Day 49: Happy Seven Weeks!

 Popcorn is 7 weeks old!
My little snuggle bug has been here nearly two months!  She is quite the little roller now and has to be watched carefully.  It gives the big kids something to do.  She is really a joy!  I don't want to wax on poetically about how much my Snugs (that's what I call her because she is such a snuggly little baby) but she really is a sweet baby.  She goes to sleep around 12 or 1 am and doesn't wake up until 7 am. That's right; 6-7 hours every single night! The best thing about this is that the school kids leave at 6:20, but Side Salad doesn't get up until 8ish so it's our special time for her to cuddle and nurse uninterrupted.

Already a fashionista!

Popcorn is starting to fit in Side Salad's old dipes which is a plus. I do have a few girly dipes on the way for her-an AIO and 2 fitteds. I'll post pics when they get here.  I'll post a stash pic then, too.  Here's a preview-her in a little Thirstie's warm stripe cover that matched her outfit perfectly.  I'm serious. This little outfit had yellow bloomers but the diaper cover looked even better so I ditched it.  I think it's much cuter this way-don't you agree?


We live a pretty chill life.  She's usually hanging out in the ring sling. It gives her a primo view of the world and my arms a break. I don't know how I raised kids with out it. We've been trying to get out a bit, going to the zoo and parks a lot.  P has heinous cradle cap-all the way down to her eyebrows-and sunshine seems to help it quite a bit.   Today we went to a local park and discovered that it had a splash pad!  Win!  I know where we'll be in the mornings this summer. I say mornings because the heat index 'round these parts gets over a hundred. My summer plan is park or zoo in the mornings, library in the afternoon (books and free a/c),  stove-free dinners in the evenings. I actually found a fantastic new recipe involving rotisserie chicken and yummy tomatoes at Publix this past week. We'll be eating it tomorrow for dinner.  I'll post it below!

Tomato Chicken Stack Salad from Publix

Ingredients
12–15 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, coarsely chopped
1 small shallot, finely chopped
4 large red and yellow (or heirloom) tomatoes
1 Deli chilled rotisserie chicken (plain or flavored)
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive (or avocado) oil
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup crumbled feta, goat, or blue cheese 

Prep

• Slice basil; chop parsley and shallot.
• Cut tomatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
• Remove meat of chicken from bones and chop coarsely (2 cups).

Steps

1. Prepare dressing by whisking vinegar, oil, Italian seasoning, pepper, parsley, and shallots until well blended.
2. Arrange salad on serving plates, alternating tomato slices, chicken, basil strips, and crumbled cheese. Drizzle with dressing and serve.

CALORIES (per 1/4 recipe) 400kcal; FAT 32g; CHOL 110mg; SODIUM 380mg; CARB 11g; FIBER 2g; PROTEIN 23g; VIT A 20%; VIT C 60%; CALC 10%; IRON 10%

What's your favorite no-cook recipe?

The Easy Part

This evening I stumbled upon the blog made by James Camden Sikes’ parents. In case you didn’t know (‘cause I didn’t), this little boy passed away at 8 months old from a type of brain cancer called a rhabdoid tumor. I don’t know much about it but I know that his parents are devastated.  They were just regular people, a little younger than me, who had their first child and loved him so much. I know he was a regular baby, albeit extraordinarily adorable, who had cancer. He was a busy baby, a wiggly little guy with crazy hair.

And he lived for a little over 37 weeks.  He lived longer in his mama’s womb than he did in this world. 

And then I thought about a friend of mine, the girlfriend of my ex-boyfriend from high school.  I know it sounds weird but we broke up nearly 10 years ago. He was my first love and our families are close so it’s fine.  Anywho, last year, they had a baby, a beautiful little girl who was perfect in every way. Tragically, she developed without kidneys.  They chose to carry her to term [I think I would have done the same].

She lived about an hour and passed while lying in her mama’s arms. One hour, compared to 9 months. 
**SN: they are pregnant again and she is due 3 weeks before I am**

I was thinking about numbers and statistics that state that 20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage, how I have friends who have had multiple miscarriages or struggled with getting pregnant.

On my end, I have been exceptionally blessed. I have had 4 full term babies with no major health issues (outside of the Squirrel’s eczema and allergies).  I have another healthy, kicky kids in my belly now. I’ve never miscarried. I have never experienced fertility issues [probably because I’ve never gotten pregnant on purpose. I’ve never had a still born or a baby who died or a child with a birth defect.

But over my 11 years of parenting-no, make that 39 years because 11+9+6+3-my babies have gotten sick, gotten hurt, had tonsils removed, had ear tubes put in, one had an arm in a cast for an injured growth plate, another spent 3 days in the hospital for reactive airway disorder. Things I couldn’t prevent from happening. Things I couldn’t protect them from.  Then you consider the non-physical stuff like being picked on or left out by other kids, having their feelings hurt-more things I can’ t protect them from.

The whole time they are in my womb, they are warm and comfortable and always full. And then they are born. And they get hungry and they get cold and they have wet diapers.  Stuff I can fix but that makes them cry.

I was thinking about how being pregnant is the easy part.

Pregnancy is hard on mommies, no doubt. It’s hard on me but it’s so easy for my babies. I think that’s why I love being pregnant so much.  When I am pregnant, I am the best mother possible for my children. I provide everything.  When I give birth, I am so happy to see my baby but I am so sad for them because I know that it can never be as perfect as it was before they were born. I remember when the Astronaut was born, hearing him cry and thinking how many tears he’d shed in his lifetime. 

So now I’m online with my spotty internet reading about babies who are very sick or who died. Parents who didn’t get to struggle with separation anxiety or potty training or girl cliques or bullying or insolent tweens.  My heart hurts for them and for my four perfect babies who have to suffer through this tough world.

I think I’m having a pregnancy moment because I am totally crying while I’m writing this.  *sigh* Hormones.

I hope the hubby brings me some cheese fries.