We're gonna have a May baby!

Today we found out that this baby will be arriving via c-section on Thursday May 3rd! It's not what I wanted, but after my appointment today, we are confident that this is best for both me and the baby. The growth ultrasound today showed that the baby weighs 9 lbs 11 oz. I know women can give birth to 10+ pound babies, but what really concerned the doctors was the size of the baby's stomach, which apparently indicates how big the shoulders will be. If the shoulders are too big, it can lead to shoulder dystocia where the head is delivered but the shoulders get stuck and can cause permanent damage or death for the baby. My high-risk doctor consulted with 3 other high-risk doctors to get their opinion and all 3 said without a doubt I should have a c-section.

With Will I was so confident that I would have a c-section (it is very common in diabetics because of the size of the baby) that I wasn't prepared for labor at all. I hadn't gone through any classes and didn't know what to expect. I had a pretty horrible delivery and recovery. This time, I  desperately wanted things to be different and thoroughly educated myself on all things having to do with labor and delivery. I read Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way, Husband-coached Childbirth, Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, Baby Catcher, and Your Best Birth. I watched documentaries and educational videos - both of the Business of Being Born dvd's, Laugh and Learn about Childbirth class, and a documentary called Pregnant in America. And I researched things to death on the internet. I'd been doing so much to get my body ready for labor - squats, tailor sitting, and pelvic tilts, sitting on an exercise ball everyday, drinking 3-4 cups of red raspberry leaf tea a day, doing accupressure for the last few weeks to start labor, etc. So it was quite ironic to learn today that this time I was wrong once again and will be having a c-section! Strangely I feel peace about it though. Especially during these last weeks of pregnancy, I pray pretty often for wisdom for my doctors. So when they very strongly say I need a c-section, I believe them.

My mom's been here for 2 weeks but needs to leave Friday (my sister is graduating from graduate school with a degree in counseling this weekend - SO proud of you MB!!) so Matt's mom is going to come up to watch Will while we are in the hospital and for the first few days we come home. My mom has been a tremendous help taking care of Will, cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, etc. I don't know how we would have survived without her!! Here's a few pictures of the last few weeks...

We made Scalini's (an Atlanta restaurant) famous Eggplant Parmigiana to put me in labor. It was absolutely delicious, but obviously didn't work on me!

Will liked it!

Last week I was VERY close to being induced because of pre-eclampsia. My blood pressure was high and some of my lab work was showing signs of pre-eclampsia also, so a nurse called the day before my appointment on Wednesday and said to bring my bags with me, because there was a high chance I'd be induced (blood pressure had gone down a little by the time I went in so they held off). So Tuesday night we took Will out for ice-cream as a last "just the three of us" outing.

And Wednesday morning mom took a last "just the three of us" picture before my appointment!

Will giving his baby sister a "hug"

Mom and I have been busy doing lots of sewing projects while we wait on Baby Girl! Mom's projects are awesome and I'll get pics of them later, but I'm pretty proud of my simple little swaddling blankets!

We are SO SO SO excited to meet this baby girl in a few days!!!

Book review and recipe

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Cooking for Mr. Latte by Amanda Hesser. Amanda was a food columnist and editor for the New York Times, and in this book she interweaves her food-filled life with the story of how she met and fell in love with her husband. Each short chapter includes an interesting story about her life that centers around food - going to restaurants with friends, going to dinner for the first time at her in-laws, etc. - and concludes with the recipes that she ate or prepared.

When I started reading this book, I was in a cooking "slump." Early pregnancy, with it's exhaustion and food aversions, caused me to not want to be in the kitchen. I also find that the biggest deterrent to me cooking is not having any ideas of what to cook.  Lack of inspiration! This book cured that for me. I loved hearing her talk about food. I loved reading the recipes. I tried at least 5 of them, and they've all been delicious. I also checked out her cookbook from the library and have made several good things from it as well...

Amanda now has young twins and is no longer working for the New York Times, but she has a blog, Food52, with tons of good recipes on it. Here is one I made that was so good I've made it 3 times already:

Griddled Polenta Cakes with Caramelized Onions, Goat Cheese, and Honey

The flavors go SO well together - it is a dish you will eat slowly and savor every bite! I have also found that caramelizing onions is my all-time favorite thing to do in the kitchen. The onions smell amazing as they cook and caramelize, and there is something relaxing about it as well. Am I weird?

Here is the recipe, that I adapted from her website:

Polenta

1.5 cups whole milk

1-2 cups water

1 t kosher salt

1 cup polenta

1 T olive oil

Topping

1 T olive oil

1 T butter

1 yellow onion, sliced thin

2 oz goat cheese

honey, to drizzle

Boil milk, 1 cup water, and salt and slowly whisk in polenta. Turn heat to low and whisk for 10-15 minutes until polenta resembles thick oatmeal, adding more water if needed (it should be quite thick so it will set up). Set into a 9x9 baking dish and set aside to cool.

Melt oil and butter in skillet on medium-low and add onion and a sprinkling of kosher salt. Let onions cook until they are golden brown and caramelized (I let them stay on the stove for about an hour). The onions won't need much attention in the beginning as they are letting out all their water, but towards the end watch them carefully so they don't burn.

Once the polenta is cooled and firm, cut into squares or circles. Heat 1 Tbs olive oil over medium in skillet and griddle both sides of the polenta. 

Top each griddled polenta cake with about 1 Tbs onions, 1 tsp goat cheese, and drizzle with honey. Enjoy!

A few book reviews

I've been doing a lot of reading lately, and I want to start reviewing more of what I read on here. Most of what I decide to read is based on reviews I read on other blogs, so I thought I'd start throwing my own thoughts out there too. A few words of warning though: I don't rate books based on how much of a literary masterpiece they are - rather I just share what either holds my interest from start to finish (the mark of a good book to me!) or what I had a hard time getting through (as much as I may have wanted to like it!). I hope that will be helpful to any of you who like to read and share my taste in books.

1. Girl in Translation - I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is one of my two favorite novels I've read in the  last year (the other is below!). It is the story of a immigrant teenage girl from China as she adjusts to life in New York. It wasn't necessarily a book that sounded all that interesting to me at first, but the writing is so good it will draw you in! I couldn't put it down.

Rating: 4.5/5

2. Kisses from Katie - If you only read one book this year, read this one! It is such an inspiring story of Katie, who grew up in a very wealthy neighborhood and was both homecoming queen and senior class president and decided to forego college to move to Uganda after high school. She's since adopted 14 girls. Watch the video below to hear Katie in her own words.

Rating: 5/5

3. The End of Normal - Stephanie Madoff was married to Mark Madoff, Bernie Madoff's son who committed suicide last year. This is the story of the Madoff family and their unraveling from her perspective. I got this one on my kindle from the library and couldn't put it down and read it in about a day. I thought it was fascinating. That said, I've never read another memoir in which I like the person less after reading it. Stephanie doesn't paint herself as a saint, at least in my opinion.

Rating: 4/5

4. A Praying Life - My sister read this book and liked it so much she gave it to me for my birthday. I thought it was excellent. Sometimes nonfiction Christian books can be a little dry and take me forever to finish, but this was an easy read, with really good things to say. In fact, I plan to read it again this year.

Rating: 4/5

5. The Soldier's Wife - This novel is set on Guernsey Island during World War II. It is the story of Vivienne, who falls in love with a German soldier who has moved in next door. I wanted to like this book, but it moved way too slowly for me. I kept waiting for the pace to pick up, but it never did.

Rating: 2/5

6. These is my Words - I LOVED this - it may be my favorite novel that I've read this past year! It is set at the end of the 1800's in the time of Little House on the Prairie. It is based on the author's great-grandmother, Sarah Prine. I loved Sarah, and even weeks after finishing this one I am still thinking about these characters...it is a story that will stay with you.

Rating: 5/5

7. Two Kisses for Maddy - This is a memoir written by a husband whose wife tragically died the day after giving birth to their first daughter. I couldn't put this down. A few warnings though: It was incredibly sad, but for a different reason than you may think. Neither the husband nor wife were believers - the husband didn't want God even mentioned at the funeral. Another warning: this guy uses terrible language, to the point it was distracting.

Rating: 3/5

8. Shanghai Girls - This is the story of two sisters who emigrate from China to the US in the 1930's. This was the first Lisa See novel I've read, and I didn't love it. I honestly tried to just finish it quickly so I could go on to the next book (I've got a VERY long "to read" list). I've heard Snowflower and the Secret Fan is better though, so I may give it a try.

Rating: 2/5

9. The Everygirl's Guide to Life - I just happened to see this at the library and it looked interesting. I like Maria Menounos, and I thought this book was pretty interesting. She is very organized and has good ideas and tips on everything from decorating, organization, clothes, makeup and hair, finances, etc. I actually took her advice on some makeup that she swears by (Eve Pearl concealer), and I love it too!

Rating: 3.5/5 

10. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - This is the true story of Henrietta Lacks, who died in the 50's of cancer. Before she died, doctors took cells from her that have been used for all kinds of breakthroughs in medicine, including the cure for polio. And yet Henrietta's family continues to this day to live in extreme poverty. I thought the story was interesting, but after all the hype about this book it honestly wasn't the easiest book in the world to get through. If you like true stories and have an interest in the medical field, you will probably really like this!

Rating: 3/5


What are you reading? If you read something I may like, let me know! I LOVE getting recommendations!

Lots of books!

I've been on a book reading frenzy for the past few weeks. Most of what I read comes from recommendations that I see on other blogs, so I thought I would return the favor and share a few of my own thoughts on what I've been reading recently. I'll start with fiction...

1. Violets of March by Sarah Jio
I really enjoyed this book. It's a mystery novel about Emily, who finds an old diary and sets out to uncover family secrets. This would be a great beach read - the setting is idyllic, it is easy to read and I found it hard to put down! I would rate this a 4 out of 5.

2. Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda

This novel follows the lives of two women, one in India who had to give up her newborn daughter to an orphanage, and one woman in California who is adopting a daughter from India. It is interesting how their lives intersect.  I thought the book was good - not my favorite, but still a good read. This would be a good choice for a book club. I give it a 3.5.

3. Little Bee by Chris Cleave
This is the story of Little Bee, a refugee from Nigeria, and Sarah, the woman who takes her into her home in London. I would describe this book as heavy, shocking and sad. To be honest, I really didn't love this one. I give it a 2.

4. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
This historical fiction novel is the story of a Chinese boy and a Japanese girl living in California during WWII. I didn't realize how Japanese people were treated during this time in our country - the Japanese were sent to internment camps. This is a love story, and a very sweet one. I liked it, and would give it a 3.5.

5. The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins
To be honest, I was really just curious to see what all the fuss is about in this series for teens - it's been a #1 bestseller for awhile (I also haven't read the Harry Potter series or the Twilight series, although I may!). The books take place in the future, and they are not for the faint of heart! All three of the books were good, but I thought the first was excellent (and will be coming out in a movie next March!). They are very fast reads - Matt and I both read the entire trilogy in 4 or 5 days. That said, I am not a science fiction fan and didn't appreciate these books as much as most people! I give them a 3.5 (Matt said he'd give them a 4!).

6. Reshaping it All by Candice Cameron Bure

I absolutely loved this book. I don't spend money on books - I always get them from the library, unless it is one I am going to want to read again and again and loan out to friends. This book definitely falls into that category. The content of the book is about a third her biography, a third about healthy eating, and a third about her faith. I grew up watching DJ on Full House, so I thought it was interesting to read her story! She talks about eating and weight loss in relation to her faith, and I found it to be inspiring and full of good ideas! I like how she focuses on living a life of self-control and discipline in all areas of life. I highly recommend! I give it a 5.

7. Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst

The words on the cover say it all: this book is about satisfying your deepest desire with God, not food. I like that idea, and I really wanted to love this book. It's hard to put my finger on exactly why it didn't sit well with me. I think it is because she basically leaves no room for moderation - her diet is very all or nothing, and I don't think that is realistic. She doesn't eat any bread, pasta, corn, potatoes, rice, or sweets. And having even just one small treat on an occasion isn't an option for her. She does say that her own diet isn't for all people, but it is the only diet she talks about, and I couldn't quite figure out how to apply this to my own life...I only eat a treat once or twice a week - is this ok? After reading this book, I was left a little confused. I give it a 3. Who knows, maybe I'll read it again in a year and think it's wonderful:)

8. In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan
This should be required reading. Michael Pollan, who was featured on Food, Inc., goes through the history of 'nutritionism' and the affect on Americans: we're fat. His ideas are simple and straightforward: eat food, not to much, mostly plants. By "eat food" he means real, whole food, and not what he refers to as "edible food-like substances" - processed foods. This book, along with Food Inc.; Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle; and the book below have completely changed the way Matt and I think about food. I give it a 5.

We also read Food Rules by Michael Pollan, which is a VERY short version of In Defense of Food. It is a very simple, easy to read, quick book. If you don't have the time or desire to read In Defense of Food, at least read this one!

9. Food Matters by Mark Bittman
The ideas in this book are similar to In Defense of Food - eat less meat, way less processed food, and much more fruits and vegetables. I also highly recommend this one. I give it a 5.

10. The Food Matters Cookbook by Mark Bittman
This cookbook goes along with his Food Matters book - it features healthy recipes (there isn't even a meat section - the dinner section focuses on vegetables, beans and grains!). Every single recipe looks AMAZING, and the few that we've tried have tasted awesome! Bittman is a food journalist for the New York Times and cookbook writer and he is hands down mine and Matt's favorite when it comes to recipes and cookbooks. He's called the "minimalist" - he focuses on making things taste good in a minimal amount of time with minimal ingredients. I love that! I know this is a cookbook, but I still give it a 5!

Have you read anything good lately? I LOVE getting recommendations!!

Unbroken

I just finished reading Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. It is the incredible true story of Lou Zamperini, who ran in the Olympics in Berlin and shook Hitler's hand, and then later joined the air force during WWII. After his plane crashed into the Pacific, he floated on a raft for several weeks. He fought sharks and struggled to survive without food…and when he finally saw a plane, it was the Japanese, who shot at him! But that wasn't the worst of it. After being taken as a prisoner of war by the Japanese, he endured extreme abuse. I thought I knew how it was going to end. I was wrong, but I won't spoil it for you! I can't believe I had never heard of this guy before - what an amazing story! I highly recommend this book!

A few good books

Here are a couple of books that I've read recently that I really enjoyed.

1. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Barbara Kingsolver, an author probably best known for her novel The Poisonwood Bible, decided with her family to eat local for a year. They moved across the country and lived on a farm, growing all of their vegetables and raising chickens and turkeys. It is written in a way that keeps it really entertaining - her husband and daughter chime in with their thoughts from time to time. The book will make you interested in what you are eating and where it comes from. It raises questions that I'd never thought of before - like the concept of fruits and vegetables that are "in season" when you can go to the grocery store any day of the year and see every fruit and vegetable imaginable. This book completely changed the way I think about food (I talked Matt's ear off about it while I was reading it!) I highly recommend it.

2. Jesus Calling by Sarah Young
I got this a few months ago and have been LOVING it. It is a devotional book with a short reading for every day of the year. It is written as if God is speaking to you, and has some scriptures at the bottom that you can look up if you want. The reading is short, but packed full of wisdom and insight! If you are looking for a devotional book, I highly recommend this one.

3. Somewhere Inside by Laura Ling and Lisa Ling
You may have heard the story of Lisa Ling's (she was a host on The View) sister, Laura, who was held captive by North Korea for several months last year before President Clinton flew over there to bring her home. They've written this book together to tell their story, which to me was fascinating. I didn't know very much about North Korea, and since reading this book I've read other stuff on it. The book goes back and forth from the viewpoint of Laura, being held captive, and Lisa, who was doing everything possible to bring her sister home. I couldn't put this book down, and read it in about 2 days.

4. Choosing to See by Mary Beth Chapman
You probably remember a few years ago hearing about Steven Curtis Chapman's daughter being killed in their own driveway after being hit by a car that their son was driving. This is their story, told by his wife, Mary Beth. It is not just a sad book thought. There are several sections that will have you laughing hysterically - Mary Beth is really funny. And there are others that will have you crying. It was a very emotional book, and I'm glad I read it. She also talks a lot about adoption, something they are passionate about. A great read!

What have you read recently that you've enjoyed? I am always looking out for new things to read! And if you've read one of these, what did you think?

The Help

I have read a lot of good books lately, so I thought I would start doing reviews of some of them. With Matt working now (and working from home most nights) and not having cable, I have more time to read while Will is asleep. And I LOVE it! I had missed not reading as much the last few years. It's also really nice having a library within walking distance of our house. I love the feeling of walking out with an armload of books I'd been wanting to read, all without paying a dime!

The first book I want to review is The Help by Kathryn Stockett. This would have to make my list of the top 5 novels I've ever read. The book is set in 1962 in the segregated town of Jackson, Mississippi during the height of the civil rights movement. Told in first person from the perspective of three different characters, the book pulls back the curtain on the lives of white Junior League women and their "help" who basically manage their lives, from cleaning their homes to cooking their meals to even raising their children. The book specifically chronicles two maids, Aibilene and Minny, as they take on a huge risk and work with a white woman, Skeeter, to tell their stories in a book she is writing of what it is like to live their life as the hired help of the white class.

It is a heart-wrenching and fast-paced book whose 464 pages will be over before you can blink. I found it very hard to put down and stayed up late too many nights devouring it. Stockett does an incredible job of drawing you in and making you empathize with the characters. Being from the south myself, I pictured every scene being played out in my head as I read through the syrupy southern dialogue. (I was also happy to find out that a movie is already in the works to be released next spring!) This book will make you laugh, and it will make you angry.

I was surprised to find out that this is the author's first book. I will definitely be reading anything else she writes. I also thought it was neat that she lives in my old stomping grounds - Atlanta.

I gave it to Matt to read when I was done and he read it in about 2 days on his train-ride commute. He loved it as well, and we enjoyed talking about it afterwards. My mom was visiting while I was reading it, and she picked it up and read the first few pages and then went home and bought it to finish it! And this is a woman who swears she never reads fiction!

I would highly recommend this book.

The Hiding Place

We went to the Illinois Holocaust Museum on Friday. It is something we'd wanted to do for awhile - it was just finished being built earlier this year, and it is actually just down the street from us!

The museum did a really good job of bringing the reality of the Holocaust to life. You can actually stand in a real boxcar that Jews would have been crammed into on their way to death camps - it was made in Germany in the 30's and shipped over here to go in the museum. The museum also does a good job at pointing out the genocide that is still happening in the world today, like in Darfur, Rwanda, etc.

Photography wasn't allowed inside, so I only snapped a couple of pictures outside before we went in.

I also reread one of my favorite books this week - The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom. It is the true story of Corrie ten Boom, who lived in Holland during the Holocaust and risked her life to work in the underground movement to hide Jews in a secret room in her house. She was eventually caught, and along with her family, went to Hitler's concentration camps. But instead of focusing on the horrible things that were happening to her, she was able to look past them and see God at work. The story is inspiring and powerful and you won't read it without being impacted.

AND... I'd like to give a copy away! Just leave me a comment and I'll draw a random winner to receive a copy (comment on anything you'd like, or tell me a book that YOU enjoyed!). And please feel free to leave a comment if you are family, if you've never left a comment before, or if you don't even know me! I'll leave it up for a week to give everyone a chance to comment, and then I'll draw a winner on Friday.

Same Kind of Different as Me

A couple of days ago a friend lent me Same Kind of Different as Me. She'd told me what an amazing story it is, and I remembered my mom telling me she'd heard the author speak on St. Simons, so I started reading it right away. I just finished it and it was so good that I just had to post about it!

It is the true (but almost unbelievable) story of two men and how their lives intersected. Ron was a wealthy, self-absorbed art dealer who enjoyed an extravagant lifestyle. Denver was a sharecropper who grew up on a plantation picking cotton without any electricity or education. By the time these two men meet, Denver is homeless, angry, and dangerous.

I found the story fascinating. It's about compassion, about suffering and hardship, and about redemption. It is well-written: the chapters are short, and they alternate from the perspective of Ron and Denver, so it stays interesting. I wholeheartedly recommend it!

Also, I just checked out the author's website, and he says that a movie is in the works by the same producer who did Pursuit of Happyness. Samuel L. Jackson will play Denver, and it will be out sometime in 2010!

New book coming out

I found out today that Francine Rivers is coming out with a new book! If you haven't read anything by her before, she is just about the greatest author EVER!! She mainly writes christian fiction - a lot of historical christian fiction to be exact. The first book I read by her, Redeeming Love, is still my all-time favorite book, and her Mark of the Lion series would probably come close behind! Lately she has been writing shorter books based off characters in the Bible. While good, I can't seem to get into them like some of her older work. So I am ecstatic about this new (450 page!) book coming out March 16, 2010!

Here is what the publisher has to say:

Her Mother’s Hope is the first of two historical novels in the Marta’s Legacy series, a saga inspired by strong women from Francine Rivers’s own family ancestry. The oft-unspoken, sacrificial love of a mother for her daughter is a crucial component to this story of four generations of women. Francine Rivers drew her inspiration from the biblical Parable of the Sower and the Seed for this series, while exploring how feeling loved and actually being loved can be perceived very differently. Breaking hurtful generational cycles is a foundational theme in the series.

You can read more here.