mexican quinoa

I didn't actually use a recipe for this, just kind of threw it all together, but here's my best guess.

Mexican Quinoa
Salad: Mix ingredients in a large bowl
2 cups cooked, cooled quinoa
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
1 red pepper, diced
1 bunch green onions, sliced

Dressing: Mix together in small container.
season salt
black pepper
cumin
minced garlic
lime juice
olive oil

Pour dressing over salad and stir until well combined. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Today...

The big day. The day no different than any other except for the fact that we will (hopefully) find out if baby 2 is a boy or a girl. Then I can stop calling it It. Haha.

I couldn't sleep last night, wide awake with that same mix of anxiety and excitement I would get before school started.

Crazy, I know... But I don't care.

I asked JT yesterday if he thought it was a boy or a girl or if he had any feeling like he did with monster. He wouldn't say anything. Flat out refused to guess, I'm thinking he doesn't want to be wrong because he hopes for a certain gender so badly... 

Well, I'm pretty sure of what it is and now I only have a few hours to wait until I find out if I'm right! Mothers intuition? I hope so. 

half way there

oh we're halfway there...oh livin on a prayer...take my hand and we'll make it I swear

old wives tales

Just for fun... let's see where I compare... Is this baby a boy or a girl?

Craving salty/sour things or sweet things?

With Monster: Sweets

Baby 2: salty

Can people tell you are pregnant from the back?

Monster: Nope

Baby 2: Nope

Carrying High or Low?

Monster: High

Baby 2: low

Baby's heart rate over 140 bpm?

Monster: Yep

Baby 2: Yep

Right or left side while resting?

Both with both.

Has the husband put on weight?

Monster: Nope.

Baby 2: Yep.

Are the age and year of conception both odd/even or one odd, one even?

Monster: Both odd

Baby 2: Even/odd

Chinese Gender Chart?

Monster: Said Girl.

Baby 2: Said boy and girl.

Skin breaking out?

Monster: Yep.

Baby 2: Oh god yes.

Results?? Seems that there is no sure way to tell. I guess we'll have to wait until the ultrasound. And hope the Baby 2 is cooperating. 

chicken and dumplings

Being that monster has swimming lessons every night this week, I've been on the lookout for easy and fast meals to throw together. Also, thinking about this fall when JT has class at 5:30 four nights a week and then ahead to being newborn time... I was searching for freezer to crock pot meals. And I found a good one. I made this recipe the other day and I totally loved it. It was the first crock pot meal I've made in ages that has turned out good enough where I'd make it again... total victory. anyhoo...

Crock pot Chicken and Dumplings (Can be frozen)

Ingredients:
2-3 chicken breasts
1/2 bag of frozen peas and carrots
2 TB butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 TB dried parsley
3 Yukon gold potatoes, chopped
Water
1 can of refrigerator biscuits

Directions: Place everything in crock pot except for biscuits. Cover contents with water and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Quarter biscuits and add to crock pot, cook for 30 more minutes or until biscuits are done. Enjoy. (Or if you're like me cook on low for 4 hours, realize potatoes are still hard, add biscuits and cook on high until we got home from swimming lessons... about 90 minutes).

See that? Easy and quick and ready for you when you get home hungry. perfect. Next I'll try to freeze it and then we'll see how it stands up.

Some changes I will make for next time, chop chicken first, use whole bag of peas/carrots, and add 2 cans of cream of chicken soup. And definitely need to season all the layers with salt and pepper.

Original recipe found here.

baby... again

Sorry for making all my recent postings about baby stuff. :-) But here's another one... We set the date for the big Ultrasound at the end of August. My doc wanted to wait a whole month but I finally convinced him that 3 weeks was better... talk about being anxious. So, this is a little early birthday gift to the hubby, finding out the gender of baby 2. yay!

2nd baby must have/wants list

For monster, we got pretty much all the big stuff handed down from my brother and SIL. Pretty awesome actually. So, we are very well set in that arena. However, there are a few things that I have gifted out when others in my life were expecting and thinking about it, I may need back. Here's my list so far...

Crib -- Monster is far from ready to be transitioned out of her crib, so baby #2 will get their own, brand-new to them bed and mattress. How exciting...

Boppy and cover -- I had one from SIL but passed it on once other SIL was expecting. We didn't use it much since monster never really nursed. Though, JT did like it for a neck pillow. :-)

New tubing for pump -- I got a very nice Medela pump in style for monster and only used it for 2 weeks. So I have all the appropriate parts but it's been sitting for over a year and probably should get new tubing just to be safe.

Gender appropriate bedding/Clothes -- If it's a boy I'll have to get shopping. if it's a girl, I'll have to get borrowing back my lent out supplies. :-)

Bassinet -- We had a nice portable bassinet from SIL that was used in our room for a few weeks and we gave it to my other SIL. Either we'll have to get a new one or get that one back. Very helpful with having a second kiddo and only having 1 bedroom.

Double stroller -- I imagine this will come in handy being out with 2 kids, especially since monster is behind on her moving skills. Hopefully she'll be able to walk before kiddo #2 but no one can know for sure. 

New diaper bag -- Just for fun! I want one that's bigger and more like a classic purse than the diaper bag i have now.

White onesies long and short sleeved, in all sizes. Cute and great for layering for a wintertime babe.

Plain old cloth diapers to use for burp rags. Much nicer, in my opinion, than the tiny things claimed as burp rags... those are soooo too small. Or maybe monster just spit up a lot? Either way...

Monitor -- We have a monitor for the monster and I like to be able to hear her for naps/bedtime... I'm not sure if i can add an additional receiver to that one or if I want to get a video monitor... may be some research done in the near future.

what have I left out? leave me your suggestions!!

denial

I'm in denial. I must be. I haven't done a single thing besides getting out my maternity clothes and that was only because my pants were too small. Other than that, I haven't looked for/gone through/thought about anything regarding this kiddo. most of the time, i forget about it actually. Not pregnant... just chubby and can't take any good drugs since I hurt my back. oh wait, i did get a bassinet and baby papasan chair from my brother this weekend, so that's something...

anyhoo... it's probably time i get around to figuring things out for this baby... he/she needs a crib and diapers and clothes and all of the other infant paraphernalia that is "required" of a newborn.

man, i feel like i still have a newborn... I know that monster is a lot more advanced than a newborn but since I still have to do everything for her, it's a lot like having an infant for almost the past 2 years now... whoo.

where to begin?

1. Go through baby clothes/get some clothes from friends/buy some new (every kid deserves new and not just hand me downs).
2. organize baby gear from monster... swing, vibrating seat, bassinet, etc.
3. find baby a place to sleep
4. need a dresser/crib/changing table

this shouldn't be too much to start with, right? One step at a time...

oh yes... still need to
5. get some winter time maternity clothes
6. go through the 2 huge garbage bags of clothes we got for monster this weekend. I swear... that kiddo never needs any clothes.  thanks cousin L!!


knowing myself i won't be doing much of this until September or later... procrastinator extraordinaire!! :-)


Note to self: Buy some tubs to store the clothing that is 24 months and up... monster is in the 18 month size right now...

books, books, millions of books

Here's an updated list of the books I've read so far in 2013. Pretty impressive if I do say so myself, considering I have a 21-month-old kiddo... I think I'm on track to read 2 books a week this year. yay me.

Anyhoo. Anybody got any good recommendations for books? Or any recommendation on place to find a good reading list?

1. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.
2. The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan.
3. The Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan.
4. The Serpent's Shadow by Rick Riordan.
5. Silver Angel by Johanna Lindsay.
6. Mariana by Susanna Kearsley.
7. The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley.
8. The Princess Academy by Shannon Hale.
9. Wife 22 by Melanie Gideon.
10. The Host by Stephenie Meyer.
11. Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan.
12. Dark Places by Gillian Flynn.
13. Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley.
14. Shadowy Horses by Susanna Kearsley.
15. The Maze Runner by James Dashner.
16. The Scorch Trials by James Dashner.
17. The Death Cure by James Dashner.
18. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer.
19. Young House Love by John and Sherry Petersik.
20. Jewels of the Sun by Nora Roberts.
21. Divergent by Veronica Roth.
22. Insurgent by Veronica Roth.
23. Tears of the Moon by Nora Roberts.
24. Found by Morgan Rice.
25. X-Files Antibodies by Kevin J. Anderson.
26. Someday, Someday Maybe by Lauren Graham.
27. Heart of the Sea by Nora Roberts.
28. The Timekeeper by Mitch Albom.
29. The Forgotten by David Baldacci.
30. The Paris Wife by Paula Mclain.
31. Four Corners of the Sky by Michael Malone.
32. The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff.
33. Dance upon the Air by Nora Roberts.
34. Heaven and Earth by Nora Roberts.
35. Face the Fire by Nora Roberts.
36. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.
37. Hot Rocks by Nora Roberts.
38. Emily of Deep Valley by Maud Hart Lovelace.
39. Betsy's Wedding by Maud Hart Lovelace.
40. Betsy and the Great World by Maud Hart Lovelace.
41. Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan.
42. Coraline by Neil Gaiman.
43. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.
44. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.
45. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins.
46. Red Velvet Cupcake Murder by Joanne Fluke.
47. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins.