Mamatography: Week 4 1/18-1/24

So, here we are at week four of Luschka from Diary of a First Child's Mamatography challenge.  I've been having kind of a rough few days.  So I'm just going to post the pictures with a little caption.  I did take a picture everyday, but I don't remember which one if from what day.  You can take a look at the post from last week here.  I didn't link up last week...

Here goes...

This is Seitan Piccata with Olives and Green Beans from Veganomicon.  We aren't real vegans, but I cook mainly vegetarian with lots of vegan stuff too.  This is one of my favorite meals...

This is the peanut helping sweep the kitchen floor.  She loves to help clean.  She didn't get this trait from either of her parents.

This is the peanut's blankie, and the little boss' bear.  We don't leave home without them.

Got this at Costco on Friday!  It's SOOOO much easier to juice that "adult" kale.  Planning to also make some "chips" out of it too.

These are the first eggplants I ever cooked.  I made Tomato and Roasted Eggplant Stew with Chickpeas another super meal from Veganomicon.  I started the stew on Sunday and finished it on Monday night.  Here is the finished product.

 This was on Saturday.  We had to go to babies r us to get her a new booster seat.  Its plastic.  Not crunchy at all.  I guess I should have looked into a greener alternative.  That would have kept me out of hell babies r us.  This is some little tricycle she found.

She was helping me cook.

Mamatography: Week 3 1/11-1/17

This my 3rd week participating in Diary of a First Child's mamatography.  I am really late this week...

January 11-  Hazards of co-sleeping...
This is the Mister with the peanut's blankie!

  January12- The Peanut walking with Great Grandma at the park.

January 13-This is the peanut searching for rocks.  We did this at every tree. 

  January 14- Helping the bubbie reduce the clutter in her closet.  These bags went to the goodwill.

January 15- Burning a copy of "Babywise" I got at a used book sale!

January 16- It has been really cold here.  This is cold for California at least...

January 17- Reading "Everyone Poops"

The Jan Plan

This is a list of things that I really need  to accomplish.  Does anyone care that I have all these silly little things I need to do?  Probably not.  But I'm hoping this will be some sort of accountability for me. 

Fix Milo--I'm working on this.  I just took him to get his first shots, and need to call to make his surgery appt. tomorrow.

Organize closet and pantry--I've been slowly working on this, and I can see the progress.

Return cable equipment--This one is a toughy.  I guess there is ALWAYS a crazy long line at the comcast place...

Finish a book!--I read so many pieces of books.  Never one cover to cover.  Well, I'm not including books I read to the peanut.  I want to read an adult book.  I'm going to try The Natural Pregnancy Book.

Start a meditation/ relaxation routine--I need to do some research on this stuff.  It has been said by more than one that I'm wound like an 8 day clock.  And I feel like it sometimes...
 
Exercise--Hoping it will help me feel better about myself, and ease some of the anxiety I feel.  All the activites below are ones I've done in the past and really enjoyed.
•yoga
•pilates
•hiking

Write up birth story--because it needs to be done.  I'm hoping writing about it will be therapeutic.  I'm also hoping it will be one of the many way I can get myself in shape so to speak for the next birth.


Do you ever use To Do lists to help you accomplish the things you want to?

Mamatography: Week 2 1/4-1/10

So, this doesn't really have anything to do with this project per-say but, sheesh!  I had a very hand time doing this!  Getting the badge on the page, and the pictures to go with the correct text.  I REALLY want it to be centered, but I just feel lucky its there at all.  I need to become much for computer/blogger savvy this year.  Enjoy the pictures.  :)


1/4-This is leftover chipotle black bean pumpkin soup. It was so good. Dare I say better that the day I made it? I dare! I actually wrote a post when I made it, here.

1/5-Books I received in the mail today! I got 15 books used on Amazon for less than $100. I used gift cards from the holidays.

 

1/6-I forgot to take pictures!! I should have taken a picture of my bed, because that's where I wish I was from about 5:30pm on...

 

1/7- Peanut sitting on "lawn ornament" in the front yard after a nice walk through the neighborhood, and walking with the rocks we have collected along the way.

 

1/8- Sunday dinner. We do this every Sunday. Now that we are living with the grandparent, I helped grandpa make his stew. Definitely something that was on my bucket list. I really enjoy cooking with him.

1/9- This is spinach on a wall. My little friend (the boy I nanny for) throws his food behind him when he is "all done"

1/10- I took this because my mom and her fiancé are looking for a new apartment. She found one. Not this one, but she found one.

Time for number two?!

So I'm going to put this out there...Mister and I are officially trying to conceive!

I loved being pregnant with the peanut. It's the only time I've ever loved my belly. My grandma gave me a card while I was preggie meggie that said on the outside, "I've never considered myself exactly perfect until now". Or something very similar. There has never been another time I've felt so comfortable in my own skin.  Part of me wants to be pregnant again so bad. But other parts of me are less sure about it. These are my major concerns.

1. I'm overweight. I weigh not ever 10lbs more then I did when I conceived the peanut, but I always told myself I'd loose 50 lbs before we were TTC #2. The last few weeks of my pregnancy with peanut I felt so uncomfortable. Not just regular pregnant uncomfortableness. My belly fat seemed to ALL migrate to under my baby bump. It was kind of cottage cheese like and hard if that makes any sense. I had a hard time covering it up because my belly was so big in general. Peanut was 9lb 8oz at birth.

2. Peanut still wakes up AT LEAST once in the middle of the night. I'm sure lots of people have another baby when the first one wakes more than her but how will I even get any rest?! She is also still nursing. I'm scared to nurse while pregnant. I have been reading some posts from Mama Jorje post about nursing through pregnancy. It's a legitimate fear! You're milk might dry up, nursing will hurt. Do I want to have her wean prematurely, before she is ready? The thought makes me feel guilty. While we are on the topic of feeling guilty...I don't really enjoy night nursing anymore. For the first time ever, I seriously thought about night weaning her last night. She used to nurse for a few minutes on one side and go right back to sleep. Now it's both sides and I'm up for in excess of 30 minutes both times. Sometimes I cringe and become tense when she is doing it because I feel so annoyed. Then when she is asleep the guilt comes.

3. We are nowhere near the goal I set for us. In short, is this a responsible thing to be doing right now? We are in a small bedroom as it is. Our downstairs apartment (if we are lucky) will be partway done when I'm ready to give birth. We haven't even begun to pay off our debts, let alone save anything.

I desperately want to have a home birth for this one, and I'm not sure how we will work that out. Mister is very supportive of the idea, and for that I'm truly grateful. But can we afford it? I'd also like to get adjusted by a chiro for this pregnancy.  All these things cost money.

4. This will change everything. Again. I was so scared the first time around about the drastic changes I know were imminent. In some way that fear is less now. I've already been pregnant, had a newborn, etc. But in other ways it's still there. How will this be for the peanut? Could I love this baby as much as her? What if I like the new one better? I know these are slightly irrational.

5. Pregnancy related "issues"
I had horrible carpel tunnel syndrome with the peanut. Oh. My. Word. It was miserable. I don't want that again! And worse than that? I had a slightly traumatic birth experience (I feel a new post a-brewin') and absolutely had PPD. I think some if the PPD was brought on by having to return to work but it was hard, and really took a toll on my marriage.  Now that the peanut is over 18 months old I am just now feeling like myself again. Am I ready to get on this roller coaster again?

Yes. Despite my hesitation and fears.  I see the world in new ways since I became a mother last June! I know so much more than I did before. I've done research, I've read books. I've talk to many people about age spacing. If I get pregnant this month they will be 28ish months apart. I want my daughter to be a sister. Mister and I want to have them young enough to really enjoy them, and be around and well for grandbabies! Maybe even great-grandbabies.

Most of all I'm glad Mister and I are in agreement that we should start trying. It just feels right, even when it feels scary. And in the words of who ever said it...if you want to have babies until your ready, you'll probably never have them.

Here's to making babies!!

Mamatography Week one 1/1-1/3

I think these are in reverse order. I'm still learning. Hopefully next week I'll be better prepared (don't count on it though...)

Jan 1-the peanut with "the kitten" or Kiki as she says. This was the night we moved her from our apt to the house.  The cat not the baby.

Jan 2- The cat confrontation.
Kiki and Boots aka Booty the resident cat, having their first meeting.  

Jan 3- the peanut and her BFF having a reunion after not seeing each other for more than a week!