Friday Things
1. Einstein and Duke have had an eventful week… On Saturday evening, we were watching TV on the couch when Duke started chasing his tail behind the couch (not unusual, he does it all the time). All of a sudden, he started crying and we ran back there and wouldn’t put weight on his leg. To make a long story short, we freaked out, drove to the emergency vet, got out, and he was FINE. Took him to our regular vet this week and he appears to be in just fine shape – no damage done. They gave him some anti-inflammatory meds and think he just may have twisted or sprained something.
We brought both of them to the vet appointment this week so we could get Einstein weighed since he was put on a diet a couple of months ago. He’s lost 6 pounds! The vet still said he could stand to lose a few more, but he’s looking slimmer, and we’ve noticed he’s much more playful and spunky since dropping the weight. Ironically, Duke GAINED 6 pounds, so now Einstien is actually only 4 pounds heavier than Duke. It’s crazy since their builds are so different; plus, Einstien has such a curly/fluffy coat that I think it naturally makes him look bigger.
2. Before Duke decided to give us a heart attack on Saturday, my Chief Culinary Consultant and I spent the better part of Friday and Saturday working on our baby registry. It was exhausting, but fun. It was exciting to pick out sheet sets and start to envision a little guy using all of this stuff!
3. Speaking of baby, I’ve started to brainstorm of list of things that I want to get stocked in the freezer before the baby arrives to make meals easier for the first few weeks. For those of you who have been there, what’s most helpful to have in the freezer? Suggestions are definitely welcome!
4. This fall has been awesome when it comes to new cookbooks from food bloggers! If you haven’t checked them out yet, definitely add these to your list: Decorating Cookies Party (Bake at 350), Joy the Baker Homemade Decadence (Joy the Baker), Seriously Delish (How Sweet It Is), and The Skinnytaste Cookbook.
5. A couple of days ago, Harry & David tweeted a picture of this four-pound solid chocolate turkey and I almost died. I would pass up the real turkey at Thanksgiving dinner for that chocolate one any day of the week.
6. Last Friday, my new iPhone 6 Plus showed up! When I first opened it, I had a split second of “OMG, what did I do? This phone is HUGE!” However, after playing around with it for a little while, I fell absolutely in love with it. Now, to find a great case for it because I’m terrified that I’m going to drop and shatter it… it’s quite a bit thinner than previous models. I’ve been using an Otterbox Defender with my previous phones, but since this one is larger, I’m wondering if it’ll make it too bulky. However, you can’t beat the protection – I’ve dropped my previous phone in parking lots and on ceramic tile, and it survived a Golden Retriever puppy who has a certain affinity for that bright pink Otterbox case!
7. Do any of you ladies subscribe to the Dollar Shave Club? I’ve seen a ton of female friends like it on Facebook, but I’m slightly skeptical! However, I also hate paying for ladies’ razors that only do an adequate job at best.
8. Last night was the start of hockey season here in Pittsburgh, and I was determined to make it to the home opener this year for a few reasons. One, it’s my most favorite game of the year – new beginnings! Two, it might be the only game I actually get to this season given that I’m getting bigger by the day and once January rolls around, we’ll have a newborn. I was also excited to see Pittsburgh native John Gibson as the starting goalie for Anaheim. PLUS, soft pretzel braid. Enough said.
9. In case you missed it, I’m giving away an awesome new Crock-Pot Slow Cooker this week – it has a stovetop-safe cooking insert, which means no more dirtying multiple pots to get a meal ready for the slow cooker! If you haven’t done so yet, be sure to enter the giveaway before midnight tonight!
10. TGIF! I hope you have a relaxing weekend!
TD, way to try and freak the lady out.
I honestly don’t know what freezes well, BUT before I had my daughter I made a bunch of homemade granola and ate that when I was home alone; I didn’t have any trouble cooking then (like the one lady said), it’s now that she’s almost a year old that early evening she becomes completely out of sorts.
You’ll develop your plan.
Hang in there!
loved the photo, which I thought it would make a wonderful Christmas one. Wear a pair of black boots, a red top and do the same take, and HoHOHO…
love the blog, the cooking ideas, Duke and Einstein and the most important, the progress of you pregnancy. Thanks for taking the time and make our Fridays extra happy!!! Monica
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When our daughter was born in January, I had stocked the freezer so full that you needed weights to keep the lid closed. It was a lifesaver, as I didn’t have to cook for MONTHS.
We had lasagna, enchilada lasagna, meatloaf, meatballs, porcupine meatballs, shepherds pie, and a few other types of casseroles. I also made a ton of slow cooker bags, stews, soups, teriyaki chicken, mongolian beef, marinaded chicken breasts, spaghetti sauce, etc. If you plan to breastfeed, try to avoid foods that make you gassy (i.e. no chili!). I found that foods that made me gassy, also made baby gassy. no fun! Also, I avoided really spicy foods, because I’ve heard they don’t always agree with baby.
I also loved having snack food on hand, because I was always hungry. I love muffins and scones, and probably had dozens ready to go in the freezer. This is probably TMI, but you’ll want to have lots of fiber rich foods for the first week or two. Morning glory muffins and bran muffins were my best friend.
Good luck! I had so much fun stocking the freezer in anticipation for baby!
Before our youngest was born, I froze a bunch of crock-pot meals (easy to throw on in the morning and have dinner done while still in that sleepless-new-baby-fog), a few bags of spaghetti sauce, some muffins, and 2 pans of lasagna.
The muffins being pre-done were a HUGE help when it came to needing something quick to nibble on one-handed while nursing. It was easy to reheat them and have them ready to go when I needed them :)
(On a different note, if you’re on reddit I can’t recommend /r/babybumps enough! You can be completely anonymous and there is a wonderful support system and a ridiculous wealth of information there without people being super weird or all up in your grill. It’s a neat place to browse, anyways :) )
I agree with what many of the others said. Pasta sauce (with meatballs and whatever else you like) along with baked ziti freeze really well. We just used a ziti stashed away from our baby in May. Marinated chicken portioned out. Pulled pork, any type of chili. My husband like this baked pasta take on chicken parmwith mini chicken meatballs. I found we didn’t need them in the immediate weeks after because family was often around but was a savior when all of our parents were gone and my husband was back at work. I’m trying to do a second round stock up now that I am back at work. Stock on bags of frozen veggies, I don’t mind the steam in the microwave kind. Anything to help make it easier and still get us some veggies. I wish I had gotten my husband more comfortable in the kitchen ahead of time. Since he gets home first he often has to at least start some of the meals.
I love reading your Friday updates! I am due with my first baby a week after you! I’ve been looking up freezer meals too and have found some good ones on Thriving Home Blog – I’ve made the Ham & Cheese Sliders, Chicken Parm, and Baked Tortellini for a friend with a new baby and they’ve all been a hit. I would love to hear about any good recipes you find.
One thing I suggest you have plenty of are baby wash cloths and a handy basket to keep them in. I would keep some in diaper bag with a bottle of water too. I didn’t like using wipes on my children’s faces. A clean cloth with water is better for baby’s face. (Gift idea – Fill any size basket along with baby wash, wrapped in a hooded bath towel or receiving blanket, tied together with a pink or blue ribbon, instead of spending money on wrapping paper that will get thrown away). I always had a baby wash cloth basket and the grown up wash cloth basket. And a basket for cloth diapers used for burp towels only.
PLEASE, please, please keep that cell phone as far away from your belly as possible! The radiation isn’t good for you or your baby. And when your baby is born, please keep the cell phone away from the little one as much as possible. People don’t think about those things and I see parents all the time with the phones right next to their babies! It scares me. No one knows yet what long term phone radiation will do to us.
My husband is the one who told me about the Dollar Shave Club. I love it! It is inexpensive and I think the shave I get is much better than women razors. Plus, I love the shave gel they sell. It seems to slow hair regrowth and you don’t need to use much each time.
It seems like you and your husband are home most of the day. I bet with some creative time management, you could prep most of a meal during the day and have it ready to go around dinner time. I’m still a fan of a bigger lunch and a light meal for dinner. Maybe something to consider, especially since a lot of babies get in that inconsolable mood around dinner time?
Razors are expensive, but I consider having a good razor worth it especially since I have to shave every day. I buy a big pack from BJ’s since it works out much cheaper.
Very jealous of your iPhone! Mine is not scheduled to ship until next week! Ugh
I second (or maybe third or fourth, I didn’t read all the comments) Sara K. on the soup (I just made a batch of beef & barley vegetable today) AND the Ballistic phone case. For the soup, I recommend freezing it in individual containers. Then you can pop it in the microwave for 8 minutes and have what you want. Otherwise it takes forever to warm it up. PLUS, you and your hubby can each have exactly the flavor you want! Way better than compromise. And in January, you’ll want LOTS of soup. :)
On another note, I have had two Ballistics cases (on my current phone and my past phone) and dropped them on concrete two or three times with no issue whatsoever. Ballistic is quite a bit cheaper than Otterbox, too.
Re: razors…why not have the hair on your legs laser end off? Yes, the initial outlay is high but when you think about how much you’d spend on razors during your life and the time it takes as well as the abrasions and cuts you’ll suffer, laser hair removal is the way to go. I suggest underarms and bikini line also.
Those dogs are so adorable!
Dollar Shave Club is legit! I have been getting them for over 6 months. It really is $6 for the 4 blade razorblades. I love this company!
Like the others said, Lasagna for sure. I still make one and cut it into 2 portion servings and freeze it that way. I also do not use lasagna noodles-I use rotini. I always hated the what would happen when you cut into lasagna noodles. An enchilada casserole is good to freeze in portion sizes also. One of my favorites is actually meatloaf in muffin tins (or a mini loaf tin). Just bake, pop them out and then freeze in a ziplock bag. My youngest is 29 and these are things i still do.
BTW-one of the best things I did when my kids were babies was to double or triple sheet their cribs. I would put those waterproof pads in between too. That way if they wet through in the middle of the night I didn’t have to change the sheets, just pull off to the next set-saved me a bunch of aggravation. Enjoy!
I subscribe to Dollar Shave Club using the mid-tier razor. It works for me, just as well as any other razor I’ve used. No extra cuts on my legs or anything. I would recommend it.
Ditto on the comments about not stocking up on meals, but I was lucky with my first (of three). He was quite the sleeper. If you do freeze ahead, you may want to freeze ingredients to shorten prep time (e.g. cooked chicken, diced onions, browned burger, etc.)
As to razors, I’ve been using Bic disposable razors ever since I read an article on Pioneer Woman. They don’t shave as close, so your skin doesn’t dry out and are quite economical. I do have to shave more often.
Even though we live in San Diego, my husband has roots in Pittsburgh and the Penguins are his favorite team. He just bought this for our baby boy who is due at the end of December: http://shop.nhl.com/Pittsburgh_Penguins_Kids_Jerseys/Reebok_Evgeni_Malkin_Pittsburgh_Penguins_Infant_2014_Replica_Stadium_Series_Player_Jersey_-White. I think your little guy might need one as well! I also really appreciate all of the freezer-friendly ideas. I think we’ll be doing the same thing in the coming weeks!
I would stock up some frozen dinners like casseroles, enchiladas, etc as others have mentioned. I’d also make some sort of steel-cut oats and freeze them individual portions that you can microwave. Breakfast bars. Food with good calories and things that make you happy. Tired stressed out mamas need lots of good calories – i loved hot oatmeal, good muffins, and snacks as I was always hungry.
I have used the Dollar Shave Club for awhile and I love it! I have the mid-priced option and it works just great! I’ve used Venus in the past and the lotion strips on it actually irritated my skin a lot. The DSC razor hasn’t caused any irritation at all and the blades are great quality!
Always enjoy the Friday posts. I had a 2 1/2 year old when I had twins, didn’t have freezer meals or anything prepared, and made it just fine.
I just had a son in July and freezer meals were really helpful (coups, shredded chicken, muffins, breakfast sandwiches). I made the mistake of making a lot of casseroles with cheese or other dairy products because I didn’t really know any better and didn’t think it would be an issue. At about 6 weeks, we found out my son has a dairy sensitivity and reflux, so I can’t eat/drink dairy anymore! A few meals are still in the freezer just because I can’t eat them. Just make sure to have a variety of meals – some without dairy/soy/gluten if you plan on breastfeeding. Hopefully your little guy has no issues, but I wish I would’ve had more dairy free freezer options!
i didn’t stock the freezer too much before my child was born. I think I cooked up some ground beef to use in chili, tacos, etc. and that’s about it. We didn’t have anyone make meals for us, either. We managed just fine. Like others said, we lowered our standards a bit at first (store bought bread instead of homemade, for instance) and ate really simple meals. I am a stay-at-home mom, so I’ve always done kitchen work while the little one sleeps.
I have been a member of Dollar Shave Club now for about 4 months and I am pretty pleased. I subscribe to the quad blade razor ($4/month) and find it comparable in quality to the Shock Quatro I was using before, but infinitely less expensive. I change my blades more often now, as it is more affordable to do so, and find that my shaves are closer and smoother with the fresher blade.
I’ve been using Dollar Shave Club for ~3 months now (middle-price option, I think maybe $6/month). I feel like it’s not as great as the Venus Embrace that I’m used to and I end up with more cuts on my legs, but for such a better price it seems like a fair trade-off. I might give the $9 one a try (still a great deal) and see if that helps.
I’m glad you and I are so close as far as weeks go in our pregnancy because I’ve had the same question about freezer meals. I am going to do some Pinterest searches soon and I’ll be following everyone’s comments. : )
Also, my skin has been SO (annoyingly) sensitive since becoming pregnant. All the normal razors I used would give me terrible razor burn so I tried Dollar Shave Club’s $9/month razor. It’s awesome! It’s the best razor I’ve probably ever used. Dollar Shave Club is definitely a company geared towards men, but I don’t care. I can’t vouch for their cheaper razors, but I love the $9 one.
I’ve been subscribed to the dollar shave club for over a year now. Absolutely LOVE it! I get 5 razors sent every other month, and pay only $3 total (I get the $1 razors). They don’t cut you like the cheap disposable razors do and are way less expensive. Sometimes they even add in freebies for you to try out. Can’t recommend them enough!
I agree with others who’ve said not to worry about pre-stocking meals. For me, the changes in our after-work and morning time routines were what took some getting used to. It was more about figuring out who would cook, who would feed baby (I bottle fed), readjusting who does what household chores, and how we’d both fit in time for the gym.
If anything, don’t feed bad about lowering your standards for a month or two. I hate cooking out of boxes and cans but man, jarred spaghetti sauces, microwaveable bags of veggies, and storebought meatballs saved me many times while we were in our period of adjustment.
Don’t worry too much about stocking up, you’ll find that having time to cook and bake is actually easy to find. When my first was on his way, I thought about stocking up – but didn’t. And we were fine! Plenty of awesome meals after he came. Cooking and baking kind of became a way for me to have some time to myself, while dada got some time alone with baby boy. We’re now a week or so out from being a family of four, and I’m still not going to stock up. After all, I’ve got another helper in the kitchen with my toddler. : )
I’m excited about the beginning of hockey season too! Last night my team (the Calgary Flames) beat their biggest rival. I thought it was a great way to start the season.
I can honestly say that I didn’t stock the freezer for any of the babies (3). I did have friends and family bring over food, but when they are infants, it’s actually not that hard to cook – just have to be flexible with timing and such. It’s when they get a bit older when the “witching hour” hits – 5 to 6:30 PM or so, for some reason, babies become inconsolable, need to be held, etc. But, they usually are taking some good 2-3 hour naps when you can get all sorts of stuff done. I just don’t find most dishes freeze well anyway. The exception is my creamy chicken enchiladas and soups. I make soup and freeze it in 1 c servings for lunch. Don’t forget to make some cookies and freeze them to bring with you to the delivery – labor is exhausting, and you’ll need food for energy – or, if you’re not hungry like I, then you can always eat them after labor!
I love chocolate, but I’d never trade Thanksgiving turkey for it.
I have a 3 month old and have to say that things you can eat with one hand are the best! Burritos of all kinds have been a lifesaver – you can get a full meal (protein, veggies, carbs) in each and can even make breakfast ones. Plus you can easily microwave just one at a time and don’t have to worry about planning ahead and pre-heating the oven to heat up a casserole when you’re hungry now!
Casseroles! Or more specifically meals that don’t need sides. Easy husband proof dishes. :)
Always look forward to your Friday posts and pictures of your dogs. Love those dogs!
Before my twins were born in July, I stocked the freezer. Since it was mainly my husband and I eating the meals (we also have a picky 3.5 year old), I would take a recipe that called for a 9×13 and split it into two 8×8 dishes, eat one for dinner and freeze the other. We had a number of pasta dishes, chicken (baked pesto chicken is my fav!!), and turkey/rice dishes. I also made a 20lb turkey and shredded the meat to make freezable casseroles, pot pies, strombolis, etc. It was definitely a lifesaver not having to cook!!
I don’t think you should freak out about having a freezer stocked with food. You think you will never get out again!!! But you do. I was taking my baby with me after two weeks. Just relax and enjoy.
My 2nd is due in 3 weeks and I have to say that I’ve already stocked up on casseroles and chili with meatballs (I LOVE having frozen meatballs on hand!) and more to come. Some of my favorites are zucchini parm, ravioli bake, stuffed shells and mac & cheese. I’m not a huge fan of soup, but that’s also a great option. Another choice is to pre-bag crock pot recipes. I do this with roasts, mostly, and it’s great. Just grab the bag from the freezer, let it defrost (or not!), toss it in the crock pot and let it cook all day. I love my frozen casseroles, but the crock pot bags are my favorite :) Good luck!
I would suggest making some soup to freeze. Many freezer meals are casseroles or other heavy dishes. I would expect that you’ll get tired of them after a while. Make some chili, vegetable soup or chicken tortilla soup to bring some variety to your meals!
And think about breakfast too. Baked oatmeal freezes really well in a muffin tin. There are all kinds of make ahead egg dishes – breakfast burritos, egg bakes, etc. Having a warm, filling breakfast will be very helpful when you are running on low sleep :)
As far as cases, I had an otterbox defender for a while for my galaxy, but I decided I wanted a lighter case. I bought a ballistic case in pink and black (similar in protection to the otterbox commuter series) and added a zagg screen protector. Much more manageable for me!
I think the biggest thing we noticed with our freezer meals when we had our little one was that it was all protein + rice/pasta. We missed veggies so much! So on top of your freezer meals, perhaps work out some meal size veg that you can throw together easily. Perhaps individual portions of parboiled /steamed carrots/beans/corn etc?
Hamburger-Noodle Bake is one of my favorites! Egg noodles, sour cream, cream cheese, green onions, then hamburger cooked through and mixed with plain tomato sauces and some seasonings. Not Italian flavored but a nice mix if flavors. Happy to share if you don’t have a recipe, but I figure you do!
When making dishes for your freezer it is best to consider if you are breast feeding. If you will be, some items are not tolerated well by babies. There are tons of lists on the internet listing such foodstuffs. Good Luck, and have fun with it.
OMG…I checked out that chocolate turkey. I couldn’t believe that at 4 pounds, it is hollow! It is beautiful for sure but too pricy for me. When you mentioned the size of your iPhone 6 , I chuckled. I was watching Kelly & Michael one morning recently and Michael mentioned he had purchased the larger one. He and Kelly then compared how the phone fit in each of their hands. In Kellys’ hand, it looked like she was holding a small tablet but in Michael’s huge football players hand, it actually looked like a normal size phone. It was very funny to see.
Hi Michelle! Plenty of options for the freezer meals like turkey tetrazzini, various soups/chilis, even enchiladas, and sloppy joe mix :) If you’re still looking for a phone case, I have to say I love mine. I used to have an Otterbox and then a LifeProof, but I really wanted to enjoy the thin-ness and sleek design of this new phone. I put a Zagg glass shield on the front and back, and then use the Neo Hybrid case by Spigen. I love it, and everyone in my family has converted to it. Check it out! Glad you made the Pens game last night – how awesome was that???
I found a website that has recipes for frozen crock pot meals – you put everything in a ziploc, and put the frozen contents directly in the crock pot when you’re ready to cook. That being said, one of the meals was not very flavorful (though we subbed light coconut milk for regular), but there were 7 or 8 to choose from.
Definitely ditto on lasagna (fully cooked) and chicken pot pies (pre-made, not baked). We made a ton of pesto this year and have it frozen for quick pasta meals. Another option is meatloaf (fully cooked).
Key for freezer meals: vacuum sealer. Freshness lasts for months.
My son is almost 3 months old now, and having a freezer full of pre-made dinners has been a super life saver!
Can I also recommend a Scandi cookbook by Trine Hahnemann called Scandinavian Baking? I have no professional, personal or commercial association with her- I just adore her book and think you might enjoy it.
My miniature schanuzer will do the same thing- playing as usual then yelp and draw her bag leg in, won’t put weight on it, and cries and cries. But then back to normal almost as quick as it happened. At her check up, the vet gave her a physical “massage” and felt that she had a luxating patella- basically a loose kneecap that pops out then back in. No serious problem. Just annoying and shocking for her when it happens.
I really disliked the razors I got from Dollar Shave Club. I went right back to my Gillette Fusion. The DSC ones are in the medicine cabinet as emergency supply if I ever forget to restock my Fusion blades.
I stocked up on Cottage and Shepherds Pies, Chicken and Mushroom Pies, Quiche, blanched a load of veg so it didn’t take so long muffins, cupcakes big cakes anything that was partly cooked and didn’t take long icecream as well
I had a variety of things in the freezer. Quick heat & eat meals (lasagne is always a hit) for us 2, as well as larger portions for inevitable streams of visitors and family. Breakfast and snack-type items are also good. Muffins and things like that. Quick to take out one and reheat and eat with one hand (as the other will be holding a baby!). I also froze balls of cookie dough for tea-time treats which were very welcome.
Make sure to write out heating/prep instructions clearly. Sleep deprivation is a b*tch and it also makes it easier for your partner/Mom/visitors to help. Disposable pans are a must because seriously noone wants to do dishes when there’s a baby to snuggle.
Seconding “things you can eat with one hand.” This isn’t something to freeze, but I ate a lot of trail mix in the first couple of months. And dry Cheerios.
For the freezer, I made a bunch of chicken taquitos from Annie’s Eats. They were a lifesaver after I had my baby boy in April. Also, homemade pasta sauce and lots of soup! Best wishes and let’s go Pens!!
Glad to hear Duke is fine! They’re such good boys.
Dollar Shave Club is the best! I initially ordered it for my husband, and then used one when myself when I had run out of blades for my razor. We will never go back. It really does save quite a bit of money, and my husband liked their samples of aftershave and shave butter so much he ordered full sizes. They also have good customer service. Hope that helps!
Going totally off of your subjects, I found a cat age conversion calculator, and my cat is now over 100 in cat years. May your dogs live long and prosper :)
Great meals to freeze ahead of time for me were lasagnas, made in disposable loaf pans. They have about 2-3 servings each, and I made a few different versions…a classic Italian, a Greek style, a Mexican style…even a pierogi lasagna (noodles, mashed potatoes, sauteed onions and cheddar cheese). Soups were also a great thing to freeze and pull out. Greens and beans with Italian sausage and chili helped me make it through my first winter with a newborn (ours came to us in early Feb. 2012). For me, putting everything in single serve or small containers made life easier when it came time to quickly pull something out if/when I was too tired to cook.
Great suggestions! Ditto that. Wish I pick your brain a bit more Diane because your ideas are great! Lasagnas freeze really well and I have a baby in Feb 2012 too. Cool. I always high five myself when I could pull something out of the freezer and cook it. This “system” works so well when my husband is out of town or the kids and babies are sick!!!