36 weeks

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How Far Along: 36 weeks (and 4 days)....I know, I know...I'm late in posting this!


Size of baby:  I'm guessing a little over 9lbs.  Dr. Willis didn't do a growth check on Friday but I'm basing that on her average weight gain per week.

Gender/Name: It's a GIRL!!!! Annalise Claire Phillips :)

Maternity Clothes: I only have a select things that still fit and look halfway decent. Ugh. I feel like I wear the same clothes EVERY week and now that it's getting HOT AS THE DICKENS, I only have 3 short sleeve maternity shirts so they get worn A LOT. Oh well.

Belly Button:  Still the same.  Just flat.

Movement:  She still gets the hiccups quite often and it's so annoying so I feel so bad for her because as annoying as they are for me, I can't imagine how frustrated she gets!!! Poor baby.  She's also been hurting me lately.  I guess she's just getting so big, her kicks and jabs are with full force. 

Sleep:  I've only been getting up about twice per night and it isn't that bad. 

Symptoms:  Still having the same pains and hurts.

What I miss: I miss my pre-pregnancy self. Seriously. I'm SO ready to be able to start feeling normal again.

What I'm looking forward to:  Thursday is my last day of work until June 4th!!!! I am SO excited to be able to spend next week with Preslei since it's Spring Break! I can't remember spending a solid week with her and she and I both are looking forward to it (if I don't go into labor beforehand).  I've pinned some fun arts and crafts projects for her to do and she's excited about that.  :)  I think this whole stay at home Mom gig for 2 months will spoil me.

Questions/Concerns:  Wondering what is up with my cramps that are continued cramps?! I'm wondering if maybe I'm dilating or something.  Who knows.  I will see Dr. Morales today and he's gotta do that Group B swab so I'm going to see if I've dilated or anything while he's "down there". 

Cravings:  Honestly, nothing really sounds good to me.  I think my stomach is stretched so tight that the thought of really eating anything good makes me wanna barf.

Best moment this week:  Keith finalizing the "honey-do" list.  We still have to apply her vinyl monogram to her wall (if it will stick...we have textured walls) and that'll be it! Car seat is installed, dining room curtains are hung, old recliner is out and new one is in and Annalise's chandelier is hung!  Hopefully I will upload pictures of her nursery SOON!

37 weeks (and 3 days)

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37 WEEKS

Pregnancy Highlights
How Far Along: 37 weeks and 3 days.  Posting late seems like it is becoming a habit.

Size of baby:  I'm thinking maybe around 9 1/2 pounds since she was 8lbs 11oz 2 weeks ago.

Gender/Name: It's a GIRL!!!! Annalise Claire Phillips :)

Maternity Clothes: I only have a select things that still fit and look halfway decent. Ugh. I feel like I wear the same clothes EVERY week and now that it's getting HOT AS THE DICKENS, I only have 3 short sleeve maternity shirts so they get worn A LOT. Oh well.

Belly Button:  Still the same.  Just flat.

Movement:  Slowing down drastically.  She will start moving around A LOT about 3 times a day but other than that, she's just chillaxin' ;o)

Sleep:  I've only been getting up about twice per night and it isn't that bad.

Symptoms:  Still having the same pains and hurts.

What I miss: I miss my pre-pregnancy self. Seriously. I'm SO ready to be able to start feeling normal again.

What I'm looking forward to:  Spending next week at home just me and Preslei! Although I must say, we've stayed home the majority of the weekend and I'm already bored.  She and I are headed to WalMart later today to buy all her little art and craft goodies for us to make next week.

Questions/Concerns:  This will probably be TMI for some but ever since last Thursday, I've had loose movements.  Whereas before, I struggled with constipation.  So, I googled.  It says that it could mean labor is on its way.  We'll see!

Cravings:  Water.  I feel like I can't drink enough water!

Best moment this week:  Leaving work on Thursday for the last time until June 4th!! Whoop whoop!  I know I'll be getting calls from time to time but I like knowing I won't HAVE to get up early and rush around getting ready the girls ready and myself ready every morning!
I also got some great news from Dr. Willis on Friday.  My amniotic fluid is back "within normal range"!  He said he didn't need to see any more but if I wanted to, I could come back for my last visit.  Since it's only a $25 copay and I have ONE more with him, I scheduled the appointment.  I just want to know I'm doing and have done everything in my power to make sure she is being monitored the way she should.  

Hello from the hospital :)

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Don't freak....I haven't had Annalise yet!  Here's the story:

I had my regular weekly checkup yesterday and my blood pressure was 156/89 but it was that the week before and nothing was really said.  I saw Dr. Hall this time and he wrote me an order to go to the hospital to get monitored just to be safe.  No biggie.  Mom and Preslei were with me (since I'm not working and it's Spring Break, she was with us) so off we went to the hospital.  I got hooked up and had my blood drawn and peed in a cup.  Annalise's heartrate looked good and I wasn't contracting so I thought I'd be discharging soon.  WRONG.

My nurse came back and said there was a trace of protein in my urine and I had to stay overnight for observation and a 24 hour urine test.  I was like, "No freaking way".  Sooo.....I got admitted around 6pm and I'm still here.  Dr. Morales came in this morning and said that my liver enzymes were elevated and I had protein in my urine yesterday so he said if the tests come back that I have mild preeclampsia then he will go ahead and schedule my csection for this week.  If the tests come back fine, then we are still on for next Thursday.  He told me if my liver enzymes are fine then I will be discharged this evening and I will call his office in the morning to find out the urine results.

If I have learned one thing from being admitted prior to my delivery, it's that I WILL be investing in a foam topper thing for this horrible hospital bed.  I remember after having Preslei how much these beds hurt my butt and I could never get comfortable so this time, I'm going to come prepared.  And I've also realized that I do in fact have a high tolerance to medication.  Ambien has NO effect on me.  :(

I will update once I know more!! Just continue to keep us in your prayers!

Change in plans

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Let's back track to about 4pm today.  I'm definitely getting antsy knowing I should be going home in the next few hours so its like time just stops.  L&D come in and hook me up to the NST to monitor Annalise and me and after that is over, I'm thinking "tick tock" its 6 o'clock so they should be collecting my urine sample and getting the results.   7pm rolls around, I know it is shift change and I'm patient.  My FAVORITE nurse I've had, Megan (post partum nurse) came in and she tells me she is going to check the labs.  10 minutes or so, she comes back in and is like, "well......your urine has high traces of protein and you can't go home tonight because he wants to deliver Annalise tomorrow".  I have such a mixture of emotions.  First off, I wanted to go HOME for the night.  I had her beg and please with Dr. Hall but since I definitely in fact have preeclampsia I can't leave.  But the good news is we will welcome Miss Annalise tomorrow afternoon!!!!

OH..EMM...GEEE.......it seems SO surreal.  
I freaked out because the bag I had packed for Preslei was used last night because we weren't expecting her to have to spend the night with my parents (Keith was on call last night and worked because of the weather) so she used most everything in her "emergency" bag.  
Keith and Preslei had been here in the hospital with me since mid morning and I must say, Preslei was good for the most part.  She would get bored and want to act like a kid so Keith would take her to the gift shop, etc.  We were under the impression that I would be going home around 6:30 so it made the most sense for them to stay since we live 45 minutes away.  
Keith took Preslei home and my "list" of his little "things to do and gather list".  Bless his heart, I can almost guarantee he will forget something on the list!!! LOL.  As long as her hair is down with a big bow and her big sister Preslei shirt, I'm ok.  I just like for her to look SUPER cute all the time but ESPECIALLY on the day she becomes a big sister!!! 
I have so many things racing thru my mind but I feel so relaxed and at peace about it.  God is in complete control and I've left everything in His hands from the very beginning.  
I will update tomorrow night depending on what time they do the surgery and how I'm feeling.  
I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE AND HOLD MY PRECIOUS BABY!!!!! 

To my sweet Annalise

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Where to even begin.

I am sitting here the morning of my surgery ready to welcome you into the world with so many thoughts and emotions running thru my mind.  First and foremost, I am most thankful to God for allowing me to be your Mom.  I must have done something right in my life to be able to be called "Mom" by two little girls.

Daddy and I prayed for you for so long that it still seems unreal that you are almost in our arms.  I wonder what you will look like, what you will act like and how big you will be!!!! Will you have the dark olive skin and dark brown hair like your Daddy or will you have pale skin, green eyes and freckles like me?  Will you be loud, outspoken, impatient but compassionate like me or will you be laid back like Daddy?  Will you have curly hair like your big sister?  All these things I've wondered for 9 months and to know you will be born in a little over 10 hours is just too exciting for words.

I want you to know that you have the BEST big sister and best friend you could ever ask for.  Preslei has been waiting so patiently for you to get here.  She tells me on a daily basis that she's going to teach you how to read, color, draw your name and most importantly, use your manners and share.  I can't wait to see the love you two will have for each other and the sisterly bond you both will share.  You now have a best friend for life.

You, my sweet Annalise, are a true miracle.  You see, back when you were 8 weeks old, there was no "you".  You were hiding somehow.  God truly allowed Himself to work thru you to teach me patience and to rely solely on Him.  We waited to do anything medically and just wait it out and see if by some miracle, you were in fact in my tummy and you were there a week later with your tiny little heart beating so fast.  I will never ever in my life forget that moment or that feeling to know you were safe.

I want you to always put God first and your family second.  They are the two people that will never let you down, I can promise you that.  Your faith and belief in Him will carry you thru some of the hardest moments in your life but if you lean on Him and fully Trust in Him, everything will be just fine.  I promise as your Mom that I will do my very best to always be the best Mom.

I can't wait to lay my eyes on you my sweet baby and hold you in my arms.

With all my heart,

I love you, Mom.

Details and update on Annalise

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First and foremost, here is our precious baby girl!


Annalise Claire Phillips was born yesterday (April 5, 2012) at 5:47pm (exact time as Preslei) weighing 10lbs 2oz and is 21 inches long!!!

Annalise had to be transferred to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital (I'm at Capital Regional) to the NICU because of low oxygen levels.  The pediatrician said he just wasn't happy with her levels and wanted her to go to the NICU.  While I'm super sad I haven't been able to hold her, I know she is exactly where she needs to be so she can focus on getting healthy.  She has been intubated since not too long after birth and she has pneumonia and started antibiotics last night.  The nurses in NICU said she will be there a minimum of seven days.  She has also been somewhat sedated because she wasn't liking the vent and they want her comfortable.  She truly is in the best hands possible.

I should be getting released tomorrow afternoon and as soon as I get released, I'm heading over to see my sweet baby!!!! I won't be able to hold her until she is off the vent but at least I'll be able to spend some time with her.  Keith is with her now.

Here are a few pics :)  I will update more in detail about her delivery once things settle down.  Just remember to keep us in your thoughts and prayers!!!

PS....she DEFINITELY looks like Keith! She has his dark hair and olive skin tone and his nose :)  Gosh I adore my family!

One EXCITED soon to be big sister!
 Last picture as a family of 3
 Welcome to the world Annalise!!! (hope no one has a weak stomach!)
 Sweet baby girl!
 The "dream team"!!! Wait until my blog post about my AMAZING delivery day and nothing but God-sent coincidences!  
 In the nursery
Preslei showing off her present from her little sister! ;o) 
The Phillips Family of Four!!! (This was right before they transported Annalise)

Yay for blogging again

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Well hello blogging world-its nice to see you again! :)

We are home and doing so well! Annalise has settled right in.  She was released from Tallahassee Memorial Hospital NICU on Saturday, April 14th after spending 9 days there (the LONGEST 9 days of my entire life).  She got a clean bill of health with the exception of she did not pass her inital hearing screen so we have to go back for a secondary screening.  I've been told by the NICU nurses and our pediatrician that it does not mean she can't hear.  Most babies that have been intubated have a hard time hearing at first and that it is probably just fluid that was still there.  She can hear because if any of us make a loud noise, she jumps like it has scared her. 

Annalise has definitely been following in her big sister's footsteps in the fact she is SO content!  She rarely cries unless she's hungry, having her clothes changed or is being handed off too much (just like Preslei).  She sleeps in 4 to 5 hour increments and then eats, has about 1 hour of awake time and back off to sleepy land. 

Preslei has been such a great big sister.  I am so incredibly proud of her and how well she has taken everything.  When Annalise was in NICU, we made a point to take tons of pictures of her and the first thing Preslei would do when we'd pick her up from my parents' was grab my phone and camera so she could see the new pictures of her sister.  Preslei has regressed a little and has been quite defiant lately, but hey, she's only 4 and we are dealing with it and being patient.  Some say "oh its just jealously" but I truly think its just an attention thing and not that she's jealous.  Preslei has been such a big help to me and Keith by bringing us diapers or bottles or anything else.  LOL...she really likes helping me pump.  Her "job" is to turn the pump on.  Some may think its weird but I've always been very open with her and she understands that babies drink Mommy's milk :)  Oh and she's been SUPER fascinated with my "cut".  She wants to see it EVERY day and is always telling me how good it looks and it's healing, lol.  Bless her.  I for sure think she is going to be a doctor like I've told her she's going to be since day one.  ;)

As far as me, I'm doing fantastic.  I feel great.  I truly think the reason I bounced back as fast as I did (I honestly felt great on day 3) was because I had no other choice than to put on my big girl panties and be Super Mom.  I had a 4 year old to make sure was adjusting and understood what was going on and I also had to go to Tallahassee every day for hours on end to spend time with Annalise.  I started driving sooner than doctor's orders but I rationalized with myself and told myself that had I not bounced back like I did, I wouldn't be driving now.  Plus, I have Mommy duties to do!  Oh and I have to brag, while at the doctor's office yesterday for Annalise's check up, I stepped on the scale.  I have lost 26lbs!!! Heck yes! That's an additional 6lbs off my pre-pregnancy weight! Whoop Whoop!

I sincerely want to thank everyone who called, texted, emailed, "Facebook'd" and prayed for Annalise (and the rest of us).  I am a firm believer in the power of prayer and I found so much comfort in knowing Annalise was being prayed over by so many.  She is one very loved little girl!  I am so blessed to have two amazing girls! 

Next up.....my super amazing delivery day!!!! (I will post that either tonight or tomorrow!) 

Delivery Day

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Now is the time I wish I would have blogged about this sooner rather than later.  I mean, I remember everything but with the hustle and bustle of adjusting to a newborn and dealing with my crazy 4 year old, my mind is shot.

Surprisingly, I actually was able to sleep the night before.  The nurse asked if I wanted an Ambien to help me sleep and since I figured I'd be up all night because of the excitement and nervousness, I said, "bring it on".  Apparently, I must have forgotten Ambien doesn't work with me.  I didn't get to sleep until after midnight but at least I was able to sleep.  The nurse I had that night was seriously SO SWEET!  She was new and is normally a nursery nurse but was on the postpartum floor that night.

The next morning I woke up and just hung out.  Since my c-section wasn't scheduled until 5pm, I told everyone just to take their time to get down there.  Keith, Preslei and my parents got to the hospital around lunch time or soon thereafter and we just hung out.  It was really surprising how fast the day went by.  I took another shower so I'd be all "fresh and clean".  I just remember feeling so gross after I had Preslei because I arrived at the hospital at 5am and had taken a shower before I got there and wasn't able to shower again until the next day.  I wanted to look all cute and pretty for pictures after Annalise was here dang it, lol.  ;)

After that, my labor & delivery nurses (Kristy & Jessica) came in to go over everything and prep me.  One of the nurses, Kristy, reminded me so much of my cousin, Sheila.  It was freaky, I mean, they looked alike and even talked the same.  The next time they came in, I looked at Kristy's name tag/id and recognized her last name....Edenfield.  I was like, "HOLY CRAP....you were my nurse when I had Preslei!"  (I ADORED her when I had Preslei.  She was the sweetest!)  She was like, "You looked familiar to me" and I said, "Yeah, you were like 6 months pregnant when I had Preslei" so we just chit chatted and thought it was awesome she was going to be my nurse again.  I had always remembered her last name because it was the same as an old classmate of mine but I never remembered her first name.  Then, I started talking with Jessica and getting to know her.  She told me she worked at Archbold (hospital in Thomasville...the next town over from me) part time as well.  I asked how long she worked there and told her I had a friend that worked in the nursery there and she knew her.  I said, "I wonder if you were there when my nephew was born" and she asked who my sister in law was and I told her....Cori Kines.  She was like, "OH MY GOD....I was there that morning and it was my first day.  I had heard what happened to her and I couldn't believe it.  I found her on Facebook so I could keep up with her!"  Y'all....I told my family that these two nurses were put there for me that day.  It was just crazy freaky to me, especially delivering in Tallahassee.  I mean, what are the odds???  (Both of which found me on Facebook and I'm SO glad we can keep in touch)

I donated my placenta so the donation specialist person came in to introduce himself and go over the procedure with me and had me sign the consent forms.  Then the anesthesiologist came in next to go over everything with me and ask a bazillion questions and I knew then, he was the deciding person as to whether or not my Mom could come in the operating room.  I also knew the chances were slim to none.  Dr. Morales had already told me the one person he knew that would allow an extra person back and that wasn't him.  So, in typical Amanda fashion, I let my personality shine.  I started joking around with him and when he was finished with the questions, he said, "Do you have any questions for me?" and I said, "Well....I need to butter you up first" and I said, "I REALLY want my Mom to come back with my husband so is this possible?" and he said YES!!!! I was SO excited!!!

Next thing I know, Mom and Keith are suiting up and I swear on my life, Keith looked like a go-go dancer!!! He was wearing shorts but they made him wear these knee high booties, LOL.  I think my Mom took a picture.  Dr. Morales came back and thank God I kept insisting I wanted HIM to do the actual surgery and have Dr. Hall assist.  I just prefer Dr. M, he is AWESOME and he gets me.  I told him I had one request....I wanted it fun in the OR.

I walk back to the OR and told everyone I loved them and I didn't cry until I gave Preslei a hug and kiss.  I get back there and get prepped for my spinal and made small talk with the nurse anesthetist and he's married to a girl from Cairo.  And let me just say, the spinal block felt AMAZING after being in the pain I had been in since I was 18 weeks pregnant! It felt amazing to not feel the pain anymore.  Dr. Morales and Dr. Hall came in as well as Keith and my Mom and the fun began.  They had my Mom stand at my feet and I swore she'd pass out but she was my photographer!!! I am SO glad she took the pictures she did because I've always wanted to see my own surgery and she got some GREAT pictures.  I know I will post them on here but I have to get her camera and download them on my computer first.  I made a comment about the time and I said, "Oh I wonder if she'll be born at the same time Preslei was" and Dr. Morales asked what time it was and he said, "I can make that happen!" and dang if he did!! I love that both my girls were born at the same time!

I didn't have near the tugging and pulling as I did when I had Preslei.  I could definitely feel the water breaking (it felt like a rubber band popping) and next thing I know, Annalise was here!!! I heard her cry and I started crying uncontrollably.  :)  Next thing I know, I remember looking over at the newborn table thing and I saw the pediatrician smacking the bottoms of her feet and then they had to take her to the nursery because she needed oxygen.  I really didn't think too much of it because they had to do the same thing with Preslei.  I started getting stitched up and all of a sudden, my face was on FIRE and I said, "I have to throw up!!!" and I started dry heaving.  Worst feeling EVER.  So they finished and I got wheeled into my recovery room and then Kristy and Jessica came in to get me situated (and had our little photo op with Dr. Morales) and the pediatrician came in and told me about Annalise and then my family and friends came in.  I don't know if I was just overwhelmed or it hadn't sank in yet but I remember being calm and just saying, "She will be in the best hands possible and if that's where she needs to be, then that's what she needs".

I got transferred out of recovery to postpartum and then the transport team came and let me see Annalise before they transported her.  I don't remember being super emotional because I just knew God had it under control.  I let go and let God throughout my ENTIRE pregnancy.  From the very beginning when we thought Annalise was a blighted ovum, I prayed to Him and He has carried me this far, I knew we'd be okay.

Preslei didn't want to touch Annalise thru the incubator but we managed to get our first picture as a family of four!!



And that pretty much sums up my delivery day!!!

Life with two

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Obviously (by the lack of my blog posts) that life isn't as easy with two.  I won't complain because I know I have it so much easier than some but it is hard trying to organize your time with two now.  Preslei has had some hiccups but we are dealing with it.  Knock on wood, she is getting MUCH better.  I truly think it is because her routine was messed up for 2 weeks.  She's now back in school part time and her moods are so much better.

Annalise is still such a great baby!  Everyone always said that your first and your second will be polar opposites and since Preslei was such a great baby, I just *knew* that Annalise was going to be the one that kept us up all hours of the night and cried all the time.  She proved everyone wrong!  She sleeps mostly all day and then wakes up around 8 and has awake time from 8pm to between 10-11pm.  She normally wakes up at 3am and back up at 5:30am.  As soon as her tummy is full, she's back asleep.  She is so content and laid back.  Thank goodness she doesn't mind all the kisses we all give her.  Preslei is ready for her to be able to play, lol.

I can't believe she will be a month old on Saturday.  I don't remember time flying by this fast with Preslei. I'm still ever so thankful I don't go back to work until June 4th although I wish I could stay home during the summer so I can enjoy all the fun summer stuff with Preslei like taking her to the library and swimming at my parents but, I can't.  We are going to venture off to the library tomorrow for Preslei's first visit.

Speaking of the library, I have found time to become completely sucked in to "Fifty Shades of Grey".  I've been hearing all the hype but wasn't sure if I'd enjoy reading "Mommy Porn" but holy crap, it is so good.  Granted, it is RAUNCHY and graphic, but there is this crazy love story that unfolds that reels you in.  The thing that piques my curiousity the most is trying to figure out what makes Christian Grey tick.  From the beginning of their tirade, my inner therapist (it is totally my dream job) is trying to psychoanalyze him and why he enjoys the whole BDSM lifestyle.  (Told you it was raunchy, LOL).  I read the first book in a day and am on book 2 now.  Other than the girls, this book has been my priority lately.  I just cannot put it down!  Sheesh.  I don't remember being this obsessed since Twilight!  Speaking of, it kinda reminds of Twilight except with an NC-17 rating and no vamps.

My goal for the next couple of days is work on my thank you cards (I'm a slacker....) and I want to try to make a slideshow of Annalise's pictures of when she was in NICU.  It amazes me the change in her from day to day and makes me ever so thankful to God for protecting and healing our sweet girl.

molly's story

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This morning, I got in bed with Molly when she woke up. We have this cuddle time most mornings before Penny wakes up (and because it is still so dark outside). She has been asking me to tell her stories before we get up for the day. Today, I was pretty tired so I asked her to tell me a story. She started to rub my head and face like I usually do to her, and she started:

"Once 'pon time there was a little girl naaaaamed....Momma! She was sad (said with a frown and a shake of the head and much fanfare). Then Poppa came along and made her happy! Then he said....The End."

She told me three this morning. Here is another one:

"Once 'pon time there was a chitten (chicken). He said bok bok. Then he said...The End!!!"

Molly is getting over pneumonia this week so she's had to take extra lung medicine. Here is a sweet picture of her getting her treatment while she and Penny play with their instruments.



Also this week, my sister returned from Afghanistan, where she has been since November. It was a wonderful reunion!!!

sick sick sick!

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So once Molly recovered from her pneumonia, she apparently caught a stomach virus, which manifest itself in vomit and copious amounts of diarrhea. Ugh! She seems to be on the mend now, but she generously shared her germs with her sister. Penny woke for her 5AM feeding covered in goo, either spit up or vomit. I tend to think it was the latter because she hasn't spit up in any notable amount in months. And when she woke this morning, she had a fever of close to 102. I took her to the doctor (who I was supposed to take Molly to see, but we essentially switched kiddos for the appointment time), and she barfed all over me while we were waiting for the doctor. Meanwhile, Molly was screaming for the sucker the nice, well-meaning nurse gave her. I was waiting to give that to her until we got to the car because when she eats suckers, it usually involves a ton of red slobber--she doesn't quite grasp the whole "suck"er concept. Anyway, now both girls are sleeping, and I guess we will just wait to see how Penny's illness plays out.

It's not so bad, though. Molly is such a sweet big sister. Penny has not wanted to put her head anywhere other than upon her two soft food sources, but Molly has just cuddled with us, saying "I want make Pe feel better" and rubbed her back.

sleep, or as it's known in the real world, lack of sleep

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I thought Molly was a bad sleeper. Well, Penny is determined to one-up her older sister. We have been trying to get her to sleep through the night for weeks now. It is hard! On the third night, Molly surrendered. She slept through the night. Penny is not giving up. She can moan and cry and scream for hours on end. And, unlike her momma, she can go without sleep AND without coffee. Two night ago she slept until 5:30, and we thought we had turned a corner. Last night, however, she woke at 2:30 and was awake until 4:00, at which point I finally went in and fed her. I've been waiting until 5AM.
Now, I realize parents (particularly mommas) have been doing this forever, and there are many people whose kids have special needs and have genuine sleep disorders (I know a couple), but I just want to complain for a minute about how difficult it is to go without sleep. I forget very common words, like 'shoes.' I forget why I went into a room for something. I seethe with anger when I can't immediately locate the milk in the fridge. With one kid, I thought it was hard, but I could sleep when she slept. With two, there isn't that break. I can't imagine with three or more, though I know we always live up to our own situations. I also know many people have it much harder. Okay--I'm finished complaining. Just let me go get another cup of coffee--be right back.
And I'm not writing this just for complaining's sake. It is for posterity and so I can show Molly and Penny later just how much trouble they caused me. Just kidding. They are truly, truly delightful little people. Molly is just getting so grown up that she is no longer a toddler, but a little girl. It's amazing to watch. Again, this is something that has been happening forever, but it is a truly amazing transition. I laugh so much at them because they really are fun to be around. Molly is actually developing a sense of humor and will joke with us. Penny thinks Molly is the most hilarious person she's ever met, too. The good far, far outweighs the sleep deprivation, and I am very happy to be able to stay home with them.
Penny also does not have the interest in food that Molly had. She really just wants to nurse more than anything else. She has eaten a few solids, but she generally only takes a bite or two. She is 8 months old now, and the medical 'experts' say to start giving solids at 6 months. We have started to introduce them, but we are just letting her go at her own pace. She is clearly not wasting away--she weighs a lot, still in the 90th percentile for weight and height--so I'm not concerned about it.

food swap

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Today I went to a food swap. It was so cool!!!! I made sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, granola, wheat berry sprouts, chicken broth, and diaper cream/hand salve/lip balm (not a food, I know, but it was a hot commodity nonetheless). Everyone brought homemade or home-grown food, and it was used as currency. I came away with bread, jam, buttermilk, ricotta cheese, frozen cabbage, frozen corn, canned green beans, a knitted wash cloth, amaretto, pea soup, pepper relish, and...I think that's all. Not too shabby, huh?

From the list of foods above, you may be able to deduce that I have been really into my fermenting lately. I have made a lot of sauerkraut lately because we have gotten so much cabbage from the CSA. I will probably attempt miso next. From the book Wild Fermentation, it does not look very difficult; it just takes patience for the fermentation to occur. I was thinking about starting a blog about food, particularly fermenting. I'm not sure what else I could do, but if I have a goal to blog about it regularly, I can expand my horizons a little. Maybe I will try again with sourdough bread. I think I need to get a bread stone for that to turn out correctly. I have had trouble with bread--Abacus, do you have any tips?

Penny's sleep has not improved too much, but it has a little bit. Bill has gotten up with her a few nights so I can get some sleep. Last night and the night before, I fed her around 1:30 and again at 5:00. It's not ideal, but it's definitely an improvement over the every-hour wakings/feedings she was doing for a while.

(This is my 100th blog post, by the way!)

Few Toys

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We started Molly's life buying very few toys, and we have asked people not to buy her many toys. She does have a few beloved toys that she plays with, and our families are very thoughtful with the few toys they buy her (which is very appreciated!!!). This really started as a necessity because 1) we were broke when Molly was born so we didn't buy much of anything, and 2) we had a small apartment so there just wasn't any room to put any toys. This lifestyle choice is very good for Molly, though, and I assume it will also be for Penny. Parents have been joking for generations that they would buy their kids toys for Christmas or for birthdays, only to have the kids play with the boxes. This is really true! Yesterday, for example, Molly woke up and got her three dolls and then went to the diaper hamper and pulled out a few diapers. She took them into her room and laid them out very neatly and told me she and her dolls were going to do "yoda," which in English is "yoga." She did yoga with her dolls ALL DAY. She would roll up the diaper "mats" and then take them to another room and unroll them again. She would lie on the floor with them and do different poses. It was really interesting to see her imagination working. This morning she rearranged her chairs so that her dolls could sit on either side of her (and one on her lap) while she read to them.

FERMENTING!!!

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As promised (or as suggested), I am going to post about some food. I did three ferments today, including two new ferments! Now, dear readers, do not expect this level of productivity in the future. My mother-in-law had Molly all day today, and Penny napped for two hours. The three ferments were yogurt (not new), turnip kimchi, and t'ej (Ethiopian honey wine. I am not exactly sure how this differs from mead). I also have some kombucha fermenting on the counter; I got this started yesterday.

I decided a week or so ago I needed to start making yogurt again because the packaging is wasteful, and it is much cheaper and the taste is pretty much exactly the same with homemade. So I made some yogurt today. In the past, I have made a full half gallon, but that can be a bit of a daunting task for the fermenting period. I have had to find room to leave all that warm milk out for a few hours. The last two times I've made it, I've only made a quart, a much more manageable amount. The basic process for making yogurt is to heat (whole, organic) milk to about 180F, then let it cool to about 110F. It isn't necessary to warm it to such a high temperature, but it makes the yogurt thicker. Then mix about a tablespoon of yogurt from a previous batch into the warm milk. Leave it to ferment in a warm (about 100F) place for about 8 - 12 hours. I usually put it in a cooler with another jar full of hot water. If, after this amount of time, the yogurt hasn't thickened or hasn't developed that yogurt-y smell, add another teaspoon of yogurt and warm the cooler up again.

My CSA has had SO MANY turnips lately. What can you do with turnips??? Really, if you have suggestions, please list in the comments. I decided to attempt turnip kimchi. In Wild Fermentation, my go-to fermenting book, Sanderkraut gives a recipe for root vegetable kimchi, which includes turnips, daikons, carrots, and a few other root vegetables. I only put in turnips and daikons that I had left. I will post the recipe for this in another post.

Finally, the one I am most excited about, is the wine (also from Wild Fermentation). I have also gotten quite a bit of honey from my CSA lately, and I needed to clear out some cabinet space. The recipe for this is to mix 3 cups of honey with 12 cups of water, cover with a towel, and let ferment for a few days until bubbly. Then transfer to a large glass container with an airlock and let ferment for 2 to 4 weeks. I only had room in my ceramic crock for a 3:1 ratio of water:honey so I hope I can just add the extra three cups of water when I transfer it.

turnip kimchi

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Yesterday I started the process of making the turnip kimchi. I let the thinly sliced turnips and daikons soak overnight in a brine with about 3 tbsp. salt in 4 cups of water. Today I finished it up and put it in the crock to begin fermenting. I will check it in about a week. We have some guests coming for dinner on Friday so I might check it then and let them sample it. Here is the process (again, based on the recipe in Wild Fermentation):

Dice an onion or a few scallions or shallots (I used an onion because that is what I had on hand), grate about 3 Tbsp of fresh ginger, and put about 6 garlic cloves through a press. Put all this in a big bowl and add a bunch of red pepper flakes--I probably used about 2 Tbsp. You can also use fresh chilies. Experiment with the seasoning and adjust to your tastes. Drain the soaking vegetables, but save the brine. Taste the vegetables to see if there is enough salt. It should taste pretty salty; add more if needed. Mix the drained veggies with the onion-chili-garlic-ginger mixture and pack tightly into a crock. Press down (I use a potato masher) until juices rise above the veggies. Add some of the reserved brine if necessary. Weigh down--I use a liter-sized mason jar filled with water--and cover with a towel. I also usually put the crock inside another dish to catch any runoff brine. Now I just need to wait a week or so and taste it. I have a good feeling about it. I was a little nervous about the turnips, but I really think the onion-ginger-garlic-chili combination would make most things taste good.

MISO!!!!

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Okay, I'm committed now to making miso. I ordered the koji today, which is essentially cultured rice, necessary for making miso unless you have wild koji spores in the air (usually just in miso shops or basements where miso has been made for years). I haven't decided whether I will make the one that takes a year--red miso--or the one that takes only a month--sweet miso. The koji is expensive ($14.50/pound, and the miso uses 1.75 or 3.5 pounds), and the one that takes longer to ferment uses half the miso. So....I might start with that one and see how it goes. If I just love the process of making it I will probably order more koji and make the sweet miso.

I ordered on-line from South River Miso Company, and I added two types of miso to my order. I figured I was already paying for shipping so I should probably just go ahead and get some instant gratification and order some already-aged miso. I ordered a one-year fermented chickpea miso and a three-year fermented soybean and barley miso. Sounds good, huh? The red miso also requires a tablespoon of aged miso for the recipe so I will just use the miso I just ordered. I am really excited about this! The process does not look hard, just obviously time-consuming. I will get to finally use the room I have jokingly been referring to as my fermenting room since we moved into our house over the summer. The recipe (again from my pal Sanderkraut, author of Wild Fermentation) says to leave it in a non-heated cellar, basement, barn, garage etc. Bill's been busy converting our garage to his workshop so I don't think I'll put it in there to ferment because of the risk of some bits of metal or wood getting into it.

Note: the one-year actually refers to one summer so I will be able to check the miso in the fall, something to look forward to when the weather turns chilly again.

Dosas and sauerruben and t'ej

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I'm not sure if the honey wine (t'ej) is taking off. The recipe says that in three or four days it should start bubbling, at which point I am supposed to transfer it to the jug. It has not yet started to bubble, but I am not too disheartened yet because my kitchen is really cold, so it could just be taking a few extra days. When I went to My Old Kentucky Homebrew to buy an airlock, I talked to the very helpful worker (who is probably the owner), and he told me I should probably add some champagne yeast. I bought it for $.89, but Bill talked me out of using it. As he said, the fun in what I'm doing really is wild fermentation. So I'm just going to be patient and "(t)rust that the yeast will be drawn to the sweet honey-water from the air" (Katz, 2003, p. 29).

We are having one of Bill's coworkers and his wife and daughter over for dinner on Friday. I am going to make Indian food and was thinking I would just serve naan that I bought in the store. BORING! Instead I'm going to make dosas, which are essentially Indian pancakes made with a batter of fermented lentils and rice. I soaked the lentils and rice overnight, and then I put them in the food processor with some yogurt and extra whey I had in the fridge. This batter will ferment for about 48 hours, and then I will thin the batter with some water and add a few extras (e.g., cilantro, garlic) then make them on our cast-iron griddle. I will report back on how they turn out.

I'm still figuring out what to do with all those turnips, and I found a recipe in Wild Fermentation for sauerruben, which is pretty much sauerkraut, but it's made with turnips rather than cabbage. I made it exactly the same way, shredding my turnips in the food processor, adding salt and caraway seeds, mashing the heck out of it with the potato masher, and then packing it tightly into a crock with a weight.

And speaking of turnips, I tasted the turnip kimchi today, and it is very interesting, very spicy. I think it will be ready by Friday so those poor souls coming for dinner on Friday will get to (be forced to out of politeness?) taste it.

I ordered some seeds today for my garden. I am very excited about having my first garden, but I am extremely intimidated by it. I hope I get at least some yield. The seeds I ordered include the following: beets, spinach (two types), lettuce (2 types), kale, and cilantro. I am going to start out small, with some of my favorite (all greens, including the greens from the beets) and most used (beets, for the juice) vegetables.

fermenting and sleep

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First, as I was typing this blog's address into my address bar, one of the suggestions as I typed "Kristais" was "Krista is awesome." Of course I had to click on THAT to see what it was. It was some kid's facebook page. Kind of a letdown.

So, my honey wine still does not seem to be taking off. I am being patient, though. It has been sitting on the counter and stove for a week now. I will give it a few more days and decide whether I should just throw it out or add the yeast to it. I also decided to keep the turnip kimchi. This afternoon I had pretty much decided to throw it in the compost. It wasn't that the taste was bad; I think the turnips were just cut up too big. I should have used my food processor like I usually do. I actually cannot remember why I didn't. I think I was holding the baby, and it was easier to wield a big huge very sharp knife with one hand than listen to her crying really hard and using two hands for the food processor. I will eat it for a few more days, with the idea that if we don't like it, I don't need to force it on the family. Molly actually really likes it.

I did not make the dosas today because our dinner got rescheduled for Sunday. I guess I will just let the batter keep on fermenting until then.

And, perhaps the most interesting news of all, my miso and koji got delivered today so I can 1) eat miso every day and 2) make my own miso with the koji. I will of course report back, perhaps with photos.

Oh, and a quick note on Penny's sleeping. Last night she only woke up once between 8:00 and 6:30, around 2:00. Woot! The night before it was twice. These are definite improvements. There are a few things working together. The researcher in me would say there are just way too many threats to internal validity to tell what is working, but I have stopped drinking coffee (though I am still drinking black tea. Still, it's a drastic decrease in caffeine, down from that pot or more of coffee I was drinking every day), we have put a very loud humidifier in her room, and her naps have become a little more consistent. I will probably reintroduce coffee in a few days and see if that makes a difference (let's hope not because I really love coffee!)

ferment updates

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Well, it has kind of been a week of failures in the 'ol fermenting front. To make myself feel better, I am blaming the cold weather rather than my lack of skill. I'm pretty sure it's not because my house is too sterile. There actually isn't any skill involved so I'm betting on the weather.

My honey wine never started bubbling as expected. Rather than giving up, I went ahead and added half of the packet of the champagne yeast to it. It started bubbling so I put it in the gallon jug with an airlock, and I hope it's ready to drink in a few weeks. I will certainly try again in a few weeks when the weather is a little warmer; hopefully then the wild yeast in the air will be more active.

The dosas were also a failure. The recipe called for a whole bunch of cilantro, which was just too much. The batter was supposed to be thinner. As I am sitting her typing this, I am actually realizing that I halved the recipe so I used twice as much cilantro as I was supposed to. Yes!!! That makes me very happy because I really liked the taste of the cooked (failed) dosas, but they wouldn't stick together like pancakes, as they were supposed to. So...that means I will definitely try those again, too!

The sauerruben is delicious. It is just like sauerkraut, with just salt and caraway seeds, but it is made with turnips instead of cabbage. Molly and I shared a bowl today--we both loved it.

Penny's stats

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I took Penny in for her 9 month checkup today, and here are her stats:

weight: just over 22 pounds (though just last week she weighed in at 23), 97%
height: 28.75", 90%
head circumference: 18.25", 97%

She is still not terribly interested in eating anything other than breast milk, but we are working on it. I would say, though, that she is not starving, as illustrated above by her stats. For a couple of days we have been giving her little pieces of food that she can pick up herself, rather than being fed with a spoon. This method seems to work a little better. She's doing great overall, though. Little sweetie.

I realized that I never posted her stats for her 6 month checkup. Here are those stats, from 12/9/2010:
weight: 19 lbs, 12 oz, 90%
height 27.25", 90%
head: 17.5", 93%

Penny's sleeping is improving. Please do not confuse this for "her sleep is good." I still nurse her twice overnight, around midnight and around 5AM. Her naps are also getting better, and she is getting better at putting herself to sleep in her crib. This means, though, that it is really hard for me to leave the house because Penny goes down around 10, until around 11:30 or noon, and Molly goes for her nap around 2PM, until usually 4:30 or 5:00. Penny usually takes a second nap that overlaps with Molly's. It is actually a little lonely. I was visiting with people a lot for a while until I decided I really do not want to repeat the nap troubles we had with Molly. I am considering it an investment--her napping will just be so fabulous by the time she's down to only one nap that it will be absolutely worth it. She does have to sleep in the car now and then if we need to run errands, or if there is something else we have going on. All in all, things are going pretty well in the sleep department (even though Molly did not take her nap today.)

St. Patty's Day fermenting

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Yesterday was a crazy fermenting day! We have had a beef brisket in the freezer for a few weeks, and I have been wanting to try the corned beef recipe from Nourishing Traditions for a while, so St. Patrick's Day was a perfect opportunity! I quit eating meat the beginning of this year, but we are still working through our CSA meat share. I believe that it is the right decision for me to eat the meat we have remaining in the freezer, though, because it is a lot of meat, and I don't want it to be wasted. That being said, Bill will still be largely responsible for the nearly four pounds of meat that is this corned beef. Just to be clear, this corned beef will not be cooked. It will ferment for a couple of days, and then we will eat it. It has salt, juniper berries, red pepper flakes, mustard seeds, and whey. If anyone wants the full recipe, let me know, and I will be happy to share it.

I also made the mustard from Nourishing Traditions, which needs three days to ferment. Included in that recipe is ground mustard, water, whey, honey, mustard seeds, and lemon juice.

And the grand mammy of all ferments....I finally made my miso yesterday! I used the recipe from Wild Fermentation. I used pinto beans rather than soy beans because I had plenty in the cabinet. I will test it late this fall, probably around November. It was a pretty easy recipe to follow, but it made much more than I anticipated--I had to use two crocks rather than just one, and my crocks are precious because I only have three. I should have halved the recipe. I am really, really excited about this--I hope it turns out. I just ordered some more miso from the same company I ordered my koji from. It isn't cheap, so it would be really great if mine turns out nearly as good as theirs. I have had other miso bought from the grocery, and it is just not so good. It does take many months or years to ferment (the stuff I bought was one- or three-year fermented) so, like most things, you get what you pay for.

And Bill and I tested the honey wine this weekend. It needs another week or two, but I am definitely happy with the results! My dad and my sister both had samples as well and were not too impressed. It does taste like homemade wine, but I like the earthy flavor of it.

corned beef modification

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Okay, so when I said the corned beef would not be cooked, I did not expect it to be THAT raw. I mean, yeah, I figured it would be rare, but not really raw. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it was raw. I mean really, really RAW. Bill is very adventurous, though, and had a sandwich of raw corned beef last night. He said, "It was better with cheese and mustard." Nourishing Traditions promises that with the consumption of raw meet, one will have increased vitality. Bill did indeed have increased vitality today, but I am pretty sure it was a combination of the 70+ temperatures, the beginning of March Madness, and St. Patrick's Day all falling on the same day rather than the raw meat. We decided I should cook it.

And it was great--very tender. I took it to my sister's house for a little party she had, and I expected to bring most of it home. Instead, it was all gone very quickly. Yay! Bill said it was the best he'd ever eaten. I cooked it in my Dutch oven with water, a beer, some peppercorns, a cinnamon stick, some whole cloves, and a couple of bay leaves. I brought it to a boil then cooked it at 300 for about three and a half hours.

sleep...again

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This lack of sleep thing with Penny is just getting out of hand. In short, I was feeding her around midnight and again around 5 or so. Then she got sick a couple of times, and it eventually went back to her waking and wanting to eat about every two or three hours. Yesterday I kind of reached the breaking point. I felt like I was losing it--I was so exhausted and just feeling pretty depressed. I know a few people who have older kids who still do not sleep through the night so I realize that my situation is not unique. Nevertheless, I am just beat.

Anyway, in a nutshell that's what got us to the point of trying to do some sleep training again. When we did it a couple of months ago, it was a disaster. That little baby is persistent! She would scream--SCREAM--for hours. Literally hours! It didn't really seem to improve as the days went on either, so we kind of gave up. But...we decided it needed to be attempted again, and sooner rather than later. So last night, we set some ground rules that Bill would go in to her (with my gentle prodding to get out of bed because the man can sleep through most anything), at increasing intervals. I would not feed her until 5AM. She actually slept pretty well; for the first time in a number of weeks she slept until about 2:30. Bill went in every few minutes. At one point he came back to bed to inform me that she was actually STANDING in her crib. She has been trying to pull herself up for a couple of weeks, but that was the first time she's been successful. It was as if she were saying, "Fine. If you won't bring me the boobs, I will walk to them!" We got a pretty good chuckle out of that somewhere around 3:15. She finally fell asleep around 4:00. So we were awake for about an hour and a half, but it wasn't as bad as it's been in the past. Rather than screaming, she was just kind of fussing, which is much less anxiety-provoking (or blood-pressure-increasing, or adult-tear-inducing) than constant screaming. She woke around 6:00, and after I fed her she slept until about 7:30.

I am optimistic that tonight will be a sleep-filled night for all of us. Keeping my fingers crossed!

POTTY TRAINED!!!

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Woo hoo!!! Molly has been in big girl underwear for just over a week now. She has had a couple of accidents, but overall she is doing great. One day, I reached the point where I thought, "I am going to die--DIE--if I have to change one more crappy pull-up." She had been in pull-ups for what felt like forever, and they were just way too easy for her to pee and poop in. So on the day I thought I would die, I just told myself enough is enough. I put her in underwear and told her she was wearing big girl underwear; don't pee or poop in them. And she didn't (for the most part). I am so proud of her!

Penny's sleep has been getting better. We decided I would not to feed her until after 4AM so Bill usually will go in if she cries and try to comfort her to get her to go back to sleep. We had to take a break because the stress of her screaming for so long was, well, really stressful. But we tried again a few weeks ago, and she has actually taken to it pretty well. She will most often be able to comfort herself back to sleep within a few minutes, but if she doesn't Bill can go in, and she usually will go back to sleep.

Happy birthday, Penelope!

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Today is Penny's birthday. I really cannot believe it. This year has been full of changes and has just flown by. On Sunday we had a small party with family for her birthday. My mom made her a ridiculously cute birthday crown, to be worn in lieu of a paper party hat. She kept it on all day, including when she fell asleep at the end of her own party.



I realized that I never wrote the story of Penny's birth. I kept telling myself to record it so I don't forget it, and I just turned around, and a full year has passed. So I will record it to the best of my knowledge. Really, this is for me to remember the day so feel free to skip this. :)

Around 4AM on the morning of May 24th, my water broke. I had to get up to pee and immediately realized what happened because it was exactly as it happened with Molly's birth. I woke Bill up, and he said "Let's just go back to sleep, try to get some rest." Because Molly was sound asleep in the other room, and I was still tired, this seemed like a reasonable idea. Looking back, it was probably pretty silly because Molly's birth happened so quickly. We also had some people lined up to watch Molly, and we didn't want to call them so early either. Around 7 when Molly woke, Bill stretched and said, "Now, did I dream it, or did your water break?" TRUE STORY! Anyway, long story short, we called the doctor and were told to get to the hospital pronto because of my history, even though I wasn't having any contractions yet. We made all the phone calls to our wonderful friends Tamara and Annie, who had agreed to share Molly duty until the birth.

Hours passed before any contractions actually started. It's funny because I had been on bed rest for about six weeks because every time I stood up, I would have contractions. After my water broke, nothing. We ran across the street to get food. I figured I would have the baby any time so I wanted to eat as much as I could. The hospital, though enlightened in many ways in terms of their practices around birth, still had a policy that laboring women are not supposed to eat after their water breaks, in case they have to be put under for something (the nurse told us this never happens because even in almost every C-section the mother is awake). No one was watching too closely, of course, but I just would eat in between visits from the nurses (who, by the way, were absolutely fabulous for my numerous stays at Alta Bates Hospital) so I didn't put them in the awkward position of stating the policy.

Around 3:30 or so I still was not very dilated, maybe about 4cm. The doctor was starting to get a little concerned that I might get an infection because my water broke. She wanted to start induction because the risk apparently goes way up after 12 hours, which we were getting very close to. Bill and I discussed it, and we decided to go ahead with it. I was absolutely terrified. I wanted a fully natural birth, and I was nervous I would have to get an epidural because the pain would be too much. Well, as I implied earlier, Alta Bates is really progressive, and their policy for Pitocin was to administer it at about 1/10th the rate of the national standard, which meant that it would be a very, very gradual induction. I only got two doses, and I started to labor in full force. I breathed through the contractions in any position that felt right, usually on my hands and knees with my head buried in my pillow. I breathed through them all, and I didn't need any pain medicine, which I was thankful for. Between the actual contractions I remember feeling very present, talking with Bill and the nurse. During the contractions, I was in a different place. I remember hearing the nurse and Bill continue their conversation while I was moaning and breathing on the bed between them. They were attending to me, and I would use my hands to communicate what I needed or where I needed them to push to relieve some of the pressure. My wonderful group of momma friends had had a blessing circle for me a few weeks prior to my birth, and I was channeling that love and energy during my contractions, breathing through them and picturing my body as water, with the waves of the painful contractions like the waves in the ocean.

The labor was really short (though not as short as with Molly), and after about three hours I was ready to push. I remember the same feeling with Molly--when it was time to push, there was really no stopping it. I pushed about 15 minutes, and out came our little Penelope. I wanted her immediately on me, no bath or anything. The doctor put her on my chest, and immediately she started to nurse. The nurses wiped her off while she nursed, and Bill and I cried and cried and were so happy! What a difference from Molly's birth! I didn't let go of Penny for at least an hour; Bill couldn't wait any longer to hold her. I don't really remember birthing the placenta, but I'm pretty sure it was while I was holding Penny. She didn't get weighed for about two hours after she was born because we were holding her. The two of us have not been apart for more than a few hours since then.

Here the three of us are soon after the birth, before her bath and weight check.

Fermenting: I've missed you!

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I haven't posted in a while about the ferments I've been doing. I ordered some kefir grains on line (thanks for the inspiration, dear Abacus), and I have been making that every day since I got them a few weeks ago. It is definitely an acquired taste, and I think I have finally acquired it. I even got both Molly and Penny to drink some yesterday. It doesn't really taste like yogurt, as I thought it would. Kefir is fermented using little grains put in milk to ferment about 24 hours at room temperature. The grains reproduce themselves so I can share grains if anyone is interested. I have been putting the finished product in the fridge to drink; the taste is definitely improved when it's cold.

On Tuesday, Molly and I made some more sauerruben (i.e., fermented turnips) from the first turnips I saw at the farmers market. They were little tiny turnips, in contrast to the obscenely large ones from last fall. Molly and I both took a couple of sample tastes today. I think it needs another day or two, but Molly kept wanting another and another and another bite. So I guess she likes it now. Here is Molly stirring the turnips.



Today we made some more kimchi. Molly's favorite thing to do is to "smash, smash, smash!!!" the kimchi before and after we put it in the crock. Here is a picture of the magic combination of onion, garlic, ginger, and red pepper (dried, purchased from the farmers market) that turns ordinary cabbage into that wonderfully delicious condiment/salad topping/side dish/breakfast we call kimchi.



And because of another suggestion by my dear friend Abacus, I have started back to my kombucha. I have had two scoby's taking up room in the fridge for the past few weeks. I've just been lazy about making a batch lately. Per Abacus's suggestion, I made a batch with strawberries and raspberries (she made one with strawberries and one with strawberries and lemon, if I remember correctly). I will also do a secondary fermentation on this one to increase the carbonation. I've never done that before, but Abacus had good success with it so I am keeping my fingers crossed that I will, too.

So right now I have kimchi, sauerruben, kefir, and kombucha taking up space on my counter.

new sauerkraut and kombucha

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I got a bok choy in my CSA box last week. Bill spent a couple of weeks in China and Hong Kong a few years ago, and he has since not been a big fan of bok choy (really the only food he has an aversion to). When I was pregnant with Penny, bok choy for some reason completely repulsed me, and it still does somewhat (really the only food I have an aversion to). I decided to, of course, ferment it. I got the inspiration from a recipe that an acquaintance sent me that used seaweed. I happened to have some seaweed in my cabinet--Molly loves to eat dried seaweed--so I decided to give it a try. I just chopped the bok choy, added one sheet (minus a few bites taken by Molly) of nori, and a teaspoon of salt.



Molly mashed it all for me, and we packet it into a jar.



Thanks to my friend, Abacus, I have been doing some experimenting with kombucha. I made strawberry-raspberry kombucha first, and now I have some blueberry kombucha fermenting. I put three bottles of the strawberry in the cabinet for a secondary fermentation (also on the suggestion of Abacus). I will try it tomorrow. I only had three bottles in which to put the tea for the secondary fermentation so I got to drink some fresh. It was DELICIOUS!!! I can't wait to try the stuff in the bottles, which should be extra bubbly. The blueberry should be ready on Saturday or Sunday. I made the same basic recipe, except I added fresh fruit when I added the tea bags, I added less sugar because of the sugar in the fruit, and I let it ferment for four days rather than seven or eight.

raw kale salad

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I discovered this salad a while back in Vegetarian Times, and we love it. It's really easy to make, and it is very nourishing as well. Last night I dressed it up with a raw beet and carrot salad I made a couple of days ago (just shredded vegetables with some oil, vinegar, cumin, salt, and fresh herbs) and some pumpkin seeds. We usually just eat it plain, though.

1 bunch kale, stemmed and torn into pieces
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp salt

Dressing:
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 Tbsp lemon zest
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp honey or other sweetener

Place kale in large bowl with olive oil, vinegar, and salt. Massage a few minutes until kale starts to wilt. Let sit on counter for about 30 minutes. Whisk together dressing and pour over kale. We usually have enough for two days of salad--it keeps surprisingly well.

3-year and 1-year stats

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Last week Molly and Penny both went in for checkups. Here are the numbers:

Molly (at 3 years)
35 lbs (85th percentile)
39.25 inches (90th percentile) I prefer to say she's 3'3"
BMI (WHAT??? They do that for kids. Ok--I'll just record it in case I'm ever wondering) is 16 (55th percentile).

Penny (13 months)
22 lbs 6 oz (60th percentile)--she's getting skinny, probably because she won't eat anything except breast milk and watermelon and kefir (and any kind of Indian curry with rice)
31" (90th percentile). She's tall, though!
head circumference 18.5" (90th) and she has a big head.

Her tall, skinny, big-headed frame is not keeping her from toddling around. The kid can scoot really quickly. Yesterday she took one teeny tiny step. She can walk really quickly holding someone's hand.