Last day of June

Wowsers - it is June 30th! That means next month is almost upon us, the one that has been looming since mid-November. Birth month. Well, not MY birth month obviously, but the birth month of the next most important person in my life: the yet to be named because we don't know the gender baby. There are so many emotions running through me right now (along with a cup of coffee because an early morning airport run has disrupted my sleep schedule a bit :) that I just don't know where to start. I'm scared, anxious, excited, and curious about how it will all shake down.
A wrinkle in the plan is that baby does not want to flip down - he/she is still firmly lodged near my ribs. We thought last night, after some moxibustion and an inversion, that there may have been some flippage - actually I could swear that the bum was near my ribs and head was near my belly button, but that seems to have reversed after a night of sleep. It's just getting tighter in that space, which makes it harder to walk around, breathe at times, and leaves my whole belly quite sore after the moxibustion acrobatics. My belly just rumbles after we burn that stuff sometimes and it's getting a little jarring at times because last night he/she got some good kidney shots in there I'm convinced.
Sooo, with this non-baby flipping into "position", I'm trying to prepare myself for the possibility of a c-section, which would happen in two weeks. Yikes indeed. That totally wasn't what I was looking toward, but I know that the most important thing is that baby gets out safe and sound. Still, all my prep has been for a natural childbirth, so this places a tiny wrench in the plans (not like Frank Wrench). Plus, surgery scares me, plain and simple. I've never had it before and hospitals creep me out anyways; I get all lightheaded and shaky. Of course, it can all change in a moment and there is positivity out there, but after three weeks of trying to do the big flip, I'm feeling a bit discouraged. Yes, there are other methods I can try (the ECV, chiropractor, etc), but I feel confident that we have tried a ton with acupuncture, moxibustion, inversion positions, talking, music, ice packs and the lot. It gets to the point of what WILL work? Or begs the question: is there a reason this baby doesn't want to flip? I hope that we can get some more answers at the doctor's office this week.
On a totally random note, I made a kick-ass lemon yogurt cake yesterday with raspberries from the backyard. Light, made with healthier ingredients, and just so fresh and summery. I took pictures, however, the computer does not want to read the pictures from my camera. To which I say to the computer, fine, I didn't want to put my pictures on you anyways (I really didn't....I just need to find the software and reinstall I think, but my brain is not IT oriented, and that sounds pretty awful). However, if I want to continue this blog when baby's born to show pics, I will need to swallow my pride and try again. But, if we are not successful, I am SO not talking to the computer for a week.
Summer is in full swing and I am enjoying being off from work. Although it has been hard to try to fill my day with low-key activities. I think I have found some ways to deal with my need to be doing something with my need to rest: the 20 minute cat nap. I'm pretty sure I took three of those yesterday...it's just that I am the type of person who likes to be accomplished and doesn't need time to sit around with time to think and be idle. Sounds crazy huh? I KNOW it sounds crazy to Jason, but that's my personality. I'm adapting to not being able to walk Lola by letting her outside and throwing the ball. And I don't go balls-out cleaning; I do a little at a time. And I surround myself with books and make at least one outing a day. Kinda sounds like a schedule I will most likely keep with the baby.....
Well, good thoughts out there for a flipping baby, or just good thoughts for whatever decides to happen and that the possibilities and free time don't drive me insane ;).

sun-ny day.....

(photo courtesy of photojq - :)

As I sit here on a rainy Tuesday morning, staring down four more days of the work week, all of them seem to be filled with rain but the hope of "sun breaks" but not many, I look at this picture and yearn for the sunny two days we spent in San Francisco a few weeks ago. I was 28 weeks pregnant in that shot (I'm almost 31 weeks now) and was just so happy to be in the sun in one of my favorite places. The serenity of the Palace of Fine Arts, it's proximity to the golden gate bridge, the area surrounding it, and just the general feel of San Fran: it all makes me happy and love to visit that dynamic city. Although I think the sun had a HUGE part in my happiness that weekend; the grey weather really is affecting me this year, maybe because of the pregnancy, who knows. But I miss the sun; it goes away far too quickly for me to fully enjoy.

Five weeks of school left, 9 weeks (officially - in reality, who knows) left of pregnancy, and then...the unknown. I have to say, I am getting really excited to meet this little person. Had a good doctor's appointment yesterday: heard the heartbeat, measuring right on track, on the low end of weight gain (not low enough to have to eat more, but low enough to keep an eye out - doc said she's more concerned with how I'm measuring than numbers of weight gain). Everything looks good which is good. So much is happening on the inside though that's it's hard to make a connection on the outside - I want to know who this person is, how she/he is growing, and really, just what is going on in there when I feel rapid kicking and then nothing. Then more movement. Last night I think baby stretched all his/her limbs out, creating a diagonal belly for me. Weird. Most of all, I want to get this party started, but I do know that I have awhile and should enjoy this time, but still. Babies are way more interesting than planning for school and listening to teenagers.

Ahh, but I persevere, hoping to get through the day in one piece, no tears, and be ready for my pedicure this afternoon. I figured I needed a little pampering this week with a doctor's appointment, a dentist appointment, and two baby showers in the 7 day forecast. Too-da-loo!

Monday Monday

Usually Mondays kick my ass, but today seems to be starting out not too shabby. I could be jinxing myself right now, but school seems manageable (even if I do have a mountain of grading to accomplish, but eh - I have all week!) and I got lots of rest this weekend. It's so hard for me to rest because I have a million items that I want to accomplish on my school to-do list, my house to-do list, my baby to-do list, but it's so nice to allow myself time to rest, read, and clear my head. Last week was a doozy at school/work, so I'm hoping for a nice quiet week all around.

However, lots of happenings in baby world coming up: a doctor's appointment today (31 weeks! We're in single digits until the impending arrival!), and two baby showers within the week. One on Friday at school for all the expecting folks and one on Sunday with family and friends. Overall I feel okay, just innundated with heartburn and sleepy at times. Also, I get ravenously hungry, then not hungry at all. I think I need to add more protein into my diet, but all I want is the sweet stuff both bad stuff and fruit and orange juice. Hmmm.

Starting to get antsy thinking about the birth and how all that will go - we have a plan that I still need to finalize, but it's such an unknown that I don't really know what to think. And I suppose the planning of the "stuff" that goes into baby's room, but I have to confess, I'm not big into stuff. Part of me feels like we need to meet the little friend to see what his/her needs are before we go crazy with the buying. I'm sure after this weekend, I'll see what shape we'll be in after a baby shower. Not that I'm planning on receiving a boatload of gifts, but I know that generous people will be in force this weekend :). And I'm grateful of course....a bit nervous about all the mingling and attention, but it should work out okay.

Alrighty, should get back to some paper grading. Have a fabulous Monday all (if anyone is out there reading this...I should really tell people I've started writing again :). <3, m

I guess I still have a blog....

Hmmm. Still have a blog out there in cyber-land. Is it even called that anymore? Sigh - I am super old school I suppose :).
Still baking/made a yummy quiche last night and I'm scheduled to make a chocolate strawberry dream pie tonight. Lots of recipes still to try, but lots that I have tried but not documented like: chipotle brownies, dutch apple pie, a few vegan cupcakes from my cookbook Vegan Cupcakes Take over the World, among others. I can't even remember, but I'm sure my esteemed husband can. Perhaps I will get back into this blogging thing, especially with the impending arrival of a new Quigley to the bunch (look out for him/her around July 22nd!). Or maybe I'll just have a blog all about my many cravings (don't get me started.....all food just sounds yummy. don't worry - I refrain most of the time :).
Anyways, I'll change up the layout soon and maybe even link twitter, change the picture, etc. Just need to figure out HOW to do all that. For now, enjoy your Tuesday and perhaps like me, you will whimsically look forward to the sunny weather forecasted for this weekend. And a break all next week from the work! Except I have too many projects planned, so I may need help making myself relax.

Chocolate cookies for Monday

I made these cookies a few weeks ago from a recipe I found on Orangette because I love chocolate and because they seemed intriguing. While making the recipe, the dough was pretty tough and dry, so I thought these would never work. First time trying a recipe is always an adventure and the result did not totally look like what was on her site, but they tasted delish and smelled yummy as well! Here is the picture for proof:

I haven't been baking as much lately because I've been tired and trying to not eat as many sweets. More so the tiredness though :). I did make a kick-ass rice, sausage and zucchini combo from the newest Rachael Ray magazine that I could probably eat every day and not get sick of it. It was that good! However, I did not take any pictures so you will have to imagine its yumminess. Have a fabulous Monday and congrats to my friend Melissa who had a baby last night, Chase. It's getting to be quite the club, the friends who have kids club. Good luck and best wishes to her, Brian and new baby Chase.

Making a difference on the small scale

In all the discussion in the news media about the Obama administration and the new direction it is taking, I am fascinated by the people he has assembled behind the scenes. Now this may be "the West Wing" nerd in me finally being released and trying to find a counterpart to my favorite characters, but some of the people feel more representative of my generation which is exciting for someone who wants to become more interested in politics. Now I will not state my political beliefs or anything like that, but I just wanted to share a bit about the new speechwriter on board: Jon Favreau.


I just read an article today on the Boston Globe website: http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/magazine/articles/2008/12/21/the_speechwriter_in_chief/ and I am impressed. He's a year younger than I am and just sounds like a guy you would want to be friends with, while at the same time writing brilliant text about the future of our country. In this article, it wasn't necessarily the political side that intrigued me (though the bit about giving Kerry a line during the convention was interesting), rather it was his graduation speech as valedictorian from Holy Cross College. In it he said to his classmates, "Here's some of what we need. Soccer coaches, den mothers, PTA members, neighbors who help you move in and promise to keep in touch when they move you out, friends who come early and stay late, shoulders to cry on, big brothers and sisters, family comedians, T-ball umpires, letter-to-the-editor authors, voters who care about any issue from traffic lights and tax reform to potholes and peace on earth, organizers and activists, critics and supporters, voices for those who are having trouble getting theirs heard, summertime porch-sitters with special degrees in talking about everything and nothing until the mosquitoes bite, mentors, philanthropists, signature collectors, boo-boo fixers, grocers to the hungry, roofers to the homeless, and believers -- especially believers." Not to wax too poetic, but these words really speak to me. In an economy that keeps getting more grim and in a society where we are becoming increasingly more disconnected, especially as we become more connected to social networking via the Internet and communicating more and more through sites like Facebook and whatnot, I fear that we will not be able to live up to those simple goals Favreau mentions. I adore simplicity and the romance of community, and wish I could be closer to my friends and family. I wish that I had people who lived closer to me that I could sit on the porch with and "shoot the shit" and I wish that I volunteered more. One silver lining out of this economic crisis from the cynic in me is that now we have to embrace simplicity, be creative in our endeavors and really try to connect to one another on homespun levels. More potlucks and game nights and park encounters and just sitting, enjoying the breeze and good company of dedicated folk.



So my question is to anyone reading: want to come over and savor some of the simple, small wonders of life?

What happens in the Quigley house....

Here's what happens when Lola eats slippers and I don't clean it up:

Okay, so that's not "totally" true just so you all don't go call the authorities and get mad. Lola was just so cute sitting in her kennel a few weeks ago and I climbed in to pet her. Then of course I wondered if I could fit and lo and behold - I could! Perhaps we need more evening activities...

Anyways, another picture to captivate you! As I mentioned last post, we took Lola to Cannon Beach this weekend and the verdict was success. The look of unadulterated joy on her puppy face, so full of sand and slobber because there were so many birds to chase, so many new friends to sniff and chase, and so much to smell was something else. Lola gets this look on her face like she's drunk when she gets to run like a mad-dog that's just precious. Even though it was cloudy and rainy, it was nice to see/hear/feel the ocean and smell that invigorating salty air.

Enjoy the light snow in Portland and the weather wherever you are! xoxo

Monday Monday

No cooking posts today - didn't really do much baking last week. I did attempt to make risotto which had great taste with chorizo and peas, but just wasn't soft enough. I have heard that making risotto is difficult and it took forever. Not one I will probably do again. This weekend we make scallops with linguini and vodka sauce - thanks TJs! I want to try to make something tonight, but still need to figure out what. A bit of a busy week at school and after school so that is exciting. Sometimes I do better when I have plans in the afternoon.
Ahh, so nice to hear Allison Janney's voice on the radio, even if it is a Kaiser Permanente commerical. I miss my CJ - thank goodness I can watch her whenever I want to on DVD.
Took Lola to the coast yesterday and she was in love: running around trying to catch the birds, meeting other doggies, eating sand, and running with us. She was dog tired yesterday though so now we have to keep up with exercising her this week. Wish me luck! I will have to post the beach picture and the other funny picture - will try to do that tonight when I get home!