Pregnancy Weeks 19-21

Okay. NOW I'm starting to feel it! I remember my second trimester with Reese being the only comfortable one of the three; I had energy galore, the headaches let up, and my belly wasn't yet back-breaking.

This little boy (yes, BOY!) has different ideas from his sister. He's more chillaxed in his uterine home, and hopefully will be on the outside, too. And it took a little longer for him to make his little momma obviously pregnant, unlike Reese who bulged out of me as soon as the test dried. But all of the sudden, although I am in general smaller and weigh less than with Reese, my belly is HUGE and ROUND and HARD. A bowling ball of epic proportions! And oh, the heartburn. And oh, the sore ankles. And oh, the sloooooooow digestive system that renders me simultaneously famished and unable to eat without feeling like a hippo.

Also...truth be told, we were hoping for a boy. You know: one girl, one boy, done. But both of us were a little shocked when we saw that brazen little dingaling on the 3D ultrasound. Reese babbled next to me and yelled, "Bay-bay! Bay-bay!" And I realized I had really subconsciously believed she'd be a sister to a sister. And quite frankly, I'm a little freaked out that there's something with a penis growing inside of me! It makes me giggle, and then I think of him peeing all over me when I change his diaper, and the fact that he'll need to be circumcised. And that I've changed a mere TWO boy diapers in my life, both on ONE occasion. Not to mention I don't like sports. I don't like boy stuff. I don't like boy clothes. Can he be a ballerino? (Something tells me Ben will object.)

I know it will be fine.

But...eeeeeeeek!

My weight: it's been on the incline. Damn it. Between weeks 17 and 21 I gained four-ish pounds. (I say "ish" because my weight on my own scale in the morning sans clothes is different from my weight at 4 in the afternoon at the doctor's office--where I SWEAR the nurses take great pleasure in sliding that tiny metal bar just a liiiiittle to the heavy side--with a dress and a necklace and ten bracelets and earrings and sandals and hairspray.)

My cravings: ICED TEA! Lots of unsweetened Earl Grey and Tazo green tea. I make a big pitcher every day. And that delicious frozen winter squash from Cascadian Farms, over any kind of whole wheat pasta. And kale, lightly sauteed with red pepper flakes. So, nothing crazy and nothing unhealthy. Yet.

My workouts: I have been doing the PUSH phase of Chalene Extreme. That's heavy lifting 3 days a week, but I only go up to ten pounds now that I have an altered center of gravity, and right now ten pounds in each hand feels heavy. The rest of the day, I just lift a 22 pound weight called Reese. I also try to get in varied forms of cardio: long walks, short low-impact (as of this week) HIIT workouts, and some low-weight intervals. I find that even though I aim for 5 good workouts a week, I've been doing 3 days on/3 days off. I just get so tired, and even though I like to push myself, I know overdoing it would NOT be good, since not only am I carrying a child in my body, I'm carrying around a one year old outside my body.

My overall wellbeing: I just want to cry. About everything. Everyone makes me mad. I don't want to hear even their mild comments, and I'm bracing myself for the extraordinarily rude ones to come (i.g., "Looks like someone's been eating a lot of fast food lately!") Let me tell you...I'm not one to hold back, and this time, WATCH OUT. Something about it being my last pregnancy really gives me license to unleash holy terror on all the unassuming morons with their cutesy, disgusting commentary about my stomach or my choice of names or what I eat. With Reese, I feel like I tried way too hard to just be nice.

Other stuff: I don't think this child will have a name. Boy names are hard :/

Lindsey.

Night Playlist

What I'm listening to while I'm writing, revising, or wasting time reading Fifty Shades of Grey or playing Scramble with Friends.

The Antlers: Two
Deep Sea Diver: Repatriate
Lana Del Rey: Radio
Birdy: I'll Never Forget You
The Antlers: Epilogue
Real Estate: Green Aisles
The Kooks: Seaside
Vast: You Should Have Known Id Leave
Bon Iver: Beth/Rest
Metric: Twilight Galaxy
Emily Haines: Detective Daughter
Stars: Window Bird
Real Estate: Out of Tune
The Antlers: I Don't Want Love
Metric: The Gates
Lana Del Rey: Put me in a Movie
Red House Painters: Song for a Blue Guitar
Bon Iver: Michicant
Deer Tick: These Old Shoes
Neon Indian: 6669

Here's to being productive!

Lindsey.

Husband & Wife DATE IDEAS

We all, and by we I mean married people, are guilty of it. I mean, I think we all are. Maybe there are some of us who are innately skilled at keeping the romance alive despite years of matrimony, fights about bachelor parties, overworking, dirty diapers, toys all over the bedroom floor (and by toys I mean the Fischer Price variety), lack of time, lack of effort, lack of...makeup.

The rest of us, we struggle to keep our marriages hot.

We find ourselves wondering what happened. We used to have time to plan our outfits and dress sexy and wear perfect lipstick, and go out on amazing dates. Now a stolen block of five minutes feels illicit. We talk about the kids. We wonder what they're doing at the babysitter's. We hurry with our dinner. We complain about work. We drive home in panicked exhaustion that we've stayed up too late.

And on and on...

Well, List Queen that I am, I've been jotting down Date Ideas in hopes that I can use them on my husband. Last week, we left Reese with my mother in law and drove to Ann Arbor for an incredible meal at the brewery and a glass of wine (me) and Manhattan (Ben) at this fancy-pants place called Vinology. For the first time in too long, we connected. We let ourselves have fun, or at least as much fun as we could in my pregnant state. We talked. We held hands. We held hands! Hand-holding has been replaced in my vernacular with baby-holding, so the simple act of holding my husband's felt very sweet. I realized that I miss him. And I think most of us do this: we long for a family, and then we have one; instead of balancing all of our relationships, we throw all of our energy at the kids. Here's my belief: a strong marriage can only, in turn,  be beneficial for your kids. Here's my other belief: making time for JUST the two of you fortifies a strong marriage. You and your husband make time for canoodling and hand-holding and adventuring, and everybody wins.

Without further ado...

100 HUSBAND & WIFE DATE IDEAS

1. Stay at a swanky hotel, even in your area. Enjoy room service, hot tubs, and just being away from home.

2. Visit a winery (or several, but take a taxi!) for a tasting. Purchase a bottle of the one you both love best and save it for an anniversary. 

3. Take a boxing class together. (An excuse to buy some cute pink gloves!)

4. Visit a new city.

5. Try craft beers at a brewery. Most of the time, brew pubs offer excellent artisan food--bonus!

6. Take a restaurant tour: drinks here, dinner there, dessert somewhere else, and a nightcap. Works best in a walkable city.

7. See a baseball, football, basketball, or hockey game. Dress for your teams and take pictures. 

8. Go to a ballet, for an elegant evening out. 

9. Tour an art museum. A lot of them are free and have rotating exhibits.

10. Find a festival or fair and ride the rickety Scrambler together. No funnel cakes beforehand!

11. Amusement park!

12. Drive to the beach or the lake for the day...or even a local pool. 

13. Take a long bike ride.

14. Get in the car and JUST GO.

15. Go to the races. Bet against each other. 

16. Take a trip to the casino. (But spend wisely.)

17. Bust out the Mad Libs.

18. Visit the Humane Society and offer to walk the dogs. If you're looking for a pet, consider adopting one you find and fall in love with at the shelter. 

19. Attend a poetry reading. Bonus for erotic poetry!

20. Go out for late-night coffee. 

21. Meet on your lunch break for a walk in the park or a tryst in the car. Just don't get caught ;)

22. Take a home tour, or walk around your favorite neighborhood. Talk about what your "dream home" should have.

23. Start a home improvement project together. Celebrate when it's done.

24. Take photos in an unexpected environment. See what beauty you both can find when you really notice. 

25. Drive around and listen to a playlist of "your" songs.

26. Redecorate the bedroom--less clutter, more sexy!

27. Go dancing.

28. Rollerblade.

29. Hike the local terrain.

30. Pick out fresh produce at a farmers market or roadside stand, and enjoy it together.

31. Plant a garden. 

32. Rock climb.

33. Throw a dinner party. 

34. Get your favorite photo or work of art custom-framed together and create a showpiece for your home. 

35. Show each other the highlights of your hometowns, however small, if you're from different places. 

36. Pack a picnic, for the beach, park, or backyard. 

37. Lowkey night at home: grill out and hang out around a campfire. 

38. Sidewalk chalk and bubbles. Find your inner kid. 

39. Attend an opening at an art gallery. Support local art together.

40. Go on a mission to find out the history of your house.

41. Sleep in! Eat breakfast in bed and snuggle the morning away.

42. Find a great Groupon for something you wouldn't normally do.

43. The circus.

44. Take turns planning dates. Week one, he picks. Week two, you pick. Get to know each others' interests.

45. Couples photo shoot.

46. Visit a wildlife preserve.

47. Go for a walk around your neighborhood. Hold hands.

48. Catch lightning bugs.

49. Enter a 5k, a 10k, or a marathon. Train together!

50. Visit a haunted house, real or at Halloween.

51. Tailgate at home. Watch the game, make game food, and wear your team colors. 

52. Create a scavenger hunt.

53. People-watch and make up stories. Good places: diners, sidewalk cafes, parks, and laundromats at night.

54. Test drive the car of your dreams.

55. Pool hall. Place bets.

56. Go to a dive bar and play your old favorites on a real juke box.

57. Visit the zoo.

58. Have childlike fun at the science center.

59. Throw a theme party together.

60. Go back to where you first met.

61. Try a new workout at a fitness center. 

62. Get the season DVD of a show neither has seen and spend a rainy day watching it. With popcorn and warm blankets. 

63. Cook together.

64. Build a bonfire and roast marshmallows.

65. Meet somewhere and pretend it's the first time.

66. Splurge on fancy drinks at a cocktail bar. Dress up.

67. Scour the newspaper for local events and try something you wouldn't normally be interested in. 

68. Attend a charity function for something you both believe in, or host your own. 

69. Volunteer together.

70. Try a new church, if you're exploring your religion.

71. Get a couples' massage.

72. See a local band.

73. Go to a concert.

74. Drive-in movie. "Neck" in the car ;)

75. Have an at-home movie marathon.

76. Walk at the park. Play on the playground and be silly together.

77. Get ice cream.

78. Create new cocktails. Become mini-mixologists and build up an impressive bar.

79. Play old-school board games.

80. Carve pumpkins. Hello, competition!

81. Pick apples at an orchard in the fall. 

82. Scour antique shops for amazing vintage finds.

83. Shop someplace you could never afford anything, just for fun.

84. Road trip!

85. Camping.

86. Save up change in a change jar for a special occasion. Post the occasion on the outside of the jar for motivation.

87. Do something that scares you: roller coasters, bungee jumping, scuba diving. 

88. Go fishing.

89. Take a canoe or kayak trip.

90. Create a piece of art together, even if it's just with fingerpaint.

91. Build a sundae bar. Invite some friends over on a hot day for ice cream.

92. Do something so high school, like laser tag or paintball. 

93. Make a dinner date and pick out each others' outfits. Good insight into what the other person loves on you!

94. Go horseback riding, or take a lesson if you've never been.

95. Tour a historical building or town.

96. Watch a thunderstorm from your front porch.

97. Go ice skating, and out for cocoa afterwards. 

98. Build a snowman.

99. Write short letters to each other, or collaborate on a journal entry about your life together, and seal them. Open in 20 or 30 years.

100. Get up early and watch the sunrise together, then watch later as it goes down. Toast to another lucky day together. 

Hope these ideas are interesting for those of you looking to spice things up a little! I'm lucky to have married an incredibly fun, handsome and hardworking man, and I plan to implement these dates into our life together. It's especially important now that we're parents. After all, the kids wouldn't be here if it weren't for our love for each other. I think we should pay homage to that! 

In closing, because I'm feeling cheesy (I am NOT a "romantic") and in love, here are some lovey-dovey photos of my husband and me, in moments when we were feeling crazy about each other. Here's to many more of those!

Tiramisu

The real kind! Since I really suck at baking, I thought I'd give this classic no-bake Italian dessert a spin, and I was successful. Even our friend Stefano, whose family owns Lena's, the delicious Italian restaurant in town, approved. Yesss. So, as I'm not always a fan of following one recipe (mostly because I'm prone to forgetting an ingredient or two), I used a hybrid of this very upscale-looking Olive & Vine recipe, and the simpler recipe on the mascarpone container. I think I gained three pounds in the couple of days it took us to devour this, and that was with a whole lotta restraint!

Ingredients:
3 egg yolks
3 egg whites
Granulated sugar, 1/6 & 2 tbsp., divided
12 oz mascarpone, softened
1/8 c. Marsala cooking wine
6 oz Italian roast coffee, cooled
16 ladyfingers or marguerite cookies
1 1/2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
Ground cinnamon or chocolate

-whisk 1/6 c sugar with yolks for 2 minutes, then place mixture in double boiler over saucepan of simmering water. Add Marsala. Cook until mixture is 150 degrees. Set aside to cool.
-in separate bowl, whip mascarpone with 1/6 c sugar (more if you like it sweeter) and egg whites. Mix egg white mixture and mascarpone mixture.
-in a bowl, mix coffee with remaining sugar and vinegar, and a tbsp of Marsala or rum if desired.
-dip 8 cookies into coffee until soft, and place on bottom of Pyrex pan. Spoon and smooth mascarpone over cookies and sprinkle with cinnamon or chocolate. Repeat for second layer.
-refrigerate for six hours, covered, if you can wait that long.

Mmmm...mango salsa

My husband and I are big salsa fans, and the hotter the better. I made this mango salsa with unseeded jalapeños for extra heat. I wasn't sold on the mango/tomato combination, but I used less tomato than mango (the opposite of most recipes I found) and hit a perfect balance. Also, I seeded the tomatoes before chopping them to avoid sliminess. I added avocado immediately before serving. Tropical heaven!



Mango Salsa

Ingredients:
2 mangos, peeled and cubed
4 Campari tomatoes, medium sized, seeded and chopped
1/4 c fresh cilantro
1 jalapeño, chopped, seeds out or in depending on the heat factor
1 avocado, cubed
1/8 c red onion, finely cubed
Sea salt, black pepper and garlic, to taste (most people love salsa loaded with garlic. I'm one of the few who don't, so I just sprinkled with a little minced garlic)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Juice of one lime
1 tbsp lemon juice

Mix it all together and chill. I served this with quesadillas, but I'm sure it would be just as good with tacos, fish, rice, or with good old tortilla chips. Tastes like summer!

Poor Man's Tiramisu

This tiramisu imitator is for the creative girl who runs to the store for all the swanky tiramisu ingredients, then arrives back at the house and realizes she doesn't know how to use the coffee maker and needs to wait until her husband gets home, but wants a piece of that tiramisu perfection right now. Or for impatient types. Or busy types. We all fit in those categories!

1. Steep an earl grey tea bag.

2. Dip two ladyfingers or marguerite cookies in the tea and arrange on a plate. Cookies should be soft.

3. Place a dollop of mascarpone onto the cookies, and sprinkle with cinnamon or chocolate shavings.

Easy! And, while not as incredible as the tiramisu I'm going to make later--the real kind--it works for a quick fix!

The Case of the Ugly Cupcakes

Last week, our niece Claire was born, and I thought I’d bake cupcakes for my brother-in-law and sister-in-law to enjoy while they were hospital-bound.

I found all these recipes for “perfect” cupcakes and “perfect” frosting. I drew within the lines for the most part, except that I used whole wheat flower (non-negotiable in my kitchen), and added some almond extract (because it makes everything one hundred times more delicious).

But the cupcakes turned out slightly spilled over the little cupcake cups, and some of them looked done and some of them didn’t, and the frosting…well, let’s just say it was supposed to look like a fluffed-up pastel pink dream of a cloud, and it looked like—pinkish water? Thank heavens I had sprinkles. Or, as they are called in their fancy bottle, “pink jimmies.”

They tasted yummy. But they were a little embarrassingly ugly. And part of the whole “treat” experience is that the treat is pretty.

So, I’m begging you for your healthed-up cupcake recipes. And yes, I KNOW cupcakes aren’t healthy in any form, but I mean whole wheat flower, less sugar or a natural sugar replacement, oil-less, etc. Anyone?

For the record, here’s a tip from my BFF Caitlin, who makes gorgeous cakes. When using a boxed cake, which I undoubtedly should have done in this case, omit the eggs and oil, and add a can of 7Up (it can be diet). The cake turns out perfect, minus lots of calories…so you can have two instead of one!

Lindsey.

Just a few current beauty obsessions...

My name is Lindsey, and I am a beauty product junkie.

For real. One of my yearly goals was to use up the products I own before buying anything new. Meaning that icky Vanilla Apricot from Bath & Body Works that I bought because I couldn’t resist a sale, is now being utilized by yours truly, whether I like it or not. Nothing like teaching yourself a lesson!

Anyway, this week, here are some of my favorites. Yes, they change weekly, and occasionally more often. Don’t judge.

-Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Balm. A pregnant MUST. It’s the perfect texture post-shower, and I do believe it prevented a lot of stretch marks from Reese (because, holy hell, things could’ve been a lot worse considering I gained a whopping 43 pounds).

-Victoria’s Secret So Sexy Instant Detangler. My hair is usually a tangled, teased mess. I kind of prefer it messy. But there are times I have to brush through the snarls, and this makes it possible, plus smells…sexy.

-(almost hidden) Dior DiorBronze Face Tanner. It’s expensive, and smells like a rich lady, and actually works without clogging my pores. I love it! But I use it wisely, as I am not, myself, a rich lady.

-Burt’s Bees lip balm. There is not a person on this earth who doesn’t use it, right? I slather it on before bed and under my lipstick/gloss in the morning. No chapped lips all winter! (Then again, did we even have a winter this year in Michigan? Not that I’m complaining.)

-Benefit It’s Potent! Eye cream. This brand is seriously the bee’s knees. The retro-glam packaging has made me melt since I was a mere 17. And this eye cream is totally not greasy, and not nearly as pricey as others I’ve tried.

-The Body Shop Cocoa Butter Everyday Summer Lotion. A slight tan in a bottle. I’m guilty of using self-tanners, but hey—I’m okay with the wrinkle-free route. This one smells kind of grapey, and isn’t terribly dramatic. There are others I love, too, and I will post them at some point.

-The Body Shop Camomile Eye Makeup Remover. Where’s the “h” in chamomile? I don’t know, and I don’t care, because this stuff is the ONLY eye makeup remover that works swifty and doesn’t leave smudges and is totally hydrating and doesn’t irritate my contacts. Heavenly!

-The Body Shop Moroccan Rose Body Milk. The scent. is. amazing. It’s way less greasy and thick than lotion, and perfect for summer when you’d rather not sweat it off. 

"The Charge" GIVEAWAY!

Giveaway Alert!
..........................................................


Because so many people have expressed interest in Brendon Burchard's latest book, "The Charge," I have decided to give a copy away! Recall my Yearly Challenge List post? That's when I first mentioned this phenomenal read.

I admit, I live for self-help, psych, spiritual and personal development books. I feel like this ONE book encompasses everything I've learned about creating a fulfilling, productive, exciting life--and the best part for us hands-on people is that Brendon provides reflective exercises at the end of each chapter, so you can immediately apply each of the charges to your own situation.

I have already put many of his principles into action and can feel myself changing my thoughts, and in turn changing my actions. I've always used and sworn by a to-do list, but Brendon takes that strategy to the next level! I am a working wife and mom, and have always felt I am supposed to be doing something WAY BIGGER. Within the next year, I hope to be will be doing all of those big things, and living a lush little life, the way I am meant to--the way ALL of us are meant to. I feel I can only be a great example to my kids if I am doing something I love, and making a difference somehow. This book has already helped me to change my programming, and to see that I have complete control over the outcome of my life.

I'm serious-I am so thrilled by this little book and can't wait for everyone else to get their hands on it. I have two copies and am more than happy to give the second to someone who really believes they can change their own life for the better, and can not only achieve more, but can live at the highest level of happiness and purpose.

Here's how to win this FREE book:

1. Subscribe to this blog, at left.


2. Leave a comment beneath this post with THREE big life goals you will set for yourself to achieve within the next 12 months.

I will choose a winner at random next week, and will mail you a FREE copy of "The Charge"!

You know you want it! :)

lindsey.

UPDATE: Casey, you will get your book in the mail this Friday! Let me know how you like it. And Holland, this is seriously a must-read; you'll love it :)

Pregnancy Weeks 16-18

Holy headache. I planned to post something crafty today, but I am experiencing one heck of a lingering headache annnnd forgot to pick up my Fioricet Friday when my script ran out. I swear this time that medicine is the only thing keeping me alive. With Reese, I did physical therapy/mechanical traction/chiropractic. It helped, but took months and money-money-money. Today reminds me of all the agony I endured a year ago. Well worth it in the end, as everyone says, but DANG! when you're in the middle of  it, the race seems endless. Thank God Reese was an angel today, and super-sleepy. I think she's going through a growth spurt.

What's bugging me right now is that I wanted to do a tough workout/work on revising my novel/bind a journal/write in my other journal/post a tutorial. And Reese went to bed early, giving me the perfect opportunity to do all of these things, in breezy 80 degree perfection nonetheless. But instead, I feel incredibly barfy and just need (not want, NEED) to lie down.

So, here are some belly pics. No weird cravings. No real discomfort, aside from my usually-taken-care-of headaches. No notable fatigue. I've been doing HIIT workouts with slight modifications, and strength training with heavy-ish weights (though not as heavy as I would normally do), and of course walking with the stroller along the same six streets. Baby's heartbeat is on the low end of normal and "boyish," according to the doctor. And altogether I've gained about 7 pounds (with Reese I'd gained about 15 by now--eek).

Something I'm interested in: other moms' thoughts on the occasional glass of wine/glass of beer during pregnancy. In both pregnancies, I sometimes have had a glass of red wine with dinner, and personally, I am totally comfortable with it. Here is an interesting study:

http://news.discovery.com/human/alcohol-drinking-pregnant-women.html

I recall a couple of years ago seeing a pregnant woman that I knew out enjoying one glass of white wine with her dinner, and I was shocked. I'd always thought it was totally off-limits. Well, the woman is a nurse, and upon talking with her and other moms, and doing my own research, I've come to the conclusion that one drink is fine, and something that I enjoy every once in a while so that I don't feel totally insane and deprived for 40 weeks. Of course, my belief is that it's the choice of the woman whether she feels it's okay for her body or not. And obviously, binge drinking while pregnant is ridiculous. 

Although I indulge in a bit of vino at home, I do feel apprehensive ordering a glass in a restaurant when I'm visibly pregnant. I need to get over this. In my first pregnancy, I listened to all the judgey people with views on not only alcohol, but exercising while pregnant (I did, and will continue to), being a vegetarian while pregnant (I am so conscious of my health and my protein intake, and am happy to say I am just FINE and Reese is thriving--and eats meat), and especially BREAST FEEDING (I tried to, and Reese and I both had many problems, so we stopped. She did fine on Enfamil. I also made most of her baby food, and am very conscious about giving her organic, hormone-free foods whenever possible. I've seen many women preach the nonnegotiable benefits of breast milk, then give their child strictly cheap jarred baby food, then eventually fast food on a regular basis once the child can eat solids. Hello.) This pregnancy I am more confident in my ability to make my own decisions as a parent, and will be telling the hospital staff to keep the nazi lactation consultants outta my $1000/night room. (No, not all lactation consultants are nazis, but the ones who barged in and harped on us last June certainly were skilled at making my lack of milk production feel like a personal flaw.) 

Anyway, I'm getting off my soap box to get my cold compress out of the freezer. 

Thoughts?

lindsey.

easy winter squash flax fettuccine

I swear I crave this even when I'm not pregnant. These are some of my favorite kitchen staples, and mixed together they are insanely good. Instead of Parmesan, I've used blue cheese or Gorgonzola--yum! Oh, and a pinch of coarse sea salt really brings out the buttery flavor of the squash. The best part is everything takes about 5 minutes to cook, so this is my go-to healthy dinner when I'm rushed. (Yes, it would be healthier without the cheese, but we all know my stand on that one!)