Recipe of the Week - Carmelized Brussels Sprouts

First of all - did you know that it's Brussels sprouts, not Brussel sprouts?  Because I didn't until I started typing up this recipe. Oh, I know what you're thinking.

" Really, Erica, Brussels sprouts? Of all the recipes you could share? Really?"

Friends, please, give this one a try.  I saw it in a Better Homes and Gardens Magazine awhile back.  The picture looked good - really good.  I asked my husband if he was game to try them and he agreed...reluctantly.  My first attempt was a great success and now this recipe is in our regular "vegetable rotation".

So, here it is.  They are super simple, super fast and I promise, super delicious.

Ingredients: 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 4 cups Brussels sprouts, rinsed, trimmed, and halved lengthwise Salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons water Juice of half a lemon, about 1 Tbsp.  (Sometimes I use balsamic vinegar instead of lemon juice.  It's also tasty.)

Directions: 1. In a pan, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Arrange sprouts in a single layer, cut sides down. (That's what BHG says to do.  Honestly, I just dump the sprouts in the pan.  They aren't quite as pretty in the end, but it doesn't affect the taste.)  Drizzle with remaining olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Remove lid and sprinkle sprouts with water. Cover and cook for 2 minutes more. Sprouts should just be beginning to caramelize.  Stick them with a fork - they should be slightly tender.

2. Remove the pan lid and increase your heat a bit.  When the cut sides are well-caramelized, toss Brussels sprouts in the pan and drizzle with lemon juice.  Use a bit more salt and pepper to taste.

So that's it.  It's a delicious veggie in about 6 minutes of cooking.  Give this unpopular food a try.  You may be surprised at how yummy Brussels sprouts can be!

Original recipe can be found here: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/vegetables/caramelized-brussels-sprouts-with-lemon/

Home Education: School-at-Home

Let’s take a look at another approach to homeschooling.  Doing “school-at-home” is what many people picture when they hear the word homeschooling.  Some of the characteristics of school-at-home include:

•  children gathered around the kitchen table or at desks in a specified "school room" in the home with a parent instructor
•  generally one of the more expensive ways of homeschooling due to buying large amounts of curriculum sets which typically include textbooks, study schedules, grading requirements, and record keeping guides
• generally one the most difficult ways to homeschool due to trying to follow the set curriculum with multiple ages
•  typically very easy for first time homeschooling parent because most of the planning is done
•  this type of homeschooling will require the teacher/parent to do a lot of preparation work for each lesson

I would like to give you a little glimpse into one homeschool journey.  This family uses an altered version of school-at-home:

1.  What would you state is your homeschooling style and why?

I was a public school teacher, so I basically do public school at home.  We use a public school curriculum (McGraw Hill), but move at a faster pace, school year round, and include extra subjects, like Rosetta Stone Spanish. Plus, I like the fact that this curriculum teaches all three types of learners.  If I ever have to put my son in public school, I want him to be familiar with the teaching style.

2.  What does an average school day look like for you?

My son has a sleep disorder, so we don't do school at a certain time each day, but we do follow a set routine.  First, we have calendar time, where we review the day of the week, date, month, year, tell time, count money, graph the weather type and temperature, and review place value. Second, we do math.  We use manipulatives to explore the new skill and then he learns to express the concept with numbers and symbols.  There is an emphasis on word problems and choosing the operation. Third is reading.  I read a book to him that focuses on a concept we've been studying or a holiday that is approaching.  This book is above his grade level.  After we discuss it, he reads aloud from a separate reader.  Reading is concluded with learning a new skill, discussing it, reading selections that emphasize the new skill, and completing a few worksheets on the skill. Fourth, he writes about a topic.  It either has something to do with what we read, focuses on a skill, or is a journal topic of his choosing.  There is an emphasis on spelling and handwriting, as well as quality of expression.  These writings are usually illustrated, but not always. Fifth, we either do health, science, or social studies.  We rotate through these subjects doing a unit from each one.  This time may consist of an experiment, an observation, a reading selection, a discussion, or any combination of the above.  Often worksheets are completed to demonstrate leaning. We close with Spanish, art, or music.  Spanish occurs more often than the other two.  Spanish is a Rosetta Stone done on the computer.  Art is a holiday craft or a lesson on an art concept, followed by an art project during which he can experiment with the learned concept.  Music began with a study of instruments in which we read about an instrument, listened to works emphasizing the instrument, watched YouTube videos of people playing the instruments, and wrote about it.  Having completed all the instruments, he is preparing to learn to read music and play the piano and guitar. Gym is done two or three times a week.  He gets a lot of activity as a normal part of his play, but we like to try to focus on a skill as often as possible.  He takes gymnastics, is getting ready to begin ballroom dancing, practices golf and fishing with his father, is working on new swimming skills with me, and has a trampoline, a bike, a scooter, and playground equipment.  We often take walks with friends. Socialization is also very important.  We get together with other kids approximately three times a week, more often in the nice weather.  We are members of a homeschool support group and a mommy and me play group.  We have park play dates, gatherings at our homes, potluck luncheons, restaurant dining experiences, group field trips, and much more.  He has interaction with adults and kids of all ages and backgrounds because that is what real life socialization is like. We school year round and are generally “on” for three weeks and “off” for one.  This provides him with plenty of down time, but doesn’t involve any breaks long enough to allow forgetting to occur. 

3.  What resources do you utilize outside of your home for educational purposes? 

I believe that learning should be reinforced with real-life experience whenever possible.  We utilize all area resources.  We took trips to Natural Bridge and the beach after our unit on rocks, weathering, and erosion.  We traveled to Safari Park and Natural Bridge Zoo after our unit on animals.  We observed in the Emerald Isle Aquarium after completing a unit on ocean life.  We visited the White House, Capitol Building, and D.C museums after our units on government and prehistoric times.  We took a hike on a tree trail after our unit on plants.  We toured a cabinet factory to conclude an economics unit on goods and services. We are members of two different co-ops.  We take field trips with them.  They know us by name at the library. 

--

Visit Jessica's previous homeschool posts: Home Education: Deciphering the Information

Home Education: Relaxed or Eclectic

Picture Books for Dad

I'm a big believer in giving picture books as gifts, even if the recipient is not a child.  My children have both gifted (okay, and yes, I've gifted in their names) books to their Daddy in the past. There are many options.  Lots of classic books.  Lots of books that specifically target dad.  If you walk into any local bookstore or public library, those books are front and center during the first part of June.

The following two books recently came across my "desk" (which is really the big oversized chair where I do most of my writing and blogging) and I wanted to share them with you, just in case you were looking for something a little bit new and different.

If your house is anything like mine, your children know exactly how to play each parent.  And if they don't yet...they will. The relationship between dad and child is unique and different. Because I’m Your Dad celebrates that relationship. Breakfast for dinner? Sure! A rock concert in the living room? Absolutely! Wild and crazy stories at bedtime? You bet. But dads also make other important promises. To go to soccer games, even the ones far away. To carry sleeping children in from the car after busy days. And to make a child feel safe, even if that means checking for scary beasts under the bed (more than once).

The text is beautifully and boldly complemented by Dan Santat’s illustrations. Lots of happy, loving monsters, bright colors and humor done in Santat’s signature style.

But if monsters aren't your thing, maybe something a little more traditional in style.

Remember the scene in Disney's The Lion King?  The one where Simba hunts with his father, and then stretches out with him under the stars for that great father-son bonding moment?

Just Like My Papa reads very much like that.  From the time the sun starts to rise, little Kito is by his Papa's side.  Whether they are dozing from the hot sun, playing on the savanna, or helping the females with the evening hunt, Kito and Papa are a team.  And when the sun goes down and the moon rises again, Kito and his Papa stand guard together, current and future king.

This story has a very warm and cuddly feel, more traditional in nature.  But it's the gorgeous acrylic illustrations that truly draw me in.  Full page spreads of the savanna at different times of day, a giant king and his small son. It's almost larger than life.   (There's also a companion book we love by the same author-illustrator team, Stay Close to Mama)

I hope your Father's Day was a day that celebrated all the special fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and wonderful male role models in your lives.

Montessori Moods: Transferring Part II, Pouring

Pouring is another fun transferring activity that provides life skills and prepares the muscles of the hand and wrist for writing. Start with two similarly sized pitchers small enough for your child to handle. Creamers are good, as are small liquid measuring cups. Keep your eyes open at thrifts stores, dollar stores and places like TJ Maxx for attractive creamers and such. Nice looking objects will make the activity more enticing! However, you will notice the ugly plastic measuring cup in the pictures below. Sometimes you just need to use what you have. Fill one of the pitchers with beans. I used somewhat large beans here (my youngest is just two), but you could also try smaller ones like lentils and see how your child does. Demonstrate slowly placing your fingers around the handle, moving the pitcher over the center of the other one, and slowly pouring the beans. If you spill any onto the tray, pick them up with thumb and forefinger and drop them into the filled pitcher. Now pour the other pitcher using the opposite hand. Then let your child try! There may be some spillage, but no worries. The whole point is to help them learn to do it. Once they’ve mastered beans, you can move on to pouring rice. After rice they can try water. Whenever you let them use water, provide a rag or small sponge so that they can clean up any spills themselves.

Here my son is pouring water from a small pitcher into juice glasses. You can use a small pitcher like this and keep it in the refrigerator filled with water or milk for your child to pour his own drink. My older son (almost four) can actually pour milk from a gallon jug now if it’s half or less full. He needs to steady it with his left hand, and you can show your child how to do this, too. It’s all about progression to more challenging movements. Give them enough practice with the easier activities before they move onto more difficult ones. There are lots of fun variations like pouring with a funnel or pouring from a tea pot into tea cups. You can use colored water (if you dare!). Children can also get less formal pouring practice with a tub of rice or a basin of water outside.

They really love this kind of real-life activity, so set something up and give it a try! Soon you’ll have a little helper for meal and snack times!

Making Memories: How I Lowered My Expectations for "Fun" Mommyhood

When my twins were babies, I couldn’t wait for them to be old enough to do mommy-kid activities. I wanted to fingerpaint, cook, play Memory and Candyland, snuggle and read for hours, and make happy, rosy memories with my boys.

When they were around 2 years old, inspired by the success of my mommy friends and the parenting blogs I adored, I excitedly laid out paper and paints, prepared elaborate craft projects, bought games, and borrowed books from the library. We were going to have FUN and be happy and laugh and I would take pictures and make photo albums of my happy kids and my happy motherhood.

Here’s what really happened:

The paints were a mess. The paper got soaked and ripped. The colors were mixed into a color that resembled a really bad poopy diaper. The art project took longer to clean up than the boys spent "painting."

My boys played “Ants in My Pants” instead of moving their gingerbread men through Candyland. The colored cards flew all over the living room, joining the tiny demon-cherries from “Hi-Ho! Cherrio!” The homemade Memory cards were ripped and crumpled.

Cooking was a circus. Cups of flour were dumped on the counter instead of in the bowl. Eggs slipped and smashed on the floor. And one of my sons was so afraid of the hand-mixer that he ran screaming out of the room before it was even turned on.

There was no snuggling and reading for hours. My two year olds could barely sit still for one picture book. “Green Eggs and Ham”? WAY too long! I learned to flip through books at the library and throw back the ones that had more than 15 pages or 10 words per page.

I was discouraged, depressed even. I was failing at Mommyhood. Most days I thought, “Well, that was a fun 5 minutes. What am I going to do for the rest of the day? I guess I could start by cleaning up this mess.”

One day we made snakes with beads for 3 minutes. Then I cleaned up beads for the next 3 months. 

I wanted to make those special memories with my kids but every activity was either a failure or over before I could even snap a picture.

Plus I was going nuts and yelling things like “THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE FUN! We are GOING to have FUN, OK???”

I was a real fun mom.

I eventually gave up. I lowered my expectations for fun mommyhood.

We didn’t do messy craft projects anymore. I threw “Hi-Ho Cherrio” and the memory cards in the trash. I made cookies while my boys napped. We read “The Foot Book” instead of “Green Eggs and Ham.”

And this was the best thing I could have ever done.

I discovered that the things I liked to do were not the things that my kids liked to do. The happy memories I had of coloring, playing board games, cooking sweets and treats, and reading on the couch with my mom for hours were not the same things that made my boys happy.

I had to accept that they loved running and wrestling, not sitting still playing board games.

I swallowed the fact that they weren’t interested in coloring or “making things.” And I realized that any craft that took longer to prepare or clean up than it did to make and play with was way overrated.

I still made them sit and read with me but we would read one board book instead of three picture books.

And when I did tackle that Pinterest Project from my “Fun Activities for Kids!” board, I learned to say “Well, that was fun!” after 3.5 minutes and really mean it.

Most importantly, I discovered that my kids are different from me and that is ok. And I learned that the best memories I could make with my children was not “doing things” together: it was seeing my boys happy, grins that lasted for seconds, not the “activities” that lasted for hours.

Recipe of the Week - Caramelized Onion Quiche with Whole Wheat Crust

I’m pretty set on owning chickens one day for this reason:  there are only 3 of us now, but we all love eggs, and we tear through a carton like nobody’s business.  This quiche is one of our favorite things to eat.  It’s super filling and makes a great dinner entree!  The whole wheat crust is also easy and tasty, and you mix it right in the pan.  You can take the time to sauté the veggies to give them beautiful color and flavor, or you can just add them raw.  Both will be successful!

Easy Whole Wheat Crust (taken from “100 Days of Real Food;” see link at end of post)

1.5 cups whole-wheat flour (I like to use whole white wheat)

1/2 cup oil (canola, olive, melted butter; I use olive)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons milk, preferably whole (I use coconut or almond milk)

In a 9-inch pie pan, combine all ingredients and mix with a fork. After mixing well, use your hand to form a ball in the pan and then press into pan. Bring it up on the sides and pinch the top (with your finger or a fork). Then mix and pour quiche filling right into the raw crust.  No more dreaded pie crusts!

Carmelized Onion Quiche (inspired by “The Urban Poser;” See link at end of post)

Ingredients:

6 eggs

1/2 cup coconut milk (or other milk of your choice, dairy or non-dairy)

2-3 Tbls chopped basil (or 1-2 tsp. dried)

1 medium sized onion

1 bell pepper

1/2 Tbls coconut oil or olive oil

1 medium sized tomato

6  green onions

4 large garlic cloves

1/2 tsp coarse ground black peppercorns

1/2 tsp coarse ground sea salt

Optional cheese, meats, olives, etc.

For the quiche:

Preheat the oven to 350.

In a large bowl beat together the eggs, milk, black pepper, chopped basil and salt and set aside.  Letting the egg mixture get to room temperature is preferable.

Thinly slice the onions and caramelize them in a pan with the oil.

While the onions are cooking cut the tomato in half.  Slice one half and set aside to place on top of the quiche after it’s assembled.  Chop the other half and set aside to add to the egg mixture.

Next, slice the green onions into narrow strips and dice the garlic.  When the onions are done, fry the garlic in the leftover oil until crispy, then fry the green onion.

Add your half a tomato, half the onions, garlic, and half the green onions to the egg mixture.  You can also add any other veggies, meats, and cheeses that sound delectable!  Pour into the pie crust.

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.  You may want to place the pie pan on a baking sheet if it is really full.

After 15 minutes, remove from the oven sprinkle the leftover tomato, onion, green onion.  Return to the oven and bake until just firm, another 15-25 minutes.  Make sure the center is done by jiggling the pan a little.

Let the quiche cool for a few minutes to finish setting.

Crust:  http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/04/26/quiche-with-a-super-easy-whole-wheat-crust/

Quiche:  http://urbanposer.blogspot.com/2011/08/soppressata-caramelized-onion-and-green.html

Summer Bucket List Ideas

My oldest daughter got out of school last week. Granted, it is preschool and a private one at that, so it was a touch early. Nonetheless, ready or not, summer is on us. Summer is always an interesting time for us. My husband works Saturdays which means we don’t have traditional weekends. Combine with that the fact that this summer we are a multifamily household and I am having a baby.  Life feels a little chaotic. Normally I just let summer be “whatever” time. (Heck, who am I kidding?  Up until now LIFE has been a “whatever” time.) This year, though, I am trying to be more scheduled to keep all of us a little more sane. Most days will try to do something that falls into one of each of these categories. *Learn something *Read to self (i.e. look at books) *Mom or Dad reads out loud. *Play outside *Rest *Free play (i.e. it’s NOT Mom’s job to entertain you) *TV time (often first thing in the morning while Mom sleeps and Dad is getting ready for work, before bed after Dad gets home, or during the heat of the day) *Something “special” My 5 year old always wants to know what we are going to DO today and often gets upset if there isn’t something “fun” on the list. To help combat that conversation I have written up a HUGE list of “fun” things to do. Some of them cross over with other categories such as “outside time” or “reading time” and some of them are stand alone and will be in the “special” category.

Outdoor Fun Sprinkler Water fun Skirt guns Water balloons Buckets of water and paint brushes Make Sponge Balls. Outdoor fun/messes Play-Dough outside (way easier to clean up) Sidewalk chalk Finger paint Bubbles Picnic Freeze tag Capture the flag Red Light, Green Light Mother May I? Tent Treasure hunt Catch fireflies Hopscotch Wake up the kids on a clear night to lay out in the front yard and look at stars.

Indoor Fun Construction paper, a magazine, and a glue stick will keep kids busy for HOURS! Glow stick bath. Pick a topic and learn everything you can about it. Finger paint in the bathtub. Make a pillow fort. Color (You can find all kinds of coloring pages on Pinterest and even paper dolls to color) Flash Cards (printable A\alphabet flash cards can be found here and numbers can be found here) Build with blocks Do a puzzle Things to make/bake Popsicles Make no bake (or preacher) cookies. Make cards to send to family. Give a kid a glue stick, some construction paper and a magazine. HOURS of fun! Icecream Color on a shirt with a Sharpie. Make Sharpie Mugs with colored pencils and your kids drawings. Save for Christmas gifts for grandparents/aunt/uncles/teachers. Make a Sharpie Plate Make Pizza Together Paper bag puppets Have your child dictate a story. Type it out for them. Let them color the pictures. Homemade rock candy Color a big cardboard box. Let them play in it as long as they want. Go somewhere Barnes and Nobles across the country have a children story hour every Wednesday at 11:00 am and Friday at 7:00 pm. Library Parks Go to the farmer’s market. Cook dinner using something you bought there. Take Daddy and his co-workers a treat at work. READ!!!! Read "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie" and made cookies. Read "If You Give a Moose a Muffin" and make muffins. Read a book about Johnny Appleseed and eat apples (or color apples or something with apples). Read "Flat Stanley" and make a Flat Stanley to send to someone. A great list of books to read to your daughters (I must also add the Betsy Tacy books to this list if you haven’t read them to your little girl yet it MUST go on your summer reading list) Ten books to read to your 4-7 year old 50 Alphabet Books to read to toddlers. Check out Our Cultivated Life for a tutorial on how to make you own summer reading board game!

Make Your Summer Bucket List These are few of my favorite fill in yourself bucket lists available for printing at home to fill out with your own ideas. Bugs Bucket List Simple Bucket List Summer Schedule Ideas Color Your Own Bucket List Summer Bingo Board (Great for vacation!) Keep Track I give my girls notebooks at the start of summer. We put pictures we take from the summer in there as well as let them draw, glue, sticker during free time or “make something time.” At the end of the summer it’s a fun way to look back and see all we did.

Home Education: Relaxed or Eclectic

The most common approach that I found among homeschoolers was an eclectic approach.  This was comprised of families using unit studies, boxed curriculum, various workbooks, hands on learning, audio/video materials, computer based learning, and resources from outside the home.  Some characteristics include:

• one of the most common forms of homeschooling 
• families mix different styles and philosophies to choose a variation that works for them
• student's interests typically are focused on, as well as the parent's teaching style
• the way of schooling is forever evolving to fit the family's needs

Here is a small glimpse into the life of one eclectic homeschooler:

1.  What would you declare is your style or philosophy of home education and why?

More Eclectic than anything else. We tried a homeschool school, but it was very tedious.  I discovered very quickly that trying to have school at home wasn’t going to work.  I started using the curriculum I’d already paid for to teach my children myself, but I had to tweak it to death.  When it was time to do a new year, I decided that, if I had to tweak a prepared curriculum that cost so much, I could buy a textbook for less than $20 and tweak that.  Then, we could use the extra money for things like athletics and field trips.

2.  What does an average day of schooling/unschooling look like in your home?

We usually get up around 8:00am, though I sometimes get lucky.  We get ready for the day – breakfast, getting dressed, etc. – and then my daughters (aged 6 and 8) play for a bit.  We start school with pledges to the American and Christian flags, a short devotional, and prayer.  We study science, reading, spelling and vocabulary for around 1.5 hours in the morning.  We break 2 hours or more for lunch, then study grammar, math, and history.  Followed by a walk a couple times of week, if they don’t have anything else (sports, gym class) going on.  That usually takes around 1.5 hours.  Fridays, we break things up with journaling, art projects, field trips.

Our ‘classroom’ is the living room.  My daughters are just a year apart in school, so it’s easier on me to sit between them on the sofa, switching between them to instruct them.

3.  Have you ever used a different philosophy or homeschool style in your journey?

I tried video homeschool when I first started out.  My kids were bored out of their minds.

4.  Why did you change styles?

I realized that my daughters were bored and were starting to hate school, so I chose to start teaching the material myself.  When I did that, it hit me that the material was boring to them, I started trying to make things more interesting for them.  Looking around the internet, I realized that teaching from textbook curriculum would be no more difficult than what I had been doing, and that it made much more sense economically.

5.  What resources do you utilize outside of your home for educational purposes?  (ie:  museums, programs, co-ops, cottage schools)

We belong to a homeschool group that organizes field trips, parties, etc. , and it provides an opportunity to hang out with other kids their age.  We also use the library, museums, farms, stores, etc., for field trips.

Recipe of the Week - "You'll Never Go Back to Anything Else" Black Bean Cupcakes

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes {Gluten-free}

Black Bean Cupcakes

Our family went "grain-free" about a year ago, and I stumbled upon this amazing recipe when preparing for my daughter's 2nd Birthday! It is incredible, and  you will truly NEVER go back to dry boring cupcakes. Our leadership team at The Motherhood Collective© requests them for every gathering.

The original recipe is by Caroline Edwards of Chocolate & Carrots . You MUST visit her site for other delicious recipes! (The actual recipe can be found here: {Secret Ingredient} Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake)

Ingredients

• 1 (15.5 oz) can of reduced sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, or coconut oil
• 3/4 cup cane sugar
• 5 tablespoons special dark cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350° Line a 12 cup muffin pan and SPRAY with cooking spray. (Spraying truly helps!)

Blend the beans, 2 eggs, vanilla and sugar in the blender on high until completely blended. In a large bowl, beat the butter/coconut oil until fluffy, then add the remaining two eggs, beating well after each. Add in the bean mixture. Sift in the cocoa powder, baking powder and backing soda. Beat for 1-2 minutes, or until well combined.

Pour batter into your prepared muffin pan, filling each about 2/3 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until your cupcakes look like Caroline's beautiful photo below. I chill in freezer until firm and cool before icing.

Peanut Butter Frosting

Recipe can be found here: Something Shiny

This frosting is seriously my "go-to" frosting for everything currently.... thank you Caroline. Thank you.

Ingredients

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 – 2/3 cup whipping cream (heavy cream)
• 12 miniature Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

Beat the peanut butter, butter and powdered sugar until combined. Add in the whipping cream and beat until light and fluffy, being careful not to under-beat or over-beat. Put in a ziplock bag, cut a hole, and decorate the cupcakes OR use a piping bag with your favorite decorating tip and decorate the cupcakes OR use a knife and spread to decorate the cupcakes. Finish with a mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.

What to Expect When You're Expecting (The Kid Version)

In my social circle, there are five of us who had children within a few months of each other, four years ago.  This has been an amazing experience, as all of our children grew and hit their milestones together. It also means that, about 18 months ago, three out of the original five, decided to have a second child. This time, they're spaced a little bit further apart, but that same experience remains as we navigate the world of having more than one child, of sibling jealousy, and of there just not being enough hours in the day.

I found out I was pregnant with my son right around my daughter's second birthday.  At first, we didn't say anything to her, because when you're two, nine months might as well be nine years, and I was too busy trying to just find the energy to sit upright, nevermind answer questions or offer explanations.  As the months progressed, and I began to visibly show the pregnancy, we introduced her to the idea of being a big sister.  Part of this discussion came in the form of bedtime stories. It was an easy way to discuss the topic and expose her to upcoming changes, without having a formal sit-down discussion (which is practically impossible with an active two-year-old.)  If you're expecting (congratulations!) or plan to be in the not-so-distant future, here are three books I recommend for older siblings:

 This book was not published when I was pregnant with my second, but I've recommended it to every pregnant mom I know since I read it last year.  It  truly celebrates the older sibling, in their active, crazy, non-stop ways, while also encouraging children to find a quieter, gentler side for their new role as big brother or sister.  I love that the message is not that the older sibling will have to change, but rather take on an additional role.

Unlike many sibling books which focus on life after the baby is born, Pecan Pie Baby is a story about the emotions a child feels during a mother's pregnancy.  Gia loves things the way they are.  And if everyone is so obsessed with the baby now, what's going to happen once he/she actually arrives?  Very few books I know focus on this time, and Woodson writes in a way that is so candid and in line with what I imagine most young children are thinking.

This book and its companion, I'm a Big Brother ,are written by the author of The Magic Schoolbus series.  If you're preparing a very young toddler for a new sibling, these are two of my favorites.  The text is simple and straightforward, describing things that only an older sibling can do (like eating pizza and ice cream) and the things a new baby will do (like cry when it's hungry).  They are older publications, but very well written. We actually gave my daughter a copy when she came to visit her brother in the hospital for the first time.

The truth is, you can only do so much to prepare your family for all the joys and challenges a new baby brings.  Newly promoted big brothers and sisters will still experience bouts of confusion, jealousy, and anger after the new baby arrives.  So as moms, we do the best we can, and hope for the best.  My own two are now 1 and 4, and are now at an age where they adore each other. 

So if you currently fall into that category of expecting a second child, take a deep breath.  Life is about to get a whole lot crazier... but oh-so-good.

Recipe of the Week - Baked Oatmeal

Looking back to my engagement, I think the recipe exchange was my favorite part of bridal showers.  I loved getting to see what each friend brought as a tried-and-true family recipe that should be shared with a new couple starting off.  Of course, some were okay, some were just weird, and some became instant favorites. This baked oatmeal quickly filled the latter.  Amazing.  We will eat it any time of day, and you just might see it on the dessert menu as well. Ingredients: 3 cups oatmeal 2/3-1 cup sucanat (or other sweetener) 2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. salt 1 cup milk (I use almond or coconut) ½ cup melted butter (or other oil) 2 eggs, beaten Fruit, optional—I LOVE adding mashed bananas.  Peaches also taste heavenly!

Directions:

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.  Pour milk, eggs, and butter in and mix well.  Spoon into a greased 9” pan.  Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes.

It’s great warm out of the oven.  You can add extra fruit, pour milk over it…yum.

Happy Birthday Addy!

This birth journey was quite that--a journey!  It is my own story of welcoming my second baby and my first daughter in a way that I never imagined or even wanted.  However, even the worst of situations can help mold and define us--if we let them.  I hope my work with women as a doula encourages them to do just that--use all their life experiences to become better mothers!

Tomorrow is my daughter’s 7^th birthday.  She is such a joy—easy to parent, fun to be around, full of desire and love for life.  She is the complete opposite of me.  She is quiet and she thinks things through. She loves cuddles—her eyes light up at just the thought of a hug.  She loves sports and she really dislikes anything pink or purple or overly girly in any way.  Being a girly-girl myself, people joke me about this all the time.  Honestly, I love that she knows who she is and that she is not afraid to be different.  I love to watch her play with intensity on the soccer/baseball/basketball/swim team.  She never takes a short-cut or chooses the easier road—I have learned a lot from her, my first daughter Addy.

Her pregnancy was easy—the joy I felt to be carrying a girl after my first son was immense.  At 36 weeks when my water broke unexpectedly, I was excited to meet this child that I had dreamed about for 9 months (or really, longer than that—as my greatest desire in life has always been to be a mommy.)  I went to the hospital, was hooked up, and was told her heart-rate was too high and I would need a c-section.  At the time, I knew nothing about birth—I went into my first birth totally uneducated and it turned out fine (or so I thought at the time—it was a vaginal delivery with an epidural—that’s how we have babies in America, right?)  Here I was, about to have my second baby, and I still had no knowledge about the process of birth.  If I am to be completely honest, when the doctor said c-section, I was not upset.  I am sad to admit it now, but I thought to myself: “Well I thought I had a long labor in front of me, but I will be holding my baby in less than an hour.”  That, mixed with the fact that the doctor used the fear that every mother carries about her baby being healthy, sent me happily into the OR.

The experience in the OR was intense.  I was aware of the anesthesiologist warning me not to freak out: “One false move from you, and I will put you all the way under.”   I remember being scared, as my arms were strapped down and the curtain was raised, but everyone seemed so calm—like this was something that happened all the time (which it is.)  I pushed my fears aside, prayed silently, and held my husband’s hand.  I fought the urge to scream and vomit when I felt them tugging on my uterus, when I felt them moving organs and placing my stomach contents on my belly—this is normal, I kept telling myself.  It was not long before she was born with a healthy cry—7 pounds, 1 ounce and perfect heart rate.  They held her up, Dad snapped some pictures, and they wheeled her away.  This is how I met my first daughter—the little girl I had dreamed about for so long.

The recover was painful.  I remember them lifting the sheet to move me from bed to bed.  I remember being cold and shaking uncontrollably, I remember thinking: “Where is my baby?”  The nurse told me I had to be able to wiggle my toes before I could see her—I tried so hard.  Eventually (after 3 or so hours) they brought her in.  I was overwhelmed with love for her, but also overwhelmed with wondering how I was going to take care of this tiny baby when I could barely even wiggle my toes.  I told the nurse I was in pain.  She said: “Of course you are in pain, you just had major surgery.”  I was shocked—no one had called it “major surgery,” instead it was just a c-section, as routine as a root-canal.

My painful recovery did not end in the hospital.  I went home, and after a day or two the pain became unbearable.  I began to spike really high fevers, followed by uncontrollable chills.  I would soak the sheets with sweat at night, telling my husband that I would just rather die.  The entire time, I was trying to nurse (around the clock) and take care of my baby, which seemed like a major chore.  People kept telling me: “Just be thankful you have a healthy baby.”  I was thankful, but I could not fight the feeling that something was taken from me.  I was not enjoying anything about her, which added more guilt to my already wounded heart.  I know you are wondering why I did not go to the hospital, as everyone knows that these are signs of infection.  We called my doctor every day—something multiple times a day.  Every time we called, she told us not to come into the office that she thought I had the flu and she did not want to get the other patience sick.  She told me that recovering from a c-section was hard, that it was in my head, and that I might be struggling with postpartum depression.  If someone who you trust, who is an educated, experienced doctor tells you this enough, you being to think that you are going crazy.  I was sure that it must all be in my head, that despite the temperature readings, I was making myself sick.  Besides, I thought, I just had major surgery—I guess the recover must be this hard.

You know by now where this story is going.  I finally went to the ER after a week (and after I passed out at home and my husband became even more concerned) and they admitted me with a ragging Staff infection.  I spent 6 days in the hospital, getting IV antibodies, having my wound opened and drained, getting my incision packed and cleaned, and finally getting a PICC line to go home with so that I could have IV antibodies for the next few months from home.  I also had Home Health Care, and a nurse (a bright ray of sunshine with red hair and a happy face) came to my house every day to change my packing in my incision.  I was not able to nurse or even see my baby (who was just a week old) because of the infection and the medication.  It was painful and awful and I was mad and upset—wondering why things had to go this way for me.  The worst part was my own conscious and guilt telling me that I was a bad mother because I did not even care about seeing my baby.  My mother-in-law brought her to see me at one point, in an effort to cheer me up, and I did not even want to lift my arms and hold her.  Looking back, I know that I was so sick and my body was so tired and just needed time to feel better.  However, in that moment, I was a shell.  My ability to have a baby had been taken from me, and my ability to mother was gone as well.   I was worse than upset—I became emotionless.

I went home after a week, and began to feel somewhat better being surrounded by my own things and the people who loved me—the family and friends who were committed to caring for me.  In my safe place, I began to hold Addy and even enjoy her.  I started to pump (I had to dump the milk because of the medication) and I was hopeful that one day I could nurse her again (and I did—for over a year.)  Like a wilted flower—I began to regain my strength—to stand up tall, to open and grow.  It was not on my own power—I prayed a lot and I know a lot of people prayed for me.  I read scripture with new eyes—as some who was so broken, as someone who needed something, anything to make it through the day.  My soul was parched, and I accepted the living water that only the Lord can provide.  I began to see glimpse of myself again.  My husband took me to get a Christmas tree, promising I could pick out the biggest one on the lot.  My sister-in-law picked me up and we went shopping for decorations.  My Mom came and pulled all the weeds in my flower bed outside.  My mother-in-law, fresh out of surgery herself, cooked and cleaned and made everything run like normal.  My Gran came and stayed for a week—she would sit in the chair by the couch and tell me stories, wonderful stories from when she was young. My new friend (at the time) brought cookies, and just sat and chatted with me.  I began to see this family and community that God had blessed me with—people brought food, helped take care of my older son, or just called to check on me.  I was surrounded by people pouring out love, watering my soul, bringing me slowly back to my former self.

Would I take it all back?  Never.  During this time in my life, I found a sister who loved me, a new best friend, and a husband who served me faithfully and with no concern for himself.  I found a church that was faithful to serve someone in need.  I looked at my daughter with new eyes—the eyes of someone who had faced hurt and pain and conquered it.

Most importantly, I found my passion in life.  From that moment on I began to get educated about birth.  I read—no, devoured, books.  I talked to other moms and really thought about how women give birth in America.  I watched documentaries, and was sure that there was a better way to have a baby.  When I had my 3^rd and 4^th babies, with midwives, I had beautiful, natural VBACS that made me believe in myself and other women as well—if someone would just tell them: there is a better way.

I’m thankful for Addy’s birth journey, and I think as women who have had c-sections and are looking for other options, we have to get to that point emotionally before we can have future vaginal births.  We can’t hold ourselves responsible for the things we did or did not know, for the decisions we made, and for the way we gave birth.  We have to move on and see it as part of who we are—tightly woven into every aspect of our being.

On your 7^th birthday, sweet Addy, I want you to know that you are the child who helped Mommy find herself.  Through everything, you helped me find a rebirth in myself.  You helped me see that I am strong and capable.  You started me on a journey to serve women, to educate, and to give options. Your birth story might not be one that I cherish, one that was joyful and easy, but it is important—so much more important—because it opened my eyes.  If I ever do anything worth while in my life, being your Mommy will be first—helping others find their own strength while becoming mommies will be second.

All my love,

Mommy

A Look at Centra Medical Group: Women's Center

I was given the privilege of interviewing our local CNM (Certified Nurse Midwife) group—Centra Medical Group: Women's Center (formally Forest Women’s Center).  Under Centra, the Women's Center provides full Gynecological care for women in the central Virginia area, as well as comprehensive Obstetrical care that includes prenatal check-ups, labor support, delivery at Virginia Baptist Hospital, and postpartum health.  They have five wonderful midwives— Billie Hamilton-Powell, Erin Baird, Christina Dubay, Nancy Prothero, and Tami Stevens—and one FNP—Ruth Robertson. The Motherhood Collective has been thrilled to add the CMG Women’s Center to their list of non-profit support, and many of us have enjoyed hosting Erin Baird on our Café panels.  I have personally used the midwives for my pregnancy and birth journey with my son and was more than pleased with the care I received!  I enjoyed meeting all the midwives during my prenatal visits, and when my time came, Christina did a wonderful job supporting me during labor and catching Gabriel when he was born.  The whole time she remained calm, encouraging, and quiet—only saying something when it needed saying.  When she was caring for me afterwards she realized the bulbs were out in the overhead lights, so she sent one of the nurses down to her car to grab the flashlight out of her glove compartment.  Great resourcefulness (and a great way to put a mom at ease :) )!

I hope you enjoy reading about the passion these women have for Mothers and Babies!  Thank you, CMG Women’s Center, for serving this community (and this organization) so beautifully.

1.       What is your primary goal in the care you provide for women?

 Our group is focused on offering women and their families holistic, individualized maternity and gynecologic care throughout the lifespan.  We want to be a trusted and caring member of their healthcare family.

2.       What unique passions and practices do you offer?

 Each of our Certified Nurse Midwives brings their own unique set of specialties and philosophies within the Midwifery Model of Care.  We support women in being an active participant in their care – from pre-pregnancy to menopause.  As Nurse Midwives we are specifically trained in natural non-interventionalistic care.  We are trained to see the woman as a summation of all her parts: family, life, religion, work, children and parents.  This allows us to see the many different influences that may affect her health.  At the same time our training allows us to identify and treat the medical issues as they arise.

• 3.       What birth mindset do you hope to encourage in the women of Central Virginia?

 We hope that all women will become educated on their options, their wants and the evidence-based practices of pregnancy, delivery and post-partum.  Pregnancy and birth are extremely personal and individual experiences for each family and we want to support all women no matter what their plans or desires be it natural, medicated or cesarean.

4.       If you could tell one thing to a woman trying to conceive, what would it be?

 Pregnancy, birth and the raising of an infant is like a marathon.  Preparation should include becoming as healthy as possible.  Schedule a pre-conception appointment with your provider and make a plan for your pregnancy.

5.       If you could tell a pregnant mother one thing, what would it be?

Pregnancy is one of life’s best challenges.  Many well-meaning people are going to tell you what to do, what to eat, how you should look and what their labor/delivery was like.  Remember that your pregnancy and delivery will be unique to you and your life and rejoice in that.  Try not to compare yourself to others as we are all so very wonderfully different.

6.       If you could tell a mother with a newborn one thing, what would it be?

 No one can prepare you for all that is the immediate post-partum period.  It is both a wonderful and extremely trying time.  Initially you will have so many different emotions it can be overwhelming.  The exhaustion and physical demands of those early weeks can make even the most dedicated mother doubt her decision to do this!  USE YOUR RESOURCES!  We recommend that every new mother, breastfeeding or not, rest at every opportunity.  This means if your baby is sleeping, go lay down yourself, even if you are not tired.  If you have family or friends around, let them have some bonding time with your sweet baby so you can rest and recuperate.  If you are struggling, go see your provider and find out if it’s just exhaustion or something more serious like post-partum depression.

7.       What is your favorite aspect of prenatal and neonatal care?

Getting to know the families and being part of the miracle that is life.  You share something magical when you help a couple bring a child into this world, whether it’s their first or 12^th!

Centra Medical Group: Women's Center Contact Information:

2007 Graves Mill Rd., Forest, VA 24551 434.385.8948 http://forestwomen.centrahealth.com/

Recipe of the Week - Healthy Turkey Chili

The last time Anne Hathaway hosted Saturday Night Live they did a hysterical Les Miserables spoof during her opening monologue. In it, the majority of the SNL cast sang about working hard during the week, performing on Saturday night, and making chili on Sunday. Between my own spouts of laughter, I couldn't help but think, "Ain't it the truth?"  There's really no better day to have a bowl of chili than on a rainy Sunday afternoon after church. To add to that, if there's one thing every housewife/mom should know how to make it's a great pot of chili. If you don't already have a go-to recipe, have no fear, you're about to get one. I was lucky enough to stumble across a really great healthy chili recipe a few years back on the Lovely Little Details blog. I made it as it was written the first time, and each time shifted things here and there until coming to a final chili resting place. I decided it is delicious and simple enough to share with my fellow mommies.

Here's what you'll need:

• 1 lb Italian Turkey Sausage
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped (leave the seeds if you want more heat!)
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 6 oz (1 can) tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/4 cups merlot or another fruity red wine
• 2 (28 oz) cans diced tomatoes - undrained
• 2 (15 oz) cans dark red kidney beans - undrained
• shredded cheese to taste
• sour cream to taste

And here's what to do with it all... it couldn't be easier:

Cook sausage and ground turkey over medium-high heat until brown in a deep pot or Dutch oven. Drain the meat and return to pot. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, jalapeño, chili powder, brown sugar, cumin, tomato paste, oregano, pepper, and salt. Mix together until fully incorporated. Add remaining ingredients and combine thoroughly. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer for 1 hour (at least), stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaves and serve with cheese and sour cream as desired. And of course, it will be extra delicious if served with some yummy cornbread!

This is absolutely delicious and like most chili recipes, tastes even better the next day. I'm all about changing things up to meet your personal taste, so if you happen to try this recipe and tweak a few things here and there be sure to leave it in the comments so other moms (including me) can consider your changes.

Enjoy!

Montessori Moods: Transferring, Part 1

One of the subject areas in the Montessori classroom is practical life. These activities, if it’s not already obvious, are all somehow related to real-life, everyday tasks.Practical life activities are not just for learning everyday tasks. They also help with gross and fine motor skills, which include prerequisite movements for writing and even reading (left to right motions). Kids just think they’re fun!

Transferring includes a pretty broad range of activities and you can find lots and lots of variations online. For the youngest ones (even as young as 18 months) you would start with big objects like beans (or even pom poms or cotton balls) and a big spoon or scoop. You have to try things out and see what works for your child. I originally thought a scoop would be easier for my youngest to deal with, but the motion of using a scoop is actually more complicated than just a regular spoon.

When presenting the activity, start with objects in a bowl (or other container) on the left and an empty bowl on the right. Sit to the left of your child. Carefully and slowly with a look of interest and concentration, scoop beans onto the spoon, carefully place the spoon over the empty bowl and pour the beans in. Do this until you’re finished or until your child wants to try. When the bowl is empty, you can either encourage your child to turn the tray so that the full bowl is on the left again, or not. I have seen it both ways. My kids didn’t really like the turning and it seemed to over-complicate the activity, so I ditched it.

If beans are spilled (it is good for you to spill some on purpose during the presentation), point it out to your child and then slowly pick up one at a time using pincer grasp (thumb and forefinger) and put them in the bowl.

A note about trays: In a Montessori environment each practical life activity (as well as some other types of activities) is usually kept on a nice-looking tray. It makes it easy for the child to choose it and take it to her workspace. You can find trays at dollar stores and thrift stores. You can also make use of large plastic food storage containers or even small cardboard boxes. Everything is supposed to be attractive, but sometimes you just need to work with what you have!

As your child gets adept at one combination of objects/tool/container, you can switch it up and make it a bit more challenging. You want it to be the right amount of challenging so that your child is neither bored or frustrated. Just watch your child to see.

Here are some more ideas:

Objects: rice, barley, other grains, marbles, little erasers, beads, pebbles, water beads

Tools: big serving spoon, teaspoon, coffee scoop, Japanese soup spoon, big tongs, little tongs, tweezers

Containers: cereal bowls, clear glass bowls, tea cups, ice cube trays (one object in each section)

Notes: Keep close supervision of children who still put things in their mouths!! I let my children transfer beans at about 18 months, but I was always watching and made sure they weren’t putting the beans in their mouths. You also have to demonstrate (by example) how to properly handle breakable objects. Montessori believed that children could be careful with delicate objects and intentionally had them in the classroom and available to the children. They just need to be shown how to carefully handle breakable things. That said, my son did break a bowl while transferring one time, but I wasn’t paying close attention and he was just messing around by that point.

Two Very Different Births - Part 2: Jacob

With my first pregnancy, I was almost a week overdue, and ended up with an induction due to leaking fluid and high blood pressure.  While I don’t regret the outcome of that delivery, I knew I wanted to avoid an induction the second time around.  Fortunately, as the end of my second pregnancy neared, I felt sure that he would arrive before or on my due date, and that my delivery experience would be different. In the last couple weeks of my pregnancy, I had Braxton Hicks contractions on a nightly basis, with the discomfort mostly in my back.  I felt encouraged that I would be able to avoid an induction this time, and cheerfully went to my appointment 2 days before my due date, sure all these contractions would indicate some progress.

75% effaced and a “possible 1cm.”

In hindsight, it was silly, but I was emotional and tired, and I left the appointment, sat in my car, and cried.  I felt as if I was headed down a road I had been down before, with limited progression and a stubborn baby.  I still had two weeks before my doctor’s office would advocate for medical intervention, which I logically knew was plenty of time, but emotionally I felt that nothing was going to change in that time.  Blame it on hormones.

December 1^st, my due date, came and went.  I went on a massive grocery shopping trip.  December 2^nd came and went.  December 3^rd dawned and, desperate to get out of the house, my husband and I took our 2 year old to a morning at a local farm that included a petting zoo, playground, and very bumpy wagon ride.  Nothing.  I went to bed that night with the same sense of frustration.

At 2am, I woke up and used the bathroom, feeling cranky because the back pain and general discomfort of the night before had subsided and so once again, there were no signs that this baby was coming anytime soon.  I had just gotten back into bed, and rolled to my side when the first contraction hit.  Not painful, but uncomfortable, and enough to make my eyes pop open again.  10 minutes later, another obvious contraction, and I thought maybe I should keep an eye on the clock, just in case.  I didn’t want to wake Kevin for a false alarm, so I went downstairs to play on the computer. Over the next half hour, the contractions continued, moving anywhere from 4-6 minutes apart, but I could still talk, and move through them, so they were lacking in the intensity needed for a trip to the hospital, and I wanted to labor as home as long as possible.

At 2:45, I woke Kevin up, and we called my mom, 2 hours away, to tell her that I thought things might be getting started, and that maybe she should drive down.  I was extremely apologetic to both, worried that this might not be the real thing and that I was waking everybody up in the middle of the night for nothing.  Still, we wanted to be prepared.  The plan was to stay at home and monitor things until my mom got here to stay with Mia, and if things continued moving forward, we would head towards the hospital at that time.  Kevin got up and began doing a few last minute things around the house while I decided to take a shower, thinking it would be the last time I had the chance to really get clean for awhile.

I stayed in the shower for only half an hour, but by the time I got out of the shower, contractions were spaced just a few minutes apart and increasing in intensity.  We called the triage nurse to let her know of my "symptoms" and she passed the message along to the doctor on call to give them a heads-up that we might be coming in.  I had another contraction while on the phone with her, and this time had to stop talking until it passed.

I came back upstairs and tried to distract myself with a movie (RV with Robin Williams), but it wasn’t helping.  Each contraction had me bent over the furniture, moaning my way through it.  I started to worry that I wouldn’t be able to hold out another hour till my mom arrived, so Kevin called our backup to come over to the house and sit with our still sleeping 2 year old.  Except nobody answered the phone.  I didn’t know what to do, and didn’t want to “bother anyone else in the middle of the night”, but  Kevin ignored me and called our neighbor, 3 doors down, a woman we didn’t know really well, but who three girls of her own, and had given Kevin her number a few days earlier, “just in case.”  She answered immediately, and was at our house within minutes.

Meanwhile, I managed to pull on a top and stretch pants between contractions that were now only a minute or two apart.  I wanted to throw a few last-minute items in my hospital bag, but couldn’t focus enough to accomplish the task.   I gave up and worked my way downstairs, where I apologized to our neighbor for inconveniencing her, as Kevin pulled me out the door.

At 4:03am, we left the house for the 20 minute drive to the hospital.   I don't remember much about this trip, other than the fact that we passed a sobriety checkpoint at one point, and I thought how inconvenient it would be if they stopped us now.  I also remember feeling incredibly relieved when we pulled into the hospital parking lot because I knew that I would soon be in a bed and I could get something to help with the pain.

We checked into the ER at 4:25.  I had pre-registered, but there are always more papers to sign. We started the process, except there were no longer any breaks between contractions.  I was arching myself out of the wheelchair, and alternating between groaning and swearing under my breath.  I just wanted to get checked in and comfortable since I knew I still had a way to go.  The ER attendant decided that we could finish the paperwork later, and instructed Kevin to take me down the hall to L&D.  He spun the wheelchair around and took off at a run down the hallway, with the attendant running beside him to attach my ID bracelet.  I begged him to slow down, that I felt lightheaded and sweaty and his running was making me sick.  He didn’t listen.

We arrived at L&D, and were directed to a room, where a nurse asked if I needed anything, and I kept repeating that I felt like I was going to be sick.  She directed me to wait until the contraction ended, and then get out of the wheelchair and go into the bathroom to change.    Three other nurses arrived, and when I said that I couldn't get out of the chair to move to the bathroom, one of them took charge and lifted me.  She half-dragged me over to the bedside, and said she would help me change.  I was shaking so badly that my legs were not holding my weight, and I felt what I thought was my water breaking . In hindsight, I think what happened was that my baby began to crown on that contraction.  However, I had no idea I was so far along in my labor.  My last labor had been 28 hours and I fully expected this one to be long, too.

I was feeling totally out of control at this point, and starting to get a little hysterical.  My amazing nurse actually gave my shoulders a little shake and told me to “listen up, Mama” as she half-forced me down on to the bed and stripped my pants off so that she could perform a check.

She asked if my last birth was medicated, and I replied that it was.  She answered, “Okay, mama, this one is going to be a little bit different.”  Kevin tells me that she then turned and had one of the nurses run out into the hall to grab the nearest doctor.  The next contraction arrived and my nurse encouraged me to yell my way through it.  I did, and felt immediate relief.  The second contraction arrived a split second later, and, without any conscious effort from me, the head and shoulders were out. The doctor rushed in just in time to catch our baby on the third and final push.  Jacob Michael came roaring into the world at 4:35am on December 4th…2 hours and 35 minutes after the first contraction and 10 minutes after we arrived at the hospital. No time for medication, no time to get frustrated or tired, no time even to sign the required forms (I signed them AFTER delivery).  He was 3 days overdue, but when he was ready, he was ready.  7lbs 7ozs, 20 inches, and a cuddler from the very beginning.

You would think that because it was my second labor, I would have known what was going on, but I had no idea how quickly my labor was moving.  Jacob was born 10 minutes before my mom arrived at our house.  After the delivery was over and my stitches were put in place, the combination of adrenaline, shock, and physical exhaustion had me shaking so severely that I was afraid to hold my own baby.  So I passed him over, and Kevin got some cuddle time while I watched and tried to process what had just happened.  45 minutes passed before I felt more stabilized, and Kevin left  to move the car from where we had left it in front of the ER.  The only negative?  In our rush, we left the camera in the car, so we have no pictures of those first few moments.  Fortunately, we made up for it later.

Our first picture as a family of four:

Moral of the story:  Every birth is its own experience.

Also, next time I will camp out in the hospital parking lot for the third trimester.

Recipe of the Week - Cinnamon Puffs

We are big fans of breakfast-for-dinner at our house. Especially when it's cold out! Because of our schedules we don't get to share breakfast together often in the morning. Many times we will whip up a morning favorite on a Saturday night. To me, breakfast isn't breakfast without a bread product. While I love pancakes and waffles, I am either eating cold waffles or standing by the skillet/waffle iron while my family eats. Either way, it's not ideal. My favorite solution to this is either cinnamon rolls or muffins. I thought I would share my favorite muffin recipe with you all. Some people call these doughnut muffins, but growing up we called them cinnamon puffs.(Note: These are NOT healthy, but every once in a while it's ok to splurge!)

Cinnamon Puffs: ½ cup shortening ½ cup sugar 1 egg 1 ½ cup flour 1 ½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp nutmeg ½ cup milk

Cream sugar and shortening until smooth. Beat in egg. Stir in dry ingredients alternately with milk. Put in greased muffin pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Topping: 1 ½ cup sugar 1 tsp cinnamon ½ cup melted butter

Mix cinnamon and sugar. Dip muffin in melted butter and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture.

Two Very Different Births - Part 1: Mia

I was due April 10th, but my baby was just way too comfortable and not interested in going anywhere.  Late in my pregnancy, my borderline high blood pressure crossed into an official diagnosis of Pregnancy Induced Hypertension, so I was being closely monitored.  After a short bout of bedrest, I was told to limit my activity, and keep still as much as possible. My due date came and went.  The following Monday found me back at the hospital for an NST and fluid check...nothing. No change, no signs of impending labor. I thought that my water may be "leaking", but when they performed a litmus check, it came back negative for amniotic fluid. We scheduled another NST for Thursday, an induction for that Friday, the 17th, and went back home.

The rest of Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday passed uneventfully.  Besides being large and uncomfortable and cranky, there was nothing else going on. My husband, Kevin, and I even took a drive to Shenandoah National Park, an hour away, just to get out of the house.  I figured that if my water broke, I would have plenty of time to get back home before the baby arrived and I couldn’t “hurry up and wait” at home anymore.

Then, Wednesday night, I started having contractions out of the blue.  They weren’t serious, but since I had experienced nothing, not even Braxton Hicks before this point, they were encouraging.  Maybe, FINALLY, we were going to get to meet this baby.  The contractions continued throughout the night, and by Thursday morning, they were less than 5 minutes apart, but still tolerable.  We left a little early for my morning NST appointment, making sure we had our bag in the car with us.

Half an hour hooked up to the machines showed what I already knew.  Consistent, but not strong, contractions.  Fluid levels were fine.  We were on track for an induction the following day.  They were about to send me home, but I mentioned that I still felt like I had a slow leak, and they decided to do another litmus test to check for amniotic fluid. This time, it tested positive straight away, so the decision was made to keep me, and bump the induction up a day.  It was 10am.

The delivery ward at this military hospital was small, averaging about three babies a day. On the day I was there, they delivered six. Needless to say, it was a little busy. I was placed in a recovery room and an IV started while I waited for a labor and delivery room to be available. It was around noon when they moved me into labor and delivery, and another hour or so before they started Pitocin.  It was around this time that Kevin and I were joined by my mom, and we talked excitedly about when this baby would finally arrive.

In the next 3 hours, I went from 2-4cm and we were feeling pretty optimistic that things would move along without having to continuously increase the Pitocin.

And then I stalled out.

I held out on the epidural until about 4:30pm, but at that point, progress was still extremely slow, despite the fact that the contractions were more intense and closer together. At the time, I was exhausted and the epidural was a blessing.  However, as often happens, the pain medication caused my (high) blood pressure to plummet and left me feeling fuzzy and shaky.  It took an oxygen mask, some readjustments, and about an hour for things to level out.

The afternoon ticked by with hours of television, and steadily increasing levels of Pitocin and very, very, very slow progress, until about 9:30pm.  It was about this time that my body entered transition.  I was beyond tired, frustrated with myself, and running low on energy.  I began to have severe body shakes and continuous vomiting (mostly of water), and I remember feeling embarrassed that my mom and husband were having to hold me while I threw up the entire contents of my stomach…and then some more.  Finally, at 10:45, I reached 10cm. The nurse assigned to me at this point was wonderful and full of enthusiasm, even as she warned me that some first-time mothers took some time to work the babies down the birth canal.  I had had it at this point and started to cry. I wasn’t sure where I was going to get the reserves to finish the labor, had no idea what to expect, and wanted that baby OUT.

My baby must have heard me and taken pity.  Once the next phase started, things happened FAST.  Soon after, my husband announced that our daughter’s hair had arrived.  And so it had.  A full head of hair.  For some reason, that was the motivation I needed to finish the job.   I pushed for about 45 minutes total, and she was out… healthy, pink, and wailing… at 11:54 pm on Thursday, April 16. 7 lbs, 10 ozs, and 21 inches long.  I had asked to hold her immediately, before she was taken to the warmer to be weighed and measured.  Our new baby Mia took this opportunity to greet me by having a bowel movement on my chest.  Her first bowel movement was my first introduction to the glamour that is motherhood.

From first contraction to first breath, my labor was just shy of 28 hours.  I don’t share my story with many expecting moms because it’s not one that they often want to hear.  It was long.  It was hard. It contained elements I would change if I could.  But look what I got out of it:

In the end, it doesn’t really matter, does it? There’s a lot of pressure to have the “right” kind of delivery, and I know that there are some reading the choices I made and thinking, “That’s not what I would have done.”  To be honest, I had some of the same thoughts and when we found ourselves pregnant again 2 years later, I immediately knew there were some things I wanted to do differently.  But Mia arrived safely, and has grown into a bright, spirited, four-year-old, who still likes to do things her own way, in her own time.

It’s hard to have any regrets with an outcome like that.

Recipe of the Week - Gluten Free Sweet Potato Brownies

This is a FAVORITE in our house. Maybe even once a week...shh...don't tell!

The original recipe is from www.paleomg.com.

Prep time:  35 mins

Cook time:  30 mins

Total time:  1 hour 5 mins

Serves: 5-8

Ingredients

• 1 sweet potato
• 3 eggs, whisked
• 1/4 cup Coconut Oil, melted
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/2 cup Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips
• 3 tablespoons Coconut Flour
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Time to bake that sweet potato. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees, use a fork to puncture holes all around it, then throw in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
2. Once your sweet potato is soft and cooked through, peel off the skin and mash it up in a bowl. And turn your oven down to 350 degrees.
3. Now add your wet ingredients: coconut oil, honey, vanilla, and whisked eggs to the bowl and mix together.
4. Then add your dry ingredients: coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and chocolate chips.
5. Mix well to incorporate all that goodness.
6. Pour into an 8x8 glass baking dish
7. Bake for 30-35 minutes.
8. Let rest to cool a bit.

Recipe by PaleOMG - Paleo Recipes at http://paleomg.com/sweet-potato-brownies/

Home Education: Deciphering the Information

As this school year ends, and summer begins; many families are reevaluating their educational plans for next fall.  There is a tremendous growing trend of families choosing to homeschool their children.  There are many reasons as to why these families are choosing this option.  These reasons are not really for me to assume or even discuss.  What I would like to discuss is the ever-growing amount of resources and options for these families.

This is a topic that is very important to me at this point in mothering.  My oldest child is just entering the preschool age.  With our current trends in education, the topic of schooling has to begin very early.  For most of us, we begin our search for the where and how of education around age 2 to 3.  This is an even earlier endeavor for those of you in large metropolitan areas that have very competitive preschools and schools.  My goal for me and my family is to find the best educational option that best suits us for the stage of life that we are in.  As homeschooling has quickly risen to the top of my list, I would like to begin to narrow the sea of information.  I’m sure that many of you feel the same.

Through a short series of blog posts, I would like to take you on a journey through homeschooling.  This journey will encompass a brief overview of different pedagological philosophies, resources for finding more information about these differing schools of thought, resources for curriculum, resources on state homeschooling laws, personal homeschooling journeys, as well as favorite resources of families who have “been there, done that.”  Please join me as we learn the different options that are available.

My hope is that this will help people begin this life of homeschooling armed with information to help them to be successful from the beginning.  If you are currently homeschooling, my hope is that you may find something that makes this path even more beneficial to your family.  If you have no desire or interest in homeschooling, my hope is that this information will encourage you to be even more supportive of those homeschooling families in your community.

As this will be an ever expanding topic, please feel free to comment with your experiences; as well as links to your blogs concerning your homeschooling journey.