Daring Baker: September Challenge

Here is my first Daring Bakers post.  This was a super fun dessert to make because this was my first time making a sponge cake and tres leches cake!

Inma of la Galletika was our Sept. 2013 Daring Bakers’ hostess and WOW did she bring us something decadent and delicious! Pastel de Tres Leches or Three Milk Cake, creamy yet airy, super moist but not soggy.. just plain delish!

Preparation time: 1 hour and a half
Equipment required:
• You will need:
• A scale for measuring all ingredients
• Some bowls
• Stand mixer
• Strainer to sift the flour
• Egg Whisk
• Square Cake pan 9”x9” (23cmx23 cm) or 9” (23 cm) round cake pan
• Saucepan
• Pastry brush
• Pastry Spatula

Classic Three Milks Cake:

Servings: 12
 

Directions For the Sponge Cake:
Ingredients for the vanilla sponge cake
5 large eggs (separated)
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour (sifted)

1. Preheat oven to moderate 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Prepare a square 9”x9” (23cmx23 cm) pan or 9” (23 cm) round cake pan
2. Separate the egg whites from the yolks.
3. Beat the egg whites on medium speed, 3 - 5 minutes.
4. When soft peaks form slowly add the sugar in small batches.
5. Whip until stiff peaks form about 5 minutes. Set aside.


6. In a medium bowl beat egg yolks at medium-high speed for about 5 to 6 minutes, or until the egg yolks become pale colored, creamy and puffy. Stir in vanilla.



7. Pour the egg yolks over the egg whites, gently fold until just combined trying not to lose any volume from the mixture.
8. Fold in the flour little by little in the form of rain. Mix until just combined (over-beating will result in a denser, flatter cake).


9. Pour the batter into the prepared 9”x9” (23cmx23 cm) square cake pan or 9” (23 cm) round cake pan.
10. Bake in the preheated moderate oven for 25 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean
11. Let it cool
12. Once cool, split the cake in half, flip the top of the cake and place it on a base. Poke using a fork holes all over the cake to better absorb the three milk soaking liquid.

Three milks syrup
For three milks syrup
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons rum (or other flavoring)

1. In a saucepan add the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy cream and cinnamon stick, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and continue boiling for 5 minutes. Remove it and let it cool.
2. Once it is cool, add the rum or any other flavoring you are using
3. Gradually brush all the milk soaking liquid into all sides of the cake (including the cut surfaces) until all absorbed. Best to rest the cake in the fridge overnight to complete the soaking process.

Topping
Topping and filling
2 cupsof whipping cream
½ cup sugar
raspberries

1. Whip the cream, when soft peaks form add the sugar little by little, continue whipping until stiff peaks form about 2 mins.

Decoration

1. Layer some whipped cream on the bottom layer and cover with canned or fresh fruit and decorate the top layer with whipped cream and the fresh or canned fruit.

Daring Cooks: September Challenge

My first Daring Cooks Challenge!

Todd, who is The Daring Kitchen’s AWESOME webmaster and an amazing cook, is our September Daring Cooks’ host! Todd challenged us to make light and fluffy potato Gnocchi and encouraged us to flavor the lil pillows of goodness and go wild with a sauce to top them with!

I love gnocchi and have been making my own from scratch for a few years so this was a fun "challenge" for me and a great way to try a new pasta sauce!

So what exactly is gnocchi? Well, gnocchi can be a lot of things and is a name used for a thick, soft dumpling made with any variety of ingredients. The original Italian version was made from Semolina but there are tons of variations.  I particularly enjoy sweet potato gnocchi for the orange color, extra nutrients, and light sweetness.

Preparation time: About 2 hours total.
Cooking Potatoes – 1 hour
Cooling and peeling potatoes – 30 minutes
Forming Gnocchi – 15 minutes
Cooking Gnocchi – 10 minutes

Equipment required:
• Mixing Bowls
• Measuring Spoons
• Pans (Saute pan and sauce pan / stock pot)
• Knives
• Food Mill or Potato Ricer preferred ( Could also use potato masher )
• Gnocchi Board (optional)

(Sweet) Potato Gnocchi:

Servings: 4
Ingredients
1½ pounds starchy sweet potatoes or yams
Salt
½ to ¾ cup all-purpose (plain) flour, plus more as needed (I tried wheat flour and it worked great!)
1 large egg (optional but highly recommended!)

Directions:

1. Peel sweet potatoes and cut into cubes.  Place in boiling water until cooked.  Drain water and let cool.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  This pot will be to cook your gnocchi later.
3. Use a potato masher and mash the sweet potatoes.
4. On a well-floured board place the sweet potatoes and form a well in the potatoes. Put ¼ cup flour and the egg (if using) in the sweet potatoes. Gently knead the potato, adding the additional flour if needed, just until the dough comes together.  Pinch off a small piece of the dough and try cooking it in the boiling water to see if it holds together. If it does not add a little more flour and try again.
5. Roll some of the dough into a ½ inch (5 mm) thick rope, then cut the rope into ½ inch (5 mm) pieces.
6. Score each piece with a fork or gnocchi board. Push your finger into it to form a little bowl. The ridges and bowl shape are what holds the sauce to the pasta. Put the pieces onto a parchment lined baking sheet until ready to cook.  You can also let the pasta dry over night and then put in the freezer for another time.
7. Add the gnocchi to the boiling water in small batches. After they rise to the surface let them cook another 60 seconds and remove them with a slotted spoon.
8. Finish with any sauce you like.

 

 

 Brown Butter, Sage, Parmesan, and Extras Sauce:

Servings: 4

Ingredients
1 recipe potato gnocchi
6 tablespoons butter
Handful of fresh sage leaves
2 cups sliced crimini mushrooms
3 shallots
Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

1. Slice mushrooms thinly.  Finely chop the shallots.  Saute both together in a medium pan with 2 tablespoons of butter.  Cook until shallots caramelized.  Place in a bowl and set aside.
2. Place remaining butter and sage into skillet over medium heat.


3. Cook until the butter starts to brown and the sage is sizzling.
4. Toss with gnocchi, mushroom/shallot mixture, and plenty of Parmesan cheese.
5. Enjoy!

Daring Kitchen

A few weeks ago I had a wild hair to search for a family recipe online.  My mother had said that she often wondered if my family misspelled the name of a holiday sweet bread that is baked for special occassions, Potvica.  As I fumbled my way through multiple sites and blogs, I kept seeing an odd phrase about the Daring Bakers challenge so I searched Daring Bakers which lead me to The Daring Kitchen.  Basically it is group of bloggers and non-bloggers who all cook/bake the same monthly challenge recipe.  It looked like fun so I signed up for both the Daring Bakers and the Daring Cooks.  Going forward on my blog you will see some fun posts about these new recipes!  Enjoy!

Play Nice

Being a mom is a tough hard job, often with little recognition.  Even with the best support systems, being a mom is tough!  I make decisions to raise my son based on what I think is best for him and our family.  I respect other mothers who are trying to do the best for their children and their family. 

I don't know what hormone is released during pregnancy and by an infant that draws the crazies to the belly and child.  The crazies feel it is their duty and their right to tell complete strangers how to raise their child, completely unsolicited advice.  While looking in the baby section at Target, I had multiple encounters where complete strangers would congratulate me on my pregnancy and ask if I was planning to breast feed or bottle feed, to use disposable diapers or clothe diapers, and to circumcise or not.  My husband did not believe me until he witnessed a complete stranger approach me, touch my belly, and say "Congrats on your new baby.  Are you going to breast feed?  You know it's so much better for the baby..."  She said it all in one breath without even pausing for me to answer the original question before going into her personal agenda.

Random strangers are bad enough but I have been highly discouraged and disheartned by mothers being critical and imposing their beliefs on another mother.  A friend posted a link on Facebook, "The Top 10 Things Never to Say To A Working Mother" which was written in response to another post titled "The Top 10 Things Never to Say To A Stay At Home Mother".  I read both and completely agreed with both.  I was left feeling puzzled why we as mothers are so polarized on certain tops.  Puzzled even further, I wonder why mothers look down on other mothers for not fully agreeing or supporting their decision. 

Perhaps the largest of these polarizing topics is the to work or to stay at home decision.  I am amazed at how other mothers judge eachother.  Personally, I would love to be at home with my son; however, my family needs my income and I get fullfillment from my job so I work.  I have also realized that I think I am a better mom because I do work.  I charish my time with my little man.  I have a friend who has chosen to stay at home which has been a sacrife for her family.  Another friend stayed at home after her second child because her paycheck would only barely have covered childcare.  Even if she had wanted to continue working, it would not have been financially possible for her family. There are many factors that go into this decision.

The next largest polarizing topic is to breastfeed or bottle feed.  This is a highly personal choice and often has many factors.  I wanted to breastfeed and have been fortunate to be able to produce milk for my son.  I personally believe that breastmilk is best for a growing baby; however, formula has come a long way.  My family uses formula as a substitue.  When daycare runs out of milk for they day, we have supplied them with formula.  My stepmother wanted to breastfeed but was unable to.  My little sister never learned how to latch so her milk never came in, even with pumping attempts.  My cousins daughters were highly allergic to her milk and needed to be on specialized formulas.  Some families are unable to afford formula.  Some families are unable to afford a breast-pump.  Breastfeeding takes dedication and is difficult as a working mom, even with a supportive company and privacy.  Some woman just don't want to breastfeed, too.  There are many factors that go into this decision.

The next polarizing topic is to use disposable or clothe diapers.  While I make efforts to be environmentally sound, I chose disposable diapers.  We did not have the money for the initial investment, I did not want the hassle for daycare, and I believe that disposable diapers have come a long way to lessening their waste impact.  I applaud families who use clothe diapers.  I understand that clothe diapers can cost less in the long run.  There are pros and cons to both options.  There are many factors that go into this decision.

The final topic I am going to address is the to circumsize a boy or not.  Personally, I have no preference on this one.  I followed my husbands strong opinion to circumcise.  There are cultural, religious, regional, and personal reasons to and not to circumcise.  It is a highly personal choice with many factors that go into this decision.


My point is that we never fully know the deeply personal reasons behind why a mother makes decisions.  We don't know her background, her family cirmumstances, her finances, her preferences, her child, etc.  More importantly, it's now of our business.  Let's support each decision as long as a child is loved, cared for, fed, clothed, bathed, nurtured, and kept healthy.  Let's offer input only when asked.  Being a mom is tough so can't we just support eachother?

A Small Glimpse

Every now and then, I get a small glimpse into God's view.  These moments always leave me speechless and awestricken.

In the wee hours of the morning, I was nursing Vincent.  I was holding my beautiful baby boy and staring deep into his big brown eyes constantly wondering how I could love this little perfect person so much.  He was all-consuming with my attention while perfectly dependent on his momma for shelter, food, clothing, protection, and comfort.  With the soft amber glow of the dimmed light, I realized that he had always been a part of me.

As I reflected on how this new addition to our family had always been a part of me, I remembered a similar thought about Dan.  I had just gotten out of a long term relationship and was looking forward to being single.  I wanted freedom and flexibility.  I did not want to be attached to anyone.  I wanted some time to just be me.  While I had only been single for a few days, I knew God wanted me to date Dan so I surrendered to God's will and we started dating September 28, 2006.  After dating for only a few weeks, I knew I was meant to marry Dan.  I never understood when someone said, "I just knew" as in I-just-knew-that-he/she-was-meant-to-be-my-spouse because how do you "just know" something that big?  God showed me and I just knew that Dan and I would be married one day.  In those early weeks of dating, it was like Dan and I had always known each other.  I was able to and felt comfortable being my crazy, silly self.  I did not hold back any part of who I was because our relationship was so natural.  I never felt self-conscious of being my little kid self.  We were married on August 22, 2009.  It was like he was always a part of me, I just had not met him yet.

Not that dogs are children but it was similar with our dogs.  Once we bought our house in July of 2009, we got got Dolce.  My big black Great Dane girl just fit our lives.  She effortlessly adjusted to us and us to her.  We had only had her a few days but I remember thinking it was like we had always had her.  She seemed to complete our little family.  While picking up dog supplies at the county animal shelter, I went to see a Great Dane puppy I saw on the website earlier that morning.  This pretty girl puppy was a holy terror and needed a special home to teacher her how to be a good dog.  My heart melted and we started fostering Rose in January of 2010.  She was a wild one but a quick learner and in a short amount of time she was trained.  Needless to say, we failed fostering and adopted her and now I can't image our house without her.  Both dogs were always a part of our family, we just had not met them yet.

Which leads me back to Vincent.  I never thought I would be married and I was okay with being single.  I just didn't think marriage was in the cards for me but thankfully God showed me differently with Dan.  Because I never thought I would be married, I also never thought I would be a mother.  I had a doctor tell me I would not be able to conceive.  I did not particularly like children, especially the ones that could not walk and talk.  I just never felt like I had that mom-gene to be a good mother.  I did not feel like I had to have children to be a complete woman.  Thankfully, God gradually showed me differently.  My heart softened and I realized that I was meant to be a mother.  My beautiful boy was born on December 20, 2012.  Even in those first precious moments of holding him, our bond felt purely natural and complete.  When I look into his eyes, I am overwhelmed with the realization of how my own parents feel about me.  Sometimes I am brought to tears by the overwhelming, primal, powerful love I have for him.  He had always been a part of me, I just had not met him yet.

While I am sure God would have blessed the various other directions I could have chosen for my life, I have a small glimpse of how free will and predestination coincide.  I could have taken a number of different paths.  I had the free will to make those choices.   God knew who I would become and yet had perfectly planned certain people for me.  While I chose Dan and Vincent, they had always been a part of me, I just had not met them yet.

My Top 10 Mom Fails

My little guy is now 7 months and in those 7 months, I have learned a lot!  Sometimes the learning came from helpful advice, guesstimating, or by trial and error.  Below are my 10 error learning moments:

1) While on maternity leave, the UPS guy delivered a large box to our home.  Both Great Danes, the six week old baby, and I were in the house.  I was juggling keep the dogs inside, supporting and holding the baby, signing for the delivery, and getting the box inside.  Thankfully Mr. UPS helped get the box inside and we were talking about dogs.  He mentioned that he had a lab.  Then he asked, "How old?" I responded that the smaller dog was about 4 years old and the larger one was a rescue but we think she is 3 years old.  He chuckled and said, "I actually meant the baby.  How old is your little boy?"  Oops!  In my defense, we were just talking about dogs! 

2) It has been 7 months but I still will fall asleep while nursing and staying exposed and/or losing the breast pad.  I really do not care about the exposure part but it can be darn tricky finding that white pad in the middle of the night while trying to put myself back together.

3) In the middle of the night, I fell asleep while nursing and was quickly awoken by little man slipping from my grip.  He fell to the floor but thankfully was not hurt.  In fact, he did  not even wake up but it sure scared this momma!  I now keep extra pillows nearby or anchor a blanket so that it won't happen again.

4) A lack of sleep can do crazy things to a girl in the wee hours of the night like snapping the onsie over pants! 

5) One of my first times pumping at work, I got all ready and started the machine.  I was pumping like a diary cow and milk kept getting dripping on my clothes.  I was dumbfounding for a few seconds, wondering why the darn thing was malfunctioning, when I realized that I forgot to attach the bottles!

6) Dan usually gives the Vincent his baths so that they can get some special bonding time in.  To be helpful, I nakedfied the boy and brought him, facing outward, over the the bath that Dan was prepping.  Fresh air really prompts Vincy to pee so he peed on Dan.  Thankfully Dan laughed both times that this happened!

7) We have an awesome baby carrier which is perfect for shopping.  During a shopping snack time with my step-mom and little sister, I spilled nachos on the cute little guy.  I maybe also had some issues with my drink.

8) I am sure all moms have experienced this one.  I kept smelling something funny one morning at work.  It wasn't until 10:30am that I finally realized that I had baby spit-up on my shoulder!  The  smelly incident has only occurred once but often it's not until I use the restroom that I notice non-odorous spit-up which is still embarrassing!

9) Apparently, every infant boy is Vincent.  I was with a good friend when I called her son Vincent!  Thankfully, my friend is a good friend and completely understands that preggo brain just morphs into mommy brain!

10) Photos of everything and I mean everything!  Yes, I am that mom who took a picture of her son's poopy diaper so that his pediatrician knew exactly what I was talking about when I asked, "Is this normal?"  There are naked bath pictures and tons of tummy time pictures and pictures of him playing and pictures of him sleeping and pictures of him being cute and pictures of toys and pictures of his room and there are a lot of pictures!  My poor son already has a ton of blackmail pictures for his teenage years!  The oops part is that I filled the memory of my iPhone and had to delete apps in order to add more pictures and videos!

Pregnancy to 6 Week Old Must Haves

Time has flown by and there are so many things that I have loved and enjoyed along the way.  As always, I want there to be a book or a list of things to have and/or use so I am creating my own list to pass my experience forward, especially for a dear friend of mine who is 6 weeks pregnant with her first!  Keep in mind that my baby is only 6 weeks old and I live in Eugene, OR.  The lists below are only recommendations of what has worked for me and I added as many links as possible.

Websites

• Baby Center - great weekly emails on the baby and mother development during pregnancy and after.
• The Bump - great weekly emails on the baby and mother during and after pregnancy.  Also has a great name lister builder to keep ideas and an awesome check list for during pregnancy.
• EverydayFamily - great weekly emails with great sales/coupons
• Amazon - especially helpful if you are a Prime member and for a baby registry.  I did my registry on this site for the convenience of family all over the US and the easy of one location.  Amazon Mom is awesome!
• diapers.com - lots of baby items with quick delivery.  I often compare prices between this site and Amazon for the best deal.
• Zulily - discounted baby, mom, home, etc supplies.  I bought my crib/mattress set and many other items for the baby from this site at great deals!  They also have a nice rotation of maternity/nursing clothes!
• Shutterfly - great site for photo sharing (create your own site), photo printing, photo storage, and lots of photo gifts.
• Blog to document your experience - it goes quickly so document all the good, bad, and in between...with pictures!  I did weekly belly pics and the the same weekly recaps.  Blogger and WordPress offer user friendly platforms with lots of options.  I used Blogger because it is tied to my Google account.

Products

• Chicco Car Seat and extra base - easy to install, easy to get in and out of the car, easy to get baby in and out, and very safe!  The extra base is a must for a multi-car family!
• Carseat  Canopy - attaches to the car seat handle and protects the baby from the rain, too much sun, and other crazy weather.  It also creates a dark tent if the baby is sleeping while out and about.  Also, I love how this helps to keep the baby warm on really chilly days.  There is regularly a coupon code to get these for free, just pay shipping so Google it to find a current code.
• Baby Jogger City Mini - easy to fold up, super compact, great steering, and awesome!  Get a stroller that you love!
• Baby Carrier - great for keeping baby close while have both arms!  My carrier is designed for 7 pounds and up and no need for an infant insert.  The baby can be on the front facing both ways or on the back.  The carrier is great while running errands, do things around the house, on walks, etc.  Get one that is easy to adjust for both parents!
• Petunia Pickle Bottom City Carryall - I no longer carry a purse, just the diaper bag with my wristlet clutch.  I strongly recommend that you touch, open, and physically inspect diaper bags to find the one you love!  PPB offers great designs and beautiful fabrics.  I choose the City Carryall because I can use it messenger style and over the shoulder.  It stands on its own but does not have a flap to open like most bags.  My cousin highly recommends the Boxy Backpack, too.
• JJ Cole Diaper Clutch/Pouch - a must for quick outings!  This holds diapers, wipes, and hand sanitizer.  A chancing pad is included.
• Diaper Genie - We have a two story home with the bedrooms upstairs.  The Diaper Genie is great and easy to use at night in the baby's room.  We go through more diapers downstairs during the day so those go straight in trash which is emptied more regularly (multiple times throughout a week) than the diaper genie (once a week).
• Pack N Play with napper/changer - a must for travelers!  We use it downstairs as a changing station and napper at this point.  We are downstairs the majority of the time.  The baby's room has everything needed when we are upstairs.  Also, this would be great as a bassinet to save money.
• good nursing bras and sleeper bra - Good nursing bras offer the must needed support during the last few months of pregnancy and are essential for nursing.  The sleeper is comfy and needed for the nursing pads to prevent waking in puddles of milk.  I have not had problems lactating and sometimes feel like a Dairy Queen so the pads are a must!  I got mine from a Motherhood store.  Another tip, sign up for Motherhood's reward program for extra savings and coupons!
• Medela Pump - I use the Pump In Style which is a dual electric pump.  It is easy to use, easy to clean, quiet, and comfortable.  I also have a manual Medela pump for when I am on the go.
• LilyPadz - I use cotton disposable pads most of the time but as my milk production has started to regulate, these silicon pads suction on for a great fit and no leakage.  I love these!
• Lanolin - best thing ever! A friend told me to use it immediately when the baby was born and I am so glad I took her advice!  I used it at least every night for the first three weeks and as needed now.  My nipples got sore and tender but never cracked or bled! Use it!
• Medela Tender Care Hydrogel Pads - these were a lifesaver in the first two weeks of beast feeding.  These pads and lanolin helped my pore nipples adjust to being a new nursing mom.  These are incredible soothing and cooling!
• nursing cover - great option while nursing in public modestly.  I can't control when my little guy is hungry so I love how this cover helps me feed him while staying covered!  I have actually needed to use this while at church and felt comfortable knowing that I was not flashing the Priest and other parishioners!  There is regularly a coupon code to get these for free, just pay shipping so Google it to find a current code.
• Boppy - get a great nursing pillow!  I love the Boppy pillow for nursing and suggest multiple covers so that you can replace one while another cover is getting washed.  The Boppy also is great for the baby's development by using it for cradling, tummy time, and playtime.
• Bassinet - I swore I did not need a bassinet and would not let the baby sleep in our bed; however, my friend gave us her bassinet and it has been a life saver!  The bassinet is right next to my side of the bed so I can easily get the the little guy to feed in the middle of the night.  If you are trying to save money, you can also use a Pack N Play.
• Glider and ottoman - I don't mind the billion crunches while swaying, rocking, or bouncing my baby but the glider ottoman duo is a lifesaver in the middle of the night when I am super sleepy.  My little guy likes to sleep on my chest while I am in the sitting position so I have slept in the glider with my feet up to sooth him through tough nights.
• bookcase/storage cubes - great storage options as a bookshelf and drawers!
• dimmer switch - put one in the baby's room, trust me!  I adjust the brightness to half right before going to bed so that when I change diapers during the night I don't blind myself or startle the baby which prevents a crying fit!  Here are directions.
• Wall vinyl to decorate nursery - a quick, easy way to decorate the baby's room without painting.  Also, these are easy to remove.
• Lots of blankets - all sizes, all types!  We go through at least 2-3 blankets a week because they get peed on or dirtied in other ways.  I use a heavier blanket when going out than in the house.  I also have blankets that are  lighter so we are ready for spring/summer.  These are great for keeping warm, nursing on the go, floor mats, and so much more.
• Clothe diapers, burp clothes, and receiving blankets - you cannot have too many of any of these!  I use clothe diapers for burp clothes and cleaning a messy eater while nursing.  Burp clothes are great for on the go.  These burp bids are my favorite because they are bigger than most burp clothes.  Receiving blankets are great while nursing (staying modest and keeping clean while nursing) and swaddling!
• Baby bathtub with newborn insert - super helpful for a squirmy newborn.  The tub can be used on a counter.  The insert helps support the newborn which is super helpful!  Another tip, you can never have too many baby wash clothes!
• Nail clippers where baby sleeps - keep multiple in the common places the baby sleeps!  I have one set by the couch and one in the baby's room.  It is so much easier to trim nails while the baby is sleeping; otherwise, it is almost impossible to trim nails, without cuts, while there are flailing hands that jerk away!
• Camera - be comfortable with your camera and use it to document your pregnancy and the new family addition!  Any camera will do as long as you use it.  I primarily used my iPhone.  Make sure that you upload/share your pictures.  Also, get in front of the camera so that you are included in pictures, too!

Other Resources

• Your Doctor - I firmly believe that you should LOVE your doctor.  An open, honest, two way communication relationship with trust is essential!  Never be afraid, ashamed, embarrassed, scared, or silly asking any question!  Find a new doctor by asking friends, family, your other health care providers, etc for referrals.  Same goes for the baby's doctor.
• Your Pregnancy Week By Week (book) - great book on the mom's progress through pregnancy and the baby's development.  There are also great exercises throughout the pregnancy.
• Happiest Baby On The Block (DVD) - great tips on helping calm a crying baby!
• Morning Sickness remedy - ASK YOUR DOCTOR FIRST!  Mine told me to take half a Unison tablet and B6 at night to easy morning sickness.  I still threw up but usually only in the mornings instead of all day and it took the edge off of nausea.  This combo helped me tremendously.
• Pregnancy Yoga - Build your strength and flexibility while working on controlled and steady breathing.  I was able to go into deeper pushing positions with more ease because I did yoga throughout my pregnancy.  There are great DVDs if you cannot make a class. I used this DVD.
• App to track feeding, sleep, diapers - Small Nest is what i have been using on my iPhone.
• Insurance prenatal program - check to see what prenatal program is offered.  My work changed insurance companies during my pregnancy.  The first company only offered an online prenatal program  with similar articles/resources to the websites above.  My current insurance is awesome by offering pregnancy and parenting books, online resources, monthly emails, nurse phone calls to check in, free prenatal vitamins for 9 months, reimbursement for hospital classes, and reimbursement for a breast pump.  Look into what your insurance offers and use the program!
• hospital tours - There are two hospitals in the Eugene/Springfield area.  We toured both to make an informed decision on where to deliver the baby.  I also asked friends which hospital they used, why they choose that hospital, and their experience.  I also asked my doctor and her nurses.  Pre-registering also smoothed the admission process.
• Hospital classes - After we chose the delivery hospital, we took a birth class.  Do it!  I found it very helpful as it described the pregnancy and birth process, what labor is like, labor coping methods, labor process for vaginal and c-sect births, pain management options, possible complications and how they are handled, tools used during birth, and so much more.  I also took a lactation class that was very helpful!  I am a firm believer that it is import to be informed and taking the courses answered my questions and put me at ease!
• Local baby/children's store - I find talking to a salesperson can give extra insight that product reviews cannot.  A good local store can explain why they carry the products that they do or more importantly why they choose not to carry others.  My local store, Fletchers, was very helpful when I was researching strollers and car seats.  Plus, I always like supporting my local community!

A New Adventure

On Wednesday, December 19, at 8pm I checked into McKenzie Willamette Hospital for an induction.  My Dad (Bill), Shawna (step-mother), Madison (little sister), and Billy (brother) drove up from Medford to see me in the hospital on Wednesday night.  Billy was an awesome help with our dogs and stayed at the house.  During the night, I was given a medication that ripened my cervix so that at 7am the pitocin drip could start.  My Mom (Charlene) arrived from Talent in the morning.  My water was broken around 8am.  Contractions ensued.  I had an pain medication given through my IV to sustain me until the epidural could be inserted around 10am.  The epidural was inserted at 10:30am and I am so glad I had it!  By 11am I was dilated to a 4 but there were some problems.  My blood pressure kept dropping which made the baby's heart rate plummet.  I was immediately placed on my side and his heart rate recovered very quickly.  For the next 5 hours, there was a debate as to what was causing my blood pressure to tank and what the effects were to the baby.  With each blood pressure plummet, a slew of medical people rushed in and kicked my family out which led to them being very stressed out and ease dropping by the closed door.  The fam was kicked out 4 times.  Due to my excellent care and calming doctor, I am thankful that I never got too worried. I LOVE my nurse (nurse Hydee) and my doctor!  Hydee continued to monitor and stabilize my blood pressure.  Dr. Reilly was certain my blood pressure was the cause and that the baby was not in any distress, especially based on how quickly his heart rate recovered.  Around 3pm, the anesthesiologist came back and added a medication to stabilize my blood pressure.  The pitocin was turned back on and contractions started up again by 4pm.  Around 4:45pm-ish, I was feeling the pressure from the contractions and uncomfortable so I asked my family for privacy.  By 5:30pm I was fully dilated and ready for pushing.   All of a sudden, my hospital gown seemed clingy and choking so I pulled it off.  Dan was an amazing coach and helped count to eight for each push and encouraged me to push in threes.  He was very calm and very assuring.  There was only one point in the end when Dan got a bit too loud and into the pushing mantra.  I meant to put my hand on his mouth to quiet him because I was in mid-push and getting tired.  I accidentally slightly choked him which now gives us a funny story...oops!  I tried lots of pushing positions and found several that worked well.  I had Dan, Hydee, and Dr. Reilly in the room with me.  The atmosphere was just what I had hoped for; calm. quiet, intimate, and full love love.  We were serious when needed but also joked around a lot.  Dan surprised himself by watching the delivery.  I found it very helpful to watch the delivery progress in a mirror.  I sure did not except to watch but was amazed to watch the progress.  After a long time of hard pushing in sets of three, sometimes four or five, our baby came into the world.  Bebe Claric was born at 7:09pm, weighing 8 pounds and 7 ounces, and was 20.75 inches long.  He was perfect and placed skin to skin with me.  Dan cut the umbilical cord.  We had some family bonding time and I breastfed for the first time before family came in to meet the little guy.  I am not sure where it came from but I started calling the little guy Bubba (Bubba Boo) and it stuck.  Dan's parents came up from Roseburg to meet the baby.  Our visitor left by 11pm-ish.  I took a shower,  which felt like pure Heaven, and watched Dan give the baby his first bath with the nurse before falling asleep.  The baby allowed me to sleep for 5 full hours that night and I was extremely thankful!

First bath

On Friday, I was shocked at how sore my body was, especially my hips when attempting to walk.  We had many visitors while we were at the hospital including family members on Dan's side and good friends to both of us.  Our family is definitely loved!  We continued to toss around names for Bubba from Thursday until Saturday morning.  We narrowed the chooses down to Vincent James and Jacob Daniel.  I finished the paperwork for the birth certificate and SSN card on Saturday morning.  We named our baby boy Vincent James Claric.  By Saturday, I was feeling overstimulated and like a zoo animal.  I was tired of being in the hospital and on display which meant that it was a good time to venture out of the hospital and into the real world!  The hospital took Vincent's picture, family helped pack up the car, I learned how to do self care while my body continued to recover, Dan and I put the baby in the car seat, the car seat in the car, and drove home. We left the hospital on Saturday, December 22 by 4pm.  Driving home with our new born son felt wonderful, scary,and bizarre!  Sunday was fairly calm.  Keith (step-father) and Lilly (grandmama) came up from Talent on Monday.  Vinny had his first doctor appointment on Monday.  He weighed 8 pounds even.  We had a lovely Christmas Eve dinner with both sides of my family.  The family went back to hotels around 9pm so we were able to get to bed early.  Everyone was back over at 8am on Christmas morning.  We opened presents and had a lovely breakfast.  There were lots of hugs and loves before everyone got on the road by noon.  I quickly bolted to a nearby catholic church to attend Christmas mass.  The only mass that late was at a parish I have never been to and in Spanish.  Even though I am sure God would understand, I did not want to miss Christmas mass.  I am so thankful that Dan took Vinny and encouraged me to go.  The rest of Tuesday was calm...eerily calm.

The rest of week had a steep learning curve.  Dan was back to work on Wednesday so Vinny and I started to figure out our new life.  I struggled to learn how to care for a newborn while taking care of my recovering body on a lack of sleep.  The hardest lesson was figuring out how to eat.  I realized the hard way that eating for the first time at 2pm was not acceptable for my well-being or Vinny.  I had to allow myself to eat, even if Vinny cried.  By the end of the week I was feeling stir crazy in the house.  I did not want to venture out into the world without help.  Dan and I had a good weekend.

 
The next week, we had visitors again and I had a list of to-dos!  My good friend Leslie came up from Medford with her mom to do a photo shoot of Vinny for us.  I wanted to capture his newness and she did a great job!  Check out her blog for more details and pictures!  Shawna and Madison came up on Monday and stayed through Friday.  Shawna helped me get out into the world, taught me how to use the car seat on a shopping cart, use the stroller, and more.  I greatly appreciated the help and a chance to rest my arms.  Bubba had his second doctor appointment on Wednesday.  He weighed 8 pounds 5 ounces.  Bubba was circumcised and he was a champ!  The procedure was fascinating and Dr. Lash did a great job.  Thankfully, Bubba healed very quickly and the after care only involved putting vaseline on his diapers for a week.  On Thursday, we went over to our friends' new home to watch the Ducks play in the Fiesta Bowl.  Vinny wore his Duck outfit and cheered on the team to victory.  It was great to have Shawna and Madison help us!  After a particularly tough night, I ventured to church for the first time with Vinny.  He was awesome and slept  the entire time.

The next two week went very well.  Vinny and I started to figure out a loose routine.  I got dressed every morning, including doing my make up, so that I felt human.  I was better able to eat.  I accepted that there are times that the little guy is going to cry and that's okay.  We continued to venture out of the house on errands and lunch dates.  We had lunch with Adele on both Wednesdays and had Dan lunch on the first Friday.  Vinny had his third doctor appointment on January 16.  He weighed 9 pounds 6 ounces and grew an inch!  My little man is getting big!

I said many times throughout my pregnancy that pregnancy is hard work and not for the weak or faint of heart; however, none of that mattered when I held my perfect baby boy for the first time.  He looked at me with such sweet big eyes that were unable to focus.  I was amazed that he knew and trusted me from the very beginning.  His beautiful big eyes would wander and search while unable to focus or see more than a few inches.  He perfectly bundled into my chest and completed me in a way I did not know I needed.  His soft, delicate skin was perfect to snuggle with, touch, and smell even before his first bath.  His perfect little hands and feet were purple and wonderful.  I am perfectly in love with my little man and sometimes overwhelmed to tears.  God is good!

PS Pictures are on my Shutterfly site.