40 weeks...baby Lucy is here!

If you have been anxiously awaiting a 40 week belly shot, I have something even better for you.

The baby has made her debut!

Lucy Mae arrived on her due date 9/25/12 (how very punctual of her) at 2:51pm at 7lbs 15 oz and 20.5'' long.

We are madly in love and over the moon with our late night party animal.

Thanks dad for the awesome collage!

thirty nine. {according to my iPhone}

How far along? 39 weeks--only 3 days till baby's Due!!

Sleep: My sleep is very unproductive. And I had a dream last night I had the baby but was so drugged up I didn't remember anything and kept asking the husband "how big was she" "when was she born", etc. Can we say anxious much?

Best moment this week: Hanging out with my sister from Texas and all her babies!!! (See my photo obsessions above.)

Miss Anything? A glass of spiced cider Sangria would be real good right about now!

Movement: Yes! Baby is running out of room and her movements have a lot more force behind them now. I can't wait to hold her in my arms and see those little hands and feet that have been poking me all along, but treasure the feeling and know I will miss it!

Food cravings: Crunchy ice and chocolate. And chicken pot pie. Tried She Wears many Hats' recipe this week and it was unbelievable. 

Gender: Girl

Labor signs: Still having regular Braxton Hicks...and according to doc I'm 1 cm. Yippie. But that's all the progress we've made so far. 

Belly Button: Pokin out.

Symptoms:  Braxton Hicks, a big ol' 9 month (almost 10 month) prego belly, packed hospital bag, and carseat in the car. Lets get this show on the road!

Wedding Rings: No. Soon my little sparkly friends, soon. 

Looking forward to: Baby!! We have been patient and we have watched you grow in my belly. Now pelase get the memo and start moving things along. Thank you and we love you.

 ^"Whenever a woman is in labor she has ^[a]pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a ^[b]child has been born into the world." John 16:21

Worth the wait...stuffed zuchinni boats

4 days and counting until our due date for the bean!

And dear Lord, the wait is exhilarating and simultaneously could drive this new mom and dad to be nuts at the same time.

So, in the meantime, I cook. And we wait.

And we brace ourselves, every time a round of time-able Braxton-Hicks comes along.

And sigh a great big sigh every time they disappear.

These stuffed zucchini boats require a little bit of preparation and attention, and a little bit of waiting. But it will be worth the wait.

Crispy zucchini boats stuffed with tomatoes and onions in creamy parmesan and white wine mixture with crunchy breadcrumbs that will make your mouth water and your stomach happy.

{And it won't require nine months of baking to indulge in the end result. }

Stuffed Zucchini boats
adapted from Rachael Ray's Mama Elsas Stuffed Zucchini

2 large zucchini, sliced in half horizontally
1 can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup white wine (can substitute chicken broth)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/4 cup breadcrumbs or crushed ritz crackers
2 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425.

Slice zucchini in half horizontally, and slice 4 rows of cuts 3/4 of the way through the zucchini lengthwise. Add cuts horizontally throughout the rest of the zucchini, creating a 1/4" lattice. Using a spoon, scoop out the zucchini, leaving boats remaining. (Be careful not to get to close to the edges or the boats will not hold up.)

Place zucchini boats on a baking dish and drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil over zucchini. Roast for 7-10 minutes until browned and slightly tender, flipping once halfway throughout.

While zucchini is roasting, heat a pan with remaining olive oil to medium heat on the stove. Add zucchini "meat" (previously scooped out of boats), onion, and garlic and sautee 2-3 minutes until tender and translucent. Add wine to the pan, scraping up the brown bits and reduce wine to half about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes (drained) and parmesan cheese. Cook 2-3 minutes until thick and creamy.

Stuff zucchini boats and top with bread crumbs. Turn oven to BROIL and and heat for 2-3 minutes until breadcrumbs are crispy. Serve and enjoy!

thirty eight.

How far along? 38 weeks-11 days till Due Date...but who's counting?

Sleep: Sleeping sometimes. And waking at 3am sometimes... STARVING and needing an english muffin and peanut butter. And then taking some leisure time to read. Yep, at 3am. 

Best moment this week: The beautiful fall weather that has blown in to NC. Just in time to make this 9 mo pregnant lady much more comfortable! And my first cup of coffee with Pumpkin creamer this year!

Miss Anything? Sangria.

Movement: Yes, little swishes and a foot swirling about on the side of my belly all day long. I will miss feeling this sweet thing move around in my belly and taking her with me everywhere I go.

Food cravings: Crunchy ice, bananas and peanut butter or peanut butter on an English Muffin (sometimes at 3am).

Gender: Girl

Labor signs: Some Braxton Hicks that are coming in regular spurts. Which have started to hurt a teeny bit. And then they disappear....

Belly Button: Opposite of innie.

Symptoms:  Braxton Hicks and Heartburn!

Wedding Rings: Nooope.

Looking forward to: My sister coming up this weekend from Texas! Yeeeeehaw. With all of her adorable babies [who are not really babies at 8, 6, 3, and almost 2.]

"Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise." James 5:13

37 weeks according to my iphone

How far along? 37.67777 weeks [our chalkboard wall got hijacked so I had to improvise this week...just in time for 38 weeks.]

Sleep: We had a fun weekend full of wedding festivities for our two dear friends which equaled lots of sleep after! 

Best moment this week: Wedding festivities for Mr. and Mrs. Gabbard!! And our friends from NY Boston who have been visiting all weekend, along with my little sis!

Miss Anything? My ankles.

Movement: Yes! Although its a lot more subtle than when she had lots of room to move around, I feel her scrunching up and feet and hands swirling about all day long.

Food cravings: chocolate and crunchy ice.

Gender: Girl

Labor signs: Some Braxton Hicks that are becoming more regular! As in about 10 minutes apart, as in freaking me and my husband out this weekend. Now that we've made it to the wedding, she is welcome to come whenever her little heart desires! (Unless of course she wants to wait until my sisters can be here.)

Belly Button: The turkey timer is out!

Symptoms: Swollen feet, achy pelvis, Braxton Hicks

Wedding Rings: No, and I miss them dearly.

Looking forward to: My sister coming up in one week from Texas!! And of course, baby making her big debut!

“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” Isaiah 46:4 NIV

DIY Bookshelf Ledge [Pinsday]

Happy "pins"day!

I'm so excited to show you our latest DIY Pins-piration.

Why am I excited?

Because you also get a sneak peak to the bean's nursery.

But just a peek. We are still moving things around and adding more ruffles and pizzaz, so the final product will have to wait.

At our first baby shower, each guest brought a book for the baby to help start off her library. This was a fantastic idea--we went from zero books to tons of books for us to read to baby.

We debated back and forth on where to put & how to display all of these books in her room.

Until we stumbled upon ClassyClutter's blog on how to DIY your own bookshelf ledge (via Pinterest).

It was amazingly easy (especially if you let your sweet husband do all the work), and very, very  inexpensive.

We used leftover trim paint to paint the shelves, and only had to buy the wood (2x4's and 1x4's) and anchors to anchor the shelves into the wall. (Roughly a $10 project).

Check out ClassyClutter's blog on how to assemble your own DIY Bookshelf Ledge. I bet it would also be a super fabulous way to display picture frames and knick knacks too!

"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

thirty six.

How far along? 36.5 weeks-Holy cow we are having a baby this month!

Sleep: Hmmm. I think me and the baby have different definitions of sleep. She thinks night time is dance party time. I, on the other hand, would like to sleeeep.

Best moment this week: I had a scare with the baby's movements slowing down, and got to take  a "non-stress test" which involves laying in a recliner while hooked up to a fetal monitor and contraction monitor while clicking a clicker every time the baby moves. Baby bean decided to prove me and the doctors wrong by moving a hundred times in the 20 minutes I sat there. and it was fun watching the fetal monitor bounce up and down and a big huge relief to this momma.

Miss Anything? Ahi tuna. mmmm. That will be my first post-pregnancy meal I think.

Movement: See aforementioned "best moment of the week."

Food cravings: coffee? Crunchy ice. And no, I'm not anemic. It's so cold and so crunchy!!! 

Gender: Girl

Labor signs: Just a few Braxton Hicks here and there. And she's moving down in my pelvis slowly but surely. 

Belly Button: Out out out.

Symptoms: Achy pelvis and hips makes this lady move verrry slowly this week. 

Wedding Rings: Sigh. One day I will get to wear my favorite sparkly diamond rings again.

Looking forward to: My sister coming up in two weeks from Texas!! And seeing a friend from NY next weekend and two of our dearest friends getting married! Let's hope baby holds off till then, and after that all bets are off!

 ^"He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created." James 1:18