Mom’s Stuff:
I have entered the third-trimester of this pregnancy with a vengeance. At my last visit to my mid-wife I detailed all the aches and pains and exhaustion I have been feeling and she pretty much said “yeah, that is because you are pregnant.” I’m sure a bit of this is a rose-colored view of the past, but I don’t remember feeling this crappy with my first. And even with that, I’m really doing fine. I took a week off from the gym, but I’m going to go back tomorrow and do a more modified workout with more cardio than weights. I’ve just started doing less at work, mostly in the sense of sitting more (rather than standing or kneeling next to kids) and also staying put during lunch and planning periods. Some work is also getting left undone so that I can got to bed a bit sooner, or even just take a bath now and again. Part of me feels lazy for doing these things, but when I start to push myself my body tells me “no!” and I have to back off again.
However, one of the thoughts that is helping me negotiate the land of personal compromise (not something I’m good at – I’m superwoman damnit!) is remembering that this is not forever. With my first pregnancy I remember thinking “will my body ever be the same again?” Now, I know that I will recover my strength, that I will be able to climb three flights of stairs without losing my breath, that I will eventually be able to sleep normally again. And, unlike my first pregnancy, I’m a lot more accepting of the fact that this process will probably take at least a year after the baby is born. And that some things won’t be the same as before kids. My abs have done some serious splitting and fusing, and unless I do some serious training, I’m not going to have abs of steel. And my boobs have done some serious work as well (moms, you know what I’m saying). But those changes are fine – they come with part of the package of growing a human being in my body. I just have to remember that the me who can juggle two classrooms, multiple preps, cooking dinner, doing dishes, grading, planning and blogging will re-emerge eventually. For right now, the little creature inside of me is demanding some attention, and that wins over my other plans.
LP’s Stuff:
LP has been having a lot of fun with airplanes and trains lately. Every time he hears an airplane at our house he runs to his play room yelling “bi-bi! bi-bi!” and points up at the plane. When he visited his aunt’s house last weekend he was enthralled with the trains that ran by her apartment and he would yell “gi-gi” and race for the window every time he heard one.
Yummy Stuff:
The G-man recently made a great dish that was a hit with everyone, especially LP! This is the Lentil and Bacon Pot ‘o Stew from Hearty Vegan Meals, adopted a bit for our tastes and easiness of prep.
Ingredients:
1 cup brown lentils
1 and 1/2 cups of water
1 veggie bullion cube
2 TB olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 – 1/2 red onion, minced
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 stalks of celery, finely chopped (optional)
2 large leeks, white and light green parts, cut into thin slices and then quarter rounds, rinsed thoroughly
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 recipe for Tempeh Bacon
Directions:
1) Put lentils, water and bullion cube in a large pot and bring to a boil. Then, simmer, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes. check for doneness after 20 minutes, and then cook until lentils are tender, but still firm. Add water if necessary.
2) Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Then, saute the veggies for about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper
3) Stir the cooked lentils in with the veggies. Simmer for 5 minutes.
4) Crumble the bacon into the stew and heat through. Serve and enjoy!
Pictures:
