50 Shades of Pregnancy Hormones

Remember way back when, when I claimed that I wouldn't go overboard on the "baby talk" on this blog? Yeh, well I'm declaring right now, F THAT!  It's nearly impossible for me to come up with "stories about my life and travels" to share on this blog that DON'T involve the growing baby in my belly. Especially with no job and too much time on my hands, it has really been an all consuming experience.  Plus, I realize that it's pretty cool to read about other pregnant peoples' stories (like this one), so maybe other people will enjoy reading about my pregnancy too.  

I'd say that so far I've been really lucky on the pregnancy symptoms front: no morning sickness, just some mild food/smell aversions at first (raw meat, could smell the garbage from the other room). But I'd say the biggest thing I've been struggling with lately is the baby blues. I read the other day that depression is more common during pregnancy than postpartum (which really surprised me!). About 25% of pregnant women will experience this.  I think a lot of it personally stems from the loneliness of traveling each week, being by myself all day while my husband works, and not having a job to socialize and occupy my mind.  Don't get me wrong, I know I'm pretty lucky to be with my hubby all the time, to enjoy the California sunshine, and to be able to swim on a Masters swim team. But it's just not always a bucket of rainbows or something.


My hope is that I'll find some good "mommy groups" once our baby is born, which will help me find the social interaction and community I'm looking for. If anyone knows of good groups in the Redmond, WA area, please let me know! :)


In the meantime,  I'm trying to keep myself busy by doing such things as: planning the baby's nursery (stay tuned for future posts on this!), cooking, swimming, ... and reading "50 Shades of Grey". Oh that's right! "Mommy porn" as my friends call it. It's pretty cheesy and ridiculous so far, but what the hell! 

Baby Update + Homemade Chili Recipe

Yup, here's your token confusing 3D ultrasound picture. If you can make out a baby, you've probably gone through this yourself. ;-) Anyhoo, last week Todd and I found out that we've got a little MALE resident in my belly! It was really fun watching him move around. He loves putting his hands up by his face (as seen in photo), and he also was playing around grabbing his toes. I just can't wait to meet him face to face! 

Okay, enough baby talk. Tonight I decided to make some homemade chili using a recipe from one of my favorite Junior League of Seattle cookbooks "Simply Classic". So easy and smells delicious! 

1 lb lean ground beef

1 lb kielbasa sausage

1 tbsp olive oil

1 c onion chopped

1 c green pepper diced

2 gloves garlic minced

1 16 oz can kidney beans, drained

1 16 oz can stewed tomatoes

1 16 oz can tomato sauce

2 bay leaves

1 tsp salt

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp dried oregano

1/3 tsp white pepper

1/3 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp cayenne 

Saute beef in a large heavy skillet, drain, and set aside. Same with sliced sausage.  In the same pan, saute onions and green pepper in olive oil over medium heat until soft but not brown. Add garlic and saute 2 more minutes. Add beef and sausage back in, along with all remaining ingredients. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour. Serve with a garnish of sour cream and/or grated cheese. Enjoy! 

Keep Calm and Swim On

Happy Wednesday everyone! 


Today I'm going to share a cool meditation that my swim coach taught me, and which anyone can put to use! I found it so beneficial I thought others might too. :)

Coach Karen shared this meditation with me after watching me panicking each time I'd get a stomach cramp while swimming. I'd be clutching the wall, trying to breathe, hoping that my swimming wasn't putting undue stress on Baby C.  So she taught me to say these four words: "Sa, Ta, Na, Ma." With each word you touch the tip of each finger to the thumb tip. 


Thumb & first finger - SA
Thumb & second finger - TA
Thumb & third finger - NA
Thumb & fourth finger - MA


Coach said that she read studies showing that this meditation, called Kirtan Kriya, increases memory and cognitive function and decreases stress. I like the translation for each of the words too:


Sa = the beginning
Ta = life
Na = death
Ma = rebirth


In any case, my muscle cramps have greatly reduced since using this technique. I feel calmer with swimming while pregnant and trusting that the baby will be just fine.  In fact, I think I've got a little helper swimmer, this week Baby C has started moving and kicking around a LOT more!! 


Namaste!

East Coast Trip Part 3: Gettysburg, PA

Last but not least, our east coast trip ended with a trip to Gettysburg, PA to view the battlefields of the famous Civil War battle that took place July 1-3, 1863.  While the trip was pretty informational and many of the battlefield grounds scenic (see above), it definitely wasn't a town I'd recommend spending too much time in.  The hotels, restaurants, and activities were pretty lacking, which is surprising for how many tourists come through the town each year.  

We stayed in a relatively good B&B, but the place was PACKED with teddy bears and Christmas memorabilia. It even had its own Civil War/Christmas Shop in the back room - gotta love the spelling!

On the way back to the airport we stopped at George Washington's house, Mount Vernon. This is definitely a place I'd recommend to others. A beautiful home and grounds that you can easily tour, and on a bright summer day it was great! :)

East Coast Trip Part 2: Charlottesville, VA

From DC Todd and I ventured south to Charlottesville, VA where we toured Thomas Jefferson's house, Monticello.  Work began on this beautiful home in 1768, and it was amazing how much modern technology was used within. Jefferson had about 7 clocks in the home, along with skylights, and even cool levers that pulled wine bottles up through a secret passage from the wine cellar to the dining room. The gardens were also in excellent condition, and vegetables, fruit, and wine are still grown here today.  

In town, we stayed at the historic Dinsmore Inn B&B, built in 1817 by Jefferson's master builder.  Very cute place, and close to the University of Virginia. Here's a picture of the front of the inn. Highly recommend this place to any Charlottesville visitors!