Charlee Jean, the stink-bug queen :)

Charlee has been sick the past two weeks.  Just when I thought it was getting better, it's come back again.  I feel so bad for her...and the poor princess is back down to 18.6 pounds :(  Her check-up is in two weeks, and I'm sure they're going to freak out if she's still down this small.

I did find some Pediasure and she's drinking it and holding it down okay.  And she can eat baby food.  I feel weird feeding my 17.5 month old baby food, but hey, if it stays down....I don't care WHAT it is!

About a month ago, we had to convert her crib over to a toddler bed because the front panel broke.  Well, then she decided to start chewing on the final back piece, so we decided to buy her a plastic one.  One of my friends had one in a yard sale so we bought it and she LOVES it :) She's going to bed so easy now!!!  She goes to the bottom and points at the sticker and says "Pooh Bay-er" 

Now I'm just working on the family cookbook.  I'll probably go ahead and post most of the recipes on here, so I can keep track of them!

Are We So Advanced We're Going Backwards?

I was cruising around on my facebook page this morning, when I noticed a link that one of my friends posted.  It's titled  "Why Are So Many Moms Dying?" and it just really broke my heart to read.  They had an example of how one VERY healthy woman died soon after giving birth to a child.  It went on about how, even though we've come so far with all our medical advances, more women are dying now during and after child-birth than in MANY years before.  With all of the advances available now, many doctors and even mothers rush through childbirth.  They will induce and/or do C-Sections when unnecessary just to make the birth quicker or more "convenient". 
Many of my friends were induced and/or had a C-Section, and I understand it if it's medically necessary, but you hear of people just wanting a C-Section.  WHY?!?!?! This is a major surgery, and it's no wonder that there are so many complications from it!!!  yeah, vaginal childbirth is painful and not exactly the way you'd plan to spend hours of your time, but recovery is a few days or a week, a CSection is cutting you open and sometimes WEEKS of recover, not to mention the scars you're left with, and the higher chance that you will have to have a repeat C-section with subsequent births.  I just can't imagine VOLUNTEERING for something like that!!! 

Now that I've had my moment on the soapbox, I'll go on to a question I have.....

Is it true that children with pre-existing conditions will not be able to get coverage on this new government health care stuff? John's company is supposedly laying off again..and if it's true, he will probably be on the list, so we will OBVIOUSLY have to find some kind of insurance for Charlee and Cobra is too much.

She has a heart murmur and asthma and other stuff...what would we do if we can't get her covered on those things?!?!? Her medications are high enough WITH insurance! So, if you have read into this a little more, and are a little smarter on the subject, HELP!?!? I want to know, but it seems every webpage is opinions and not the real thing..and I'm just more confused by reading them

Another Newbie

I've been prowling the Internet for some new recipes to try. Yes, it's true, a SAHM's life does have boring days. Not often, mind you, especially now that Charlee is hell-bent to get into EVERY thing in our condo....but some days she's lazy and Mommy has some "me" time to cruise recipe blogs or new cookbooks I pick up at the library. John laughs at me every time I come home with my "book" bag full. And somehow it always ends up that I have 1-2 actual READING books and the rest (usually at least 4-5) are all cookbooks. But hey, we've got some GREAT new recipes from my hunting expeditions through the vast and dusty cookbook aisle at our little tiny library!!!

I was flipping through channels last week while Charlee was taking a nice long nap, and came across the last 5 minutes of Rachel Ray, just as she was pulling the most delicious looking thing I've ever seen out of a Crock Pot. So, I, of course, hopped on my handy-dandy laptop and pulled up her website and the recipe. You can find her version here (http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/slow-cooker-recipe-asian-pepper-steak/) but I changed a few things AND only made a 1/2 batch, so we could make sure we liked it first, so here is MY version:

Rachael Ray Crock-Pot Pepper Steak (My Version)

1.5 lb minute steak
1.5 Tbsp cornstarch
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tsp ginger (the seasoning powder stuff)
1/2 large onion, sliced
1 red pepper, seeded and sliced
1 green pepper, seeded and sliced
4 oz tomato sauce
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/3 cup soy sauce
dried cilantro
lime juice

*I cut my minute steaks into bite-sized pieces and browned until almost done.

*Place the meat in the Crock Pot and sprinkle with the cornstarch. Stir the steak around until you can no longer see the powder on the meat.

*Add garlic, ginger, onion, peppers, tomato sauce, brown sugar and soy sauce to the Crock Pot and stir well.

*Cover and cook on desired temperature. Because I used the minute steaks and cooked them almost completely in the skillet, it only took mine about an hour on low....and I stirred it often...I know this is a Crock Pot sin, but well, I was doing it my way!

*Spoon meat, peppers and any remaining sauce over rice. Sprinkle with dried cilantro and do a little squirt of lime juice, then mix together.


This is a REALLY great meal, and so simple to make. I'm sure you could just cut out the Crock Pot and make it all in a single skillet, and I'll probably try that the next time I make it and let you guys know how it turns out!!! Good luck and happy cooking!

Holy Cow! I Ate Broccoli!

So, as I've mentioned before, I am NOT a vegetable lover. Now that Charlee is eating with us though, I'm trying to at least eat healthier, even though that doesn't always include more greens on MY plate! We ONLY buy whole grain pasta now, and I've actually come to the point that I don't like the flavor of white pasta anymore. **Try Velveeta's Whole Grain macaroni, and you'll never go back, I promise! We buy whole grain bread white bread (I can't do the complete change to wheat, so this is my compromise!) and I've started eating more fruit.

John and Charlee both have some kind of really unpleasant stomach flu thing going on this weekend, so I wanted to make a soup that would hopefully set well on their stomach. John likes chicken noodle, but Charlee won't touch the stuff, so I decided to try some Broccoli Cheese soup...Charlee loves both things...so I figured it was a safe bet!

One of my WTE mommies shared the link with me when SHE made it a few months ago, and you can find it here: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Broccoli-Cheese-Soup/Detail.aspx
I followed a few of the suggestions in the reviews at the bottom of the page, so here is how I made it for my little family.

Broccoli-Cheese Soup

3 Tbsp butter

1/2 large onion, finely chopped

16oz package frozen broccoli florets

4 (14.5oz) cans chicken broth

1lb loaf Velveeta cheese, cubed VERY small

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 cups milk

1Tbsp garlic powder

2/3 cup cornstarch
______________________________

*In a large pot, melt butter. Cook onion in butter until tender.

*Remove 1 cup of broth from 1 can and set aside

*Dump in broccoli and pour in 3 cans and remainder of 4th can of the chicken broth. Boil for 5-10 minutes until broccoli is tender.

*Once broccoli was tender, I poured everything (broth, onions and broccoli) into the blender and pureed (it took me two batches so it didn't splatter everywhere) and then poured back into pot.

*Stir in the all cheeses until melted. Pour in milk and garlic powder and stir til combined. Raise heat back up to just below boiling.

*In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and reserved 1 cup broth, and add to the soup. Cook 3-5 minutes, or until soup is thickened.



This made a 4 quart pressure cooker FULL....so it's plenty for a family of 4 or 5 people. There's just the three of us, so I'm going to have a good stock in the freezer for later :)

pattern from Michael's and Bernat Yarn

Baby Coordinates Sweet Stripes - Green Blanket (c)

MEASUREMENTS: Approx 32 x 32 ins [81.5 x 81.5 cm].

MATERIALS
Bernat Baby Coordinates Sweet Stripes (150 g/5.25 oz) 09712 (Sprite Stripes) 3 balls

Size 5 mm (U.S. H or 8) crochet hook or size needed to obtain gauge.

GAUGE
13 sc and 18 rows = 4 ins [10 cm].

INSTRUCTIONS
Ch 2.
1st row: (RS). 3 sc in 2nd ch from hook. Turn.
2nd row: Ch 1. 2 sc in first sc. 1 sc in next sc. 2 sc in last sc. Turn.
3rd and 4th rows: Ch 1. 2 sc in first sc. 1 sc in each sc to last sc. 2 sc in last sc. Turn. 9 sc.
5th row: Ch 1. 1 sc in each sc across. Turn.
6th to 8th rows: Ch 1. 2 sc in first sc. 1 sc in each sc to last sc. 2 sc in last sc. Turn. 15 sc.
9th row: Ch 1. 1 sc in each sc across. Turn.
Rep last 4 rows 22 times more, ending with RS facing for next row. 147 sc.
Next row: Ch 1. 1 sc in each st across. Turn.
Next 3 rows: Ch 1. Draw up a loop in each of next 2 sts. Yoh and draw through all loops on hook – Sc2tog made. 1 sc in each sc to last 2 sts. Sc2tog over last 2 sts. Turn.
Rep last 4 rows 23 times more. 3 sts.

Next row: Ch 1. Draw up a loop in each of next 3 sts. Yoh and draw through all loops on hook – Sc3tog made. Do not fasten off.

Edging: 1st rnd: Ch 1. 3 sc in first st. (90 sc across side of Blanket. 3 sc in corner) 3 times. 90 sc across last side of Blanket. Join with sl st to first sc.
2nd rnd: Ch 1. Working from left to right instead of from right to left as usual, 1 reverse sc in each sc around. Join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off.

Kids Are Expensive

Have you ever really wondered exactly HOW MUCH money you've spent on your child since they were born? I'm really starting too! She's completely worth every dime and dollar we've spent on her, but it's just amazing to think someone so small requires so many things, especially stuff that is SO expensive LOL

Charlee had her allergy tests yesterday. She is SEVERELY allergic to sweet potatoes and cats. She's moderately allergic to dust mites, cockroaches, all molds and pollens and dogs. So we are now on the path to making our home "allergy-defensive"

Our first step was to find "dust mite barrier" bedding. They're simply big zip-up bags that go over your mattress and pillows. I FINALLY found a website who had the crib cover for under $50 and the pillow covers for under $20 a piece. So, those are ordered.

Our vacuum has to be replaced with one with an "enclosed HEPA filter" . Our vacuum now has the filter, but it blows dust EVERYWHERE when I vacuum. I really think it probably blows out at least 75% of what it picks up, so it's doing more harm than good because everything is up in the air instead of on the floor! So, we've found a few vacuums to look at. I would LOVE to get a Dyson because they're the best, but well, my checkbook doesn't like it nearly as much as I do!

Then it's on to air quality. Of course, there is a TON of pollution in the air here, so we either need to get a special kind of furnace filter or air purifiers. At first glance, the filters seem a much better buy....$27 vs $200, but then to have the filters do any good, you have to keep the fan running ALL THE TIME on the furnace/AC...so our electric bill would go through the roof....so we found a set of purifiers that Lexi's mom bought at Sam's....a 2-pack for $180.

I have been wanting a Shark Steam Pocket cleaner forever, and the allergist said that would be GREAT to have because it sanitizes as it cleans, so I had that on my list, but Mom offered to buy it for me for my birthday, so there's one less thing that we have to buy...and it doubles as something for Mommy LOL

They put her on a nebulizer, taking treatments in the morning and at night because...>GASP<..she DOES have asthma...like I've been telling them since she was tiny! So we have twice daily breathing treatments, twice daily doses of allergy medicine and Albuterol in case she's having a hard time breathing.....and then daily vacuuming once we get the new cleaner!

Mommy is going to get busy...but hey, our apartment will be the cleanest one in the complex. Hoping to be able to find a home with hardwood floors soon, so we don't have to worry so much about the dust mites and mold and gunk in the carpets!

Little Miracles

I just read a blog recommended by one of my October/November '08 WTE mommies, and I'm still sitting here with tears drying on my cheeks. The mommy has a little girl who's 2-3 years old and beautiful blond baby girl who is their princess. She just delivered a little girl in January and at birth they realized she has Down's Syndrome. She talked about what a shock it was, and how she instantly knew. She was just in shock, this wasn't what she'd pictured, wasn't what she'd expected. She was afraid she didn't show enough love in the first moment or two, because she was in complete shock. She's posted other posts since then, explaining how, although this daughter is different than the first, she's completely perfect in her own little way.

It made me realize as I read this....how blessed and perfect our life is.

It took us so long to conceive and carry a baby, and after the miscarriages and the inability to get pregnant again, I had given up all hope of every having our OWN child. And then, out of the blue, our little miracle decided to happen.

Finding out I was pregnant again, and going to the doctor and confirming she was in there good and tight, was the HAPPIEST day of my life. (No offense to John and our wedding day, but this just really took center stage!) I would spend hours just talking to my belly, imagining the way our lives would change and thinking of our baby's future.

The complications came, again and again and I was terrified of losing our little peanut. Everything finally calmed down, we found out we were having a girl, named her Charlee after my step-grandpa and Jean after me, Mom, and Nana's middle names, and made so many MORE plans for our future with her. Then more complications came, I was on partial bed rest and at the ER more times than I even care to count.

And then, 5 weeks and 5 days before she was supposed to arrive, Charlee Jean Stewart decided to make her appearance. Amazingly, I wasn't even scared of the prematurity, until she was out and they took so long to prep her...and then when she was finally placed in my arms and I saw how small she was. (Albeit, she was a good sized baby for being early, but tiny compared to what we were expecting, considering John and I were both over nine pounds!)

Except being tongue-tied, Charlee was the picture of health, despite her early arrival. She roomed in with us and even got to come home on the same day as me. Two weeks later, we were in Kosairs because she wouldn't stop throwing up, and had dropped below her birth weight...and again in January when her reflux flared up and she lost four pounds in less than a week.

She finally got better and all I could do was thank God that he chose to give us this miracle baby and that she was finally growing big and strong.

And then, I feel like an awful Mommy for admitting this, but I guess the "new" started to wear off. I love my daughter with all my heart, don't get me wrong on that, but I found myself getting aggravated.

I spent 6 months back home taking care of my grandmother who has Stage 4 Colo-rectal cancer, and I was doing it all by myself...nursing Nana and trying to play single parent to Charlee. It was hard doing it all by myself, and there were times I was so frustrated I just wanted to run away!

Then, when Mom took over Nana's care and John and I finally got a place up here in Sellersburg, Charlee was 10 months old, and reality quickly set in....this was the first time I was every truly alone with my daughter!!! I never realized exactly how much attention was required to take care of the 3 of us, plus keep up a house and bills and the general stuff that goes into running a family. John is on nights, so I'm up with Charlee pretty much 90% of the day by myself, and I really started feeling the strain.

I was angry and so depressed and just flat out miserable. We started going out to the mall or store and walking around all day just to get out of the house so I didn't have to sit here staring at these 4 walls all day.

I know there are days I lose my temper...and I just have to walk outside a minute so I don't scream. My patience is tried time and time again, and it never fails...100 things go wrong right at the moment I have something that HAS to be done. I find myself breaking into tears and just wanting to hide in the closet more and more often....and I don't know why.

But reading this blog today and seeing how much strength and power has had a MAJOR effect on me...it's really opened my eyes. I am so thankful for the miracle of my daughter and the joy that she brings to me and John in our lives every day.

Every time I feel like I'm completely going to lose my mind...she bats those big blue eyes up at me and says "mama" and holds her arms up. And no matter what is going wrong or what's happening in my life....I find myself sinking down in a chair and cuddling up with my sweet little princess. I have to say she is the one thing in my life that can drive me completely insane one minute and have me laughing so hard I cry the next. She is my world, and I love her more than my life itself.

So if all else fails, and you feel yourself going insane....read the blog

enjoyingthesmallthings.blogspot.com

and think of how much different your life COULD be! So give someone special an extra cuddle and kiss tonight and thank God for how your life is! Remember: what doesn't kill you only makes your stronger!