Dr apt update and shopping

Dr APT:

I had an OB appointment yesterday.  Owen's heartbeat is right on track at 145-150; the belly bump is measuring 33 weeks and my blood pressure was excellent.  I spoke with my Dr a little more about the c-section.  For some reason I was worried about where she would make the incision because my placenta so low lying basically it is in the way.  She reassured me it would be a normal c-section and if the placenta was in the way she would just move it with her hand taking out Owen first and then the placenta.

Also, Owen is transverse; so if the placenta moves Owen would still need to move into the head down position.  As of right the last u/s he can't move into position b/c the placenta is in the way.  We could really see this on the u/s.  So at this point, Chris and I are not feeling very positive that the placenta will move and if it does I am not excited about having my Dr have to move Owen into position (sounds painful).  We keep telling each other as long as he is here healthy we are ok with a c-section.  I am not going to beat myself up over something that I can't control.  

Owen is a bit more head down and bottom up at my right rib than as the picture shows.

 SHOPPING:

On to more fun topics.  My mother-in-law came with me to Greensboro and after my OB appointment we went shopping!   There were a few items on our agenda as my MIL has offered to make a few items for this precious boy.

1. Complementary fabrics for the guitar fabric for a handmade quilt
2. pattern for his coming home outfit
3. yarn for a knit hat

We ended up having a very successful day!  We found five great fabrics to go with the guitar fabric for Owen's nursery quilt including a turquoises, a black with a tiny gray pattern on it, a solid gray, a strip that had ALL the colors in it, and a green on green dot.

Then we found a simple pattern for his coming home outfit that has a little jacket with pockets on the front!

Of course it isn't exactly 100% what I wanted, but I think with a few changes like cuffs at the bottom of the pant instead of the pleating, removing the buttons and adding details but keeping it simple.


Lastly, I picked out a fun red yarn for a little red knit hat that she is going to make for him!!  These are going to be some of the special treasures we will keep forever!!  So sweet!! I can't wait to wrap this baby in handmade love!

Freezable Meals Day 1: 2 soups

Yesterday, I got very organized here is a mini break down:

• narrowed down my recipes making sure I had several recipes for each type of meat and that included lots of vegetables
• then catorgized them by type of meat, as of right now I am going to have 4 big days of cooking, but I will add more if I have time and freezer space. 
• Beef-ground and cubed:  Santa Fe Soup, Zesty Beef Veggie Soup, Shepherds Pie
• Chicken Breast: Rosemary Chicken, Cream Cheese Italian Chicken, Chicken Tortilla Soup 
• Spiral Honey Glazed Ham: Ham and Hash Brown Casserole, Corn Flake Hash Browns, Corn Chowder (any left overs will be frozen seperatly and are GREAT for a quick pre-cooked meat)
• Ground Turkey:  Turkey Chilli (I would like to find another recipe to add to this day.)
• printed all the recipes or pulled out of my go to recipe box
• made a HUGE grocery list divided by each meat category. To keep costs down I am buying in bulk where possible, but I am also just buying right before I cook those meals so that the fresh food won't go bad. 
• Double checked my pantry for items: found a quite a few things!
• Looked for coupons in my coupon file and online
• Headed to Walley World

Here are all the items for the first 3 recipes!

The first two recipes that I did are the Santa Fe Soup and Zesty Beef  Veggie Soup.

I have cooked the Santa Fe Soup many times and I have forgotten how freaking easy it is to make and so yummy!!!  Right now it is cooling before I put it into the freezable containers.

Santa Fe Soup  

Since you cook the ground beef at the beginning you only have to let it simmer for about 30-45 minutes.  Here is the recipe if you are interested; I have no clue where I got it from as I have been making it since early in our marriage.

Ingredients:
2lbs ground beef: (I usually get the lowest fat percentage I can find at the store)
1 onion chopped (I usually use white)
2 cans, 11oz, of white corn (I had yellow in the pantry so that's what I used this time)
1 can, 16 oz, of pinto beans (ops forgot to buy them, but luckily had red kidney beans to substitute!)
1 can, 10 oz, of Rotel tomatoes with chillies (I used mild)
1 can, 16 oz, black beans
2 cups water (ended up adding more b/c I wanted it more soupy which will be better for freezing)
2 packages of taco seasoning
2 packages of ranch dressing mix (or about a half of cup if you have the big bottle like us!)

Directions:
Brown ground beef with the onions.  Throw in the rest of the ingredients, draining the corn and beans.  Simmer 30-45 minutes.

Either serve with Fritos, sour cream, cheddar cheese or in a bread bowl or like I am doing freeze in containers that are the correct proportions for your family.

Next, I made the Zesty Beef Veggie Soup.

Zesty Beef Veggie Soup (before)

Here it is in raw form, it needs to cook in the crock pot for next 6 hours on high.

Recipe: (somewhere off line, I hope this is good)

1 lb beef stew meat, cubed (I bought almost a 1 1/2 because my husband likes eating meat)

1/2 cup white onion chopped

2 tsp garlic, minced (or garlic powder that I had on hand, starting off a little at a time)

2 cups shredded cabbage (I bought this pre-shredded in the bag and it had white and red cabbage and some carrots, but I figured it would still work, more veggies the better!)

2 cups frozen corn

2 cups frozen green beans

2 cups carrots, sliced (I used baby carrots so I didn't have to peel them)

4 cups V8 Hot and Spicy tomato vegetable juice (used almost the whole container)

1 can, 14.5 oz, Italian diced tomatoes (never used these before, but they smelled good!)

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (we buy the low sodium)

1 teaspoon basil leaves

1 Tablespoon sugar (thought about using splenda, but then didn't)

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Add all ingredients into the slow cooker, stir.  Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 6 hours.   Taste to make sure its good before letting cool and freezing in serving sized containers or freezer bags.

*I have an awesome husband who is great at seasoning and he ended up adding the following:

Here is our final Zesty Soup!

By this point my feet are killing me and my belly is hard as a rock from all the running around today.  Did I mention I did laundry, dishes and general picking up around the house before the shopping trip?  Thankfully, Chris worked from home on paperwork and was able to help me get the groceries in the house.

Whew!  If you made it this far WOW and thanks for reading!!  

cooking in January

So, I am working on my list of items to cook and freeze and would love your help.  Please let me know if any of you have any recipes or suggestions to round out my list!

Dinners:

• Mild Chicken Chili
• Marinated Cream Cheese Italian Chicken Breast
• Zesty Beef and Vegetable Soup
• Ham and Hash Brown
• McCormick Crock Pot Chili with ground Turkey
• Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Shepherds Pie
• Santa Fe Soup

Sides:

• Corn Flake Hashbrowns

So, it looks like I am covered on the soups!  So, I was thinking if I cook 3 meals a week and each meal I can freeze 2 that would be 6 meals and I have at least 4 weeks so....that would be 24 meals!  Throw in the stouffers lasagna and chicken and rice meals and our new favorite PF Changs frozen meal bags and we will have at least the first month or so covered.  Thank goodness we have a stand up freezer waiting to be filled up!!

lil spark: 33 weeks

Oh my goodness 4 weeks until Owen is full term!!  Thank you Lord, you are so good!!!

How far along: 33 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: will find out Tuesday at my next OB apt
Maternity clothes: I really only like to wear pj's at this point.
Stretch marks: realized my new lotion was for FIRMING, ops, guess we will use that in about 6 weeks after this man makes his appearance!  I did buy the Mama Bee's belly balm, it is annoying getting it out of the tin, but it really does moisturize my skin!  I am really diggin' it right now. 
Sleep:  spent the first night of the new year in the guest bedroom, but hey I gotta do what I gotta do to get some zzzz!
Best moments this week:  Ringing in the new year with our bestest friends and their daughter.  It was low key, but fun!  We talked baby stuff all night!  Strollers, breast pumps, etc.
Belly button in or out?: working its way out
Craving: organic skim milk (have I mentioned this?)
What I am looking forward to: the u/s on the 13th!!!

By the way: 
I have approximately a four pound
pineapple in my belly!

goodbye 2010

I can't say that I am sad to see 2010 go.  Yes, lots of great things happened this year, but it was the slowest year and full of the most pain I have ever felt.  January 2010 started off wonderfully, we were so excited to be bringing our twins into this world in May.  January 7th, we were excited to find out their sexes and begin dreaming about who they were. Within one moment our world came crashing down on January 7th and then it was finalized on January 9th when they were born.  2010 I said hello and goodbye to my sweet twin boys. Their faces will always be engraved on my heart, they are my firstborns.

But good things happened too. 

We found and purchased our 2nd home.  Renovating our new home pouring our blood, sweat and tears into making a beautiful place was therapeutic and rewarding.  When making decisions about the house my husband would respond with "whatever you want".  That want list was long, but we both saw it as small pleasures that would replace the ache in our hearts for a moment.  Popcorn ceiling was scrapped, sanded, muddied, sanded and more sanded then painted.  Crown molding was added.  All the walls were painted.  The fireplace, built-ins, kitchen all received makeovers.  Light fixtures were sold and replaced, can lights added, recepticals and switches changed to white and tamper resistant.  Curtains were purchased and hung and eventually move in day happened.

Living in our new home has been amazing.  I didn't understand the want or need for LAND.  Chris really wanted some surrounding acreage and when we found this house that had most of my wants and a HUGE basement and almost 8 acres I knew this was it.  Since living here, I get it.  It is so peaceful to look out on our land and see deer, beautiful trees and just the natural landscape that God created.  Wow, amazing.

Then, in the midst of getting settled in our new home we found out we were expecting again!  We couldn't have been more excited and scared.  This pregnancy has been wonderful and we have fallen in love again, this time with a little boy that reminds me he is there with his kicks and jabs.  We have listened to his heartbeat more than I would admit and it has been the music that has healed parts of our hearts.  I am scared to get too excited about bringing in another year and repeating the heartache of this past year.  There will be pain as we are approaching the 1st birthday of our twins and yet we know we need to get passed that day so that we can be closer to this little one's arrival.

So, 2011, I have a request of you bring this little boy to me-healthy and whole.  I want to use this year to celebrate his life.

I know that 2010 had to be part of my life story, but I am so glad it is over. 

lil spark: 32 weeks

How far along: 32 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: will find out next week
Maternity clothes: yes, bought some new pants today and still don't love them.  I don't like the secret fit belly anymore and I don't like a HUGE 4" elastic band cutting into the bottom of the belly either.  I am about to buy some suspenders.
Stretch marks: bought new lotion today, smells way better!  Of course though nothing is easy and it wouldn't come out the pump, so I opened it up and it was SOLID in there, then as I was using the pump straw to stir it got lost in there.  I told Chris and he fixed it all for me!!! I didn't even ask!! He is so sweet!  Gosh I love that man! 
Sleep:  is about the same, just tossing and turning
Best moments this week:  The wonderful baby gifts we got over the holidays.  My dad or Papaw out did himself this year!!  Check out the cuteness he picked out all by himself.
Belly button in or out?: starting to pop out all the time when I stand up, flat when i am sitting
Craving: organic skim milk (have I mentioned this?)
What I am looking forward to: 2011!!!  And this BABY!!! 

If you are wondering if it is strange to be wearing a summer dress in the winter, yes I agree; but if you didn't have any pants that fit you would wear it too!  Plus, I am usually hot when I am inside, so it works!  This is the day after Christmas, Owen we would have loved for you to see all the snow; you will just have to take our word for it that it was beautiful!!  Daddy wanted a pictures of us, so I braved the weather and I am sure you will recognize our building and house!  We think it is so cool that this is the place you will call home and it will give you that warm fuzzy feeling driving up the drive. 



Thanks to baby center dot com:  By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds (pick up a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb.

letter to Owen

Warning:  if you are not in a good place and want to avoid the sentimental baby talk please skip this post, I understand.

Owen, my darling son,

There are times when I wonder what you are doing in there.  Why does my WHOLE belly jump?  Are you falling asleep and have that falling feeling where it makes you jump at the end?  Why do you like my right side and snuggling under my rib?  Wouldn't a rib be uncomfortable to rest your little butt on or a foot?  Do you think my bladder is a trampoline to get to the top of my uterus?  I feel ya buddy, I am not very comfortable either.  I know we are both beginning to feel very squished and are competing for space. I will probably let you win.

Then there are other times when I can feel the shape of your head to the left of my belly button; I can feel your little bottom on my right side and feel your kicks down near my hip.  I am sorry if I poke you or pat your bubble all the time.  I can't keep my hands off your home, first my belly is itchy and while I am there itching I might as well feel you move and enjoy them as you will only be in there one time!  Later in life, when I touch your face, hold your hand and kiss your feet just know it is because I am making up the time where I couldn't touch you these months. 

The other night, I was snuggled in my favorite spot before bed with my head resting on your daddy's shoulder.  Once, I settled in I could feel you move about and you got settled and comfy too.  Chris and I were talking about you and how much we love you already, how much we are so excited about your arrival in a few months.  I noticed that there was this little flutter in my belly, in the location where your feet usually rest. Then I noticed your daddy was rubbing his feet together as he was talking to me and it was like you were doing the same thing!!!  My boys ops my MEN are so alike already!  Daddy totally thinks this was very cool, so you are allowed to be like him like that country song says.  If he is anything like me by Brad Paisley.  You need to look up this song, this melted your daddy's heart when the video came on tv the other day.  I looked over at him and tears were in his eyes and his arms opened and I had to crawl in there and he wrapped his arms around me placing his hands on my belly-on you.  We listened to the rest of the song together.  I, so, hope you are like your daddy.  You will make a woman very lucky one day if you are.  The Holmes men are of a different breed and you've got a lot to live up to, but we know you can do it and we will help you become that man.  We can't wait till you are here on the outside world to show you all the beautiful things life has to offer.

Owen, when you may read this one day and look back at all the times your dad calls you son, it is only because he never believed he would have a boy of his own and that word son means so much to him. So humor him if he calls you son more than by your name.  You are not a replacement for your older twin brothers, but a more cherished child because of them. We know the pain in our hearts that we would feel if we ever lost you and it makes you so much more important to us.  We have prayed for you our special boy.  Our first son that we are able to take home and give all the love in our hearts too.  We promise to be the best parents we can be even though we know it will be hard and there will be difficult times, I know that the good times will out weigh them. 

Right now, it is past midnight and I am tired from a full day of getting ready for Christmas; you are kicking my right rib from underneath and you seem so far away even though you are a mere inch beneath the my skin the closest we will ever be.  Just remember that what this whole thing is about:  LOVE.

I love you sweet boy, my prince.
your mommy