Wednesday, September 29, 2010

A day worth remembering.


Yesterday was a great day. Not for any special reason, but it was a great relaxing day spent with the family. We had a busy morning, working around the house, but then the afternoon lead to drinking Shipyard Pumpkin Ale and brewing beer...which was so fun! It was nice to spend some time with Mark doing things together. It seems like we haven't had the chance to do that lately.

Big step for us yesterday...we gave Breckan the bottle for the first time. He took it like a champ - 2.5 ozs in less than 5 minutes. I guess we won't be having problems with the bottle! YAY.




Below are some photos of our day!
 

Friday, September 24, 2010

Beer

I have found a new micro brew that I am in love with. Well...two micro brews from the same brewer. What is the name of this brewing company, you ask? Sea Dog. A brewer from Maine, Sea Dog started in 1993 and all their beers seem to have a crisp finish to them. I have only had the opportunity to try two of their beers, the Blue Paw Wheat Ale and the Raspberry Wheat Ale. I LOVE fruit beers, and these are no exception. I could not resist the temptation of little blueberries floating around in my beer, or raspberries for that matter! As described on Sea Dog's site the Blue Paw Wheat Ale "features the nutty quench of wheat ale combined with the delightful aromatics and subtle fruit flavor contributed by Maine wild blueberries." and the Raspberry Wheat Ale is " a dry, crisp refreshing ale with the added essence of raspberries." MMMMM can you resist??

I was able to find this beer at Whole Foods down here in Florida, and I would assume that any specialty grocery store would carry this brand.

Basket Baby

I think babies in baskets are so adorable. So this morning, I got up and set up a basket outside for Breckan to lay in and be my model! Gotta love it.... 

My Aunt made the blanket that is under Breckan. It reminds me of my Grandmother. She used to crochet a bunch of blankets, and always made us a baby blanket. Thank you Aunt Bobbi for continuing the tradition!

I really need to research photography stuff. I am so interested in being better at it, and since I haven't studied f-stops and shutter speed since I was in high school, I have no idea what I am doing with all the settings available on my camera. So...here's to trying to get my butt in gear.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Where has the time gone?

As I sit here and type, I can't help but wonder where the past five weeks have gone. Since Breckan came into our lives, we have been strictly focused on him and now as I look back, it has gone by so fast. My little boy is growing everyday, and I have never been more in love in my life. I can't help but stare at this little boy that was made from ME and my husband. HOW COOL!

I am breastfeeding, and that was very difficult at the start. I wondered if my boobs will EVER feel like they used to, because WOW it was painful. At about three weeks I finally felt relief, and now it has been easy as pie. I even have a little stash built up from pumping. We are planning to introduce the bottle next week and see how it goes. He needs to get used to eating from Daddy, because he will be feeding him when I am at work. It should be interesting!
5 weeks old in his GroBaby diaper!

Cloth diapering is a lot easier than I thought it would be too. I knew that it might be a pain in the butt to wash them all the time, but it is definitely more convenient, and a lot softer on his bum. When Breckan was in the disposable diapers for the first two weeks, since his umbilical cord hadn't fallen off, he had a red bum at all times. Now, he is as fresh as a cucumber with his cute little clothies!!! I have decided to switch to cloth wipes as well, because it seems like it would be more convenient - only one pail, instead of two.

The first two weeks, all Breckan would do is eat, sleep and poop/pee. Now he is more alert, and stays up much more. It is so neat to see him explore the world around him. His favorite thing to watch is the fan moving around! I always see him looking up in awe. It is amazing that something so simple could keep him entertained. If only we all were entertained by such things!

My little boy is everything that I imagined he would be and more. He is such a cute little monkey boy, and I am looking forward to all the fun times we will have together. We love going on walks, and he loves the car. Every time we go for a walk, or go in the car, he passes out! It must be the movement.

I never knew I could function off of such little sleep! But, Breckan is worth it. Some days are good, some are bad, but I cannot WAIT for the day that he sleeps through the night. What a relief that would be! It should be interesting going back to work and having such little amount of sleep...but hey, women did it before me, right?!

Until next time,



Ooey-Gooey Double-Chocolate Cookies

From: LA Times
These cookies are OH SO GOOD! They are gooey in the middle, and rich in chocolate taste. I was looking for a new recipe on the internet and stumbled across these. I decided to make them because Mark enjoys cookies with a chewy texture, and this was definitely the recipe for it!

Ingredients:
4 oz unsweetened chocolate
4 T (1/2 stick) butter
3 eggs
2 t vanilla extract
1 C sugar
1/2 C flour
2 T cocoa powder
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 C (1 lb) bittersweet chocolate

Directions:
1. In a bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt the unsweetened chocolate and butter. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
2. In the bowl of a mixer with a paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a fork, combine the eggs, vanilla and sugar. Mix just until incorporated and set aside.
3. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside.
4. Add the melted chocolate to the egg mixture and mix just until combined. Stir in the sifted dry ingredients and mix just until combined, then stir in the bittersweet chocolate.
5. Cover the batter with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to chill thoroughly. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
6. Divide the dough into ~18 portions. Grease your hands (to prevent the dough from sticking) and shape the portions into balls. Place the balls on a greased, parchment-lined sheet pan, leaving 2 to 3 inches between each.
7. Bake until the edges of the cookies are just set and the center is still soft, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Place the cookies, still on the parchment, on a rack and cool completely before serving. They will be very soft.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Breckan's Birth Story

Stats: Breckan was born August 16, 2010 at 10:04 pm, 7lb 5oz, 19.25 inches, 9/9 on apgar.

Seeing my son for the first time.
Our family of three.
My water partially broke on Monday morning at around 7:30. I went in to see the midwife at about 9:30 and I was only 2cm, 90% effaced. She instructed me to come into the hospital at about 1:30 pm. We arrived at the hospital, and when I was checked at about 3pm I was still 2 cm but 100% effaced. Labor wasn't progressing fast enough. They suggested pitocin, which I freaked out about, because I heard about the devil juice making contractions right on top of each other. My midwife said to wait an hour, and if I still hadn't progressed she would start it. An hour later, sure enough, I wasn't progressing so I was given pitocin. It wasn't very high of a dose, even at the end, but at one point they were very close together and my midwife noticed, so she turned it down. Pitocin was started at 4pm. Contractions kicked up, and it was intense, but I kept myself going by rocking back and forth and picturing peaceful places and riding the contractions like waves, trying not to tense up. All went well, and besides pitocin I was able to deliver without pain medications! I felt this intense urge to push, the midwife checked me, and I was 7cm but she said that I probably had a few more contractions and I would be at 10. Sure enough 10 minutes later, I was at 10 and she said, "push whenever you feel the urge. If you feel a burning sensation, take a few breaths...that is your skin stretching" So I was pushing whenever i felt the urge and WOW was it a relief! I had no "ring of fire" exactly, I just felt the small tear at the top, not the bottom, 1st degree, about 3 stitches. It doesn't hurt to pee though, its just a little uncomfortable. My husband was able to help out the shoulders and I was able to grab him out of me after 30 minutes of pushing. It was so amazing! I wouldn't have done it any other way!

Thursday, August 12, 2010

The anticipation is killing me!

Once we turned the big "37 weeks," the anticipation of Baby Fee's arrival has been killing me. I guess because once I became full term, I assumed that his arrival could happen at any time. Everything is ready, and I mean EVERYTHING. I even have the car seat snapped in and ready to go in my car! (I know, I am crazy). Maybe it also has been more difficult at this time because of my discomfort and the fact that everything is complete. All we need is our little boy. After carrying him for almost 9 months, I can't believe that it is almost time for him to be here. I am looking forward to seeing his face for the first time, and even for the sleepless nights. Having two months off of work is going to be fantastic. I feel like I am in such a rut design-wise, and the two months will definitely help. It will feel like I am coming back to a new job once I start up again!

In ending, I have a little message to my baby boy: Come and meet your Mommy and Daddy!

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Raspberry Shortbread Bars

From: Food&Wine.com (Melissa McKinney)

Ingredients
This is such a summery treat! I love anything with raspberry filling and I decided to try out this Food and Wine recipe that just looked too good to pass up.

 Ingredients:
2 C flour
1 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 C sugar
2 large egg yolks
1/2 t vanilla
3/4 C seedless raspberry preserves or jam
Grated dough on top of the preserves
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt. In another medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar at low speed until combined. Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until a soft dough forms. Halve the dough and form into logs. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
Final product!

Preheat the oven to 350° and butter an 8 1/2-by-11-inch glass baking dish. Working over the baking dish, coarsely shred 1 log of dough on the large holes of a box grater, evenly distributing the dough in the baking dish. Do not pat or press the dough. Using a spoon, dollop the preserves over the dough and gently spread it in an even layer. Grate the second log of dough on top. Using a rubber spatula, tuck in any shreds of dough sticking to the side of the baking dish to prevent them from burning.

Bake on the bottom rack of the oven for about 35 minutes, covering it with foil halfway through baking. The shortbread is done when the pastry is golden all over. Let cool completely, then cut into 24 bars. Dust the tops with confectioners' sugar and serve.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Fresh Guacamole

Close up shot of the Guacamole
I was walking around Fresh Market yesterday afternoon, and I happened to stumble upon some ripened avocados. These puppies are in season here. We have about 3 trees growing in our backyard, but they are too young yet to produce. We are patiently waiting on our neighbor's avocados to be ripe so we will have even fresher ones, but for now, Fresh Market ones will do!

I happen to love avocados, and what better thing to do with them than to make guacamole! So I picked up some fresh limes, tomatoes, onions and cilantro and got to mixing. I don't really have a set amount of each ingredient, I just play it by "taste."

2 Avocados
Juice of 1/2 a lime
Chopped onions, tomatoes, cilantro to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Smash avocados, add the lime juice, chopped ingredients and salt and pepper. Mix, and viola! You have some fresh guacamole. I like to serve with tortilla chips of course!

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Robbed!

I must live in a great neighborhood...NOT. But seriously...I really thought I lived in a nice part of town. But what happens if you accidentally leave your car unlocked over night? You are out a brand new iPod touch, digital camera, leathermans knife, change, fireman badges, old ID with DL #, and a bunch of membership reward cards.

Yes, I know. My husband shouldn't have left the door unlocked. But where I grew up, even if we accidentally left the garage door open at night, nothing would happen. I guess this is what happens when you live in South Florida. I feel so unsafe...to think that someone was robbing our car while we were sleeping makes me sick to my stomach.

Sad thing about it is this: the cops will do nothing but write a report. People never get punished for their actions.

I wonder sometimes where human decency is these days. Getting robbed brings so much anxiety over identity theft and just the loss of stolen items. I know the items can be replaced, no matter what the cost, but I can't help but feel violated and nervous about them accessing Mark's identity. Do the people robbing you actually know what this brings? Probably not, because if it happened to them, they would feel the same way.

Ah, so much for a happy "hump day"!

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Cheesy Egg Dish

From: Grandma Brumund

Last night, Mark mentioned that he would love some kind of egg casserole for breakfast in the morning. There is a staple recipe I turn to when I get a request like this, and that is my Grandma Brumund's cheesy egg dish. I use this recipe a lot...but mostly around the holidays. My mother used to make this every morning for Christmas. When this dish bakes in the oven, the aroma brings me back to all of my Christmas memories!

Cheesy egg dish after baking!
So...this morning we had "Christmas in August".

Ingredients:
4 slices of bread
Butter
4 eggs
2 C milk
1 T yellow mustard
1/4 t pepper
1/4 t salt
1 C sharp cheddar cheese

Directions: Butter both sides of the 4 slices of bread, and cut into squares. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, yellow mustard, pepper and salt. Add the bread and cheddar cheese. Place in a 8x8 casserole dish, cover, and refrigerate overnight. The following morning, take the casserole and set it on the counter for an hour. Once the hour is up, bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.
Note: You can add any other "omelete" ingredients too! I like using cooked sausage and spinach, which I add on top of the casserole before placing it in the refrigerator at night.

Monday, August 2, 2010

Rumparooz Seconds Sale

I am so addicted to these cloth diapers and I haven't even tried them out yet! I find myself looking for different brands to try out so I have a good selection. While lurking on the Baby Center Cloth Diapering board, I found out that they are having a seconds sale on Rumparooz cloth diapers. These diapers sell retail for $24 but they are selling the prints for $12 and the solids for $11.

The prints are SO adorable! I couldn't help but purchase the "ladder" design with firetrucks all over them (maybe this will be Daddy's favorite diaper! hehe) and the "monster" design. They are adorable.  Interested? You can get them at kanga-care! They are seconds, but if the diaper doesn't hold up, I am hoping on relying on my Mom to sew them back together, since she is a seamstress!

A little side note: Can you believe it? We have made it to August! Our baby boy is due this month and knowing that is unbelievably exciting. Anytime in the next 1-6 weeks our boy will be here. We are SO ready!

Sunday, August 1, 2010

My inspiration

Grandma Finch
Before I go any further, I thought I would give credit where credit is due. I have many people in my life who are inspirations, but there is one person who inspires me to bake. Every time I pull out a recipe, add ingredients, place the item in the oven, and see the final product, I think of her. I feel her presence with me when I bake, and it is so great! Maybe that is why baking brings me such peace. Who is this woman you ask?

My Grandma Finch.

She passed away in '94 of cancer. She was a beautiful woman, inside and out. When she lived with us for a short period of time, I noticed she was always a mover and shaker. Whether it be her obsessive habit of making sure everything was spic and span or her desire to bake, she always was doing something.

I think about the times she would come over when we were little, and always bring something sweet. For some reason, something about her goodies were unique and full of flavor. If it was baked by her, you would know. It seemed like no one could match her.

I like to joke a lot about the reason why her desserts were so unique. My family and I say, "We know it is from Grandma Finch because the butter absorbed the cigarettes she smoked." I guess we got used to the cigarette flavor! Ha-ha.

But in all seriousness, she is my inspiration for baking. I love her and miss her dearly.

Apple Slices

From: Grandma Finch
Crust ingredients (minus the water)
Crust:
2 C flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
3/4 C butter Crisco
1 t lemon juice
2 egg yolks
1/2 C water
Top of the crust

Crust Directions: Mix the flour with the baking powder and salt. Blend with Crisco. Mix lemon juice, water and egg yolks and add to the flour mixture until dough is formed. Divide dough into two parts. Roll the first piece to fit the bottom and sides of a 9"x13" pan. Set aside.

Filling:
3 lbs/6 C apples (I use Granny Smith)
1 C sugar
3 T flour
1 T cinnamon
Dash of salt
Lemon juice
Butter
Filling

Filling directions: Mix sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt with apples. Arrange apples in the crust-lined pan. Dot with butter, and lemon juice. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
Roll remaining dough to fit top; arrange over filling, fold and seal around edges. Slit steam vents in top crust. Bake about 35-40 minutes at 400 degrees.

Glazed frosting:
1 C powdered sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
Enough milk to make frosting dribbly.
Glazed frosting directions: Combine ingredients and dribble over baked slices while slightly warm.
Final product! Apple Slices recipe by Grandma Finch

Friday, July 30, 2010

The "must-know" pie crust

When I am baking a pie, no matter what the guts consist of, I always use a "Must-know" pie crust recipe. Before beginning with making the dough, I found that there are staple baking tools that need to be used. For pie crusts, it would be a cloth pastry sheet and a rolling pin with a cloth cover. These days, most places only offer the silicone sheets, but I find that they are awful. Hidden in Bed Bath and Beyond, you will find a cloth pastry sheet. I found one, and you will too! From now on, when I refer to "pie crust" in my blog, it will refer to this recipe.

"Must-know" pie crust
2 C flour
1 T sugar
Touch of salt
3/4 C Butter Crisco
1 Egg yolk
1/4 C milk

Directions: Combine ingredients in a mixer using the dough hook until they are well bonded into a dough consistency (you may need to hand-knead a little). Lay down the pastry sheet and flour the sheet to prevent sticking. Take half the dough and place it on the pastry sheet (you can freeze the other half for another pie). Roll into a pie shape with your cloth covered rolling pin. Once the pie crust is thin enough, take a 9" pie pan and place it upside down onto the dough. Flip the pastry cloth with the dough and pie pan over. Roll down the edges of the dough and pinch the sides with your thumb and pointer finger on one side of the dough, and your other pointer finger on the other side, pinching the dough. Poke holes into the dough with a knife before placing filling inside. Depending on the pie, whatever remainder of the dough I have left after making the pie crust, I like to roll it out again and use cookie cutters to create shapes for the top of the pie.

Enjoy! (Note: I will update with pictures the next time I create this dough)

Sweet Baby Boy, we are ready.

As time inches closer to our baby boy's due date, I can't help but make a list in my head of what needs to be done before he arrives. I had a beautiful baby shower in Illinois when I was 21 weeks pregnant, and then I just had another shower down in Florida last weekend. Since that Saturday, I have to say that I have been one busy bee-nesting like no other! I am proud to be able to say that, yes baby, we are ready for you to arrive! My checklist is complete. All of it could not have been done without the love and generosity of all our family members and friends that have already spoiled you!

Our Baby's Nursery
We still do not have a name for our "Baby Fee," which in turn makes my nursery a little bare above the changing table (since his name will be proudly displayed there). I can't help but have some doubts about us "waiting until the last minute" to name our baby. What if we can't agree? Oh boy, this should be interesting! At least they can't let you leave the hospital without a name on the certificate. That will give us motivation!

I think every Mom daydreams about what is in store for their child, and I am no exception. I am already picturing the delivery, seeing our boy for the first time, our family trips we will take together and all his milestones along the way. I also picture him as a teen. Will he be nerdy, the class clown, the jock? Will he be well behaved like Mommy in high school, or a bad boy like Daddy? But most importantly, I can't wait to see Mark's face when he sees our boy for the first time. Carrying a baby inside you makes it more real to the woman before the birth. However, with fathers, they don't feel the connection as strongly until the actual birth. It will be such a beautiful thing to see his priceless face. I will carry that with me the rest of my life!

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Rainier cherries

Because of pregnancy, I have an excuse for having cravings. But, I have always been the type to love food, and to get hooked onto one thing for a long time. For example, last year I was obsessed with baked potatoes. I would have one for lunch almost every day. I would even go as far as to microwave them if I didn't have time to prepare them the night before!

But, for the convenience of it, I blame it now on my pregnancy. So, what is my craving these days, you ask? Well, since summer is in full swing, who can blame a girl for loving those Rainier Cherries?! Developed at Washington State University, these sweet, yellow-fleshed, overly expensive cherries are my craving for the month. I can't help but splurge $5/lb for this delicate fleshy fruit. So...have I enticed you to try them out? I had always grown up on your typical red cherry. Don't get me wrong, I love those as well, but there is something about the Rainier. My mind must know it is the premium cherry or something, because after all, I love expensive things!

Lemon 4 Layer Cake

From: Grandma Finch
Cake:
1 package Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme Cake mix
1 3oz package of lemon instant pudding
4 eggs
1 C water
1/3 C oil

Filling:
2 3oz packages of lemon cook and serve pudding

Directions:
Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour two 9" round cake pans. Combine cake ingredients in a bowl and mix for 2 minutes. Pour the batter into the two cake pans evenly. Bake for 50 minutes. Cool. Cut each 9" cake in half to make 4 layers of cake.

Filling: Cook pudding to package directions.

Once the cake and filling are both cool, you will be ready to layer the cake. Place 1 layer as a base, then 1/3 of the filling, then another layer, then another 1/3 of the filling and so on. Sprinkle with powdered sugar on the top layer.

Enjoy!

The Stash

I thought I would put up some info about my cloth diaper stash.
3 Newborn Bummi Whisper Wrap shells
12 Newborn unbleached pre-folds
8 OS GroBaby Shells
2 OS GroVia Shells (Replaced the old GroBaby)
16 GroBaby Soakers
4 GroVia Soakers
14 GroVia Cotton Boosters
1 pack GroVia BioSoakers
6 Small gDiapers
12 Small gDiaper cloth inserts
2 packages Small gDiapers biodegradable refills
2 OS Happy Heinys with inserts (Free from Kellys Closet)
1 OS Tweedlebug with insert (Free from Kellys Closet)
6 Large Fuzzibunz with inserts
2 BumGenius Flip covers with 6 organic cloth inserts

For diaper cleaning and such:
ROCKin Green Smashing Watermelons Classic Rock Soap
Charlie's Soap laundry powder
Fuzzibunz hanging diaper pail

So there you have it. This is what my stash consists of for now!  I think we are prepared for our little boy to arrive.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Cloth Diapers

I never thought I would say this. Honestly. But here it goes...
I am planning on using cloth diapers for my child.
And no, you aren't reading that wrong.

Call me crazy or call me the "Poopy Queen" but I have officially become obsessed with the "Fluffy" movement. However, besides being an over-the-top recycler, I really haven't done my fare share of being "green." I drive an SUV, use paper products, and additives are loaded into my shampoos, and food for that matter!

Gro-Via AI2: the first addition to my stash.
So my reasoning for cloth diapers, you ask? 
  1. The money. You can't go wrong here. The price of disposable diapers these days are ridiculous. We are going to be saving so much more in the long run. So far I have spent about $400 on cloth diapers, and that will most likely last my child throughout his entire diapering stage. Considering 100 disposables run you at around $40.00, the choice is obvious!
  2. The cute factor. How can you resist a colored/printed pattern? Cloth diapers are no longer your pre-folds with a white plastic bag shell around your baby. There are many options available from pre-folds with cute color and printed shells to a one size shell with a snap in soaker.  Also, now-a-days they have biodegradable soakers that are disposable that go into the one size shells! This makes cloth diapering on the go so convenient!
  3. I know, I said I wasn't a "green" person, but I never said I didn't like to help my environment along the way! Cloth diapers are better for our environment. The energy it costs to make disposables plus the time it takes for a disposable to "dispose" (around 200 years) is astonishing. Cloth diapers imprint on our planet is WAY less!

So I say to all of you, CHECK IT OUT!
My favorite websites for various cloth diapes are these:
www.greenmountaindiapers.com
www.kellyscloset.com

And for cloth resources I love the BabyCenter board!
http://community.babycenter.com/groups/a16235/cloth_diapering

I will be posting in a few days about my stash and it's contents - including the laundry detergent. For now, I hope I at least got you thinking.

Talk to you soon!

Welcome to Baking Mommy

Here begins my journey as a first time mom. I am due August 30th with a little boy that we currently call "Baby Fee". Daddy and I cannot agree on a name. We plan to take our list to the hospital and decide once he is born. It is better to wait to see him anyways, right?

Some of you may wonder why I consider myself a Mom now. Even though he has not arrived yet, I still have this bond and connection with the little boy that lives in me. It is such a beautiful thing to carry your child for nine months, even with all the aches and pains involved!


Carrying Baby: 31 Weeks
I love to bake. It is one of my favorite past times as a child, and I can't wait to pass the tradition onto my kids. Every time I bake, I will post the recipe along with a photo in my blog.

So, what will you see here? Everything from baking, to cloth diapering experiences, to Baby Fee's milestones and all the other life experiences we have on the way.

Alas, I leave you with this quote:
"Making the decision to have a child-it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking outside your body"

Welcome to....