EAT DRINK PRETTY

Back to work

2012-05-24T08:43:00.000-05:00

{Juliet and I on a walk on a gorgeous day on one of the last days of my maternity leave}

Today is my fourth day back to work. The week has been a bit of a whirlwind. Emotional. Busy.

The transition back to work has been hard.

I really miss Juliet. But...the actual work part is pretty good. As I'm driving into work in the mornings sometimes I think it feels like I was never really gone. My coworkers are great and it's so good to see them again on a daily basis. I've done a project or two that has been fun and reminds me I like advertising and media. I have a job I enjoy, which makes me really lucky. I pump three times a day which I've come to realize is such a huge commitment. Of course it's worth it because breastfeeding Juliet has been one of the most rewarding and bonding aspects about being her momma. But pumping is a little lonely and just reminds me that I'm not with my baby.

Juliet has been with Erik's mom this week, she is staying with us and it has helped us tremendously. I don't have to worry about dropping Juliet off anywhere and she gets to be within the comforts of her home. Grandma Karen dotes on her all day and I can tell they are having fun. This has helped the transition a lot and I am so grateful.

I know it gets easier each day so within the next few weeks I'm sure this will be the new normal. Juliet still has a late bedtime, she doesn't go to sleep until about 9-9:30 so that means I get at least 3 hours with her each evening, which I cherish. I can't imagine when she starts going to bed earlier.

Which all brings me to say...it's been so hard finding time to blog. I'm so exhausted by the time Juliet goes to bed that I go to sleep at the same time. So blogging has definitely taken a back seat. I really hope I can get back into it because I have so many posts in my head waiting to be documented. Juliet turning 3 months (she is such a big girl, I can't believe it!), the birth story is almost written and I have a couple amazing days that I want to share during the final weeks of my maternity leave (a day spent in Uptown Minneapolis with Erik and Juliet and a fabulous lunch and walk around the lake with my BFF Kristin). So stay tuned for, what I think is, a lot of good stuff.

Working moms, I'd love any advice you have on how to make this transition easier or anything in general that you think may help.

A Mother's Day picnic

2012-05-17T20:04:00.000-05:00

Mother's Day was idyllic. We had a picnic in our backyard with my family. The weather was perfection and we sat on blankets and ate good food and lots of desserts. My little sweetie was super happy all day, mesmerized by the trees and sky.

Here she is saying "momma, please stop with the pictures!".
A cute girlie and a picnic basket. I caught a little smile!
Our picnic set up.
Family photos with a fussy baby. This was the only 30 seconds she was fussy all day. I should have tried again for better photos but totally forgot.

My sis and bro chilling on the blanket with Juliet.
Pretty tulips from Erik and Juliet.
Erik and his girlie napping on the blanket.
We kept our picnic lunch super easy with sandwiches, quinoa salad, chips and fruit.
I bought a Boston Cream Pie because it's my mom's favorite.
My brother Joel brought cupcakes.
My momma opening her Mother's Day gift and Juliet with her grandpa.
My mom, Juliet and I celebrating Mother's Day together.

I will be slowly coming back to more regular blog posts within the next week or so. My goal will be 2-3 posts a week. I go back to work Monday and the anticipation has been really hard. Juliet will be with her grandma so I know that she'll have constant snuggles and love all day. I'll just miss her so much. But I'm lucky in that I like my job a lot and my my bosses and colleagues have already shown so much support and I haven't even come back yet. My bosses are making sure my workload is manageable and they are throwing me a little welcome breakfast on my first day back. Pretty great, huh?

Mother's day

2012-05-13T05:00:00.000-05:00

Sweet Juliet, thank you for making me a momma. These past few months have been some of the greatest of my life...getting to know you and falling so much in love with you. You are beginning to smile when you see me, especially when I come in after your naps. You love our afternoon walks and just stare and stare up at the sky and trees with your big, beautiful, buggy eyes. Your favorite thing is breastfeeding, and you do it often. One day, a couple months ago breastfeeding was no longer a challenge and now is just relaxing, bonding time for you and I. I love you silly girl.

Mom, thank you for being the wonderful, amazing mom you've always been. Because of you I know exactly how to be the best momma I can be to to Juliet. I've loved our Tuesday walks and hanging out with Chloe and Juliet during my maternity leave. You are a wonderful grandma and Juliet is very lucky.

Karen, thanks for being a fabulous mother to Erik and a fun, loving grandma to Juliet. Thanks for all the hundreds of gifts, Juliet is one spoiled little girl.

Erik and I and my family are having a picnic in our backyard to celebrate Mother's Day. A BYOB picnic (bring your own blanket). Yes, I'm being serious. Oh, how times have changed. But I wouldn't have it any other way.

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful mommas out there! Enjoy your day with your little sweeties.

A little break

2012-05-07T21:51:00.004-05:00

I'm taking a little break from blogging for a bit. How long? I'm not sure. I might still post this week but posting will definitely be infrequent.

I go back to work exactly two weeks from today and from now until then I plan on spending every single second with Juliet. I don't want any obligations taking me away from time with her, which includes blogging. We've spent the entire past 12 weeks in a perma-snuggle, it's been the best 3 months of my life and I am teary thinking about it ending so soon.

I hope you understand! Check back from time to time and I'll be back to posting regularly in a couple weeks.

MS Walk

2012-05-03T21:44:00.000-05:00

For the second year, Erik and I are walking in the MS Walk on Sunday in honor of my mom. She has lived with MS for 27 years. She's amazing and strong and is able to walk further and longer than I can.

I'd so appreciate if you would consider donating to the cause.

If it's nice Juliet will be sporting her cool shades for the stroller ride. Click here for my donation page, any amount helps and I would be truly thankful for your support.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Spring strawberry salad

2012-05-03T05:00:00.000-05:00

When I saw this salad on Oh She Glows blog I knew I needed to make it. And I did, that same day. Luckily I had almost all the needed ingredients, with the exception of a lemon. So I hauled ass to Target, because why not, I go there almost everyday anyway.

My friends Kristin and Libby came over for dinner club and we had this salad, pizza and some cheese as appetizers. I added goat cheese to the salad (Oh She Glows blog is vegan, so no cheese in the original recipe) and it was tasty. The best part was the strawberry lemon basil dressing. Click here for the recipe on Oh She Glows blog.

Easy tea sandwiches

2012-05-01T21:15:00.004-05:00

Tea sandwiches are a great appetizer for any event. I made these for a gathering with my family on Sunday and they were a big hit. And they are so easy. Like stupid easy. You can make them fancier by using Boursin cheese or add herbs to cream cheese but they taste great with plain cream cheese, too. They are cuter than cute as well, aren't they? Radish and cucumber tea sandwiches

Ingredients

10 slices bread (white, rye, whole grain, or pumpernickle, etc), cut into fourths
4 oz. cream cheese
2 tablespoons fresh dill
2 bunches radishes, sliced
1 english cucumber, sliced
Salt and pepper

Preparation

Arrange bread on a serving platter, top with cream cheese. Place radish slices on half the bread and cucumber slices on the rest. Top with dill, salt and pepper.

Juliet's newborn photos

2012-04-29T20:58:00.000-05:00

Posting Juliet's newborn photos is long overdue. She was just 11 days old when these were taken and now she's 10 weeks! She has changed so much but there are sweet things these photos captured that I still see in my little girl now, like the funny/cute side smile she makes and the way she always holds her hand up to her face.

I do regret one thing about this day, though. Because it was 11 days postpartum, I was feeling less than great about myself. I wasn't excited about being photographed. I was still in maternity jeans and overall felt frumpy. So I didn't prioritze getting photos of my little girl and I. There are a few, but I wish I had more. I LOVE the ones of Erik and her and I'm really happy we have those. I also adore the one of the three of us above. And of course, I am super happy with all the ones of the little Juliet, looking so cute and tiny and sweet.

Photo credits to Gruman Photography.

Buffalo grilled cheese sandwich (gluten-free)

2012-04-26T20:45:00.000-05:00

Did you know that April is National Grilled Cheese month? Yeah, I didn't either until Udi's Gluten Free Foods contacted me to create a unique grilled cheese recipe. They partnered with Horizon Organic to provide select food bloggers product to create and showcase their recipes to celebrate grilled cheese this month.

If you've followed my blog for a while you know that I have an obsession with buffalo sauce. So why not create a grilled cheese with that tangy flavor; vegetarian and gluten-free? After all, buffalo sauce tastes great on a lot of things other than just chicken wings. I had my friend Libby over to taste test the sandwich (since I am attempting to be dairy free right now). Libby loved the sandwich and thought it tasted awesome. She said you don't miss having meat on the sandwich because it's so full of flavor. I took a bite and agreed, it was delish. I especially love how the celery adds a crunchiness and great texture.

Buffalo grilled cheese

Ingredients

2 slices gluten-free bread (I used Udi's White Sandwich Bread)
1 slice Horizon Organic Provolone cheese
1-2 tablespoons thinly sliced celery
4 slices tomato (I used a roma)
1-2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
1 tablespoon buffalo sauce (I used Franks Red Hot Buffalo)
1-2 tablespoons butter, softened

Preparation

Warm a skillet on medium heat. Butter the bread. Spread buffalo sauce on the inside of both slices of bread. Add the slice of provolone, celery, tomato and blue cheese crumbles to a slice of bread. Top with other slice and place on warm skillet. Cook until the bread is lightly browned and cheese begins to melt. Flip and brown other side of bread.

Optional: serve with side of blue cheese dressing.

Disclosure: Udi's and Horizon Organic provided products for this post, all the opinions and recipe are my own.

Healthy shrimp linguini

2012-04-24T21:18:00.000-05:00

This meal was a last minute, "what the hell should I make for dinner" creation. And it turned out great; easy and delicious. And pretty healthy, too.

My non-Weight Watcher and former dairy-eating self would have added heavy cream and parmesan to this recipe, but I really enjoyed it without either. I'm still trying to omit dairy from my diet...I realized that after I ate frozen yogurt on Sunday Juliet turned into a total fuss bucket the entire next day (this has happened 3 times now). So it looks like no more fro-yo for me. Or cheese. Boo. But it's worth it for my girlie.

Shrimp linguini

Ingredients

6-7 oz. whole wheat linguini (about half the box)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 cup frozen peas
1 tablespoon parsley
15-20 raw jumbo shrimp
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation

Cook noodles according to package directions. Heat the olive oil in a pan with the red pepper flakes and garlic for about a minute. Add the shrimp and cook until pink, about 4-5 minutes. Add diced tomatoes, peas, parsley and bring to a gentle simmer for about 2 minutes. Add the noodles and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Soup Sunday

2012-04-23T06:06:00.000-05:00

Erik came up with the idea to start having "Soup Sundays" at my parent's house. Growing up, he would spend Sundays with his grandparents and his grandmother would always have a big pot of soup on the stove. I thought it was a really sweet tradition to begin for our family so yesterday was our first soup Sunday. We made a huge kettle-full of Erik's favorite, knoephla soup. If you have no idea what that is click here and read a post I wrote on knoephla soup last year. Let's just say it's a North Dakota staple. Erik got up early with me and made the homemade dumplings.

Almost the entire family was present for our first soup Sunday, we were missing Drew (my sister's husband) and aunt Chris.

Pictured above is Juliet and her cousin Chloe. Chloe just turned 6 months yesterday so the girls are 4 months apart. After soup I insisted that we stop at Yo-Joes, a frozen yogurt place. We walked to burn off some of the soup (um...maybe we burned off one dumpling...maybe) and besides, even though fro-yo is low-fat or non-fat, I add enough toppings to totally make up for it. Doesn't Erik look cute pushing the stroller? Yummy!

I have exactly 4 more weeks of maternity left. I plan to savor each moment at home with my girl. We don't have many plans this week, I hope it's nice out so we can take lots of walks. It's it's rainy we'll just hang out and cuddle up on the couch. All day. Doesn't that sound awesome?

Juliet: 2 months!

2012-04-19T20:56:00.002-05:00

Juliet turned 2 months on Monday. She is growing so big, so fast. I packed away all her newborn clothes about a week and a half ago, marveling that those teeny tiny onesies were way too big in the beginning.

Juliet had her 2 month check-up this week, with the dreaded shots, that actually turned out to be not that bad. Granted, I cringed and wanted to cry when the needles poked her, but I nursed her immediately and she calmed down right away. She was fine the rest of the day, just a bit sleepy. Juliet now weighs close to 11 pounds (a couple days after her birthday she was down to 5 lbs. 8 oz, so this is major weight gain, and I am thrilled). She eats and eats and eats and eats. It's her favorite thing in the entire world. Breastfeeding has been tremendously bonding for us and I am at the point where I really love it. The 3am and 5am feedings aren't awesome, by any means, but somehow I manage to feel pretty rested in the mornings.

Juliet has hit a few milestones in the past few weeks. She smiles, not often, but when she does it's that much more special. She coos and gurgles and makes the sweetest sounds. We're still working on head and neck strength but that will come in time. She was a month early, after all.

Question for other mommas out there. I planned on having more professional photos taken at 6 months and 1 year (I also had newborn photos taken). I heard that it's common to have photos taken at 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and a year. Did you get photos taken that often? On the one hand, I totally get it...babies change so fast and I would love to document it all. But on the other hand, that can get super expensive. What did you do?

These past couple months with my baby girl have been amazing. I wasn't one of those mommas whose heart exploded immediately when she was born. I loved her, yes of course I did. But it took days, weeks even before that love grew into what it is now. I've fallen more in love with her over time. And now that love is HUGE heart-pounding love. Oh my, I love her so much. She is so sweet, so cuddly, so curious and I am desperate to be sure I take in every second I have with her over the next month before I go back to work.
Happy 2 months, sweetie! You've made me one happy momma.

Berry almond smoothie

2012-04-18T19:45:00.001-05:00

I've been craving Jamba Juice type fruit smooties lately but instead of driving 10 minutes and spending $6 I decided to whip something up at home. I had a few essential ingredients and went from there.

The smoothie was refreshing and yummy. I was hoping its sweetness would suffice for the rest of the day. Unfortunately, I still ate girl scout cookies and part of a chocolate bunny that was in Juliet's Easter basket. Oops.
Berry almond smoothie

Ingredients

3/4 cup vanilla almond milk (unsweetened)
1 cup berries (I used strawberries and blackberries)
1 teaspoon honey

Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass and enjoy! Makes one serving.

*If I had kale or spinach I would have added a handful of that as well.

Juliet's nursery

2012-04-16T05:00:00.030-05:00

Today Juliet is 2 months old and I thought it was fitting to finally post all the details of her nursery. This room is my absolute favorite space in our home. Every detail I dreamed for this nursery somehow came together so perfectly. With my little girlie here, the nursery contains her sweet smell, little baby coos, and recently, her smiles. We snuggle together everyday on the glider/chair and she grasps my hair in her chubby hands as she breastfeeds. How could it not be my favorite space in our home, actually, in the entire world?

A while ago, I posted my nursery inspiration board and wrote the following:

"Ever since I found out my hubby and I are having a baby girl, I have been dreaming of her nursery. I am such a girly-girl, thanks to my mom, who decorated my room growing up with pink heart wallpaper and a ruffly, pink canopy bed. And so it's no surprise that my lil' babe will have a room full of frills and lots of pink. I picture a calm, soft room and I imagine rocking her in a comfy chair close to the window as I watch the Minnesota winter turn into spring."

The more the nursery came together the more I just wanted it to be simply be a light, airy, pretty space that was fairly minimalistic. With Juliet here I strive to keep the space as clean and clutter-free as possible, a chore that is nearly impossible with so much baby gear, clothes, diapers, etc. But I take a few minutes each morning to clear away the clutter so that when the two of us are in there together I am focusing only on her and not on a messy nursery.

I am so grateful to Wing Ta of Canary Grey Photography for capturing these beautiful photos of the nursery.

Source details, Etsy vendors and costs are all detailed at the bottom of this post.

I found inspiration all over the web and kept track through Pinterest. The crib is a very affordable and popular style that I saw all over baby blogs. Those three simple shelves add so much to the small space on the wall.
Many moms opt to simply put a changing pad on top of their dresser but I love having a separate changing table. It gives added storage, which is a must-have.

I love wall of frames and worked on this configuration for hours. I would arrange them on the floor, take photos with my phone and text my friends asking, "which one is best"? I'm very happy with how it turned out. Those photos are of Erik and I as babies and are now replaced with Juliet's newborn photos (which I'll be posting soon!). Do I always have fresh pink roses on Juliet's dresser? Um, no!
Erik made an exact replica of wallpaper in frames from a photo I showed him on my Pinterest board. He worked dilligently on these, making sure there wasn't a single bubble in the wallpaper and that the white trim (that became the frame) was perfectly cut. I love these so much.
Finding out you are having a baby girl is dangerous when you work so close to a Baby Gap. The pink one was Juliet's Easter dress and she just wore the white one yesterday! It's nice that they serve multiple purposes (decorative and clothing) because she will soon grow out of them.

Our budget for Juliet's nursery was $1,500. We did a good job of sticking within the budget thanks to a detailed excel spread sheet I used to keep a tally of every single thing we purchased, down to the $5 dollar wood glue for the framed wallpaper art. It helped that there were a few items that we were given at baby showers (changing table pad, mattress, etc) that may have pushed us a bit over the budget if we had to pay for them.

There are so many budget-friendly options out there to create a beautiful nursery, whether your budget is similar to mine, or even a lot less. Don't forget about Etsy. Best resource ever. And after I got over the fact that Juliet wouldn't have Pottery Barn or Restoration Hardware furniture I really enjoyed finding the best deals out there and challenging myself to use items/fabric/frames we already owned, or finding items that were gently used.

I've included a detailed list of sources below. Whenever possible, there is a direct link to the product. If I haven't listed something in that you are interested in, please leave a comment and I'll make sure to get back to you.

Sources and cost (cost includes shipping where applicable):

Crib and Changing Table: Jenny Lind style, found for the best price at Walmart, but it is sold at many places including Target, Babies R Us, Amazon, etc. ($260)
Curtains and rod: Shabby Chic by Target, ($60)
White shelves: Target ($20)
Changing pad cover: Shabby Chic by Target, ($20)
White floral decorative pillow: Target ($20)
Lamp shade and base: baby shower gift from Babies R Us
Pink storage baskets: Walmart ($35)
Floral Framed Wallpaper Art: made by Erik ($100)
Bunting: made by Jenna ($0, used existing materials)
Framed J: purchased mirror from a friend ($40), "J" was a baby shower gift from Babies R Us
Rose Petal Wall Hooks: Anthropologie ($30)
Dresser and Nightstand: Purchased used from a friend ($200). If you are looking for the same dresser it is sold at Target
Milk bottles: local antique store ($7)
Chandelier: Home Depot ($89)
Glider: Target ($375)
Crib Bedding: Shabby Chic by Target ($99)
“I have always known it was you” Print: MursBlanc on Etsy ($25)
“Oh How I Love Thee” Print: the big harumph on Etsy, ($23)
"Love, Love, Love" Print: quaillanepress on Etsy ($13)
Shakespeare "True Hope" Print: amytripple on Etsy ($33)
White Frames: Ikea ($40)
Dresses: Baby Gap
Baby "fur" boots: beccaboocrafts on Etsy ($14)
Cream vintage-looking frames with fabric: Marshalls (already owned)
Mirror (above dresser): Marshalls ($40)
Paint: Sherwin Williams, color Softer Tan #6141 (painted previously during a remodeling project)

Strawberry, banana and honey overnight steel cut oats

2012-04-11T22:11:00.000-05:00

Overnight oatmeal makes breakfast super fast and easy. That type of breakfast is a necessity with a newborn. The first couple weeks of maternity leave I either skipped breakfast altogether or didn't eat until noon. Now I'm making an effort to eat something healthy right when we get up so I start the day off right and have plenty of energy.

I tried this recipe the other day after reading this post on the Kitchn. Oatmeal preferences vary a lot from person to person so this worked for me but may need a bit of tweaking based on how you like yours.

Strawberry, banana and honey overnight steel cut oats

Ingredients

1 cup steel cut oatmeal
2 cups milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
Handful of strawberries, sliced
1 banana, sliced
Honey, to taste

Preparation

Combine the oats and milk in a container with a cover. Stir well and keep in the fridge overnight.

In the morning, stir and put desired amount into a microwave safe bowl (this recipe makes a few servings). Microwave on high for 1-2 minutes, or until desired texture is achieved.

Top with strawberries, bananas and honey.

Note, when I removed the oats in the morning I was surprised with how much liquid was still in the oats. The oats were also still very chewy. I prefer them softer and warm, so I microwaved it. First for a minute, and that wasn't enough time, 2 minutes seemed just right (the oats were softer and the liquid was almost fully absorbed).

Quinoa with black beans and corn

2012-04-10T21:15:00.001-05:00

This was my dinner last night. Erik has been eating leftover ham for lunch and dinner for the past couple days. He's awesome with leftovers and doesn't mind eating the same thing over and over and over. I've also been eating ham but unlike Erik I am totally hammed out (we made a 10 pound ham for Easter). I needed something healthy. This quinoa dish was exactly that.

Very easy. Very tasty. Very Weight Watcher friendly. Next time I'll add avocado but mine wasn't ripe yet. If I wasn't on Weight Watchers (and limiting my dairy intake) I would add cheese and sour cream.

This recipe makes a huge batch (4+ servings).

Quinoa with black beans and corn (recipe adapted from Archer Farms)

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups water or chicken stock (I used chicken stock for added flavor)
1 15.5 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15.5 oz can sweet corn, drained
1 red or green bell pepper, diced
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
3 Tbsp. lime juice
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. ground cumin

Preparation

Rinse quinoa with water. Combine quinoa and 1 1/2 cups water or chicken stock in medium saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 10-15 minutes until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine black beans, corn, bell pepper, tomatoes and cilantro. Stir in the cooked quinoa.

Combine lime juice, oil and cumin in a small bowl. Toss with quinoa mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or chilled.

Easter Sunday

2012-04-09T09:45:00.000-05:00

The weekend was wonderful, ending with church, brunch and dyeing eggs at my parent's house. Juliet was very so pretty in her Easter dress and white cardigan. She was very sleepy and otherwise uninterested in her first Easter adventure though (as you'll see in later photos).

We usually spend Easter with Erik's family in North Dakota. This year, with a 7 week old, we decided against making the 6-hour drive (Juliet is eating every 1-2 hours so that would have made for many stops and a LONG drive). We definitely missed his family and especially the Easter egg hunt with the grand prize egg (with $50 in it!) and his mom's delicious cooking.

These cute photos were taken on Saturday. I giggled the entire time taking them and then again while I viewed the photos. Juliet is losing her hair on top of her head but no where else! Oh my...she'll be my little baldy-girl soon.

A somewhat blurry family photo on Easter. On a side note, I had an almost-meltdown Sunday morning because not a single one of my dresses fit. It's my chest that's the issue. It's gotten quite large. So I threw on a cotton, long dress and covered it with a cardigan. Not the cutest I've ever looked. I need to go shopping.

Erik and I were much more excited about Juliet's Easter basket than she was!

Juliet's wondering, is it naptime yet?

The Easter brunch menu included:

Mimosas
Fruit salad
A chicken sausage, veggie and cheddar quiche
Honey-glazed ham
Cheesy hashbrowns
Angel food cake with whipped cream and strawberries

We had fun dyeing Easter eggs. Now Erik has hard boiled eggs for breakfast all week.
I hope you enjoyed your Easter weekend too!

It's chilly in MN this week so Juliet and I are going to hang out at home and have lots of tummy time on her play mat, read books, sing songs and snuggle. Sounds like a pretty great week to me! Six weeks left of maternity leave and I plan to make the most of each second of it.

Juliet: 7 weeks

2012-04-06T09:50:00.000-05:00

Juliet turned 7 weeks yesterday. We have been busy gals this week. Between the almost hourly feedings (apparently growth spurts result in almost constant eating) and less than optimal naps, it sometimes feels like one long breastfeeding session BUT, I really can't complain because the little girlie isn't so little anymore. We haven't officially gotten her weighed (that will happen at her 2 month appointment coming up soon) but we weigh her on our digital scale at home (I weigh myself, ew, and then hold her and weigh again and subtract the difference) and we think she is over 10 lbs already. That is insane to think about because she was down to 5 lbs 8 oz a couple days after birth. She is no longer a teeny newborn but now a chubby baby with a beautiful double chin and rolls on her legs that we love.

This week was a lovely spring week and I made the decision to let laundry wait and let the dust bunnies on the floor accumulate (it shows) and instead get out and about. Here is what Juliet and I have been up to:

Lunch with my friend Jill and shopping at the Mall of America
Hanging with grandma Connie (my mom) and taking a walk to get frozen yogurt
Shopping on in St. Paul with my friend Natasha and her son Jude, getting coffee and stopping at the patio at Salut for wine
Dinner at Eat Street Social (without Juliet) with girlfriends Emily, Shannon and Natasha. This was the longest I've been away from Juliet and it went just fine. She hung out with daddy and didn't even know I was gone. I enjoyed a delicious glass of sauvignon blanc and a seared tuna sandwich that was divine.

Juliet loves her stroller and being in the Moby so even when we're out, if she's in the Moby I feel like we're snugging, which is awesome. She loves feeling the light breeze on her face when we're outdoors and looking at the blue sky and trees. She is often very alert when we're outdoors, just taking everything in.

We have a busy weekend ahead and are looking forward to having a big brunch on Easter with my parents. Juliet is sure to be wearing a pretty dress!

My maternity photos by Canary Grey Photography

2012-04-04T09:08:00.002-05:00

I had been planning to post my maternity photos months ago and then Juliet surprised us with being a month early, so I never got around to it. These are my favorites (there are many!) from the session back in early January.

Wing Ta of Canary Grey Photography took these photos and they were exactly what I was hoping for. I think they really captured Erik and I in a natural way, within the favorite spaces in our home. The session was featured on On To Baby and here is an excerpt with more details on the shoot from that post:

"Canary Grey Photography sent us this super sweet maternity session of expecting parents Jenna and Erik, along with photos of the absolutely lovely nursery space for their little girl on the way, Juliet. For the maternity session, Jenna wanted a cozy, natural vibe, with photos of them in their favorites spaces in their home. Weekend breakfasts in their little kitchen nook, sipping coffee and chatting, is something they always enjoy, making it a perfect moment to capture."

Ok so maybe that is a bit cheesy but it's true. I knew I wanted the session to take place inside our home (and a few outdoors) and to be very much Erik and I. We always have breakfast in our little kitchen on the weekends and towards the end of my pregnancy we would exclaim, "can you believe in just a couple months we will have a baby? Will we still have time for these breakfasts?". And you know what? We do still make time for our weekend breakfasts togeher, but now I'm usually holding Juliet with one arm and eating with the other. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

I ate a lot of those donuts after the session was over. Yum.

My honey was such a good sport to do this shoot with me. Admittedly, he wasn't loving it...but he did it for me and I'm so happy he did. He looks so good in these photos!

Thanks so much to Wing for taking such wonderful photos for us. I had a very easy pregnancy and it was a such wonderful time, so much excitement and anticipation (and a bonus, my face didn't get fat!). Honestly, I missed being pregnant the second Juliet was born. It was crazy how in one moment the huge bump was suddenly so empty. Of course, I had a beautiful baby instead and I was thrilled about that. But it didn't stop me from missing being pregnant for a while. I feel so grateful that I have these photos that capture how happy I was during my pregnancy, and how much I truly loved and adored my husband during that time. He was just awesome (if you remember, he catered to my cravings by baking multiple cakes and was, in general, totally wonderful).

***If you live in MN and are looking for a photographer (for weddings, family shoots, newborn photos, maternity photos, etc) you should book Canary Grey Photography immediately! She has an amazing style and I LOVE how she captures beautiful, soft light in each photograph, and somehow manages to make her subjects look attractive and natural all at the same time.

I have been slowly but surely working on these upcoming posts so check back!

- Juliet's nursery
- Juliet's birth story
- And you can be sure I'll be posting about our weekend with Juliet in a pretty, little Easter dress!

Bruschetta chicken

2012-04-02T20:06:00.001-05:00

Last week I made bruschetta chicken using leftovers from the dinner party the weekend before. The chicken turned out great and now I've added another successful pantry party meal to my recipe index.

Bruschetta chicken (recipe inspired by Weight Watchers goat cheese and herb stuffed chicken breast)

Ingredients

1 cup caprese bruschetta (note, exclude the baguette in the recipe)
4 chicken breasts
1/2 cup bread crumbs
4 teaspoons mayonnaise
Salt and pepper

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a nonstick baking pan with nonstick spray.

Cut a pocket into the side of each chicken breast about 2 1/2 inches long. Place about 1/4 cup of the caprese bruschetta in each chicken breast. Lightly press the pocket closed with a fork. Season with salt and pepper. Brush the top side of each breast with the mayonnaise. Dip the chicken, one piece at a time, coated-side down into the bread crumbs. Transfer coated side up to the baking pan.

Spray the tops of the chicken lightly with nonstick spray. Bake until the chicken is cooked through and the crust is golden, about 25 minutes.

Serve on top of whole wheat pasta (I added about another 1/2 cup of caprese bruschetta to the pasta and topped with parmesan).

Sausage, potato and cheddar quiche

2012-03-29T20:00:00.000-05:00

I've been getting creative in the kitchen lately in terms of using whatever is it that we have in the fridge or pantry (aka pantry party). I do this to save money and avoid the grocery store. Yesterday evening I made a sausage, potato quiche and paired it with a spring green salad. I love breakfast for dinner. And I love quiche. So it ended up being a great meal (not all pantry parties are!). Erik was happy because it was basically a meat and potato pie.

Sausage, potato and cheddar quiche

Ingredients

1 store-bought pie crust
6 eggs
1 package sausge (I used Jimmy Dean)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
2 medium sized red potatoes, thinly sliced
1/3 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place sliced potatoes on a greased baking sheet, top with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Roll pie crust onto an ungreased glass 9 inch pie dish. Place potatoes and pie dough into the oven and bake for about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce the temperature to 350 degrees.

While potatoes and pie crust is in the oven, cook/brown the sausage in a frying pan. In a bowl, mix together the eggs and sour cream.

Layer the sausage (I only used about 3/4 of the sausage), potatoes and cheddar into the pie crust. Top with the egg mixture.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the eggs are set.

Lemon-orange chiffon cake

2012-03-27T19:59:00.000-05:00

During my pregnancy I craved sweets. Mostly cake, but anything sweet would do. My honey was awesome and learned to bake cakes and even frost/decorate them for me. I was beyond impressed when he baked me a double layer chocolate cake (even though it was from a mix) for my birthday and then a red velvet cake for Valentines Day (not from a mix!).

Having Juliet has done nothing to relieve my sweet cravings. It's still in full force. And so for our dinner party on Saturday, I thought a lemon cake would be perfect for spring (and perfect for me to have leftovers afterwards!). Yes, I am still on Weight Watchers, but with breastfeeding I get 40 points a day. To those of you familiar with the diet, you know that 40 points for a woman is a TON of points. Which means I can still eat cake. YES. Breastfeeding rocks.

Lemon-orange chiffon cake (recipe via My Recipes)

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour

1 1/3 cups sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

5 large eggs, separated

3/4 cup fresh orange juice

3 tablespoons orange zest

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Lemon-Orange Buttercream Frosting

Garnishes: edible flowers, kumquat slices, orange slices or lemon slices (we used lemon)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine first 4 ingredients in bowl of a heavy-duty electric stand mixer. Make a well in center of flour mixture; add oil, egg yolks, and orange juice. Beat at medium-high speed 3 to 4 minutes or until smooth. Stir in zest.

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar at medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into flour mixture. Spoon batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans.

Bake at 350° for 17 to 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 1 hour).

Spread Lemon-Orange Buttercream Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.

We followed the recipe for the cake but used store bought creamy vanilla frosting (about 1 and a half containers). We added a couple tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice as well as a few teaspoons of lemon zest to the frosting.

Damn, this cake is good; moist and light and airy and lemony and orangy good. I was very happy with how it turned out. Erik did a great job frosting the cake and I think the lemon slices added a nice touch.

This cake isn't that tough to make. I prepared it in less than an hour the morning of the party. And it really is perfect for spring. I hope to continue having some time for baking. I think it will have to take place mostly on the weekends when Erik is home to watch Juliet for an hour or so while I'm in the kitchen. When she's old enough she'll bake with me, I can't wait.

A spring, outdoor dinner party

2012-03-26T05:00:00.017-05:00

Erik and I hosted a laid back outdoor dinner party on Saturday. We had wonderful weather, 72 degrees and sunny. Hanging out on our deck, I was reminded, once again, how much I love MN springs and enjoying every moment of it in our backyard. I also realized that while it is totally possible, hosting a dinner party with a new baby is a lot of work. I was exhausted by the end of the night! It was worth it though, and I think Juliet loves being outdoors with friends as much as we do.

On the menu:

Drinks
Sangria, wine and whiskey (for the boys)

Appetizers
Two kinds of crostini: caprese bruschetta and white bean with thyme
Cheese and crackers

Main course
New York strip steaks
Garlic mashed potatoes
Asparagus

Dessert
Lemon orange chiffon cake (this cake is amazing, perfect for spring). I am doing a full post on the cake tomorrow so stay tuned!

Our fabulous guests! Libby and Summer snuggled with Juliet as I ran back and forth from the deck to the kitchen, prepping food. I did get to sip a glass of Sangria and it was delicious.

Overnight oats

2012-03-22T21:37:00.000-05:00

{Photo credit: Oh She Glows}

Lately I've been trying to find recipes that make my life easier. Overnight oats is one of those recipes.

There are recipes all over the web, but I think this Blueberry Banana Pie Vegan Overnight Oats recipe by Oh She Glows looks particularly tasty, I mean...it has the word pie in it so it must be good.

This recipe can be adapted, I don't have chia seeds, but apparently they help with thickening so I may have to add a tiny bit more oats. I'll let you know how it turns out. In the meantime, if you want to try overnight oats here are some additional recipes:

Overnight oatmeal by Whole Foods
Overnight oatmeal by Food For Thought
Overnight oats (in a crockpot) by Food Network

Buffalo "chik patty" salad

2012-03-21T14:49:00.000-05:00

This is a go-to salad when I'm on Weight Watchers. It's super easy and tasts great. I love buffalo sauce and it gives me my fix.

This salad was sort of a pantry-party salad yesterday because I threw in leftover potatoes since they needed to get eaten. I actually really enjoyed the texture the potatoes added to the salad and of course who doesn't love some carbs with your salad.

Buffalo "chik patty" salad

Ingredients

1 Morning Star Chik Patty
1 roma tomato, chopped
5-7 baby carrots, chopped
1/2 cup roasted red potatoes, chopped (optional)
1/4 cup shredded cheddar
Couple handfuls of salad mix (I used an organic spring mix)
2 tablespoons light ranch dressing
1 tablespoon Franks Red Hot Buffalo Sauce

Preparation

Microwave the chik patty according to package instructions and cut into small squares. Add the Franks sauce and toss to coat. On a large plate add the salad mix, veggies and chik patty. Top with ranch dressing.

Total Weight Watchers Points Plus = approximately 12-13. To reduce the points omit the cheese and potatoes (cuts the points in half). I can eat a bit more (ok a lot more actually) points each day because I'm breastfeeding so I've been able to add cheese to things I otherwise wouldn't.

Enjoy!