were in the lot, but I do love my Jeep and I can't resist posting another picture of it's cuteness.



I thought maybe I'd be the only one in the theatre and that maybe they would cancel the viewing. As it turns out, there was another movie-goer. And, I was glad there weren't any more for how much I cried throughout the movie: The Time Traveler's Wife. I had read the book, so I was crying in parts that I imagine other non-pregnant people would not cry. It might have seemed like I was crying for no reason. I went into the bathroom immediately after the movie ended and found that my face was littered with tissue lint. Nonetheless, I achieved my goal of relaxation and indulgence, and found a fantastic place for it!

The Heights

First off, let me say that if you live in the Twin Cities and haven't gone to The Heights Theater, please make this a priority in the next month. I remember going here when I was really young. There are new owners and a fabulous renovation. So good that it makes me jealous I hadn't thought of such a thing myself. And it makes me wonder why I haven't tried to buy the Hollywood Theatre that's located right here in my own hood for a similar renovation. Sure, the screen isn't as big as those gigantic new Mall theatres. But the interior is beautiful and there is even a curtain that draws back right before the movie begins. It would be such a great place for a poetry reading night or even a burlesque show. It's the interior that inspires that last comment. I just imagine beautiful women in showy, ostentatious clothing prancing around the velvet walls and crystal chandeliers. Wish I had been allowed to take my camera in to take a picture. I guess you all will have to just take a look for yourselves.

I have some new pregnancy resources that are all about finding comfort and spirituality throughout the experience. One thing that was mentioned was finding time to indulge oneself without feeling guilty about it. I decided to go to a movie. My second such solo outing since getting pregnant. And the Heights Theatre is perfect for the pregnant movie-going experience. Especially is one chooses to sit in the very back row, just mere steps away from the women's bathroom.

The first such outing was to Julie & Julia. I've read several bloggers who mention the oddity of identifying with a movie character for the first time, Julie being a blogger and all. For me, the viewing just made me hungry and inspired a renewed interest in my CSA. The theatre was filled with old folks which for some reason I wasn't anticipating, but perhaps it was for that particular movie.

As I pulled into the parking lot yesterday, just minutes before the start of the movie, I found I was the only one. This picture doesn't really show how many empty spot there were in the lot, but I do love my Jeep and I can't resist posting another picture of it's cuteness.



I thought maybe I'd be the only one in the theatre and that maybe they would cancel the viewing. As it turns out, there was another movie-goer. And, I was glad there weren't any more for how much I cried throughout the movie: The Time Traveler's Wife. I had read the book, so I was crying in parts that I imagine other non-pregnant people would not cry. It might have seemed like I was crying for no reason. I went into the bathroom immediately after the movie ended and found that my face was littered with tissue lint. Nonetheless, I achieved my goal of relaxation and indulgence, and found a fantastic place for it!