Introducing Tobin!

He's here!!! I can't believe he is finally here! 

Tobin James Yachil Manchester is here.

 He made his arrival on September 27th at 5:03 AM.

We are so in love with this little man. 

Birth story will be posted later. 

For now a picture will have to suffice. =)

 

32 weeks

Oh boy has life been crazy the past few weeks. =)

How far along are you? I am 32 weeks and 1 day at the moment

Best moment this week?  We had Linnea's first birthday party this past Saturday. It was the hottest day so far this year in Seattle. haha. I'm just happy and thankful it was sunny and not raining... like it did today. My sweet girl turned one this past Sunday. I can't believe how quickly time has gone by already.

Prayer Requests? I started bleeding randomly last Wednesday. After a few appointments and an ultrasound, we have found out that Tobin is completely healthy and fine, and that everything looks fine. I've been having lots of prodromal labor as well. Prayers for rest and that I would stop bleeding would be much appreciated.

Baby's growth:  I had an ultrasound yesterday, and Tobin is 4 lbs, 15 oz. He is looking nice and healthy. =) He does have a big head though like the rest of my husband's family.

Weight gain or loss? Loss. The heat made it really hard to eat... aka I didn't eat enough calories. I lost 2 pounds. Now that it has cooled off, eating is a lot easier again.

Cravings: French fries, watermelon and ice.

Sleep? Haha. Oh goodness I would kill for a 3-4 hour stretch of solid sleep right now. I know it will get better when he finally gets here.

What I miss: sleep. I have serious bags under my eyes at the moment. They're getting so bad that they look like I got punched.

Something that I am looking forward to? The drier going off, as it means I have washed ALL of the laundry in the house. haha. Oh I feel so domestic all of a sudden. 

30 weeks

Wow. I can't believe that this pregnancy journey is almost over.

How far along are you? I will be 30 weeks tomorrow!

Best moment this week? My father in law is buying shetland ponies, and I got to go with him to look at them. Being able to play with some horses was AMAZING!

Prayer Requests? We've gotten to the sleep? What is sleep again? point in this pregnancy. Prayers for a restful night or two of sleep would be appreciated.

Baby's growth? Tobin is 2 weeks ahead of schedule and has a strong heartbeat. They still see a peri- gestational bleed, but I think it could be another heartbeat. I'm feeling kicks simultaneously on both sides, and I'm way bigger than I was with Linnea. Only time will tell though. I'm trying not to get my hopes up for twins again. But he is at least the size of a cucumber this week. =)

Symptoms? Lack of sleep, fatigue, the normal sciatica pain. I'm on calcium and iron now, so they have been helping with my carpal tunnel and the foot cramps. =)

Medical Stuff? I got the results from my 2 hour glucose test and found out that I do not have gestational diabetes! Praise God! This pregnant woman loves her cookies and cream ice cream. haha. I am very anemic again, which isn't surprising.(I'm anemic even when I'm not pregnant) 

Cravings? Ice cream, berries and fruit.

Weight gain or loss? Gain!!! I've gained 10 pounds woohoo!!!

What I'm looking forward to? Linnea turns 1 in 2 weeks. =O So we are having a small birthday party for her on Friday night with my family since one of my sisters has to work and the other will be out of the state for her actual birthday party. I'm looking forward to working on the decorations for her party more though. =)

27 weeks

Wow. It is my last official week in the 2nd trimester! I'm quite excited to get to the 3rd trimester. =) I just realized that I haven't updated in a few weeks. My parents bought their first house! So I helped them move and clean. My grandparents from California also came up to help with the move in stuff, so I've spent the past couple weeks hanging out with them.

How far along are you?  27 weeks 1 day

Best Moment this week?  My husband only works 2 days this week thanks to Independence day being tomorrow. =) I'm really looking forward to all of the time I get to spend with him. He's been working 50+ hours a week and working on school stuff, so I haven't gotten to really see him lately. 

Baby's growth? According to the bump.com, the baby is the size of a rutabaga. He is 13.6 to 14.8 inches and 1.5 to 2.5 pounds. I don't know about any of you, but the rutabagas I've seen up here are pretty small. Definitely not over a foot long. Hmmm....

Cravings?  Frozen yogurt. And french fries. I'm pretty sure I could live off of those two things.

Maternity Clothes?  Only in the shirt department. I am still fitting into my pre-pregnancy jeans.

Movement? Tobin is transverse, and so when he kicks, I can definitely feel it in my hips. He likes to chill more than anything else though.
What I miss.... having a real diaper bag. My diaper bag broke about a month ago. I've been searching for a diaper bag that could hold two babies worth of stuff easily and keep it organized, and I finally found one. My husband and I just have to see where we can fit it into the budget before Tobin comes. I've been using a big purse to haul around Linnea's stuff.

Thoughts from the family....  My mom keeps asking me if we are done after this one. (I'm pregnant with baby #2) She keeps pushing my husband towards a vasectomy, when in all honesty she should have nothing to say about it. 
Something I'm Excited About.... My sister in law graduated from college! Which means that she and I get to hang out a lot more now! 

Discussion Question: My plan is to have a natural drug free childbirth. If Tobin stays transverse however, we'll be looking at a c-section. The idea of a c-section really scared me at first, but I know that God is in control of everything and that whatever happens during this pregnancy, he has his hand in it. I'm thankful that if I do have to have a c-section, I won't have to have labored for hours before it.

24 weeks

How far along are you?  24 weeks and 1 day. Can't believe I'm almost out of the 2nd trimester

Prayer requests?  Prayer for rest. Tobin has been chilling on my hips, and it makes it really hard to get comfortable and sleep.

Medical Stuff?  My carpal tunnel is back in both arms. Ick. I saw my midwife yesterday and everything looks good! I do have to do another glucose test at my next appointment, but it should be negative.  I've even gained 2 pounds since the last time I was there, So that's pretty sweet!

Cravings?  Chocolate...which only happens when I'm pregnant, watermelon chip ice cream from Baskin Robbins, donuts, jalepeno poppers. Pretty much everything bad to eat. haha

Gender?  It's a boy!!!

What I miss.... being able to dye my hair. I get bored with my hair color easily. haha. I get bored with lots of things easily. Oy.

What I'm looking forward to....  Being able to meet my sweet boy. It'll be interesting to see who he looks like( our daughter looks a lot like my husband) and it'll be interesting to see how his personality develops.

Discussion Question:I'm pretty sure we are done having kids. We want more kids but my husband hates me being pregnant, because it adds a whole bunch of extra responsibility on him. (The joys of HG) We are thinking about fostering kids in the future. I feel called to it, but we need more space first.

Crockpot applesauce

We found out that our daughter (10 months) has issues with gluten, so to help save money and for the fun of it, I have been making home made baby food. Her favorite food is applesauce. She'll eat just about anything if it's mixed with applesauce. We were using Gerber baby food before, and for 2 containers of applesauce, it was $1.10 on sale. I made enough applesauce to fill 15 containers for $3.28. That is 21 cents per container. Big time savings! It is SUPER simple to make. =)

Step one: Pick out your apples. You will want the sweeter apples, like Red or Golden Delicious, Gala, or Braeburn. It means you will have to add less sugar in the end.

I used Gala this time since they were on sale

Step two: Peel your apples. Simple but time consuming. Linnea (my daughter) and I watched The Lion King while I was peeling. Maybe I am just a slow peeler.

I only peeled 7 apples because that is all my crockpot can fit.

Step three: Core and slice up your apples. It is okay if they have bruises. You won't be able to tell when they are done cooking. You want to cut out rust spots and worm holes. Those will affect the taste of your applesauce. It doesn't matter what size you cut the pieces into, as long as all the pieces are close in size. This will help with uniform cooking.

My pieces were about quarter size

Step four: Place the apple pieces into your crock pot and turn it on low.

Step five: Add about a cup of water or apple juice to the crockpot. This will help the apples retain moisture, so they soften, not dry out.

I used apple juice so I could use less sugar later on as this is for baby food.

Step six: Let it cook for at 6+ hours, or until the apples are brown and mushy. You'll be able to tell the difference between a raw and a cooked apple. There will probably be some water or juice left in the bottom. This is okay and normal.

It's a little hard to see but the apples are brown.

Step seven: Mash the apples up. A potato masher works great. A food processor also works just fine. I lost my masher when we moved, so I used my food processor. You will want to mix the left over water or juice into whatever you're mashing. It'll help give the applesauce a smoother texture.

We like our applesauce a little chunky.

Step eight: Add cinnamon and sugar(or juice) to taste. You will want to do this while it is still warm, as the sugar will absorb better.

Step nine: Chill and enjoy. (Or if you are impatient like me, enjoy now)

23 weeks

Oy. Where has this week gone? I woke up this morning, realized it was Thursday, and that I had not done my post for this week. Linnea got really really sick on Sunday, so I skipped church and took her to the doctor. She got tested for Whooping Cough. The test was inconclusive since her nose is so stubby, the nurse couldn't get the swab as far back as she needed. So she got put on the medication for it, and 4 days later, she's acting and feeling a lot better.I am also thankful she has had all of her DTaP shots.  I got sick with whatever she has on Tuesday. The antibiotics for it are definitely helping, but I'm not 100% better yet. I'm very thankful my husband has not gotten sick. I'm praying he doesn't get sick.

Anyway...
I am 23 weeks as of Tuesday. I have gained a pound!!!!!!!! I cannot tell you how excited by this I am. I'm hoping to continue to gain weight. I'm praying that I actually get to wear maternity clothes and look pregnant this time around. Tobin is still healthy despite my sickness! PRAISE THE LORD! Having a fever and having a hard time eating makes this mama worry about her jelly bean. I haven't had any nausea this past week at all. Which is pretty awesome. I think not being able to smell anything has really helped with that. haha. Tobin's head has been firmly lodged in my ribs, and he has been kicking my hips. I'm praying that he moves head down soon. I know that he still has time, but Linnea was head down and engaged from 18 weeks on, so this is a new occurrence for me.

Making Babyfood

I'm linking up at Teach me Tuesdays and Gluten free Wednesdays. You can find the linky below the post. I still haven't figured out how to get it to work in the post.

My sweet daughter has been having some tummy issues for the past month or so. She went from being an AMAZING sleeper (read this as 2 naps and sleeping at least 9 hours straight at night ) to being a HORRIBLE sleeper. (read this as no naps, and waking up several times during the night) She started crying everytime she had a bowel movement and they went  from the normal solid to very very watery. ( I know TMI. Sorry) She started spitting up after every meal.  I've heard of food allergies doing this, and I already have a gluten intolerance, so we decided to try cutting it out from her diet. After a few days of just formula to clear out her system, her poos were normal again, and so was her sleep schedule. She was back to her normal happy self.

How can you not love her scrunched up smile?

I gave her a jar of baby food that had pasta in it, and she threw most of it up. She hadn't done that in days. She also had watery poo again. So, we gave her one more day of just formula and I set out to the grocery store to pick up a few items. I looked originally at already made baby foods. It is very hard to find ones with protein in it that don't have some sort of pasta in it. Even the "breakfast" baby foods are made with oats or some other gluten filled grain.

I've been interested in making my own baby food since Linnea started eating solids. For lunches she normally eats whatever I'm eating for lunch (great way to start eating healthier). Dinners and "breakfasts" were harder since she is normally asleep when I start making dinner, and I eat a bowl of cereal for breakfast. As much as she wants me to share, I don't. This requires having baby food available.

  I started looking at the types of foods I had been giving her in the past. All were well balanced protein-carb-veggie wise. All had low or no amounts of sugar and salt. And all had some sort of grain in them, pasta, oatmeal, etc. I realized how easy(effort wise) it was to make my own baby food. I started my baby food making journey this week with what I think are simple recipes. I made them up as I went along. =)

For her breakfast food, I made applesauce in my crockpot, added pureed raspberries, and rice cereal. I'll post how to make applesauce n a crockpot later this week. I need to make another batch. The cool part about making applesauce at home, is that you decide how sweet to make it, aka how much sugar you add. I didn't put any in Linnea's applesauce, but did in mine. I think I'll add a little juice to hers next time. The raspberries made it a little sour.

For her dinner food I made a mixture of ground chicken, sweet potato puree, quinoa pasta, carrot puree, and bell pepper chunks. Linnea loves bell peppers. =) This mixture was put through my food processor until it became kinda chunky, but soft. My sweet girl has 7 teeth and loves "grittier" foods, so it was the perfect combo.

For next week I am going to attempt to make my own tomato pasta sauce, since all of the store bought ones have LOADS of sugar and salt.

Blessings.

22 weeks

Woo this pregnancy is flying by. My hubby and I got to get away this past weekend for a few days. It was really nice ( I got to sleep in past 6:30 AM which really helps with the whole morning sickness thing) but I totally missed my daughter. (including the whole 6:30 AM thing) My parents watched her so my husband and I could have a babymoon. We went to Hood River, in Oregon, which is about a 4 hour drive from where we live in Washington. It was amazing! We went to the Oregon Zoo in Portland(I LOVE zoos.) Hit a quilt store in Portland where I got some fabric to make Tobin's quilt, went to a Starbucks( I wanted a Portland mug to go with my Seattle one), went wine tasting,( I was not the only pregnant woman at several of the wineries, which was unexpected)  and just hung out together. We needed this trip by ourselves. My husband is an awesome provider and has been working two jobs, and going to school full time, besides paying attention to our daughter and me. I am VERY blessed by my husband.

Anywho, on with the pregnancy stuff...

How far along are you? 22 weeks exactly today according to the doctors. I'm thinking 23 weeks. But hey, in the end, Tobin will come when he is good and ready.

What scripture is speaking to you this week? 1st Corinthians 10:31 "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
 I have been having a hard time feeling motivated to clean my house (read do laundry) or cook( read dinners I can't just throw in the oven) these past few weeks.I've been so tired and have felt really lazy. (Who really wants to do much when they're exhausted and can't get comfortable?) I realized that it is my job and what God has given me to do as a homemaker. He has given me an amazing task, that everyone isn't cut out for and it is exactly what my husband needs me to do as his helpmeet. Having a clean house and making nutritious dinners help my hubby feel less stressed. And with everything else my husband is doing to take care of us, why can't I put forth a little extra effort to make sure I respect him, as God has called me to do.

Symptoms? The same old stuff over her. Fatigue and nausea. Though my hubby and I did get food poisoning on our trip. If you ever go to Hood River, DO NOT eat at the Crazy Pepper. We weren't the only ones to get sick while we were there. Some of the other couples at the B+B we stayed at got food poisoning from them too.

Cravings? Fresh fruit- mostly berries and melons. Though I did make applesauce and that has been pretty sweet. I've been craving lemons again too. haha.

Sleep? Always can use more of that. What pregnant woman can't?

Gender?  It's a boy. His name is Tobin James (Insert some 2nd middle name my sister hasn't decided on yet here) Manchester. I like being prepared, so we found out. Nesting always seems to hit me early on, so not knowing would probably stress me out more, aka I've had all of his clothes washed and put away since we found out. I'm also in the process of making crib bumpers and a matching crib skirt. =)

Movement?  Not much. If I stretch, I'll normally get a pretty good punch or kick, but he seems pretty content to move every once in a while and keep his feet in my left rib and his head in my rip hip.

What I'm looking forward to....   Hopefully finishing the crib bumper this weekend and starting on the crib skirt. Also, more baby proofing. My daughter (10 months) figured out right before we left how to pull herself up from her belly to her feet, so nothing is safe anymore. She has been walking everywhere in our living room(holding onto our couches or coffee table)

What I need prayer for this week is patience. With myself- I'm 22 weeks and don't really look pregnant. I get that it's because I haven't gained any weight yet. But I would love to be in maternity clothing. My pre-pregnancy jeans are what I'm currently wearing(comfortably) with a t-shirt. I honestly look a little pudgy, and not pregnant. With others- When people talk to me when I'm with my daughter, and they hear I'm pregnant, they normally say "Oh you are going to have your hands full." Or "Oh they're so close together." I know that my kids are going to be close together. They will be 14 months apart if Tobin comes a few days late. I need to be able to give these people more grace and not a biting answer.

21 weeks!

I hit 21 weeks today. This pregnancy has been going a lot quicker than my last one. I am very very thankful for that. =)

This past week I met with my midwife for the first time. She listened to Tobin's heartbeat and measured me. I am measuring a week ahead of my due date, so maybe our sweet boy will get here a little sooner. *fingers crossed* She also told me that I need to double my calorie intake. That statement made me laugh. I have HG, so adding extra calories to my diet, that I can keep down, is already a struggle, but I think I've been doing a LOT better this week. I've been throwing up a lot less, which I am VERY thankful for. I'm still uber tired, but that kind of comes with being pregnant. haha

I am planning on delivering Tobin in a birth center. Home births kind of gross me out. Birthing is a messy and wonderful thing to do, but I don't want to do it at home. I rather leave he mess somewhere else, so I don't have to stress about it with a new baby. Plus, I want to do a water birth. Our tub in our place is tiny. The birthing center has an amazing tub. It's giant and pretty, and when I have my own house some day, I want a tub like it.

Why I don't feel guilty about failing

I'm linking up at Monday Musings. You can click on the link below the post. It won't let me link up in the post)

I'm not perfect. Let me be the first one to admit that. I fail on a daily basis. I fail my husband by not asking him on a daily basis how I can pray for him. I fail my daughter by not always understanding why she is crying. I fail not taking care of my home by not always having a made bed. But you know what? I'm okay with that. I am a sinner... and guess what? So are you. 

Romans 3:23 says " For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God." 

 

 Now I'm not saying that because we are all sinners, that we should be okay with constantly failing. It should be quite the opposite. We should strive towards being more like Jesus on a daily basis. 

Philippians 3:12-14 says" Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do:Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

I have not obtained perfect righteousness. A few years ago, there was a speaker at the summer camp I was helping with, and he said that the path to righteousness, is like going through the alphabet. You start on A when you accept Jesus into your heart, and you don't reach Z, until you meet him in heaven. I LOVE this illustration. It shows getting nearer to Christ as a journey and a process. It's not going to happen overnight. 

I am working on becoming a more respectful  and serving wife. I am working on becoming a more loving mother. I am working on becoming a more organized homemaker. I am working on becoming more consistent with my Bible readings, and letting God lead me where he wants me. I am working on having a stronger relationship with God and worshiping him with all of me. I am working on having an attitude like my Savior. I am working on following God joyfully. 

I'm working. But more importantly, God is working in and on me. =)

20 weeks!

I am terrible about keeping up with this blog apparently... and writing this post for the link up. Though I do like being able to put whole weeks instead of weeks and days. I'm weird like that. Anywho...

How far along are you?   I am 20 weeks! Woohoo! I've hit the halfway point!

Prayer requests: I have hyperemesis gravidarum and it really has hit me hard this week. I've been trying really hard to not take my anti~nausea medication, and use more natural remedies like tea and potatoes, and mint, but I've had to use my anti~nausea medication several times this week. =( Prayers that I can keep food down and hopefully gain some weight this pregnancy would be amazing! Also prayers for my mom to have a good reaction when I tell her we are using a midwife instead of my OB would be very much appreciated.

Scripture that speaks to me this week: Zephiniah 3:17~ The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.    This was one of the scriptures in my bible reading this week. I thought it was so cool that God would sing over me. It made me start to wonder what God's voice would sound like. It also made me think of what my angel baby is experiencing in Heaven. She gets to hear God's voice and see his face. What an amazing thing!

Symptoms: Still the normal nausea and vomiting. I've also had my carpal tunnel come back. Currently it is only in one arm. I hope it stays that way. I'm anemic, so my carpal tunnel normally comes back pretty quickly during pregnancy.

Medical Stuff:  I meet with my midwife on Thursday for the first time! I am really excited, and really nervous. I get to hear Tobin's heartbeat then, so I'm really excited for that. Nothing horribly interesting has happened since last week. 


Weight gain (or loss)?  Loss. I stepped on the scale and I was another 2 pounds lighter. Woohoo... If I wasn't pregnant, this amazing amount of weight loss would be awesome. I am hoping to put on weight within the next few weeks.

Discussion question: With my last pregnancy, my mom, my dad, one of my sisters, my husband, and about a dozen doctors and nurses were in the hospital room when I delivered. This time, it will be my husband, my mom, dad, and mother in law hopefully in the birthing room at my midwife's center. I'm hoping to have the other family members stay home, and then come over to our house the next day. For other mommies trying to decide who to have in the birthing room, I would suggest, go with how you feel. I feel that birth is a very important and special event. I only want those closest to me, who I feel comfortable with  in there with me. My daughter's birth was very stressful with the amount of people pressuring me to let others into the delivery room.

19 weeks!

How far along are you?  19 weeks 1 day

 

Baby's Growth:  The baby is the size of a mango. (Man that sounds really good right now) He was measuring a week ahead of schedule as of Monday at our last ultrasound. =)

 

Symptoms:  Restless legs and leg cramps.

Cravings?  Food Aversions?  Lots of frozen fresh fruit. And Frozen yogurt. I've also been craving fish and chips.

Maternity Clothes?  Most definitely. I "popped" according to my mom. To me this just means that I can't see my feet and that nothing is seeming to fit. UGH.

What I'm looking forward to....  Our daughter is getting dedicated on Sunday! (What an awesome Mother's day gift) My husband is the worship leader at our church, so he gets to announce the gender of our baby to the congregation then. =)

Medical Stuff:  I had the anatomy ultrasound on Monday, and the baby is growing really well. =) We also found out that we are having a boy. I feel kinda proud that my "hunch" has been correct for both babies now.

Discussion Question:  I talked to my doctor and found out that she and the hospital I was planning on delivering at don't support natural childbirth. I felt so out of control with my daughter's birth (I had an epidural and a really bad reaction to it) that I don't want to experience it again. So I am using a midwife this time around.I have never had a natural childbirth, so I'm a little scared of the pain, and that I won't be able to handle it. I've been praying for peace, as I know this is the path that the Lord wants me to take for this pregnancy.

17 weeks!

I am so blessed and honored to have been asked personally to a link up this week. =) Thanks Sarah


Here's what's going on with my 17th week of pregnancy #2!

How far along are you? I am 17 1/2 weeks currently. I turn 18 weeks on Wednesday

Best Moment this week? Feeling the baby have hiccups for the first time, and watching my belly move along with it. It's such a surreal feeling and so amazing at the same time.

Prayer requests? I've already been hospitalized twice this pregnancy(including my short stint in the hospital today) for the stomach flu. I'm a little worried about how well the baby is growing, for the amount I've been sick. Please pray for a healthy baby and a healthy mommy. =)

What scripture is speaking to you this week? Jeremiah 1:5 has been really on my heart this week. This baby was a surprise( a very welcomed one, but a surprise none the less) and just thinking how God knows this little person fully, before I even get to meet them, or feel them move inside of me, or even hear their heartbeat just has me in awe of our wonderful creator and God.

 

Symptoms? Morning sickness up the yin yang (I have hyperemesis gravidarum so it's kind of a duh thing) And the leg cramps have started.
 
Weight gain (or loss)? Loss. Most definitely loss over here. I'm currently down 14 pounds. My weight was the same at my doctor's appointment last Monday, so that's an improvement!

Cravings? Anything citrusy, potatoes, italian food, salads

Food Aversions? beef. Mexican food. Onion dip

What Made Me Cry This Week? A car ad made me cry this week. I'm a little ashamed to post that. I was thinking of one of my friends who got a brand new car for Christmas from her husband and the joy that she got from that made me think of being able to give free cars to random people, and sharing in their joy.

Sleep? It is lacking. My 9 month old is teething, so sleep is a little hard to come by, though I do nap when she does.

Maternity Clothes? Most definitely. I actually look pregnant now, which is a little bit of a self confidence booster. =) My normal pants still fit, but they press on my belly and hurt, so I wear my maternity pants with a belt so they don't fall down. I am wearing maternity shirts now though. My normal shirts are too long.

Stretch Marks? Yup. Still have them from my last pregnancy.

Gender? Don't know til next Monday, but I think it's a boy

Movement? Some.

What I miss.... This is TOTALLY selfish of me, but I miss being able to have a drink randomly with dinner when I go out on dates with my husband. I also miss being able to eat raw cookie dough. (SO bad for you, but SO GOOD!)

What I'm looking forward to.... Finding out the gender next week, and growing closer to this precious life inside of me!

Cravings

Cravings have hit the Manchester household. It's not like I'm craving anything horribly strange (I just read a story where the lady craved chocolate covered pickled pigs feet). That honestly just made me gag. Ew.

Mostly I've been craving salads and fruit. Also potatoes... in every shape and form... french fries, potato soup, hash browns... It's pretty safe to say that I've been cooking lots of potato items lately. I'm blessed to have a husband that is such a good sport. =)

Keeping on the potato theme, I will leave you with a recipe of my new favorite potato soup. It's really not the best for you, but with the cold weather we've been having, it truly hits the spot.

Baked Potato Soup

What you need:

    1 lb. bacon, diced
    1 onion, diced
    5 large Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
    3 c. chicken stock
    3 T. butter
    3 T. flour
    1 1/2 c. milk
    3 green onions, sliced
    3/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided
    1/2 t. black pepper
    Sour cream for garnish, optional

Directions:

1. In a large stock pot, cook bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain and set aside. Drain all but 2 T. of bacon grease from the pot. Cook the onions in the remaining bacon grease for about 5 minutes, until tender.

2. Add potatoes and chicken stock to pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer about 20 minutes, until potatoes are tender. With a slotted spoon, remove a few scoops of potatoes. Place in a bowl and mash with a fork. Set aside.

3. In a small sauce pan, melt butter. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in milk, bring to a boil and simmer until thickened. Slowly stir in to stock pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer. Stir mashed potatoes back into pot.

4. Add 1/2 c. shredded cheese, three-fourths of the bacon and half the sliced green onions to pot. Add pepper. Stir to combine. Cook an additional 5 minutes.

5. To serve, ladle soup into individual bowls and top with some shredded cheese, bacon, green onions and optional sour cream.

Do you have any random cravings? =)

Morning sickness

Ugh. The one thing I DREAD about being pregnant is morning sickness. I know that if you have morning sickness it means that the new life inside of you is healthy and growing normally, and it normally lasts until 12-15 weeks.

For me that is a bit different. I have what is called hyperemesis gravidarum. The definition provided by the National Library of Medicine says this about it:

"Hyperemesis gravidarum is extreme, persistent nausea and vomiting during pregnancy that may lead to dehydration. "

This lovely condition is one of the reasons why I was hospitalized a few times with my first pregnancy, and why I have already been hospitalized with my current pregnancy. I was hospitalized so I could get several bags of IV fluid, and so that the doctors could monitor me and the baby. 

The reason that this is so important to monitor for me, is because I have lost so much weight. In my first pregnancy, I lost over 30 pounds in 6 weeks. In this pregnancy, I have lost 14. Being able to keep very little down in your second trimester isn't normal. If you are experiencing hard morning sickness, talk to your OB. 

Because of all of my morning sickness, I have developed a few tools to help keep down foods and liquids.

1. Eat what you crave. Now I'm not saying that if you are craving chocolate covered donuts(what I currently am craving) that you should go and eat 6 of them. I'm saying that if you are feeling a pull towards a certain food, it will most likely be a safe food (by safe I mean able to keep down food) for you. It should still be done in moderation though.

2.  Stay away from your nausea triggers as much as possible. For me, smells make me nauseous really easily. For example, the smell of my husbands deodorant, or the smell of eggs cooking. I love eggs. I have craved eggs. But if I have to smell them while they are cooking, it does me in. If there are times, when you can't get away from the trigger completely, (like having to change a dirty diaper, or at a restaurant) find fresh air. When I change my daughter's diaper, I keep a window open. If we are at a restaurant and I start feeling sick, I will excuse myself from the table, and go outside for a moment to breathe.

3. Carry snacks and something to suck on with you at all times. Having a small water bottle in your purse or baby bag is a good idea too. If your blood sugar level drops down too far, or if you get too dehydrated, it can make your nausea worse. I carry Jolly Ranchers (mint and I don't agree during pregnancy) and a couple granola bars in my baby bag.

4. If your prenatal vitamin is making your stomach turn, try taking it with a heavy meal. If that doesn't work, and your stomach still turns after, or hurts after, try the chewable type. I use Vitafusions' gummy prenatal vitamin. It's two small gummies that I can take at once or two times during the day. They are a lot easier on your stomach as well.

If you get put on an anti- nausea drug, watch out for REGLAN. 
There are studies showing that it can hurt the precious life inside of you. Zofran and Zenergran are still considered safe. 


Remember, this precious life inside of you is a wonderful gift. It is worth all of these temporary grievances. 

Psalm 127:3
Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him.

Why this was started

I'm not a very good blogger. I love reading blogs and gaining inspiration from things others post. I don't think I am one of those inspirational type of  people. I don't prepare only organic foods. I am not overly creative. I am a newer Christian that sometimes(ok... a lot lately) at reading the Bible. I don't have a perfectly clean house.

I am a mom that is just trying to make it day to day, and do the best that I can to raise a happy and healthy kid. (soon to be kids. :o)

With all of that said, I needed somewhere to place down my thoughts. Hence the title Random Musings. =)

Thanks for coming along for the ride.