Cheddar Pancakes

When Emmalyn was five months old, we took a family weekend trip to St. Augustine, Florida. While there, I used the Yelp app on my iPhone to find good restaurants to try. After an amazing dinner at Creekside Dinery, I searched Yelp for some breakfast recommendations. We ended up at a little diner near the beach called Sea Oats Caffe. The review raved about their Cheddar Pancakes, and let me tell you - they did not disappoint.

Every now and then when we make pancakes at home, we like to throw in some cheese to change things up (plus it brings back memories our first mini-vacation as a family!).

These are super easy to make and if your kids are anything like my daughter, they'll love them.

Cheddar Pancakes
Buttermilk pancake mix
Shredded cheddar cheese
Water

Mix pancake mix and water as directed on the box. Pour pancake batter into heated pan (my daughter likes hers in the shape of Mickey Mouse). Sprinkle cheese all over raw side of pancake. Flip pancake and cook until desired crispness. Top with butter and maple syrup.

Gestational Diabetes

When I was pregnant with Emma, I ate a lot. Mostly healthy, but there were times when I'd have ice cream every night for more than a week. I had a healthy pregnancy, was gaining weight at a good pace, and everything looked good at all of my doctor's appointments - until the dreaded 28 week glucose test. I went in for my appointment and downed the orange drink in under five minutes. A few days later I got a call from the nurse letting me know that my numbers were high and I'd have to go in for the 3-hour test.

I made an appointment, fasted for 10 hours, and showed up nice and early to the lab on a Saturday - only to find out that I had forgotten to have my doctor fax over the prescription for the appointment. So, hungry and cranky, I went home to make myself breakfast.

A few days later, WITH all the proper paperwork, I was able to take the 3-hour test. It was painless, but boring. When I arrived, they drew blood, then I had to drink the sugar stuff and for the next 3 hours they drew blood on the hour. I left feeling pretty good. I must have passed, right? 

(swollen ankles for my entire third trimester)

I remember when the office called and I gave me the news that I had gestational diabetes. I was home in Wisconsin for my baby shower and I cried and cried. I thought I would have a super big baby and possibly problems with delivery. Then I started googling everything, reading side effects and that just made my hormonal self more emotional. (lesson learned: There is a right and a wrong time to google things!)

When I was back in Florida, I met with a nutritionist and learned all about the diabetes diet and how to check my blood sugar. I basically needed to eat more throughout the day and combine proteins/fruits/carbs in the right amounts. It was easier than I thought it would be and as you may have read in Emma's birth story, she was a perfectly average size baby with no delivery complications.

 

With this second pregnancy, I thought I could prevent myself from getting GD. I've been eating super healthy, gaining less weight overall, and so far, have had no swollen ankles/toes (fingers crossed it stays that way!)

No such luck. I failed both tests. Which I guess, is just my body's way of dealing with pregnancy. So my pregnancy hormones block my body's insulin from doing its job? It's not the end of the world. No nutritionist for me this time, and I still have all of my testing equipment and OneTouch Ultra machine. 

Diabetes is serious and if not controlled, there are complications that can come up, HOWEVER if you happen to be one of the women who gets GD during pregnancy, try not to over think it. You didn't do anything wrong.

I'll be sharing a few of my favorite meals and snacks in the upcoming weeks, so stay tuned! If you have any questions about my experience with GD, please feel free to leave a comment. 

I told you so...

When I was pregnant with Jack all the moms I met told me things like, 

"ENJOY sleep!"

"Relax while you can, soon you'll be running around busy with your boy!"

"Are you ready for your life to change forever?" 

etc., etc., etc.

We've all heard similar things, right? Well, I was SO FRUSTRATED. I wanted to be a mom for my WHOLE LIFE, that was my LIFE GOAL: to be a mom. I was ELATED, I was ECSTATIC and I couldn't WAIT for my little Jack-man to appear! and ESPECIALLY when I looked like this:

I was tired of hearing, "WOW, when are you due!?" I actually went to work on my due date and fully enjoyed saying, "TODAY"... but not as much as I enjoyed saying, "last week" seeing as how Jack came at 41 weeks :)

Anyways, back to my point: after I had Jack, the thoughts change to: 

"enjoy this! the time flies!"

"remember every moment, one day you'll miss the lack of sleep, midnight feedings, etc" 

and damn it, they were right. 

My life did change, I am busy chasing my boy around and YES I MISS SLEEPING IN! 

Jack is currently 2 years 3 months old.. and ::whew:: this stage has a whole new set of challenges, especially because he is SO STINKIN' SMART. .. and lately, I am REALLY ready for this stage to be over. I'm not as patient as I'd like to be, and I know he needs patience, and moms like to tell me, "oh wait! 3 is WORSE"

(Lord, help me!) 

Yet, in the last 3 days I have had 4 different people tell me these sorts of things:

"wow, whatever you're doing, keep doing it! He's GREAT!"

"you'll miss this, I know its hard, but it's CUTE and hard, when he's 3, it's JUST HARD"

"cherish these moments, I just watched my sons 2nd birthday video (said son is now 27) and I couldn't believe how the time has flown by"

"you will miss this, enjoy him at 2 years old, even with the frustrations."

and you know what? they will probably be right too, won't they?

so.. I need to stop, breathe and take in the "terrible" two's. 

I'll let you know (in a few years) if I agree with the above thoughts.. but either way, my plan today is to love my Jack, hard days and all, and really cherish him and who he is. 

I mean, this:

seems like FOREVER ago. 

(thank you emily for this beautiful keepsake)

Feta & Chickpea Greek Salad

About once a week, I'll browse Pinterest for some new recipes to try at home. A few weeks ago, I came across a recipe for a Feta and Chick Pea Salad. I added the items to my weekly grocery list and off to Publix I went. I ended up changing the original recipe a bit to include more items I like (black beans!). It's healthy, refreshing and as an added bonus, Emma will eat it too!

Here's my adapted version:

1 can black beans
1 can chick peas
1/2 red onion (chopped)
1 cucumber (chopped)
1 tomato (chopped)
1 container feta cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
lemon and lime juice to taste

Add all ingredients to bowl, toss and refrigerate for a few hours. Enjoy!

 

Trends for Tots: Fall Finds

Even though it doesn't quite feel like fall here in Florida (try 85 degrees and humid), the end of summer is definitely here. Kids are back in school, the weather is cooling down in some states and most importantly – Pumpkin Spice Lattes are back at Starbucks. Here's a look at some tot trends for fall - I wish some of these came in my size!
 
1. Pumpkin Sweater - Gymboree
2. Corduroy Sport Hat – Children's Place
3. Belted Cargo Pants – Old Navy
4. Canvas Slip Ons – Old Navy
5. Pumpkin Sweater Dress – Crazy 8
6. Pumpkin Hair Bow – Gymboree
7. Pumpkin Stripe Tight – Gymboree
8. Robeez Mini Shoez – Stride Rite

nice to meet you

Well, I think it's about time I introduce myself: 

I am Jack's mom 

Jenny Anne  

I regularly read blogs, I've been journaling since I was 8.5 years old (and recently found the pile of said diaries/journals - hilarious reading!), and I've dreamed of blogging one day...

and thanks to Sarah (Emma's mom) that is now a reality!

Hello World!... 

my days are spent with 2 little boys, ages 2 and 8 months, and lately - I'm exhausted! I'd like to share Jack's birth story, complete with pictures, soon... but I'll begin my blogging experience with these thoughts:

I LOVE my eldest son, Jack:

...this picture was taken after a drastic hair cut.. that made him look like SUCH a big boy... he had previously looked like this:

...as I was saying, I love him. but MAN - being a mom is SO MUCH HARDER than I anticipated. my expectations were hmmm

unrealistic? 

I LOVE kids, I'm a patient human and everyone told me, "Jenny, you'll be the BEST MOM EVER!" 

..then... I had my first.. 

since when am I SO IMPATIENT!?! Anyone else feel like this?

Most days, I CANNOT WAIT until Jack looks like this:

which happens from roughly 1-4:30pm every day (PRAISE THE LORD!) and again at 7pm. 

I'll give him that... he's a CHAMPION sleeper.. 

All to say, as I enter this blogging world, I'm in a position where I am searching for the right ways to love, the right ways to discipline and the right ways to "mommy" and some days are better than others... right?!

At only 2 years of age my son reveals to me some of my MAJOR weaknesses and daily I am humbled as I learn hard lessons.. 

a dear friend recently shared some thoughts with me that I now pass along to you... 

one current struggle of mine: anger

as I shared with this dear friend how angry I get and how out of control I sometimes feel and how sad it makes me... she said:

• you are a great mom, jenny. God is just using your kids to get the stuff out of YOU that needs to come out so you can be an even better wife and mommy and bring more glory to him.
• you cannot teach your kids to control their anger if you do not know how to control yours
• that's why this is happening
• so you can teach them
• what good would you be if you didn't know a things about anger but one of your kids struggled with it.
• you could pray, sure. and that's great. but when you MODEL your struggle and they can see where you've come from
• you have credibility and experience.

and VICTORY.

WOW, right!? Thank you Courtney, for being such a dear and honest friend. 

One day at a time, one day at a time.. 

and let me end by saying, one more time, I LOVE THIS KID: 

1000 Words

"You've got a friend in me
When the road looks rough ahead
And you're miles and miles
From your nice warm bed
You just remember what your old pal said
Boy, you've got a friend in me."

  ~ Randy Newman, You've Got a Friend in Me (Toy Story) ~

Tulsa Zoo

We recently returned from a short visit to Jason's home state of Oklahoma. We hadn't been there in over four years, and there was lots of extended family who wanted to meet Emmalyn. While we were there, we visited the Tulsa Zoo. Zoos are a great place for toddlers because there is so much to see, and most of them cater to the younger crowd. Adults pay $8 to enter (discount for AAA and/or military). Children 3-11 are $4 and under 2 are free. If you are a member at another AZA zoo, you receive a 50% discount on tickets.

There was a petting zoo for the little kids, and the workers encouraged them to brush the goats and sheep. Emma had a great time playing with the "babies," as she called the little goats. I loved that there was a little trough for hand-washing immediately upon exiting.

 

In the middle of the zoo was a huge shaded playground, with benches and picnic tables. I saw a lot of moms gathered with picnic lunches. It's a nice place to take a rest, especially during the hot day!

There is also a train that runs around the entire zoo. It costs extra, but definitely worth the break from walking, plus the chance to see all the animals again. Adults are $3 for a round trip and children under 2 are free.

I loved that the animal enclosures were large and spacious, especially being so used to Disney's Animal Kingdom. Emma had a great time and Mom and Dad enjoyed it too! Bonus - she was all tuckered out and ready for a nap as soon as we got to the car. We spent a good 3.5 hours enjoying everything. Definitely a fun thing to do if you're in the Tulsa area.

And just for fun, here's a picture of the first time Jason and I visited the Tulsa Zoo in 2007 and a picture of Jason and Emma in the exact same spot, 5 years later.