My life has become chaotic....not that it wasn't before, but now the only way I can feel slightly calm and normal is if my house is somewhat clean. This may sound weird...and for those who know me well....they know I am not a very good housekeeper, but I want my home to be clean daily. Staring at a counter full of dirty dishes...splatters of milk, blueberries, tomato sauce...smears of avocado and jam on the table and floor all make me want to cry. That is why each evening I try (and try to get my husband) to leave the kitchen (in the very least) sparkling clean. I want to wake up to a clean kitchen.....I wish I could wake up to everything clean, but no such luck. With a toddler and a 5 week old, if I am lucky enough to put my underwear on facing the right way, I consider the day a success (I usually wear a thong, so you'd think this would be an easy task).
My 23 month old son Dutch has found the transition to having a new brother a bit difficult. He burst into tears the moment we brought Maclayne home from the hospital, but quickly re-assessed and started offering hugs and kisses to his new baby brother. I think this was an act to get us to believe he was okay with it, so I wouldn't notice each time he pokes, pinches or smacks the baby. This is a daily occurrence....and when I raise my voice and say be gentle...Dutch quickly offers up hugs and kisses. I turn my back and his finger is in Maclaynes eye...or mouth or heading up his nose. The other day I was attempting to prepare a meal...things were awfully quiet so I turned around to see Dutch sharing his cereal with Maclayne....he had a puff (as we call them) half way into the babes mouth with about 25 others scattered on the floor around him.....I just about shit myself. I yelled, scared both kids, who immediately began crying and tried to explain to Dutch that the baby was too young to eat cereal, but Thank You for sharing just the same. He just stared at me blankly...probably thinking...lady if you know whats good for you, back away and let me decide whats good for this kid.
I was chatting with a girlfriend about this the other day and how Dutch has taken the transition quite hard. We decided it would be a similar situation if our husbands all of a sudden came home with another wife. Walked in the door with some bizzle named Candy who happened to be way younger and cuter. Damn rights I would be jealous..and want to poke her in the eye too!
All in all, life with two boys is quite lovely. You can't buy that feeling when your little guy wraps his chubby little arms around your neck and gives you a hug....or when your baby offers up a little smile (even though its probably gas). I'll take the chaos in exchange for the beautiful moments I get with my family...they will pass by so quickly so today and everyday I will Enjoy!
Monday, September 16, 2013
Saturday, September 7, 2013
A Beautiful Birth
After re-reading my last blog, I can tell I was really in a state of mental flux.....and I am so happy to report that after a huge hormonal cry that evening with my husband, labour began the very next day!!!!! I was so worried baby number two was going to take as long as Dutch did.....but after six days post term I felt my first signs of pre-labour that morning. The slight cramping began around 5am, but I thought it was just gas pains....so continued sleeping. Our son Dutch must have known we had a big day ahead of us, as he slept in until 8am. When I got up to get him from his crib, I felt the familiar twinge in my tummy and knew this was going to be the day our baby was born!
I casually advised Ivan "we are going to have our baby today....I am pretty sure I am in labour". I was calm about everything and we decided to wait a while before calling mom and dad....after an hour or so, tummy twinging away, we packed up Dutchies things for a sleepover at Nana and Papas......poor thing didn't have a clue that the next time he would see us it would be with his sibling....he was just too young to understand.
So while Ivan drove Dutch over, and my contractions carried on getting a little more intense bit by bit, I decided to distract myself with a looooong shower. Going into labour the second time is awesome, because you totally know what to expect....even though some things are different...the basics are the same. So this time I wanted to arrive at the hospital with freshly washed and done hair and some actual clothes. I say this because last time I had zero idea what to expect and ended driving to the hospital in my husbands robe, some slippers and greecy hair...needless to say, the "new baby hospital photos" were never shown to anyone...nor will they ever be. I wanted this birth to be different...I wanted to be in control of my experience and so I enjoyed my shower, blow dried my hair and even put on a tad of make up. I felt great....it was a wonderful start to the day and to my labour! Ivan had advised I should eat a good breakfast to maintain my energy (he remembered this from last time) so I went about preparing some yummy french toast with bacon...stopping every now and then to lean against the counter and breathe through a contraction.
We enjoyed our feast and then I wanted to go for a walk to get things moving along....it was a beautiful day and so we strolled along the park path hand in hand chatting away, and after a while things really started getting intense. I had to stop every few minutes to put my arms around Ivans neck and sway back and fourth while breathing through my contractions. Then we ran into our neighbours which was pretty funny as they stopped to chat and I crumpled into Ivans side....the wife quickly realizing what was going on, as Ivan says "uh....we are sort of in the middle of something here" ...everyone chuckled (except for me) and they carry on. Ivan had been timing my contractions and by this point we were starting to see a pattern. I no longer wished to be in public so we head home and continue to labour there. My goal like last time was to be 7 cm dialiated by the time we went to the hospital....with Dutch I was 5.
Ivan was such a great birth coach....we decided against hiring a doula this time as we both felt we knew what we were getting ourselves into and that we would make a great team on our own....and that we were! After timing my consistant contractions for about an hour...the intensity was really building and so off to the hospital we went. We arrived, and I think I scared everyone in sight as I was basically stopping every few minutes by this point to grunt, moan...well...yell through a contraction. Everyone we passed offered me a wheel chair.....but I chose to walk...I wanted to make sure I was far enough along....didn't want to be sent home with them telling me I was only 2 cms....I expressed my worries to the nurse checking me in...and she said, "Dear, there is no way you are only 2 cms". And right they were, as they advised..."get this girl a wheelchair, and get her to a room fast as she is already at 8cm"! Whoopie....I was thrilled...my spirits were high and it was super fun being pushed around in a wheelchair!
I met my birth team....two amazing women! My nurse Pushpa and Dr. McLean. Pushpa had been trained as a midwife, but had practiced as a nurse for the past 40 yrs and was just about to retire. Her shift was just about to end when I came in so she decided to stay and I am so glad she did...she was amazing. She offered an epidural, and was shocked when I said no way. Afterwards telling me that over 90% of women she sees get one. She offered some amazing breathing techniques to help me through the pain and Ivan assisted me in the shower which felt amazing....I remained at 9 and then 9.5 cms for 1.5hrs and was starting to get worried that it was going to last forever....Pushpa could see I was getting a bit scared as the pain was so intense so she offered me some laughing gas...this is something I hadn't considered before.....and so I decided to try it out. She explained that when you get scared, you get into your head and things clamp up downstairs and progress moves slowly....I was all for getting this baby out, so I breathed in that gas like you wouldn't believe. It didn't really decrease the pain...but it did chill me out a bit....and when I stood up to move around, my water broke and a few minutes later I KNEW the baby was there and it was time to push. Everyone scrambled for the Doc to come check me....I wanted to punch everyone as I KNEW not only was I fully dilated, but the baby was banging at the door.....which Doctor McLean confirmed with some surprise and three pushes later (like I'm talkin 5mins) our beautiful baby boy was born!!!!!!!
I love love love that they put the new baby right on your chest immediately after its born....its got to be the most special, beautiful, joyful thing in all the world.....I wish you could capture that feeling so everyone could experience it....I am so lucky I have had it twice in my lifetime. It's something to truly Enjoy!
I casually advised Ivan "we are going to have our baby today....I am pretty sure I am in labour". I was calm about everything and we decided to wait a while before calling mom and dad....after an hour or so, tummy twinging away, we packed up Dutchies things for a sleepover at Nana and Papas......poor thing didn't have a clue that the next time he would see us it would be with his sibling....he was just too young to understand.
So while Ivan drove Dutch over, and my contractions carried on getting a little more intense bit by bit, I decided to distract myself with a looooong shower. Going into labour the second time is awesome, because you totally know what to expect....even though some things are different...the basics are the same. So this time I wanted to arrive at the hospital with freshly washed and done hair and some actual clothes. I say this because last time I had zero idea what to expect and ended driving to the hospital in my husbands robe, some slippers and greecy hair...needless to say, the "new baby hospital photos" were never shown to anyone...nor will they ever be. I wanted this birth to be different...I wanted to be in control of my experience and so I enjoyed my shower, blow dried my hair and even put on a tad of make up. I felt great....it was a wonderful start to the day and to my labour! Ivan had advised I should eat a good breakfast to maintain my energy (he remembered this from last time) so I went about preparing some yummy french toast with bacon...stopping every now and then to lean against the counter and breathe through a contraction.
We enjoyed our feast and then I wanted to go for a walk to get things moving along....it was a beautiful day and so we strolled along the park path hand in hand chatting away, and after a while things really started getting intense. I had to stop every few minutes to put my arms around Ivans neck and sway back and fourth while breathing through my contractions. Then we ran into our neighbours which was pretty funny as they stopped to chat and I crumpled into Ivans side....the wife quickly realizing what was going on, as Ivan says "uh....we are sort of in the middle of something here" ...everyone chuckled (except for me) and they carry on. Ivan had been timing my contractions and by this point we were starting to see a pattern. I no longer wished to be in public so we head home and continue to labour there. My goal like last time was to be 7 cm dialiated by the time we went to the hospital....with Dutch I was 5.
Ivan was such a great birth coach....we decided against hiring a doula this time as we both felt we knew what we were getting ourselves into and that we would make a great team on our own....and that we were! After timing my consistant contractions for about an hour...the intensity was really building and so off to the hospital we went. We arrived, and I think I scared everyone in sight as I was basically stopping every few minutes by this point to grunt, moan...well...yell through a contraction. Everyone we passed offered me a wheel chair.....but I chose to walk...I wanted to make sure I was far enough along....didn't want to be sent home with them telling me I was only 2 cms....I expressed my worries to the nurse checking me in...and she said, "Dear, there is no way you are only 2 cms". And right they were, as they advised..."get this girl a wheelchair, and get her to a room fast as she is already at 8cm"! Whoopie....I was thrilled...my spirits were high and it was super fun being pushed around in a wheelchair!
I met my birth team....two amazing women! My nurse Pushpa and Dr. McLean. Pushpa had been trained as a midwife, but had practiced as a nurse for the past 40 yrs and was just about to retire. Her shift was just about to end when I came in so she decided to stay and I am so glad she did...she was amazing. She offered an epidural, and was shocked when I said no way. Afterwards telling me that over 90% of women she sees get one. She offered some amazing breathing techniques to help me through the pain and Ivan assisted me in the shower which felt amazing....I remained at 9 and then 9.5 cms for 1.5hrs and was starting to get worried that it was going to last forever....Pushpa could see I was getting a bit scared as the pain was so intense so she offered me some laughing gas...this is something I hadn't considered before.....and so I decided to try it out. She explained that when you get scared, you get into your head and things clamp up downstairs and progress moves slowly....I was all for getting this baby out, so I breathed in that gas like you wouldn't believe. It didn't really decrease the pain...but it did chill me out a bit....and when I stood up to move around, my water broke and a few minutes later I KNEW the baby was there and it was time to push. Everyone scrambled for the Doc to come check me....I wanted to punch everyone as I KNEW not only was I fully dilated, but the baby was banging at the door.....which Doctor McLean confirmed with some surprise and three pushes later (like I'm talkin 5mins) our beautiful baby boy was born!!!!!!!
I love love love that they put the new baby right on your chest immediately after its born....its got to be the most special, beautiful, joyful thing in all the world.....I wish you could capture that feeling so everyone could experience it....I am so lucky I have had it twice in my lifetime. It's something to truly Enjoy!
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Almost 6 days post-term
Well it is 9:24pm and still no sign of baby. I will be six days overdue tomorrow....sounds so short when you compare it with the 18 days post-term I was with our first! Yet, discussions with doctors around this topic are uncomfortable. I went in for my weekly check up yesterday and the doctor advised he would like to book me in for a labour induction on Monday (which would put me at their magical 10 days overdue point). I refused. We discussed from there....we discussed my first sons birth....and he was really flabbergasted that I went so long overdue....I advised it was my choice. He was pleasant enough....told me all the worst case scenario shit that they have to....which sucks, because even though I know in my heart we are doing the right thing, its still very uncomfortable to hear all of the things that "could" happen.
But I have never lived my life by what "could" happen....I do my best not to worry about things, until there is something to worry about and if I lived my life by what "could" happen, I would be agoraphobic. Anyway, I know they are just doing their job...but again it just seems crazy to me that they pick this 10 day date and say that all women/babies must be induced by that date OR ELSE.....du..du...duuuuuunnnnn. I just can't imagine walking into the hospital with no signs of labour, getting hooked up to a bag of drugs so my body can be forced into labour....it just seems totally fucked up to me.
They also don't tell you the slippery slope that many inductions lead to. As I have heard from so many women, it is a very unpleasant experience. Many times the pain comes on so forced and so fast women end up having to have an epidural, other interventions and many times emergency C-section (no thanks). My yoga instructor told me today that she was induced at day 7 as that was her doctors "induction party date" and she basically had one extremely painful 12 hour contraction and the most awful birth....she wished she would have said no and waited a while longer. And my cleaning lady told me one of her three kids was induced and it was the worst experience ever..she basically had three contractions and then it was like the child "ripped the life out of me" as she put it. And I have spoken to a variety of other women and read so much about induction, that none of it seems pleasant....forcing nature usually isn't. All that said, we will be starting monitoring every few days, beginning with an ultrasound this Friday. And if there are truly any signs that babe is not comfortable, placenta is not functioning or anything negative at all, of course I will do what is best.
I am hopefully going to try some acupuncture tomorrow or this weekend to get things moving along. I did that with Dutch, and went into labour two days later....not sure if it was the acupuncture or babe was just ready....but its worth a try. Until then, we all just sit here in anticipation...excited to meet this little wonder of the world. I really think the only thing keeping my body feeling great is my three yoga classes per week.....I highly recommend it for any pregnant gal out there...its a beautiful thing, so enjoy!
But I have never lived my life by what "could" happen....I do my best not to worry about things, until there is something to worry about and if I lived my life by what "could" happen, I would be agoraphobic. Anyway, I know they are just doing their job...but again it just seems crazy to me that they pick this 10 day date and say that all women/babies must be induced by that date OR ELSE.....du..du...duuuuuunnnnn. I just can't imagine walking into the hospital with no signs of labour, getting hooked up to a bag of drugs so my body can be forced into labour....it just seems totally fucked up to me.
They also don't tell you the slippery slope that many inductions lead to. As I have heard from so many women, it is a very unpleasant experience. Many times the pain comes on so forced and so fast women end up having to have an epidural, other interventions and many times emergency C-section (no thanks). My yoga instructor told me today that she was induced at day 7 as that was her doctors "induction party date" and she basically had one extremely painful 12 hour contraction and the most awful birth....she wished she would have said no and waited a while longer. And my cleaning lady told me one of her three kids was induced and it was the worst experience ever..she basically had three contractions and then it was like the child "ripped the life out of me" as she put it. And I have spoken to a variety of other women and read so much about induction, that none of it seems pleasant....forcing nature usually isn't. All that said, we will be starting monitoring every few days, beginning with an ultrasound this Friday. And if there are truly any signs that babe is not comfortable, placenta is not functioning or anything negative at all, of course I will do what is best.
I am hopefully going to try some acupuncture tomorrow or this weekend to get things moving along. I did that with Dutch, and went into labour two days later....not sure if it was the acupuncture or babe was just ready....but its worth a try. Until then, we all just sit here in anticipation...excited to meet this little wonder of the world. I really think the only thing keeping my body feeling great is my three yoga classes per week.....I highly recommend it for any pregnant gal out there...its a beautiful thing, so enjoy!
Monday, August 5, 2013
Three Days Overdue with Number 2
Well...I am now three days overdue, and something is feeling strangely familiar about this....and not in a good way. Being 18 days overdue with Dutch was one of the most mentally and physically challenging things I have had to face in my life. Not just because of the anticipation and carrying such a heavy load around, but having everyone around you give their opinions on your choice to not be chemically induced. I have shared my philosophy before on this topic in other blogs so I wont go on about it here.
Our Doula who helped with the birth of Dutch advised me to just assume this baby will come at the same time as Dutch and anything earlier would be a pleasant surprise....a much smarter approach than the one I took...by actually writing "baby" on the Aug 2nd block on my kitchen calendar...HA! What was I thinking. I feel a little more concerned this time, simply because we do not have a caring and understanding Doctor this time around. Our Doc in Vancouver, although wanted to induce, did respect our decision and only asked we get regular monitoring to ensure everything was okay with baby...which of course we were more than happy to do. This time we are in a new City at a clinic that has 10 different Doctors and I am just a number....my life is on a flash drive. Whenever I get a different doctor at the clinic, they have to wait to plug in the flash drive to say hello...uh........Heather. Oh well...at least its my second baby and we sort of know what we are getting ourselves into....oh yes, and my hubby is my birth coach this time too! But I know we will be a great team...I just don't want things to go so late again that we have to go through all of the emotional, controversial upheaval.
I am considering getting the membrane scrape this week...I was thinking I would have it done tomorrow at my next appointment...but after reading quite a bit of information about it, I have changed my mind. I will wait until I am closer to the 42 week period. Especially knowing my track record of growing babies for an extra long time! And this time I know if we go over the 42 week period, that the best thing for us to do is to turn off all communication from the outside world, listen to our instincts and my body, trust in the beautiful process of birth and enjoy.
Our Doula who helped with the birth of Dutch advised me to just assume this baby will come at the same time as Dutch and anything earlier would be a pleasant surprise....a much smarter approach than the one I took...by actually writing "baby" on the Aug 2nd block on my kitchen calendar...HA! What was I thinking. I feel a little more concerned this time, simply because we do not have a caring and understanding Doctor this time around. Our Doc in Vancouver, although wanted to induce, did respect our decision and only asked we get regular monitoring to ensure everything was okay with baby...which of course we were more than happy to do. This time we are in a new City at a clinic that has 10 different Doctors and I am just a number....my life is on a flash drive. Whenever I get a different doctor at the clinic, they have to wait to plug in the flash drive to say hello...uh........Heather. Oh well...at least its my second baby and we sort of know what we are getting ourselves into....oh yes, and my hubby is my birth coach this time too! But I know we will be a great team...I just don't want things to go so late again that we have to go through all of the emotional, controversial upheaval.
I am considering getting the membrane scrape this week...I was thinking I would have it done tomorrow at my next appointment...but after reading quite a bit of information about it, I have changed my mind. I will wait until I am closer to the 42 week period. Especially knowing my track record of growing babies for an extra long time! And this time I know if we go over the 42 week period, that the best thing for us to do is to turn off all communication from the outside world, listen to our instincts and my body, trust in the beautiful process of birth and enjoy.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
The Beauty of Pregnancy
You know you have had one of those days when you take moment to look at yourself in the mirror, and realize that you have spent the entire day with makeup on only one of your eyes. Yes, thats right....great eyebrow shape, a bit of light eyeshadow, and mascara...all on one eye....way to go Heath! Everything is just sooooo busy when you have a toddler and you are 9 months pregnant wondering when the heck baby number two is gonna arrive. I don't know how the eff some of those moms look so pulled together...so with it. A girlfriend of mine just had baby number FOUR....that's right #4!!!! And it seems no matter when I pop by to see her she always looks good...wearing a cute little outfit....a bit of makeup on and ready for the day. I am the one spontaneously popping by to see her....knowing that I am doing just this, you would think that I would be the one to pull myself together ....but for some effing reason, this just never seems to happen. Most of the time I have to shower and wash my hair at night as there is zero time during the day for such luxuries....which leaves my hair a frizzy, shitty mess...so out comes the " I am married and have kids, so I don't care any more" Clip. My hair is now too short to put all of it back in this flippen clip so huge chunks of it fall down, leaving me looking down right slow....my toddler thinks these are reigns to pull on and often yanks pieces of hair out of my head.
I always envisioned myself as one of those really hot pregnant chicks...okay, no I didn't....but I thought I would make more of an effort than this.....I typically wear the same stretch pants everyday....except for when I piss in them (which happens regularly at the moment) and then I wear my other stretch pants. I alternate between two bras, because I am too cheap to buy a new one that feels comfortable, knowing my boobs will change again when the baby comes. One bra makes my tits look great.....awesome cleavage...hikes em up there....but its now so tight around my rib cage you can see the layers of back fat through my shirt...its like I have a tube of boobs on my back. Then there is the other bra....which is a handmedown....yes a borrowed bra (did I mention "too cheap"). She is one of my best friends, so its okay for me to use her maternity bra...so there. This bra is too big....but damn its comfortable...so I wear it most often....this offers very little support, and allows my gigantic prenatal boobs to rest comfortably on my stomach so I basically look like I have no boobs and one giant stomach.....no...who I am kidding....it just makes me look like I have really saggy boobs resting on my stomach. But I have no back fat!!! That's gotta be a plus??
I am grateful for these boobs though....I had no problems breastfeeding my first child and do not anticipate any issues with the next....so Thank You boobs!
Not sure how I got so off topic....not really sure what the topic was now....I would have to re-read from the start and I am tired....just peed my pants again, and I need to go wash this makeup off my one damn eye. Goodnight and Enjoy.
I always envisioned myself as one of those really hot pregnant chicks...okay, no I didn't....but I thought I would make more of an effort than this.....I typically wear the same stretch pants everyday....except for when I piss in them (which happens regularly at the moment) and then I wear my other stretch pants. I alternate between two bras, because I am too cheap to buy a new one that feels comfortable, knowing my boobs will change again when the baby comes. One bra makes my tits look great.....awesome cleavage...hikes em up there....but its now so tight around my rib cage you can see the layers of back fat through my shirt...its like I have a tube of boobs on my back. Then there is the other bra....which is a handmedown....yes a borrowed bra (did I mention "too cheap"). She is one of my best friends, so its okay for me to use her maternity bra...so there. This bra is too big....but damn its comfortable...so I wear it most often....this offers very little support, and allows my gigantic prenatal boobs to rest comfortably on my stomach so I basically look like I have no boobs and one giant stomach.....no...who I am kidding....it just makes me look like I have really saggy boobs resting on my stomach. But I have no back fat!!! That's gotta be a plus??
I am grateful for these boobs though....I had no problems breastfeeding my first child and do not anticipate any issues with the next....so Thank You boobs!
Not sure how I got so off topic....not really sure what the topic was now....I would have to re-read from the start and I am tired....just peed my pants again, and I need to go wash this makeup off my one damn eye. Goodnight and Enjoy.
Friday, July 26, 2013
White Trash for Dinner Please
So as I have mentioned in a previous blog, I have been craving a lot of different things with this pregnancy vs. my first. Perhaps its because with my first I had made a commitment to myself to eat so healthy....and this time it was like...eh anything goes. Luckily I haven't gained 100lbs and have maintained about the same weight gain as my first pregnancy, despite the dilly bars, cake, cookies, pizza and myriad indulgences.
For the past few months my craving has been for cake. Now I have always enjoyed a nice slice of cake, but now I feel like I should have a piece everyday. Lucky for me there have been a few celebrations this year which have enabled me to consume lots of it! Not being the fussy type, white, chocolate, banana, cupcakes....I'll take what I can get, plus the corner you may have left on your own plate!
Many times I don't really think my husband pays attention to these cravings....because, you see, I randomly talk about food all the time. I am just like my dad. While eating dinner, I will already be thinking about what I will make for breakfast the next day, or dinner the following night. My mom gets disgusted with us that we can think of the next meal while we are in the middle of eating the first one....but such is the life of a foodie...always on the brain. So it came as a complete surprise a while back when Ivan returned from a business trip out West. He had just arrived home after five days and after all the hugs and kisses he said he had a surprise for me....immediately I asked if it was cake. "No" he replied, I got you local BC cherries from a fruit stand.........bless my husband for knowing that the best surprise gift I could ever get would be food. Sure I was slightly disappointed that it wasn't cake....but BC cherries were a close second! And just as I was about to take my prize and wash em up for consumption, he pulls out a chocolate cake he had been cleverly concealing....and this wasn't just any chocolate cake....it was a McCain Deep N' Delicious!!!!! I almost bust a gut....I haven't had that cake since I was a teenager. It's about the most white trash cake you can get, but as I mentioned before...not picky....so cake I ate!!! My husband does really pay attention to the little details...I guess he had remembered a family conversation, reminiscing about eating those cakes as they often would come as the dessert to the KFC family bucket we would get on Friday nights. Yes, sometimes this is what we would have for family dinner on Fridays....the coleslaw and mayo salad for the veggies, the addictive gravy and fries with that thickly battered chicken...come on, you know you had it too. I haven't had KFC in years, nor do I ever plan on eating it again...but back in the day we loved it.
I know we were not the only family who enjoyed their Friday night "bucket"....I have heard from other friends who share the same memories. In fact I was chatting with a girlfriend today about how frustrating it can be to try and cook a meal while your toddler is hanging off your leg and trying to touch the stove top. She has often asked her mom for advice on this issue, to which she replies it was easy and she just did it....my own mom doesn't remember. So my girlfriend made the realization that what we were eating for dinner in the 70s kitchen was a little different than what we cook today. We both fondly remembered our plates laden with a pork chop, side of cream corn and slices of white bread with butter...she said she got steamed broccoli....I only remember my mom steaming veggies in those microwavable pouches full of butter (or what they claimed to be butter). We both agreed with giggles that it would be much easier to prepare such a meal! Instead we make quinoa pilaf, barley casserole, kale chips, baked salmon and roasted root veggies...perhaps we ought to go back to a simpler time and put the damn McCains cake back on the table.
Moms, we are NOT criticizing your cooking skills (but are very thankful that they have become so very enhanced over the years). We are grateful for everything...and now understand why the white bread was always a staple at the table. Now I shall go and eat my last piece of Deep N' Delicious and enjoy!
For the past few months my craving has been for cake. Now I have always enjoyed a nice slice of cake, but now I feel like I should have a piece everyday. Lucky for me there have been a few celebrations this year which have enabled me to consume lots of it! Not being the fussy type, white, chocolate, banana, cupcakes....I'll take what I can get, plus the corner you may have left on your own plate!
Many times I don't really think my husband pays attention to these cravings....because, you see, I randomly talk about food all the time. I am just like my dad. While eating dinner, I will already be thinking about what I will make for breakfast the next day, or dinner the following night. My mom gets disgusted with us that we can think of the next meal while we are in the middle of eating the first one....but such is the life of a foodie...always on the brain. So it came as a complete surprise a while back when Ivan returned from a business trip out West. He had just arrived home after five days and after all the hugs and kisses he said he had a surprise for me....immediately I asked if it was cake. "No" he replied, I got you local BC cherries from a fruit stand.........bless my husband for knowing that the best surprise gift I could ever get would be food. Sure I was slightly disappointed that it wasn't cake....but BC cherries were a close second! And just as I was about to take my prize and wash em up for consumption, he pulls out a chocolate cake he had been cleverly concealing....and this wasn't just any chocolate cake....it was a McCain Deep N' Delicious!!!!! I almost bust a gut....I haven't had that cake since I was a teenager. It's about the most white trash cake you can get, but as I mentioned before...not picky....so cake I ate!!! My husband does really pay attention to the little details...I guess he had remembered a family conversation, reminiscing about eating those cakes as they often would come as the dessert to the KFC family bucket we would get on Friday nights. Yes, sometimes this is what we would have for family dinner on Fridays....the coleslaw and mayo salad for the veggies, the addictive gravy and fries with that thickly battered chicken...come on, you know you had it too. I haven't had KFC in years, nor do I ever plan on eating it again...but back in the day we loved it.
I know we were not the only family who enjoyed their Friday night "bucket"....I have heard from other friends who share the same memories. In fact I was chatting with a girlfriend today about how frustrating it can be to try and cook a meal while your toddler is hanging off your leg and trying to touch the stove top. She has often asked her mom for advice on this issue, to which she replies it was easy and she just did it....my own mom doesn't remember. So my girlfriend made the realization that what we were eating for dinner in the 70s kitchen was a little different than what we cook today. We both fondly remembered our plates laden with a pork chop, side of cream corn and slices of white bread with butter...she said she got steamed broccoli....I only remember my mom steaming veggies in those microwavable pouches full of butter (or what they claimed to be butter). We both agreed with giggles that it would be much easier to prepare such a meal! Instead we make quinoa pilaf, barley casserole, kale chips, baked salmon and roasted root veggies...perhaps we ought to go back to a simpler time and put the damn McCains cake back on the table.
Moms, we are NOT criticizing your cooking skills (but are very thankful that they have become so very enhanced over the years). We are grateful for everything...and now understand why the white bread was always a staple at the table. Now I shall go and eat my last piece of Deep N' Delicious and enjoy!
Thursday, July 25, 2013
The Ranche-A Hidden Calgary Gem
Since moving to Calgary we have had limited opportunity to explore the food scene. But I have certainly found one place worth writing about. In my opinion it would be considered a "hidden" gem. I use the term "hidden" simply because if you didn't know it existed, the chances of you stumbling upon it are pretty much nill. I have friends who have lived here all their lives and never heard of this amazing place. Its called The Ranche and its located in the ever so scenic Fish Creek Park. We live right on the ridge of Fish Creek and were told of this place when we moved here.
When you walk up to the charming old house, you are immediately transported to another time.....like you are on a stunning plantation in the deep south. The grounds are kept immaculate and there are beautiful flowers dotting the property in all the right places...it just makes you smile.
A small group of us went for Ivan's 40th birthday and had a lovely time. We went for a late dinner on a Monday night, so we pretty much had the place to ourselves. This is not the place to go if you are looking to see and be seen...its all about the food and the experience. If you are looking for a bit more of a lively, chattery room...I may suggest going on a weekend. The service was perfect and the food even better. This is also the place to be a bit more adventurous with your palate, as they offer a variety of wild, local game. It was a chilly night, and the dining room was so grand and welcoming, I was in the mood for a cozy, comforting dish. I opted for the slow roasted wild boar shoulder and basically couldn't speak through the entirety of my meal....each bite was perfect and so delicious, I didn't want it to end....thankfully they offer substantial portion sizes, but we were still happy we ordered a side of the king oyster mushrooms as they were to die for.
Ivan was feeling very adventurous and tried the wild northern caribou and was pleasantly surprised. He had never tried caribou before and also enjoyed his meal immensely. Our dining companions also seemed to really enjoy their dishes, and we even saved enough room for dessert. The desserts we ordered were a bit on the small size for sharing...but still a fantastic end to an amazing meal.
I was then recently invited back to the Ranche with a girlfriend of mine who suggested we go for lunch. I didn't realize they did lunch and I am so thrilled we went. We sat outside on the patio that surrounds the house and I seriously felt like I should be sitting on a porch swing sipping lemonade and fanning myself...its completely that charming. Once again, everything on the menu sounded amazing...but both myself and my dining companion opted for the heritage chicken confit sandwich....which seriously was the best sandwich I have ever eaten and I want to go back today to have another. This is a rich dish...but I love that its open faced so you can feel a little more refined eating with cutlery vs. trying to fit all the right bites into your mouth with your paws. The combination of the chicken, bacon and applewood smoked cheddar was simply to die for...I went for a side salad vs. the fries and am glad I did...I think the fries would have put me over the edge, and this way I didn't feel guilty enough not to have dessert! I tried their semifredo (keeping in mind their menu changes frequently) and it was overthetop amazing. I don't think you can go wrong with ANYTHING you order at the Ranche.
This is the perfect place to lunch (and I have also heard their weekend brunch is fantastic as well) or enjoy a romantic dinner. Gather a group together to share the experience, or not, but you will be impressed so please do Enjoy!
When you walk up to the charming old house, you are immediately transported to another time.....like you are on a stunning plantation in the deep south. The grounds are kept immaculate and there are beautiful flowers dotting the property in all the right places...it just makes you smile.
A small group of us went for Ivan's 40th birthday and had a lovely time. We went for a late dinner on a Monday night, so we pretty much had the place to ourselves. This is not the place to go if you are looking to see and be seen...its all about the food and the experience. If you are looking for a bit more of a lively, chattery room...I may suggest going on a weekend. The service was perfect and the food even better. This is also the place to be a bit more adventurous with your palate, as they offer a variety of wild, local game. It was a chilly night, and the dining room was so grand and welcoming, I was in the mood for a cozy, comforting dish. I opted for the slow roasted wild boar shoulder and basically couldn't speak through the entirety of my meal....each bite was perfect and so delicious, I didn't want it to end....thankfully they offer substantial portion sizes, but we were still happy we ordered a side of the king oyster mushrooms as they were to die for.
Ivan was feeling very adventurous and tried the wild northern caribou and was pleasantly surprised. He had never tried caribou before and also enjoyed his meal immensely. Our dining companions also seemed to really enjoy their dishes, and we even saved enough room for dessert. The desserts we ordered were a bit on the small size for sharing...but still a fantastic end to an amazing meal.
I was then recently invited back to the Ranche with a girlfriend of mine who suggested we go for lunch. I didn't realize they did lunch and I am so thrilled we went. We sat outside on the patio that surrounds the house and I seriously felt like I should be sitting on a porch swing sipping lemonade and fanning myself...its completely that charming. Once again, everything on the menu sounded amazing...but both myself and my dining companion opted for the heritage chicken confit sandwich....which seriously was the best sandwich I have ever eaten and I want to go back today to have another. This is a rich dish...but I love that its open faced so you can feel a little more refined eating with cutlery vs. trying to fit all the right bites into your mouth with your paws. The combination of the chicken, bacon and applewood smoked cheddar was simply to die for...I went for a side salad vs. the fries and am glad I did...I think the fries would have put me over the edge, and this way I didn't feel guilty enough not to have dessert! I tried their semifredo (keeping in mind their menu changes frequently) and it was overthetop amazing. I don't think you can go wrong with ANYTHING you order at the Ranche.
This is the perfect place to lunch (and I have also heard their weekend brunch is fantastic as well) or enjoy a romantic dinner. Gather a group together to share the experience, or not, but you will be impressed so please do Enjoy!
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
The "Nesting" Phase
Been forever since I have written once again....but what mom has time in the day to sit down and write. Especially with a toddler ripping around and baby # two due in about 2 weeks! YIKES is all I can say. Everyday something happens that I would like to write about...some amazing restaurants I have tried out in Calgary...but my days seem consumed with domestic duties, diapers, walks to the park, doctors apts and when I have a moment to myself, I choose to NAP! I have been very tired throughout this pregnancy, and in the last month and a bit I have succumbed to napping when my son goes down...and I feel like a better mom and wife for it.
I am now in the "nesting" phase of this pregnancy, so have been cooking and baking up a storm so I can stock my freezer full of stuff so I don't have to cook once the new baby arrives. That was the LAST thing I wanted to do when Dutch was born, and I am forever grateful for my mom who spent almost a month with us and cooked and baked and just took care of all of us. Now I have the luxury of living in the same city as this saint....and I know she will help out lots....but I still wanted to get a good head start on stocking my freezer. For anyone else looking forward to having a new baby, I strongly suggest doing this. Freeze soups, stews, casseroles, chicken pot pies (our fave), muffins, breads etc. You will appreciate your efforts when you are delirious with zero sleep and don't know which way is up. And your hubby will be Thankful too....especially if he is not the cook in the family.
But then there are also so many premade things that you can pick up for a quick dinner post baby....cost co does this well with their pre-roasted chickens, fresh pizzas, myriad salads and platters...I know I will be sending Ivan there once my freezer runs out.
I am looking forward to meeting this little one and feasting on my freezer full of treats!
Enjoy
I am now in the "nesting" phase of this pregnancy, so have been cooking and baking up a storm so I can stock my freezer full of stuff so I don't have to cook once the new baby arrives. That was the LAST thing I wanted to do when Dutch was born, and I am forever grateful for my mom who spent almost a month with us and cooked and baked and just took care of all of us. Now I have the luxury of living in the same city as this saint....and I know she will help out lots....but I still wanted to get a good head start on stocking my freezer. For anyone else looking forward to having a new baby, I strongly suggest doing this. Freeze soups, stews, casseroles, chicken pot pies (our fave), muffins, breads etc. You will appreciate your efforts when you are delirious with zero sleep and don't know which way is up. And your hubby will be Thankful too....especially if he is not the cook in the family.
But then there are also so many premade things that you can pick up for a quick dinner post baby....cost co does this well with their pre-roasted chickens, fresh pizzas, myriad salads and platters...I know I will be sending Ivan there once my freezer runs out.
I am looking forward to meeting this little one and feasting on my freezer full of treats!
Enjoy
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Pregnancy Then and Now
Ahhhhhh being pregnant. I have forgotten what it was like...even though I was pregnant only 17 short months ago. I really enjoyed my first pregnancy...well after the first 4-5 months of nausea and lethargy of course. Then I felt pretty awesome...but I was a real rock star back then. At the time we were living in Kitsalano Vancouver, where we could walk out of the condo to any number of shops and markets and grab some fresh, local Kale or broccoli. I was also seeing a naturopath (god love a job with benefits) and she was keeping me on track with a diet of no wheat/gluten or dairy....and a few other things. I stuck to it pretty darn ridgedly for the whole pregnancy...save for the few random cravings for dim sum that I indulged in. I mean come on people, there is nothing like a good dim sum! I also attended pre-natal yoga twice a week and walked every day....I was the "perfect" pregnant gal. Is my child perfect...well Yes of course...but he has sensitivities to lots of different foods and is allergic to nuts.......SOOOOOOOO this pregnancy is going quite a bit differently.
First of all...we moved to Calgary. Why you ask...why leave the beauty of the coast...the blooming flowers...lush greenery and ocean mist, to live in a freezer you ask. Well for a few reasons. First of all, my mom and dad live here and they are AMAZING with their only grandson. My mom looks after Dutch twice a week and they often babysit one evening during the week too...which lets Ivan and I have some much needed romantic time. HAHAHAHAHAAH .....romance????? Does that exist when you are dead tired all the time from being pregnant and raising two toddlers (hubby being the other). Anyway, it is a true blessing to have my folks close by...not to mention all of the home cooking and baking that my mommy sends home for us! The other main reason is because you have to be a billionaire to own a house near the ocean in Vancouver....I mean in walking distance. Of course we could have moved out to creepy East Van (which Ivan thinks has so much "character" and I think has so much "psycho murderers, muggers and heroin addicts") no offence to the four people who live there who are not murderers, muggers or addicts. I regress....we could have also moved out to the burbs where homes are more affordable....but no beach. Or we could have moved to a beach side community that is just as boring as...well the burbs in any city. So the real thing is here...standard of living. We can afford to buy a beautiful, big home in Calgary for the price of our little condo in Kits...'nuff said.
Okay so that was a major, major off topic side note about why we moved here. But what I was trying to say is how this pregnancy differs so much from my first. We no longer live across the street from a market...in fact, markets don't exist in the burbs...so we have to drive and "stock up" as they say. And with all of this cold weather, I have been craving major comfort foods...like today for example, I had french toast stuffed with cinnamon cream cheese topped with fruit and syrup...OMG was it flippen great (try it out at the Bluestar Diner) Last week we went out for dinner with friends and I wanted to order the biggest steak on the menu, if I enjoy some of my home made soup...well it goes without saying...needs a buttermilk biscuit to go alongside. I can't get enough pizza and I will not turn you down if you invite me for Chinese. But the oddest thing about this pregnancy are my cravings for ice cream. I don't even like ice cream....I really would only eat it on an extremely hot day and it would have to be the good old fashion home churned kind...none of this fancy gelatto, sorbetto shit. But right now...I have no standards. In fact, my husband had to ask my dad to pick me up a box of Dairy Queen dilly bars...which he did, and they were awesome...in the dead middle of winter. The entire box of 12 lasted only a few days. We are slightly concerned this baby is going to be a blob....and/or I am.
Ivan called it a science experiment....I generally don't mess around with my health like this...but its almost like its uncontrollable...just like when I piss my pants every time I sneeze, laugh or cough.....run, slight jog. Well I pretty much pee my pants all the time at this point. Ahhhhh being pregnant, it certainly is a unique experience.
Enjoy!
First of all...we moved to Calgary. Why you ask...why leave the beauty of the coast...the blooming flowers...lush greenery and ocean mist, to live in a freezer you ask. Well for a few reasons. First of all, my mom and dad live here and they are AMAZING with their only grandson. My mom looks after Dutch twice a week and they often babysit one evening during the week too...which lets Ivan and I have some much needed romantic time. HAHAHAHAHAAH .....romance????? Does that exist when you are dead tired all the time from being pregnant and raising two toddlers (hubby being the other). Anyway, it is a true blessing to have my folks close by...not to mention all of the home cooking and baking that my mommy sends home for us! The other main reason is because you have to be a billionaire to own a house near the ocean in Vancouver....I mean in walking distance. Of course we could have moved out to creepy East Van (which Ivan thinks has so much "character" and I think has so much "psycho murderers, muggers and heroin addicts") no offence to the four people who live there who are not murderers, muggers or addicts. I regress....we could have also moved out to the burbs where homes are more affordable....but no beach. Or we could have moved to a beach side community that is just as boring as...well the burbs in any city. So the real thing is here...standard of living. We can afford to buy a beautiful, big home in Calgary for the price of our little condo in Kits...'nuff said.
Okay so that was a major, major off topic side note about why we moved here. But what I was trying to say is how this pregnancy differs so much from my first. We no longer live across the street from a market...in fact, markets don't exist in the burbs...so we have to drive and "stock up" as they say. And with all of this cold weather, I have been craving major comfort foods...like today for example, I had french toast stuffed with cinnamon cream cheese topped with fruit and syrup...OMG was it flippen great (try it out at the Bluestar Diner) Last week we went out for dinner with friends and I wanted to order the biggest steak on the menu, if I enjoy some of my home made soup...well it goes without saying...needs a buttermilk biscuit to go alongside. I can't get enough pizza and I will not turn you down if you invite me for Chinese. But the oddest thing about this pregnancy are my cravings for ice cream. I don't even like ice cream....I really would only eat it on an extremely hot day and it would have to be the good old fashion home churned kind...none of this fancy gelatto, sorbetto shit. But right now...I have no standards. In fact, my husband had to ask my dad to pick me up a box of Dairy Queen dilly bars...which he did, and they were awesome...in the dead middle of winter. The entire box of 12 lasted only a few days. We are slightly concerned this baby is going to be a blob....and/or I am.
Ivan called it a science experiment....I generally don't mess around with my health like this...but its almost like its uncontrollable...just like when I piss my pants every time I sneeze, laugh or cough.....run, slight jog. Well I pretty much pee my pants all the time at this point. Ahhhhh being pregnant, it certainly is a unique experience.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Facebook Schmacebook
Seriously...it has been SIX fricken months since I have written in my blog....something usually happens every single day that I want to write about...but then I find too many other things to do to occupy my time. Yes, being a mom is busy...the little guy has two naps per day...about an hour each time. So I generally use one of those hours to shower and the other to sleep. You see I am pregnant again and really really tired. So not a lot of time for Heather.....but when I do get time, what do I do....I waste it by posting photos on Facebook and then surfing other peoples photos. I really love and hate facebook. Its great to see my friends kids photos, especially those who I don't regularly see...but really the amount of crap on there just annoys me. Like the pages of those old high school acquaintances who post photo after photo of themselves...taken with their smartphones in the bathroom mirror...skiing, at the beach, in their bedroom....REALLY people, get an effin grip....yes, you may be hot, but by posting self portraits constantly you scream LOW SELF ESTEEM...looser.
I mean don't get me wrong...I am guilty of FB disgusting behavior too....I edit all my photos and of course only post the ones that I look good in...and this bugs me that I do this....yet, I still do it. Part of the charm of the old fashioned photo album is when your friends and family used to come over and you would have a good laugh at all of the photos in it...of your bad hair day, the lazy eye photo...the one with crap in your teeth, the one where you have five chins and the one that makes you resemble a dog. Those are fun photos.
The other thing that bugs me are the people who post every single thing they are doing at every moment of every bloody day. Like you are in the middle of experiencing something great...you are so fully in the moment that you take the time to post a comment on your FB page???.....please....stay in the fricken moment and enjoy it...no one really gives a shit about what you are doing. Or do they...because other people actually "comment" on what you are doing.....for god sakes I have commented...I almost feel like I have to. Actually, don't even get me started on the "comments" section...because we have all become so obsessed with receiving FB comments from our peers...like the more comments we get the better we feel about ourselves. FB really is such an egotistical, pathetic waste of time....we all have to post amazing photos of our accomplishments, update our status so everyone knows we eat at the best restaurants or can afford the best vacations and then we patiently (or not so much) await the approval of our friends by way of their comments. Its a sickening cycle that we are trapped in...lets go back to the old fashioned phone call...or maybe even mailing a real photo of your kids to a loved one...and enjoying the moment we are experiencing instead of stopping mid-bungee jump to post what you are doing.
Now if you will excuse me, we just returned from a fantastic trip to Maui and I have to post some photos.
Enjoy!
I mean don't get me wrong...I am guilty of FB disgusting behavior too....I edit all my photos and of course only post the ones that I look good in...and this bugs me that I do this....yet, I still do it. Part of the charm of the old fashioned photo album is when your friends and family used to come over and you would have a good laugh at all of the photos in it...of your bad hair day, the lazy eye photo...the one with crap in your teeth, the one where you have five chins and the one that makes you resemble a dog. Those are fun photos.
The other thing that bugs me are the people who post every single thing they are doing at every moment of every bloody day. Like you are in the middle of experiencing something great...you are so fully in the moment that you take the time to post a comment on your FB page???.....please....stay in the fricken moment and enjoy it...no one really gives a shit about what you are doing. Or do they...because other people actually "comment" on what you are doing.....for god sakes I have commented...I almost feel like I have to. Actually, don't even get me started on the "comments" section...because we have all become so obsessed with receiving FB comments from our peers...like the more comments we get the better we feel about ourselves. FB really is such an egotistical, pathetic waste of time....we all have to post amazing photos of our accomplishments, update our status so everyone knows we eat at the best restaurants or can afford the best vacations and then we patiently (or not so much) await the approval of our friends by way of their comments. Its a sickening cycle that we are trapped in...lets go back to the old fashioned phone call...or maybe even mailing a real photo of your kids to a loved one...and enjoying the moment we are experiencing instead of stopping mid-bungee jump to post what you are doing.
Now if you will excuse me, we just returned from a fantastic trip to Maui and I have to post some photos.
Enjoy!
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