30 Before 30 Update: February 2013 Edition

I met my 30 Before 30 goal of reading 1 fun book and 1 educational/devotional book this month.

I read these two books this month:

1.  Further Chronicles of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery.  This is the sequel to the fun book I read last month.  It's another collection of short stories about life on Prince Edward Island.  I fell in love with many of the characters; they were so endearing!  My favorite story was, "The Brother Who Failed".  It's a moving story about what the true measure of success should be.  I found it interesting that this book was published without L.M. Montgomery's knowledge or permission.  Apparently, all the stories that appear in this volume were rejects - stories she did not feel were worth publishing.  I will admit, I didn't care for a few of the stories, but the book is still worth the read.

2.  Cure for the Common Life by Max Lucado.  This is an excellent book!  I've been so inspired and encouraged by Lucado's words.  Where is my "sweet spot"? It was so freeing to realize that I'm not defective, I'm don't have to be something I'm not.  Instead, I can serve God best simply by identifying, developing and using the skills, interests, abilities and experiences He has given me.  If you're struggling to find "your spot" - the place you feel you fit, I would encourage you to pick up this book.

I finally decided on a quilt pattern... this applique quilt.  (Although this quilt came in a close second!)  I'm using a combination of green, brown, white, and aqua prints.  I'm looking for graphics to use for appliques next - I plan to do frogs and lily pads. I'll post pics of my progress next month! 

Also this month, I did a healthier upgrade of 1 recipe in my Recipe File, Banana Bread.  1 down, about 50 to go... :-)

Week 23

How far along? 23 weeks

Baby is the size of: A grapefruit

Rings on or off?  On!  I actually remembered to put them on every day this week.

Sleep:  Never enough....

Belly Button:  Weird and stretched out.  It's not even round anymore... it's like, oval.

Exercise:  Still not feeling good this week (recovering from my allergy attack, or cold, or whatever it was), so only did pilates twice and walked on the treadmill twice.

Food cravings:  Chick-fil-A waffle fries and lemonade.  I didn't get any though...  Oh, and carbonation.  I really, really, really, really, wanted soda.  But it wasn't the sweetness I wanted, it was the bubbles!!! I solved the problem by buying a 2 liter of club soda and mixing it with some juice or unsweetened tea.  Worked like a charm!

Grapefruit size this week!

Movement:  I think he's pushing off one side of my stomach and bouncing into the other side, then turning and bouncing back to the other side.  At least that's what I imagine he is doing.

Best moment of the week:  I went to JoAnn Fabrics today and bought some fabric for the little munchkin's quilt that I will be making.  They were having a sale and I was able to use some 40% and 50% off coupons! Awesome!

Fun fact:  His face is completely formed now!  Just needs to gain some weight from here on out.

Symptoms:  Had my first Braxton-Hicks contraction this week.  Kinda freaky.  I laid down on the couch and drank a big glass of water and it went away after a few minutes.  I hear this is a normal occurance at this point and can be caused by dehydration or physical stress.  Looks like I need to keep calm and drink more water... sounds like a T-shirt slogan or something.

Mood?  Irritation!!!! And some nervousness about labor, but I'm working through that.

Epcot World Showcase

Me in front of the big orb...

I know it's been a several weeks since we got back from our Florida vacation... but I wanted to post a few things about what we did.

I'm not a huge fan of theme parks, since I'm not crazy about heights or falling... I usually just end up be a nervous wreck on 2 or 3 rides, then just watch everyone else ride.  So, Epcot was a perfect park for me.  They do have a few rides, but I couldn't ride most of them anyway, being prego and all. No biggie.  We spent about 7 hours in the "World Showcase" area of Epcot, enjoying the exhibits and shows.  There were a couple of small flume type (water) rides that we rode... and being that we were there at the World Showcase when it opened at 11 a.m., there were no lines and no waiting.  Sweet.

Chicken Parmesan Soup

I had a craving for Chicken Parm last week... as in, I couldn't stop thinking about chicken and marinara sauce and parmesan cheese.  And when I can't stop thinking about it, I will inevitably make some variation of it.

I got the idea for this soup from a Pampered Chef party I went to a while back.   Their version included croutons made in the microwave, a special seasoning blend, mozzarella cheese and baking the whole thing in the oven.  It was pretty good.

For my version, I decided to keep things a little simpler and do the whole thing on the stove top.

Week 22

How far along? 22 weeks

Baby is the size of: A papaya (approximately 11 inches)

Maternity clothes? Mom sent some new maternity tops, including a nursing cami... that'll come in handy later.  Thanks, Mom!

V-Day

Jalapeno Popper Eggrolls

This year, I wanted to do something special and creative for Valentine's Day, but didn't want to spend a bundle of cash.  I did some checking around online and came up with some fun ideas...

I made a twist on M's favorite appetizer, Jalapeno Poppers...  I did a jalapeno and cheese filling stuffed into eggroll wrappers, then baked them like I did with the Buffalo Chicken Eggrolls a few weeks ago.  They turned out really good!!! M said he would have like it to be a bit spicier, so next time, I'll leave some of the jalapeno seeds and ribs in. Check out the recipe on my recipage, here.

Week 21

How far along? 21 weeks

Baby is the size of: A pomegranate (approximately 10.5 inches)

Baby weighs:  Approximately 14 ounces, according to my ultrasound this week.

Weight gain so far:  I am estimating 10 pounds.

Maternity clothes? MOST DEFINITELY! My midwife commented that she was surprised at how much my belly had grown since my last appointment. Thanks? I think?