MoreCheese

Letter No. 5: A Milestone

Dear Baby,

Today marks the 24th week of this pregnancy, and a major milestone:  viability!!!  If born today, you would make it on your own (although it would be difficult and uncomfortable, so just hang out where you are for another 15 or 16 weeks).  It feels like we've earned a badge of honor.  We've made it up this side of the mountain, and from here on out, you will grow stronger and chubbier and more vigorous by the day.

This past weekend, we visited our family to celebrate the christening of our nephew (your cousin), Lucas.  You and Lucas are only 8 months apart in age, and I know you're going to get along so well and grow up playing and exploring together.  As I was holding Lucas and feeding him his bottle, I could feel you in the womb, mimicking his kicks and movements.  I asked Lucas to take good care of you and teach you everything he knows.  I know he will.  

After we got back home, I went to the doctor for a little check-up.  They strapped a couple monitors to my belly so we could listen to your heartbeat and your movements.  A little machine printed out zig-zag lines on graph paper that showed you moving almost constantly.  (Were you showing off?)  When the doctor checked your chart, she raised her eyebrows in surprise because you are moving like someone who's several weeks older than you are.  I have to admit to swelling a little bit with pride and happiness. 

Oh, Baby.  I am constantly overwhelmed by the immensity of this feeling:  we are so blessed.  You are active and healthy and you have little cousins waiting to greet you upon your arrival.  I can't express the fullness of my gratitude.

Happy 24-Week Milestone, Baby Boy! 

See you soon. 

Love,

Your Mama

Tuesday's Table: Grilled Mediterranean Pork Chops (Maiale ai Ferri)

I mentioned a while ago that the Rockstar and I have gone Full Meat, now that we've found a local source of poultry, pork and beef that's grass-fed, raised and prepared in a safe and ethical manner.

Since then, one of our favorite dinners in the world are these absolutely sublime pork chops, which marinate dressed with our favorite herbs in a puddle of olive oil, and are then grilled (or pan-fried) to crispy, succulent perfection.  They were great over the summer, but you could easily harmonize the rosemary, sage and fennel seeds in the herb mix with any number of fall or winter side dishes:  think roasted potatoes, kale, baked yams, butternut squash soup or ravioli, or even some Thanksgiving stuffing.

          

(These are actually wild boar chops - we got curious at the butcher.  

I much prefer the pork for this particular recipe.)

This recipe comes from a tiny jewel of a cookbook that I bought over 10 years ago:  The Best of the Mediterranean, with recipes by Sandra Gluck.  Every recipe I've tried has been amazing (we regularly make our hommos, Soup Au Pistou, and baba ghannouj according to this book's instructions), and the photography to accompany each page will make your mouth water.  Apparently there was a series of these published by Collins Publishers (the best of China, France, India, Thailand, etc.)  I wish I'd bought the whole series.

Please, promise me -- make these pork chops at least once this fall.  You'll love them -- I promise.

Maiale Ai Ferri (grilled marinated porkchops)

Serves 4, or two hungry people

Four 6-oz pork loin chops (on the bone), about 3/4-inch thick

1.5 tsps dried sage, crumbled

1.5 tsps dried rosemary, crumbled

1.5 tsps coarse salt

1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed

1/2 tsp sugar

1 bay leaf, crumbled (I use 2 leaves)

1/3 cup olive oil

**These are best if prepared in the morning, or the night before, so they have time to marinate.  However, I"ve made them several times with only 20 minutes to marinate, and they are still delicious.

1.  In a small bowl, combine the sage, rosemary, salt, fennel, sugar and bay leaf.  Mix well.  (I use a pestle to really grind up the fennel seeds and rosemary first.)

2.  Rub the her mixture into both sides of each chop, and place the chops in a shallow pan or baking dish large enough to hold them in a single layer.

3.  Pour the olive oil over the chops.  Cover and refrigerate for several hours, or overnight.

4.  Preheat the broiler, with the pan 4 inches from the heat.  Broil the chops 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until browned and crisp.  (I fry the chops in a large pan, draining off the excess oil before putting the meat in the pan.  The same cooking time applies, but be sure to increase the cooking time if your chops are very thick.)

Another Prego Update

Thank you to Dina for asking me what is going on with the baby now, and giving me an excuse to share a bunch of pregnancy stuff with y'all!!!

At just past 23 weeks, I'm starting my sixth month of pregnancy.  We have less than four months to go!!  (A shiver of panic just ran down my spine!)

According to my information sources, the baby is probably a little over 11 inches long and should weigh about a pound -- he's about the length of a ruler and the weight of a large mango.  His inner ear is fully developed, which gives him a sense of balance, so he might be able to tell whether he's upside down or right side up, and he can sense my movements, like if I'm dancing (which I like to do just to crack up the Rockstar.  A pregnant lady dancing is a very funny sight).  He can hear loud noises and my voice very well. 

I feel him moving all day long -- from little flutter kicks, like a tiny Michael Phelps swimming across my abdomen, to punches so strong that I SAW my belly move for the first time this week!!!  I can tell when he's asleep and when he's awake.  Sometimes he's up early, doing baby aerobics and calling for breakfast before I'm ready to get out of bed (he likes fruit smoothies made with whole yogurt and wheat germ.)  Other days, he's quiet until I'm halfway to the office, when he'll suddenly announce himself with the universal antenatal sign for "Hello!":  a strong kick to your mother's bladder.  

I'm really, really large.  My normally thick, sturdy ankle bones have receded into the soft pillows of my new cankles (which I have developed despite the fact that two-thirds of my body is covered in compression hose!)  My wedding ring is getting snug.  I'm starting to get heartburn on a regular basis, as the top of my womb is now about 2 inches above my belly button and things are getting a bit crowded internally.  My oh-so-glamorous maternity pants used to hug the bottom of my belly, but they have given up this heavy task.  Now, they just roll under the belly, constantly threatening to expose some extra-wide, plumber-like crack.  I think I'm going to have to switch to the pants that you pull alllllllll the way over the belly, right up to your arm pits, like the kind circus clowns wear.  I'm just thankful I'm having this baby in the winter, what with all the extra layers of spandex on my body.

But I love it!!!  I love all of it, every single second.  I'm so grateful to be having this experience with my son.

Thank you for asking.