Ezequiel

Cushioned against my bare breast, I hold my son as he drifts off to sleep. His plump lips have just released my nipple, the sweet "liqueur" drips down his chin. I look forward to this moment every night. Just him and me, flush with one another, floating away into our own sleepy wonderland. I stare at his long eyelashes, his button nose, his fleshy cheeks. I think about the nine months that he spent inside me, growing and developing into this amazing little baby that sleeps so peacefully against me. He's the most beautiful creation I've ever laid eyes on.His chest rises and falls, quickly and sharply, his tiny lungs, his little heart all work together at the perfect pace. I inhale his sweet milky breath as he exhales with a sigh of relief and relaxation. He begins to enter REM sleep, his eyelids slit and his eyes darting back and forth.

His legs look longer... when did that happen?

His head has outgrown my palm. The length of his body now hangs sleepily at all angles across me. What happened to my tiny seven pound baby that once fit so easily inside my tummy?

I forget about the five hours of sleep I got the night before. I forgive you for pulling my hair out and yanking on my earrings. I don't mind all the grunting and fussing. That painful tooth coming in? Cry all you want, as long as I can hold you tight.

I instantly regret how quickly I lay him down to bed some nights; how I urge him off the breast before he's done just so I can go back to sleep. I look at his precious face and tell myself, this moment won't last forever. I remind myself to take a mental picture. I stare at him - my love, my world - until my eyes dry out and I'm forced to blink. I close my eyes and listen to his breathe, soak in his warmth. I picture him. Never forget this moment. 

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Summer Watermelon Juice

Summer produce is always so amazing and delicious. Fresh blueberries, juicy peaches, swollen blackberries and tasty watermelon. There are endless recipes for all the delectable summertime fruits but sometimes I don't want to eat them, I want to drink them! Fresh fruit juice is a wonderful treat on a hot summer day and its quick and easy.

When we traveled in Costa Rica, we stayed with a family who always made fresh fruit juice throughout the day. Reba made juice with all sorts of tropical fruits such as papayas, coconuts and mangos. She was very simple and would blend the fruit with just water and ice. Blending fresh fruits always reminds me of Reba so this watermelon juice recipe is inspired by her. Enjoy!

What You Need:

Blender or Juicer
Citrus juicer

1 small watermelon

1 medium orange*

1/2 lime
4-5 ice cubes

Serves 1

*An alternate option to orange juice would be coconut water

What To Do: 

1. Cut up the watermelon into small chunks until it makes about 2 cups - the more the better though! 

2. Juice the orange which will give you about 1/2 cup of juice

3. Squeeze half a lime directly into the blender.

4. Add watermelon, orange juice and ice cubes to the blender and blend on high until smooth. Pour into a cup, take a seat on the porch and enjoy your fresh juice!

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A Twist on Pulled Pork Sandwiches

I had these scrumptious sandwiches at a catered party and at the demand of my husband, who ate 5 or 6 of them, I had to recreate these at home. Most pulled pork is BBQ flavored and served with slaw on the sandwich but this! This is a twist! Here's how it goes down (be prepared for your new family favorite):

What you need: 
1 - 2 lbs of Pork Shoulder Butt Roast (This is not the pig's actual booty portion, it's the shoulder)
1 can pineapple rings
Sweet Hawaiian Rolls
Mayonnaise
Sriracha
Crock Pot
Frying Pan

What to do:
1. You will be slow cooking the pork shoulder to ensure it is nice and juicy and shreddable. IF your pork shoulder is frozen, throw it in the crock pot before work and it will be done cooking by the time you get home - 8 hours or so. IF the pork shoulder is refrigerated, it will take about 6 hours to cook.

When your pork is all done cooking, turn the crock pot to warm and transfer the pork onto a cutting board. With two hefty forks, shred the crap out of and return it to the crock pot.

2. Put your frying pan on high heat and place the pineapple rings in the pan. You want the grilled effect so keep an eye on them, turn them when one side starts to brown and remove them before they burn.

3. In a bowl, combine about a cup of mayonnaise and 1 to 3 tablespoons of Sriracha. If you like it spicy, add more!

4. Now for the showdown! Take your Sweet Hawaiian Roll and split it in half. Slather on a nice layer of Sriracha mayo on both sides of the roll. Pile on your juicy pulled pork. Top with a grilled pineapple ring, the other half of the roll and you've got yourself one hell of a pulled pork sandwich! It will be so delicious you won't even be able to get a picture of it before its all gone.

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My Birth Story

The day I went into labor - phew!!! What a wild ride! I remember like it was just yesterday. Three months later, the memories still burnbright in my mind and the sensations, thoughts and emotions are flooding backin. Giving birth to my son was one of the greatest accomplishments of my lifeand the day he was born was the biggest life changing moment I have everexperienced.

On April 25th, 2013 at 12:40 pm I had a strong Braxton-Hicks contraction. Itlasted about a minute and a half and I didn't think twice about it. I had beenworking on a project and enjoying the sun so as soon as the"fake" contraction passed, I continued on. I had only taken note ofthe time because Ezequiel was due the following day and it was a "just incase" moment; however I didn't want to get my hopes up. At 2:00 pm,another Braxton-Hicks contraction came and went. At 2:40 pm, after spending aminute and a half on my hands and knees breathing through what I thought wasyet another strong Braxton-Hicks contraction, I realized that I had never hadso many “fake” contractions so close together. I started keeping track of whatended up being the beginning of my labor contractions and realized that by theend of the night, I might have my son in my arms. 

My contraction log

My contractions continued every 20 to 45 minutes and each timethey lasted about a minute and a half. Some of them I could breathe throughjust fine and some of them stopped me in my tracks. A couple times I foundmyself on my hands and knees, taking DEEP breaths with my eyes closed thinking only 30 more seconds, only 20  more seconds. After the contraction wasover, I felt completely normal as if nothing had even happened. Around 4:00 pmI called my midwife who confirmed that I was most likely going into labor butthat these contractions could continue like this all night long. She told me toeat, drink lots of water and relax as much as possible. Relax…. HA! I washaving my baby!!

April 25th 2013
"In Labor"

Andrew came home from work around 6:00pm and my contractions wereabout 20 minutes apart. We knew we would be going to the hospital within thenext 24 hours so we made sure our bags were packed and that our friends andfamily knew what was going on. During our childbirth preparation class, theinstructor suggested having a water bottle with a straw so that Andrew couldjust hold it while I sipped and labored. She also suggested eating a mealbefore going to the hospital since it could be hours before I ate. Mycontractions were still pretty far apart and were manageable so we decided togo to the store to get a water bottle and then get some Thai takeout. I made it to the car, no big deal. I made it into the store, nobig deal. I had a contraction in the store, tried not to make a big deal out ofit. It will pass. We got to the Thairestaurant and while we were ordering, I had another contraction but this timeit was a big deal. It hurt. I wassweating. I couldn’t move. It felt like my whole body was being consumed bythis wave of pain that began in my lower back, moved around my sides then downinto my lower abdomen. 90 seconds of intense cramping, tensing and pain. Iknew that once they were over I would be just fine. 

We left the restaurant andstarted crossing the street to the car then BAM – another contraction right inthe middle of the road. I tried to hurry out of the street but Andrew forced meto walk slow and said something along the lines of “I’ll eff someone up if theytry to mess with my pregnant wife”……. thanks babe. This contraction was alsovery strong and the first thing that came to mind was to squat next to the carand hold on for dear life. In the time between leaving and coming home, my contractions wentfrom 20 minutes apart to 15 minutes apart. 

Rule #1: 5-1-1

When yourcontractions are 5 minutes apart, they last for at least 1 minute and this goeson for at least 1 hour, then you need to get your ass to the hospital. Thecloser together they got, the more anxious I became because I wasn't trying tohave this baby at home but I also didn't want to go to the hospital too early.It was very important for me to labor at home as long as possible because thisensured that there were no unnecessary medical interventions and I could feelsafer and more secure in my own home.

Not only were the contractions closer together but they were muchstronger. Earlier in the day, all I had to do was breathe through them but now,I had to stop what I was doing, close my eyes, breathe deep and focus – Ezequiel. Ezequiel. Ezequiel, you’re coming tomeet us. Around 9:45 pm, I decided to relax in the bathtub. It was a nicefeeling but somewhat difficult feeling like a whale in a tiny pond, trying notto drown during a contraction. While in the tub, I felt a slight gush down there. The bath water turned alittle pink. Another little gush. I called the midwife and told her that mywater may have broke but that it was hard to tell since I was already in water.I told her that my contractions were about 10 minutes apart and she took backher statement from earlier - my contractions probably won’t last all  night since it sounded like Ezequiel wascloser to meeting this world than she thought.

I decided to get out of the tub and move onto something softer sinceI was in some real pain. As soon as I stepped out, another gush. Did I pee? Didthe baby come out? Nope, my water is still breaking! Then a contraction. Andrewmoved me into the bedroom where he had lit a candle, turned down the lights,put a towel on the bed and laid out some dry clothes. Contraction. I don’t wantto get dressed. Just let me lay down. Contraction. Close your eyes. Deepbreath. Focus. Push. Breathe. Push.

It's 10:30 pm and I suddenly have the urge to push this baby out.We are still home, my mom is still 45 minutes away and I can barely open myeyes. Plus I’m naked and I can’t imagine moving right now. Contraction. Then Ihear, your contractions went from 7minutes apart to 5 minutes apart and the last one was about 4 minutes ago. Ithink we need to go to the hospital. Contraction. Push. I tell Andrew tomake the calls and get the car ready. I struggle to put my clothes on and Ihave one leg in my pants when another contraction hits me. Andrew helps me downthe stairs, outside and… contraction… into the car. We begin our 5 minute driveto the hospital but it feels like forever.

A couple months back we were told there is a skybridge from theparking lot that goes directly into the maternity ward so when we show up toProvidence Portland, we start looking for this “skybridge”. Around and aroundand around the parking garage we go. Contraction. Speed bump. Contraction.Wrong way. Reverse. Contraction. No skybridge. At this point, the baby’s headhas descended into my pelvis and I’m practically sitting on his skull. Everylittle bump and turn feels like a punch to my entire lower body. I startscreaming at Andrew to get me inside the hospital. But this is a one way only so I have to drive all the way around. Screwthe one way, drive the wrong way or else I’m going to freak out. Finally we getto the doors of the ER and the receptionist attempts to check me in. Whats your name?... Miss, whats your name? Canthis woman not see that I’m in extreme pain right now?? I can’t even open myeyes because every time I do, I lose focus on my labor and I can barely evenspeak a word. I manage to squeak out a few words – Andrew, tell her what she needs to know. Finally I’m being rolledinto my room.

As soon as we step in the room, I’m ripping my clothes off. I don’twant anyone or anything touching me. I lay on the bed and continue breathingthrough my hard labor that clenches and squeezes my entire body. The nurses andmidwife come in and check my cervix and I’m already 8 cm dilated! No wonder Ihad the urge to push before I even got to the hospital. The midwife talks methrough a few contractions and asks if I would like to have the baby in thebirthing chair. This new chair came from Germany and apparently is the first ofits kind in the US and I was one of the first women to give birth in it. Thereare two sections to the seat – a U shaped part for me and an attached piece forsomeone to sit behind me. A knotted sheet hangs from an overhead bar so you cangrab on and bear down.

Breathing through a contraction

I can barely walk at this point. I’m completely unaware of what is going on around me or who is in the room. Frankly, I don’t care. The only thing I can think of is to focus on the pain, breathe deep and let my body do the rest.

As soon as I get to the birthing chair, my urge to push getsstronger and stronger. I ask the midwife what to do – should I push now? Orshould I wait? I don’t want to get too tired too fast but she assures me tofollow my body’s lead and if I feel like I need to push, then I should push. Sothat’s what I did. For two straight hours! Now, when I say “push”, it’s verysimilar to the urge you get when you need to poop. However, this isn’t youraverage poop – this is a 7 lb human forcing his way through your body. And theyaren’t tiny pushes either; they are pushes that could send your eyeballsshooting out of your sockets. They are pushes that take every ounce of energyyou have ever accumulated in your entire life. Pushes that flex every muscle inyour body and puts you to the biggest physical test of your life. I pushed hard.

Resting in between contractions. Mom Michelle supporting me. 

Bracing myself for a contraction

Pushing

When you go into labor, there is something very primal that takesover. Its the only explanation to my focus, motivation and strength. It’s alsothe only explanation as to why it sounded like someone was being murdered inthe maternity ward since I was screaming at the top of my lungs. And no, itdoesn’t feel like a watermelon or a bowling ball coming through your vagina, itfeels like a human. I felt his head resting on my pelvic floor, then drop lowerinto my cervix then finally start to crown. I felt his shoulders grind along my pelvicbone on his way out followed by his hips, butt and legs. It was intense.

The midwife informed me that he was beginning to crown and Ineeded to push longer and harder if I wanted to see him anytime soon. Ithought, how can I push harder than Ialready am?? My arms were sore and tired from tensing up. My legs weregiving out from all the pressure. My hands felt like they were on fire fromgripping the knotted sheet. But I wanted to see my baby, so I pushed. Harder.Longer. I can see his head. Push. Here he comes, I can see his hair. Push.He’s coming, he’s coming! Push. Iopen my eyes for a brief moment and see Andrew on the floor in front of me,wide eyed. He tells me he can see our sons head and I just need to push alittle more. I give one final big push.  

At 1:13 am on April 26^th 2013, Ezequiel Adrian Holguincame screaming into this world. Andrew was the first person to touch and holdour son. He caught the sweet slippery mess of a baby and said he has never feltanything more wholesome in his entire life. Ezequiel weighed 7lbs 1oz and was 20.5 incheslong.

My first reaction to Ezequiel

Seeing Ezequiel for the first time

Ezequiel awake and alert

Baby Ezequiel

Enjoying our son

Before I was even pregnant, I knew I wanted a natural birth. It seemed like the only appropriate way to bring a child into this world. Ina May Gaskin was a great inspiration through her book "Ina May's Guide to Childbirth" because she was able to reassure, motivate and calm me. She explains the fear that is instilled in pregnant woman when it comes to childbirth, whether its fear of pain, fear of pushing a large baby through a small hole or fear of simply letting your body take over. She explains how to kick out that fear and bring in your most natural instinct - birthing a child. A womans body is created for birth just like its created for making a baby in the first place. The entire point of labor is to open your cervix and make way for the baby to travel through the birth canal and of course its going to hurt. Your uterus is making wave like motions on purpose to move that baby down and out. The most amazing thing is that your body knows exactly what its doing and throughout my labor and birth, I remembered that and let my body do its own work. I had an amazing birth experience and yes it hurt, but now I can barely remember that pain because the second Ezequiel was born, the pain subsided and I was overcome with relief. Now, I do want another child and I will do it the same exact way - it's definitely worth it. 

Ezequiel at 1 month

Ezequiel at 2 months

Ezequiel at 3 months

Silly boy

Making bubbles

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8 Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me

1. You will cry a lot and feel really depressed during the first couple weeks. It's very rough but it's very normal. 
I felt pretty awful during the first two weeks. I was overwhelmed, I was tired, I was anxious, I couldn't eat and I felt like I had no control over my life. This was despite the fact that Andrew was home with me, people were bringing us meals every night, my mother in law helped clean our apartment, I was getting decent sleep and I had a beautiful son. The reasoning behind the baby blues is you lose a lot of amazing hormones when you lose your placenta and you kind of dive bomb into a nasty place. You can't explain it, you can't control it but there is hope. I wouldn't say I'm over the baby blues yet but some days are easier than others - just make sure you let those flood gates open!! I was trying not to cry so that I wouldn't feel weak but the more I cried, the better I felt and the more I talked about it, the more hope I got. Tell as many people as you can about how you feel because you will have more support than you think. Also remember, you are not alone. Every new mom experiences these feelings and according to all of them, things do get better.

2. An amazing pick-me-up vitamin regimen: Fish Oil, Vitamin D and B-Complex.
This regimen was suggested to me by a midwife and it really helps me get through the rough days. B-Complex helps relieve stress and lifts your spirits. Vitamin D is like sunshine in a pill - enough said. Fish Oil has Omega 3's which can boost your mental health, relieve tension and benefit your skin. I take these three vitamins twice a day and I swear by them.

3. Your nipples will crack, bleed, be sore and piss you off. This WILL go away, even without a "perfect" latch. Schedule a lactation consultation ASAP. 
Unforeseen breastfeeding problems can be devastating. For me it started with a bad latch (or lack thereof) in the hospital. Ezequiel had an excellent suck, actually more of a bite but for some reason couldn't figure out how to do it on my nipple. An awesome nurse taught me to stick my pinky in his mouth until he was actively sucking, which didn't take long, then transfer him onto the breast. It was like a warm up and it worked great but the deep latch wasn't there and my nipples cracked and were very painful. Then the engorgement came which was also painful and difficult to manage so I pumped to relieve some pressure. However, I didn't know that my milk supply would be so abundant so pumping only increased my supply and my poor baby was literally drowning at each feeding. My nipples were already cracked and since Ezequiel had a hard time latching due to a fast milk flow, it contributed to even worse nipple damage. I finally met with a lactation consultant who had me pump on the worst side and feed on the better side. This was a pain in the ass because it threw off my supply once again and I think my left boob is permanently larger BUT I have a nice supply of frozen milk now. After this routine however, my "better" side became worse so then I got a nipple shield and of course, I worried about Ezequiel not being able to wean off of it. As soon as my nipple healed though, I got him off it as quick as I could. My milk supply was still very abundant and in order to regulate it, I was instructed to nurse on one side per feeding - contrary to other advise I had received - but it worked. Ezequiel still can't get his bottom lip to stick out while he eats which could be considered a "bad latch" but after 2 1/2 weeks, my nipples are healed, they don't hurt and I feel much more confident about breastfeeding. I still leak a lot and he still has a hard time with the fast flow but his weight gain has been outstanding and he gets about 3oz of milk per feeding.

4. Stock up on pads, panty liners and nursing pads before the baby. 
You will bleed for at least two weeks and you can't use tampons. I didn't stock up because I didn't realize I would bleed for so long and even though I had been gifted with some pads, I ran out within the first week. It was really hard getting to the store in the first week and no offense to Andrew, but it would have been impossible for him to figure out which pads to buy and where to even find nursing pads. If you are like me and your milk comes in fast and hard, you will leak constantly. I was worried about running out of nursing pads so I would re-use them or keep them in my shirts for way too long, which I'm almost positive contributed to Ezequiel's thrush (see next point).

5. Your newborn could get pink eye (conjunctivitis) and thrush within the first two weeks.
Ezequiel got pink eye in week one and thrush in week two. This was a big bummer for us because we felt like we were constantly bothering him with medications and doctor visits. It is normal for newborns to get these things but we were not expecting it. Pink eye can happen from anything and Ezequiel had an issue with putting his fingers in his eyes so it's possible that he touched something dirty, then touched his eye, then bam - goopy, sad eyes for a week. We got a prescription ointment - Erythromycin - which got rid of it within five days.
In week two we noticed a white patch on his tongue that didn't go away. At first I thought it was milk residue but it didn't wipe off. Sure enough, the doctor diagnosed him with thrush, which is a yeast infection in the mouth. Babies can get thrush when mom has cracked nipples and can also get thrush while being treated with an antibiotic (the Erythromycin), and we hit both of those nails on the head. I contributed to the thrush by re-using nursing pads, not changing my bra or tops after they got wet with milk and not treating myself for thrush. APNO came to my rescue (see next point).

6. Don't waste your money trying various nipple creams and ointments for your aching nips - ask your doctor for a prescription for All Purpose Nipple Ointment (APNO). 
This prescription can be expensive and may not be covered by your insurance. It wasn't covered by mine and cost me $25 but it is well worth it because it is literally all purpose - anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory. It will treat thrush and cracked, sore and inflamed nipples. You apply a little amount at a time
so it will last you for quite a while.

7. You CANNOT spoil a newborn. 
I became obsessed with thinking about routines, schedules and allowing Ezequiel to form bad habits. I have the books "12 Hours of Sleep By 12 Weeks Old" and "The Baby Whisperer" which I skimmed to try and figure out how to get my 2 week old on some sort of routine. I worried about letting him sleep in bed with me because I didn't want him having a hard time getting out of our bed. I worried about holding him too long, I worried about putting him down for too long. I worried about allowing him to fall asleep in my arms because he might not be able to fall asleep on his own if I keep doing that.
After talking with my midwife at my two week postpartum follow up, she told me "you cannot spoil a newborn" and it clicked. She advised me to co-sleep if I want to, hold him all day if I want to and rock him to sleep as much as I want to. All the books will tell you that you don't want your newborn to form bad habits, so don't do this and don't do that. However, my midwife pointed out that a newborn is too young to even be in a habit forming frame of mind. Which is also why trying out routines and schedules is pointless until they are 4-6 weeks old. No matter how badly I want him on a routine, I came to the realization that newborns are always changing from week to week and I can't be hard on myself if he doesn't do what I want him to do.

8. Don't expect to get back into your normal routine anytime soon. 
I didn't blow dry my hair for 2 1/2 weeks - this used to be a daily thing for me. I haven't curled or straightened my hair since before I went into labor. I rarely put on makeup anymore. I don't shower every day. I could hardly wipe my ass for a week. This is just how it is and this was hard for me to deal with. The healing process down under takes a while and you will be splashing, dabbing and walking softly for at least a week. You can't poop without the fear of ripping out your stitches. You will look 6 months pregnant when you leave the hospital and this will slowly go away. You can't wear your normal shirts without worrying about leaving them milk stained. You can't pop out of bed and make french toast and eggs. You can barely eat a meal in peace. You can't sleep without the sound of a baby whimper making your nerves jump out of your skin. You can't cuddle your partner because the baby knows what you are trying to do and will demand your attention the minute you lay a finger on him/her. No sex for six weeks - so get it in before you have the baby. I'm slowly coming to terms with this predicament but like everyone says, it gets better. They never say when though...

My little "superman" - or my little cheerleader, encouraging me to stay strong. Either way, he is my new life whether I like it or not and so far, he's pretty cool. 

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Baby Holguin - 39 weeks

It is the end of week 39 and our little man is due in TWO days! I'm so happy that we've come this far but WAIT!!! HE'S ALREADY HERE!! Yep, our son was born before I had a chance to finish this post but I will still post it just for fun. I'll follow up in a couple days with the birth post!....

I'm so happy that we've come this far but it's also hard to believe that my pregnancy is going to be over. Almost bittersweet... but we'll see how I feel when he is actually out (I've heard it is quite a relief). One of the biggest mistakes I've made so far is expecting him to arrive earlier than his due date. I started dilating around 37 weeks and assumed that was an excellent sign of a potentially early baby. My family, friends and I all thought he would come before April 19th but when it came and went, I was actually pretty upset. However, once I realized he is better off coming on his own then I was able to calm down and let him be in control of his own arrival.

P.S. No scoffing at my HUGE belly - yes it looks like an egg/basketball/bowling ball

What we've learned: That our baby boy is healthy and in excellent shape. The midwife guesses that he is over 7lbs but not quite 8lbs. Everything about him is perfectly formed and since he's been cookin for the full 40 weeks, he will be even healthier! At our prenatal appointment today, the midwife said I'm 2 cm dilated, nearly 100% effaced and little man is chillin really low in my pelvis. She said "it will happen this week" and even though I'm skeptical, I'm also really, really, really excited. 

Cravings: Bubble Tea!!!! I've been enjoying it blended, over ice, with fruity flavor and without. The tapioca pearls are soooo delicious and I'm even thinking of tracking down all the ingredients so I can make it at home. 

Daddy duty: Andrew should be a certified masseuse by now. He has been massaging me like a champ and I don't know how I would get by without it. My  hips and lower back have been aching really bad so he is always offering a nice rub down. He's also been rubbing my feet after my long days and it makes such a huge difference. 

Nursery updates: It's done! I didn't follow any particular theme but tried to go with similar colors which were pear green, rusty red, grey and various blues. I have some fun patterns going on and will post pictures once I get a chance. 

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Freezer Meal Frenzy!

When our good friends Josh and Ashley were pregnant, Ashley stocked up on food like World War III had broken out. I was amazed when I saw her huge freezer neatly organized and stacked with enough freezer meals to feed an army. She even had an inventory list written out and taped to the freezer. I just kept thinking how much work it was and how much time it took and how I would probably never be able to do that.

However, the advice Ashley gave me to prepare and freeze meals before the baby comes was some of the best advice I've received. Everyone has so much advice to give you while you are pregnant and a lot of it can go in one ear and out the other, but this is prime. It wasn't even as hard as I thought it would be and looking ahead, I know there will be nights where me or Andrew can just pull a homemade meal out of the freezer, pop it in the oven or the crockpot and sit back, relax and wipe the baby puke from our clothes and faces. I am so glad I did this.

Another great thing about freezer meals is that there are sooooo many recipes and websites all over the internet. Almost anything will freeze well so I even used some of my own recipes. I also have a friend Janel who let me borrow her Food Saver and it is a seriously awesome. This handy machine sucks all the air out of the plastic food bags so that your food will last twice as long as just putting it in a Ziploc bag.

The Food Saver bags can get spendy but if you are going hardcore like me then it is well worth it. I got my bags at Target for $40 and it came with 2 rolls of 8" wide bags and 3 rolls of 11" wide bags. I also bought some cheap aluminum pans at Dollar Tree for the casserole and enchiladas, just make sure the pan will fit in the 11" wide bag; length doesn't matter because you cut the bags to whatever length you need. The most taxing part is the grocery shopping of course but I figured out all my meals in advance, made a HUGE list and made the trek to Costco for everything I needed. I spent over $200 but found relief in the fact that it only means I won't spend my entire first month as a new mommy making grocery lists and prepping dinner.

Here is what my tiny freezer looks like but it includes some freezer meals, Costco meat that has been separated and re-packaged, Costco lasagna and a huge bag of stir fry veggies.

One of my favorite meals are my homemade enchiladas. They are full of fiber and covered in delicious sauce and cheese. Here is what you need:

8-10 flour tortillas
1 medium onion, chopped
1 lb hamburger
1 can refried beans
1 can black beans
1 cup cooked quinoa
Handful of chopped cilantro or however much you prefer
1 large can of red or green enchilada sauce
A lot of shredded cheese
(My favorite combo is red sauce + cheddar cheese OR green sauce + pepperjack cheese)

In a large pan, sauté onion for a couple minutes then add hamburger and brown. Add both cans of beans, quinoa and cilantro. Heat thoroughly. Pour a little bit of enchilada sauce along the bottom of an aluminum pan so tortillas won't stick. Fill tortillas with mixture, sprinkle some cheese on the inside, fold in the edges, roll it up and stick it in the aluminum pan. Repeat until your pan is full. I carefully slid the pan into a Food Saver bagged, sucked the air out and VOILA! Freezer enchiladas! When you are ready to consume, pull out them out of the freezer the night before then heat the oven to 350 degrees and cook for 20-25 minutes. Top with sour cream, hot sauce, cilantro and onion.

  

Another easy idea is fajitas and you don't really need a recipe for those. Just slice up some steak or chicken, onions and bell peppers, add some seasonings, stick it all in a bag and freeze it. Since all the prep is done ahead of time, you just defrost and fry in a pan when you are ready to chow.

For breakfast I made delicious breakfast burritos - the only way I know they are delicious is because I had to eat one... or two. Click here for the recipe.    

 

I love the blog Six Sisters' Stuff for all the freezer meal ideas they have. They have all crock pot meal recipes so you don't cook anything in advance. Simply stick all the ingredients in a bag and freeze. When you are ready to eat, put the goodies in a crock pot and cook on low until its done. Personally I like to put frozen food in a crock pot before I go to work, keep it on low all day long, then when I get home, dinner is made. Out of the Sisters' recipes, I chose the Hearty Beef Stew and Cilantro Lime Chicken.

Our Best Bites also has some awesome freezer meal recipes, like this one for Baked Chicken Penne. I added asparagus for a little extra flair.

Thriving Home blog has recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They have so many good ones that I had a hard time picking. Since I have limited space in my freezer, I only chose one and it was the Szechuan Steak Stir Fry. All the ingredients smelled soooo good when I was putting it together, I can't wait to eat it. I didn't cook anything for this meal and left out the sugar, water and cornstarch for when I actually make it in the pan. I also added extra veggies and sauce to my liking.

I have the intention of making pulled pork, ribs, minestrone and pizza pockets but little man is due in five days so we will see how that works out for me. I hope this will inspire to make your own freezer meals as well - baby or not! Pin It

Easy, Delicious Breakfast Burritos

While on a freezer meal frenzy I chose to make breakfast burritos. They seem like a no-brainer breakfast food but I never would have thought of making them had I not come across a googled article. Turns out they are easy, they freeze well and they are simple and delicious. After I froze some, we continued to make them for breakfast for about another week because we just couldn't get enough. 

What you need:

8-10 tortillas

12 eggs

1 lb bacon

1 medium onion, chopped

4 potatoes, peeled and cut into tiny squares

Shredded cheddar cheese

Sour cream

Salsa

What to do:

To reduce the amount of dirty dishes, I made the breakfast burritos in steps.

First sauté and cook the onions and potatoes in a large pan. While they are cooking, cook the bacon in batches in a separate pan and let it cool on a paper towel.

Once the potatoes are done, spread them out on a plate to cool. Crack and whip the eggs in a bowl then use the potato pan to scramble cook the eggs. Spread the eggs out on a plate to cool. Chop up your bacon into large pieces.

In an assembly line fashion, spread out your eggs, potatoes, bacon and cheese. 

Fill each tortilla with your goodies (I forgot the cheese with this batch, oops!), fold in the ends and roll up tight

Stick them in a bag and freeze. I managed to borrow a Food Saver from a friend which should actually be called a Life Saver because it is so awesome.  

When you are ready for breakfast, take one out and warm it up in the microwave or oven. Top with sour cream and salsa. DELISH!

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Baby Holguin - 37 Weeks

Phew!! Week 37 starts today and I finally feel REALLY pregnant. Obviously I've been pregnant the whole time but my "symptoms" have been very mild. In fact I would say I haven't had any serious symptoms besides a growing belly and minor aches and stretching here and there. I still sleep great with the exception of two restless nights; I still decline seat offers in public; I book it to the bus stop everyday; I don't pig out on every meal, (but I'll admit I can smash a fat hamburger); I don't use my pregnancy as an excuse for anything except a foot rub here and there and I still manage to squeeze into a few pre-pregnancy clothes. Not to brag, but I've had a picture perfect pregnancy - until now.
I gained SIX pounds in two weeks. My feet barely fit in my Toms. My wedding ring sits on my desk all day instead of my sausage finger. My hips ache every time I stand. Braxton-Hicks hits me more often and for longer periods of time. Hot flashes. Constant bathroom trips. Extreme thirst. Baby legs in my ribs. Baby head on my bladder. And I can barely put on my underwear without running out of breath. God help me.

On a positive note, my friend Kristina Hearn (her blog here) captured some amazing maternity photos at 34 weeks:

On an even greater note, I see the midwife every week now and each weeks keeps getting better. At week 35, I was 70% effaced but not dilated at all. Baby has been head down for a while but has slowly started to drop. Yesterday, at the end of my 36th week, I was nearly 100% effaced, a "fingertip" dilated and baby was a little further down!! Woo hoo! And all that in one week. The midwife said my body is ready and now its up to him to make his appearance. I still have 3 weeks until his due date but he is now full term so he is welcome to come at any time! Pin It

Overnight Oatmeal

This stuff is yummy. Overnight oatmeal is the easiest breakfast food I've ever had to prepare and it's packed full of healthy fiber, whole grains, calcium and protein. It's served and eaten cold but you can warm it up if you like and the topping options are endless. Once prepared, refrigerate it overnight and by morning time you will have a delicious and nutritious breakfast that you can grab on the go.
The following recipe is basic and makes 1-2 servings. You can prepare the overnight oatmeal base in larger quantities and then separate it into pint size mason jars or like below, prepare it all in a quart size mason jar.

What you need:
1 quart size mason jar with lid and rim
Uncooked Rolled Oats
Milk
Plain or Vanilla Yogurt
Toppings - I will be using almonds, cranberries and honey

What to do:
For the base, pour 1 cup oats, 3/4 cup yogurt, 1 1/4 cup milk into the quart size mason jar. Put the lid on and shake well. Basically its 2:1, dairy to oats. The more yogurt, the thicker the base. The less yogurt, the thinner the base.

Now add your toppings of choice. I added a handful of almonds, a handful of cranberries and a tablespoon of honey. Cap it and shake it again! I've also used frozen berries which sweetened it considerably so no added honey necessary. Another delicious version is chopped up green apples and lots of cinnamon. If you double the base, then divide it into pint size mason jars, you could create lots of different flavors. The only hard part is deciding which flavor you want in the morning! Hope you enjoy.

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DIY Burlap Nursery Banner

I wanted to make something special for my little guy and what better than a burlap banner?! There are lots of cute banners on Pinterest and Google so after lots of searching, I pieced together what I think is the best way to make one - it's easy, quick, cheap and super cute.
You can make the banner pieces any size you would like and depending on what you want the banner to say, keep in mind how big/small it will be once hung. I knew that I wanted my banner to hang across a wide wall and that it would contain nine letters so when I made my template, I made sure to size the triangles accordingly at 6" wide and 7.5" long. I think the total cost of this project was under $5 because I already had a lot of things around the house like the heavy paper, ruler and permanent markers. The burlap was less than $2 at Jo-Anns, the yarn less than $3 and the clothespins are from the Dollar Tree.

What  you need: 

1 yd burlap

1 piece heavy paper

Ruler

Permanent marker

Scissors

Cotton yarn or twine

Clothespins

Sewing machine + thread

Computer + printer

What to do: 

Create a triangle template with your heavy paper. I drew a horizontal 6" line and put a dot at the 3" mark. From the 3" mark, I drew a vertical 7.5" line. I then drew out the triangle by connecting the tip of the vertical line with the edges of the horizontal line.

With a permanent marker, trace your banner pieces with the template onto the burlap. In my case, I traced 9 triangles then cut them out. Since burlap is woven, it can come apart easily so I cut outside the lines in case parts came unwoven and I needed to trim. If your burlap is wrinkled, iron it straight.

With a sewing machine, sew along the edges of the triangles as close as possible to prevent the burlap from coming apart. 

Find a font for your banner. There are a few websites where you can download fonts for free and I used "Typewriterhand" from dafont.com in size 350. You may have to play around with font sizes because at this point, you have a specific space on your triangles where the font can fit and you don't want the font to be too large or too small. Once you have your letters typed up, print them out and you can start your letter tracing. Place your  burlap over the paper and with a permanent marker, trace the edges of the letter onto the burlap triangles. Fill in the letters a couple times over and voila! Repeat for each letter you need. 

Next, cut your yarn or twine to the length you want for hanging. Arrange your letters and hook onto the yarn with the clothespins. Hang where you like and you are done! You should know have a beautiful DIY burlap banner.

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