Pregnant? Again?

I know it only borders on the concept of this blog, but I couldn't think of a better way to announce our exciting news.

Almost 11 weeks ago I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. He is the joy of my life (along with my wonderful husband). I am so blessed to have been given him by God. He has provided me with love in a way that no other person possibly could. Unconditional love with simple expectations of being fed, loved, and changed (and he wouldn't even care about the being changed part).

The last week of July I started spotting. I was excited because I thought it meant that my body had returned to its normal "girly" rituals. I had cramped a few weeks before that and had been concerned that we had managed to get pregnant right after our postpartum check up.

But the spotting didn't result in anything. There was just a little and it lasted a couple days and then was gone. I also started getting nauseous every night at 11 pm. I knew that it could be because I was sick and have nothing to do with anything but I was afraid that it was more than that.

That Friday I was supposed to go in to have an MRI to check out my liver and make sure that it was okay. I had tested high on my enzyme levels. Being afraid that I was pregnant and worried about what the MRI would do to the fetus, I asked Aaron to pick me up a pregnancy test when he went to the store to get me some meds for my cold.

I was shaking when I took the first test. I didn't know what to think or expect. I couldn't even stay in the room while the time passed because I was too freaked out about it. I knew the line was pink before I returned to the bathroom. It was faint. Very faint. But checking the instructions it said that faint still meant positive. There was one more test in the box and I decided to take it in the morning.

I couldn't sleep. I stayed up and researched home pregnancy tests and whether it was even possible to get false positives and whether a faint line really meant that it was a positive. Everything told me that, yes, faint or not, I was pregnant. I couldn't wait much longer to take the other test, so after feeding Sherwood I went ahead and took the second one. Sure enough, it was positive as well!

The bottom one was the first one that I took. Notice how light it is.

I was really shaking at this point. I wanted to go wake Aaron up but knew this wasn't a good idea since he had to go to work the next day. So I let him sleep until his alarm went off and then I bombarded him with the news.

The next morning was Friday and the day of my MRI. I wasn't sure what they would want to do with me so I went ahead and showed up for my appointment. They, of course, couldn't do the MRI unless my OB/GYN says that the need for the MRI is more important than the possible risk to the fetus. 

Later that afternoon I went in to the clinic on base to have my blood tested and to make sure that I really was pregnant. Less than an hour later I got a call from the nurse confirming that it was positive. 

I've gotten a variety of negative comments from people. People who are shocked. People who think we are irresponsible because we did not use birth control. I won't get into my beliefs on here. That's not what this website is for. I don't need any of your negativity if you have any. Although it will be a challenge in many ways to have children that are 10 months apart (or so) I am grateful that God chose to bless us with another little one. There are people who are struggling to have one child and for some reason God has blessed us with another. It may not be my timing, and it may not be perfect, but God has a purpose and I am trusting that He will provide.

Cooking

Lately cooking has been my creative media due to the fact that Sherwood occupies so much of my time. I've been experimenting with different seasonings that don't include salt, different ways to cook without oils (or minimal use of oils), including more veggies, and a variety of proteins.

Today I made a rice that was really yummy. The only problem is that I ended up adding a bit too much seasoning at the end so it was a bit too spicy. Here's how I did it. I made it for two large servings.

1/2 cup brown rice
2 tbsps each chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder (I added more at the end to enhance the seasoning. So adjust as your tastes require.)
3 small cloves of garlic, smashed
1/4 of a small white onion, minced
1 cup water
1/2 cup chicken broth (I used the left over broth from the burritos the other night)

1. Mix the rice, water, and chicken broth in a medium sized sauce pan. Add the seasonings, garlic, and onions.
2. Bring the rice to a rolling boil. After it reaches a rolling boil, lower to a simmer.
3. Let simmer (without a lid) for about 30 mins. Keep an eye on it in case it needs more liquid (occasionally the rice needs more liquid because of the evaporation rate). Test doneness after 30 mins. If it is not to your liking then continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes, adding time and water as necessary.

Later this week I will post a hummus recipe, and I will be posting a black beans and rice recipe. I am working on perfecting both. Hope you enjoy! :)

Two New Projects and a recipe

I have two new projects on the docket, both crocheting. The first is a scarf for Aaron that will hopefully fit regulations so that he can wear it when it gets really cold and he has to go to work. The other is an afghan. I'm excited to get working on them! My plan is to at least start Aaron's scarf tonight. I found a pattern for the afghan that I like, so hopefully tomorrow I will get some time to work on it. All depends on the little munchkin. ;)

Meanwhile I wanted to share with you my recipe for healthy refried beans (and for the shredded chicken) that I created tonight for our burrito dinner (complete with whole wheat tortillas, and chicken breasts minus the skin).

Refried beans:

1/2 cup of pinto beans, dried
1/2 cup of black beans, dried

Dash each of cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder (plus more to taste)

1 clove of garlic, smashed

1/2 of a jalepano (fresh from our garden), without the seeds or the center (to make it  less spicy)

Water
Olive oil
Frozen veggies (optional)

Cheese (I used 2% shredded Mexican cheese)


1. The first step is to rinse the beans. After rinsing the beans place in a saucepan that is big enough to hold them and about twice as much water. Also make sure that the pan has a lid that will fit.
2. Add water. (As stated above, use about twice as much water as beans, so in this case about 2 cups water. I just guesstimate on the actual amount.)
3. Add the seasonings, garlic, and jalepano to the water.
4. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Once it is boiling place the lid over the pot with a small amount open so that the steam can leave the pan and lower the heat to a low-medium.
5. Cook until the beans are soft. Try the "5 bean test" (from Anne Burrell on Food Network). Take 5 beans out of the pot (randomly) and test them to see how soft they are. Beans don't cook evenly so it is important to test more than just one. With two different kinds of beans, I suggest trying 5 of each type.
6. Now here comes the sneaky part that you can leave out if you want, but that didn't hurt the taste of the beans at all. Take some frozen veggies from your freezer (I chose one that had broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots in it). Microwave it with a little bit of water so that they are no longer frozen. Then pour them into a blender or a food processor and puree until they are a smooth consistency (I used a little bit of chicken broth from the chicken I was boiling, more on that later, to help with liquid and flavor). Pour into a bowl and set aside for the moment.
7. Drain the beans and reserve the liquid. Pour beans into the blender or food processor. With the blender you may need to use the bean "juice" to help blend the beans. Puree.
8. Add the veggie puree to the beans. Blend to a smooth consistency.
9. Heat some olive oil in a large pan. When the oil is hot, pour the beans into the pan. "Fry" the beans adding in cheese and any additional seasonings as desired.

The finished product looks something like this (its less yellowy and more of a brown color in person but the lighting was being tricky.)

It may take awhile to get the right consistency (how many times did I use that word in this recipe?) but it makes delicious, healthy beans. Aaron didn't have any idea that it had veggies even in it (he still doesn't know). They weren't very spicy because I am trying to watch my spice for heartburn purposes but they were still delicious. Feel free to experiment with the spice level. I also didn't add salt due to my heart issues. But some might like it with added salt.

Boiled Chicken:

1 chicken breast per person eating (choose small chicken breasts)

Dash of cumin, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder (same as above)
2 jalepanos, use the seeds and the inside, cut into big strips so they can be removed later (same as above)
3 medium cloves of garlic, smashed (same as above)
Water

1. Take the chicken breast, frozen, right out of the freezer and put into a pan big enough to hold the chicken and some water (this could be done in a crock pot as well if time is an issue but I don't like the mushy-ness that comes from the crock pot).
2. Sprinkle the chicken with the seasonings. You can do both sides if you desire. If you want you can let the seasonings sit on the chicken for a bit to help it soak in. Or you can just go to the next step because the water will be seasoned by the seasonings and that will flavor the chicken.
3. Cover the chicken, just barely, with water. Add the jalepanos, seeds, and garlic.
4. Bring to a roiling boil. After it reaches a roiling boil reduce heat to simmer. Allow to simmer until the chicken can easily be torn apart and most of the liquid is gone (how much liquid the chicken soaks up depends on how much you start out with).
5. Let cool. Shred the chicken in a bowl.
6. If there is a lot of liquid left in the pan, drain the majority of the water leaving just a couple of tablespoons in the pan. This would be the time to remove the garlic and jalepanos as well. (Save the broth. It can be used next time you cook chicken, in the beans, or any other way that you can think of. It is a delicious, spicy, chicken broth.)
7. Return the shredded chicken to the pan with the little bit of liquid left in it. On a low heat reheat and allow the rest of the liquid to soak into the chicken. When the majority of the liquid has soaked in and the chicken is hot again, pour back into the bowl and serve.

Here's what the shredded chicken looks like. It doesn't look spicy but I promise it has a kick to it, thanks to the jalepanos and seasonings.

The best way to serve these ingredients is on a whole wheat tortilla with a little bit of salsa (best if homemade) and a small amount of shredded cheese.

(Note: Our tortilla choices are limited here on the East Coast. If I was in Az, Nm, or Ca I would probably buy some "handmade" tortillas that are available at the various different Mexican stores. I would still look for the whole wheat though as they are, by far, the healthier choice. And although Pace salsa is relatively healthy, I try not to use as much of it due to the sodium content which is bad for the heart. Same with watching how much of the cheese I use.)

It does take me about two hours of cooking time to prepare this dinner but most of the cooking time I don't have to do anything because the beans and chicken are simply boiling away. Start the beans first because they definitely take the longest amount of time. All in all it is a delicious, homemade, heart friendly meal that is pretty simple to create. Enjoy! :)

Sherwood's announcements finished!

It took me awhile to get some time to get them finished but I was finally able to get pictures and finish Sherwood's announcements. They will be in the mail tomorrow. Here's how they turned out.

Sherwood is here!

So I've been a bit behind because of Sherwood's birth. Trying to get settled into life with a new baby. Things have been a bit more complicated than expected because I am not producing enough milk to breast feed and Sherwood lost a lot of weight the first few days of his life. He's fine. But we had to start supplementing with formula, pumping, and making sure that he is getting enough to eat. Its made for a few emotional days but it has helped with the crying that we were experiencing when we first got him home from the hospital. Tomorrow a lactation nurse (who is also a base nurse who has done home consultations with us during the pregnancy) is coming over to help with the breast feeding. Hopefully my milk will come in better so that I can actually be able to breast feed my baby.

Anyway, I am waiting for the hospital pictures to come in so that I can finish the announcements. My mom is coming on Saturday for two weeks and is planning on helping me get the house organized. Then Aaron's parents are coming for two weeks. Its going to be a crazy time, so chances are I will not be doing much in the crafting arena for a bit. Not until things start to settle a bit. But I have several projects in mind that didn't get done before Sherwood's birth, that I am looking forward to tackling once things settle into a routine. So stay tuned for more to come in a month or so. :)

Puzzle

So I haven't crafted the last couple days. Just been too wrapped up in the pain of the contractions. But I have been working on a puzzle with Aaron. Okay, I did most of it. Finished it today. Here's a photo. Sherwood really needs to be born.

No crafting today :(

I'll be honest, I didn't craft a bit today. I was so uncomfortable from all the cramping and contractions that I did everything I could to occupy myself in other ways. We walked, we went out to dinner, we went to some stores, we watched tv/movies, we spent some one-on-one time together, and we worked on a puzzle. Plus, Aaron planted some plants in our backyard and I "assisted" by sitting near by. Anything I could do to keep my mind off the pain of these contractions. But crafting wasn't one of those things. Just couldn't get myself to sit still long enough. Everything else we did I could get up from every few minutes as needed and Aaron was a part of so he could distract me. I sure hope this baby comes soon. Six days of contractions and counting. I'm so uncomfortable and hurt so bad. I just want to get the horrible part over with so the healing can begin. Hoping to get some sleep tonight. Maybe tomorrow I will work on the diaper bag?