Friday Finally!

It feels likes these days have been dragging by! Lately, it’s all I can do to keep Lil’ Man entertained until Husband gets home so I can just collapse on the couch. I’m attributing 99% of my exhaustion to the pregnancy because this is exactly what it was like last time, lethargic, exhaustion, zero motivation. It’s tough. I had hoped this pregnancy would be different but so far, nada. I shouldn’t complain, Husband has been shouldering so much of the toddler and house cleaning load that I feel bad. Maybe these symptoms I’m feeling will only last the first trimester and not the whole pregnancy like last time? Please?

I’m trying to keep up with my exercise since that seems to help a lot, but man, this rain makes it so…un-compelling huh? B vitamins are a saving grace these days since the smell, and taste of coffee make me throw up. This baby hates acidic things I’ve decided, because tomatoes, sun-dried, fresh, you name it- they all make me lose my cookies. This baby loves vanilla, milk, and mint though, things I usually don’t like, but suspiciously, Husband does. I’ve heard the more children you have by a man the more you become like him since your body absorbs more and more of his DNA. Boy, do I believe it. My mom jokes that God made it that way so that when you are old and your children are all gone, you won’t want to kill your husband when it’s just the two of you, because you’ll see eye-to-eye on more, haha, oh, mom!

Thank goodness it’s Friday. But please weekend, don’t go by so fast like you have been doing lately! We have a really fun weekend ahead, a wedding on Saturday and my belated family birthday party on Sunday. I’m excited to get my presents! 🙂 A blog post will be coming about those because then I can finally show you are finished bedroom! Yay! I hope you all have fun plans for the weekend. Cheers!

 

Caidoc's new favorite playground
Caidoc’s new favorite playground
A boy and his dog...he wishes. That's actually my parents dog. Caidoc LOVES dogs.
A boy and his dog…he wishes. That’s actually my parents dog. Caidoc LOVES dogs.

 

 

And then there were four…

As most of you know, our little family is expanding by ONE! Well, we think it’s one..it might be two since twins run in the family! Anyways, we are so very excited about adding to our little bunch. Caidoc still isn’t really at a point where he is aware of such things, and when I till him there is a baby in my tummy he lifts up and shirt and says, “Mum! No!” or he just laughs at me. Like, “aha mom funny joke, now read me a book.”

His dethronement is not going to be pretty methinks.
His dethronement is not going to be pretty methinks.

We are SO.VERY. EXCITED, but also very nervous, since with two, we will be on, what Husband calls, man-to-man defense, in other words, no tag teaming with each other for a break! We will get used to it I’m sure. We are also really nervous because of Caidoc’s birth, this birth is very up in the air. I have to go to a lot more doctors and appointments to even see if I can have natural birth (a VBAC) or if they think I will have to have another c-section. I joke with people that I am going to go into the woods by myself and give birth in a tree if they tell me I have to have another c-section…haha…but really though…

So, I am research midwives and doulas and birth centers a-plenty in order to get a natural birth. Please pray for us! More than anything, we just want a healthy, happy baby.

I’m excited to see Caidoc be a big brother. I think it will be very hard at first since has barely been left with anyone other than mom or dad since he was born. We will just have to get him used to that, of course, I’m probably going to be the one who’s saddest about it 🙁 I’ll miss having it be just him and me, it’s so hard to let him grow up. All that aside, he will be such a good little helper 🙂

Maybe he'll love being a big brother ;)
Maybe he’ll love being a big brother 😉

 

 

Magic in the Kitchen

Sometimes, something magical happens in the kitchen and I make something truly delicious. Really. Some kitchen magic happened earlier this week, all because of a spaghetti squash and left over cream cheese. Wanna know what happened? Okay, I’ll share with you.

 

Creamy Spaghetti Squash Casserole

-1 medium sized spaghetti squash (of course it’s best if it’s organic but it doesn’t matter too much since you don’t eat the outside and the inside is nice a protected).

-2-3  16 oz. cans of diced tomatoes (I WISH I  had fresh ones)

-1 cup of cream cheese

-1 cup of chicken stock (or broth)

-1 small zucchini chopped

-1 whole sweet onion diced

– 1/4 cup of flour OPTIONAL (I used wheat and gluten free but I’m sure any will work since it’s just used as a thickener if you think you need it)

-1 cup lightly steamed broccoli

(here is where it gets intense but you gotta stick with it, I promise you’ll love it. In case you could’t tell, I swear by the spices in my cooking)

-1 t. basil

-1 T rosemary

-1 t. oregano

-1 T garlic powder

-1 t. thyme

– 1 t. sage

-1/2 t. fennel

-1/2 t. savory

-1 t. pepper (teaspoon! Not tablespoon! Or more if you want I guess….)

– 2 t. salt

– 2 cups of cheese (I recommend anything white. I used an italian cheese mix.)

*Note: this is NOT an allergy free meal, but it can easily be made so. I was just being bad and cheating because I didn’t want to waste our left over cream cheese.

 

Directions:

Take your squash and slice it in half length wise. Put it on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees for about 40 min, really that time is “ish” because some people’s ovens take 30 min, mine takes 40, really it is done when a fork and get into the middle easily. It should look kinda like this: (ignore my gross pan, its just doomed to be that way, I’ve tried everything.)

Have I mentioned that I am obsessed with this squash?
Have I mentioned that I am obsessed with this squash?

That white stuff in the middle is just bubbly water from the squash.

NOW, while that is cooking, throw everything else (EXCEPT THE CHEESE)  into a big pan on the stove and heat it till it’s bubbly. It should look something like this:

DSC04442

 

If it DOESN’T look like this, thats fine, feel free to tweak the ingredients till it does. The veggies can be different, but I’d really try and go for that creamy reddish color. That what makes it so savory. And feel free to tweak the spices, but I LOVE very, very flavorful food as does Brownie and Husband.

Now, while that is getting all bubbly, your squash should be done. Take it out  (use hot pads to hold it since it will be hot to the touch) and take a fork and scrape out all the inside till it yields a couple cups of delish spaghetti looking “noodles”. These noodles will be crispier than regular noodles ( try some plain, they are super good!).

DSC04443

 

YUM.

Once you have all your squash ready and your mixture is all hot, mix the two together in a large bowl and combine in a casserole dish. It should be a tiny bit runny so don’t worry if it’s not all solid (think lasagna consistency).

DSC04446

Cover the top with the cheese.

Put in the oven for 30-35 minutes.

If you want a slightly crispy top ( I know I do), put the oven on broil for two-three minutes before you pull it out.

Okay, I might have let it get a little TOO crispy, still so yummy
Okay, I might have let it get a little TOO crispy, still so yummy

IMG_2849

Dish and ENJOY!

 

Distracting A Toddler…

…Luckily, Lil’ Man is already VERY easily distracted. Unless he wants the computer or into the dishwasher, then there is very little to be done except tolerate the one minute rage fest that ensues when either is denied him. In one of our more brilliant moments, Husband and I decided to make a sensory board for our very, very hands on little dude. This was in part to just make his room the little-boy-dream-come-true-playland but also to help with the recovery of his surgery, for which he in being encouraged not to move much (something that is almost impossible for him).

Before I even saw ideas on Pinterest, Husband had come up with the idea of using zip ties and a board with pre-punched holes, from Home Depot. Pure genius. That way, the sensory board can be changed out with different items really easily and grow right along with Brownie’s ever-expanding intelligence level. We got the board, husband cut it, and we came up with a list of things we thought would best capture Caidoc’s attention. We already had zip ties, so we only had to make a trip to the dollar store and then assemble it! Husband and I had SO MUCH FUN making it!

Caidoc was such a good helper
Caidoc was such a good helper
Attaching items with zip ties
Attaching items with zip ties
He LOVES it!
He LOVES it!

We have put a good amount of toys in Caidoc’s room, but luckily, we have really figured out how to utilize wall space, like with the felt board, so we just plunked the sensory board right next to his door (the door still closes, yay!). It has already been a showers taking/meals cooked/cleaning done savior! Haha! Caidoc loves to keep those little fingers busy. The board has really helped with keeping him in the house and relatively still while he heals. You should really make one of these boards if you have a busy toddler!

 

The finished product…

IMG_2801

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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