Does cooking count as nesting??

So since I don't have a newborn to take care of (yet!) I've been trying some of the millions of recipes that I print out from the cooking blogs that I follow. One BlogHer that I recently found is Jenny at Picky Palate. Her dishes look oh-so-appetizing to this pregnant lady! Here are two that I tried this week that I really liked.

Chipotle Chicken, Black Bean and Corn Mini Quesadillas
We had these for lunch today and they were soooo delicious! Thaddeus said at the beginning, "wow, these taste like we're at a Mexican restaurant" and then later, "I like these even better than Chipotle burritos!" They were a tad bit spicy for the kids (even only using 1 chipotle adobo pepper) so I think that I'll serve theirs up next time before I mix in the chopped up pepper!) I used part of a rotisserie chicken from Costco so it was pretty easy too! I think that next time instead of cutting circles out of the tortillas I'll just quarter them (faster and less waste) even though they won't be as circly and pretty! They really hit the spot!

Cheesy Baked Mexi-Rigatoni
I made this for lunch yesterday (it's easier to cook when Nate's asleep!) Even Sammy (who tells me that he DOESN'T like noodles) ate this up. Again, it's a little bit spicy but not bad. It's really cheesy and Thad liked it too (although not as much as he LOVED the mini quesadillas). It made a really full 9x13" pan so I might cut it in half next time since I ended up freezing about half (I put it into little Tupperware containers to take to work!)

Not here yet…

I have four days until my “official” due date and this is my official “no baby has arrived yet” announcement! It is funny how different each pregnancy has been.

With Sammy I had a pretty normal  pregnancy at the beginning with morning sickness at night, craved root beer floats, and slept through the night until giving birth a week late. They stripped my membranes (can you say OUCH—that hurt more than the contractions at the beginning), I was in labor all day long (effectively missing the big Mayfair vs. Cerritos volleyball game that I should have been coaching) and then he finally arrived at 3 am. He was a skinny 7 lb 8 oz and I know for most that is a big kid but you should have seen his long skinny arms and flaps of skin that were in need of some good baby fat!

With Nathan I guess the pregnancy was similar to Sam’s different  cravings (nothing funky but nothing that  I even remember) but really bad, sharp pain heartburn! He arrived happily on his due date--a nice, plump 9 lbs 4 oz. One big difference was the Braxton hicks and pre-labor contractions with Nate; I wasn’t sure* if I was in labor or not so I finished working (it was a Friday) and finally decided around 5:30 that I was in labor and had Nathanael by 9:30 pm. (*When I called to see if I was in labor the nurse on the phone kept telling me, “If you’re talking to me then obviously you’re NOT having contractions – go figure!)

This one I have been pretty normal but still throwing up from time to time (yuck) mostly from a nasty heartburn that burns and then makes me vomit! :( I craved El Pollo Loco (cheap and easy, close by my house and the drive thru is open till midnight!) Forget sleeping through the night--I'm up all the time to pee, because I’m in pain or just uncomfy! And the worst part has been the anxiety (about his arrival!) About two weeks ago I saw my RNP and she said something like, “ohhh, I hope you’re ready! This guy is coming soon!” I left super nervous and made sure that the bags were in the car and started mentally preparing since my body was already preparing itself and it looked like he was going to come early but then my body just stopped! He’s definitely dropped and the rest of my body is ready just no contractions!

I don’t want to induce (unless he’s in danger) in case he’s like Sammy and still needs more time to “cook”. But I have never been so mentally ready for him to come! Ugh. Oh well. He’ll come in his due time, right? Either way I’ll be happy to hold him, love him and excited to see what big brothers think of him. I don’t especially look forward to the sleepless nights, endless diapers and feeding, and feeling stuck at home but who does?! ;)

We wonder what he’ll look like--will he be fair and strawberry blonde with blue eyes like big brother Sam or a darker blonde like Nate? Or will he have big brown eyes ? I’m convinced that my first girl will have brown eyes like me and be sad but that my boys will have blue eyes! What will his name be this time? Will we know the instant that we hear it like we did the last time or will it take a little bit of time like Sammy? So many questions…Until then we’ll anxiously await his arrival!

Wet and Wild Summer Fun

All kids love water, right? And it’s hot, right? Well we’ve been doing a bit of playing in the water (although I live in Southern California and haven’t taken the boys to the beach since…heck, I don’t remember the last time! I think that it was a spring bonfire?) Oh well. Here are a few cute pictures of those lovable boys of mine.

 

 

My sister Cathy called and invited us over to Grandma’s house to play on Lizzie’s slip ‘n’ slide. Jared was really the only one who understood the concept of running, jumping, slipping and sliding but they all had fun.

Sammy tried to do it but needed a bit of help! 

 

Nate would just lay down and yell “help me please!” until someone would come over and pull him down the slide!

 

Today we went to Mayfair Park and played in their wading pool with some friends from church and with the Fongs. It has some nice shade for the moms to sit down in and lots of water for the kiddos!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Me and my boys!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a picture of our cousins the Fongs…

Barton Flats – Camping with the Marcrofts

It’s tradition! It was the annual Marcroft Family trip up to Barton Flats—Great Grandma has been doing this for who knows how many years--but this year we just went up for the day. We headed out about the time that Nate should have been sleeping so that he’d fall asleep on the way (which of course he didn’t do), stopped at A&W for our traditional Root Beer Freeze and headed up the mountain. We got there just after lunch and just in time for a bit of rain. Luckily for us Grandpa Marcroft had put up a canopy and we all fit under it. The rain passed but left a nice cool breeze and a bit of water for the boys to play in.

My favorite part of the day was when the boys found a giant puddle on the road that went through the camp. They started jumping in it, of course, and then Sammy looked at me for a sign of approval or sure that he was going to be reprimanded and I just smiled. Then he said to me, “Why you letting me play in the mud? Because you love me?” and then he smiled and started jumping again. Yes Sammy, because I love you! :)

While we were there we hung out (with Great Grandma Marcroft, Grandpa Marcroft, Auntie Sarah, Uncle William, Shane, Troy and Brett, and Thad’s Uncle Lynn), ate, chatted, ate again, and then headed back down the mountain just about bedtime. It was a fun, and dirty, day but I was glad to be heading home and not into a tent to sleep on the nice, hard ground. We had a great time! :)

My beloved "shrimp" - I couldn't live without you!

A Haiku for my favorite pillow...
Oh my faithful shrimp
What relief you bring to me
You're a perfect fit!

Pillows are unique for everyone (even the kind that you put under your head, right?!) During my first pregnancy (I'm now 8 months into my third pregnancy) I found this pillow at Babies R Us. I love that it's not as hard as some of the pillows (like the normal hard-as-a-rock Boppy--it has some give) and I like that! When the pain is so bad that I need to lay down for 5 or 10 minutes and at night I use it between my knees and it relieves the back, hip, and other lovely pains that I have. It's not one that I like under my belly, but then again, I don't like anything under my belly when I'm on my side. It's been abused, as you can see, and has any number of stains but that doesn't decrease it's efficiency! That said I could not be without this! I have have used it three pregnancies and after to feed my baby with and to lay him on. My little shrimp shaped pillow is a faithful friend!

Nathan - Checkup with Dr. Wexler

I can't believe that it's been 15 months since Nathan's surgery to correct his sagittal synstosis (a form of craniosynostosis where the fontanel, aka soft spot, has hardened or closed). We went to Kaiser West LA today to have his check up and the doctors were happy to see a nice big boy and oh, his nicely shaped head. He, as most kids, was acting super shy and wouldn't talk to them or show them any of the things that he knows how to do--he hid behind me as much as he could!

I have been wondering about this next little boy...what if his little soft spot closes too? I know that after the experience with Nathan I wouldn't think twice about having the surgery again! Nathan did so well and just look at him now! :) If you missed any of the surgery story here are the links...

• Cranio What?
• It's Officially Sagittal Synostosis
• 1st Visit to Dr. Wexler/Dr. Cahan
• Before the Surgery
  
• The surgery was a success!
  
• 1 month after the Surgery
• 6 months after the Surgery
  

I did take a picture of him with Dr. Wexler, the plastic surgeon who reformed his head, but Dr. Cahan, the neurosurgeon, wasn't at the appointment so he's not in the picture. Of course Nathan wouldn't look at me but oh well! :)

One more month...

Summer has been crazy, well anything can be crazy with two little boys, and it's getting quite hot here in Southern California but we've been spoiled with our cool May and June! I'm surviving the stay-at-home status (although some days are better than others) but do get quite a few stares as I'm out and about chasing two little boys who are definitely faster than me, the waddler, and then the question, "is this one a girl?" And then I smile and say, nope, boy number three will be here in August!

Sammy is getting really excited about his new brother (I am not sure how Nathan will react) but this week he noticed how big mommy's tummy is getting. He has lots of questions about when he was born and loves hearing those stories and often pretends (with a blanket) to be "coming out of mommy's tummy"--he thinks your tummy just kind of breaks open and the baby comes out and who am I to tell him any differently?! ;)

This week Sammy noticed that my tummy was getting bigger. He asked, "Is the baby ready to come out yet?" and when I answered, "No, not yet," he responded with an exasperated sigh, "oohhhhh, it's so hard to be three!"

I'm still trying to find my home (after 9 months of neglect), declutter (we still have some boxes from moving that get brought over from time to time), and get organized before boy #3 arrives. I've had lots of help from my mom and from my good friend (and visiting teacher) Yolanda who brings her boys over to play with Sam and Nate and we get some work done! We have made lots of progress and I hope that we get lots more done! The clock is ticking...my due date is August 20th but who knows when he'll make his appearance? Oh, and we don't have a name yet--we want to see him and hold him first! You'll know when we do....