"The baby is eating my brain"

One of the girls I trained with during my radiology rotations said that ALL the time when she was pregnant. I now understand what she meant. For days now, I've been wanting to post some cool pictures I took... if I only could find the USB cable for the camera! So this morning I FINALLY found the cable... and NOW I can't find the camera!

Unprecedented

I don't think we have ever before seen a movie on opening weekend, let alone two in a row! Last weekend, we went to Batman. It was awesome. Heath Ledger will have you cringing in your seat, and Christian Bale is great. 9.5/10 for sure.

Then, THIS weekend we went to the X-files (I've been really excited about this one). It was a very satisfactory trip down the X-files memory lane. Many thanks to my sweet husband, who is not an X-files fan, but came to the show with me anyways (note: the show does not require familiarity with the TV series; and although many references to the characters's pasts are made--which the fan will enjoy--the new viewer will not be lost). Definitely a satisfying flick. I'll give it a 7.5/10.

I guess we're just trying to get all of our movie-going in before Baby Glade arrives. That, and it's too darn hot to do ANYTHING on a saturday afternoon EXCEPT attend a nice air-conditioned matinee.

Yummy Summer Pastas

In the heat of the summer, I am always looking for light, easy recipes that do not require the use of the oven. These are two of our favorite pasta recipes that fit the bill perfectly. Enjoy!

Summer Shrimp Pasta

1 lb (16-20) frozen shrimp (peeled and deveined)
2 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
3/4 lb tomatoes, coarsely diced (retain all juices)-- in a pinch, I've used diced canned tomatoes
1/4 c. (scant) olive oil
1/4 tsp. dried crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 grated parmesan cheese
8 oz penne pasta
1/4 c. fresh basil, coarsely chopped
zest of one medium lemon

Clean, peel and devein the shrimp (or buy the pre-cooked frozen shrimp, and make life a whole lot easier). Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, combine garlic, tomatoes, olive oil, red pepper, dried basil, dried oregano, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese in serving bowl. Set aside to warm at room temperature so flavors mingle.

Saute shrimp. Combine shrimp and drained, cooked pasta in bowl with tomatoe mixture. Sprinkle with the fresh basil and lemon zest. Toss well. Serve slightly cool (about room temperature) topped with extra Parmesan.

For an extra treat, slice the zested lemon and drop in a pitcher of iced water. The lemon water adds an elegant and refreshing touch to any dinner.



Orecchiette with leeks, peas and pecorino


1 lb dry orecchiette pasta, or some other short pasta (orecchiette looks like small shells with a pretty scalloped edge)
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 leeks, thinly sliced and rinsed well to remove sand (leeks are grown in sand)
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 10 oz. package frozen peas, thawed
3/4 c. cream (or whole milk)
1 c. grated Pecorino (if you can't find Pecorino, use Parmesan, or Romano or any other hard, salty cheese)
2 tsp. lemon zest
1/4 c. fresh mint leaves, torn (I've substituted basil for the mint plenty of times-- it's just what you have on hand at the moment)

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, saute the leeks in the olive oil, seasoned with the salt and 1/4 tsp of the pepper, for about 7 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and the peas and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in the cream and 3/4 c. of the Pecorino. Simmer until sauce has thickened slightly, about 4 minutes. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Top with the sauce, lemon zest, mint, and toss. Serve sprinkled with the remaining Pecorino and pepper.

Choosy Moms Choose.... ?

The Great Stroller Debate continues to occupy our evening conversations; and since Rob and I both really are clueless (having never really USED strollers-- at least not since we were the ones riding in them), we need some advice from moms(and dads!) who KNOW.

The Question:
To purchase a travel set, or simply select the daily-use stroller we like best (and give the Fist of Fury to anyone who snickers at our lack of coordinating colors)?

I'm anxiously awaiting your input.

Unpleasant Discoveries, Funny Looks, Splashes, and R.I.P.

So this spring brought about the discovery of the most unpleasant sort; THIS arachnid, known as a tarantula, inhabits Arkansas. So do I. I'm not really sure that this state is big enough for both of us...

Sorry this picture is so blurry, but I was NOT going to get any closer. I really don't like spiders. I do fine with snakes, I LIKE lizards and frogs, but this is really over my limit.

People are starting to look at me funny when I run. I guess a 30-week pregnant woman in a skanky run-top is probably not the most common sight on the trail.


I laugh at the variety of reactions I get. There are those who like to tell me that I really "shouldn't be doing that"; and then there are those who think I'm cool. My doctor doesn't understand why I want to run, but he said it's fine (for those of you temped to leave comments asking me if I should be doing that).
The pictures are my before and after pictures of the Big Dam Bridge Twilight 5K I ran this weekend. We are dorks and forgot to bring the camera to the actual race with us.

Check out my cute husband:



We went waterskiing with Dr. Bower, one of Rob's attendings, last weekend. We had a great time, as is obvious from looking at Rob's face.
I took a quick turn:


And, finally, for the sad part of the story: R.I.P.
This summer, I rented a community garden plot at Two Rivers Park. I had a great time planning out what I was going to plant, plotting out what should go where, and then spent many back-breaking but fulfilling hours planting the entire plot. It was so fun to watch all the seeds sprouting and my little baby plants flourishing under the Arkansas sun.
But then the deer came. And the racoons. And the deer came back. Again. And again. And again. What they haven't eaten, they have trampled. I was way too depressed to even photo-document the ravages.

To placate my cravings for fresh fruits and veggies, I joined the Arkansas Basket A Month Club.
Check out the beautiful peaches and fresh farm milk I had for breakfast:


And just for the record, I am still mad at the deer. I'm debating becoming a deer hunter...

The Passing of Time

I find myself looking at my blog page multiple times during the day, just to look at the countdown of how much longer I have to be pregnant. It's a visible sign of progress.

Rant

It is an American marketing phenomenon that retailers somehow know a woman is pregnant before she herself does. To this end, they immediately begin bombarding her with ads, magazines, product samples, and "essential" shopping lists of everything that MUST be done to get the nursery stocked, prettied up, and fully humming along before baby arrives. At this point, I am fairly certain that at least five forests have died in order for marketers to tell me everything I MUST buy in order to be a responsible parent. Even Rob has gotten mail marked "To the Expectant Father", telling him all about how the needs of a father are different from the mother, and why he should invest in a stroller and man-diaper-bag that cater to his masculine needs. But the real pinnacle of American marketing ingenuity came the other day in the form of a sample of Huggies Disposable Washclothes.
Me: "WHAT!!!??! Disposable Washclothes?! You've got to be kidding me! Now we've decided that washing a square of cloth..." (I'm getting all fired up for a good long rant against wastefulness, environmental pollution, global warming, diminishing returns, etc, etc).
Rob: (with a sigh) "I know, I know, yet another product that 'represents everything that's wrong with America'".
Hmmmm. I MAY need a new Rant.
But before I start looking for the topic of my new Rant, allow me to throw out a quick plug for my new favorite book:


I read the title of the book while browsing at the library, and had to check it out. When I told Rob the name of the book, he laughed and said it sounded like something I would read-- he is the one who has to listen to all my rants about the "essential" baby products being peddled to me (really, HOW can one small person really NEED all that STUFF?). I really liked the book. It validated me.

Stroller Nazis and Small Towns

So now that we have moved (don't panic-- we're still in Little Rock, still in the same ward--we just upgraded our 1 bedroom apartment to a 2 bedroom apartment), Rob is home from all of his meetings, we're done travelling, and the Board results are in (PHEW! NO wonder June was a crazy month for us!!!), I have finally had time to start getting a little prepared for the little one soon to occupy that extra bedroom we went to all the trouble to get. I found a GREAT deal on the BabyBjorn Babysitter (basically a baby swing), and ordered a Mei Tai. I am SUPER excited about this little gem--if you like it, check and see if they're still on clearance SALE (although, I do have to say that I really debated THIS carrier also: enter code MOMMIES at checkout to get a 20% discount), and have since been very busy researching diapers and running strollers (hey, these are some serious decisions). So serious, that I'd really like to actually SEE (and maybe even push it, and I don't know, try out the folding mechanisms, etc) said running stroller prior to purchase. This is where I run into a problem. I live in Little Rock, Arkansas. Little Rock is a small town. And apparently, they don't like to run. There is NO place to buy a running stroller in town. Sure, there's the "athletic strollers" available at Academy Sports. But nothing worthy of being called a "running stroller". So after internet research, I've been calling selected manufacturers to ask them about their products, learn if it's really going to be the right stroller for me, right fit, what are the exact dimensions when folded, handle bar height, etc etc. Then I go home and drive Rob crazy making him stand with his arms out in space while I run around him with the tape measure "recreating" a virtual stroller. And, No, this isn't just pregnancy hormones; I really AM this obsessive about all things running(THIS is the lovely one I'm truly dreaming of). Well, today I thought I had a breakthrough. I called the manufacturer of Bob strollers, to be told that there was a Little Rock shop that actually carried their products. I was overjoyed at the prospec that I might actually get to see at least ONE of the strollers I was interested in, and rushed out during my lunch break to see the goods. Upon entering the shop, I asked if they carried the Bob Ironman (keep in mind that 20 minutes prior to this conversation, the manufacturer of the product had told me this is the only one of their products I should consider for the type of running I was talking about doing with it).
"No," says the shop attendant, "We carry a BETTER stroller."
Me: "Well, I'm looking for a running stroller"
Shop attendant: "Well, this is what you really want. I'll show you why. The front wheel swivels. See?"
Me: "No, I don't want a swivel wheel. Do you have one with a fixed wheel?"
Shop attendant(raising voice): "NO, the SWIVEL wheel is BETTER! It's better for running! It's better for walking. It willl turn easily. You don't have the strength to handle a fixed wheel."
I'm eyeing his obviously hasn't-been-on-a-run-in-twenty-years figure, and feeling really dubious about taking any type of running advice from such an obvious non-runner.
Me: "No, I'd really like a fixed wheel."
Shop attendant(getting angry): "I know a guy who ran the Boston Marathon pushing this stroller! This is the BEST running stroller on the market!"
Rather than informing him that Boston does not allow strollers in their marathon, or that the manufacturer had just told me this model was not intended for running, or even pointing out the obvious fact that he was alienating a potential customer by insisting that I did not know what I wanted, I threw my hands up defensively, said "Wow! A little TOO agressive." and left. I don't think I'll shop there again. Scary Stroller Nazi.

Something to look forward to

I am just enough of a nerd to be REALLY excited about this one:


Hooray for X-Files! I have missed you!
Check out the trailer Here