Who Will She Look Like?

2 and a Half Weeks left. Just waiting & wondering who she'll look like! Here are our baby pictures, taken while we were still at the hospital!

Cotton Eyed Joe

For the record, the musical tastes didn't come from me, but the dancing skills did.

Baby's Room

The room is (pretty much) done, with just a few weeks to spare! I made the bedskirt & sheet from these fabrics, but found an etsy seller to make the bumper pad. Then there is the mobile we made. We also recovered the lampshade (although not pictured), thanks to this bit of advice. And anyone remember this fabric? Minnie Pearl's old drapery has become our new glider upholstery. Love love loving the prints from this etsy seller. And the little hand embroidery project framed (still not finished). We did get to decorate a nursery after all!

Added Note: Did anyone notice that the same day I posted this, the exact crib was recalled? Awesome. Just in time for the baby's arrival.

Allergy Story, Part 2

To update the Allergy Story that I originally posted last year... If you are a close friend or regular visitor here, this is old news…

Our Situation: My 2+ year old is allergic to anything that contains dairy & eggs. He has not yet been tested for allergies to nuts & shellfish, but we have been told to steer clear of those foods, for risk of developing allergies to them. He has also been tested for soy & wheat, but the results were negative. At age 3, Ethan will be given a more comprehensive test for additional allergies. Many of you remember that my dr. told me to give up nuts/dairy/eggs/shellfish while in the 3rd trimester & while nursing. After much consideration, I decided to just go very light on these foods for now, completely avoid nuts, and then while nursing, I’ll go completely 100% dairy/egg/nut/shellfish-free as well.

Ethan’s Reactions: Fortunately, we’ve done a pretty good job of keeping him free of his allergens. He did have exposure a few months ago, from just 3 tiny bites of a Veggie Sausage. He’s had a few other even more minor encounters, which resulted in an eczema outbreak or minor nasal congestion. After seeing his reaction from such a small amount of a sausage, makes me scared about what would happen if he actually had a concentrated amount, like an accidental glass of milk.

The Blog Posts: If you're looking for nut/egg/milk/shellfish-free recipes, they are in the pages & pages under the “Food” label (below right). Not all recipes listed there are allergy-free, but I do have some good ones. If you are looking for my food allergy posts, you can look under the “Food Allergy” label, also listed at right.

I’m always happy to make a connection with anyone in my shoes, so if you are a closet blog reader with food allergies in your family, feel free to contact me! It’s always very nice to make a connection with someone in the same boat. Any questions? I can’t remember any more of the allergy FAQs that I get!

Roasted Chicken

I just roasted my first whole chicken, using this recipe (except for the butter). I was pretty proud of myself, and it was very tasty. Plus, so much cheaper than buying chicken breasts.

Lance said it was pretentious. Hmph.

(picture from Martha)

This Week's CSA

This is from Avalon Acres' CSA this week. I haven't posted about the CSA in a few weeks, so here's what we're eating. This week's half share has cucumbers, green onions, potatoes, garlic, green beans, onions, blackberries, green pepper, cabbage, squash, beets, peaches, banana peppers, and pattypan squash. I LOVE PEACH SEASON!

"All I Can Say is That My Life is Pretty Plain..."

Daddy let E pick out his own clothes earlier this week. He chose the bumblebee costume. To Each His Own. That's what these guys taught us in the 90's, right?

Organizing Tablecloths

I've organized & measured my tablecloths, marking each with its rough dimensions for easy access. I'm wondering...does this fall under "nesting," or just a simple compulsion? Either way, it feels goooood.

Fondue Plates, Awesome for Tots

Another awesome shower gift for KB that E's already tried out (shh! don't tell!). These porcelain divided plates are AWESOME! It made the roasted chicken, baked squash, roasted potatoes, corn & tomatoes tons tastier, I'm sure. Oven & microwave-safe, I no longer have to feel guilty about microwaving plastic plates! Thanks Jen & Felicia! (Okay, that's the last of her gifts that we're going to test out before-hand!)

What is This?

Anyone know what these 2 flowering plants are (Heather?) I have a feeling it's some sort of lily and some sort of hydrangea, but I don't know. Any ideas?

Etsy Prints from Sarah Jane

I'm very excited about the prints I received from Aunt Renee, Aunt Libby & Minama, from etsy.com seller, Sarah Jane Studios. There are so many adorable ones - here are just a few of the precious prints she has available, which would look adorable in any little girl's bedroom. Etsy's so much fun!

The Irritations of Food Allergies

Just more reasons why food allergies are a big pain...I have to read ingredients on everything EVERY SINGLE TIME I shop. Here's 3 reasons why...

1) Different versions of the same food can have different ingredients (for example, chewy Spree candy contains egg white while original Spree does not).
2) Different sizes of the same foods can contain different ingredients. (For example, some "mini" versions of Laffy Taffy do not contain egg, but the large size does contain egg.)
3) Common sense cannot determine if foods are safe. Tuna & flavored water can contain dairy, egg rolls and chili can contain peanut butter, and the list goes on. (My biggest of all irritations - o'Soy brand yogurt contains milk products.)

Shower, 34 Weeks

As always, I forget all about the pictures at social gatherings. Here's one of just a couple that were taken. I had such a fun time being showered with little girly things! Jen had her baby the day after the shower. I'm so glad she held off one more day! Thanks everyone!!So you saw the belly at 30 Weeks. Here's 34. I think it will be the second, and the last of the profiles.

Last Week's Project

Last week, Lance decided to take on an enormous project in our backyard. The backyard had lots of plants that had become overgrown over the years, things had gotten a bit out of control. Between scatters of ground cover, bushes, rocks and tree stumps from downed trees, there was no plain 'ole grassy spot to play in. So Lance reclaimed our yard! He removed a row of nandinas, railroad ties & miscellaneous plant growth, stumps & rocks. He removed mulch from the playset area (which had become a giant litterbox for neighborhood strays.) He tilled and brought in dirt, then laid down new sod. Yeah! Now we can play bocce ball in the back yard! before (all but 2 nandinas have been removed) after (we need to add back the swing, slide & a fence!)

1st Camping Trip

Last weekend, we had a great time visiting E's grandparents (Minama & Bittaba). The boys & kids got to camp outdoors! Lance said E did great (except for the times he kicked Lance in the face)!

Sewing for my Babies

I haven't done as much sewing as I would have liked for Katie Belle, partly because the sewing machine was packed up for a month! But I got it back out a few weeks ago, and finished up this little dress & a pair of shorts for Ethan. I think the boy looks pretty cute in them, if I do say so myself!

Time for a Change

I'm getting restless again and ready for another hairstyle change. With bebe #2 en route, I am looking to spendless time in the chair. I'm thinking about going super-short, or staying long & going brown. I've been thinking of going super-short for years, but I'm scared since I have SO much hair & about a million cowlicks. I really don't want to end up looking like this. Any opinions?

The Color Purple

Here's our CSA share for the week! For those of you who didn't follow last year, the way it works is that we "subscribe" to the CSA for the growing season. A number of CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) can be found all over the country. Each week, we get a delivery of fresh local produce. The size & type of produce is completely dependent on the success of the farm's crop. Here are my pros & cons list, in case you missed it last year.So this is the portion that we split with my parents. This week, we received lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, peas, beets, radishes, strawberries, green onions, zucchini & cucumbers. This week, we got some pretty purple veggies, including Beets, Turnips & a Purple Hue Cauliflower, which has just a slight tint. Scroll down on the Avalon Acres CSA blog, and you'll see some even crazier cauliflower that they are trying out this year. Hope I get to try some of those this year!

When You're Too Tired for Cocoa Puffs