The Pregnant Mommy Wall [w/Cheesy Chicken Jalapeno Bake]

The end is drawing near.  Just not near enough.

I've hit the pregnant Mommy wall.  And it's not even my due date yet.

Pregnant Mommy wall is kinda like what I imagine Runner's Wall is, since I don't run and have no intention to unless my life depended on it.  Some women hit that wall at 12 weeks, and you will hear ALL about it on their Facebook for the next 5 months.  Oh yes, lucky us. 

My back hurts and if not my back then my ribs or my head.  That might be from the other kids but who knows at this point?  People are starting to drive me [more] crazy than usual and Andy is doing more damage control than normal.  I really want to savor this last little bit of time, I really do, but I can't.

I'm just so grumpy.  So hot.  I feel like a roly-poly especially in the middle of the night when the thought of getting up to go to the bathroom sounds almost worst than peeing in the bed.

I'm so tired but I can't sleep. The baby feels so huge inside of me now that when she moves I literally feel elbows & knees poking out of my stomach.  Ahh, the joys of pregnancy.  As much as I complain about it all tho I am trying to hold onto that joy.  The same advice I would give to my expecting Mamas I'm trying to give myself, although I'm probably more stubborn than most of them and hate unwanted advice, even my own.

[39 weeks!]

I know in a week or two this will [most likely, please God let it be] over and these last few days will be just a blur of 3 kids instead of 4.  Of preparing for her instead of holding her.  Of feeling her stretch on the inside instead of little feet on the outside.  Pregnancy is such a short time and I know what a blessing it is that I CAN have healthy pregnancies.  I have lost babies in my lifetime and I never want to seem ungrateful for the lives we have been blessed with.  When all I want to do is complain I'm trying to remember all God has blessed me with.

The 3 beautiful faces I kiss everyday.
The 1 wonderful husband that is always there to hold my hand, and give me a shove when I need help getting out of bed.
The 2 little feet currently kicking the crap out of me from the inside.

As much as I complain I am thankful for it all.

And food!  I am so thankful for that.  I have become a ravenous beast towards the end of this pregnancy and have gained 18 pounds so far.  My inner low self-esteem teenage girl is trying not to shriek in terror and calm myself down knowing it is normal, healthy & good for the baby to gain weight.  With Lily I lost 15 pounds, with Jonas I lost 10 & with Oliver I think I gained 5 so I'm also getting a little paranoid that this is a monster little girl.

So I've been known to eat dinner.  Than a bowl of cereal & than 5 clementine oranges.
I can't be stopped.  I'm the bottomless pit!
I made this the other night and it's one of those things you just can't stop eating.
It was so good and easy.  Just one more thing to be thankful for.

Cheesy Chicken Jalapeno & Rice Bake.
[Also known as Murderous Mayan Mexican Bake,
since we've been watching a lot of Sons of Anarchy lately.]

2 cups rice [I used a mixture of white & brown but you probably could use either or]
2 cups [8 oz.] shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
2 Jalapenos diced small [We like stuff hot so do less if you don't!]
1 cup evaporated Milk
1/3 cup chopped Cilantro
1 1/2 cups cooked diced chicken [I used all white meat]
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 eggs, beaten
2 tbs. melted butter

[1] Preheat oven to 350 degrees & butter a 2 quart casserole dish.
[2] Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and pour into casserole dish.
[3] Bake for 50-60 minutes until a knife comes out clean.
[4] Enjoy!

I served this with tomato slices [for Andy] and tortilla chips, just for a crunch but it's fine without!

Mommy's Helpers: Paint Chip busy bag & homemade Cheez-Its.

I went to the library the other day and checked out a book called Blogging for Dummies.

Cause really, that's how I feel.  I am loving doing this so far, much more than I thought I would and it feels nice to have something that is kind of just for me, even tho I'm basically blogging about my family life etc.  I have yet to actually open the book but I'm hoping good things come out of it, like maybe my writing is miraculously better or it can teach me how to do HTML by osmosis or something.

If you haven't noticed the blog is currently under construction as well.  One of my good friends, all the way from 6th grade [!!!] who lives in Orange County is helping me spruce it up.  So be on the look out for changes!  I hope to figure this blogging thing out a little better for my sake and for the 10 people that read this regularly as well.  

Decided to make my first "Busy Bag" yesterday.  Busy Bags are basically something you make for Toddlers or young kids that have something fun in them that can keep them entertained, in theory, while you're at the doctor's office, out to eat, etc.  This one caught my eye, basically cause it looked easy & cheap.  My two key components for anything in life pretty much. 

Color Match Busy Bag!

2 of each color paint chip
Clothes Pins
Glue
Scissors
Container for finished project

Do I really have to explain this?  It's as easy as it looks and cheap!  On one of Andy's many trips to Lowe's I told him to snag me some paint chips.  I think if I was to make this again I would use the smaller long square ones just to make it even easier.
I was pretty proud of myself and feeling like a productive Mom when I made these for the boys yesterday, envisioning them playing peacefully all while learning the fine nuances of paint shade colors.
Instead when I let Oliver play with them this morning he ripped them apart with his teeth.
 I guess it did keep him busy.......

If clothespins & paint chips won't keep your Toddler busy you can always feed them!
I let Oliver have a Nutella fudgesicle this morning for breakfast just so I could clean the fridge & freezer.  Oh the things you do for peace.  Yesterday, again I was a better Mom yesterday, I made homemade Whole Wheat Cheez-Its.  Really they were for me, I LOVE Cheez-Its.  I always have.  When I was in middle school I wrote a poem about my love for them, oh yes the love was that deep.
These crackers only have 4 ingredients, are so much better for you
and I swear they taste just like the real thing!

Home-Made Cheez Its

1 1/2 cups shredded Sharp Cheddar [or any cheese you want to try really!]
4 tbs. cold butter, cut into small cubes
3/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour
Sea Salt

[1] Pulse all ingredients, except salt, in a food processor until well combined and start to form a ball, about 2 minutes.
[2] Knead on a floured surface to bring it all together.
[3] Place the dough between two sheets of waxed paper and use a rolling pin to get it about 1/8th of an inch thick.
[4] Use a pizza wheel or pastry cutter to cut dough into squares, I have a really shaky hand so mine were all different sizes, but whatever.
[5] Lay squares on a greased baking sheet, it makes a lot.  2 sheets is probably better if you don't want them too crowded.  They don't spread much tho.
[6] Using a fork poke holes in each square so you get that cool Cheez-It look and they don't puff up too much.
[7] Sprinkle evenly with sea salt.
[8] Bake in a 350 degree F oven for about 18 minutes!

We pretty much ate all of these in one sitting.  They are addictive!