Hello & Goodbye: 32 Week Bumpdate

Hi friends!  It's been a while, hasn't it?  I've been trying to get into the habit of unplugging from my computer & social media a lot more recently.  And you know what?  I get a lot more accomplished around here when I'm not wasting time online.  30 minutes reading other blogs, another 30 minutes of responding to blog comments & emails, an hour on Pinterest, 20 minutes of looking at someones pictures on instagram {read: creeping}, an hour of online shopping on various websites.  It all adds up to stolen moments throughout the day that I'll never get back.  The thought of stolen moments once Isla arrives makes my heart hurt.  I want to be present always, not zoned out staring at my phone or a computer screen.  And for this reason, I've made the decision to drastically cut back on the amount of time that I'll be posting on this space.  This pregnancy is flying by at an alarming speed, and I really want to savor the small amount of time that I still have her all to myself.  I plan on doing a bit of heavy reading {I have 6 books in rotation that I have yet to finish}, finishing up a few more projects in the nursery, cooking all those labor intensive recipes that have accumulated over the years that I've wanted to try but never quite found the time, and soaking up these last few weeks alone with Adam before our life is forever changed.

I'll still post on here sporadically from time to time {it's not like I cancelled our internet service}, I just want to reevaluate the amount of time that I dedicate to Typical Domestic Babe, especially in the first few months after she arrives.  So many of you have became familiar online friends over the years, so I felt it was necessary to give you a heads up rather than just go silent for weeks & weeks on end.

With all of that being said, I do have lots to update you guys about so my last pregnancy bumpdate is below.  

How Far Along?   32 weeks 
 


Total Weight Gain?  26 pounds.  Nearly 5 of that is baby already!  At our ultrasound last week, we learned that she's on track to be an estimated 8.5 pound healthy little baby.

 

Maternity Clothes?  Absolutely, although I'm really looking forward to wearing normal clothes again soon. 

Gender?   It's a sweet baby girl!

Cravings?   Anything chocolate peanut butter, and organic sour worms from Whole Foods :)


Miss Anything?   Sleep - although I guess this is prepping me for those sleepless nights in the beginning.

Exercise?   Up until last week I was still attending private Pilates sessions 3x per week.

   

Symptoms?  Ughhh, where to begin?  Heartburn - check.  Restless legs syndrome - check.  Carpel tunnel in my hands - check.  This pretty much sums up why I've been having such a hard time sleeping lately.  My nightly routine involves tums, breathe right strips {since I've had a stuffy nose since early on in my first trimester}, tiger balm patches placed on my calves for my restless legs, and ice packs for my legs and for my hands that I rotate throughout the night.  I am basically the epitome of sexiness at the moment ;)

Mood?   Emotional.  It must be the hormones because I've been crying so much lately {and I am not the crying type}.  Movies make me cry, sweet little text messages from my husband make me cry, conversations with friends & family members make me teary eyed, even just sitting in her nursery and thinking about all the memories that we'll create in that space makes me emotional.  Also, every time I take a few quiet moments to really connect with her and talk to her I end up crying.  It's impossible for me to have conversations with her, like so many books suggest that you do, because I end up a blubbering mess.



Baby Movement?   She loves her 4 am karate practice!  Feeling her move all throughout the day is one of my favorite parts of being pregnant and I know that I'm really going to miss feeling those rolls, jabs and kicks. 


 
Best Moment This Week?   After our ultrasound last week, Adam & I went shopping at Bonpoint in Bal Harbour Shops and he picked out the sweetest little outfits for her.  I loved watching him study all the tiny dresses and onesies and thoughtfully arranging them to see how they would look together.  Envisioning chubby baby legs filling out those rompers & dresses makes my heart swell with so much love & excitement.


   
Looking Forward To?   Seeing my mom at the end of next month.  I'm so grateful that she'll be coming down for a couple of months to help me with the baby.



On My Mind?   For the past 6 weeks or so I've had a suspicion that Isla was breech because I've never felt her kicks up by my rips, they've always been down really low.  Our last two ultrasounds have confirmed that she's in the Frank Breech position, and unfortunately it looks like she's going to stay in that position.  We learned last week that her umbilical cord is wrapped around her neck and that is most likely the reason that she's not able to turn into the typical head down position as her cord is keeping her strapped in up there.  My doctor said that at this point the cord is still loose so it's not affecting her health in any way, but if I was to force her to turn by doing yoga moves or seeking out chiropractic that encourages breech babies to turn, it could potentially be very dangerous.  For now I have to cut back on any yoga & pilates and just take it easy.  I'll also start going for regular ultrasounds to monitor her situation in there, and at this point it looks as if I'll be having a scheduled c-section.  Obviously I'm extremely thankful that we were able to catch this now rather than have it crop up at the time of delivery when it could be a real emergency.  I'm also feeling slightly disappointed that I won't be able to experience the natural birth that I had envisioned {for my own selfish reasons}, but I know that it's not just about me anymore, as her health & safety are 100% top priority.  At the end of the day, as long as she arrives healthy and is safely in my arms it's not going to matter how I gave birth.      

You can check out any of my past bumpdates by clicking here. 

Stay well, friends.  See you around! xx

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Skinny Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

Since summer produce is readily available right now, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to share my delicious skinny chocolate chip zucchini muffin recipe with you all.  I've lightened up an old traditional zucchini bread recipe that I had sitting in my recipe index file, replacing the refined sugar, butter, and processed flour with honey, applesauce, coconut oil, and hearty whole wheat pastry flour.  The result is moist, delicious muffins with just the perfect amount of sweetness and chocolate to curb those sweet cravings, without wrecking your summer diet.

Hope you enjoy! xx

Ingredients


1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup shredded zucchini, set on paper towels to absorb excess moisture
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp coconut oil
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
1/4 cup milk {I used 1%, but any variety of milk will work - even almond or soy}
1/2 cup chocolate chips



Directions


Make sure to place your shredded zucchini on layers of paper towels to absorb some of the excess moisture.  Set aside and allow to sit for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a muffin tin with non stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Set aside.

In a medium sized bowl, stir together zucchini, honey, vanilla, coconut oil and applesauce.  Next add in your egg and milk and whisk together to combine.

Incorporate the wet ingredients into your large bowl of flour mixture, and gently stir until combined, taking care not to over stir {this eliminates any excess air into your batter}.  Fold in the chocolate chips.

Spoon batter into muffin tins, and fill about 2/3 of the way up.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown & gently spring back when touched.  Cool on a wire rack.

Thanks for reading!

Five Easy 4th Of July Desserts

Hi friends!  Whose getting excited for the holiday weekend?  Personally I'm not a big 4th of July person for the simple fact that the fireworks always scare our dogs :(  They get so stressed out from the noises, and Adam & I always, always stay home with them every year.  So needless to say no big plans over here for us.

Even though it's not my favorite day of the year doesn't mean that I don't like whipping up a patriotic recipe!  Today I thought I'd share 5 easy 4th of July desserts that don't require hours in the kitchen.  Whether you're headed to a bbq with family & friends, or just hanging around the house with your hubby/boyfie, these simple desserts will be sure to impress!

Enjoy!

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^^  How easy is this?  Simply assemble any red fruit of your choice with yogurt dipped pretzels, blueberries, and serve on a decorative tray!

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^^  Dip pretzel sticks in melted candy melts {found at most grocery stores}, and sprinkle on the red, white & blue!

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^^  Use a star cookie cutter for watermelon, and add in red & blue berries for a healthy fruit salad.  Easy peasey!

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^^  Fruit & brownie skewers using small brownie chunks, strawberries, blueberries, and marshmallows {could also replace marshmallows with banana slices}.  Quick to assemble and who doesn't love dessert on a stick!?

^^  And duhhhh obviously I had to pimp my own recipe from last year lol!  This summer berry cake is super easy to assemble, and is always a huge hit when you arrange the berries into the American flag!  View my recipe here.

I hope you all have a safe & happy holiday!  And don't forget about pup safety on the 4th.  Here's a link to 9 tips for keeping your dog safe during the festivities. xx