Seis Puerqueños » pregnancy

40 weeks & 1 day. Grateful.

kelsey — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 21:04:58 +0000

It’s really easy to hit your due date and want to destroy everything/everyone around you. Especially when everyone else you know that was due the same time as you or even 2 or more weeks before you has had their babies. But luckily today despite feeling like a giant whale I am also feeling pretty grateful.

I feel really blessed for all of the following and more:
-I already have two healthy kids and am blessed to be still growing a third
-The baby inside me did not try to come out too early
-The baby inside me seems to be quite healthy and happy
-I have not been on bed rest or had any health complications
-I have actually felt better in the third trimester than either of the other two times
-Until two days ago I could still do pretty much everything I wanted (now I am just slightly limited in that I have to not move around so much because everything hurts too badly)
-Aaron works 10 minutes from home which gives me much more help/breaks because of a short commute
-My mom came and vacuumed my house, made food, watched my kids, and other various helpful activities
-My mom is coming back on the 23rd, unless the baby decides to come out sooner (ha!)
-One million of my friends have offered to help
-My midwife is the best midwife ever

It’s kind of silly to even write this post, but generally at this point in pregnancy I am so ready to hide in my closet (ok, I still want to) and cry/scream/break stuff that it is worth noting. Lately I have heard far too many stories of people with very sick children, people having a hard time getting pregnant, staying pregnant, other extreme life problems, etc. and I just can’t help but feel blessed at the situation I am in. So, I guess what I am saying is I am glad to be a giant healthy whale. Until maybe tomorrow when I go mental. I will enjoy it while it lasts.

How Pregnant Ladies Bake (a recipe)

kelsey — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 21:01:13 +0000

Because I have been cooking a lot of foods lately, I have been searching through my files to find certain recipes that I love or want to try. While searching my inbox I came across a recipe from my friend Natalie which she made for me probably almost three years ago? Maybe just two. But my brain doesn’t work. All I remember is that it was ultimately delicious and that I must have begged her for the recipe. I hope she doesn’t mind me sharing it with some modifications.

Pumpkin Spice Bars

1. Turn on oven to 350, line pan with foil. Ignore part about using 11×15 pan and use 9×13 because you don’t have a bigger one. Don’t be concerned when foil doesn’t fit perfectly. Be lazy. You like to wash dishes, right?

2. Take a package of graham crackers which probably will equal two cups of crumbs and begin to smash it. Hand it to your 2-year-old to work on. Take it back and accidentally pop the bag open and spill some. Put in ziploc bag and continue smashing. Decide you are tired of this step and leave lots of big chunks.

3. Pour crackers in bowl with 7 Tbs melted butter and 1/4 cup sugar. Mix. Put into pan, and cook for 6 minutes. Or at least what you think was 6 minutes. Close enough. Ignore directions for letting it cool completely. Just cool it enough.

4. Beat 4 eggs, 1 2/3 cup sugar, 1 (15oz) can pumpkin, and 1 cup oil with your mixer. Realize halfway through adding sugar that you are out of white sugar and substitute brown sugar. Tell yourself it will still be tastalicious. Skip step of pre-combining dry ingredients, instead add them in this order while mixing: 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp cinnamon.

5. Pour mix on top of graham crust you made that is still warm but good enough. As you are about to put dessert into the oven, look over at the counter and see the flour and measuring cup from making bread earlier and realize you have entirely forgotten the 2 cups of flour. Lament loudly. Decide you should either pour the mix back into the bowl, hoping to not ruin the crust, or just mix it all together, mmm graham cracker dust and chunks. Be saved when your husband comes in and tells you he can mix the flour without dumping it back into the bowl. Let him.

6. Put overly full pan into the oven for 25-30 minutes or until it tests done like a cake (fork in the middle, people). Don’t set the timer because then you will get to check it 4 times way too early, and then almost overcook it. Let it cool completely then frost. Unless your kids have to go to bed, then hardly cool and put the following icing on it.

7. Mix 8 oz softened cream cheese with 4 Tbs softened butter and a 16oz box of powdered sugar. Unless you don’t have a box of the required size of sugar, then just guess. Tell your husband that you did it right when he asks if the frosting isn’t a little too runny. Pour on top of too warm cake. It will ooze everywhere. No big deal. Feed to family. Realize it still tastes good, although not nearly as good as when Natalie made it.

8. Take to two different sets of neighbors explaining that it is kind of a disaster but it might still taste good. Eat the leftovers for breakfast.

At least I didn’t leave the oven on and burn the house down. This time.

Having a Baby in Ecuador

kelsey — Fri, 11 May 2012 14:42:51 +0000

Is not something I’m doing. So, that was kind of a rude trick title, huh?

Probably half of you (two people) already know that we are planning on coming back to the US, but the other half of you (the other two who read this blog) might not have been informed on the subject. At any rate, although we got our visas extended until the end of September and could probably have gotten them extended again, we will instead be coming back in the middle of June.

That probably brings us to your next burning question, where? We will be flying into Seattle and spending a few weeks in the lovely Evergreen state, hoping for nice weather. Near the end of June we will be loading up the remaining belongings we own and taking them with us to the Beehive state. Aaron has just accepted a job offer there, and we will enjoy spending time with friends we haven’t seen in a while and enjoying that strange yellow ball of gas in the sky that we didn’t often see in the Seattle area. And eating Cafe Rio. I will be doing a lot of that.

Oh, why are we not staying in Ecuador to have a baby? Lots of reasons really, but mostly my own personal desire to have a baby at home with a midwife (I’m a weirdo, you already knew that though). Also there are lots of things here that are doable with two children (I have two hands, so when we walk to town to do any errand we must do, it works) that seem to me to be ridiculously difficult with three, especially if one is a newborn and two will be 4 and 3. Aaron is sad because he likes it here, and although I do like it here, I am admittedly very excited to use a washing machine, the drive-thru, have hot water at my kitchen sink, an oven, and flushing toilet paper.

So there you have it. We have a month left in Ecuador. Also, if anyone wants to take over our lease, unfurnished 4 bed/4 bath super great house at $330/month, let us know. We may even throw in an almost new fridge.

Cuatro & 1/2 Puerqueños

kelsey — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 18:28:26 +0000

3 years ago today I was delighted to announce the fact that I was pregnant. Of course no one believed it because I also had a barely 5 month old at the time. Turns out it was true. If I would have followed along the same schedule, having babies every 13 1/2 months then by now I would be ready to give birth to child #4 any day now. Luckily I am still (partially) sane and didn’t go that route. If you did, you are a champion.

Today I am however happy to announce that I am growing a third child in my belly. It is a very strong baby who thinks it is fun to take all of my energy and make me sick 23 hours a day. The remaining hour is obviously spread out in several 5 minute increments which I relish. However both previous babies made me ill and I still liked them a lot when they came out, so it seems as that won’t really be an issue in several months. In case you were wondering, this baby is set to make it’s appearance at the very end of November. Everyone in the house is very excited. Harmon says it’s a boy and a girl (twins, thanks!) and Sammy says a girl. Harmon has so far suggested the following names: Flower Weed, Lightie, and Bengee the dog. Strangely enough, none of these names are currently being considered.

Liar Liar Pants on Fire

aaron — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:29:00 +0000

So, like a week ago I said I was going to post a picture of my ugly hair and fat belly. But I lied. And I am so sure you were just sitting around waiting for it, so I am sorry to be so evil like that. Without further ado, please enjoy (and try not to laugh at) my hair that is slowly growing and my belly that is about 38 weeks and really huge.

P.S. Do you like the expression on my face that says ‘husband just take the picture before I kill you!’ I do.

Things Not to Say to People at Church (or anywhere)

aaron — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 04:10:00 +0000

Everyone at church keeps saying things like “I didn’t know you were pregnant until a couple of weeks ago!”

Thanks. No really. You just thought I was a fatty.

That’s something you keep to yourself everyone.

Me: 26 or 25 or some number of weeks fat, you choose.

aaron — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 23:33:00 +0000

Actually you don’t get to choose, I was lying. I went in for another ultrasound (performed by the exact same technician) and was told that I am measuring exactly for 12/11/09, the exact same date as 4 weeks before, or 12 days after my “scientifically calculated” due date originally assigned to me. At least she’s consistent? Oh, and she’s still at she, we got a better look this time.

Now I’m no fool, I know babies don’t come out on their due date (I also know that ultrasounds lie: Harmon did not weight 9.5 pounds one day before he came out), but I was hoping for whatever reason that this baby would have gotten fatter (the french fry and oreo diet apparently doesn’t work, or maybe I DESERVE a small baby this time?) and that I would get changed back to my original due date. I try to tell myself when she is two weeks overdue by the first count she will only be two days late and maybe it won’t be so bad, but it’s not working.

So for those of you keeping track (which is not me, I have to look it up every time), I am about 26 weeks or a week away from being 6 months by the first count, and 25ish weeks or 5 1/2 months along. This picture was taken within the last week.

Baby Due

aaron — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 02:29:00 +0000

Normally I would have waited a bit longer to put this lovely new countdown you see here, but because baby ALF is already so popular it has been requested that it go up immediately. Wish granted.

Baby ALF’s gender will be confirmed in two weeks. I hope you can wait. Hey, let’s do prizes again, because I love prizes. You have until midnight on the 14th to post your guess. The odds are pretty good, and you only lose your pride if you are wrong.