Stuffed Peppers

Tonight I made one of my all-time favorite dishes...stuffed peppers. I remember eating this when I was a kid. I didn't like the pepper part as much then, but I definitely loved the filling. Now, I eat it all. It's a pretty quick recipe, but it is more difficult now that I have a 5-month-old wanting my attention all of the time.

Anyway, here is the recipe. This is the one that my mom has always made for me. I usually don't bother with the second can of tomato sauce because I am the only one that would use it. I have considered adding some extra sauce to the mixture, though...maybe next time. Also, it calls for 4 green peppers, but I never feel like there is enough of the mixture to completely fill the peppers. If that bothers you, just add a little more of each ingredient. Enjoy!

Catching up on blogging... Eliana at 1 month!

In honor of my baby girl turning 5 months old (a week ago)...I thought I would finally try to catch up on my blog. I've been writing little posts each month about her, but I never publish them. Likely because I either don't finish them or I don't get a chance to find a corresponding picture. Anyway, once I edit my 9 page birth story to condense it and edit out the parts with too much detail, I will post that here as well. Coming soon: Months 2, 3, 4, & 5.

1 Month Old!

Check out that hair!

There is so much I want to say about you, that I can’t even remember it all! This past month has been absolutely incredible, even through the limited sleep, RSV, and healing from surgery! I love being your mommy!

-       I’m not exactly sure how much you weigh, but at 3-weeks you weighed 8 lbs 14 oz.

-       I don’t know how long you are, but you have at least stretched out. You still like to curl up in a little ball, though, and I love it!

-       At your 1-week doctor’s appointment you were back to your birth weight. They couldn’t believe it because they don’t expect that until the 2-week appointment! You were 6 lbs 8 oz when we left the hospital on Friday, and you were already back up to 7 lbs on Monday!

-       Your umbilical cord stump fell off the morning that you were a week old!

-       At your 2-week appointment you were 8 lbs 2 oz. You really like to eat! Dr. Adams used silver nitrate to fix your belly button because it was still a little oozy.

-       You went to church for the first time on March 18, 2012. You slept through most of it.

-       Changing your diaper is always an interesting experience. You usually end up pooping while we are changing you. This sometimes results in some pretty big messes. One time, not long after we brought you home from the hospital, Daddy started to change your diaper. You had only peed, and as he started changing you, you started pooping. He had your legs in the air when you did, and you squirted poop onto the carpet. Then it had pooled up on the changing table, so Daddy asked me to hurry and get your changing pad. In the meantime you started peeing on yourself. He quickly moved you from the changing table to the changing pad on the floor. Once he had you down there, you started pooping again. It ended up being all over you! We finally gave up and gave you a bath!

-       You also like to poop in your diaper right after we change you into a clean one.

-       You already smile a little bit, and it is the cutest thing ever! Sometimes they are sleep smiles, and I absolutely love them!

- I was so nervous about bringing you home, but I think I have adjusted to being a mommy pretty well. I still feel like I don’t know what I’m doing, but I am at least more comfortable with you.

-       You went to your first movie, The Lorax, when you were 8 days old. You slept in a sling on me for almost the entire movie.

- We tried to take you to The Hunger Games, a few weeks later expecting the same, but that was not the case. You slept during the previews and woke up as soon as the movie started. Not long after that you started crying, and I took you out into the hallway. I eventually came back in and stood in the hall where I could see the movie. You were fine when I was standing. Daddy eventually came and found us. You had fallen asleep, so he thought we could go sit down. You immediately woke up and started crying, so I tried to feed you. The problem with this was that it was dark and neither of us could see, and you are a very loud eater (you smack and groan). After we tried that for a few minutes, Daddy took you back to the hall and stood with you until the movie was over. After that I took you to the bathroom to change your diaper, and you pooped everywhere! What an adventure!

-       The day you turned 3 weeks old you started coughing and sneezing. I thought it was probably just a little cold, but I called the doctor’s office the next day just in case. They told me that I needed to bring you in since you were so young. It had gotten a little worse that day anyway, so I felt better about taking you in. The first thing they did was swab your nose for RSV. I thought for sure that it couldn’t be that, but I was wrong. I was so scared when Dr. Gill told us you had it. I had heard that it could be pretty dangerous especially for such a young baby. He explained that RSV is a type of cold that can get much worse. The dangerous part is that it can be hard for you to get enough oxygen. Your oxygen level at that appointment was 97% which is great! The cold also wasn’t in your lungs, yet. He told us we would hope for the best but prepare for the worst. Dr. Gill said that with RSV you usually know by day 3 or 4 how bad it is going to get. It can easily develop into bronchiolitis or pneumonia. He gave us a panda bear nebulizer for breathing treatments and told us that we didn’t have to use it yet, but it wouldn’t hurt you if we wanted to use it. We were also supposed to elevate your head when you slept. He told us to watch for signs that you were having trouble breathing (retractions-seeing your ribs when you breathe, super fast breathing, lips and fingernails turning blue, etc.). Fast breathing is dangerous because it can cause you to get tired of trying to breathe, and your oxygen level can fall. We decided to try the nebulizer, and we were afraid that you would hate it, but you basically slept through the whole thing. Sometimes you even smiled when we cleaned out your nose. We had to go back to the doctor the next day for them to check you again (3/28/12). Your oxygen level was 92%, and we were informed that they immediately admit a baby to the hospital if it is below 90%. I started getting very worried! The infection had also moved into your lungs slightly. We were told to continue the breathing treatments and come back again the next day. That was a very rough night for Mommy. I didn’t sleep at all. I just sat and watched you breathe. You slept, but you were retracting and breathing pretty fast. We went back to the doctor on 3/29/12. You were starting to sound a little better, and it wasn’t any worse in your lungs. The oxygen testing machine was sporadic though and it did say that your oxygen level was 88% once. I was very scared, but it popped back up to 93%. Dr. Adams thought that the worst part was over, and he told us we didn’t have to come back unless we were concerned. I was so thankful! He did say that it could still turn into an ear infection, so we were supposed to keep an eye out for that. So far so good! He also told us to keep doing the breathing treatments for about a week. Unfortunately, you have decided that you aren’t as big of a fan of those.

-       You make a monkey sound when you are hungry! It is so cute!

- Sometimes you make chomping movements in your sleep like you are dreaming about eating. Too cute!

-       You have started getting fussy every night at 9:00 like clockwork. The only thing that calms you is to stand up. Thankfully it doesn't last for very long!

-       You also like for Mommy to walk around with you in the afternoons. 

-       Daddy wrote a song for you that he uses when you get fussy (and sometimes just because it’s funny). It’s called the “Baby Girl” song. Sometimes you like it, and sometimes you don’t. The lyrics are,  “Baby girl, baby girl,

      buh buh buh baby girl, 

      baby girl baby girl, 

   baby, baby, Girl”

Oops!

Oh my! I haven't blogged since Feb. 9th. Guess what! I had a baby!!! Actually, I had her 11 weeks and 1 day ago. I have been working on several blog posts to catch up on the events of our lives since Feb. I will post them soon...I hope! If you still read this, thanks for hanging with me. I am hoping to blog more frequently now that she is here because I want to remember the cute things she does. Ask me about it if I haven't blogged recently. Thanks!

I'm a terrible blogger...and a pregnancy update!

Oh wow. I haven't blogged since I was 27 weeks pregnant. I am now 36 weeks, and counting down the days until we meet our Baby Girl!!!

Warning: This is a very long post.

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 28 Weeks! Welcome 3^rd Trimester!!!

Size of baby: She is probably close to 2.5 lbs and 15-16 inches or so. Every website says something different, so who knows. Apparently, that is about the size of a Chinese cabbage.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 20 lbs

Maternity Clothes: I wear maternity jeans and pants, but I can still wear a few regular shirts depending on how long they are, and I also have some maternity shirts.

Gender: It’s a GIRL!!!

Movement: She hasn’t been quite as active this week, except on Saturday. I think she moved the entire day!

Sleep: Every now and then I have a night where I have to get up to go to the bathroom, but that’s about it. Occasionally, I have crazy dreams that wake me up.

What I miss: Nothing really.

Cravings: I'm just hungry - I don't have specific cravings. I’m beginning to think that Chick-fil-a is my pregnancy craving. I never get tired of it!

Symptoms: I’ve started feeling a little more uncomfortable every now and then, but nothing too bad.

Best Moment this week: Tanner suprising me by putting the crib together before I got home from work one day!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 29 Weeks!

Size of baby: She is probably close to 2.75 or 3 lbs and 15-16 inches or so. Every website says something different, so who knows. One website says that she is about the length of a loaf of bread and the weight of a Macbook Air.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 21 lbs

Maternity Clothes: I wear maternity jeans and pants, but I can still wear a few regular shirts depending on how long they are, and I also have some maternity shirts.

Gender: It’s a GIRL!!!

Movement: She’s still active!

Sleep: Every now and then I have a night where I have to get up to go to the bathroom, but that’s about it. Occasionally, I have crazy dreams that wake me up.

What I miss: Nothing really.

Cravings: I'm just hungry - I don't have specific cravings. I’m beginning to think that Chick-fil-a is my pregnancy craving. I never get tired of it!

Symptoms: I’ve started feeling a little more uncomfortable every now and then, but nothing too bad.

Best Moment this week: Having my 1^st baby shower!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 30 Weeks!

Size of baby: She is probably close to 3 lbs and 15.5 inches or so. Every website says something different, so who knows.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 22-23 lbs

Maternity Clothes: I wear maternity jeans and pants, but I can still wear a few regular shirts depending on how long they are, and I also have some maternity shirts.

Gender: It’s a GIRL!!!

Movement: She’s still active!

Sleep: Every now and then I have a night where I have to get up to go to the bathroom, but that’s about it. Occasionally, I have crazy dreams that wake me up.

What I miss: Nothing really.

Cravings: I'm just hungry - I don't have specific cravings. I’m beginning to think that Chick-fil-a is my pregnancy craving. I never get tired of it!

Symptoms: I’ve started feeling a little more uncomfortable every now and then, but nothing too bad.

Best Moment this week: Including Baby Girl in our Christmas celebrations!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 31 Weeks!

Size of baby: She is probably close to 3.5 lbs and 16 inches or so. Every website says something different, so who knows.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 24 lbs

Maternity Clothes: I wear maternity jeans and pants, but I can still wear a few regular shirts depending on how long they are, and I also have some maternity shirts.

Gender: It’s a GIRL!!!

Movement: She’s still active!

Sleep: Every now and then I have a night where I have to get up to go to the bathroom, but that’s about it. Occasionally, I have crazy dreams that wake me up.

What I miss: Nothing really.

Cravings: I'm just hungry - I don't have specific cravings. I still don’t get tired of Chick-fil-a.

Symptoms: I’ve started feeling a little more uncomfortable every now and then, but nothing too bad.

Best Moment this week: Celebrating the New Year and realizing how excited I am for this year!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 32 Weeks!

Size of baby: She is probably close to 3.75 - 4 lbs and 16-17 inches or so. Every website says something different, so who knows.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 25 lbs

Maternity Clothes: I wear maternity jeans and pants, but I can still wear a few regular shirts depending on how long they are, and I also have some maternity shirts.

Gender: It’s a GIRL!!!

Movement: She’s still active!

Sleep: Every now and then I have a night where I have to get up to go to the bathroom, but that’s about it. Occasionally, I have crazy dreams that wake me up.

What I miss: Nothing really.

Cravings: I'm just hungry - I don't have specific cravings. I still don’t get tired of Chick-fil-a.

Symptoms: I’ve started feeling a little more uncomfortable every now and then, but nothing too bad.

Best Moment this week: Going to the Passion Conference with our college kids and having her kick the entire time music was playing.

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 33 Weeks!

Size of baby: She is probably close to 4.5 lbs and 17.5 inches or so. Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 26 lbs

Maternity Clothes: I wear maternity jeans and pants, but I can still wear a few (but very few) regular shirts depending on how long they are, and I also have some maternity shirts.

Gender: It’s a GIRL!!!

Movement: She’s still super active!

Sleep: Every now and then I have a night where I have to get up to go to the bathroom, but that’s about it.

What I miss: Nothing really.

Cravings: I'm just hungry - I don't have specific cravings. I still don’t get tired of Chick-fil-a.

Symptoms: I’ve started feeling a little more uncomfortable every now and then, but nothing too bad.

Best Moment this week: Having my church baby shower! We are super blessed and thankful for all of the love and prayers for this baby girl!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 34 Weeks!

Size of baby: She is probably close to 4.75 lbs and 17.75 inches or so. Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 28 lbs

Maternity Clothes: I wear maternity jeans and pants, but I can still wear a few (but very few) regular shirts depending on how long they are, and I also have some maternity shirts.

Gender: It’s a GIRL!!!

Movement: She’s still super active!

Sleep: Every now and then I have a night where I have to get up to go to the bathroom, but that’s about it.

What I miss: Nothing really.

Cravings: I'm just hungry - I don't have specific cravings. I still don’t get tired of Chick-fil-a.

Symptoms: I’ve started feeling a little more uncomfortable every now and then, but nothing too bad.

Best Moment this week: Continuing to get her nursery ready and seeing the progress that is being made!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 35 Weeks!

Size of baby: She is probably close to 5-5.5 lbs and 18 inches or so. Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 29 lbs

Maternity Clothes: I wear maternity jeans and pants, but I can still wear a few (but very few) regular shirts depending on how long they are, and I also have some maternity shirts.

Gender: It’s a GIRL!!!

Movement: She’s still super active! For the last few weeks the movements have felt very different. Previously, it felt like little punches or kicks. Now, it feels like she is stretching or pushing some part of her up against me and moving it around or rolling. You can also watch my stomach move pretty frequently.

Sleep: Every now and then I have a night where I have to get up to go to the bathroom, but that’s about it.

What I miss: Nothing really.

Cravings: I'm just hungry - I don't have specific cravings. I still don’t get tired of Chick-fil-a.

Symptoms: I’ve started feeling a little more uncomfortable every now and then, but nothing too bad.

Best Moment this week: Tanner putting his hand on my belly almost every night to feel her move and play with her.

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 36 Weeks!

Size of baby: She is probably close to 5.75 - 6 lbs and 18.5 inches or so.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 30 lbs

Maternity Clothes: I wear maternity jeans and pants, but I can still wear a few (but very few) regular shirts depending on how long they are, and I also have some maternity shirts.

Gender: It’s a GIRL!!!

Movement: She’s still super active! For the last few weeks the movements have felt very different. Previously, it felt like little punches or kicks. Now, it feels like she is stretching or pushing some part of her up against me and moving it around or rolling. You can also watch my stomach move pretty frequently.

Sleep: Every now and then I have a night where I have to get up to go to the bathroom, but that’s about it.

What I miss: I really don’t miss much. I love being pregnant! However, as I was baking cookies the other day, I did realize how much I miss being able to eat cookie dough.

Cravings: I'm just hungry - I don't have specific cravings. I still don’t get tired of Chick-fil-a.

Symptoms: I’ve started feeling a little more uncomfortable every now and then, but nothing too bad.

Best Moment this week: Finishing the nursery and installing the car seat in the car! I absolutely love the nursery! I’m sure I will think of something else that needs to be done, but for now I think I’m finished. Installing the car seat just made it all seem so close!!!

Another update: 24-27 Weeks!

Here's how Baby Girl and I have been progressing in the last few weeks.

Pregnancy Highlights:

(Please ignore my crazy hair in this picture. I'm not sure what that was all about).

How Far Along: 24 Weeks!

Size of baby: The size of an ear of corn.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 15 lbs

Maternity Clothes: I wear maternity jeans and pants, but I can still wear a few regular shirts depending on how long they are, and I also have some maternity shirts.

Gender: It’s a GIRL!!!

Movement: Her movements are definitely getting more and more noticeable. I can watch my belly move when she kicks now!

Sleep: Every now and then I have a night where I have to get up to go to the bathroom, but that’s about it. Occasionally, I have crazy dreams that wake me up.

What I miss: Nothing really.

Cravings: I'm just hungry - I don't have specific cravings.

Symptoms: I’ve started feeling a little more uncomfortable every now and then.

Best Moment this week: Watching my belly move when she kicks hard enough!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 25 Weeks!

Size of baby: The length of a recorder that you played in elementary school…or a rutabaga (but I have no idea how big those are).

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 16 lbs

Maternity Clothes: I wear maternity jeans and pants, but I can still wear a few regular shirts depending on how long they are, and I also have some maternity shirts.

Gender: It’s a GIRL!!!

Movement: I absolutely love feeling her kick me. I don’t think I’ve noticed her doing somersaults or anything crazy, but maybe I have and didn’t know.

Sleep: Every now and then I have a night where I have to get up to go to the bathroom, but that’s about it. Occasionally, I have crazy dreams that wake me up.

What I miss: Nothing really.

Cravings: I'm just hungry - I don't have specific cravings.

Symptoms: I’ve started feeling a little more uncomfortable every now and then, but nothing too bad.

Best Moment this week: Painting the nursery, and having another good doctor’s appointment! I haven’t heard anything negative about my glucose test…so hopefully I passed!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 26 Weeks!

Size of baby: The length of a burp cloth…or the length of an English cucumber.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 17 lbs – I thought for sure I would have gained 5 lbs last week because of Thanksgiving, but I didn’t. I am still on the 1 lb per week track, which is where I am supposed to be. Yay!

Maternity Clothes: I wear maternity jeans and pants, but I can still wear a few regular shirts depending on how long they are, and I also have some maternity shirts.

Gender: It’s a GIRL!!!

Movement: Sometimes I think she likes messing with her Daddy. Sometimes when Tanner wants to feel her kick, she stops, even if she has been kicking like crazy. However, one night this week he had his arm around my belly and she immediately started kicking him repeatedly. Apparently, she was not a fan of his arm being there.

Sleep: Every now and then I have a night where I have to get up to go to the bathroom, but that’s about it. Occasionally, I have crazy dreams that wake me up.

What I miss: Nothing really.

Cravings: I'm just hungry - I don't have specific cravings.

Symptoms: I’ve started feeling a little more uncomfortable every now and then, but nothing too bad.

Best Moment this week: Thanksgiving and her being very active throughout this week!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 27 Weeks! Time is flying by!!!

Size of baby: She is probably close to 2 lbs and 15 inches or so. Apparently, that is about the size of a head of cauliflower.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 18 or 19 lbs

Maternity Clothes: I wear maternity jeans and pants, but I can still wear a few regular shirts depending on how long they are, and I also have some maternity shirts.

Gender: It’s a GIRL!!!

Movement: She is very active. Her most active times are mid-afternoon and at night when we are watching tv.

Sleep: Every now and then I have a night where I have to get up to go to the bathroom, but that’s about it. Occasionally, I have crazy dreams that wake me up.

What I miss: Nothing really.

Cravings: I'm just hungry - I don't have specific cravings.

Symptoms: I’ve started feeling a little more uncomfortable every now and then, but nothing too bad.

Best Moment this week: Continuing to work on the nursery and continuing to feel my baby girl moving inside of me!