Prego update: 39 weeks

A brief update – not too much for you since I have a serious case of nesting going on right now! But I guess we will see how much comes out once I get going!

Already 39 weeks along! SO… we are super close! No matter what – he is coming very soon and we cannot slow it down. Of course we want him here already (on the outside of me), but yet I find myself sometimes thinking – another week would be good!

The pregnancy started out pretty slow, and now it has really sped up – time is flying and I cannot believe it is almost time for him to join us! More and more I wonder, who will he look like? I think about his little hands and feet – who’s will he have? What color will his eyes be? I hope he looks just like his daddy – but of course when it all boils down, I don’t even care about all of that because he will be just right no matter what.

Here are my dorky little updates like I have done before in categories:

Name:   Since it is so close… at this point. It will be a surprise! We want to make our final decision when he comes. No fear, he will have a name!

Cravings: Sorry to disappoint if you are still holding out and hoping I will finally crave something super weird.  Since my last update, the following has either sounded good to me or once I ate (or drank) it, it really hit the spot!

• very cold water (still)
• still fruit (mainly strawberries and certain apple varieties but this week I bought some watermelon, honeydew and cantaloupe which was so delicious
• raspberry jam with really wheaty and nutty toast or english muffins
• banana-chocolate-walnut bread (of which I am going to bake today with my over-ripe bananas!
• brownies – I made them for something one evening and they were extra delicious
• Greek yogurt (primarily vanilla, but some strawberry, raspberry or blueberry has snuck in there)
• vanilla frozen yogurt – I made some homemade vanilla greek frozen yogurt in our maker and it was good!
• Peanut butter and jelly sandwich with sliced apples
• cheese burger and sweet potato fries
• home-made mexican

Nursery:  It is pretty much set-up!  We have basically everything we need I believe (at least that we know of for now) thanks so much to family and friends here and there of which we thank soooo much! We have been truly spoiled and helped out so much!  We were thrown an awesome baby shower a couple weeks ago which was so fun and we got all kinds of neat gifts for the little guy and also one over Christmas in Oregon – gifts have been trickling in here and there and we are so blessed! He has an awesome set-up and has the best room in the house!

Weight:  ummmmmmmmmmmm….. yep! I am ready to be back down a-lot!

On a silly note: I have to really watch my belly lately!  It sticks out so far!  I have a tendency to hit the handle of my skillet on the stove  (thank goodness this has not caused a mess or injury ).  I have accidentally bumped it into people or things as I walk by or tried to let people by me in a door-way not catching the fact that there is no room for them to squeeze by!

Comments I have received over the past few weeks:

• “If your belly gets any larger you are going to fall on your face”
• “When are the twins due?”
• “Aren’t you going to pop any day?” (this one started a month ago)
• to Greg: “What are you feeding that girl?”  – this particular day we were together at the bank so he was able to experience the kind of comments I get first hand. His reply: “Whatever she wants”…
• “You are all belly”
• “You better pray he can make it out”
• “Wait, when ARE you due?”… “still going, huh?”
• “You are so cute” – nice to hear when you usually get the above!

…that is enough for now, isn’t it? You get the point! I find it crazy that many have comments like the ones above and others  tell me I look great and am small for how far along I am…  so which is it? I guess it really does not matter one bit! At least I can still wear some of my pre-maternity pants and shirts (of which may not look the best or be the most comfortable, but hey – there is power in being able to button something!)

Have a super day! This is probably my last pregnancy update  because it is almost go-time!

Fresh home-style guacamole…

Greg loves guacamole… he really really likes this stuff!  He puts in on all kinds of things.  When he dips a chip in the bowl, you can bet that a significant amount of guac will be gone because he piles it on. He puts it on everything mexican, sandwiches,  eggs, in some soups and more…

When I went to the store the other day (unfortunately the local one that does not have guacamole… unless you count guacamole “flavored” dip as close enough – we don’t)  I walked by the avocados and decided to pick some up so I could make him some… It took a couple of days for them to be the perfect ripeness but then we were in business.  As for what I did:

I put the avocado flesh (about 4 of them) in a bowl with a tad of lemon juice (I would have used lime if I had any), then added a little bit of diced tomato, one jalapeno, some chopped onion and a little bit of a sweet yellow pepper that I had… oh and I put a tiny dash of garlic and onion powder – that is it that I recall.  Then I used a fork and mashed it all up!

Here is the result and of course, we ate it! It was pretty good if I say so myself! It is really quite simple! One word of advice, it brown very quickly, so some kind of acid is needed to keep it longer – but I would plan of eating it right after you make it. Even with some lime/lemon juice and the tightest of tight sealing – it will brown by morning.

 

Avocados are healthy too! They contain healthy fats, potassium (more than a banana), vitamin E, folic acid, B vitamins. Eat up… maybe not like 10 a day, but you know!

Happy April…

Yay for April…

and what a month it will be… for this is the month our son will be born! 

Besides, that (which is the most exciting) all month we can “celebrate” April being…

National Fresh Celery Month
National Pecan Month
National Soft Pretzel Month
National Soyfoods Month

yipeee…

and incase you are an egg salad type of person, you will love that it has  a whole week dedicated to it…  April 12-18th

As for some individual days this month that I picked out because they were yummy or just plain funny or odd!

• April 2 National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day (oh yes yes yes!!!) I love it!
• April 3 National Chocolate Mousse Day
• April 6 National Caramel Popcorn Day
• April 7 National Coffee Cake Day
• April 12 National Licorice Day
• April 14 National Pecan Day and hot cross bun day
• April 15 National Glazed Ham Day
• April 16 National Eggs Benedict Day (in honor of my sister)
• April 18 National Animal Crackers Day
• April 21 National Chocolate-Covered Cashews Day
• April 22 National Jelly Bean Day (in honor of my late wonderful g-ma)
• April 24 National Pigs-in-a-Blanket Day
• April 25 National Zucchini Bread Day
• April 26 National Pretzel Day
• April 27 National Prime Rib Day
• April 28 National Blueberry Pie Day
• April 30 National Oatmeal Cookie Day

Now, of course I am wondering what day our little one will be born… we will just have to wait and see!  Happy April every one, I hope this finds you having a wonderful 2012! Can you believe that it is already this far into the year?

Happy March…

I can’t belive March is here already… seems like we just started 2012!

So, as you have already picked up on, I am pretty obsessed with what each month is all bout – on a pretty basic level of course… nothing too crazy!

So, without further delay…

March is…

National Caffeine Awareness Month (I have been aware of this for about 8 months now, as you can guess why)

National Celery Month

National Flour Month

National Frozen Food Month

National Noodle Month

National Nutrition Month (one fun reason I am happy to be a March baby!)

National Peanut Month

National Sauce Month

As for some individual days… I picked out some of my favorites…

• March 1 National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day
• March 2 National Banana Cream Pie Day
• March 4 National Poundcake Day
• March 6 National White Chocolate Cheesecake Day
• March 7 National Cereal Day (oh yes!! I was totally born on National Cereal Day! )
• March 8 National Peanut Cluster Day
• March 10 National Blueberry Popover Day
• March 11 Oatmeal Nut Waffles Day
• March 14 National Potato Chip Day
• March 15 National Peanut Lovers Day
• March 19 National Chocolate Caramel Day
• March 23 National Chip and Dip Day
• March 26 National Waffle Day
• March 31 National Clams on the Half Shell Day (just had to add this one because it made me laugh for some reason… seems like there should be a song about this!)

I hope everyone has a happy March! Tune in next month and you will learn more than you want to know about April!

Prego update: 33 weeks

33 weeks and growing!

I am very slow to update and blog – but hey who isn’t busy and has time to sit at the computer all day?   I’ve been feeling great still and have been enjoying “nesting” and trying to get the house somewhat organized.  We have lived here a little over a year and I still have boxes packed and too much unorganization for my liking. But, what does not get done, just won’t and I have been trying to realize that it is just OK – no matter what. When it all boils down, it does not really matter.  I still enjoy making lists and at least attempting to cross at least one thing off for the day!

Here is a brief update … again in categories for simplicity like my last update!

33 weeks along!

Have you picked out a name?  still no name!

Cravings: Still no odd cravings or weird combinations have crossed my mind, but some of my ”cravings” have remained the same with some additions! I feel as though they are getting overall “unhealthier” as the time goes… so I am trying not to go super crazy!

• fruit in general, still grapefruit and all berries
• colby-jack cheese and crackers
• tortilla chips and peach mango salsa
• very very cold water – or should I say ice with a little water in it
• Cookie dough AND the fresh baked cookies, but it is nice because just a few cookies taste good, then my craving is over
• vanilla frozen yogurt
• good ol’ vanilla yogurt
• peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a glass of milk

Needless to say, lots of things sound so good lately!  However, a few of the things that I ate earlier in the pregnancy when I had a little nausea do not sound good… like a specific kind of Cliff Bar and a certain restaurant in town where we ate lunch at a few times… and a few other things I know when I see them… so no thanks on those for sure, but I am glad none of my favorite foods have been ruined for me!

Nursery:  YAY! Big changes here. He has a crib with a matching dresser on order, Greg got me a nice glider/recliner/swivel chair and put in a new light!  It is really coming along and I love to just go sit in there!

Weight:  ummmmmmmmmmmm….. yeah, “we” are still growing, just seems like one of us a lot more than the other   It seems like some people say I am small for how pregnant I am, but others say the exact opposite – whatever, just whatever!  I am up a grand total of 25 lbs already I believe… and still have a ways to “grow” so they say, but who is keeping track anyway and did I type that?

Roughly about 7 weeks to go and he will be here!

Random:  I am trying not to freak out that ”D-Day” is approaching more rapid than I thought it would……………………… but really, is freaking out really going to help? probably not.

Happy February…

February seems to be quite the contrast from January … January was all about the healthier stuff for the most part. I guess by February, people are sick of their diets and “new years resolutions”

On to February!

Happy…

American Heart Month

Canned Food Month

Great American Pies Month

National Cherry Month

National Hot Breakfast Month

Chocolate Lovers Month

National Snack Foods Month

National Grapefruit Month

 

As for some of my favorites for the individual days of the month:

February 3 : National Carrot Cake Day
February 4 : National Homemade Soup Day
February 10 : National Cream Cheese Brownie Day
February 16 : National Almond Day
February 22 : National Cook a Sweet Potato Day
February 23 : National Banana Bread Day
February 24 : National Tortilla Chip Day
February 25 : National Chocolate-Covered Peanuts Day
February 27 : National Chocolate Cake Day and  National Strawberry Day

 

Happy January…

Ok, so I know that I am slow – January is almost over, but… January is pretty extra exciting… look at why!

It is…

National Hot Tea month

National Oatmeal Month

National Soup Month

National Diet Month

National Retail Bakers Month

National Wheat Bread Month

International Gourmet Coffee Month

 

all of those in one month? A good month for all kinds of yummy things… ok, dieting may not be yummy, but if you look at it this way, everybody is one a diet actually… it is just what you eat!

 

Happy January, enjoy it!

 

 

Interesting read on Sunscreen….

Summer is upon us (at least here in sunny Florida) and I am pretty sure we all love that beautiful sunshine!  Here is an interesting article we read today about sunscreen, written by Dr. Phil Maffetone. If you have not heard of him, check out his site if you care to – he has some interesting information about health and related stuff!  I have pasted his exact article below if you want to read it here, or you can click on the title to be directed to the actual website.  Sunscreen is a big topic lately – with continued growth. I have noticed that as the years go on, the SPF or UVA or whatever else gets higher, I saw “95″  in the store the other day or maybe higher, I feel like 45 used to be the high then it moved to 60, then 80…  Not only is the SPF/UVA protection increasing but so is the price - good golly! I don’t feel like I have strong opinions about sunscreen but honestly, I don’t really like it and I know I don’t really want to buy and it slather it all over myself.  I can never put it on even because I don’t want to take the time to do it when the beautiful beach is calling or that hike ahead, it is a pain to even put on… how am I supposed to cover all my body in that goo and no I don’t want to breathe it either out of a spray can….it is itchy, smelly, it washes off when you swim, gets in my eyes and they get red, watery, itchy and irritated… and that is just the start!  If I use it I like to use something like the “15″ and then on top of that the non oily, hypoallergenic stuff – goodness, high maintenance sunscreen girl!  But back on track, he does make some interesting points that I feel are worth considering and looking into further. As a dietitian I know the importance of Vitamin D and getting it in the form of a pill is not ideal.  Many times people don’t eat a proper diet and then it is compounded with staying indoors most of the day and when sun exposure is upon them they slather or lather up with sunscreen…  I have seen and heard about this with moms who don’t let their kids outside or even let them look out the window without sunscreen… I know that is a very extreme statement, but honestly,  I heard of someone putting sunscreen on their kid when they played by the window inside at home….

Here is the article finally!

Sunscreen: Natural vs. Artificial

By Dr. Phil Maffetone

The use of sunscreen dates back at least to the ancient Greeks who used olive oil on their skin
(which is still used today by many people). Christopher Columbus observed
natives in the New World painting their skin to protect it from the sun. In the
1930s, after getting sunburned, chemist Franz Greiter was inspired to develop
one of the first commercial sunscreens. By 1962, Greiter created the “sun
protection factor”—SPF—a rating of a sunscreen’s ability to block the sun, which
would become a worldwide standard in skin care and sunscreen
products.

Studies of the relationship between cancer and the sun, and the
importance of vitamin D, first occurred in 1941, in relation to death rates from
breast and colon cancer. But by the post-World War II era, the sunscreen
industry was about to explode, and talk about the good aspects of the sun and
the importance of vitamin D to prevent cancer, would be almost lost.

Many people have used sunscreen with the notion that it will prevent cancer. And
while many studies have attempted to show a relationship between reduced cancer
rates and the use of sunscreen, it’s not clear that’s always the case. On the
contrary, the use of sunscreen may increase your risk of cancer in three ways.
First, using sunscreen gives many people the false sense that it’s perfectly
okay to stay in the sun for longer periods of time. Sunscreen won’t block all
the sun’s rays, it’s often used incorrectly, and, despite what the label says,
washes off easily with water and sweat. As a result, increased exposure
increases your risk of sun damage raising cancer risks.

According to a 2011 published study of 292 national sunscreen brands and 1,700 products by the
nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG), based in Washington, D.C., it found
that over fifty percent of the sunscreens on the market do not provide adequate
UVA protection. Many of them actually contained potentially harmful ingredients.

Second, there may be a relationship between the chemicals used in
sunscreen and cancer development. Early formulations of sunscreens contained
PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid) to absorb sunlight, but these sunscreens quietly
disappeared from the market when it was learned that this substance causes DNA
damage (which can trigger cancer). Subsequent products were found to promote
free radicals, which also can contribute to cancer. The latest sunscreens
contain elements such as titanium dioxide or zinc oxide to scatter or reflect
sunlight, but unfortunately these chemicals can also form free radicals on the
skin; titanium dioxide has been linked to DNA damage as well.

The most popular chemical used in the majority of sunscreens since the early 1980s is
oxybenzone (also called benzophenone-3). Absorption of this chemical occurs
quickly through the skin, and its accumulation in the liver, heart, muscle,
adrenal and intestine has caused significant health concerns that range from
allergy to hormone disturbances, and breast cancer risk.

The EWG also urged sun-loving consumers to avoid retinyl palmitate, a form of synthetic
vitamin A that is used in 30 percent of the sunscreens that were analyzed. In
studies, this ingredient has shown higher rates of skin tumors.

Third, the proper use of sunscreen can reduce vitamin D production in the skin, and as
discussed in my other articles, reduced levels of vitamin D can increase the
risk of most cancers.

In June 2011, the FDA released their long awaited
new rules about sunscreen products—it’s taken 33 years. Reynold Tan, a scientist
in FDA’s Division of Nonprescription Regulation Development, says the FDA has
been developing, testing and labeling requirements for sunscreen products for
decades. It will still be one to two years before new labeling rules are
implemented, so manufacturers can use their old inventories and create new
labels.

Under the new rules, sunscreens labeled “broad spectrum” must
protect equally against UVA and UVB rays, and display the SPF on the front
label. Those with a SPF of 15 or higher can state that they help prevent sunburn
and reduce the risk of skin cancer and early skin aging. The FDA is still
considering whether to allow SPF numbers above 50 since they don’t offer
additional protection. Higher SPF ingredients are the most irritating to the
skin, and are more easily absorbed into the body.

Products with SPF values under 15 will now require a warning that reads, “Skin Cancer/Skin Aging
Alert: Spending time in the sun increases your risk of skin cancer and early
skin aging. This product has been shown only to help prevent sunburn, not skin
cancer or early skin aging.”

Manufacturers will no longer be able to claim that sunscreens are “waterproof” or “sweatproof, and will require to state
on the label how much time a user can expect to get the declared SPF level of
protection while swimming or sweating, based on standard testing. Two times will
be permitted based on the manufacturer’s tests: 40 minutes or 80 minutes.

In addition, manufacturers won’t be allowed to identify their products
as “sunblocks.” Also, sunscreens won’t be able to claim protection immediately
on application—so-called “instant protection”—or claim protection for more than
two hours without reapplication.

Some of these changes are healthy, and prevent companies from making false or exaggerated claims like they’ve been
doing for many years. But it won’t prevent people from midday summer sunbathing,
grabbing as much “holiday” sun, or feeling a false sense of protection just
because they slopped on some sunscreen.

The real sun protection for the skin comes from our diet—groups of natural compounds such as antioxidants,
carotenoids, flavonoids, and other phytonutrients, and essential fatty acids, to
name some. It’s how human skin has been protected for millions of years.

My recommendation about sunscreen, like all other products used on your
body, is this: Don’t put anything on your skin you’re not willing to eat (since
it usually absorbs quickly into the body).

For most people with light and medium skin, reducing the risks of sunburn will significantly lower the risk of
sun-related cancers. This can easily be accomplished by slowly developing and
maintaining a good tan, avoiding midday sun, especially in the summer months,
and wearing protective clothing as needed, including a hat. In addition,
maintaining adequate levels of vitamin D is key.

Debut of the pumpkins and more

Today was another great day at the garden!  The pumpkins began popping out of the soil…

also, meet our little “you get out of the garden you deer and critters man”… and he even makes noise! Crafty huh? Go Greg and Pa for making him…

but there is still one more thing… we got a sprinkler! It has not rained since well before we even planted the garden and it is not in the forecast for the next week, so it needs water! 

I will check in again tomorrow to see if anything else has popped up!  As for the watermelons and zucchini that I posted on yesterday, so many more have come up – yay!