MoreCheese

Randomness

This week has just been too erratic to stick to my normal, self-imposed theme days, so here's a smattering of random stories and thoughts and a recipe that I've wanted to share with you all:

1.  Visiting our niece and nephew is not only a ton of fun, but is really educational.  I've been learning a lot of stuff I never knew about kids.  Like how their personalities are so apparent from such an early age.  Lucas, all of 6 months old, is direct and a wee bit demanding.  He is a great communicator, already proficient at clearly conveying his needs and demands, which at this age appear to be: (1) BOTTLE, NOW!  (2) DIAPER CHANGE, NOW!  and (3) MELT INTO A PUDDLE AT MY AWESOME CUTENESS, NOW! 

2.  Following up on #1 above, our niece Brooke is the most compassionate toddler I've ever seen in action.  To wit:  when the Rockstar went outside to help Brooke's daddy build a sledding snowmountain shovel the driveway last weekend, Puppykins sat at the door and cried and whined implacably.  For about 10 minutes, Brooke sat down next to him, petted his big, thick neck, and repeatedly assured him, "Its awight, Sparty.  Its okay, awight?  Your daddy's coming back, Sparty."  (She's also using nicknames to demonstrate affection.  When she's feeling cuddly, "Mommy" turns into a sing-song "Mommy Mommy" and "daddy" into "Daddy Daddy" and "Lucas" into "Lukey Dukey Lucas baby baby baby."  And Sparta into "Sparty.")

3.  That awesome recipe I couldn't wait to tell you about last week (or two weeks ago?)  Here it is:  Get a spaghetti squash.  Slice it in half, scoop out the seeds, and place it cut-side down in an oiled roasting pan.  Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.  In a bowl, mix up half a stick of melted butter (or Earth Balance soy butter, which I used and it was delicious), 2 cloves of crushed garlic, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp coriander, 1/2 tsp salt, and a shake of cayenne pepper.  When the squash is done baking, pull out the spaghetti-like strands with a fork, dump into a large bowl, and mix with your Moroccan-spiced butter.  Enjoy like mad.  Thank SmittenKitchen for the recipe. 

    

Also, check out Elizasmom's recipe for celery root and apple mash -- it sounds a lot like this recipe in terms of ease and deliciousness, and I can't wait to give it a try!

4.  I had this idea for a video posting here, but chances are I won't get it done, and even if I do, it won't be anything close to the vision I have in my head, so I'm just going to spill about it now.  The Setting:  the arch between our living room and dining room.  The dining room, in the rear, is lit up.  The living, in the forefront, is pitch dark.  The silhouette of a magnificently pregnant woman fills the archway.  Colorful strobe lights go off.  Qeue music:  Michael Jackson, "Shake Your Body Down (to the Ground)"........ and let your imagination roll.

5.  32 weeks today!!  Woohoo!!  My belly has become an all-purpose snack table/tv tray.  Perfect for resting a mug or a platter on. I'll post a picture soon.

6.  "Yo Gabba Gabba" -- the Rockstar and I got addicted to this show while visiting Brooke and Lucas last weekend.  If you have not seen this show, find out when it plays on your local Nickelodeon channel (11:30 pm in some parts, so you know there's a devoted adult audience) and sit yourself down with a good drink.  The host of the show, DJ Lance Rock, reminds me of all my geeky gay boy friends from college, in their aspiring-to-be-a-dancing-queen phase.  The show's filled with sweet messages for children, and humor for adults (ponder the name of the "pink and happy one" and the form of Muno) and regularly stars musical guests like Biz Markie, The Roots, Mates of State, and the Shins.  We actually found it on Comcast and have been watching it here at home, without any children.  I'm glad its just the two of us in the house, because the amount of "AWESOME!" and "BREAK IT DOWN!" and wildly cheerful gyrating going on is absurd.

7.  Yesterday, I felt the baby move, but the movement happened right where my stomach usually sits.  Which begs the question:  where is my stomach if the baby is there?  And answers the question: from whence does this mind-bending heartburn come?

8.  Finally, Elizasmom asked us to discuss Cheetos amongst ourselves.  Cheetos are one of those things I never buy because I have no dignity or control in the face of their power, and will devour an entire bag in minutes, Fantastic Mr. Fox-like (see that movie if you haven't yet!), not stopping until I've licked the orangey powder clean off the inside of the bag.  I haven't had a Cheeto in months, having successfully argued to myself that they aren't really food, no matter how tasty and delicious they are, and cannot contribute anything to the baby's health or development.  But oh, how I miss those Cheetos.  So while this may not qualify as "discussing," perhaps its more appropriate to call it an ode to the great Cheeto:

Orange perfection.

Salty, crunchy, food-like stuff.

Better than sex.  Word.

Feel free to contribute your own haiku, about anything. One of my favorites that I saw recently:

Haikus are poems

That are very perplexing.

Refrigerator.

9.  In case I don't get to post again before hand, Merry Christmas to all!!!  I hope your holidays are merry and bright, filled with lots of good food and company, and that your travels are smooth and safe.  Peace and love to all!

Prego and Food Obsession Update

Today marks my 30th week of pregnancy -- which means there are, most likely, 10 weeks to go. Although it could be less.  Or a little bit more.  Any way you slice it (wince - bad choice of words there), this kid is going to be here pronto!!!

Also, I just ate leftovers of something so simply delicious and yummy I already want to write another recipe post.  But it will have to wait until next week.  Don't worry, I took pictures before I gobbled it all down.  (And guaranteed, half of you will find this completely unappetizing.  But the other half of you.... oooooohhhh momma!  You are gonna LOVE this!)

Yesterday, I went to my OB for a regular checkup and all was well.  Babykins has moved into the head-down position -- woohoo!  (Although there is still plenty of time for him to move, we'll hope he stays put.)  From here on out, I'll be going in every 2 weeks for check-ups - which I'm very happy about, because I've sort of been craving more attention from my doctor and now I'm finally going to get it!!!  Ironically, I feel more confident now than I have this whole pregnancy, and less needy of a doctor's reassurance.  Its like my brain finally accepted that things are going really well, and that this pregnancy seems -- gasp -- normal, after years of abnormal effort just to get here. 

The best news is that we get to have another ultrasound next month!!!  I'm so excited to see baby boy and get a guesstimate of his size.  I'm expecting a big baby, both because his father and I are big, tall people, and also because of the healthy amount of weight I've gained thus far. 

That's another thing I've come to accept -- that my body will gain the right amount of weight for me.  The way my belly is growing and changing shape feels completely beyond my control (one might respond with a "duh" here, but its seriously mind-bending how much illusion-of-control I tend to have).  I'm just focusing on nutrition and letting nature handle this big, beautiful bump. 

Baby boy is still kicking away ninja-style, but with much more strength.  Several times now, we've felt the outline of a tiny fist moving under my skin and its given us both goosebumps and shivers.  Whenever he starts to kick with real vigor, I lift my shirt over my bump and stare, convinced I'm going to be able to see the outline of a foot any day now.  So far, no cigar, but I'll let you know as soon as that happens.  (And don't worry, I always make sure my office door is closed and that I'm facing away from the glass panel when I do this during the work day.)

I'm still enjoying being pregnant, although its getting a bit more taxing lately.  Mylanta is my best friend.  Gestational diabetes and an accompanying strict diet loom (I failed my first glucose tolerance test and am taking the second one on Friday).  But the miracle of having a little person growing in there and the anticipation of meeting him more than make up for all the aches and pains.  I can't wait to introduce y'all to each other!!!

So Not Zen

Yesterday, I wore this deep red colored maternity dress that up until now has been one of my favorite maternity wardrobe staples.  Its comfortable and pretty, which is quite a feat considering those two qualities are usually mutually exclusive when it comes to women's clothes.  And multiply that by a million when it comes to maternity wear.

The problem is, this dress really accents my belly.  And people notice.  And people, apparently, have no filter between their brains and their mouths.

So yesterday went like this:

EARLY AM, WALKING THE DOG.  ENCOUNTER SENIOR CITIZEN NEIGHBOR.

SCN:  Good morning!  Boy, you're due any day now, aren't you?!

Me:  Well, not til February... [to myself:  "Like I've told you 100 times already."]

SCN:  Good golly!

Me:  Indeed.  Good day, sir.

MID-AM, AT THE COFFEESHOP.

Cashier:  Look at you, girl!  You've really popped!  You sure you ain't got twins in there?!

Me: [Considers ruining her day by saying something like, "Well, I started with twins, but one of them died and it was very very traumatic and I'll probably never get over it and..." (break down sobbing)]

Instead, I say:  I think its this dress.  It really accents my bump.

Cashier:  Oh, sure!  Don't try to blame it on the dress, girl!

TWO SECONDS LATER, IN THE HALLWAY.

Random Moving Man:  Its gonna be soon, huh?

Me:  Three more months.

RMM:  Woah! [mutters to himself]

Me:  [Consider tripping RMM, causing him to break whatever he is carrying and hopefully force him to cover the expense of the broken item, or at least have a lot of explaining to do to his boss.  Instead, duck into office and park gigantic self behind desk.  Am amazed that desk and chair have not collapsed under my awesome girth.]

MID-AFTERNOON, SHOPPING IN COSMETICS STORE FOR CREAM FOR FAT WRINKLY FATTY FAT FACE.  FAT.

Cashier:  So, when are you due?

Me:  February. 

My Inner Voice:  HAVEN'T YOU LEARNED ANYTHING?  LIE!!!!  TELL THEM DECEMBER!!! MAYBE SHE'LL GIVE YOU A FREE CLINIQUE BAG, EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVEN'T MADE THE MINIMUM PURCHASE!!!!

Loitering, Useless Saleswoman Hanging Out At Register:  February!  Whoa!  Is this your first?

Me:  Yes.

LUSHOAR (yes, that is pronounced the way it looks): WOW.  When I was pregnant with my first, I didn't show until I was about 6 months along!  With my second I showed a little more.

My Inner Voice:  Wow - you are SO MUCH better than me!! ....So I guess you just never lost the weight, huh?    .... You know, you'd be really pretty if you weren't so RUDE. ....Hey, what happened to your face?  Did the surgery go bad?

Me:  Well, we all show in different ways.  Put that on my Visa, please.

***

Seriously, people.  I am so not zen about this.  What is it about a pregnant woman that makes people feel they have license to comment about your weight and shape and ask how much you weigh????  (YES, another neighbor -- a middle-aged man -- actually asked me that!!!)  I'm just starting to get used to perfect strangers asking me if I'm planning on breastfeeding (I'm tempted to whip out a boob and say, "You mean, with this?"), but the weight comments are really grating on my nerves.

When I see another pregnant woman, you know what I say?  I say, "Honey, you look beautiful!"  And I mean it.  And I stop there.

Sigh.  Deep breath.  Bells of mindfulness.  Yadiyadiyadah.