Little Ballerina

Annmarie started ballet. She digs it.

5 Things

1. Annmarie reading to her pretend baby brother.
2. Playing with preschool buddy at the park.
3. Crazy storm clouds last week.
4. Cuddling rainbow birds.
5. Classic pot roast in the crock pot - recipe here.

The Bump :: 36 Weeks

The countdown is on. My parents will be here in 3 weeks, if he can wait until then, but not much longer...that would be awesome. Still feeling good, sleeping well. It's all about slip on shoes. Total weight gain - 12 kg. Not really sure how I am managing this, I feel like I am eating all the time. I was looking at a picture of me two days before I had Annmarie and my belly is smaller then than it is right now. I'm grateful that it is winter here, not sure how well I would be able to handle a summer pregnancy in OZ.

I've also been thinking a lot about how Annmarie will no longer be my only child. It's still something I haven't completely wrapped my head around. I know everything will fall into place, but I have been trying to savor these last moments together. Even today when she was a little sas and refused to get her shoes on and I may have gotten a bit cross with her; she told me and I quote "I want you to go to Daddy's work and for Dad to come home". By this point that little comment just made me laugh. There are days I feel the same way :).

I know AM is excited for her new role as big sister, but I can also feel there may be some challenges. I can also feel that it will all be worth it.

From last week and weekend

Annmarie loves herself a little ice cream painting. I draw her a ice cream cone and she paints it with different flavors (colors). She has asked to do it a few a times now and we have ourselves a nice little collection. And she is getting pretty good at staying in the lines.
She likes to pretend that the guitar stand is a microphone - rock on.
Annmarie and I out at a favorite cafe.

Last Friday Jamie and I had a nice little day date while AM was at preschool. We had one final ultrasound for buba and then Jamie got his hair cut - at an Aveda Hair Salon. He was quite impressed with the moisturizing treatment they gave him - I think he is hooked. I'm still trying to figure out why it was him and not me getting pampered. We then found a great little Dim Sims (Dim Sums) resturant. Great dumplings and you can watch them make them by hand.
Oh Harry - I am huge dorky HP fan. Loved the books and most of the movies. I pretty much cried the entire last hour and a half of this last movie. It did not disappoint, it was awesome.

A while ago Jamie bought some Major League Baseball package online so he could watch all the Giants games. He bought a cord so that we can connect the computer to the TV, now he can watch the games on the TV, and we also used it to Skype with Papa Tom this weekend.

Stuff and Vegetable Enchilada Recipe

banana pineapple muffin :: AM and the stone seal :: AM with Dad's guitar :: filling for veggie enchiladas (recipe below) :: jonquils :: morning tea

Vegetable Enchiladas

Recipe adapted from Martha. Basically, I like to use zucchini over spinach and add little more vegetable broth to the sauce. Also, I usually just make in a 9X13 dish, it doesn't make the full 16, but I end up using all the filling - I just add more of the filling to the tortillas. You can always change the veggies up too.

Ingredients

-2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for baking dishes
-2 teaspoons ground cumin
-1/4 cup all-purpose flour
-1/4 cup tomato paste
-2 cups vegetable broth
-coarse salt and ground pepper
-3 cups grated pepper Jack cheese
-1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
-1 zucchini, chopped
-1 can of corn
-6 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
-16 corn tortillas (6-inch)

Directions

Make sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add 1 teaspoon cumin, flour, and tomato paste; cook, whisking, 1 minute. Whisk in broth and 3/4 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, 5 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

Make filling: In a large bowl, combine 2 cups cheese, beans, zucchini, corn, scallion whites, and remaining 1 teaspoon cumin; season with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil two 8-inch square baking dishes; set aside.

Stack tortillas, and wrap in damp paper towels; microwave on high for 1 minute. Top each tortilla with a heaping 1/3 cup of filling; roll up tightly and arrange, seam side down, in prepared baking dishes.

Dividing evenly, sprinkle enchiladas with remaining 1 cup cheese (I like to add a little more), and top with sauce. Bake, uncovered, until hot and bubbly, about 20 minutes. Garnish with scallion greens or other favorites - cilantro, sour cream, etc.

The Bump :: 34 Weeks

It's going so fast, yet I'm starting to forget what it's like not to be prego. I'm pretty wiped out by the end of the day, but typically have a good amount of energy to get through the day. I have been skipping out on taking naps, as this will usually ensure I sleep well at night. We've pulled all of Annmarie's baby gear out of the garage and it's in the house. We have done a few things to prepare for the little guy, but still have a lot to do. We are going to hold off on getting his room ready until after his arrival. He'll be in our room for a while anyway. Plus we are going to have some visitors - first my parents are coming out (again) a few days before the guess date and then a little while later Nana is coming (again). Therefore, we will keep the guest room available for them. So, if anyone else wants to come out and babysit and help out, oh I mean, visit the beautiful Northern Beaches of Sydney, now is the time (of course, we will always welcome visitors, you may just end up on a air mattress or the sofa bed). I haven't wanted to jinx myself, but one great thing about this pregnancy is that I have had very little swelling. I had a lot with AM and by the end of the day my feet, ankles, and hands would be so puffy and at one point I couldn't wear my rings. I think this probably happened because I was working and was sitting for long periods of time. I am a lot more active this time around and that has helped. While my weight gain has been very similar to AM, I'm carrying it all in my belly, it's big, heavy and round. I felt that I filled out a lot more with AM, maybe because of the swelling. Well, six weeks to go, if not sooner.

July 3rd!

We celebrated the 4th on the 3rd, which was really the 2nd in the US. This was the first time we both had been out of the US for the 4th; felt a little funny. But we made due by going to the beach. It ended up being a beautiful day.
All these clouds cleared up and we had warm wonderful sun.
This is Annmarie's protest when we tell her we are leaving soon.
Hope everyone had a wonderful 4th!