Happy Holidays!

If you don't Instagram, you may have missed this pic last week.  I was about 32 weeks when we took this one.  The old stomach continues to grow.  Things are going well.  Just tired most of the time, but I try to remind myself that some women have jobs where they are on their feet all day or are taking care of other kiddos, so I should shut my mouth before I complain.    After next week, my appointments become weekly.  I get one more bonus ultrasound around 35 weeks and weekly stress tests to make my stress isn't stressing the baby out.  I continue to do light cardio/ weight exercises most days and walk my favorite pup every morning, trying to stay healthy for Jimanda.

Otherwise, we are enjoying a quiet holiday season at home with our sweet beast, Trooper Zika.  The baby room is taking shape and we'll be as ready as we can be in January.  Tonight I am making this Meatless Meatloaf recipe that we hope will be yummy!  If I don't blog before Thursday, Happy Christmas!

28 Weeks

28 weeks!

And the password is.....

Diabetes.

(If I knew how to post videos to my blog, I would post a really funny SNL skit featuring Stefan and that line.  It doesn't make sense at all without it.)

I failed the one hour glucose test on Tuesday, so on Thursday I had to go in for a three hour glucose test, which was really annoying.  It involved fasting for 8-10 hours, followed by four blood draws and drinking a glucose drink twice as sweet as the first.  And then not eating or drinking after that.  And just waiting for three hours.  I sat in a recliner and watched the Food Network in the waiting room, which may have been cruel and unusual punishment for a fasting pregnant woman.  But then it was over and they called and told me I passed the second test.  Thankfully.

Technology and Such

Sometimes I like being an 80 year old trapped in a 33 year old's body.  Right now I am updating my paper calendar for the month of November.  I kind of use the one on my phone, but not too much.  I also still use my paper address book.  The only thing I do not do is write paper checks, mainly because I don't feel I should have to pay the bank for a book of checks.  I feel like I'll be thankful if the grid goes down.  You know, if I have to write you a thank you note at that time.  I'll be set.

My phone is also full of photos and I can't take any more pictures or download any new apps.  I am pretty sure that 97% of the 400+ pictures are of Trooper, so I can't bring myself to delete any of them.  Jim tells me there's a way to transfer them to his computer, but I don't feel like figuring that out.  Really, deep in my heart I'd like to go back to using a good old camera.

I love technology, but sometimes it's nice to use paper and pencil.  Or film.

And if you're wondering how baby and I are, we are doing just fine.  Nothing new to speak of except a growing mid-section!  Next week I go in for the exciting gestational diabetes test and in a few weeks we have our first baby class at the hospital (labor and delivery.)  Sorry for what you may witness, Jim.

When You Love Someone, You Buy Them Velveeta....

.... even if it hurts your heart a little.

I am totally okay with kiddo food.  On Friday, I made homemade fried chicken fingers and sweet potato fries.  I was into it.  I used quality ingredients.  So when my lovely husband asked me for hot dogs and mac n cheese, I thought, I can do that!  I make homemade baked mac n cheese and it is wonderful (or so I believe.)  I buy organic, nitrate free hot dogs that are all beef.

And then he asked me for Velveeta Shells and Cheese!  Not Amy's Organic or Trader Joe's.  Nope, the old school Velveeta.  (Cheese should not come in semi-solid form in a pouch.)  As I wheeled my cart around Hyvee, I was worried I'd run into someone I know and they'd think it was a weird pregnancy craving.  To which I'd say, "I wouldn't let my unborn child eat that!!"  But my love for my husband won, and he does eat really well the majority of the time and got a clean bill of health recently.

And I'm making myself my own mac n cheese with organic whole wheat pasta and organic milk.  To each his (or her) own.

Bambino Update

Actually, there's not too much to update!  I am at 24 weeks and feeling good.  My main complaints are acid reflux and feeling really full not matter how much I eat.  And a lot of vivid dreams and missing sleeping on my stomach and back.  But if that's the worst of it, that's not bad!  We went to the doctor this morning and had a 15 minute appointment (urine, blood pressure, weight, doppler.)  The hardest part for me (and I'm sure most women) is the weight gain, but that's part of the deal.  My next appointment will be the glucose test, which am not not looking forward to.  (I already asked if there was an all natural drink, but no, just the gross chemical water.)  Jim and I have both been able to feel the little guy or gal moving around.  Today I also toured my first day care and really liked it.   I am still jogging, working out, yoga-ing etc to stay well.  

We have a few top choice names but have decided we are keeping those to ourselves until the baby exits the womb.  Sorry, dudes, just like the sex, it will be a surprise.  Why?  No offense, but I don't want anyone else's opinions.  (Pregnant women LOVE both unsolicited advice and opinions).  And we also may change our minds the day we see the little kiddo's face.  Until then, you'll just have to hope we really don't name him or her Jimanda.

Jim's really excited to start getting rid of things in the guest room.  (If you don't know him, he LOVES throwing things away.)  We have our car seat, so by the new year we just need to have the pack and play and a few diapers, and we'll be ready!

20 Weeks

There's a baby in there!  We went for our 20 week ultrasound and everything is on track.  Crazy!

In all of my (five months of) infinite pregnancy wisdom, I thought I'd share some suggestions I have for things you should say to someone who's pregnant.  Not necessarily to me, just any pregnant woman you meet.  She will love you for it.  Even if it's a lie, here are some you might try:

"You look tiny!"

"You are so small, I would never have guessed that you are even pregnant!"

"Have you even gained any weight?"

"Do you even need maternity clothes?"

These are just a few ideas for you to gain major points with any pregnant woman.  I would avoid words such as large, huge, twins, big, etc.

And if you are going to tell a pregnant woman story about a friend, I would make sure that it ends with your friend having a really easy labor and a healthy baby.  Maybe avoid stories that end in dead babies.

And remember, it's okay to lie!

Otherwise, we are enjoying the last few days of summer.  Poor Trooper has been very allergic lately and had to go to the vet for a round of steroids.  He is okay now, but has a few open spots that his dad is tending to every day.  Poor pup!

My lovely husband made me pumpkin pancakes and took me to the apple orchard this morning.  What a guy!  I loved the orchard and was able to get about 25 minutes with my dear husband and got him back in the car before any signs of crankiness even set in!  I call that a success!

(Almost) Autumn

The members of the Zika/ DiVerde household have been loving these autumnal days (even though it's still technically summer.)  I am always grateful for time with my lovely husband and after working all week we both love spending time together.  (I hope....)

The weekend was crisp and lovely.  Both Saturday and Sunday morning, my phone said Sycamore had temps of 39 degrees.  Jim turned the heater on when he woke up and I love the smell of it when it is on on the mornings.  (When I told him this, he said, "What?  Burnt chemicals?")  By mid-morning we opened the windows and let the fresh air in.  We took Trooper on a few nice walks and I rode my bike, trying to get in a few more rides before summer officially ends.

I was also very into festively fall cooking!  On Friday night I made grilled cheeses with bacon, cheddar, dijon mustard, and Granny Apple slices.  They were really good.  I also made pumpkin/ chocolate bread.  (I love quick breads in the fall.)  And for tonight, I already cooked some Sausage and Lentil Soup.

I hope you are all enjoying the change of seasons!

Soup and Sammies

One of the best things about summer in the Midwest is the fresh tomatoes.  They make those weird things that they sell at the grocery store the rest of the year seem like mealy flavorless things.  Today I pretended I was an Italian grandmother and peeled and deseeded a big bunch of fresh tomatoes to make this Tuscan Tomato-White Bean Soup.  I skipped the croutons as I am making grilled cheeses to have with it.

I am at Week 18 and feeling well.  The second trimester seems to be pretty comfy so far.  I don't know if I posted that my blood/ urine/ etc came back all normal at my last doctor visit a few weeks ago.  We opted to not have the genetic testing done and are taking an ignorance is bliss approach.  I go back in two weeks for my next check up.  I am still exercising and keeping busy.  I even rode my bike to the gym this morning.  I have started looking for maternity clothes.  Right now dresses and skirts have been working fine, some of which are from before I was pregnant.  However, the weather will be getting cool soon (60s next week!) so I guess it's time to think about pants again.  Why aren't leggings appropriate for all situations?

Baby's First Bunny

A few years ago, one of my wonderful friends sent me Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Sewing for Christmas.  I used one of the softie animal patterns to make this little bunny for Baby Jimanda.  The ears did not turn out quite as well as the one in the book, but that's okay.  In 19 years I'll be weeping over it and saying, "Don't you want to take this to college with you??"

Week 15

Week 15

This week baby is around the size of an apple or orange!  It looks like a weird, tiny human.  I have been able to feel it moving (or I feel gas) which is exciting.  Confession about this picture: it was taken in the morning.  By night, I look 10x more pregnant because of all of the water I drink during the day.  I have already gained more weight than I would have liked, but I guess my body needs it.  And I can't complain because I just made a batch of peanut butter cookies, so I guess it's fun to splurge right now.  And that's what breastfeeding is for, right?  Jim also agreed long ago that when I had his child he would buy me an elliptical.  (My attorney said that verbal contracts are binding.)  I have been feeling much better lately.  I went on a lovely run this morning and got a bee in my bonnet and scrubbed all of the shelves of the fridge, so I must have some energy.  It's been nice to be pregnant in the summer, because dresses and skirts are much more comfortable as my waist expands.  We go for my next appointment on Monday afternoon, which will mainly been blood work and another Doppler.  I also have to collect my urine for 24 hours to get a baseline for my kidney function due to my blood pressure, which can be high at times.  (Don't look in our fridge on Sunday or you may see a large bucket of urine.)  In the meantime, we're just enjoying this beautiful summer.  (It was 46 degrees out when I woke up!  Is it pumpkin time yet??)

Big News!

We are excited to tell you we are expecting a little baby!  Baby Daddy does not want any mention of it on social media at this point, but I think he was okay with me blogging about it.  (I think.)  I will be at 14 weeks this week, so entering month 4/ second trimester.  We have heard the little heartbeat twice now and I go in for a host of lab work in 2 weeks.

I will try to think of all of the baby questions you may ask at this point.....

Our due date is February 3rd!

I am going to try to hold out and not find out the gender.  Jim is going to find out.  To me, it doesn't matter whether it's a boy or girl.  I would like gender neutral items that can be reused if we ever have another child.  And this poor kid is gonna have his or her whole life to live with gender stereotypes, so if I have a girl and can put off the Princess culture for a few months, I'll be happy.

I have been feeling blah every day but haven't actually thrown up.  Lots of headaches and such.  I have been told this should start to pass in the next few weeks.  I am still jogging and exercising and trying to stay fit.  We are trying to buy mostly organic/ hormone free/ antibiotic free right now.

I have a little bit of a belly but it mostly looks like I am getting fat, not pregnant.  I have not graduated to maternity clothes yet.  Luckily this time of year I am able to wear a lot of skirts and dresses.

I plan on returning to work after 6 weeks of maternity leave.  At this point, we are planning on a combo of daycare and a nanny/ babysitter who lives in the DeKalb/ Sycamore area.

We live in a 2 bedroom condo so the guest room will become my crafting room/ nursery.

I think that's all I can think of at this point!  Get ready for baby!

Thank Your Girlfriends

I just came home from a lovely dinner date with a girlfriend and thought about how thankful I am for the wonderful women friends in my life.  Through all of my adventures, I have met some many awesome women.  And sometimes you need to be reminded to go to dinner or have a glass of wine or just pick up the phone and call one of them.  Gossip, complain, laugh, cry, do whatever you need to do.  Thanks, girls.

Last night I made a tasty summer dinner from Rachael Ray: Summer Corn Fettuccine.  This is a fun summer meal that is kind of like cream corn but better.  (And for any of my dairy free friends: I had a good friend make it with coconut milk instead of half and half.)  I used bow tie pasta and organic frozen corn.  It was also good as leftovers.  Enjoy!

Grocery Judging

I had a special request that I post to my blog.  Sorry, peeps.  I have no good excuse for not posting.  Sometimes I feel like I have nothing to say, but someone out there must enjoy my commentary.  We have been enjoying this beautiful summer.  Working, walking, jogging, biking, and just being in love with each other.  (Me and Jim and Trooper.)

A few weeks ago I meant to post about a Pioneer Woman recipe that I made: Sloppy Joe's.  I made the meat (would you call that the Joe?) before work so that Jim could reheat it.  I also put in a special request to butter the buns and grill them on the griddle pan just as Ree advises.  This was a key step.  Butter griddling (is that a verb?) is so much better than toasting in the toaster.  In my humble opinion.  This would also be a good freezer meal.  Much better than the weird Sloppy Joe mixes at the store.

Which makes me want to confess to you.  In case you didn't know, I am a grocery shopping snob and I love, love, love seeing what other people buy at the grocery store.  I know I'm totally being an elitist shopper and I'm pretty sure The Onion made fun of me in an article I posted on Facebook a few months back.  But don't you love seeing what people pay money to eat?  You might be at Super Target and the person in front of you is buying 10 cans of Spaghetti O's.  Or 12 boxes of Pop Tarts.  Or Manwich.  I'm so intrigued and I know I stare and am really rude, but I can't help it.  I like to think I'm like the Margaret Mead of my local grocery stores, but really I know I'm just being judgemental.  Sorry.  You can all eat what you want.  I bet the person with the Pop Tarts is staring at my food thinking, "What is she buying?!"

Summer Fun

Hi Dear Readers!
I have been too busy taking in the beautiful weather to sit at Jim's computer and blog.  I am not that sorry!
One thing I like about spending time with my lovely husband (when he isn't working too hard) is that we both like to be outdoors and stay active.  Even before we adopted Trooper Zika, we loved to take walks together.  Some of my favorite times together are when we are biking, hiking, walking, etc.  Hopefully we will encourage each other to stay young!
Last weekend we ran in one of our fave runs, the Lincoln Park Zoo Run for the Zoo.  We both ran the 10k option and it was a blast.  We stayed with friends the night before and started running on Lake Michigan bright and early.  I overheated a bit and did not get my best time ever (1:02), but it was still a lot of fun.
We are counting down the days: one week from tomorrow until our family vacation!  We are very excited to be spending four days in a condo on Siesta Key Beach.  I am already dreaming of my Publix sub on the beach.

(Unofficial) Summer

The time of year has arrived that makes me fall in love with the Midwest.  My 35 commute from work is so lovely these days.  I pass baby cows and sheep, baby corn sprouting from the fields, and Trooper B. Zika sleeps in the back seat.  (Did you know I have always wanted to live on a farm?  One where I get to sleep in and someone else does all of the chores.  And I have access to walking paths and the public library and the grocery store is five minutes away.)  We are all in great moods in this weather (although one member of our family is still ready to move to San Diego after this winter) and ready for a lovely three day weekend together.

I just realized that I would do some chores on the farm.  Petting the mini donkey is a chore, right?

Mindful

As I've been mentioning, I've been trying to be a little "cleaner" in my living every day.  Less caffeine, alcohol, sugar, etc.  More veggies and water and yoga.  It really has nothing to do with weight or calories as much as being healthy and happy.  Then yesterday I was meditating (more on that later) and I had a vision of a margarita.  I think it was a message, so last night I opened a bottle of Green Fin wine and bought a pack of Justin's organic dark chocolate peanut butter cups.  Green Fin is made with organic grapes (and only $3.99 at TJs!) so I'm pretty sure that qualifies as clean living.  And we all know wine and dark chocolate are good for us, so I was really investing in my health future.

If you've ever been curious about meditating, an acupuncturist recommended the site Meditation Oasis to me.  I have downloaded three of their apps on my phone for guided meditation.  There are meditations that range from 5-20 minutes that I try to do every day.  I have a very, very busy mind and the best thing for me to remember is that I'm never going to stop thinking or totally turn my mind off, but I just try to be mindful of it.  I also do the meditations laying down, so that my back and neck don't start to get tired.  I'm pretty sure Jim think I'm napping.  Sometimes I actually do come close to napping, but I guess that means I've achieved relaxation.

And then I have visions of margaritas.  I was actually specifically thinking of a grapefruit margarita.  Doesn't that sound lovely?  It's kind of like when I do yoga and the take away from looking at my feet so much is that I realize need a pedicure.  I have a long way to go.

Entertainment and Lifestyle

Our weekend entertainment has evolved in the ten years since I met my wonderful husband, and I'm not complaining one bit.  When we first met, it was quite normal for us to start our evening at the bar at 10pm.  That now sounds like my worst nightmare.  We try not to eat out very often, so we often make lovely dinners at home and rent/ stream movies on weekends.  Last night, for instance, Jim made a homemade Caesar salad (complete with homemade croutons) for dinner and we watched Mud.  (I'm confident it was better than any Caesar salad we could have purchased at a restaurant and was made with organic lettuce and chicken.)   Maybe I'm a homebody, but I'm totally okay with that.  

I realized that it's been one year since I ran the marathon.  With the change of weather, I have been loving running all over again.  We discovered some new park district paths that are great to run on.  I haven't yet found a "running buddy" here as I had in Eugene, but that's okay.  I don't even run with my ipod these days and try to think of it more like a meditation while running.  Being along with my thoughts is a scary thing, but good for me.  My right knee still bothers me at times, but I guess that's the price you pay for running five hours without stopping.  I've been trying to work on running at a faster pace for a shorter period of time.  I love the feeling of how tired I get from a really good run.  If I don't run outdoors, I still continue to go to the gym or do yoga almost every day.  I'm lucky that my partner tries to be fit and healthy too, which is a great motivation.  

We continue our goal to eat less sugar and meat throughout the week.  Sugar: how I love you!  I sweeten our "everyday" snacks like granola bars and muffins with honey.  As the weather gets warmer, I LOVE coconut ice cream.  We both have major sweet tooths (teeth??) and I do love to bake.  But man do I want some frozen custard and cookies!!  We are also down to red meat once a week or less, and veggie meals twice a week or so.  Hopefully we'll still be jogging when we're 99.  

(I am now going to try to not eat the chocolate chips in my freezer and get ready for my beef tacos for dinner.)

Spring Fever

When I find my camera one day, I will post pictures of how lovely it is these days.  We just returned home from a long walk around one of the parks we discovered.  Trooper is out on our balcony, watching over his kingdom, which he will do until I make him come in at dusk, like a kiddo.  After a winter with multiple days of wind chills reaching negative 30 degrees, it feels like we are emerging from a cocoon.  Tomorrow we plan to take the dog to one of the forest preserves in the area.  (I am slightly obsessed with being outdoors.)

My sweet and lovely bestie bought me Giada's Feel Good Food for Christmas, and I've been slowly working my way through the recipes.  I love it!  This week I made two recipes from it and loved them both.  The new one was her Chicken Salad with Mangos and Black Beans.  I loved the combo of flavors.  I actually added more mustard to add a little more flavor and a little olive oil.  I wasn't sure where to find Persian Pickling Cucumbers, but they actually sell them at Trader Joe's.  I really loved the mint in this.  I served it with brown rice and enjoyed it for lunch a lot this week.  I love mayo as much as the next girl, but it was a nice alternative.  I also thought it might be nice on a whole wheat pita.

And I am excited to see that the lovely Ina has a new cookbook coming out: make ahead meals!  I am always searching for good make ahead meals, especially slightly healthy ones.  I made this turkey and sweet potato shepherd's pie this week and really enjoyed it.  Jim had a great suggestion of adding pureed chipotle peppers in sauce next time.

It might seem like food is all that's on my mind, and, to be honest, it really does take up most of my free brain.  I'm a hungry girl who enjoys cooking!

Weddings

You might not know this about us, but we love weddings.  What is more fun than an event with food, drinks, music and friends and/ or family celebrating love?  I personally think that people should hire us to come to their wedding.  Are people not dancing?  We will get them to dance.  And keep them dancing.  Contact me if you are interested in our services.

We had a lovely and exciting weekend celebrating and eating and be merry.  Today is a day of domestics and recovery and getting ready for the new week.  It was 81 degrees yesterday and it felt like we emerged from a cocoon.  We went into the city and had sushi with some lovely friends and were reminded of how wonderful Chicago is the in the summer.  Now it is raining and they are calling for a little snow tomorrow.  So the spring goes.

Tonight I am making these mustard chicken thighs.  I love this recipe that my dear friend Vanessa introduced me to.  I do, however, hate the name of the recipe.  (Is this 1950?)  I am making them with Ina's roasted potatoes and roasted cauliflower.  I recently started roasting all veggies in the oven as my preferred method of cooking.  Slathering their little veggie bodies in olive oil and salt and pepper and roasting in a baking dish with a lid on.  How did I ever do anything else?  One of the best veggies roasted in olive oil is broccoli.  Trader Joe's also sells a lovely mix of kale, cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli, and other veggies that is so good roasted.  Never boil or steam your veggies again!

Shrimp and Avocado Salad

I feel like Monday is the day of the week that I want to eat the healthiest meal.  The week gets progressively less healthy until the next weekend, when it's time to indulge.  I also get home earlier on Monday, so I am usually up for trying a new or more complex recipe.  Tonight I am making Giada's Shrimp and Avocado salad over quinoa.  The "Frico" chips online were not a part of the cookbook recipe, so they were not included.  (Have you ever heard of Frico chips?  I have not.)

Now that I think about it, tomorrow is not the second healthiest day of my meal week this week.  I've prepared Ina's turkey lasagna to be thrown in the oven tomorrow.  On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I usually get home around 9pm, so I try to leave some easier things for my lovely husband to make.  If only we had a personal chef.  Who would clean our house.

This lasagna recipe did remind me of a little kitchen tip: saving tomato paste.  I hate buying a whole can (even though it's a tiny can) of tomato paste to only throw it away.  There are also tubes of it at some stores, but I still end up throwing most of those away.  I have started dividing the can up in tablespoons and freezing them.  Then I just throw in as much as I need for the recipe.  I do the same thing with cans of chipotle peppers.

Chicken Saltimbocca

First wold problems: I need vin santo for a chicken saltimbocca recipe!  (Actually, for a recipe that Jim is making me while I lounge with glass of wine.)  The tense should be "needed" as after driving thirty minutes to Binny's, I found out a half bottle of the sweet wine is $25- $30.  During the course of this trip, I found out fun facts from the wine man at the store such as Thomas Jefferson loved Madeira.  In the end, we are going with the marsala wine we had in the pantry.  It may not be the same, but I don't think I'll ever know as I'll mostly be devouring the cured pork that envelopes the chicken cutlets.  Not everyone has the pocketbook of Mario Batali.

It feels like spring might be here (although it did snow a tiny bit while I walked the dog yesterday.)  I think it climbed into the lower 50s and people were outside running, walking, biking, eating ice cream, and being happy.  We opened the windows at home and could hear the birds singing all day.  It was a long, hard winter, but we seem to be emerging!

Spring

Confession: I bought these daffodils at Trader Joe's.  Do not think that they are growing in abundance outdoors.

I received a message from a lovely lady that she misses my blog.  Thank you!  My goal is to try to revive the blog.  My list of blog excuses includes working a lot, being busy, not having much to write about, blah, blah, blah.

Life seems to be (finally) thawing after a cold and snowy winter.  Our first winter back was a good wake up call.  The Midwest is home to a hardy people.

Our little family is doing quite well.  I've been cooking yummy things as usual.  Yesterday I made the Pioneer Woman's Spicy Shredded Pork.  It's a great way to make carnitas or pulled pork.  Last night I served it as tacos with home made guacamole.  It was quite divine.  

I hope you all are having a lovely spring!

Arctic Vortex

I think that's what the news said we are in.  An arctic vortex.  Sounds scary, doesn't it.  We are in the midst of a winter weather/ wind chill advisory.  When I awoke, my phone said the temperature was -18 and the news said the wind chill was around -42.  Luckily, my employer cancelled our evening classes and I was able to stay home for the day.  Trooper has been dozing away and I have stayed busy with reading, crafting, cleaning and yoga.  Although I like to go to work, a bonus day off isn't bad every once in awhile.  By tomorrow, I am sure I will have ants in my pants and cabin fever and be glad to get back to work.

These are days when it's nice to be thankful for our warm and cozy apartment, our little fireplace and big cozy couch, leftover soup for dinner and defrosted gingerbread for snacks.  And a puppy friend to keep me company.  Stay warm, dear friends!