Pre-Christmas at Chez Yesawich

As a "countdown to Rome" DH and I wanted to make dinner for my family. Everyone except Samchon and Soomo came which included Yo, EJ, Mom, Dad, K, Emo (sans Emoboo)and of course the little chitters (always present).

We made a mixed green salad with persian cucumbers, white button mushrooms, carrots, radish, califlower, red onion, romaine and frisee. We served that with balsamic vinagrette.

JP made chicken parmesan--Giada's recipe but it wasn't that impressive so, we'll try another one next time.

I made a shrimp pasta in a red wine sauce and red pepper flakes. (a big hit)

JP made fresh meatballs which were a big big hit!

Finally I tried a Mario Batali recipe for large scallops served with mixed crimini and other mushrooms over frisee. It was delectable. We tossed it with some aged balsamic vinegar. Lovely. Just lovely.

For dessert K brought an awesome fresh fruit cake from wholefoods. Excellent.

The only think missing was our whistling fool Junipa. We miss you Junipa. Lopey bo misses you.

SNOOGLE

What is a snoogle? It's a body pillow for pregnant women! I thought who needs another pillow but the mami's from my group highly recommended it and I am having severe back issues so, I bought one. Last night John washed the cover and I had the best night of sleep in weeks! Something about the snuggly pillow covering my back and through the legs and the head makes your whole body aligned. It's the best thing ever!

Leachco Original Snoogle Total Body Pillow
What do pregnant moms need for themselves more than anything? How about a nice pregnancy pillow? The Leacho Original Snoogle Total Body Pillow gives expecting and newborn mothers a perfect nights rest every single time. The Leachco body pillow provides a unique design which follows the natural shape and movement of the body. The maternity pillow keeps everything in line from head to toe, and will keep mom sleeping peacefully throughout the night.

Pregnancy Pillows from Leachco are perfect for more than sleeping. They are great for watching television and are great for nursing. The maternity body pillow helps elevate baby to the perfect height. If pregnant, the Snoogle body pillow provides back and tummy support and that is where the comfort lies. Pregnant moms often toss and turn and get an awful nights rest. The Leachco body pillow helps mom wake up refreshed and invigorated.

The pillow runs about $50 and can be bought online as well as babies r us and other stores.

20 pregnancy sanity-savers

I got this from babycenter.com. I think it's quite helpful. I've bolded the ones I think really work. Of course trying to smile helps.

By the editorial staff
Approved by the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board
Pregnancy's a time of intense physical and emotional changes, and it's full of unknowns: Will I have morning sickness? How tired will I get, and how big? Plus, the rest of the world doesn't stop when you're expecting. There's work to show up for, meals to cook, and errands to do, as well as a new baby to prepare for.

The following tips, gathered from moms and moms-to-be, are designed to make your life easier during pregnancy. We hope they'll reduce stress, save you time and money, and help you stay in touch with the joy of being pregnant.


Staying rested
Fight fatigue
"Taking showers in the evening and sleeping an extra 45 minutes in the morning has helped a lot. You wouldn't think this would make much of a difference, but I really feel like I get enough sleep this way." -- Amber

"I work full time and do a lot of errands at lunch before I get too tired. When I get home I have less to do and can relax or spend time with my toddler." -- Jodean

"A little bit of exercise increases my energy more than any nap I've ever taken." -- Jennifer


Work smarter
"I check in often with my manager. I work on my feet, and as the months pass, I've slowed down a lot. Taking small breaks helps a lot. She understands this, and doesn't seem to mind." -- Jennie

"I used lunch breaks at work to cat nap. Fortunately my office had a quiet lounge with a couch where I would curl up and snooze -- even 20 minutes worked wonders. Co-workers didn't mind leaving me alone. In fact, it became the pregnancy couch for a string of pregnant women." -- Kaitlin

"It helps to know your rights. I had horrible, debilitating morning sickness with both my pregnancies and was so relieved to learn I could take disability leave for the worst stretches and return to work for the last trimester." -- Zizi


Comfort and pamper
"Pamper yourself with fresh nail polish, lovely bath oils, or even a professional facial. These can go a long way in nurturing your spirit." -- Sara this one definitely. Get a pick-me-up ---that might be a massage, facial or mani/pedi.

"Rub natural massage oil on your tummy every day after your shower. It might be an old wives' tale that this prevents stretch marks, but it sure feels nice and luxurious." -- Bobbie

"I slept much better in the last trimester after I bought a body pillow. I could curl up on my side, letting the pillow support my back. It also helped to have a stack of pillows for propping myself up when I got night heartburn." -- Midge


Feathering your nest
Get help with the nursery
"We invited friends over to help us set up the nursery. We got pizza and beer (and soda for me) and made a party out of it. They helped paint and assemble furniture -- and even had a good time doing it!" -- Mary


Keep track of baby clothes
"I've washed a lot of baby clothes preparing for our little one. Using mesh garment bags to wash little socks keeps them together and saves time in searching for and mating matching socks." -- Angela


Maternity wear
Borrow, don't buy
"Swallow your pride and take all the used pregnancy clothes friends offer. It's silly to spend a ton of money on clothes you won't wear for long. Sharing clothes is a nice introduction to the camaraderie of motherhood." -- Greta


Easy meals, before and after delivery
Cook in bulk
"In the six to eight weeks prior to my due date, I cooked double batches of freezer-friendly meals so I wouldn't have to cook in the weeks after my baby was born." -- Catherine


Make cleanup easy
"At the beginning of my third trimester, I started stocking up on paper plates, cups, and disposable cutlery. On days when I'm wiped out, we have 'picnics' at the dining room table. This saves time and energy that would normally be spent at the sink or emptying the dishwasher. This will be useful when the baby comes, too." -- Angela

"Frozen entrees and food from the deli department at your local supermarket are wonderful. You can have a quick, relatively healthy meal with minimal clean up. Pre-made salads and roasted chickens are especially convenient." -- Heidi


Get ready for takeout
"When I was pregnant some of my girlfriends went around my neighborhood picking up every takeout and delivery menu they could find. They presented them to me in a folder with a gift certificate for one of the restaurants. We ordered from that folder nearly every night for the first two weeks that my daughter was home." -- Linda


Emotional rescue
Share the ups and downs
"Get together with other expectant moms or people with young kids -- it's incredible how sharing the ups and downs of pregnancy and new parenthood can keep your sanity intact." -- Allison sharing with my new mommie group has been a dream. I don't feel alone anymore.

"Don't be afraid to show the wacky side of pregnancy emotions. A good cry or belly laugh does the soul good." -- Marla


Take notes
"During my first pregnancy, I felt like the biggest idiot on earth due to what I called 'pregnancy dementia.' I learned to carry a note pad with me at all times to write down even the smallest things. It really did help." -- Paige


Plan for labor and delivery
"My first pregnancy and labor were quite difficult, and my daughter has developmental problems. I was very nervous with my second child, but my obstetrician and I worked out a labor and delivery plan that basically said I was to have a c-section at the very first sign of problems. It was kept in my chart, since we didn't know who would be on duty when I went into labor. This was such a stress reliever. I did end up having a c-section, and my son is fine." -- Maggie

Doggies only love John

So it's been another rough night of not getting much sleep. I was tossing and turning and finally got out of bed at around 2 a.m. and worked on a project on snapfish (last day for 30% off calendars and pre-Christmas delivery) and then tried to go back to bed at 4:30 a.m. John kept complaining about how cold my body was but I couldn't tell because I was hot!

I'm going to try to purchase a snoogle today (the mommies in my new group rave about it) and hopefully, that will solve some of my sleeping problems. It does make me an incredible grouch!

I'm feeling really crazy

Well, I guess the hormones have finally hit because I'm feeling really crazy. Basically, I'm crabby most of the time but at work I put on a happy face and "get it done." My boss is out with pneumonia so, I'm off to her meetings in addition to trying to get the newsletter out.

I'm thinking that the name Pomegranate Y sounds okay. Is that weird? Is that bad? I don't know. In anycase, we are still stuck on the whole naming thing. I guess that's okay. That seems to be the least of our worries. We have a den to clear, a new storage unit to rent, a crib to buy and various other tasks and exersaucers to look into. I just joined a "Meetup" groups for first time moms-to-be. What people don't tell you is no matter how "natural" they say having babies are---it's just not that normal. There's nothing "normal" about it. Basically, there is another human being inside you kicking and pushing for a while and then they come out of your body. And we think that aliens are weird? Really?

I'm listening to R. Spektor and my DH is standing behind me waiting to go to dinner so, I'll write more about the "crazy feelings" I'm having later. CRAZY---pronounced Kra zhee.

"I hear in my mind all these voices, I hear in my mind all this music and it breaks my heart...."

Top 10 Things I Can't Live Without during my pregnancy...

This is a list of my current favorite items as a mama-to-be, not in any particular order:

1.) bellaband---this is something you can wear over your pre-prego pants if you haven't grown too too much. It holds everything in place and keeps your belly feeling protected. I love it! They sell it everywhere. I think the cheapest spot if Target.com.

2.) Japanese Weekend--This is a new brand to me that I've discovered and it's great! The clothes have cute patterns, they are comfortable and though it's not the cheapest it wears well overtime unlike some stuff from Target, Gap, Old Navy etc...
Check out japaneseweekend.com.

3.) Horizons Organic Milk--as a non-drinker of milk in general I've really have to go out of my way to drink milk. I've found that this brand is really quite tasty and I look forward to drinking it. Not to mention it does not have any additives, hormones etc... You can buy this at any local grocery store.

4.) Husband--JP has been a great support in my current emotionally fragile state. He is supportive, loving and tries to keep me from completely falling off my rocker. Great husbands are hard to come by so if you don't already have one, ask God.

5.) Ugg Boots--From a great tip from cousin E, I got these Ugg boots (brooke model) and they are fantastic. Not only do they have a low heel, they are shearling lined inside and can be worn barefoot. With leggings they look great with a sweater and I've even worn them to work. Try nordstrom.com.

6.) Chapstick--my lips seem to be more chapped than usual so, I'm carrying around a load of different things in my purse---chapstick, kiehl's baby balm, clinique gloss...Whatever works for you but a quick dab of lipstick/chapstick will keep you smiling. Can be purchased at any local drugstore or department store.

7.) Medela Maternity Underwear--I've found that medela brand maternity underwear is not "granny" huge and still provides the coverage that you want. Gap.com.

8.) Camisoles--I have a variety of camisoles that are easily layered with pre-pregnancy shirts for work. Camisoles are soft and cover up the belly with the aid of the bellaband. Try online and department stores.

9.) Lotion--I use many brands of lotion but with my stretching skin I'm really slathering it on. I think the non-smelly stuff is best: Aveeno, Nivea, Kiehl's, mamamio belly lotion. It's best to have it handy everywhere---car, bathroom, nightstand. Try any drugstore to find the one that works for you.

10.)Large jewelry--I've found that wearing a few large pieces of jewelry makes my plain work outfits stronger as well as brings attention up instead of to my growing belly. A few strong pieces will do the trick. Don't spend a lot it's best to find on sale at local department stores.

Breakdowns

Us on John's 30th bday

Well, it's that time again. Sunday evening. Not everything on my list got accomplished over the weekend. JP has packed up all the books and thrown away our rickety bookcase. Not that there is any way to truly prepare for a baby but I feel incredibly far behind! Everytime I think about it I start hyperventilating and my thought and feet turn to going to the mall to blow off steam. (it works but it's not the solution.)

I have about 100 days left and I've only been to Buy Buy Baby once. It's so overwhelming all the stuff. It's not like registering for pots/pans and blenders. It's a baby and it's going to need a bunch of stuff that I really have no idea about.

Within the last 2 weeks I've had two sobbing breakdowns that are triggered by being sad about something that's related to my general feeling about being unprepared for this major life change. I've found out about myself that I'm not that great with change though I've always thought I've loved living where the winds will take me I take a great comfort in stability and routine (see JP for the best example).

In anycase, I'm 25 weeks and little baby Y is kicking and swimming around. I missed yoga again but I got to hang out with the Halms over the weekend. She is so much fun and has so many funny things to say. One thing she really does have is a great sense of humor. We have jjajang myun and jjam bbong at Lunchtime with sister K. I decorated her door and hopes she wins the apartment decorating contest.

Kicking kicking kicking!

The baby is kick kick kicking quite a bit! It's an amazing feeling. At around 11 p.m. last night she was really moving around. JP put his hand on my belly and she was really pushing his hand and kicking quite hard on the belly as well as on my back a bit.

Things are getting pretty exciting but there are so many things to do to prepare for this little babar that I can't even keep up with myself.

ARGH!

Happy Weekend.

Kicking like a champ!

Hello!
It's been a busy busy couple of weeks. We've checked out carseats, strollers and nursery furniture. There is so much stuff to compare!

Well, baby Yesawich is kicking up a storm. She seems to like sweets, any juices or fruits really get her going. Most of the kicking is first thing in the morning and then in the afternoon if I'm sitting very still at my desk she likes to kick.

My lower back is really beginning to hurt so, I need keep stretching and looking into a pre-natal massage.

We've started the clearing process of the den and the conversion into a baby room. The process seems daunting but I know we'll get it done.

Now it's time to start baking cookies and enjoying December!