Beckett

Weekending: Babies. All the. time.

My weekends are now 100% baby. But, I'm really starting to hit my groove and enjoy it. So, my first back as a mom is a 'sort of' Weekending post...but mostly because that's when I found the time to write it! Enjoy xx

I know it's been a minute (or five weeks to be exact) since I've blogged - but I've had good reason. Beckett joined our family weighing in at 8 lbs 3 oz and 20.25 inches long. The delivery was smooth (and in record time) and everyone is healthy! We're so thrilled albeit, exhausted. I hope that as time goes on I'll be able to get back to blogging but lately I've hardly had time to breathe let alone shower -ha!

Beck is currently screaming for a diaper and dinner, so I'm going to let these photos from our newborn photo session do the talking. For those of you int he Palm Beach area - our photos were taken by Kate & Sarah Photography in West Palm Beach. Give them a call, both girls were fabulous, and got some amazing shots of us!

Beef Vegetable Soup

My latest Sunday afternoon cooking adventure included trying my hand at a beef and vegetable soup from Paula Deen. I have been trying hard to clear out my freezer and pantry to make room for 'freezer meals' that my mom will be making shortly after Beck arrives.  I had a bag of lima beans, peas, and okra - so the soup just seemed like a great idea! I found the recipe on foodnetwork.com, but I didn't exactly follow it step by step (no surprise there).  Since I didn't really follow the recipe terribly close, I can't give you my exact measurements, but I can say, that I did most of it by taste (which I think is what matters anyway). I used almost all of the same ingredients except I only used one starch (macaroni, but not along with potato).  Instead of green beans, I did peas. One tip I would give - try to tirm off the fat from the short ribs - if you use ribs instead of chuck roast.  I found the soup to be really really fatty, and I had to spend a lot of time using a fat separator (for gravy) to skim it.  The lettuce leaf trick that Paula recommends in the recipe does work some, but the separator really did the job. I am not sure if I just happened to have particularly fatty short ribs or if it this was normal, but the layer of fat on top was pretty intense. If you're not planning on eating right away, you could always chill the soup and then just spoon the congealed fat off of the top (gross, I know, but a fact of life I suppose...)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil (if using chuck roast)

2 1/2 to 3 pounds beef short ribs or 2 1/2 to 3 pounds boneless chuck roast*

4 quarts cold water

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

3 tablespoons dried parsley

2 tablespoons beef bouillon granules

1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning

1 tablespoon House Seasoning, recipe follows

1 tablespoon seasoned salt, plus extra for seasoning

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon celery salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning

2 bay leaves

1 cup thinly sliced carrots

1 cup diced celery

1 cup sliced green beans, fresh or canned

1 cup frozen black-eyed peas

1 cup frozen butter beans

1 cup cut okra, fresh or frozen

1 cup corn kernels, fresh or canned

1 cup diced potatoes

1/2 cup uncooked elbow macaroni

Chopped fresh parsley leaves

House Seasoning:

1 cup salt

1/4 cup black pepper

1/4 cup garlic powder

Directions

If using chuck roast, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place the roast in the skillet and cook until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Remove the roast from the skillet and cut it into 1 1/2 to 2-inch cubes; discard the fat. Place the beef cubes in a large stockpot. (If using short ribs, you can put them right in the pot with no preparation).

Add the water, tomatoes, onions, dried parsley, beef bouillon, dried Italian seasoning, House Seasoning, seasoned salt, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt, garlic powder, black pepper and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover the pot; reduce the heat so that the liquid simmers, and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the meat is very tender. If using short ribs, remove them from the pot and cut the meat from the bones, discard the bones and fat, and return the meat to the pot. Add the remaining vegetables and the macaroni and return the soup to a boil, stirring to distribute the ingredients. Reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Just before serving, season with salt and pepper and add fresh chopped parsley. To remove excess fat from the surface of the soup, swirl a lettuce leaf around the surface—it will pick up a lot of the fat.

*The chuck roast will yield more meat, but the bones from the short ribs give the soup an incredible flavor.

House Seasoning:

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

I seared the short ribs in heated vegetable oil, to start.

After removing all of the cooked ribs from the soup, add vegetables.  On the side, start stripping/shredding the beef and adding it  back into the soup.  This can get a little messy, but if you have dogs, they will be absolutely enthralled with the entire process. I managed to save a little bag of 'treats' for the week for them!

Once everything is added back in, I started the skimming process. I used an OXO Gravy Fat Separator, and it worked perfectly.  Using the strainer attachment, simply ladle some soup into the top.  The strainer will stop the veggies and noodles from entering - only broth goes through.  The fat and broth will separate, and then all you ahve to do is remove the stopper, and pour the broth back into the pot, being careful to stop pouring when you reach teh 'fat line'. Simply discard the fat, and start over until you find that there is virtually no fat showing up in the separator.

I used this video to learn how to properly use my OXO strainer...It was actually my first time using it, and I had NO idea how to do so effectively!

Weekend Meals - Traditional Greek Salad

Over these last few quiet, sleep filled weekends I've been cooking up a storm, assuming that for the next few weeks of my life I will be surrounded by mayhem (and lucky if I'm eating pop tarts). This recipe is one of our favorites, and every time we make it we think, WHY don't we do this EVERY week?! Living in South Florida, fresh produce is always at our beck and call, so I'm not sure why we've wasted so much time NOT eating this meal.

My husband and I spent our honeymoon in Greece, and it was THE most amazing 10 days of my life. One of my favorite things about Greece - besides its natural beauty, history, and people - is the FOOD. Everything we ate was absolutely A-MAZING. Seriously. The one thing we got at every place we went was a traditional Greek salad. Greek salad in Greece is NOTHING like what you get here in the U.S. In fact, I'm not sure I even saw a piece of lettuce while we were there. Instead, vegetables are tossed in lemon juice, oregano, and olive oil and served with most meals. This recipe is light, easy, and the longer the veggies sit in the dressing, the better. I do not have any measurements for this, you literally just make it 'to taste' - sorry guys. :)  So if you're looking a taste of the Greek isles and a light refreshing recipe - today's your lucky day!

Rethymno, Crete - outside our amazing hotel The Avli

Santorini - this was one of the MANY churches around our part of the island. Not sure how anyone is supposed to get down there but hey, it's there.

Ingredients:

Green Pepper (I used most of one)
Tomatoes (I used about 2.5 for this bowl)
Cucumber ( I used a whole one)
Purple/Red Onion (I used about a 1/3 of one, you could do slightly less)
Feta Cheese (I used a whole container...we love cheese)
Olive Oil (the more expensive, flavorful the better...)
Lemon juice ( I used about 2)
Oregano
Salt/Pepper
Olives (optional...we don't do olives...)

Cut up vegetables into large pieces - don't over dice. Add olive oil and lemon first - you should taste more of an acidic flavor than oil. I would suggest making it almost like a salad dressing in terms of balance between oil/lemon. Toss veggies in oil/lemon, and add oregano, salt and pepper until flavor is just about where you want it. Add crumbled feta last. Toss all together, cover and place in fridge for at least 10-15 minutes or until chilled before serving.

So, I completely forgot to take a finished product photo...too hungry :) So here's one I found from the web:

 My recipe is pretty simplistic - but I've found a few on the web the picture above has this recipe. I don't know if it is any good but it's another option!

My next blogging goal...remembering to take pictures of the finished product....perhaps when I'm not pregnant and starving, I'll be better about this!

Finally Friday!

{1} Rachel Zoe for A Pea in the Pod

In the words of the great fashion stylist and designer, I. Die. I'm SO bummed out that I won't get to partake in any of this amazing pregnancy line, all I can hope is that she is still designing for APTP when I'm pregnant again!  For those of you who are pregnant - get on over to A Pea in the Pod and check out this line! Here are my favorites:

Printed Caftan Maternity Dress

Secret Fit Belly Ponte Zipper Pants

Exposed Zipper Maternity Dress

{2} Lilly Pulitzer Look Book is up on Target.com

I know this is going to be on EVERYONE'S Friday posts, but oh well. Read it here too :)

I already have my eye on a pile of things, and will be ready to purchase as soon as its available. And, since my child is going to be up at all hours of the night, I will most likely be awake when it all goes live online :)

{3} Honest Company Belly Balm 

I bought this as an impulse buy at Destination Maternity when I was about six months pregnant. So far I have not noticed any stretch marks, but I have noticed that my stretching skin is drier and itchier than normal. This balm is the consistency of Vaseline and so it only takes a thin layer to cover your entire stomach.  I usually use baby oil right after I take my showers on my stomach etc (basically anything that is growing larger than normal) and then use belly balm before I go to bed  or days when I just feel like my skin is drier. Since I didn't have to endure winter during my pregnancy, I didn't have to fight the dry skin nearly as much as many do - so this might be great for those of you who are up north!  It's a tad pricey, but I absolutely love it. It absorbs rather easily, and best of all it's from the Honest Company - so you know its all natural, no chemicals.  For those of you are scared off by the price tag of $15.95 for 3.5 oz, then I would definitely recommend using baby oil after you shower, and then Eucerin lotion (I use the Calming Cream, which is super thick). My dermatologist recommended that my mother use this lotion on us as babies, and throughout my life I've used it.

{4} Postpartum bathing suits, y'all.

So, throughout this pregnancy I've rocked bikinis and it just hit me that post baby, that probably wouldn't be the best idea. My husband's entire family is visiting us in May (a month postpartum) and rented a house in Palm Beach about a block from the beach. It hit me that I wouldn't have anything to wear on the beach that was not completely inappropriate for a person who JUST gave birth 3-4 weeks before.  Pre-pregnancy I got on a HUGE Brazilian bikini kick - maybe its a Florida thing? I've literally spent the last year running around South Florida with half my rear hanging out. I'm all about owning your body, but this rear is not in quite the same shape it was 10 months ago. (sadly.) So, for hte last week, I've been searching for a bathing suit - either one piece of tank set. Moms out there - any suggestions?? 

             Five Weeks Pregnant in Islamorada                          35 Weeks Pregnant in Palm Beach

{5} Magnolia Homes - Chip and Joanna Gaines

My latest favorite show is Fixer Upper on HGTV. I absolutely love Chip and Joanna Gaines, and the work that they do on all of the houses. Joanna has great style and has given me great ideas about our future home (hypothetically, of course, we're still renting for now). I recently came across their online store Magnolia Homes and just love the accessories and home goods on it. I highly recommend you check it out!

http://magnoliahomes.net/

That's it for me this week...

Bumpdate: 38 Weeks

This week marks the big 3-8 and this baby is officially 'to term'. I can't believe its already here, and we're officially on Baby Watch 2015! 

Skirt: Pea in the Pod Secret Fit Belly Pencil Skirt / Shirt: French Connection/ Pea in the Pod  (sold out, similar here )/ Necklace: Kenneth J Lane (sold out)

How Far Along? 38 weeks

Size of Baby: 6.2-9.2 lbs; 18.9-20.9 inches

Gender:  all boy!

Maternity Clothes: Yep...although the dress in this weeks progress shot down below is actually non maternity! I was so excited it fit, I had to wear it. But really, the ultra-stretchy side ruched maternity clothing is made for those bellies...this dress was NOT.

Nursery: We aren't really doing a 'nursery' yet, but for now we've got our study all set up for diaper changes and rocking, and the  bassinet by our bed.  Clothes are all washed and folded and bags are packed!

Beckett's books by the glider...

Movement: Still going wild - despite the lack of space. Occasionally when I'm lying down at night it feels like his feet get hooked under my rib cage -- sometimes I worry he might break something! (that actually happened to a friend of mine...) He's dropped down to a zero head station but that hasn't stopped him from moving around as much as possible!

Sleep: I spoke too soon last week - this week hasn't been so great in the sleep department. I've woken up once every night the last few nights to go to the bathroom, but luckily go right back to sleep. The good news is I still haven't lost my ability to immediately fall asleep - I pray I never lose that!

Cravings: Cake and Chick-fil-a frosted lemonade. I don't know why I want cake, but man I really want it. I've wanted it the last few days, but I've managed to restrain myself. The Chick-fil-a - well I've manage to resist ONLY because they are all TOTALLY out of my way. Luckily for my thighs, I neither live nor work near any CFA, and feel like getting on 95 and driving 5 miles for a craving is a tad excessive.

Symptoms: Sore hips, but that's about it. I have felt pretty much the same that I always feel, sans moving baby in my abdomen. Rings are still on, which is a good sign! The only major drawback I've had these last few months are burst capillaries up and down my right hand, arm, and chest. Lots of little red marks all over my arm might not sound that bad - but I'm pretty sure they are not going away (I had a few pre-pregnancy) and I'll have to get laser treatments to fix it. :(

What I Miss: Tequila. I am a tequila girl, and I miss my BFF. 

Weight Gain: 26-29 lbs ... not 100% sure where I started.

Workouts: ha! yeah I fell off the wagon. Oh well...at least I didn't get the cake?

Here are some update shots since my last 30 week Bumpdate....

(perhaps I should add 'procrastination' to my symptoms list...I still haven't taken that black and white suit to the dry cleaners! I just started to take it down for my update pictures...)

Joining up with Home of Malones for Thoughts on Thursday!

Friday Five: Pregnancy Edition

I decided to change up my "Friday Five" routine a little bit, and make it 5 things I've learned about pregnancy.  I'm about to enter my 38th week, and things are slowly but surely progressing and I feel confident we that there's a good chance this little guy might make his debut a few days early. (We'll see, if he's anything like his father, he will wait until the last possible minute).

For most of my life, pregnancy and childbirth has ranked right up there with sky diving as my all time worst fears. No, really. I've never been a "baby person" - I'd much rather cuddle with a puppy or any other baby animal. I don't really get enthralled with babies, and the smaller they are, the less I generally want to do with them. I don't mind toddlers and kids - but babies? Babies terrify me. I have a feeling that I can't be the only woman out there with similar aversions - and that is what this post is about. My entire life, I've heard the horrors of pregnancy. Starting with how that baby actually makes it into this world. (Seriously, why can't we just lay eggs like birds?) And, once you're finally over the idea of where that child will be exiting - then everyone you know starts telling you about the horrific things that happen to you and your body while pregnant. (And people wonder why I was scared ??)

The thing is, no pregnancy is 'normal'. Everyone is different. But, I thought I might give my top five misconceptions about pregnancy in the hopes that it might calm your nerves a little. If nothing else, I hope to balance out some of the horror stories :).  Again, this is just MY experience and this is not to discount the challenges that others faced - I know I've had many friends who went through the ringer for 10 months.

1. You're Going to Get HUGE.

You will get bigger. That's a fact. Not all of us are the body builder model that is sporting what appears to be a beer gut at 30 weeks. (ok, pretty much none of us) But, getting bigger doesn't mean you're going to be a beached whale. I can touch my toes. Seriously. I can shave my legs. I get up and down off of the floor without help, and when I lay on the examination table at the doctor, I can sit up without help. I can even wear some pre-maternity dresses and tops (depending on the cut). I measure in the 'normal range' and have gained somewhere between 26-29 lbs. (My pregnancy was kind of a surprise so I'm not 100% what I weighed before...at 7 wks I was 130. I'm usually in the 127-130 range so that's what I"m working from.) Now, as I've said before, some of us will have 10 lb babies. Some of us have husbands that are 6'6" - there's no way around a large bump in some cases. But, just know, it's not always the case. 

*Note: I don't know how I got lucky enough to be as mobile as I am, but I can say that from day one, I have not allowed pregnancy to stop me from doing ANYTHING. I was crawling under the christmas tree to water it, decorate it, take it down etc etc - I've been on my hands and knees scrubbing floor boards - I didn't let anything stop me from doing what I needed to do. It's not proven, but I think you can do what ever you tell yourself you can do. Pregnancy isn't a disability...don't treat it like one.

2. You're Going to Feel Like Crap 24/7.

So the first trimester can be a doozey. Some of us get sicker than others - and even when you have a 'mild' case of morning sickness you'll still think it's the worst thing ever. I was convinced I'd be a really angry pregnant person - but looking back (I hope others would say this too...) I feel like I've been relatively laid back about it. And I'm not a laid back person - AT ALL. In the beginning when your hormones go crazy, you will be a little off. You may get your feelings hurt SUPER easy. You may cry when you hear "Danny's Song" on the radio. You might end up having a blow out fight with your husband over who should have let the dogs out. (Not drawing on personal experience at all here...) But, once your body adjusts, to flood of estrogen, things will even out. And, while you're still a tad more sensitive (those Hallmark commercials...man) you really will start to feel normal again. 

3. Your entire body will swell.

I might regret writing this. But, I haven't had a bit of swelling. Nothing. Nada. Zip. Rings? Still on. Ankles? Totally fine. Face? Just the same. I've got no idea if its dumb luck, or if its because I don't eat too much sodium or if its because I drink enough water - no idea. But good news, it hasn't happened. Yet. #TwoWeeksToProveMeWrong

4. Your Feet Will Grow (or other body parts).

I have big feet. I'm a solid 9 or 9.5 and sometimes I've bought size 10 shoes. I could NOT afford to a) replace my shoes b) have my feet look any bigger. This might have been one of my top fears of pregnancy. Then,  there was someone I knew whose nose literally doubled or tripled in size. There is probably only 1 organ that we all wouldn't mind getting a little bigger - and we all know what I'm talking about about. (And, if you're a Kim K fan - maybe you might like for your rear to be bigger as well!) But good news, nothing out of the ordinary grew this pregnancy. 

5. You'll Lose The Ability to Sleep Through the Night.

Maybe I'm just genetically a good sleeper. There are nights I sleep better than others, but for the most part, I've slept like a baby (pardon the pun) for the entire time. Sometimes I have get up and pee, but some nights I don't wake up at all. The snoogle is a big help for me because I LOATHE SIDE SLEEPING. I'm a back sleeper all the way. (Recently I discovered that despite my best efforts, I apparently sleep on my back a lot still. Oh well, I try.) The bladder thing can be crazy depending on where your baby sits in your body, but sometimes I just make him move by tickling my left side and magically the urge goes away.  Or I roll over. Problem solved.

I would never describe pregnancy as a 'breeze' - it definitely does require some adjustments. Some of them are harder than others (the whole out of breath things was tough on me). I clearly have not yet endured the hardest part of the entire process but from what I hear that part is rather short lived and pales in comparison to the result. I hope that this in some ways has calmed your nerves, or maybe makes you feel more ready to take on the challenge of growing a person. Just know, that you can do it. You never know how strong and resilient you are until you have to be. Becoming a mom is crazy surreal experience (so far anyway) and even though baby Beckett isn't here yet, I feel like I know him already.  Oddly enough, I think I'm actually going to miss his relentless kicking and movement once he's out. I will definitely miss how silent he is :)

Have a great weekend!

Weekending Palm Beach Style

This past weekend, the hubby and I ventured out into the warm South Florida sun and enjoyed some much needed fun before this baby gets here!

Saturday
On Saturday, I spent most of the morning at the salon getting one last highlight/color touch up before I go into labor (which apparently can be anytime from now to April 7th - comforting, huh?) Here's a few selfies of the finished product... (waiting on pics from my stylist for a better view...)

Later we hit the park with the dogs....

And then I crashed. Pregnant lady woes.


Sunday
On Sunday, we had a very "Palm Beach" Sunday, venturing out to Wellington to go to the International Polo Club for brunch and a polo match.  We were at the Pavilion, and opted to get the brunch, and watch the match from there. A polo field is nearly 3 times the size of a football field and we quickly learned the Pavilion is really best for a cocktail party/social scene...not so much on the watching. This was totally fine with me, because it had the biggest best buffet I've ever seen, AC, and cover from the 5 minute rainshower we had.

Here are a few pics:

If you look beyond the lady in the floppy hat- there is a candy bar.  This photo is of the ice cream bar - soft serve AND scooped. (and then of course random yummy desserts were just scattered around this area).

My packed plate...Dessert didn't get a pic...it was melting too fast? (sure, that excuse works...)

View from our table on the patio

dress: Lilly Pulitzer 'Clare' Dress in Hotty Pink First Impression / Sandals: Jack Rogers Mid-wedge / necklace: Kenneth Jay Lane (old) similar here  / bracelet: pave link bracelet Ann Taylor (old) similar here / bag: Kate Spade (sold out) similar here and here

'Stomping the Divots' with a fellow Junior Leaguer!

 Everyone out on the field, 'Stomping the Divots'

It was a "Lilly Sunday" at Polo, meaning Lilly Pulitzer was out in full force, including the Lilly Jeep!

For more information about Sunday Polo, visit http://www.internationalpoloclub.com!