It's been awhile - long post ahead :)

So a few things went on this past week and a half...I'll break it up into the sections:

1.  NATURAL BIRTH PRENATAL COURSE

We took a course last Sunday for 8 hours regarding natural childbirth and what to expect etc.... it was a super long day but very informative.  We got a package with all the information she went through and it's a good reference just before I go in to deliver.

She went through things like the benefits of going natural and the benifits of a medicated birth or cesarean in order to give what's best for your baby.  She also touched on breastfeeding and what to expect after the birth when we are home with baby.

In a couple weeks, we start the prenatal courses at the Health Unit.  Those are only 2 hours every Wednesday night.  I'm curious to see what the difference between the courses will be.  :)

2.  VEGAS

We went to Las Vegas last week for 5 days, Monday to Friday.  We stayed at the Hard Rock hotel and I think I did pretty good considering how tired I was by the end of the night.  We weren't staying out late, but we did do a lot during the daytime.  It was nice that we could do what we want or relax and not worry about doing anything at all!  We did do a lot of walking, and I found my sciatica was starting up a little bit.... it wasn't painful most days, but it was irritating at points.

I had a really nice spa day there and Ryan had a massage.  We were both really relaxed that day and that was the day of my birthday so it was a nice way to celebrate.

As much fun as we had, it was nice to also come home to our furkids and families. Vacation is nice, and we needed to get away for sure.  It seems to make us more appreciative of all we have at home though :)

3.  MATERNITY PHOTOSHOOT

Yesterday I had a 7 hour photoshoot - the main focus was my belly of course :)  I did a class for Ted Kloske.  He did a workshop on Maternity Photography and asked me to be their model.  In exchange I get a ton of photos that I am going to cherish for the rest of my life !!  If you want to see the pictures you can go on my facebook profile page.  I am tagged in a bunch of them.  It will be a little while before I get the actual prints, so for now you can see them on there.  Once I get them I will post here on the blog.

4.  SHOPPING PROBLEM

I think I have a baby shopping problem.  I am trying to stop internet shopping, and going on all those wonderful sites a lot less.  I have gotten most of my items in that I have ordered however and I am very pleased with all of my purchases :)

5.  SHOWER

The baby shower is underway and all cards have been sent out.  Even though I didn't make my invitations or thank you's, I found other ways to be creative, so it's been keeping me busy.  I have to admit though, it's kinda nice that I don't have to do all those cards!!!  There is so much more that needs to be done (like our house to get in tip top shape!), so I'm focusing more on that.

Well that's all I really have to say, thanks for reading - hopefully it wasn't too boring!

Some Updates and forks in the road...

So to start off with the good.....

I have decided on my shower favour gifts.  Originally we were going to do the Bath & Body Works soaps, and although they are going to be used by everyone, I found it was not quite as personal to give.  So what I've decided on (no I'm not telling you!) is something that Ryan & I use and believe in and would love to spread the word about these magical little things :)  (I bet you can't wait to see!!)

I have a prenatal appointment today, and I will be getting a referral for my glucose screening test.  I am not looking forward to it, not because of worry, but because I have to sit at the lab for a couple hours (or maybe one hour) and drink some orange syrupy stuff....... but it's just another milestone in the pregnancy and that is what I'm looking forward to!

Ryan & I are taking a prenatal class on natural childbirth with a Doula named Rhea Eady on Sunday.  You can look her up here.  I am looking forward to this class, even more so now, due to the reason I'm posting below.

Onto the (kinda but not really) bad...

So our Doula decided to withdrawal from us because there is a chance I'd deliver at Christmas.  I understand considering she has a little one at home.  She offered to help us find another Doula, however we are confident that we can do it on our own.  I have a lot of knowledge going in hoping for a natural, non-invasive birth and Ryan I know, will be there to support me 100%.  This is why I am really looking forward to this class.... and I'll be sure to update on it Sunday night, along with my glucose test experience :)

Not much going on....

So there isn't too much going on.  I'm in my 26th week, just brimming the third trimester :)  I'm starting to feel quite tired now, almost like the first trimester, except I still have spurts of energy here and there.  I have been getting what I think is Braxton Hicks contractions as well - how they are described is what I'm feeling -- not painful, just discomforting.

I've decided to learn how to crochet baby hats.  There are a few owl pattens on Etsy and they are expensive....(I would still buy them however!) but I thought I could learn to crochet them and the baby cocoons and then I would be able to coordinate them the way I want to for the newborn photo's that I want to do with him.  The patterns are on Etsy for cheap and I can make different sizes in case Baby D has a bigger head than a standard newborn.  :)

Other than that, nothing else is going on.  Just finishing renovations and looking forward to our Vegas trip!!!

Recipe - Thai Red Curry with Veggies and Tofu

Ryan and I have been trying to eat healthier, and for some reason, I find during the fall we do (not that it's fall but with these cooler days, I've been making more comforting foods).  I made this recipe tonight and fell in love with it.  I was concerned because Baby D does not do well with curries (darn!) but he seems to be okay with this recipe.  I made it very mild.

Here it is:

Thai Red Curry

Curry Paste:

2 tbsp of red curry paste (add more or add less, depending on your tolerance)
Zest of 2 limes
juice of one lime (I used 2 and found it a bit sour - still good though)
1/2 tsp hot chili flakes (again, add more or less depending on your tolerance)

*Combine all ingredients and put aside

Sauce:

1 Can light coconut milk
2 tbsp soy sauce (use light to reduce the sodium if needed)
1 tbsp sugar (add more or less depending on the sweetness you desire)
1/2 tsp salt
Handful of basil, chopped

*Whisk ingredients together and set aside

Main Ingredients

I block of Tofu, drained, pressed and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
4 cups chopped veggies of your choice (I used what was in my fridge - zucchini, mushrooms, green beans, potatoes, carrot and celery)
Olive oil for sautéing


Method:

Heat oil in wok.  Add tofu and stir fry until golden on both sides.  HINT: Make sure your pan is VERY hot so the tofu doesn't stick to the sides.  Also make sure your tofu is very dry and pressed as much as possible to avoid splattering of the oil.  (to press, place tofu between clean dish towels, and a pan on top. Add more weight by placing bricks or heavy pots on top of the already situated pan.  Press for 20 minutes or more).

Add your vegetables and stir fry until they become very bright in colour.

Meanwhile, heat the paste in a separate pot, and stir until fragrant (about 2 minutes).  Take care not to burn the paste.  Add the coconut mixture and stir  well to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 2 minutes to thicken the sauce.

Once veggies are cooked to your liking (they should have a bit of crunch to them), add the sauce, and stir to combine everything.  Cook for about 4-5 minutes then serve over rice.  (We used basmati rice).

Enjoy :)

**note** if using potatoes, be sure to chop and steam them beforehand otherwise they will not cook through.

Project - PeePee TeePee's!

I went to the States yesterday and at Motherhood Maternity they had these little teepee's to catch little boy's peepee lol.  I knew I had to make them!  They do not take a lot of time and I think they will make changing a bit more pleasant for Ryan and I :) The pictures are not great considering I used my Blackberry to take the pictures - sorry I was lazy!

Here they are:






1.  Cut out a template (circle) for your peepee teepee.  I used a 7" round plate and traced it on a piece of paper.  Place your template on a piece of felt (I was able to stack 3 at a time) and pin it in place.  If you are using more than one piece of material, you will need to make sure the template is pinned securely and there is no ripples in the material.  To help with that, make sure you iron your material very flat before you start.

2.  Fold your material right sides together and sew along the edge with about a 1/4" seam.  Make sure you leave a gap in order to turn your material right side out.  I did mine in the mid part of the seam but you can do it at the very end as well.

3.  This part can be skipped if desired, but I like to add a few triangle cuts at the turn to make it a bit easier.

4. Turn right side out and slide a chopstick (or anything that will do the trick) along the seam in order to make the sewn side as flat as possible.  Iron your turned out sides flat, ensuring you tuck in the opening in to create a smooth arc.

5. Choose whatever type of stitch you like.  I did a triple stitch zig zag.  Choose your colors to match your material if desired.  Note, I only did the color on the side that is going to show.  The inside was done in white.  Fold your material in half, right sides together in order to prepare sewing the seam.  

6. Sew your seam to along the unsewn side to create the cone shape.  You may find it easier to pin the side first before sewing it so your material doesn't slip.  Be sure to seal the top corner so you don't get a surprise through the top of your teepee when you put it on your little boy!

7.  Turn your teepee's right side out and shape into a cone.  There you have it!  

Soap Nuts

So I have to do another post today and product review that I am totally in love with!  They are called Soap Nuts.  These nuts are actually berries that grow on trees in Asia and India.  Apparently they have been used for thousands of years and are 100% pure and natural.  They contain something called Saponin that is the substance that washes your clothes.  They can also be boiled down and used to clean veggies, yourself, and numerous other things.  I think I'll stick to laundry.  They can be used 4-8 times, depending on your load and how hot your water is.  I use the lukewarm setting so we will see.  I guess you will know if you need to change your soap nuts when the foaming doesn't happen in the washing machine.

They smell a little funny, earthy I guess.  But they do not make your clothes smell like anything.  You can add essential oils to the laundry water if you'd like but really you don't have to.  The musty smell in some of my towels have gone away and the best part is that you don't even need to use a fabric softener - my clothes and towels came out so soft and fluffy.   They are highly recommended for cloth diapers and wipes because of the odour eliminating power of them (yay for me!!).  They are also healthy for baby when washing baby clothes and linens....and of course for us as well!

And another thing - they are CHEAP!  For 150-300 loads, I pay $20.  (It depends on how many washes I can get out of them).  I am currently ordering from Bare Organics.  They are located in Thunder Bay, which is awesome - still in Ontario.  They have a flat rate shipping of $8.95 no matter what you order.  So stock up!  I'm sure someone sells them here, I just have not come across anybody who sells them.  If anybody see's them around locally let me know!

Renovations and Baby Kicks (and hiccups!)

Our renovations are coming along nicely.  With the help of Grandma & Grandpa Dufour, our hallway is now painted.  I just love the colour - "Light Avocado".  I just have to say, that was a verrrrry long day for me.  Our bedroom is also near completion.  Just waiting for the trim around the window to go up and the bar for the sheers to go up and it's done!  We are putting a television on the wall as well but that can wait :)

The crib is also ordered.  It's the Graco Charleston.  I love it.  It should be in by next week.  Once the nursery is complete, the furniture will be set up and room cleaned so I can start prepping the nursery with the super cute things I already have for our baby boy.

This has been a long week.  I did a stretch of 3 midnights (yes, that's long), and I am exhausted.  I find that it is very hard to sleep during the day.  I'm sure if we had black out blinds it would be easier, but I just find that I am very uncomfortable and feel dehydrated by the time I wake up.  I am going to have to think and reconsider working any more nights.  I  may work one more set and then get a note.  By my next midnight shift, I will be 7 months pregnant (where does the time fly!).  So I may just stick it out for that one and then go off.....

Ryan FINALLY felt the baby move more than one time yesterday for the first time.  He came up while I was waking up (from midnights) at about 2pm and Baby D was waking up as well.  It was funny to see his expression!  Baby D is also starting with his hiccups now.  Last night he had them for about 10 minutes at 1am.... just when I was about to fall asleep.... so  I was up a bit longer than anticipated.  It's hard to get back into a routine after midnights....but since I have 3 day shifts coming up I'm going to have to try very hard to do so!

And now it's time to make some awesome Sicilian white zucchini soup!  (that's not the real name, I don't even know if we have a real name for this soup but it's darn good!)