Vivian's Masterpiece

Yummy. We used safe, organic, botanical dyes to make paint for Baby V. They smelled amazing!

She loves anything squishy and messy.

The finished project. Her first painting! A true masterpiece.

The Bernette 20

Would you pause just for a second and take a good look at this beauty? Notice the sparkle. Notice the 60 different stitches. Notice all of the other features that I don't even have names for. Isn't it absolutely lovely? My parents bought this shiny new sewing machine for me as a combined birthday/Christmas present. My dear friend Sharon helped me pick it out and was just as excited about it as me I think. I call it my second baby, and it's part of the reason that yet another month has flown by since I've blogged. Every free second I get I've been whipping things up with it! The first thing I did was to finally finish the ring sling I had started before Vivian was even born. My old sewing machine piddled out on literally the last step before it was complete. All the layers I was trying to sew through were just too much for the old dame. But the Bernette sliced through those layers like butter! It was a beautiful thing. I used this tutorial in case you're interested in making one for yourself. It was super easy and fun! Vivian and I love it!

I also made a fabric high chair for the Viv using this tutorial. We were feeding her on the floor in her Bumbo, but that got old pretty quickly. Now she can sit at the table with us to eat! Can you tell that she loves it? Another quick, easy, and fun project.

For my next project I'm currently cutting endless mounds of fabric for a 'quilt' I'm making for my niece who is due to arrive in early October! I have a about half of the cutting part done so far and am working double time to try to have it finished by the time she's born! I can't wait to share photos of that once it's finished, and then to continue blazing through my "To Stitch" list. There are about a million things on it. What about you? Are you stitching anything exciting? Have any favorite tutorials to share? I'm going to try to blog a bit more regularly. No promises though. So until next time, happy stitching!

Easy Homemade Beauty Products!

Here on Ear to the Earth, we mostly talk about what goes into your body and the importance of a whole foods plant based diet, but today I want to discuss a few things that, although we don't eat them, end up inside our bodies all the same. As I'm sure we all know by now, our skin isn't an impenetrable barrier between us and the outside world; it is, in fact, permeable, and much of what our skin comes in contact with is absorbed straight into the bloodstream! I've been slowly transitioning the few beauty and personal care products I use from the creepy chemical-laden store bought brands to clean, safe, and simple homemade ones for some time now, but then one day I thought, "I kiss Viv's chunky little cheeks about 50 million times a day. I do NOT want to be plastering her with all these creepy toxins!" And so the great clean out has begun. I started with products I use on my face, since that's what comes in contact with her the most, and will move on to hair next. Until then, let me share with you these simple (but important!) changes I've made.

One of the only bits of makeup I wear is blush, and the only thing you need to make your own is a beet! I got the instructions from my favorite blog, YumUniverse, and I encourage you to toss whatever blush you're currently using and make your own beet blush today. It has such a nice subtle and natural color that I just love and can feel so good about applying to my skin.

I don't really use eyeliner, but sometimes for special occasions (like my wedding) I do use eyeshadow. Here is a super simple way to make your own eyeshadow/eyeliner from activated charcoal capsules, which you can find for less than $10 at your local health food store, and it works so well! Much better than any other eyeshadow or eyeliner I've ever used.

And finally, the lip balm. This is the one product I use all the time. Right after Vivian was born, the only things I wanted were water and my lip balm - ha ha! This recipe is marvelous, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to make enough to have one tin in every room of the house. It really is that good! Here's how to make it:

1t beeswax
1T coconut oil
1T grapeseed oil
6 drops orange essential oil (You can substitute other essential oils here; just be sure they're safe to apply to the skin!)

• Heat beeswax and oils together in oven (on lowest temperature setting possible) till melted.
• Remove from oven and add essential oil.
• Pour into 2 lip balm tins, cap, and allow to cool.

These three things are so easy and inexpensive to make on your own, and the finished products are well worth the small bit of effort required. If you try any of them, I'd love to hear how they turn out!

A Very Special Gift

Family and friends have been beyond generous and supportive of Clint and me as we have welcomed our new baby into the world. We've been almost smothered with gifts, cards, and prayers over the past six months or so! One of the most special gifts we received is this handmade quilt from my very dear friend Sharon.

The quilting and binding are all hand stitched, and Vivian's full name is beautifully embroidered in one corner. There is so much love and friendship in each of those individual stitches and in each piece of fabric chosen that I was overcome with emotion when the quilt arrived in the mail and I tore into the package. Viv is so lucky at have such a wonderful auntie, and I am so thankful to have such a wonderful friend!

Vivian (when she was a newborn) is obviously quite content wrapped up in so much love.

The beautiful hand stitching of her name

If you love the quilt as much as I do, you should check out Sharon's portfolio. I can guarantee it'll blow you away. She's one of the most talented and creative people I know, and her portfolio perfectly represents her unique style and skill!

Gratitude and Grains

This morning Miss V and I went on a short walk. She wore her best friend Fern's eggplant hat to stay warm, and I bundled her up inside my fleece. These little outings are now the highlight of my day! Needless to say, life has become much simpler around the Ross household since she was born just over a month ago. (FYI, simple does not always mean less stressful, hardy har har.) Sometimes that simplicity seems mind-numbingly boring, but it's really the most wonderful thing in the world. This time that I get to spend so intensely connected with my daughter will be gone in a flash, and I'll be reminiscing about her newborn days. I was reminded of how precious all of it is by some shocking news I received today. My step-cousin died suddenly this morning (they're not sure of the cause yet, possibly a heart attack), leaving behind three gorgeous children and an amazing wife. I'm giving Vivian lots of extra snuggles and smooches today and am feeling extra grateful for my wonderful husband Clint. I hope if you're reading this you take a little extra time today to show love and gratitude to those who are special in your life.

It's been a while since I've posted any food deliciousness, and I don't have any pictures or fancy reviews today, but I will share links to some yummy recipes that have been happening around here lately! I've unintentionally been exploring lots of new and different grains, and let me tell you, there's a whole lot more to breakfast life than oatmeal! You should pick a recipe or two out of the list to share and enjoy with those you love!

Dairy Free, Gluten Free, and Soy Free Mac & Cheese. This was so good we made it two nights in a row.
Crunchy Kale and Coconut Bowl. My first time eating farro. A new favorite.
Barley, Walnut, and Pear Salad with Raisins. I didn't have high hopes for this one, but it rocked my socks off!
Buckwheat, Chickpea, and Sweet Potato Jamaican Jerk Wrap. Was delicious as leftovers on a bed of spinach.
Toasted Four Grain Cereal. There's a tiny bit of prep the night before, but in the morning you just turn on the stove and within a few minutes have a warm, nourishing breakfast.

I have a lot more amazing recipes on my Pinterest page if you like what you see here!

Vivian Callaway Ross

We welcomed our precious Vivian Callaway Ross into the world at 3:30 am, Wednesday, January 18, 2012. She weighs 6 pounds, 6 ounces, and is 19.5 inches long. As you may well know, she had a rather, well, unique birth, and I just have to tell you about it in its entirety.

Our little beauty, cozy and content.

Just before week 30, we were told that she had IUGR, intrauterine growth restriction. Basically that means that she was extremely tiny, measuring below the 5th percentile size-wise. It was recommended that we induce labor early, at week 37, to avoid a higher risk of stillbirth. We went through weeks of agonizing decision-making, praying, and appointments, and decided NOT to induce. We felt it was the best and wisest choice for Viv in our specific situation, and decided to let her come on her own timing. But then, our "due date" came and went and we began rapidly approaching the 42 week mark. 42 weeks is like a glaring "do not cross" line in pregnancy because the risk of having a stillborn baby increases 12 times at this point. Sunday, January 22 was our do not cross line. If Viv wasn't going to come out on her own by then, we were going to have to induce. I have to admit I'm terrified of pitocin, so after talking with my midwife I decided to try taking castor oil. If we were going to have to interfere in the process, I wanted to try gentler and more natural means before resorting to pitocin.

So, Tuesday afternoon I mixed castor oil into a milkshake and gulped it down. Four hours later, I was paying the price (and if you know anything about castor oil you know what I mean!). Around 8:00 that evening it felt like a bowling ball was sitting in my pelvic girdle. Figuring it was either more castor oil effects or just the very very beginning stages of labor, I went to sleep. I woke up at 1 in the morning on Wednesday, with the strongest "practice contractions" I'd felt yet, and went to the couch to sleep so I wouldn't disturb Clint. But I couldn't sleep - the sensations were too strong and frequent. So then I thought, "Hey, these aren't practice contractions, this is early labor!" Knowing that stage can take a while and wanting to labor at home as long as possible, I didn't wake Clint up till around 2:30 am. I told him that we should probably finish packing our bags for the hospital. As he began gathering toiletries to add to our awaiting bags, I found myself unable to help or even stand. I was having contractions every three minutes at this point, lasting about a minute each.

We had planned to have an unmedicated birth, and at this point I was seriously doubting my ability to stick to that. I thought that if the easy early stage of labor was this difficult, there was no way I could make it through active labor and delivery. I didn't even know if I could make it to the car, and I was so disappointed with myself because I wanted a natural birth so badly but couldn't handle it when it actually came. Clint continued getting everything ready while I squirmed on the bed, trying to breathe through each contraction and stay as relaxed as possible. I thought I should try to use the bathroom before our hour long drive to the hospital, so I staggered into the master bath, which has a toilet separated from the rest of the bathroom. Basically a toilet in its own closet. These "early labor" contractions got even stronger and then the obvious hit me - I wasn't in early labor, I was in active labor!

Clint came to the door telling me we needed to go, and I told him I didn't think I could make it to the hospital. (Poor Clint - can you imagine hearing that!) He sweetly encouraged me that I could do it and to just come out when the next contraction ended. A few minutes later the labor completely took over my body, and who knows what kinds of noises Clint was hearing from outside that bathroom door. Our hospital had told him not to try to make it there, but to go to Athens Regional instead (which is like 15 minutes from where we live). Clint called them to see what we should do, but by the next time he came to the door, I knew we weren't going to make it anywhere, no matter how close, because I could feel the top of Vivian's head. "Clint, I can feel her head. She's coming!" I told him. "What?! You can feel her head? What do you mean?" Was the reply. He walked away from the tribal sounds coming through the door so that he could ask the hospital what to do, and then I just totally gave in to the birth - I had no choice! I looked down and saw her black hair. Two more contractions and she suddenly came right out, and plunk, INTO THE TOILET! She flew right past my hands and took a dive into the awaiting toilet bowl. I grabbed her, held her up in front of me, and waited to see if she was breathing. She started breathing and squirming, so I yelled, "Clint, she's here! Clint! She's here!" (Or something like that. Who knows what I really said.) He opened the bathroom door and saw me standing there holding her in the air. I don't know how he didn't pass out from shock, but he called an ambulance to come get us and got a towel to wrap her up. I just sat on the toilet holding her till they came, Clint doing everything he could to make sure we were all ok. The ambulance got there in about five minutes and whisked us off to the hospital, where Vivian became quite the celebrity. I really was expecting a news crew to burst into our room any second to capture the story of the Toilet Baby.

We're back home now, where it all began Tuesday afternoon with a dose of castor oil, enjoying and loving Vivian to pieces. We are beyond grateful to God for this gift. There is nothing in the world like being a parent and holding your newborn. She's the best and most beautiful thing ever, and I just love how she came into this world - this girl is hilarious already! More and better photos to come . . . stay tuned!

Still Waiting

Well, this baby is too comfy (or stubborn) and hasn't decided to make her grand appearance yet, despite our polite requests. Until then, everything seems like it's on standby, and waiting is definitely not my strong point! To pass the time, I've been studying like crazy -herbalism, the book of Isaiah, all kinds of stuff. Sitting in a coffee shop today enjoying peach rooibos tea, catching up on internet stuff (our router died and we're waiting for our new one to arrive), and wishfully thinking that every twinge I feel is "it!"

Here's a very short list of some things I'm looking forward to:

• Snuggling this little wiggle worm who has already made so much of her personality known to me.
• My family visiting. I love them so much and can't wait for them to spend an entire week at my house!
• Getting back to running and yoga. I know it'll be a little while, but I'm dying, DYING!
• Getting back to work. I think and hope hope hope I have a perfect part time job lined up.
• Stitching. I'll have to post a photo of my busted sewing machine soon, but the point is that it's kaput. Dead as a doornail. But my sister is letting me borrow her machine till I get a new one! Can't wait for her to bring it so I can finish some things I have mid-project.
• The Spring. When I'll be able to toss the bug in a wrap or sling and take her on walks through the woods.
• Revealing her name! Trust me, it's killing me not to tell as much as it's killing you!

Food is GOOD

I mentioned in an earlier post that I've been reading Brendan Brazier's book Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and Life. I'm finished with it now and absolutely loved it! I'm not a vegan (although I do enjoy many vegan foods), and you don't have to be a vegan or an athlete to benefit from this book. It's easy read and simple to understand and will have a positive impact on your health. I highly recommend it! I made my first recipe from the book, Almond Flaxseed Burgers, and it's a new favorite food. These are amazing! Make them for lunch today, and you'll feel wonderful for the rest of the day. I topped mine with a simple guacamole. Just a combination of avocados, tomatoes, and lemon juice. You could make it even better with the addition of sprouts!

Almond Flaxseed Burgers (from Thrive)
2 cloves garlic
1 cup almonds
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons coconut oil
Sea salt to taste

• Put all ingredients into food processor and process till well blended.
• Form into patties (This recipe made 3 patties for me) and top with whatever toppings you want!

I've been trying to pack in as much nutrition into my diet as possible because seriously, this baby needs to stop twiddling her thumbs and come out. Whenever she finally decides to make her debut, I know labor will be easier and recovery faster if I've been fueling my body with the proper foods. And I can't stress enough, healthy, high-quality food is GOOD!

Elimination Communication (Part 2) . . . What's the Beeswax?

As promised, here is the second installment in the Beeswax posts on Elimination Communication. If you missed the first post, you can find it here. For those of you who are already caught up, enjoy this interview with my very dear friend and EC expert, Maggy Smith, mother to three-month-old Fern!

When did you begin EC with your daughter?

We started when she was two months old.

What attracted you to EC?

I always like to think about how parents raise their children in other cultures, where they may not have what we have or view life the way we do. I realized that I had never seen a diaper while traveling and living in developing countries . . . and I also never saw poopy moms! Also, after being joined at the hip for two months with Fern, I realized that I already knew so many of her cues for "normal" baby stuff like burping, sleeping, hunger, etc., so I started to see if I could recognize cues for peeing and pooping. The cues were basically no-brainers and so easy to pick up on. It's a simple idea, simple to execute, and I'm a simple kind of mama.

What's the most difficult thing about EC?

I think the hardest thing is when I realize Fern is doing everything short of yelling in my ear, "I have to pee!" and I still miss it . . . because I was being distracted from her by something silly like the computer or not wanting to interrupt someone to take her to go potty. It's hard when I realize how much I ignore her. If I'm too preoccupied, I just stuff the boob in her mouth when she starts to squawk without asking myself why she's really squawking.

EC is also more difficult at night. Taking her to pee isn't the difficult part, but thinking in the fog of midnight mothering and realizing that no, she doesn't have to burp, she's asking to use the potty! What the books and blogs say about EC is so true - babies do not want to soil their nest! I usually see it in hindsight, but the times when Fern is the most restless and nursing like a maniac in the middle of the night is actually when she is trying to tell me to put her over her potty!

What is the biggest reward?

Hands down the biggest reward is knowing my baby better. She is one happy girl when she tells me she has to pee, and I meet her need . . . and that makes me one happy mama.

Also, she pooped in the potty at our favorite coffee shop and just generally uses public restrooms as she desires. It makes going out in public so much easier!

What's the most common reaction you get from people who haven't heard of this before?

One friend of mine said, "WHAT?! That's amazing! I've never heard of that!" but most people generally say something like, "Oh . . . hmmm . . . that's interesting," while scratching their head. But when I whip her cloth diaper off and she poops a big one in her potty, they usually sing a different tune. Of course there are always the people who think I'm a nut in general and write this off as being nutty, but I think that if these people stopped to learn about EC, they'd be wishing they had known about it for their own children. I will say that it isn't for everyone; our culture is different than the many cultures that have communicated with their babies in this way since the beginning. In our culture, it works best for parents who want to be with their children in a more communicative way. This can still happen when both parents work outside the home, but it's an attitude centered around being together as a family, not raising a young inconvenience, which is sadly the attitude promoted in our society.

Have you noticed any changes in Fern since you began EC?

Not really. It's natural for her, and she doesn't think twice about it. Although she is very happy when I hear her and act on it. The changes are mostly in me. It's like a new tool to use to know her better. I know that when she becomes what people in our culture call "fussy," she probably has to use the bathroom! (I hate the word fussy. I believe fussiness in general is a baby trying to communicate a need that is going unmet, leading to major frustration on the baby's part!)

 

How does EC fit in with your overall parenting philosophy?

This is another thing I love about it; my husband and I are 24-hour parents. That includes bathroom time. Knowing Fern so well that we know when she has to pee is amazing. Fern is with us constantly. We think of her as a happy addition to the two of us, not a burden. We wear her everywhere we go - we actually don't even have a stroller! I wear her in the house almost constantly, and she sleeps next to me in bed every night. Basically we practice attachment parenting, which works well for all three of us.

What advice would you offer to parents wanting to begin EC with their child?

Hold your baby over the potty after she wakes up in the morning, when you go to change the diaper, and ten minutes or so after nursing, after a nap, and before bed. You'll be surprised as how many times your baby will pee in the potty. Not always, but you'll see! Hold the baby against your chest, with your hands under her thighs, lifting them up closer to her chest, butt over the potty. That position is helpful for eliminating, and it is also a great cue for them to know, "Hey, it's time!" When they go, choose cue words to help them learn to connect the word with what they're doing. While Fern pees, we say "Pssssssssss," and while she's pooping we grunt and flex our stomach muscles so she feels them. Those are her cues. Soon she'll associate them with what she is doing. You can start by just using timing to learn your baby's cues and when she generally potties, but even by letting her try those times, or even just some of them, you'll start to learn her signs. And you'll see when she has a wet diaper and when you maybe could have pottied her.

Read Diaper Free for more detailed info and suggestions, and be ok with being geeked out of your mind that your little one peed in a potty! Don't be embarrassed to tell other parents how rad your kid is, cause theirs can be too! And talking about it is the best way for parents in our culture to learn about it, and to see what it could mean for their family.

Last piece of advice, don't hold your baby over the sink to potty unless you're SURE she doesn't have to poop. Learned that one the hard way.

I hope you enjoyed and benefited from the first ever Ear to the Earth interview! If you have any other questions for Maggy and Fern, just leave them in a comment. I'll be happy to pass them along and then get back to you with more of her expertise!

Elimination Communication (Part 1) . . . What's the Beeswax?

I'm celebrating the recent arrival of our infant potty (pictured above) with a special Beeswax post about Elimination Communication (EC)! Ever heard of it? EC (also called Natural Infant Hygiene) is a way of communicating with your baby/infant about his or her elimination needs, and it goes right along with the philosophies of attachment parenting, babywearing, co-sleeping, breastfeeding on demand, etc.

I learned about EC from the book Diaper Free: The Gentle Wisdom of Natural Infant Hygiene, by Ingrid Bauer. If you're at all interested in learning more, I would highly recommend this book!

This is how the author describes EC: "Fundamentally, Natural Infant Hygiene is about responding to the needs of your baby. Everything else about it - avoiding diapers, saving money, environmental benefits, a dry bed, less work - is secondary . . . Communicating with an infant about elimination is not a linear process focused on teaching a baby toilet independence. Just as the focus of breastfeeding is to nourish rather than to wean, Natural Infant Hygiene is a way of responding to a baby's needs today, not merely preparation for future toilet use."

I love the gentle, caring, and communicative nature of EC, and the fact that your baby can be toilet independent by one year of age! But how does it work? Basically, just as mothers learn their babies' cues when they're hungry, need comfort, etc., the EC mother learns her baby's signals for elimination needs as well. When your baby needs to go, you hold her over a potty, make the cueing sound you've established, and she goes right into the potty! But don't take my word for it - our little peanut is still cooking, so I haven't gotten to put it into practice yet. But my dear friend Maggy has! She has agreed to an interview to share with us about her experience with EC with her three month old baby Fern. Stay tuned for Elimination Communication (Part 2) for her expert advice!

Anticipation

Time is ticking away! Baby ________ is almost here and my anticipation is mounting daily, if not hourly! I've been frantically reading last-minute books, packing hospital bags, resting some each day, discussing middle names, spending time with Clint (he's off till spring semester!), and all in all just tying up loose ends. These are some of the results of all the activity.

This adorable cloud and raindrop mobile came straight from Maggy. She made one just like it and gave me all her leftover supplies. Now that it's up, I see that I need to add one or two more raindrops, but how cute is it?

I made that changing pad cover with leftover material from the curtains and a scrap of fabric Maggy gave me. Those little fabric baskets toward the corner hold all her diapers, and Clint installed the picture frame shelf my parents brought from my old bedroom which I can't wait to fill with photos of our baby girl.

I made this bunting out of a wool blanket I had and scrap fabric. I think it's so fun and celebratory!

There are a few more things I've made, but that's all I have photos of now. More coming soon!

36 Weeks

We're almost there!

Preparations

Well, our baby is due next month. "Hooray!" and "Ahh!" at the same time! It suddenly seems like there isn't enough time left to get everything done, so in between frequent resting breaks I've been chipping away at the ever-growing, never-diminishing, Baby To-Do list.

Make blackout curtains: check. Paint wall behind curtains: check. (I mixed the green color myself from the guacamole we used in the dining room and didn't get it quite as light as I wanted. I meant to make it the same green color as in the third picture, so it may eventually get repainted. For now though, I have to move on to other things.) You can also see the adorable rug Grandma Darla (my mom) got us while she was here and the quilt that was made for my sister when she was a baby. We don't have a mattress for the crib yet, but we probably won't use it for the first six months or so since our baby will be sleeping in a co-sleeper attached to our bed. More on that later.

Grandma Darla also brought down this antique buffet with the idea to turn it into a dresser/changing table. Here's the "before."

Re-paint buffet: check. Here it is now. Do you love it as much as I do? It's easily my favorite piece of furniture in the house. I keep trying to find excuses to go into the room just so I can look at it.

There's so much more on the list! Fun things like "finish mobile" and not so fun things like "find pediatrician." Fun or not though, they all must be accomplished SOON!

Lemony Quinoa, Broccoli, Arugula, and Feta

Yum. That's a photo of my lunch from today. I had a little bit of a blood sugar thing this morning after eating only pineapple for breakfast, so this hearty, warm salad was just what I needed! It's Quinoa with Roasted Broccoli, Arugula, & Feta from TheKitchenSinkRecipes.com. I didn't have any arugula so I subbed chopped collards. I love the flavor combination of the lemony dressing with the roasted red pepper broccoli! And you can have it with or without the feta. (I had one bowl each way.) This was a quick dish that I'll definitely be making again!

And, surprise! A baby bump photo :)  We're 33.5 weeks along. I took a photo of the huge jar of granola I made for my parents' visit to send to them because I'm so excited to see them, and then thought I'd throw in the bonus of the bump for good measure. She's moving around like a wild woman every day now!

Just Checking In

My sincerest apologies for the cyber silence! I have much to share with you: my new favorite salad dressing, an amazing potato soup recipe, an update on the wonderful baby shower I had last weekend, curtains I made for the baby room, etc. But to tell you the truth, we're in rough shape over here at the Ross household! Clint has been sick for over a week now. He just can't seem to shake this virus! He has a cough that's preventing him from sleeping at night, which is why I think he can't seem to get well. We're hitting him with every herbal remedy I know, but without any rest his body can't get ahead. Then today I had my blood drawn at a prenatal appointment and passed out. And I mean out. They had to snap two of those sticks under my nose to wake me up! I had a very nice dream while I was out though. It was all very dramatic and humorous, but I feel pretty lousy now. Oh well, at least the blood sample is done and over with. We are at 33 weeks today . . . nearing the end! She's moving around a lot and hopefully getting ready to come out soon! I can't wait to share this special time with my parents and brother when they're here next week for Thanksgiving. Then it will be full steam ahead to finish getting everything prepared for the birth! It seems like there's still so much to do and learn!

Rich

Love this man.

Love this baby.

Sweet face

Little foot

I'm a rich woman.

The Coco Blue and Seed Sharing

I couldn't figure out what my problem was yesterday. I could eat and eat and not feel satisfied. No matter how much I ate it felt like my body still wasn't getting what it needed. Then I realized. I needed fat. I've been eating so many raw fruits and veggies lately, which offer plenty of fantastic carbs and protein, but there hadn't been a good source of fat in my diet for a few days. I also felt like I needed some berries. I've been eating lots of green and orange colors lately, but no blues or purples. So I made this smoothie and finally felt satisfied.

The Coco Blue
Avocado
Frozen banana
Frozen blueberries
Coconut milk
Chia seeds
Water

• Blend it all up and enjoy! Mine made two large servings.

The combination of the avocado and the coconut milk contributed their healthy, plant-based fat to this smoothie and made me feel much better. The smoothie is really thick and filling though. If you're looking for something lighter, try subbing coconut water for the coconut milk.

Remember my beautiful heirloom Long Island Cheese pumpkin that I made into the most delicious Thai-Spiced Pumpkin Soup last Friday? Well I saved its seeds to plant in my garden this spring, and I would love to share some with you too! If you would like a few of these glorious little seeds to grow in your own garden, just let me know in the comments section. I would be happy to mail you a few! While you're at it, become a follower of my blog if you're not already.

(31 weeks pregnant today! Can't wait to meet this little person! We'll get our first glimpse of him/her at our next appointment on Monday, then we'll actually be able to settle on a name. So exciting!)

Creamy Kale Comfort

Have I told you about this yet? My obsessive love for a simple dish called Creamy Millet and Kale Salad from my favorite food blog, YumUniverse? It's one of my all time favorites. It's easy to make. And it's kale, which is basically the most wonderful food on this planet.

I made it for my lunch today as a comfort food because I was all wound up about the prenatal appointment I was about to have. I woke up at one in the morning and couldn't get back to sleep because of it! Pathetic. I thought a warm, familiar food might help calm me down before I got to the clinic. I was wrong. I was wound as tight as a spring on the drive there! (I was worried that I would have high blood pressure from how jacked up I was, but I practiced my yoga breathing before they checked it and I guess that worked.) The only thing that alleviated my psychological turmoil was prayer. Duh, I should have known. The kale was still delicious; it just doesn't have the magical calming powers I was hoping for.

All my anxiety was silly anyway. The appointment was great, and I love love love my midwife! We're on the same brainwave about everything, and I feel loads better after finally having a real appointment. I thought this clinic was going to be weird and not supportive of natural childbirth, but the midwives are all about it and even have a wonderful water birth option I've chosen to do. We got to hear Baby Ross' heartbeat, and he/she was having hiccups at the time too. So cute. I finally feel relaxed and confident about this final stage. I hadn't realized just how stressed out I was until that weight was lifted. You know what I mean?

In fact, I felt so relieved that I came right home and made these Vegan Cow Pies and promptly devoured two of them.

I have no idea what proportions I used, but I combined oats, cashew butter, coconut oil, vanilla, and fair trade cocoa powder in a saucepan over low heat till it was all melted together and tasted good. Then I scooped them out into little "cow pies" on a nonstick surface and, like I said, ate two :) If you have a sweet tooth and need something pronto, this is the perfect treat to make. Quick, easy, and not too unhealthy. And with that my friends, I'm going to go pass out in exhaustion till dinner.

A Feast!

We're having friends over for dinner tonight! I love hosting dinner parties, probably because I love food, and I think it's the perfect connector between people. I also love when my house is perfectly clean and everything is in its place :)  My only problem is that I tend to go too big and end up over-doing it. But I guess that's an ok problem to have. Tonight I'm keeping it simple enough and getting as much as possible done ahead of time. The menu includes Goat Cheese Cashew Encrusted Chicken, Emerald City Salad, Thai-Spiced Pumpkin Soup, a dinner salad from fresh CSA produce I'll be picking up this afternoon, and Vegan Cocoa-Coco-Nut-Nut Cookies. These are some of my favorite recipes, and I'm excited to share them with you!

Goat Cheese Cashew Encrusted Chicken
However many chicken breast you want
Salt and Pepper
Dijon mustard
Goat Cheese
Crushed cashews (original recipe calls for macadamia nuts, but two stores were out of them so I subbed cashews)

• Preheat oven to 400. Lightly oil shallow baking dish and season chicken all over with salt and pepper. Place in baking dish and brush Dijon mustard on top. Cover with a generous portion of heavenly goat cheese. Crush cashews and sprinkle over goat cheese. Cover and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 5-10 more minuted, until cheese is golden brown and chicken is cooked through.

Emerald City Salad is from my favorite cookbook I talk about all the time. It's a warm salad that involves wild rice and kale. What more could anyone want?

Here is the Thai-spiced Pumpkin Soup recipe. I'm using my heirloom Long Island Cheese pumpkin and saving the seeds! It's going to be extra good. (I'm glad Clint doesn't like pumpkin - more soup for me!)


Vegan Cocoa-Coco-Nut-Nut Cookies (adapted from this recipe by Sketch-free Vegan Eating)
2 cups gluten free flour blend (recipe immediately below)

• 2 cups brown rice flour
• 2 cups oat flour (I didn't have this so I used whole wheat flour, making mine non gluten free)
• 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
• 1/2 cup ground flax

2 teaspoons non-aluminum baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cocoa powder (buy fair trade!)
1 cup sucanat
3/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup water
Two handfuls chopped walnuts
1/2 cup shredded coconut
About 6 ounces vegan chocolate chips

• Preheat oven to 350. Combine dry ingredients in one bowl and wet in another. Gradually add dry mixture into wet mixture. Stir in nuts, chips, and coconut. Scoop heaping tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheet and flatten a bit. Bake for 5 minutes, rotate cookie sheet, and bake 5 more minutes. Makes 24 cookies if you don't sample any of the dough!

Oh, and here is a photo from my trip to Maggy's! It was taken right before I hopped in the car to head home, and we were both trying not to boo-hoo. I miss those two girls like mad! And I'm totally jealous that they have another guest right now :)

One last piece of news - we are at the 30 week mark! Yup, I'm 30 weeks pregnant and think I'm starting the whole nesting thing. (Clint thinks I'm always nesting, but he hasn't seen anything yet!) I have such a strong desire to get everything perfect before the baby arrives. I have somewhere around 10 weeks to achieve it!

Still Alive

It's been two weeks since I've posted, but I'm still here! A lot has been happening since my last post - I visited my best friend in Virginia to help her take care of her newborn (pictures coming soon, right Maggy?); my wonderful husband installed a new operating system on my computer, so it was out of commission for a couple days; and we just celebrated our birthdays over the weekend - Clint turned 31 and I turned 25!

On the food front, I've been working to stock my freezer with good things to eat for after the baby is born. I don't know anyone here who eats the same food as me, and I'm going to need all the nutrition I can get during that time, so I'm stocking away! So far I have two different soups, salsa, pesto, hummus, peeled bananas to throw into a smoothie (Maggy's genius idea), and some vegan carrot muffins. I only have two more months left to load it up, so I still have a lot of work to do! What are some of your favorite meals to stock in the freezer?