Duty for Dooty

I'll be totally honest. There are very few days in my home where doing "Number 2" is not subject number 1 of our conversations. With Thomas' arrival, the boys' closets look like an aisle at Target - Cruisers size 5, Overnights size 6, a half plastic sleeve of Swaddlers size 1, a box of Swaddlers size 2 (for when the 1's are done), a box of Swaddlers size 3 and Overnights size 3. (You may think I am crazy to have 3s all ready to go but when you find a sale for these big boxes -$20 is awesome!- you might as well buy them early.). It is a little depressing, not to mention the extra costs.

So, we are slowly trying to get JT ready to leave the diapers behind. We have done a couple of things to get the process started:

1. I plan on reading Potty Training for Boys. I am almost done with the second book on India that I purchased many moons ago and this book is next in the queue. I am hoping this short little read will provide some insight into getting this done quickly and with as few messes as possible (HAHA!).
2. I have been trying to get JT to be more proactive in dressing himself. It is somewhat frustrating though. What I know will take me three seconds to do has now become a ten minute charade. I hope that as he becomes more adept at getting clothes on and off it will make the "pulling down my pants to use the potty" action easier.
3. Another hurdle is getting JT to use his words. He has a growing vocabulary but is torn between using them or screaming to get what he wants. I have been trying to convince him to use the words "poop" and "pee" as preludes to changing his diaper. Then he will hopefully use them to know when he has to go to the bathroom.
4. Wet vs Dry: another battle is trying to get him to recognize the difference between wet and dry. Right now I have been using all the instances when JT is drooling, or sticking his hands in his mouth to indicate wet. I hope it will help.
5. Easy Ups: On our recent diaper buying spree, I picked up a small box of potty training pants.
6. Got a potty. We bought a simple potty at IKEA. JT seems intrigued by it and has on a couple of occasions gone to just sit on it. Trouble is we have 2 bathrooms. Doi - silly mommy moment. We need to get one more before we begin this...adventure.

I'll update if we or when we have success. It might be a while. :-/

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Early Morning Feedings

Getting up early in the morning leaves me with a good half hour or so of quiet quality time.  I have been keeping myself and Thomas in the dark during these feedings to make it easier for him to get right back to sleep once he is done.  In the dark, my mind wanders:

1.  How much stuff can you stuff in a stuffies til your stuffies stuffed enough stuff?
We have started watching PBS' Sprout network in the evenings with JT.  Inevitably this commercial comes on at least 2 times during our viewing.  It has caused much pondering.  So much so that we have even considered buying a Stuffie just to answer this question.  Thankfully on their website provides this useful diagram.

2.  Michel Mercier
Yet another commercial on Sprout that has garnered a bit of my quiet time.  This professional hair stylist has come up with a special detangling brush.  It has 428 bristles of varying sizes.  This apparently is source of great pride - 428 is the exact right number of bristles to detangle hair and not have your hair end up on the brush.  My mathy brain wants to know how this guy chose 428.  Does the efficiency of the brush decrease significantly if you add just one more bristle?  I'd love to read a study if they did this.

3.  Minivans are more "Sucky"
Totally in a good way.  Now I am the first person to say that I hate minivans.  But the Honda Odyssey comes with a built in vacuum cleaner.  Every time I see the commercial it makes me want to drool.  Why did it take the minivan people so long to come up with this awesome feature?  I want a minivan now!

4.  Volvo
I want this concept coupe!

Grilled Honey Mustard Pork Tenderloin

We are settling into a rhythm here.  But it has been a month from Thomas' arrival and I got the urge to try something new.  Now it isn't anything super crazy.  It didn't take me hours to prepare - actually, I got to bring in my heavily underutilized hubby to do the cooking.  I had a pork tenderloin set in our meal plan but I didn't want to do the old lemon herb marinade or do all the cooking in the house.  So, I did a quick search and found this intriguing recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod.

Now, I am not a huge fan of honey mustard sauce.  As an option for chicken fingers at a restaurant, I would rather eat them plain then get honey mustard sauce.  Why not try something a little different?  So we did and the verdict was very pleasing.  There was just enough sweet and peppery to make it work.  We both enjoyed it very much.

Grilled Honey Mustard Pork Tenderloin

from Two Peas and Their Pod

Ingredients

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper
2 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin

Steps

1. In a large bowl, whisk together apple cider vinegar, olive oil, honey, mustard, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, and pepper.
2.  Place pork tenderloin in zip top bag.  Pour mixture into the bag.  Seal the bag and make sure the pork is covered in the marinade. Chill in the refrigerator overnight, turning occasionally.
3. Remove the pork from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature before grilling. Discard marinade. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Grill tenderloin, covered with grill lid, 8 to 10 minutes on all sides or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 150° to 155°. Remove tenderloin from grill, and let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Feedings

I feel like I need to share my experiences regarding the early feeding choices I have made with Thomas and JT.

With JT, I felt like I had my hands tied.  I did not get to see him much during the first 2 weeks of his life since he was in the NICU.  This was due in part to having to drive an hour both ways to get to the NICU and my very slow recovery from the emergency c-section.  I spent almost 4 days in the hospital.  The only thing that got stuck in my head was this bit of info from the nurses and lactation consultants - breastmilk will be the best thing for JT to get him big and healthy.  So to get my baby strong as quickly as possible, I made the decision to pump.  I had no problems producing - heck the NICU ended up sending a bunch of frozen milk back home with us.  When we got home, we got the green light to try breastfeeding.

And then the trouble began.  We tried for almost 4 weeks (and yes, I continued pumping this entire time).  I had no problem with any of the holds.  It just was not working.  Our breastfeeding experience ended with an excruciatingly painful bout of mastitis.  Once I got over that, I continued pumping for another 2 months.  The milk lasted through until JT was about 6 months old - when we made the switch to formula.

While pregnant with Thomas, I told myself that I would take another stab at breastfeeding again.  New baby, whole new start.  Again, I had no issues producing.  I guess I was an oddity because all the nurses just seemed so impressed.  But during early those days at the hospital, I could tell something was not right.  I think I must have called in every lactation consultant the hospital had on hand.  My holds were perfectly fine, latches were great!  (I had had quite a bit of practice, right?)  The nurses would come in and check my pain level from the c-section - no issues there.  What was totally painful was the breastfeeding - and it took me right back to my frustrations with JT.  I knew it was all wrong.

I told the nursing staff I could not continue this route - I've already done this once.  I knew what was in store.  Can we please get Thomas on formula?  Then I got read the riot act - well, why don't you pump?  It is so much more beneficial.  Yes, I know that it is.  I did it with my first son.  So why go formula?  Because I know the commitment of pumping and I know that the breastfeeding was not going the right way, but most importantly, I need to be able to be mom to both of my boys - not neglect one for the other.  I was a hot hormonal mess and that probably didn't come out quite as artfully.  After the hubby, stepped in to say this is what I want and is best for us, we got some formula.

You may ask yourself now that we are 3 weeks out - do I regret this decision?  No.  I am in such a better place mentally and physically than I was with JT.  Okay, I will not deny that I am exhausted.  Thankfully, we didn't have to wait near 3 months before some started sleeping for longer than 2 hours at a time overnight.  I can get about 5 hours of sleep at night and it feels glorious.  Not to mention, I have time between feedings to hang with JT and not be hooked up to my pump, or be cleaning pumping pieces.

So, I won't judge anyone about their baby feeding choices - so long as their baby and mom is happy and healthy - who cares!  Just my take on the formula vs breastfeeding wars.

Family Update

Well, family life has changed. "Rampage" decided to join us earlier than his scheduled extraction date but not by much. On August 9, 2013, we welcomed Thomas Jacob into our family.

We are now trying to settle into a new routine. Thankfully, Thomas has been sleeping from about midnight to 5 - 6 am. I still feel exhausted but not nearly the extreme that we dealt with getting JT settled. Not much more to report - I will try to post a bit more but no guarantee on new recipes.

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Rosemary-Crusted Pork Tenderloin

Always on the look out for good pork tenderloin recipes, and this one fits the bill.  I did make some slight adjustments to the recipe marked in the link.

Rosemary-Crusted Pork Tenderloin

adapted slightly from Real Simple

Ingredients

1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
kosher salt and black pepper
1 1 1/4-pound pork tenderloin
1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound green beans
1/4 cup pitted black olives, halved

Steps

1.  Heat oven to 425° F.
2.  On a large plate, combine the bread crumbs, garlic, paprika, rosemary, and ½ teaspoon salt.
3.  Rub the pork with 1 teaspoon of the oil, coat with the bread crumb mixture, then place on a rimmed baking sheet (I laid a sheet of aluminum foil down on the sheet to help contain some of the mess).
4.  Roast the pork until cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes (For some reason, pork never seems to cook that quickly for me - 40 to 45 minutes seemed an accurate cook time.). Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
5.  Steam the green beans in a steamer bag in the microwave (approximately 4 minutes).
6.  In a heated pan, add remaining tablespoon of oil.  Add to it the steamed green beans, the olives, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.  Fry for 2 - 4 minutes and serve with the pork.

The Finished Product

The tenderloin had a good crunch and a nice light flavor to it.  The green beans and olives were a great combo - I would definitely pair that again as a side to almost any other meat.  A keeper!

Roasted Tilapia, Potatoes, and Lemon

Not that we do not try to eat healthy all the time but I really like to put an emphasis on it when the hubby has PT test coming up around the corner.  So last night I tried out a new recipe for tilapia, which I really enjoy as a nice light alternative to chicken.

Roasted Tilapia, Potatoes, and Lemons

adapted slightly from Real Simple

Ingredients

1 pound mini red potatoes (about 12), halved
upto 1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground thyme
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 cup pitted black olives
4 6-ounce skinless tilapia fillets
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Steps

1.  Heat oven to 400° F.
2.  On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the potatoes, lemon, thyme, 2 tablespoons oil, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer.
3.  Roast, tossing once, until the potatoes begin to soften, about 20 minutes.
4.  Toss the olives with the potato mixture; nestle the fish in it. Drizzle the fish with the remaining oil and season with paprika and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
5.  Continue to roast until the potatoes are golden brown and crisp and the fish is opaque throughout, 12 to 15 minutes.

The Finished Product

The fish was nice and light with the paprika giving it a little kick.  The mini red potatoes helped fill our tummies with their starchiness.  The olives provided that little shot of tanginess to complete the meal.  This meal was pretty quick including prep time - we sat down within the hour.  Definitely keeping this recipe around for more fish nights.

Royal Baby

Never thought I would write about pop culture but in this instance it really hits home.  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge just welcomed their first baby boy into the world.

Congratulations to them!  It gets me excited for Rampage's arrival.  It also gets me riled up a bit.  I really hope they do not choose anything close to the name we have for Rampage.  It's taken months to come up with a name and coming up with JT's name was just as difficult.  I wouldn't want to be one of those people who names their kid because someone famous did it.  Silly nonsense, I know, but I feel strongly about this.  We have already chosen Rampage's name so don't you all think we named it after some royal kid if William and Kate choose the same name.

As a side note, I am pretty sure it is wishful thinking - but I would love to be up and walking (let alone looking that good) the day after Rampage arrives.  A girl can dream right?

Lemon-Thyme Orzo with Green Beans

I really like my go-to Orzo pilaf side with steaks but recently I felt like it needed a little update.  While we lived in Kansas, I took a couple of cooking classes at the local supermarket from this great down to earth chef - Chef Alli.  I recently noticed she had posted a few new recipes on her blog and one in particular using orzo.  So I said what the whooey and gave it a whirl.  Click on the link for her recipe, what I have provided are my adjustments.

Lemon-Thyme Orzo with Green Beans

by Chef Alli

Ingredients

2 cups chicken broth
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ - ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
1 cup water
1 cup orzo pasta
1 package frozen steamer green beans, prepared
splash of lemon juice
½ tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. black pepper
Freshly shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese

Steps

1.  In a deep skillet, bring broth, garlic, red pepper flakes, and water to a boil over high heat; stir in pasta and reduce heat to medium-low.
2.  Simmer until nearly two-thirds of liquid is absorbed by pasta and orzo is beginning to look creamy, stirring occasionally, for approx. 10-12 minutes.
3.  Stir in green beans, lemon zest, thyme, salt, pepper, and cheese.  Take off heat, allowing mixture to thicken.

My apologies in not have a picture to end with.  The side really hit the spot for us.  Not to mention it added a quick veggie to our meal (since I am always bad about including the veggies).  JT liked it so much - he actually preferred to pick out the green beans to eat first.

Enjoy!

Chicken With Potatoes

We are settling into a routine, so my hubby thought it would be a good time to get back into the Indian food rhythm.  Since we are now in the "baby could arrive whenever he feels like" time frame, I requested something that would not be too spicy.  The hubby wanted to do a bread as well but one that was not so intensive as naan.  So we decided to make Chicken with Potatoes and Paratha.

Chicken with Potatoes

adapted slightly from An Invitation to Indian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey

Ingredients

3 medium potatoes
1 medium onion
3 cloves garlic
1 inch cube of fresh ginger
1 1/2 pounds of chicken (we used 1 pound of tenderloins)
5 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
4 whole cardamom pods
1 tsp of red pepper flakes (I can't remember the exact measurement but it was less than what Jaffrey calls for)
2 whole black peppercorns
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt

Steps

1.  Clean the potatoes.  Place in steamer bag and cook in microwave.  Let cool completely.  (Jaffrey says to boil the potatoes, we just found this to be much more convenient)
2.  Blend onion, garlic, and ginger with 5 tbsp water to a smooth paste.
3.  Heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add cinnamon, bay leaf, cardamom, red pepper, peppercorns, and chicken.  (We use a mortar and pestle to break down the cinnamon, bay leaf, cardamom, and peppercorns prior to heatings.)  Fry chicken until golden brown on all sides.  Remove the chicken and set aside.
4.  Add the paste to the pot and then the turmeric.  Fry for about 3 minutes.
5.  Add the tomato sauce and chicken broth.  Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
6.  Meanwhile, peel and quarter the potatoes.
7.  Add the salt, chicken, and potatoes to the sauce.  Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 20 - 25 minute or until chicken is tender.

Paratha

from An Invitation to Indian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsp melted butter
1/2 cup whole wheat flour for dusting

Steps

1.  Combine the flour, oil, and salt in a bowl while slowly adding 1/2 cup of water until all the flour adheres together.
2.  Knead for 8 - 10 minutes.
3.  Form into a ball, cover with damp cloth and set aside for 30 minutes.
4.  Divide dough into 8 balls.
5.  For each ball: roll out until it is about 5 inch in diameter.  Brush lightly with the melted butter.  Fold in half.  Brush again with butter.  Fold in half one last time.  You should have a triangular shape.  Roll the triangle so that each side is 5 inch long.
6.  Add butter to a griddle that has been heated over a medium heat.  Place the paratha on the griddle.  Once it is golden brown, add more butter to griddle and flip.  Cook until golder brown.
7.  As each paratha finishes, place on an aluminum sheet and cover tightly.  When ready to eat, preheat oven to 300 and heat covered parathas for 10 minutes.

Finished Product

I really enjoyed this meal.  We served it over some basmati race.  The chicken and potatoes were not spicy at all but had a wonderful smell.  The sauce was nice and thick from the potatoes giving off their starchiness.  This recipe also seemed to move along a lot quicker than some of our other recipe attempts.  A definite keeper especially because I like "Aloo" - Hindi for potato.  We also liked that the bread was not nearly as time intensive as naan.  I enjoy naan a bit more but for the time - parathas are so much easier. I encourage you to try this one out.