Friday, August 29, 2008

The Nursery is Ready

It's finally ready but it looks like we'll not be using the crib at first. We decided to get a cosleeper that attaches to our bed. I'll post a picture of it once it's set up - maybe with a baby in it :) Here's the nursery - note the Dancing Green walls!

Full View of the Crib

The crib can convert into a toddler bed and then a double bed. He's one lucky kid. I had a twin bed through college.

Crib with MTH's Kermit

MTH still has his Kermit the Frog and he matches the room

Swing with Bookcase and Rocker

Look at all the books Peanut already has!! And, when he's ready, he's got a swing. The quilt was made by MTH's Mom!

Changing Table

The changing table - where all the dirty work will happen.

Dresser with Train and Pictures

The only real decorations we have so far! The train and pictures. We need to get some items but of course, Peanut's not really going to care too much - it's more for his parents.

Richmond Shower

The spread from another angle
Britgirl outdid herself on the food!

A Useful Decoration
It's a decoration and it's a gift!

A better shot of the Mr. Tumnus
He wanted to be in on the action!

MMH and SM caught by Mom
MMH and SM

It's the big gift!
It's always fun to open a big gift!

Britgirl (the awesome host) and MMH

J9 with 11 week old, MMH at 34 weeks and Meg at 25 weeks
J9 with 11 week old, MMH at 34 weeks and Meg at 25 weeks"

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Preparations

As we speak, MTH and I are mkaing big batches of chili and lasagna to freeze for those evenings that we'll not feel like cooking after Peanut makes his appearance. MTH is a master chili cooker and lasagna is quite a simple dish. I think that'll give us at least 6 meals in the freezer. If anyone has ideas for other freezable meals, let me know. We, of course, only have so much room in the freezer :(

What Will You Eat?

I found this post on River City Food and Wine. I've just lifted her text but bolded/highlighted in red my answer.

Here’s a chance for a little interactivity for all the bloggers out there. Below is a list of 100 things that Very Good Taste from the UK thinks every good omnivore should have tried at least once in their life. The list includes fine food, strange food, everyday food and even some pretty bad food - but a good omnivore should really try it all. Don’t worry if you don’t recognize everything in the hundred, either; Wikipedia has the answers.

Here’s the deal:
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Red out any items that you would never consider eating.

Here is my list (with a few comments thrown in):
1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile (if alligator counts)
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi (looks like something Indian I've tried before)
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes (blecch)
19. Steamed pork buns (I absolutely love these!)
20. Pistachio ice cream (Bev's makes a nice pistachio gelato)
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper (no reason to kill taste buds)
27. Dulce de leche (does dulce de leche ice cream by Haagen Dazs count?)
28. Oysters (on the half shell even)
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda (sounds good - may have to make it myself)
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl (I've had chili in a sourdough bowl)
33. Salted lassi (has never appealed to me but doesn't mean I won't try it someday)
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar (I've had cognac but don't plan on having a cigar)
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects (if I were starving)
43. Phaal (from what I read, vindaloo falls into this category - that's my favorite Indian dish)
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone (supposed to be very good)
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa - I'm pretty certain I would like this dish so I will have to try it
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

Friday, August 22, 2008

Feeling Good

Earlier this week, I wasn't feeling so good as I either had a cold or allergies. Who knew that in my 35th week of pregnancy I would not feel good because of sniffles. Now that I can breathe and my throat doesn't hurt, I feel fine. Of course, rolling over in the nighttime is still a chore. There's this big basketball stuck to my stomach that doesn't always want to move at the same rate as the rest of my body. Therefore, I have to make an actual effort to move. That doesn't really allow for good sleeping. Oh well, I guess it's natures way of getting me ready for when the baby is no longer a part of me.

I'll be posting some nursery photos soon. The crib, changing table, book shelf and dresser are all assembled and in the baby's room. We also have a swing that's ready to go. We're most likely going to get a co-sleeper that attaches to the bed in order to have him in the room with us in the beginning. It will make feeding and changing diapers in the middle of the night much easier. There's a place to store the diaper changing stuff right there and then, as long as everything goes as planned, I'll be the food source.

I've made one exciting purchase - a book called Itsy Bitsy Yoga. I can't wait to try it out.

The other exciting purchase hasn't happened yet but will soon. It's a wrap for "wearing" the baby. The problem has been trying to decide which one to buy. There are so many choices. I have finally decided to try the Moby wrap first. Almost all of the reviews say that it's very comfortable and that there are no backaches even after a couple of hours of use. Since I'll be using it most in the fall and winter, it seems like a good idea as it will be hard for us to overheat in it.

This weekend should be pretty relaxed as our list of things to do is getting shorter. I do still need to pack. I am allowed to wear my own gown but I need to find a cheap one that won't matter what happens to it. The Target near our house is undergoing a huge renovation/expansion and doesn't have anything. I just have to bite the bullet and travel to another Target. I also need to go buy a few nursing items. This shopping is definitely not as much fun as regular clothes shopping.

Evolution of the Belly, Part 4

August 15th, 2008
August 15th

August 18th, 2008
August 18th

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Atlanta Baby Shower

MAT, MAH, MTH's Mom, my Mom and SM threw a wonderful shower for me in Atlanta a few weeks back. As I mentioned in a previous post, I had two expert photographers. ETK has beat 2.718 in uploading her pictures so here's a few from her set. The shower was a lot of fun. It was catered by none other than MTH's brother, Chef H and his girlfriend, Lotusluna (or EH). The menu included mini Beef Wellington, portobello mushroom sandwiches, tuna salad sandwiches and a caprese salad. It was all delicious. We had a nice punch made by MAH. And, of course, we ended with dessert - CAKE!



One of the Fabulous Planners
Originally uploaded by ET K

MAT, One of the Fabulous Planners of the Shower














Grandma M to Be
Originally uploaded by ET K

Grandma M (to be)
















The BEST Present EVER
Originally uploaded by ET K


MTH's Diaper Bag - isn't it cool?













Diaper Cover
Originally uploaded by ET K



BlondiePi knitted these really cool diaper covers.













MIL
Originally uploaded by ET K




Grandma H (to be)











Sister
Originally uploaded by ET K


SM - Great picture by ETK














Foooood
Originally uploaded by ET K


The food was awesome! Catered by MTH's little brother, Chef H.









Cake (The Reason to Live)
Originally uploaded by ET K


The cake was great!









ETK caught me :)

Game Playing
Originally uploaded by ET K


Evolution of the Belly, Part 3

Here's a few more pictures:

7/21


8/6

Note the blue walls in our bedroom. That's one of the new colors in our freshly painted house!