The Roaming Rosie Blog

Where we used to live there’s snow piled up to the thigh (or, for someone short like me, probably the waist), but here it’s still mostly sunny with just a bit of wind and sprinkling rain and in mid-afternoon it’s still in the mid-60s.

So, excursions are still an option, even at 35 weeks pregnant.  If snow were piled up outside, I’d be on the couch curled up in a blanket (hopefully with power), but since it’s relatively nice here, I’m trying to stay active.

Thus, last Saturday we joined friends at the Florida Aquarium.  We were only there a couple hours, but my feet were swollen anyway, so a couple hours was long enough for me.

My camera decided to be a pain and died halfway through, but I managed to get a few photos, so check out my Travelblog to see them all!

I recently joined the Publix Baby Club.  This isn’t something everyone can do since, unfortunately, Publix Supermarkets are only located in a few southeastern states.  But if you live in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama or Tennessee, then you have the opportunity to get involved in this free club.

So, just after moving down from Maryland, I went to the Publix website and gave them my name and address to sign up for the Baby Club.  This is offered to parents who are expecting and with children up to two years old.  But after that, there’s also a Preschool Pals club for older children and even a Family Style magazine that you can sign up for, and it’s all free.

Within days of signing up, I received a package from Publix in the mail.  Inside was a complimentary copy of The American Academy of Pediatrics book, The Complete and Authoritative Guide:  Caring For Your Baby and Young Child, which covers from birth until age five.  A free, 752-page book with useful information from a respected organization – how cool is that?

There was also the first issue of their free newsletter and a whole bunch of coupons.  And even though I signed up for the club back in November, almost all of the coupons are good until May 15 – two months after my due date.  This is great for me because the coupons are for a whole range of products for both mom and baby, ranging from free hand sanitizer and cocoa butter to buy one get one free NUK pacifiers to a dollar off Playtex drop-in bottles or liners, plus deals on diapers and wipes and formula.

I’ve always liked Publix and this is a great benefit that they offer, so I wanted to share it.  If no one had mentioned it to me, I may not have ever realized this club existed and then I’d be missing out on all the great deals.  So if you live in the southeast, I think it’s worth checking out.

When I was making breakfast this morning and reaching in the fridge for my orange juice, I happened to notice the expiration date on the half & half:  03/15/2010.  March fifteenth?  But – that’s my due date!  Did I lose track of time?  Did I sleep away a couple dozen days?

No, nothing so drastic.  It’s just that the half & half is good for quite awhile.  Fifty-three more days to be exact (if left unopened).

But that split second was enough to scare me.  Am I ready for all this?  Is the baby really coming soon?  Why hasn’t the realtor had any new news about the house we’ve put a bid on?  Do short sales always take this long?  Will we be bringing this baby into the world while living out of one bedroom of my parent’s house?  Do I still have time to get all the stuff I really need to have for the baby – somewhere to sleep and a car seat and diapers and Lord-only-know-what-else-because-I-sure-as-hell-don’t-know-what-I’m-doing?

And this afternoon a package arrives bearing a baby gift.  It’s exciting and sweet and I’m flattered that an out-of-state friend would take the time to send something, though it somehow feels awkward to be accepting gifts for a little person who’s still mostly a mystery to me.  I’m thrilled about all the cute baby stuff, but there’s still a little voice way back in my brain asking, “Why are people giving us all these presents?”

I know the answer, of course, but that doesn’t make it any less surreal.

Everything seems to be moving so fast that I’m glad to announce that at least my weight gain has stabilized to a more traditional expectation.  Two weeks ago I had been feeling really heavy and huge and quite a few people had been commenting that I had suddenly “popped” and gotten much bigger, but I was still surprised to hear the OBGYN techs tell me that I had gained nine pounds in four weeks.  Nine pounds?  In four weeks?  No wonder I felt bloated and uncomfortable.  That’s quite a growth spurt.

But after another two weeks, the tech reported a weight-gain of only two pounds.  Two pounds I can handle – that’s a pound a week, which is what the doctors had told me to expect.  But that still leaves me with another seven weeks and potential seven more pounds to look forward to when I’m already growing out of some of my smaller maternity tops and walking into doorframes and countertops because I keep forgetting how much of me (and her) there now is.

It’s scary enough that we’re bringing a new little child into this world, but it’s even scarier that before she’s even arrived, everything else has already changed.

I was in the mood for cookies tonight, and an easy way to get some soft and great-tasting cookies that taste like homemade but are much quicker is to make are these Moist Cake Cookies.

I don’t know exactly where this recipe came from.  I think I copied it off the back of a cake box, but it’s been typed into my recipe book for so many years that I’m not really sure.

I usually use Devil’s Food cake mix to make them, but you can use just about any flavor.  This time I used Betty Crocker Super Moist cake mix in Triple Chocolate Fudge because that’s what was in the pantry.  They have tiny chocolate chips in the batter, which aren’t overly noticeable in the finished cookie, except for the occasional burst of extra chocolate.  Tasted pretty darn good.

But why go to the trouble of using cake mix when they now sell boxes of cookie mix?  Well, these are a little different.  They’re always soft and chewy – which I love – and have an entirely different taste to them then straight cookie batter, making them a unique treat.  They’re like little, sweetened, condensed cakes.

Also, I like to dip the tops of the cookies in a little sugar before baking, which gives them a nice sweetness.  And, like any chocolate cookie (if you’re using chocolate), be careful not to overcook them.

Moist Cake Cookies

1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 box cake mix

Plus about 1/8 cup sugar for decoration (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl.  Scoop out teaspoonfuls and shape into balls.  Dip tops of balls into a dish of sugar (optional) and place onto a cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 9 to 11 minutes.  Cook on wire racks.  Makes about 30 cookies.

The cookies are still moist and chewy the next day – if they last that long!

Valentine’s Day is around the corner, but there’s still time to order gifts online. Sure, there are plenty of years that we just go out for a nice dinner instead of exchanging gifts, but this year I wanted to get a little something for my husband and I thought I’d share some of the great gift ideas I found to maybe inspire someone else. Now, since my husband reads my blog, I can’t tell you what I’m getting him, but here are a few visual examples of unique gifts that work for men.

Some guys may be happier with a gift certificate for a day at the golf course or a new set of BBQ tools, but if that’s not their style – or you just got them that for Christmas last month – here are a few ideas that may work for your man:

(just click on the item to see a larger photo and description!)

One of the oddest benefits of being pregnant has been that I really enjoy wearing stretchy pants.  At first I was incredibly hesitant to wear maternity pants, like there was some strange stigma attached to them that I just couldn’t get past.  Plus, (I guess since this is my first pregnancy) it took a really long time for the belly to show.  Even when I first started wearing maternity pants in public, when I was at 18 weeks, I was still amazing small compared to how I am now – at 31 weeks.  Of course, the reason I started wearing the maternity clothing was because my non-maternity pants were uncomfortably tight, so whether the belly was obvious or not, if was definitely there.

I found the rubber-band-around-the-button method of extending the wear of my regular pants to be annoying, even though it did extend the life of my regular wardrobe a little.  But since I was planning on having at least two kids, I figured investing in a few pairs of wearable pants would be a good idea.  Of course, I’m nothing if not frugal, so I did check out local thrift stores first.  That was a complete dead end.  The maternity pants I found were all very, very used.  The elastic was overstretched and twisted, the fabric panels were faded and pilling, and the styles appeared to be as old as me.  I barely wanted to touch them, let alone purchase and wear them.

In the end I wound up purchasing five pairs of maternity pants from four different stores.  First I went to a Motherhood Maternity store and bought a pair of Secret Fit Belly Boot Cut Jeans that were regularly $25 but on sale for $22.  I also got a similar pair of Crop Jeans (capris) that were, I think, the same price.  I bought a size small for the regular jeans and medium for the crops, but for some reason the latter always fit better and the former were a little loose for many weeks.  I find the adjustable belly panel to be frustrating.  When it’s pulled all the way up, I tend to get warm, or itchy, and after a few washes the fabric of my shirts was getting stuck on the full panel.  Plus it’s a dark color and visible though many shirts.  I prefer to wear the pants with the panel folded over, but I find myself often pulling up the pants every time I stand up from a sitting position and constantly adjusting the folded-over panel.  Overall, they’re both comfortable, but I don’t wear them unless my favorite jeans are dirty.  Oh, and because it’s winter, otherwise I’d wear the crop jeans more often – even with adjusting the band, they’re still comfy.

I also purchased a pair of khaki pants, probably boot cut, with an under-the-belly elastic band that are Motherhood Maternity brand retailing for $30, but I got them at Burlington Coat Factory for $12.99.  I’m short and they’re a little long, so when I started wearing them I folded up the bottom cuff, but as my belly’s grown, I can just barely get by without folding them up.  They’re comfortable, but the elastic band usually twists a little when I sit, and so I adjust them every time I stand.  It’s an easy adjustment, though, easier than the aforementioned jeans, and quick.  And they look very nice.  I’ve worn them for just about every formal occasion lately, from Christmas dinner to church services, but they’re still casual and comfortable enough for everyday use or office attire.

I bought a pair of black slacks with under-belly elastic and a matching shirt from the New Recruit brand, which is sold at the Army and Air Force Exchange.  It cost $30 for both, but I haven’t worn the shirt yet as it’s polyester and a little warm.  The pants, though, I’ve been wearing.  I haven’t been wearing them in public much, even though I bought them to have something dressy, but they’re so incredibly comfortable that I often wear them around the house.  They’re mostly polyester with just a touch of spandex and they’re loose and flowing and light and I almost never have to adjust them.  And they look much nicer than sweatpants, so I don’t feel like a bum even if I’m just hanging around the house in them.  I really like wearing them.

Surprisingly, my favorite maternity jeans are the Old Navy Low-Rise Boot-Cut Jeans that cost $36.50 but that I bought for sale on their website for $25.  Actually, I was pretty mad at Old Navy because I had to order these pants online instead of buying them in the store.  I know that Old Navy used to have maternity clothes in their stores, but once I got pregnant, I could no longer find a store that still had a maternity section.  I hate buying normal clothes online since they often don’t fit as well as I’d hoped, and so I was extra wary about ordering pregnancy pants.  I measured myself twice and checked it against the online size chart three times and read all the reviews before placing the order.  When the pants arrived I was happy with how they looked, except that they sent me the wrong size.  I ordered the size I wanted, but they sent the wrong one.  This was days before we moved and now I had to go out of my way to FedEx the pants back to them after hours of struggling with the utterly uncooperative return label I had to print off the internet, which only successfully happened after some inventive finagling – and then they shipped the new pants to the wrong address!  I was in hysterical tears twice (Thank you, pregnancy hormones) before the whole mess was worked out.

So, many weeks after ordering them, I finally had the correct pants and was able to start wearing them.  Because they’re low-rise, they have an under-belly elastic band sown into the jeans instead of a full belly panel and this had made them much more comfortable then the first pairs of jeans I had purchased.  I wear these Old Navy jeans all the time.  They’re a little tight just after they’re washed, but they’re still as comfortable at 31 weeks as they were at 25 weeks.  I do have to pull them up sometimes when I stand, but that’s about all the adjusting required.  So even though I swore up and down that I wouldn’t order clothes again from Old Navy after all the frustration they caused me, and because I’m still upset that I can’t buy maternity clothes in their stores, I know it’s not true.  I have some shirts from them, too, and their maternity line is comfortable and more than stylish enough for a jeans-and-t-shirt kind of gal like me.  I’m a casual person; their clothes are casual.  We work well together, whether I like it or not.

Incidentally, I would also like to mention that for around-the-house attire, I really, really like wearing Target pajama pants.  In a size larger than I would normally wear, there’s more than enough stretch to the elastic to fit comfortably, and they’re lighter than sweatpants, which is good for Florida weather.  I wouldn’t wear them out in public (I’m not that casual) but I love wearing them all day.

I’m not sure how I’m going to feel about going back to regular pants.  I’ve gotten incredibly accustomed to wearing sweatpants-like attire and I’m not sure I’m going to like going back to normal jeans and pants and letting go of all my stretchy, elastic bands.  I know I’ll need the maternity pants for a little while after the baby arrives (during the infamous “fourth trimester”) and I’m certainly looking forward to losing the baby weight and getting back into my old wardrobe, but – and I can’t believe I’m saying this – I think I’m going to actually miss the maternity pants.  Well, maybe that’s not true, but I’m certainly going to miss having an excuse to walk around in pajama pants all day and jeans that expand with me.

Because some things are just too weird not to share, here’s a photo of a two-headed lettuce leaf that held an honorary place in our salad tonight. Creepy but curious.

Then again, my husband’s comment was, “It’s just produce.” Nothing special.

Maybe.  Maybe not.

As I’ve now hit 31 weeks of pregnancy, I’ve received more and more baby gifts and the impending arrival of the baby is becoming suddenly very real, what with all the baby stuff lying around. I can’t believe we’re down to single digits when counting down the weeks! But we find ourselves still living with relatives, which means I still don’t have a nursery to decorate yet and can’t really be buying big things for baby. This means that perhaps I’ve been a little too overcome by the adorableness of onesies – something I can still buy, even if I try to limit most of that shopping to window shopping! I do have to remind myself that a single baby can only wear so much clothing and I’m bound to receive quite a few more outfits as gifts – which I think is great … I just have to limit my own purchases right now. Not an easy task.

But at least I can still look! And I’ve been browsing the stores online, too, which is where I found these totally adorable and sweet – pun intended – onesies by the Baby Bunch (pictured at left). They’re packaged to mimic cupcakes and they look completely delicious! My eye is drawn to the pink and white ones, since we’re having a girl, but they also come in blue or yellow colors, which makes them a fabulous gift for any expecting mom. Maybe the overload of hormones increases the cuteness of these, but either way, they are far too cute not to post!

I’ve noticed that all the recipes I’ve posted thus far have been deserts, and since I’ve made soup today to counter the chilly weather streak, I thought I’d post it. This is a recipe for Goulash Soup that I originally got off another website years ago, but have changed to suit our tastes. There seem to be quite a few versions of Hungarian Goulash soup and a few disputes as to what goes into Hungarian Goulash. Either way, this recipe works great for us.

Mostly, as I’ve played with the recipe over the years, I took out some stuff – like noodles. For all the many times I’ve enjoyed some Goulash at a little, mom and pop restaurant in Germany (and once in Austria), I don’t ever remember there being any type of noodle in the soup. So even though I’ve seen recipes with noodles or dumplings, I leave them out because that’s not how I like it. Some had green peppers, but I don’t really like peppers, so I leave them out, too. And I adjusted the amounts of veggies and meat a little.

Everything in the soup, from the meat to potatoes to veggies, I cut into tiny, bit-sized pieces, so you get a little of everything in each spoonful, and also so everything is cooked through and tender. Chunks about a half inch for the meat and potatoes, and for the veggies even a little smaller.

Incidentally, if you’re interested, even though this recipe calls for beef, I have also made the soup with venison. I don’t really like venison, but when you have a freezer full of it, well, you adjust. Anyway, because the soup cooks for awhile and any meat you use gets tender, you could probably use whatever you’ve got on hand.

I find that the most labor intensive part of the preparation is cutting up the meat, since you can put most of the veggies in a food processor to save time, but you can also cut up the meat ahead of time if you want to throw the soup together more quickly.

It goes well with some cold German beer and I usually serve it with a salad.

Goulash Soup
Prep Time: about 30 mins.
Total Time: 2 1/2 to 3 hours

Olive Oil
2 to 3 pounds chuck beef, cubed
1 large onion (I prefer a sweet onion), diced
3 to 4 garlic cloves, finely diced (I actually use a garlic press)
3 to 4 carrots, diced
3 to 4 stalks celery, diced
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, with juice (I use petite diced)
3 to 4 potatoes, diced
3 to 4 tablespoons paprika
4 beef bouillon cubes
Salt
Pepper
1/2 to 1 cup sour cream

In a large pot, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil and cook onions over medium or medium low heat until they are translucent and just starting to brown, at least five minutes. Stir in the paprika; if it’s too dry, add more oil – the mixture should be very red. Then add the meat and garlic to the pot. Sprinkle a little salt (not more than a teaspoon as there’s salt in the bouillon) and a couple teaspoons pepper over the meat. Brown the meat on all sides. Then cover the meat mixture with water, about 6 to 8 cups and add the bouillon cubes. Let simmer on low for an hour.

Add the carrots, celery and tomatoes and let cook for a half hour. Then add the potatoes and allow to simmer on low for another half hour. Check to make sure things are tender – for example, if you can smoosh a potato piece with the spoon, things are probably done. At this point stir in the sour cream. Start with a half cup of sour cream, but add more if you like, and don’t worry if the top of the soup looks a little red as some of the paprika floats to the top. Once the sour cream is stirred in, allow to heat for a few more minutes before serving. It makes about 8 to 10 servings.

There’s been a barrage of emails in my inbox talking about pregnancy nutrition and eating healthy. Even considering my intense cravings for cookies and baked goods, I’m probably the healthiest I’ve ever been, but there are still things I’ve had trouble incorporating into my diet. For example, I’m not a big fish eater – in fact fish often makes me sick, with a few small exceptions.

But there’s this huge push to consume omega 3s. Sure, I use Smart Balance Omega, but consuming large portions of a butter substitute just to obtain omegas is probably not all that smart. Plus, I mostly only eat fish when there’s the same amount of mayonnaise as tuna fish in my sandwich – again, not the healthiest option.

Fish oils and omega 3s, all the studies (or at least the journalists) proclaim, are super important for pregnant women to get so that the babies will have big, healthy brains. The studies seem genuine, and, at the very least, I’ve heard nothing negative about them.

So I’ve started taking a fish oil supplement. I have pills, but they’re so huge, and I have so much trouble taking normal sized pills already, that I just choke on them and can’t manage to get them down at all. I hate pills. Pills hate me.

So I headed over to the Vitamin Shoppe and browsed the shelves, reviewing the variety of fish oil, omega 3, 6, and/or 9, salmon oil and cod liver oil. I just couldn’t tell how big the pills were in any of the jars, though, so I started looking at alternative options. There was an omega gummy, but they provided only a fraction of the supplement that came in pill form, and they were kind of pricey for the amount of omegas they contained.

Finally, I settled on something called Coromega Omega 3 Squeeze. It’s a box full of little packets of smooth, thick liquid that’s about the consistency of cupcake icing. I bought the orange flavor and I find it to taste just like a hard candy that’s flavored like an orange creamsicle.

I already know, from the years that my parents owned a GNC and I worked with them, that liquids are a better way to absorb your vitamins than pills. According to the Coromega website, this product that was developed in Norway years ago has been clinically proven to have a 300% better absorption of the supplement than softgel pills. Either way, it’s easy to take, it tastes pretty decent, and I’m finally getting more of those omegas that my husband insists I absolutely, without question, need for the health of the baby.

The Omega 3 Squeeze is made with real fish oil, in fact it’s the main ingredient, but I have to say that it doesn’t have a funny taste that reminds me of fish in any way. Which is good, because I just don’t like fish. At all. And whatever I eat has a good chance of repeating on me (just another fun side effect of pregnancy), but I find I don’t mind so much with this supplement because it tastes like candy. Although, when I chase it with one of those little shots of DanActive yogurts, which I often do so that I remember to get in that extra calcium, then there’s definitely no problem of the oil repeating.

Luckily I can manage to swallow those horse pills the doctors call prenatals, so I’m already healthier than my normal self, but I figure those extra boosts of omega supplements and then the yogurt and a daily glass of calcium-fortified orange juice go a long ways toward improving mine and the baby’s health. I’m by no means a nutrition nut, but at least I try to incorporate all the food groups and various nutrients now. At least being pregnant keeps it forefront in my mind. And, at least there are healthy options out there that don’t have to be taken in pill form.