Photographer Name: Marie Kelderman
Baby Name: Kyle and Jonah Ralph
Baby Age in Photo (approximate): 11 months
Photo Description: Kyle and Jonah’s first time waiting for Santa
Kyle and Jonah’s first time waiting for Santa
First Baby Shots
Today, Nathan received his first set of vaccinations. Brad and I got to experience first hand the lung capacity of our little boy. At 9:30 this morning, he accepted the first shot with a somewhat confused face. He then received the second and that’s when the screaming started. I have never seen him turn so red. The crying lasted about two or three minutes then he was back to his giggly self. The day went well as he took short naps and continued with his usual smiling. Around 9 pm is when he took a turn for the worse. He became warm and began to cry frantically. We were warned that he would most likely run a fever and be in pain. Our German pediatrician advised us to give him a prescribed medication at the onset of a fever. We did just that. Meanwhile… our poor little guy sounded so pitiful. I don’t think I have ever felt so bad. It is torture seeing and hearing your little one in pain and knowing that there is nothing you can do to stop it. Thankfully, it didn’t take long for the medicine to take effect. He is now resting peacefully and, hopefully, on his way to recovery.
Lentil Soup Recipe
For some reason, I have always thought that making a lentil soup and having it actually taste good would be difficult. That couldn’t be further from the truth. I made this vegan lentil soup the other day and it was not only easy to make, but it was hearty and delicious–perfect for the cold days of winter.
In case you didn’t know, lentils offer many nutritional benefits that include being high in protein, dietary fiber, folate and vitamin B1. And unlike beans, they do not require soaking before cooking. Yay!
Ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 large carrot, cut
4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup dry lentils
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp dry thyme
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
Directions:
In a large pot, sautee carrots and onion until onion looks clear. Add broth, lentils, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes or until lentils are soft. Serve with your favorite Artisan Bread. Don’t forget to remove that Bay leaf!
Shuterfly Photobook 40% off Coupon
This is a great deal. We ordered one of these to tell the story of Nathan’s first few weeks and the book turned out awesome! It is actually a little book we could read to him as it has his photos and short paragraphs on each page. What a treasure to share and keep for years to come.
Grab this special discount while it is here!
Super Simple Peanut Butter Pie
I originally came across this recipe in one of my Gooseberry Patch recipe books. I have since made some modifications and have even simplified the recipe from its original form. If you love peanut butter and chocolate, you’re gonna flip over this pie. It has been the rave of many potlucks since its discovery. I have to caution you that this pie is highly addictive. Give it a go and see what I mean…
Ingredients:
1 Oreo Cookie Pie Crust
1 cup Natural Peanut Butter (smooth or chunky can be used)**
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened (low fat versions can be used)
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups Cool Whip, thawed
2 Reese’s Peanut Butter cups, chopped
Directions:
With an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, peanut butter, and sugar. Fold in Cool Whip. Spread mixture into Oreo crust. Garnish with Reese’s cups. Chill for at least 3 hours. Makes 8 servings.
**You can use peanut butter brands that already have sugar in them.
He’s Here!
My baby boy has finally arrived! Nathan Andrew entered the world on October 12 at 2:35 a.m. I am in the process of writing my birthing story. Overall, everything went really well. My labor and delivery was as amazing as my pregnancy. I feel very blessed to have had such a wonderful experience both in pregnancy and in giving birth. I am now left with the task of figuring out how to be a mom. For now, it is easy just staring at my little one, thanking God for every breath he takes and feeling amazed at the fact that I am now a mom.
34 Weeks Pregnant
Its been two more weeks and I am in week 34 of pregnancy. I am constantly amazed at how fast the weeks are flying by. My baby boy will be here before I know it! For the most part, I am still feeling really good. The only pregnancy symptoms that are most bothersome for me are tiredness and shortness of breath. As my bump continues to grow, I am becoming increasingly concerned about the shortness of breath part. It doesn’t really seem to matter if I am lying down, sitting or standing. I often feel like someone is sitting on my chest and I can’t take in a sufficient amount of air. I have to admit that there have been a couple of instances when it has actually scared me. This is an issue that I have mentioned to my doctor. She said that it is common, especially in the third trimester when the baby will be growing significantly and pressing on things. With up to 7 more weeks to go in my pregnancy, I am wondering how uncomfortable are things really going to get?
34 Weeks Pregnant
Tired, After a Day of Cleaning
32 Weeks Pregnant
Now that I am past 30 weeks pregnant, I am seeing my doctor every 2 weeks. Things are going really well. It is encouraging when the doctor says, “perfect” after checking out me and the baby. In terms of the baby, he’s getting big! He now weighs about 4.8 lbs. and is an active one. I feel him move consistently throughout the day. He seems to become most active when I lie down at night to watch a movie. Maybe it’s the emotion that movies evoke in me : )
Mommy is also doing well. My bump is getting bigger and rounder as the weeks past. I am sleeping less during the night, which now warrants a nap during the day. My nights are spent with at least one trip to the bathroom. The rest of the night is spent in and out of sleep. Just my body’s way of preparing me for baby, I ‘m sure. I usually wake around 4 a.m. only to return to bed for a catnap around mid-morning.
The only other pregnancy symptoms I have had is shortness of breath. This has been quite bothersome and scary at times. I usually feel a bit of tightness and a feeling like I can not catch my breath. This seems to only happen to me when I am lying down. The weird thing about this is that I only lie on my side. It was recommended by my doctor (and other medical sites) that once a pregnant woman reaches about 30 weeks, she should lie on her side to avoid shortness of breath and dizziness. This is because the uterus is too heavy. It can actually put pressure on the baby (and other internally important stuff like the diaphragm) and cause the mother to feel those symptoms. To combat the issue, I am trying to sleep propped up with pillows. It is not the most comfortable way to sleep, but then again, no position is ideal at the present time. For now, I will just look forward to being able to sleep comfortably (although not for very long) on my back after the baby is born.
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