Merry Christmas!

I was way behind this year on my shopping. Usually I am totally done before Thanksgiving. We are done now though, everything is wrapped up and ready for Christmas. This year I am so excited because both of the girls are a little older and can enjoy the magic of Christmas. I already got my Christmas gift, little Nathan. Who could ask for anything more than that? He is a Wonderful baby and my family feels so complete now that we have him! 

I hope you all have a Safe and Merry Christmas!

Family Update

Gabrielle:

On December 24th Gabby will be 3 Years 9 Months Old. She currently is 40 Inches tall and weighs 38 Pounds. She is in the 75% for both. Her name is appropriate for her because she loves to Gab. She talks pretty much constantly. She loves to play Legos with Daddy, play outside, watch movies and play with her best friends Natalee, Paighton and Avalynn. Her favorite food is Steak, baked potatoes, slim jims, fruit and chocolate milk.

Avalynn: 

She turned 2 1/2 on December 1st. She currently weighs 29 pounds and is 36 inches. 50% for weight and 75% for Height.  Avalynn is very loving and is a cuddler. She also can be very stubborn and is always getting into things or climbing on something! She is a handful but we wouldn't want her any other way!  She loves to make daddy get on the floor so she can climb on him like a jungle gym. She Loves our dog Kito very much and sometimes she will go lay with him in his bed under his blanket and just cuddle him. Her favorite things to play with are Legos, her toy computers, Her magna doodle and her dress up clothes. She has just started potty training and is doing really well. In the past 5 days she has only had one accident. Her favorite foods are Oranges, cereal, breakfast sausage, slim jims, fruit snacks and chocolate milk.

Nathan: 

He is 12 days old. His Jaundice is a  better! His coloring looks great now. He has been sleeping better at night. He now sleeps 2 1/2 to 3 hours at a time. Nursing him has been very easy. I have not had any problems with him latching on or anything. He is growing and seems to be putting on weight really well. Very soon he will be wearing 3-6 months already. A few outfits I have put on him will only be worn once because they were so snug when I put them on. :( He is a good baby. He likes to be held. I brought our portable swing home from my mom's house today and he seems to like that a lot.

Kevin:

He will be starting a new job on January 2nd. It is in the same place he works now but a new department. He will also be going from Days to evenings. We don't really like that but hopefully he can get back on days sometime in the future. 

Kelly:

I am doing great and recovered really fast from this delivery. Already back into my regular clothes and back to my pre-pregnancy weight! It's nice to be able to see my feet again! Looking forward to Christmas with the girls this year! They are excited and so am I! I've been baking cookies and trying to stay warm!

Nathan's first week

Nathan was born at 10:57 P.M. on Friday December 3rd. My Mom and Dad, Shelly and my cousin Bobbie Jo were all in the delivery room when he was born. They all stayed until close to midnight when the Nurses took Nathan to the Nursery to get his bath and blood work, vitals, ect. My nurse helped me to the bathroom to clean up and then she pushed me in the wheel chair to look at Nathan in the Nursery. There was another baby in there next to him and he made that baby look like a preemie! My room was right across the hall from the nursery. I got in bed and then another nurse came in to take my vitals, give me ice water and Motrin. I was all checked into my room around 12:30. I tried to fall asleep but they came every half hour to check my vitals. Nathan was brought into me at 1:30. I nursed him again and then tried to go to sleep. He woke up every hour to feed and the nurses came every half hour or so for a few hours to check our vitals again. At 5:00 A.M. someone came in and drew blood from my arm, I was so tired I am not even sure who it was! I think I did sleep an hour straight from 5:00 to 6:00. Sometime that morning I  had a flu shot. I wanted to get it to protect Nathan.

Saturday Morning Kevin got to the hospital around 9:30. My Mom had kept the girls over night so she brought them in to see him. They both were very excited and kept wanting to hold him. Then my mom took the girls to my niece Natalee's birthday party. Angela and her boyfriend Tony came to see us sometime in the evening. Kevin brought me a Sub from Wegmans for dinner. Nathan nursed about every 1 1/2-2 hours all day long. I took a short nap that afternoon and Kevin stayed at the hospital with me until about 7:00 that night. Shortly after he left I went to bed. Nathan woke about every hour. At around 11:30 the nurse came to take him to the nursery for his bath and vitals. She asked if I wanted them to keep him untill his next feeding. I was so exhausted I let them. He came back in at 2:30 and I felt so much better with getting 3 hours of sleep. The nurse came back at 3:30 and took him for bloodwork. I fell asleep and when I woke up it was 6:30. I rang for my nurse and had him brought back in so I could feed him. It was great to get some sleep that night!

On Sunday Kevin should have been off because it was his weekend off but for some reason he ended up having to work. So I was at the Hospital alone all day. The pediatrician came in and told me Nathan had Jaundice and they were going to recheck his level at 2:00. When the result came back it had gone from 8.8 to 9.5 but they said they would still let us be discharged at 8:00 P.M., They wanted to keep us as close to 48 hours as possible. My friend Amy stopped by for a quick visit in the afternoon. My mom had the girls and took them to a baby shower with her. Around 4:00 My mom brought the girls on her way home from the baby shower. My sister's Shelly & Angela and Niece Natalee also came.  Kevin got there around 5:00 and brought me a BK Veggie burger from Burger King for dinner. That tasted so much better then the hospital food! We had to just wait from then until 8:00 when we were finally discharged. My Mom kept the girls again over night. Nathan's discharge weight was 9 pounds 9 ounces.

Monday Morning we had to take Nathan to the Lab for blood work and then to a doctor appointment. It is so hard watching him get the blood work. They take a small rzer type thing that makes a small slit in his heel. Then they have to squeeze the blood out until a small tube is full.  At his appointment they told us his bilirubin level had gone up to 12.6. Also his weight had dropped down to 9 pounds 4.5 ounces. They scheduled us to come back on Wednesday to see if he looked any less yellow. If not we would need to get more blood work. That afternoon my Mom brought the girls back home. I was so happy to have them home! I had really missed them. Those 4 nights are the longest I have ever been away from either of them! They both were sick though. Had coughs, runny nose ect. My mom also had Natalee with her. Shelly went home after work and picked Zack up. She brought him over to meet his new cousin. We ordered Pudgies Pizza for dinner and all ate together.  That night Nathan woke about every hour and Avalynn woke up too. Not a fun night!

Tuesday Kevin had to work and my Mom had the day off but she had some things she needed to do and she needed to recover from having the girls so long, lol. So I was all on my own with all 3 of them. Gabby was acting really sick. She wouldn't eat or drink anything and kept saying her throat hurt. She also was sleeping on and off all day. I took her temp in the afternoon and it was 103.3 I looked in her throat and it was crimson red! I knew she had strep. I called her Ped and asked if they could get her in after 5 so Kevin could take her when he got home. They told me to call back at 4:30 to make an appointment. When I called back they got her in at 5:30. Kevin took Avalynn too and had them test her because she had some of the same symptoms as Gabby. Gabby's rapid test came back positive, Avalynn's was negative. Gabby started the antibiotic that night and was feeling much better by the morning. That night Nathan slept a little better but both of the girls ended up waking up and coming into bed with us.

Wednesday Kevin was off work. We took Nathan to his appointment at 1:20. They said by looking at him they could tell he was still Jaundiced so we would have to take him to have more blood work done. This time he slept through the blood work. His weight was back up to 9 pounds 13 ounces. They called us an hour later and told us that his level was up to 13.7 so we had to get more blood work on Friday. Avalynn slept through that night but Gabby came crawling into our bed around 4:00. Nathan was up about every 2 hours. I was really engorged though and he was just not eating enough to relieve it. I ended up getting a golf ball sized plugged milk duct under my right arm. It was so painful! I tried taking a hot shower, taking motrin, using an ice pack, rubbing the duct while he nursed and none of that was helping. So I did what almost everyone will tell you to Not do. I pumped until I was totally empty on that side. Then I fed him on that side right after. By the next day the duct was only about half the size it had been and a lot less painful.

Thursday Kevin was off again. In the afternoon he took the girls shopping to get them out of the house and so that I could take a nap with Nathan. I got about an hour sleep. So hard to sleep during the day even when I am that tired. I again pumped my right side until empty because I was too full. Then I had him nurse off that side. By that evening the duct was totally unplugged!  Kevin made home made Broccoli and cheese soup, Grilled Chicken (Veggie burger for me) and baked potato for dinner. We had my parents over to eat with us. 

 Friday Kevin had to work again. When he got up to leave for work he realized that the water had frozen. So I got up and got the kids around. My mom was off work so we went over there. I took a shower and then washed and dressed Nathan. My mom kept the girls while I took him in for his blood work and doctor appointment. He again slept through the blood work! At his appointment his weight was up to 10 pounds 3 ounces! A little chunker! The Nurse practitioner was amazed at how fast he is gaining for being only breast fed! She said I must have some good rich milk. But then she asked how often I nurse him and when I told her about every 2 hours around the clock she said "Wow you must be exhausted!"  I am but he is so worth it! The best part of the appointment is that his bilirubin level came back down from 13.7 to 12.9! She said that was good and she was not worried it would go back up. He does not have to go back now until his 1 month checkup!  I went back to my Moms that afternoon and we ate lunch there. My mom put Avalynn down for her nap and then we hung out until Angela got home for College so she could see the kids. We left to come home around 3:00. That night the girls both slept through the night in their own bed! Nathan slept for 2 1/2 hours, nursed and then slept for 3 hours! It was so nice getting some sleep!

Kevin with all 3 on 12/10/10

Nathan James Kevin Boots Birth Story

Warning: may be a little graphic is some places.

Friday December 3rd I was set up for an induction because of the baby measuring Large on ultrasound. He was estimated to weigh 9 pounds 15 ounces. 

Kevin, my Mom and I all arrived at the hospital a little before 7:30. My mom had to work but she works at the hospital so she was able to come in and out all day. I got checked in and headed up to the Labor and delivery floor a little before 8:00. When I first got there I changed into a hospital gown and then the nurse went over some paper work with me. She tried to start an IV but could not get it in so she called IV therapy up and that guy was able to get it started on the first try. Around 8:45 the pitocin was started. Every half an hour the pitocin was increased. At first I did not feel anything. Then I started to feel a few contractions but they were not painful at all. Around 11:00 they had it so that I was contracting every 3 minutes but they still were not painful. They contraction strength was only about half of what it needed to be.

By 1:00 p.m. I was still only 2cm dilated and I was still barely feeling anything even though they were 2-3 minutes apart. I was starting to get really anxious and wanting to feel the pain so that things were start progressing more.

At 2:20 The doctor came in and checked me again. I was still only 3 cm. She said it was probably because the baby was too big and not moving down against the cervix. She was really pushing for a C-section all day. Pretty much every time she came into the room she brought it up in some way or another. For some reason she decided to break my water. She tried for quite a while and then was about to give up because she just couldn't get it to break. But then at the last minute it started to drizzle out slowly which she said was better because it was less likely for the cord to get in front of the head that way.

By 5:30 P.M. I was really starting to feel some pain which was good because I knew that things were probably progressing then. At 6:30 the doctor rechecked me and I was only 3-4 centimeters still. That was so depressing to me. I thought that I would have been progressing more by that time. 

Around 7:45 I decided to get an Epidural. I was really hoping to go totally (Pain) drug free but since things were not progressing I was hoping that the epidural would help me relax my pelvic muscles better and his head would come down. The anesthesiologist was something else, lol. I felt bad for the poor nurse. He was ordering her around like he owned the place. I would NOT want to have to work with him. But even though he seems like kind of a jerk he was great at doing the Epidural and it worked awesome! It was so good that I could still feel the pressure but was not in pain. I was also still able to move my legs. (When I had one before for Gabby I was totally numb from the waist down.)

At 8:45 P.M. I was 12 hours into the induction and finally to 7 CM. When the doctor told me that I knew that getting the Epidural had been the right thing to do. I was so relaxed. Actually I think through the entire labor I was the calmest person in the delivery room.

By 9:30 I was at 9cm But the baby's head was still high up at -2. This is the point where the doctor really was saying she thought it was time to just go ahead with a C-section because she didn't think the baby was going to move down. I just kept thinking to myself that she cannot start cutting into me without me consenting so either she was going to deliver the baby or else someone else in the room was going to! 

I am not sure of my nurse's name but she was awesome! She was giving me little hints here and there on what to do to get the head down. I am so happy I had her for a nurse! Everyone who has a baby should have a nurse as great as she was! She made me feel so confident that I was going to be able to do it!

At a little after 10:00 the doctor said I was at 10 with just a little tiny bit of cervix left. I told her I really felt the urge to push. She said I could go ahead and try. I started pushing and pushed for about 15 minutes but then she made me stop because the baby's heart rate was dipping down every time I pushed. She really wanted me to just get a C-section at that point. My nurse suggested I try to lay on my side again and wait and see what the baby's heart did with the contractions without me pushing. The doctor said okay and went out of the room. 

His heart never dipped down again so I started pushing again around 10:35. I think the doctor was sweating more then I was. She looked so nervous. If I had not been in labor I probably would have been laughing at the look on her face. It was almost like she had never delivered a baby before. She was so worried that the baby's head was going to come out and the shoulders would be stuck.

After pushing Hard for a little over 20 minutes Nathan James Kevin Boots made his way into the world sunny side up and one hand came out next to his head. The cord was wrapped once around his neck which is probably the real reason for the heart rate dropping.

The doctor was so relieved and I remember her saying the shoulders are not going to be stuck, Push again. I pushed and out came the other shoulder and the rest of his body. They laid him on my chest and I knew he was going to be over 9 pounds. He was so heavy! They didn't let me hold him long because the NICU nurses were there to check him out because of the Gestational diabetes and due to his heart rate dropping. He was perfect though and got a 9 on the Apgar!

After he was born the doctor was like a totally different person. She was so relieved at how easy I pushed him out. All I can think is maybe she had a birth not turn out so well before or something. 

Nathan's birth weight was 9 pounds 14 ounces and he is 21 inches long. Lots of black hair, small feet but long fingers. I was hoping one of my kids would look like me but so far he is looking more like his daddy.

He is a pro nurser already! He has a bit of Jaundice and went to the doctor yesterday. His level had gone up more but now that my milk is in really good it should start to come back down. Tomorrow he goes back to the doctor again to be checked out.


I am doing fine also and didn't even end up with a single stitch. Bet I would have had tons of them if I had ended up going with the C-section. 

38 week Prenatal appointment

Somehow I gained 4 pounds this week. Probably half of that is the fluid in my feet! My ankles are getting so fat! So up to 29 pounds gained. Still only 1CM and 50% effaced. She said she doubts I will go into labor before my induction. She also could not tell if the baby is still head down. I have a feeling he might have flipped again because I feel a lot of kicking low. I really hope not or I will have to end up with a C-section. I have an ultrasound on Wednesday to check his position and size. If everything is okay I will be induced on Friday. I really hope everything goes okay because Shelly, Kevin and My mom have already taken time off for the induction and to have someone watch the girls.

Thanksgiving 2010

First thing in the morning Kevin went out and did a little shopping at Kmart. Then when he came home we relaxed for a while. I got the girls showered and dressed and then started cooking my green bean casserole and Vegetarian "Turkey" to take over to my parents house for dinner.  We got to Moms around 3:30 and her house smelled so good! She cooked the turkey in a roaster. She made a crock pot stuffing that I had found the recipe online for her. It was the best stuffing I have ever had!! I will post the recipe at the bottom. My parents, Angela, Kevin, Gabby, Avalynn, my Aunt Corrine and I all had dinner together. Everything tasted so good. We had Turkey, gravy, vegetarian Turkey, Mashed potatoes, Squash, Stuffing, Green Bean Casserole, Olives & Pickles, Rolls, Celery with cream cheese and celery with peanut butter, A cherry chocolate cheesecake, Pumpkin pie, & Apple Pie.  We brought Kito over too. He loves going to my parents house. We had a nice relaxing evening. Shelly arrived around 6:00 for dessert and she was staying the night to go shopping with Angela, Tony & My Mom. No shopping for me. I have skipped it the past few years and shop online instead or have them pick me up some deals!

This year I am most Thankful for my family and our Health. We are so lucky to be blessed with two beautiful little girls and a new baby who will be here very soon!

For several months I have been following a journey of a little boy who has been battling brain cancer . On thanksgiving day he lost his battle. My thoughts and prayers are with his family. Rest in Peace Max.  Nunn Family Facebook page

 

Slow Cooker Stuffing

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter or margarine
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 12 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 12 cups dry bread cubes
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 1/2 cups chicken broth, or as needed
• 2 eggs, beaten

Directions

1. Melt butter or margarine in a skillet over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, mushroom, and parsley in butter, stirring frequently.
2. Spoon cooked vegetables over bread cubes in a very large mixing bowl. Season with poultry seasoning, sage, thyme, marjoram, and salt and pepper. Pour in enough broth to moisten, and mix in eggs. Transfer mixture to slow cooker, and cover.
3. Cook on High for 45 minutes, then reduce heat to Low, and cook for 4 to 8 hours

37 weeks ultrasound/Appointment

I had an ultrasound to see if the baby was still breech. Lucky for me he has turned head down! He is still measuring really big. The Ultrasound tech measured him 4 times. The first 3 times she came up with 8 pounds 13 ounces. Then the 4th time she came up with 9 pounds 14 ounces!!! But she decided to go with the first 3 times! He can be 7 Ounces different either way. I finally got to see his face clear on the ultrasound. I think he looks like me :) . For some reason the pictures they give me never come out very clear though.  I lost 3 pounds so back to a 25 pound gain for this pregnancy. My blood pressure was great! She checked to see if I have dilated and I am at 1CM and 50% effaced so a long way to go. The doctor set me up for an induction for December 3rd. She doesn't want me to get to my Due date because she is afraid he will get over 10 pounds and be too hard for me to deliver naturally. I am fine with that because I want to do all I can to avoid a C-section!! I am nervous about the induction though. I was hoping for a drug free birth like I had with Avalynn. I am hoping he will come on his own before then so I can try to have as natural a delivery as possible. I am so excited to see my baby boy! I have packed and repacked the girls an overnight bag 3 times, lol. They are going to stay with my sister Shelly when I go in for the induction. My bag is packed and ready to go also! Less then 2 weeks and I will be holding my baby boy! So excited!!!

36 week prenatal appointment

I gained 2 pounds so I am up to 28 pounds gained this pregnancy. My iron is a little low so they want me to eat as many iron rich foods as possible. My Blood pressure was great! I go back next Friday and will have a quick ultrasound right before my appointment just to check the baby's position. The doctor wants to know by 37 weeks if he is breech so they can try to manually turn him if he is still breech. If they cannot turn him I will most likely have to have a C-section unless he turns on his own before birth.

Ultrasound Update

Everything with the baby's heart looks perfectly fine! He is big for gestational age though and right now weighs at least 7 1/2 pounds. The fluid level was normal. He is breech and basically folded in half with his head and feet both up in my ribs and his butt down. I am going back on Dec. 1st to for another ultrasound to check the weight again and to see if he is still breech. Hoping he turns and will not gain very much more weight before then!

Vegetarian "Meat" Loaf

Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package cottage cheese
 3 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons water
1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
1/4 cup dry plain breadcrumbs
2 cups cornflakes cereal crushed
1 small onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
Pepper to taste


Directions
Saute Onion and garlic on stove. Combine all ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Mix well with hand mixer. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake on 350 for 45-60 minutes until firm.

35 Week Prenatal Appointment

On Monday I had a non stress test that I am getting done 2 times a week because of my Gestational diabetes. While I was there the Nurse thought that she heard something irregular with the baby's heartbeat. There was a midwife on call so she had her come listen and she heard it too. She said that she thought the machine was just picking up my heartbeat in the background or something but they would check it again at my next appointment. Well yesterday at my appointment they heard it and it was even louder. Also I am measuring even bigger then last week. She said either the amniotic fluid level is really high or the baby is really big. On Tuesday I will be seeing the Specialist to have a level 2 Ultrasound done to check the baby's heart and get a measurement of him and the amniotic fluid.

They called today and changed my appointment to Monday at noon instead.

Broccoli Alfredo Lasagna

Broccoli Alfredo Lasagna

10 ounces frozen broccoli boiled, drained well and mashed or pureed

9 Cooked Lasangna noodles

1 15 ounce container Ricotta cheese

2 cups Mozarella cheese (Divided)

Alfredo sauce (Recipe for home made sauce at bottom)

Mix mashed or pureed broccoli with Ricotta cheese and 1 cup of the Mozarella cheese. Lightly cover bottom of a casserole dish with Alfredo sauce. Lay down 3 of the Noodles spread half of the Ricotta mixture on top, spread some alfredo sauce on. Put 3 more Noodles on and repeat with the rest of the ricotta mixture and more alfredo sauce. Put last 3 noodles on and pour remaining Alfredo sauce on top, cover with remaining cup of Mozarella cheese. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

____________________________________________________________
Home Made Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients:

8 oz. cream cheese 

1 stick Butter

1/2 c. Parmesan and/or Romano cheese
2/3c. milk
1 Table spoon Garlic powder

1/2teaspoons of Chili Powder
Italian Seasoning to taste

 
Cooking Instructions:
Soften cream cheese and butter to room temp. In a bowl mix Garlic powder, Chili powder,
Italian Seasoning and Parmesan/Romano cheese together. In a pot, add cream cheese, milk
and butter over low heat. Mix pot ingredients until smooth. Mix in Bowl ingredients into
the pot. Cook over low flame for 5 minutes.

34 week prenatal appointment

I gained 1 pound back so I am back to 26 pounds gained. My blood pressure was 128/70.  The baby's heat rate was in the 150's which is good. My fundal height measured 40 cm which is 6 weeks ahead. I am scheduled for an ultrasound on November 10th to see how big the baby is. The doctor said that if the baby gets to bigger then 10 pounds I will have to have a C-section. That terrifies me because I really do not want to have to do that! I hope he will stay under 10 pounds!

33 week prenatal appointment.

My appointment today was not great. My fasting sugars have still been high even though after my meals they are fine. So they have upped my dose of meds. Now I have to take it in the morning and evening. I was really hoping that would not happen because I have been nauseous ever since I started taking them. I am afraid this will only make it worse. My fundal height was also measuring very large since just last week. This may mean the baby is large. Avalynn was over 9 pounds and she was measuring average so I am kind of scared he will be Huge! My blood pressure was slightly elevated for me 134/70. The Nurse practitioner I saw today was not too concerned about it because it is not 20 points higher then my average. She said they will just monitor it closely. I now have to go back to the doctor once a week and I have to see a doctor every time, no more midwives or Nurse practitioner because the doctors have to deal with the med dosing and stuff. I also had to go to the Labor and Delivery for a non stress test today. I will have to go 2 times a week to have that done to make sure the baby is okay. The good news was that I still have not gained any more weight so still at 25 pounds for this pregnancy.

Broccoli and Tofu Bake

I made this up myself after looking at some similar recipes online.


Ingredients
1 Package extra firm tofu cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 package frozen broccoli cooked and drained
1/2 medium onion diced
2-3 garlic cloves cut into thin slices
1 tablespoon Flour
Pepper to taste
3 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Parmesan cheese and/or Bread crumbs
Oil

In blender or magic bullet blend the Eggs, milk, sour cream, pepper, flour, cheese and about 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese.
Saute onion and garlic in oil while broccoli is boiling. Drain broccoli and pour into baking dish. Add tofu, onion and garlic and Egg mixture. Stir mixture to coat evenly.
Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes until set. Pull out of oven and sprinkle parmesan cheese and/or bread crumbs on top. Bake an additional 15 minutes.
I think it has a Quiche like taste without the crust. Very good and filling.

32 week Prenatal appointment

On Saturday October 9th I called my doctor's office because my Sugar levels were really high and I was also having problems with my right ear hurting. It felt like it always does when I get swimmers ear. One of the midwives were on call so she called me in a prescription drop. The first 3 days it helped and the pain went away. Then it started to itch really bad and felt like my ear had fluid inside. So I brought that up to the doctor today and he checked and said I have a middle ear infection. He prescribed ammoxicillian and I also have to take zrytex once a day.

My fasting sugar levels have been high but most of the one's after meals are okay. I have to take glyburide one time in the morning and hopefully that will help. My blood pressure was great at 118/60. The baby's heart rate was 139 and I have lost 1 pound since my last appointment so I am at 25 pounds gained this pregnancy. I go back in one week for my next appointment.

Low Carb Alfredo

Since I have been diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes I have to find foods to eat that are low carb. My dietitian told me about a pasta that only has 5 digestable carbs per serving. It taste great too! It does not have a strong taste like the wheat pastas do. 

Click here for the pasta's website.

Here is Kevin's Recipe for alfredo sauce.

Ingredients:
 8oz. cream cheese
1 stick butter
1/2 c. Parmesan and/or Romano cheese 
2/3c. milk
1 Table spoon Garlic powder
1/2teaspoons of Chili Powder
Italian Seasoning to taste

Cooking Instructions:
Soften cream cheese and butter to room temp. In a bowl mix Garlic powder, Chili powder,
Italian Seasoning and Parmesan/Romano cheese together. In a pot, add cream cheese, milk
and butter over low heat. Mix pot ingredients until smooth. Mix in Bowl ingredients into
the pot. Cook over low flame for 5 minutes.

Tofu stirfry

1 14 ounce can of Swanson Chicken broth
1/2 cup water (More as needed)
1 package extra firm tofu (Cut into 1 inch cubes)
3/4 cup uncooked long grain brown rice
1 20 ounce package frozen stir fry vegetables. (I used Wegmans far east kind)

Pour chicken broth and 1/2 cup water into large frying pan. Add rice and bring to boil. Lower heat to medium and cover. Cook 30-40 minutes until rice is tender adding more water as needed. Add frozen veggies and cook until thawed. Add tofu and heat through.

65 more days

 This pregnancy has been by far the hardest. I have varicose veins that are bothering me really bad. I have gestational diabetes and even though I am following the diet really well my sugars are still really high in the morning. Usually by lunch and dinner they are fine though. I have an ear infection now too so that just adds to the misery. 65 more days until my due date. I really hope it goes fast!

10 More weeks

Only 10 more weeks until my due date. Usually 10 weeks would not seem like such a long time. But when you are getting this near to the end of a pregnancy it can seem like forever! I have not been sleeping well at all. Besides having to get up to use the bathroom at least 9 times a night I just have not been able to get to sleep and stay asleep. I think pregnancy insomnia is the way for a mother's mind and body to get ready to have to wake up every 2 hours with a newborn! 

I cannot wait to hold my little baby! I really hope he has dark hair and dark eyes like mine. We are naming him Nathan after my brother who passed away and it would be really nice if he had some of the dark features like him. But all that really matters is that he is healthy! 

I am excited and also a bit nervous for his arrival. I am really hoping I can go totally drug free again like I did with Avalynn. That was such a wonderful birth experience and I hope this time it goes that smoothly.

Tomorrow I meet with the dietitian to go over the diet I need to follow for my Gestational Diabetes. She will also show me how to test my blood sugars 4 times a day.

3 Hour Glucose Results

I had my 3 hour glucose test yesterday to test for Gestational diabetes. I had to fast for 12 hours before going in at 8:00 a.m. When I got there they took my blood. Then I had to drink some glucose drink that taste like very sugary flat pepsi. After that I had to get my blood taken again in 1 hour, then at 2 hours and finally at 3 hours. My results came back today. My fasting level was elevated but the other three were fine. So they said they still have to treat it like Gestational Diabetes because of the fasting level being high. Next Wednesday I have to go meet with a dietitian to get a diet worked out and they will give me a blood sugar monitor. I will have to test my blood first thing in the morning before eating and then 1 hour after each meal. I am not looking forward to that at all. :( I don't understand why this time is high when I never even tested high for the 1 hour test with the girls.   I hope the next 10 weeks will fly by.

Then less then 5 minutes after finding out about the GD my van would not start. We had it towed and hoping it won't cost too much to fix.

Here is a picture of me from today. Very big baby bump at 29 weeks.

Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes, Spinach, & Goat Cheese

I made this for dinner last night. It was really good. Kevin and I both liked it a lot. The girls tried it but neither of them liked it. I cut the recipe in half and it still made enough for Kevin and I plus enough leftovers for another meal.

 

Here is the recipe taken from Wegman's Menu Magazine. 

Ingredients:

1   cup oven-roasted tomatoes (Mediterranean Bar), reserve 1/4 cup oil
1   tsp minced Food You Feel Good About Peeled Garlic
2   pkgs (6 oz each) Food You Feel Good About Baby Spinach
1   box (17.6 oz) Italian Classics Orecchiette (Grocery Dept), cooked per pkg directions, drained
1   log (4 oz) Vermont Butter and Cheese Company Chevre, Plain, crumbled

Directions:

1. Add reserved oil to to large skillet on MEDIUM-HIGH. Add garlic; cook, stirring, 1 min, until garlic is softened, but not browned.
    
2. Add spinach, one pkg at a time. Cook, stirring, 2-3 min until spinach is wilted. Stir in tomatoes.
    
3. Add drained pasta. Heat, stirring, 2-3 min until mixture is heated through. Sprinkle goat cheese on top.

Chef Tip(s):

• Add pasta water if you would like a moister dish.
• Add a touch of fresh cracked pepper before you serve.

Remember 9-11

Thinking of all the families who lost loved one's in the attacks on 9/11/01. Hard to believe 9 years have passed already. Here is a post from last year stating where I was on 9-11-01. Click here

Crock Pot Vegetarian 3 Bean Chili

2 14.5 oz cans of Diced Tomatoes (Drained)
1  15.5 oz Can Black Beans (Rinsed and Drained)
1 15.5 oz Can Red Kidney Beans (Rinsed and Drained)
1 15.5 oz Can Great Northern white Beans (Rinsed and Drained)
1 14.5 oz Can Whole Kernal corn (Drained)
1 10.75 oz can Tomato soup
1 Packet McCormick chili seasoning (I use Tex-Mex or Hot)


Combine the Tomato soup and chili seasoning in the crock pot. Add Diced tomatoes and stir together with soup and seasoning. Add the Beans and Corn and stir until everything is coated well. Cook on low for up to 8 hours or on high for 4 hours. Serve over cooked Elbow noodles and sprinkle grated Cheddar cheese on top.


Can also add cooked ground beef, Turkey or Venison.

27 week prenantal appointment

The baby's Heart rate was 155.  I gained 3 more pounds so up to 26 pounds so far this pregnancy. My blood pressure was 112/77 so that was really good. I go in next week to have my glucose blood test done. Baby seems to be growing good. My fundal height measured 28. Next appointment is on October 8th.

Corn Chowder and Stuffed shell recipes

Spinach and Onion stuffed Shells

1/2 box jumbo pasta shells
1 jar pasta sauce
1 15 oz container of Ricotta cheese
1 8 oz bag shredded mozerella
1/2 bag frozen spinach thawed and drained.
1 egg
1 onion diced (I sauted it in oil on the stove)

Cook Pasta until soft. Drain and rinse with cool water. While pasta is cooking mix ricotta, spinach, egg, onion and 1/3 package of Mozeralla in a bowl. Pour enough sauce into a baking dish just to cover the bottom. Spoon ricotta mixture into each shell and place into dish on top of sauce. When all shells are filled cover with remaining sauce and then cover sauce with the rest of the mozerella cheese. Bake on 375 for 1/2 hour. 


Crockpot Corn Chowder

2 cans creamed corn
2 cans whole Kernel corn (Drained)
1 can evaporated milk
1 medium onion diced
4-5 medium size potatoes cut into small cubes
Pepper to taste
(Can also add ham, cooked bacon or bacon bits)


Combine all ingredients into crockpot. Cook on High for 4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.

Watkin's Glen Hike

We went to  Watkin's Glen State Park today to walk the gorge. My twin sister Shelly and her daughter Natalee came with us. We had a great time. We got up there around 9:45 and walked until around 11:15. It was really starting to get Hot by that time. Afterward the kids played on the playground and then we went to Burger King for lunch. So much for all the calories we burned walking, lol. Here are a few pictures from the glen and a link to the rest of the pictures in my facebook album. Click here for Watkin's Glen Pictures

2010 Daugherty Family Reunion

It was held at My Aunt Corrine's property this year. She has a nice pond and lots of land. The weather was perfect! It was not too hot and the humidity was low. There was a light breeze and it was really comfortable. As the afternoon went on it got a little hotter and was good for the kids who were swimming. There was a lot of fishing going on and a lot of fish were caught and then released. The paddle boat was a hit with all the kids! I am hoping my dad will get one for his ponds! There was a pretty good turn out this year too. We were also celebrating my grandmother's 80th birthday. Her actual birthday will be in November.

Shelly's kids with my girls.

Gabby caught her first fish with some help from Taylor. She was so happy.

 Avalynn tried fishing too.

My parents with Kevin & I and our girls, Shelly's kids and my sister angela and her boyfriend Tony. Shelly & Josh had already left because it was also their 6th wedding anniversary and they went out to a movie to celebrate.

7 people on the paddle boat

Easy Broccoli & Cauliflower salad

Large crown of Broccoli

1 medium head of Cabbage

8 Ounce block of Colby Jack cheese

8 Ounce block of Monterey Jack Cheese

1 16 ounce bottle of Ranch dressing

2 teaspoons of Sugar

In Large bowl combine sugar and dressing. Cut up broccoli and cauliflower and add to the bowl. Cut cheese into small cubes and add to bowl. Stir well, chill at least 4 hours before serving.

Avalynn 2 Year Checkup

Avalynn is doing great. She did not have to get any shots today so that is always good. She weighs 26  pounds (50%) and is 34 1/2 inches tall (75%) . The doctor said she sounds like she is talking well and doing everything she should at her age.

Home made Mac & Cheese

Thanks to my Online Friend Marissa K. for this yummy recipe!  This was so much easier then the way I usually make Mac and cheese and taste just as good. I do not like mushrooms but you don't even taste them in this. Here is the recipe.

1 box of rotini tri colored pasta (I used Elbow)
1 cup of milk
1 small can of cream of mushroom soup (I used 50% less sodium kind)
1 package of shredded cheese (I used Sharp yellow cheddar)

 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Cook the pasta, drain and  pour in cassrole. Mix all ingredients together and I saved a little shredded cheese to sprinkle on top too. bake at 350-375 for 25-30 mins. 

23 week check up

Not much to report. The doctor said everything from yesterday's ultrasound looked good. They would have liked to get better profile pics but he said that they got them good enough. I am 23 weeks and have gained 23 pounds so far, yuck. The baby's heart rate was 162 today. My blood pressure was good at 124/70. No problems and I go back on Sept 10 and will see a doctor that I have not yet seen.

23 week Ultrasound

The Tech could not get all the profile and face shots last time so we had another ultrasound today. Baby has flipped and is now in a breech position which is fine because he still has 17 weeks to turn back around. I thought he was feet down because I always feel him kicking my bladder! He was also face toward my back again so it was really hard for the Ultrasound tech to get a good picture of his face but she said she did get the one's that she needed this time. I have an appointment tomorrow with one of my doctors.

 Face

Head and Spine looking down

Another Bleach pen save!

Avalynn's shirt after Kevin's work picnic. This is Ice Cream, Root beer and lots of dirt from the playground.

The shirt after I attacked it with my bleach pen. 

Thank you awesome bleach pen!

Outer Banks Vacation 2010

To view pictures from our trip http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=195517&id=1534361838&l=dcccb64af9

FRIDAY JULY 30TH
Kevin had to work from 7:00 to 3:30 so I spent the day packing up the car, finishing up laundry and cleaning the apartment. I also kept both the girls awake by taking them outside to play a lot. We also played frisbee with Kito and spent some time with him. At 3:30 I drove the van over to my parents house. My mom put some of their stuff in the van because they ran out of room. Kevin met us there at 3:45 and we left the car at their house. We pulled out of my parents driveway right around 4:00 p.m. We stopped at a Burger King in Lewistown, PA at 6:30 for dinner.Then we continued on. We did not have any traffice problems until we were on 95 and had to slow down to 30-45 miles an hour for a couple of hours. We arrived at our hotel (Super 8) in Ashland, VA at 11:00 p.m. The girls and I took a bath and we went to bed around midnight. 

 SATURDAY JULY 31ST

Kevin woke up really early and took a shower. I woke around 6:00 and the girls were up by 6:30. We ate breakfast and then let the girls play on the playground at the Hotel. My sister Stacey and her two kids were also staying there. They had left early Friday morning but ran into a lot of traffic and it took them a long time to get there. We all left the hotel at 9:00. Kevin, the girls and I stopped at the Diggers Dungeon Monster truck place at 12:30. We got some pictures and the girls liked seeing the goats. One of them was making noises and Gabby said it was talking to us. Kevin bought the girls each a monster truck toy and a t-shirt for the baby. When we left traffic was really slow. We got to Kitty Hawk at 2:00 and stopped at Quiznos for lunch. We arrived at the Village realty office at 3:45. They would not give me the check in info until 4:00 though because they said the house was not ready. Then at 4:00 they said it still was not ready and that housekeeping would be there but that they would work around us. So we arrived at the house at 4:30 because traffic was still slow. When we got there I walked inside and a cleaning woman came up to me and asked if I was staying there. I said "Yes I am" and she said "Well the house is not ready yet." so I said "Well can we just start to bring some of our stuff in?" and she said "No, not yet." so I went back out and told Kevin what she said and he called the office and they called the house keepers and told them that check in is 4:00 and they need to let us in. So they came out and told us we could go take our stuff in. They didn't finish cleaning until about 5:30. That is when Stacey arrived. My parents, Angela & Tony and Shelly & Josh and their kids all arrived around 6:00. Around 6:30 Kevin and I took our kids and Zack & Natalee down to the beach.  Stacey and her kids came down too. The girls were having a lot of fun running up to the water and then back away from the waves. The boys did not want to go in at first because there were a few Jelly fish on the beach and they were afraid of them. When we got back to the house Stacey made the kids some ravioli for dinner and we ordered subs. Everyone else had already eaten. We went to bed around 10:00

SUNDAY AUGUST 1ST

It was raining in the morning. Kevin and I took the girls and went to get some groceries, then we looked around in some of the shops. Kevin bought a kite in one of them. We went down to the beach around 12:00. The waves were really high and the wind was blowing. I was too cold to even go in but everyone else did. It was a good day for Boogie boarding on the waves. Around 2:00 we went back to the house and everyone went swimming in the pool or lounging in the hot tub. When we were done with that my mom, shelly, Stacey, Paighten and I walked a couple of miles to a food lion grocery store. We got a few things and then Josh picked us up because it had started to pour rain. When we got back we made Taco Salads for dinner. My dad, Angela and her boyfriend Tony went fishing. They only caught a few small fish and threw them all back. When it got dark we went back to the beach and the kids had fun catching some crabs. Kevin and I found 4 very tiny one's. The girls and I went to bed around 10:00.

MONDAY AUGUST 2ND

My mom, Shelly, Kevin and Gabby got up early and walked to the beach to watch the sun rise. After breakfast we all went to the Currituck Lighthouse. http://www.currituckbeachlight.com/index.php Everyone except my parents walked a lot of steps to the top. (They had done it another year) It was so hot and humid but the view from the top was worth it. There was a park there also and we walked around there for a while. We saw a green snake in a tree and some neat looking spiders. After that everyone else left to go back for lunch. Kevin and I stayed with the girls and we went to a little museum they had there. There were some stuffed animals in there such as a bear, swan and deer. Gabby kept asking me "Mommy why are they not alive?" There was also a small aquarium there that the girls enjoyed. We went back outside and saw some people crabbing. They had a bucket full and looked like they were catching quite a few of them. The girls fell asleep on the way back to the house. Kevin and I stopped at a pizza and deli place and got subs to go. After their nap we got them some lunch and then went to the beach. I was sitting on the sand and letting the waves splash around me. It was really nice until I felt a sting on my thigh. Then I felt another one and I stood up and a big jellyfish was under my leg! It stung so bad for about 10 minutes. Kevin probably thought I was a big baby because I made such a fuss about it, LOL. That hurt though! Glad it happened to me instead of one of the girls! When we got back to the house we went to the pool.

TUESDAY AUGUST 2ND

I got up at 5:20. I went upstairs and started a pot of coffee, then walked down to the beach by myself. It was still dark out. I had a flashlight and could see with that. At one point there was a bat that flew over my head! Freaked me out! I took the tripod and camera down and got some nice pictures of the sun coming up. It was so pretty and amazing how fast it comes up! My parents got down to the beach right about the time it was coming up. We went back to the house and ate breakfast. Then I laid down for about an hour before we went down to the beach at 10:00. We all built a big sandcastle together. The adults did most of the work! We built some trenches around it to keep the water out. It was fun acting like a kid again, lol. After that we went back to the house and the girls and I took a nap while Kevin went and did a little shopping. When we woke up he came and got us and we did a little more looking around the shops. We went swimming in the pool when we got back. We all had Spaghetti, garlic bread and salad for dinner that night. We had the 4 little girls eat outside at the picnic table. We washed them off in the outside shower afterward and they they went back into the pool to swim. Later that night Shelly, Josh and I watched some shows on shark attacks. Not the best shows to watch when you are vacationing on a beach, lol. We went to bed around 10:00.

WEDESDAY AUGUST 3RD

Everyone got up early to go to the beach for a family photo and to watch the sun come up. It was so cloudy that we didn't get to see it but we did get a few nice group photos. We went back to the house to eat breakfast. Then Kevin, the girls and I went to the Wright Brothers Memorial http://www.nps.gov/wrbr/index.htm  to see where the first flights took place. It was neat to see the workshops they used and read the history. It was really hot there though! Later we went to the beach and swam in the pool. Then we all went out for dinner to a place called Fat crabs. The food was pretty good but pretty pricey for what we got.  Shelly and I got the Zesty Garden burger. They were really good veggie burgers. http://www.fatcrabsobx.com/

THURSDAY AUGUST 4TH

We spent the morning at the beach and then did a little more shopping. I wanted to get an antique photo of our family done but it would have been $45.00 and I didn't want to spend that much on one photo. Later that night we grilled out for dinner and did some swimming. I washed up our laundry and started packing up some of our stuff to leave in the morning.

FRIDAY AUGUST 5TH

It was a day of packing up and driving. We got up and had breakfast. Then Kevin and I finished packing everything up into the car. We left for Hanover, MD around 10:00 but ran into some heavy traffic. We ended up getting onto 17 North and took that all the way to MD because even though we drove through some towns the traffic was flowing a lot better. We got to the Holiday Inn Express in Hanover around 6:30. The girls needed to burn off some energy so we let them swim in the pool for a while. Then we took them to our room and gave them a bath. After that we went to Denny's for dinner. It is attached to the Holiday inn. Then Kevin went to the mall for a little while and the girls and I went back to our room. They watched cartoons for a while until they found some pens and paper and then they started writing on those while I uploaded some pictures to facebook from our trip. Around 9:15 I got them to sleep. Kevin got back at abut 9:45. He was happy because he had gone to the Lego store. We all slept in a King size bed. Well, at least the girls seemed to sleep good...

SATURDAY AUGUST 6TH

Shelly and Josh were staying nearby with Josh's brother and sister in law. We met them at Golden Corral for breakfast and then went to the Arundel Mall. I bought a few outfits for the baby for next summer. Kevin and the girls got some legos at the Lego store. We left there around 1:00 and headed home. We stopped around 3:45 at a Wegman's in Wilkes-barre, PA. We noticed that there was some smoke coming from the van and we could smell something burning. We went inside to eat and then Kevin went back out to check on the van. He could tell it was transmission fluid leaking so he checked it and it was low. We had to drive to 3 stores before we found one that sold transmission fluid. It was a quart low so Kevin put some in and we continued driving. We stopped again about 30 miles outside of Binghamton, NY. It was still leaking so Kevin put in another half quart and we continued on. When we passed Binghamton we saw some Hot air balloons. They were really pretty. We finally made it home around 7:00 p.m. We do not know what is wrong with the Van yet but just happy to have made it home safely!

This is the house that we all stayed in on our trip. http://www.villagerealtyobx.com/OuterBanks

/VacationRentals/Corolla/Details/RobynsNest/


 The town that we stayed in http://www.corollaguide.com/

We had a wonderful trip. It was so nice to have all the family together like that! We are planning on all doing some sort of vacation together again in 2 years.

Small pregnancy update

I had my 20 week appointment today. The doctor said that everything from the ultrasound looked great. The baby's heart rate today was 153. The Fundal height was 20 which is what it should be. My blood pressure was great at 114/70. I have gained 19 pounds so far. My next ultrasound in August 11th and the next appointment is Augusat 12.

20 week Ultrasound

As soon as the Ultrasound Tech put the scanner on my stomach the first thing that popped into view was right between the baby's legs. I knew immediately that it was a boy! She asked "Do you want to know the sex?" and I said Yes and she said "Looks like a boy". Then I said "Yeah I thought it looked like it!" I can't believe how excited I was to hear that! I actually had tears going down my cheeks. I was not hoping for a boy or girl either way. I think It just made me so happy because every one else has said they are hoping for a boy this time. The baby weighs around 13 ounces right now. I go back for another ultrasound on August 11th because she could not get good enough face and profile shots to get certain measurements. We are going to name him Nathan James. Here are the pictures.

Make a guess on the sex of our baby!

I did this with my girls. It is fun to see what everyone guesses and who is the closest. My DD # 1 was born 1 week before my due date at 7# 14 oz 19 1/2 inches. My second DD was born 3 days before my due date at 9#2oz 20 3/4 in. Might help with your guesses to know when they were born and how much they weighed.
http://www.expectnet.com/games/BootsBaby3
My Due date is December 7th.I have an ultrasound on Wednesday next week so Only one week left to get your guess in! It will be closed to new guesses next Tuesday! If it does not take you right to our poll type in bootsbaby3 on the left hand side where it says game name. Then on the right hand side click Enter a guess.

19 weeks

Nothing much to report. I have been feeling pretty good. The baby is starting to kick a lot. We have an ultrasound next Wednesday at 11:15. We have decided to find out the sex after all. Gabby keeps telling everyone that the baby is a boy. When we ask her why she thinks it is a boy she will say "Because I already have a baby sister."  I have tried explaining that she can have more then one sister but she really wants a brother. Now that we will find out the sex we can let her know what we are having before the baby comes. Avalynn does not seem to understand at all that she is going to have a new sibling. I think she will go through some jealously. She is very jealous when Gabby is cuddling me so I think she will really be when I am nursing the baby and not giving her my full attention. 

We are going on Vacation soon. I have been busy getting ready for that and can't wait! We are going to North Carolina Outer Banks!

Here is the baby bump at 18 1/2 weeks.

The creek

Yes it is the "Creek" although some people refer to it as the "Crick". It really doesn't matter what we call it though. I have so many great childhood memories of playing in the creek. My twin sister and I used to build all kinds of bridges and Dam in the creek that was near our house when we were growing up. Then when we were early teens we used to take the kids we were babysitting to play there. They loved it too. There is so much to explore and things are never quite the same every time you go back. There may be more water, less water or sometimes even no water. You can find all kinds of fossils and neat rocks. Sometimes you see animals like deer, crayfish, minnows and birds. I love taking my girls there and I hope that they will have as many good memories of the creek as I do. Today we went and found a deep swimming spot. It is probably about 5 feet deep.

July 4, 2010

Every year my parents have a party at their pond on the 4th of July. This year it was very hot! The pond got a LOT of use! 

My mom and Aunt Cindy cooked the meat. Hotdogs and Hamburgers for everyone except Shelly and I had Veggie Burgers. Everyone brought a salad or dessert. There were so many to choose from. Everything tasted so good!

There were quite a few people. Most of them are relatives but also some of my parents friends.

When it started to cool down a little we did some fishing. There were a lot of bass caught by my sister shelly, and my sister Angela. A couple of the kids caught some too, I personally did not have any luck.

It was a great day to celebrate our Country's Birth!
God Bless the USA!