Baby Update: Week 21

It is hard to believe that we are counting down the weeks so fast.

I will post my belly picture later because it is finally demanding more accomodating clothing. People at work can hardly believe I'm pregnant, but I agree with what Travis said the other night, "The invasion has begun." I feel more pregnant every day and pants that worked last week are being turned down. I am fortunate to have gotten this far without needing them. My husband and I also had a wonderful time buying a few items at BabyStyle on Saturday and talking about the upcoming change in our life that the baby will bring.

The baby is constantly poking me, and working hard especially to stretch those abdominal tendons. It is growing rapidly, and will reach almost a pound by the end of this month. That's probably why I am gaining weight too.

I have another ultrasound this week...I rescheduled it for when GiGi and Dutch get into town, so we can go together on Friday and they can see the baby. Gigi and Dutch are what my parents have already named themselves with their surrogate grandchildren, but we'll see what this one ends up calling them. Probably Gigi and Opa. Travis' parents are hoping for Grammy and Grandpa (which I'm sure will become some permutation of that word). The grandparents are also having coffee on Saturday... I'm surethe time will be filled with the process of sharing their anticipated joys!

Chicken Noodle Soup

We had an epidemic of the flu and cold in Phoenix. Must be all that cold water. Janis and I tag-teamed to make 3 large pots of chicken noodle soup. I started it, she finished and then delivered it to all the six sick families who came down with those illnesses. The recipe was requested, so here it is.

Chicken Noodle Soup
-serves 10
2 T olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 large carrots, cut on a diagonal.
1 1/2 qts chicken stock
2 cups water
1 T. fresh minced rosemary
1 T. fresh thyme
1 T. coarsely fresh ground pepper
1 roasting chicken, meat picked from the carcass, reserved juices
1 cup dry egg noodles
3 T minced fresh Italian parsley
1 T. salt

Saute the onions, garlic and celery until softened, about 10 minutes. Add carrots and continue to saute until carrots are partially cooked. Add stock and water and herbs and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and add chicken. Simmer for up to 1 hour. Bring soup to a boil when ready to serve, add noodles and cook until noodles are tender, about 7-10 minutes. Season with salt and parsley and serve.

According to...

a recent news release, 17 million dogs are overweight or obese. I like how they said it was difficult for owners to identify that their dog was overweight, not just "fluffy". We don't use words like that with people.

Baby Update: Superwoman Steak

This is more of a mommy update today. I have to post what happened last night. So, all day yesterday, the beginning of my work week at the hospital, I could NOT stop yawning and felt like I needed a nap all day long. As I thought about it, I though to myself I might be starting to get anemic. This is pretty common in pregnant women who are doubling their blood volume.

I don't usually prefer beef (unless it's my mom's flank steak) and don't choose to eat it very often. I think the last time I had beef was when we first moved into the Shanks and we had pulled beef sandwiches. Anyways, I was thinking to myself "I really should eat some beef tonight". For lunch I had a large spinach salad with raisins (both sources of iron) but I don't usually eat meat at the cafeteria here at the hospital. I had seen that Janis had on the meal plan "Grilled Beef/Chicken and salad". So I thought I was covered.

When I got home, she had purposely not prepared beef, assuming that we had steak salad from a restaurant that Saturday. She and I laughed. Then she asked if I wanted Steve to go buy me a steak. I declined. They insisted. So, the loving father-in-law Steve went and bought me a steak. I ate it...with gusto. It tasted amazing. The family had Chicken Marsala, I had steak.

This morning I felt like Superwoman. No out of breath moments or unneccesary yawning yet.

Baby Update: Month Five

Say hello to this precious face.... it was hiding on Wednesday, so all we got was a side profile. It has it's head stuck way down low, almost as if it was standing on it's head. And, no, we did not find out what it was. We both just care about it being healthy.
I have to go back in about 10 days for another sonogram because they need to see the face better to check it's facial structures. If we get a good shot at the face, we will get a 3-D picture.
It brought tears to my eyes to see all of it's little parts: the spine, the beating four chambers of the heart, the diaphragm, the legs (long~ almost a week ahead of the other parts) arms, hands, fingers, feet and the movements. Now that I know it's really there, I have begun to pay attention and I have been feeling the baby move for a couple of weeks, but in a more pronounced way this week. It wouldn't hold still for the sonographer and it is pretty active when I sit still, so I know I won't lack for "fetal movements" soon.