Still No Bébé.

Well, I am still pregnant. 40 weeks + 2 days pregnant, to be exact. I know she will be here soon, so I can hang in there a little while longer. I am, however, hoping for a natural birth with no interventions, so I’m praying she comes soon so that I do not have to be induced. At my next appointment on Monday (if she doesn’t come before then) they will want to schedule an induction before I reach the 42 week mark. Of course, while not ideal, If I have to induce for her or my safety I am willing. My number one priority is healthy baby & healthy mama. I’ve been trying every old wives tale out there to try to help things progress naturally. I’m pretty sure none of them work unless you are about to go into labor anyways, but I figure it’s worth a shot! 

Here’s hoping my next post is a birth announcement! Until then… 

Sew Simple (see what I did there?)

Yesterday was my birthday, which snuck up on me rather quickly! Since I’m 39 weeks pregnant we decided to keep it low-key and enjoy one last date night with just the two of us before this baby comes. So we did the classic dinner & a movie and it was really nice. :)

For my birthday this year I really wanted a sewing machine. I’ve always wanted to learn, and was ready to get my own machine and finally do it! So hubby granted my wish and got me one for my birthday (which he gave to me early, over the weekend). I’m already loving it and really enjoying making some fun baby things. Plus, it provides a great distraction while I anxiously await baby girls arrival!

So for my first few projects I decided to make some baby leggings, some turban headbands for baby & mama, newborn knotted hats, and a receiving blanket. These four projects are great for beginners or anyone else wanting to make some cute new things for their precious little ones! The links to the tutorials I used are below. I used stretchy knit fabric, all purchased at Joanns (with coupons, of course!).

1. Baby Leggings Tutorial
2. Turban Headband Tutorial
3. Knotted Newborn Hat Tutorial (Note: I did not serge my ends, just sewed the whole project with a twin needle. Also, when I cut out the pattern, I cut out the top part for the knot a bit smaller, due to personal preference)
4. Receiving Blanket: I didn’t follow a tutorial. I used a double sided knit fabric, cut the size I wanted, and folded in all sides about ¼ inch and then folded in again another ¼ inch (ironing each time) and pinned in place. Then sewed with a twin needle.

Happy Sewing!

The Waiting Game

Feels like there isn’t much to do in your last few weeks of pregnancy but to wait. My due date is in a week and a half… But knowing I could technically go into labor at any point, I taunt myself each day wondering “will today be the day?” Patience was never one of my strong suits, to say the least. But I am trying. I know she will come when she is ready. 

It’s crazy to look back over some of the pregnancy photos we’ve taken over the last nine months and see how much she’s grown. It’s funny, in some of those pictures I remember thinking “wow, I’m really starting to show!” Now I just laugh at how tiny I look in comparison to how big I am now! Still hard to believe there is an actual baby in my belly. A living, breathing child who I will be able to hold in my arms soon. I’m going to be someone’s mom. Whoa.

Feeling really blessed to get to experience this beautiful journey & can’t wait for what’s in store. In the meantime, I’m praying for a smooth, uncomplicated delivery & a healthy baby. ♥ 

Southwestern Style Stuffed Acorn Squash

The hubs and I have been trying to eat healthy and wanted to try something new. I’ve made stuffed peppers in the past and we loved them, so I decided to try making stuffed acorn squash. I didn’t really have a recipe to follow, so I just had fun with experimenting, and was happy with the results. They turned out very flavorful & were very filling! Will definitely be making these again!

Here is the recipe of what I did. Feel free to make your own adjustments & experiment! You could also easily make these vegetarian friendly by simply not adding the ground turkey.

Southwestern Style Stuffed Acorn Squash

(Yields 4 stuffed acorn squash halves. Total prep/cook time approximately 1 hour)

What You’ll Need: 

1. 2 Small Acorn Squashes, cut in half lengthwise with seeds removed
2. 1 – 1 ¼ lb Ground Turkey
3. 1 Red Bell Pepper
4. 1 Green Bell Pepper
5. 1/3  White Onion
6. 1 Cup Uncooked Quinoa (I used tricolor quinoa)
7. Olive Oil
8. 1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
9. Cilantro
10. ½ tsp onion powder
11. ½ tsp garlic powder
12. ½ tsp cumin
13. ½ tsp cayenne pepper
14. 1 tsp paprika
15. Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Place acorn squash halves cut side up onto a baking pan, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper.  Bake 45 minutes.

While acorn squash is roasting, prepare your stuffing. Cook 1 cup of quinoa according to package instructions. Chop your onions & peppers. Combine with ground turkey in large sauté pan and cook over medium-high heat until meat is browned. Once quinoa is ready, mix that in with the turkey mixture and add all of the spices, and salt & pepper to taste. Set mixture aside.

Once acorn squash halves are ready, pull out of oven and stuff with the turkey/quinoa mixture. Top with shredded cheddar cheese (spread evenly amongst the four halves). Bake an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the squash is fork tender.

Then just top with cilantro & serve. Bon Appetit!

Sick.

Well, I’m not going to lie… these last few weeks have been a little rough. Being 9 ½ months pregnant and having a bad cold is just exhausting. I’ve been taking it easy, and trying to get lots of rest. Many nights spent watching movies, eating soup, drinking chamomile tea, and taking hot baths. Trying to be as comfortable as possible. 

I’m finally feeling a little better as far as the cold goes, but my body is still achy and exhausted. Ready to meet this little babe of ours, and sure wouldn’t mind if she came a week or so early ;)