Splish splash

Hannah had her first bath yesterday. Well, her first sponge bath. It amazingly went much smoother than I’d anticipated, thanks to Christian, his patience, and his large hands that were able to hold her without excessive squirming.

At first she was curious about it all, until the time it was necessary to get a bit wet. Not a happy camper, but not wailing and bawling too much either. Me, nervous mom, chose to be the archivist and record the photos for posterity and future embarrassment.
We also assembled Hannah’s Fisher Price Swing and Seat, one with a jungle motif and the most horrible synthesized music available for children’s toys, lol. But we’ll leave off the music and just let her listen to Brahms, Debussy, Bach, Carly Simon, Elton John and Donovan, to name a few of our current “to sleep” favorites. That Swing and Seat is a godsend, I tell you. More than 10 minutes of uninterrupted adult time is a precious, precious commodity, and this seat provides that!
This morning, at the doctor, we were notified that Hannah has regained all of her birth weight she lost the two or so days right after the birth, and on top of that has gained three ounces. Whoo hooo! I was so afraid she wouldn’t have gained enough from what I can naturally provide and from the fact she likes to spit up fairly often. She also passed her hearing test with flying colors, after having failed it at the hospital (I found out later that C section babies tend to accumulate some fluid in the ear).
In the evening, we took a nice stroll around our neighborhood and were pleased to see that Hannah has absolutely no problem with bumps and potholes. Such a score! If she gets in a crying jag, I will immediately put her in the stroller and take her out for some exercise.
On exercise: I feel like a sloth, although I know I’m not. I am cleaning house like it’s the last day of earth, but I’ve yet to go on one of my beloved power walks. I’m aiming for it today, though. Although it’s odd not having the luxury of deciding when and where I will exercise anymore, the benefits are far, far greater!

It’ll be Dick Clark and diapers in L&D!

Alright folks, it’s show time!
We had a prenatal appointment yesterday morning at 8 a.m. While waiting in the examination room for the doctor, the nurse came in and told us the doctor was called to surgery and wouldn’t be back in the office until two hours later. However, she did offer to give us an ultrasound, which we most gratefully accepted. Well, when the doctor’s away, the nurses play, lol. She definitely took her time with the ultrasound, letting us ask beaucoups questions and see Hannah from all angles. Let’s just say Hannah’s got plenty of energy! Her heartbeat was 137 beats per second and the nurse estimated her to be 7 lbs./1 oz.
We told the nurse we’d come back, and in the meantime we did some shopping and then got online to purchase VIP tickets to a comedy show on New Year’s Eve. Of course at that time we were going off of my 1/6/11 due date and I’ve been feeling just fine. Lots of Braxton Hicks contractions, but not intense and not intensifying. Well, this is the way to speed things along… buy non-refundable, not-cheap VIP tickets, or make ANY financially committed plans around your due date. Guaranteed that will be when things get started!
Sure enough, when we got back to the doctor’s office, he did a cervical check and exclaimed, “You are SO READY.” He recommended we come to the hospital at midnight Wednesday night to start the induction. Of course we asked if that is what he thought was the wisest thing to do (I was iffy about induction), and he was pretty emphatic about it being the medically safest route to go. So, here we are! I am going to the hospital at midnight TOMORROW NIGHT to get the ball rolling. Hannah will be here Thursday and, from what I gather, we’ll all be celebrating New Year’s Eve in the hospital. Not that I’m complaining one iota. We’re both just so floored and flabbergasted at the pace that has picked up rather rapidly. Just when I thought I might be ready, I now find myself faced with: putting away the Christmas decorations, recycling the tree, vacuuming, cleaning out the fridge, cooking/freezing ready meals, laundry, floor scrubbing, car maintenance (wash, gas fill up, put in car seat), RE-packing my hospital bag (I have done this countless times), getting all the chargers/cables/USB sticks ready, etc. And most importantly? Spending today and tomorrow on one long “date” with my husband…we’ll have a very nice dinner out somewhere tonight (I am wise enough to NOT make reservations, however) and tomorrow we’ll just take it easy at home and go to bed early to have the alarm clock wake us up around 10:45 to get ready for the hospital.
We can’t yet fully grasp the fact that Hannah will be in our arms DAY AFTER TOMORROW!!!!!!

•••

We both had a lot of nervous energy to spend last night, so Christian offered to make some homemade pesto pasta while I did my “nesting,” i.e., lots of organizing, throwing out trash, etc.

I’m sure Christian’s phenomenal food and cooking is a key component to Hannah’s very good growth and I love to know she’s going to be way above and beyond Beef a Roni, Happy Meals and Cheeze Whiz!

•••

So, I just may be out of commission for the next few days, with the possibility of photo updates…but I can’t promise it will be before Friday. May all of you have a wonderful, safe New Year, and I’ll see you next year! (Okay, maybe earlier, but let’s just see how tired this mamma is!)

On a roll…

Yesterday night we had our Culinary Travel dinner, with this theme being “Taiwan.” Being as it is we’re a bit preoccupied these days, we didn’t get cooking until fairly late in the day and, by the time Christian had rolled his last egg roll and I’d further progressed my carpal tunnel by stirring, stirring, stirring the very glutinous and thick chicken congee, we’d decided our goal of making mochi for dessert was just too much to ask. Oh well, today all we have on our plate is my prenatal appointment this morning and walking the dogs, so it’s mochi and leftover egg rolls and conchee for the foreseeable future (we keep on forgetting that it’s just two of us eating, not the 8 that are typical for the recipes we find).

As always, Christian won this round. His egg rolls simply rocked my world. Crispy and light without being soggy and a grease-fest like most Chinese restaurant egg rolls are. I usually don’t order egg rolls at restaurants (spring rolls? A big YES, but not egg rolls) because they’re just so greasy! My chicken congee (filled with rice, chicken, coconut milk, bok choi, chicken broth, habanero flakes and dried bonito flakes) was a bit on the bland side, but very good for me, considering heartburn has been a constant for the last two weeks.
And for lunch yesterday? My absolute favorite thing in the world, courtesy of Christian… Pfannkuchen! I could…and would… live on the stuff for every meal, every day. Filled with plum jam and a side of fruit salad? God, I can’t get enough!
I’m 37 weeks pregnant now… that is technically full term, and yes, I feel it! There is such a big part of me that wants it DONE, DONE, DONE…but another that will mourn the loss of being pregnant and feeling Hannah growing and moving, safely, inside of me. I’m anxious about this appointment today, I guess because we’ll have a clearer picture about her growth and expected arrival. And we’ll find out if these contractions I’ve been feeling are the real deal or just a “warm up.”
There is still a little voice inside my head that says “Christmas Baby.” But if she is not, and sticks to her due date, I won’t mind. I just hope Christian doesn’t mind another two weeks of moans, groans, sobs, tantrums, weird food combos and sweatpants

Light show

Last night we went to Scenic Drive to see the luminarias, something I’d never done, even though I grew up less than a mile from Scenic Drive. I mean, sure, I’d BEEN to Scenic Drive, but I’d always avoided the special night of lights because I thought, “How cool could it be? And I’ve seen cool…the Vegas Strip, Rockefeller Center, the midnight torch runs in Aspen, the Christmas Markts in Frankfurt, Regensburg and Munich…”
Okay, the luminarias didn’t blow me away, especially with the backdrop of the City of El Paso down below (the “jewel box” they call it at night), many were blown out, the lines of cars were long, and the living nativity scene mixed Nikes and hoodies with “authentic” burlap robes… but it was SO El Paso tradition and a great opportunity to take in the majestic views of the city as well as the fantastic lighted homes along Rim Road.

My pictures didn’t turn out, i.e., no way of seeing the luminarias and I will never get how to take night photos. But they did turn out “artsy” at least.
Before our Christmas car ride, Christian made us some bacon-wrapped sausages and sauerkraut to warm us up…and tonight is our Culinary Travel Night… Taiwan! We’ve not had our Travel Night in a few weeks and we’re looking forward to getting back in the cooking saddle.
And the countdown to Hannah continues. And continues. And continues. Lol. She’s not due yet (two more weeks) so I have no right to complain yet. But oh those nightly heartburn attacks, the inability to see or shave my legs, and the slow demise of my beloved daily walks is getting to me! It’s all good and I’m learning to just sit down and relax, but it doesn’t come easy.

A feast for three

Our advent wreath

I’d mentioned in a previous blog that Christian and I, a few weeks ago, got a free turkey for purchasing more than $100 at Albertson’s. It was close to the time that Christian was heading to Germany, and he was going to miss Thanksgiving here altogether, so we decided to wait until he returned Stateside to cook the bird and have ourselves a “Holiday Meal,” (not quite Thanksgiving, not quite Christmas). That meal was last night.
Christian was in charge of the turkey, thank god. I have tried to make a turkey once, and suffice it to say, frozen and fried at the same time is how mine turned out. His first effort? Impeccable. Of course. I’ve never seen the man make a mistake with cooking meat, ever. I knew the turkey was in good hands from the get-go.
I don’t know how Christian does it, oh, wait, yes I do. He FOLLOWS DIRECTIONS. He watched at LEAST two whole videos online about how to prepare a turkey for roasting. He bought all the required AND suggested supplies, and he followed their directions. Uh, something I’m still learning to do at (almost) 40.
At least I didn’t SUCK at the side items, which was my domain. But then again, how hard can it be to dump two cans of green beans, a can of cream of mushroom soup and fried onions together and bake in the oven? Although the creamed onions were a bit more time consuming, nothing I made required the care, constant tending-to, or patience as the turkey which, by the way, WAS the most tender, succulent and perfectly roasted turkey I have ever had. No, it’s not a case of post-party warm and fuzzies. It was just great!
Christian has mastered the American holiday meal. I get to look forward to his German Christmas meal in just about 11 days, and my American Christmas brunch on December 25.
But for now, it’s going to be turkey sandwiches, turkey tettrazini, turkey salad, turkey nachos… I feel like Bubba in “Forrest Gump,” lol… We’ve got LOTS of leftovers, little room, but takeout meals for the foreseeable future!
Here’s some photos from before, during and after last night’s gluttony fest:

Our advent wreath

The turkey “before”

The turkey “during”

The turkey “after”

Creamed onions

Green bean casserole

Holiday salad with Gorgonzola, walnuts and dried cranberries

American as pumpkin pie

Friday flocked with fun

We did it! Our first tree together is decorated, and it wasn’t tooo much of a logistical nightmare, other than the fact that of course I bought way too many decorations than would fit on the tree. We’ve got our favorites up, and the apartment smells wonderful, and I could just sit on the sofa all night long, mesmerized by the simple lights and holiday smells.
Friday was my all-out fun and too-much-food day… for lunch I made us some Gnocchi, drowning in a sauce made with tomato-basil pasta sauce, sour cream, hot red pepper flakes, diced ham and garlic. Hey, we needed sustenance to decorate the tree, right? And after we decorated, we treated ourselves to dinner at Okazuri, a restaurant that touts itself as “The Floating Bar Sushi Bar” on the sign outside. Never mind the “floating bar” wasn’t functioning last night… it was good food, intimate, and a well-deserved date night for me and Christian. And never mind I can’t have sushi right now. We did start with a Spider Roll, which has cooked soft-shell crab and tempura shrimp; miso soup; and chicken teriyaki for me (I could manage about a THIRD of what was offered) and beef teriyaki for Christian. And never mind that twenty minutes after dinner, we stopped by Starbucks and I COULD manage to find room for a grande Americano and a slice of gingerbread. I’ll repent today. But yesterday? NO regrets.

•••

We were going to hit the Weinnachtsnight over at Fort Bliss this afternoon/evening, but, since I was able to go to the Christkindlmarkt last week before Christian returned home AND tonight is the hugely popular lighting of the Plaza Christmas tree and a parade downtown, we’ll hit that instead. Christian’s got to check out the American tradition (okay, in El Paso, the Mexican-American tradition, complete with a posada, lots of churros and elotes for sale, and most likely a mariachi band mixed in. Oh, and Santa is on parade in a lowrider). But at least that way we get a taste of more than one culture’s holiday celebration.

Chile and chess

Yesterday my dad and I were invited over to have lunch by our friends, Ed and Kay, and to have a little lesson on chess as well as to see their beyond-impressive collection of chess sets from around the world. While I don’t profess to be a chess whiz or even know the difference between a rook and a pawn, I can admire great workmanship and gorgeous detailing. And I can definitely admire some fantastic chile-cheese casserole
Kay made her chile cheese casserole following the recipe from “Seasoned with Sun,” the El Paso Junior League cookbook. Pretty much everyone in El Paso has a version of this cookbook…except for me. And now I am on a quest for an original copy (anyone, anyone?). With the casserole, she served a bowl of delicious fresh fruit, black olives, yummy whole wheat buns, and brownies. The perfect cold-weather brunch meal, with great company.
While I don’t have on hand the Junior League version of this classic El Paso brunch staple (which I fully intend to make for brunch Christmas Day, if I am still carrying this BIG bun in the oven ), here’s a decent substitute and a great addition to any holiday meal:

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup melted butter
10 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1 lb. shredded monterey jack cheese
3 (4-ounce) cans whole green chiles, preferably Hatch
1 pint small curd cottage cheese
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:
Whisk eggs in a large bowl.
Add the flour, baking powder and salt, and whisk to combine.
Add all remaining ingredients. Stir well.
Pour into 9×13 sprayed casserole dish.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350.
Continue to bake 35-40 minutes
Serve cut into squares.

•••

It’s Saturday morning, and three more hours until the Christkindlmarkt at the Deutsches Soldatenstube at Fort Bliss opens (I’m going early anyway, in the hopes they JUST MIGHT let me in a few minutes early. After all, it’s like Black Friday for foodies and lovers of all things German!) To kill time, I’ve started my holiday baking. I just finished some chewy brownies filled with white chocolate chips, dried cranberries, almonds and peanuts; and now in the oven is some holiday breakfast bread, made with bread flour, molasses, milk, eggs, butter, salt, sugar, almonds, cranberries, cinnamon and nutmeg. As I always do when I bake, I go into it knowing full well I may have to stop by the International Bakery and Deli to pick up not-so-homemade replacements, lol. Pictures, if I dare, on my next post.

What’s for dinner? Don’t ask

Okay, I was putting off showing what I’ve been eating the last few days, mainly out of embarrassment and a bit of laziness. But I did promise I’d be real on this blog and not sugarcoat or embellish. SO, here it is. Here’s the gist of the meals I’ve eaten in the last few days since my hubby’s gone to Germany.
It’s not like I’m broke, or depressed (well, okay, a LITTLE) or unable to cook up something scrumptious. I’ve just sort of lost my kitchen mojo and I’ve also had some REALLY bizarre cravings the last few days (those who say pregnancy cravings go away in the second trimester are sadly mistaken. Or I’m a freak )
Mrs. Cubberson’s turkey stuffing bread cubes on top of microwave scrambled eggs and green beans? Basil and cheese melted on, gasp, “fake” wheat pre-sliced bread? Freezer-burned chocolate chip-cayenne pepper (yes, really) drop cookies left over from my shower? You get the picture. It’s time to get back in the kitchen and it’s time to FOLLOW RECIPES!
In the meantime, I’m naughtily enjoying the food porn my husband’s sending me from home in Bavaria, knowing full well that in just one week I’ll be eating like a human being again. I guess I should celebrate this ability to throw whatever the heck I like in a bowl and nuke it. It won’t ever happen again.

•••

On a better note, today was the first day of December and the day I got to start opening all three of the advent calendars we have on display at home: One for Christian, one for me and one for all three of us (okay, I opened all of them for us since Christian’s not here and Hannah is here but not really here, lol). I also lit the first candle of our advent wreath while I had lunch (if you call it lunch) and played some Christmas music for me and for Hannah. I’m so into the Christmas spirit this year it almost hurts! I haven’t felt this way about Christmas since I was about 10 years old, practicing running up our spiral staircase to make it the fastest into the living room to open presents.
This year is going to be a blow-out Christmas, even if I’m in the maternity ward at the time. The nurses and staff will be LUCKY to have me as their patient! (yes, I’ve already thought of little “gifts” for the hospital staff. God, I’m turning into Martha Stewart…)

Ah, so THAT’S Thanksgiving

This is the year…this is the year I have waited for all my life. The year everything I ever wanted transpired, the year some major miracles happened…and the year I finally realized what Thanksgiving’s all about.
Although it was a horribly rough morning, sending my husband off at 4 a.m. to Germany, it was bittersweet. Because we used to be separated months and months at a time, and now it’s less than two weeks. It was hard this time because TWO of us will miss him, me and Hannah, and my husband couldn’t share this special day with me.
However, we’ve got a 20 pound turkey in the freezer (and a big bun in the oven) WAITING for his safe return, and when he gets back, he gets a very special holiday meal, with ALL the trimmings. The bun in the oven will (fingers crossed!) wait until after the holidays.
After having breakfast with my husband at the airport (Starbucks opens at 4:30, weeeee!), I returned home and napped for another 2 hours before getting up and getting motivated for a brisk 30 minute walk around the neighborhood. Well, a waddle is more like it, but I got it done. Then I got ready and headed on over to my dad’s house to go with him to the El Paso Club for our Thanksgiving brunch. Country Club, restaurant or private club holiday meals can be sketchy at best, but luckily for us, we had excellent food, great service and a bird’s eye view of the entire city. Perfect (well, except for the sushi… buffets shouldn’t have sushi, period). Only in El Paso will you find on a Thanksgiving menu the following: Pork adobado, mahi mahi, turkey (duh), roast beef, cheese stuffed jalapenos, jicama salad, pate, brie alongside asadero cheese, sushi, Waldorf salad, ceviche and pico de gallo. But it seemed to just work.
After brunch, I headed on over to mom’s to say hello and check out her and Rosser’s (my brother) very early, early start to Christmas decorating. No Charlie Brown tree here. Nope. More like 4 separate Christmas trees and more toys, nutcrackers, candles and batter-operated Santas and such to make FAO Schwartz blush.
I wanted to put off going back home because frankly, it’s no fun going home to no one. But with some DVDs borrowed from Rosser, the newest gossip magazines and a bathtub surrounded by candles, I just might make it out of this, Day One of Christian’s trip.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone, and remember just what it is that makes it THANKSgiving….

Home sweet home

Before recently, I never really felt I had a real home. I’d been a nomad for so many years, living here a few years, there a few months, hop-scotching my way coast to coast. I’ll always consider El Paso my ‘hometown,’ of course, because I was born and raised here, but I never really felt “at home” here and, frankly, never really knew what it was to feel “at home.” I was too antsy, too restless and not comfortable just BEING STILL.
The first time I really got a sense of being “at home” was in Germany, staying for months at a time with my husband’s family. There is a drastic difference between American home life and German home life. In short, the home IS life. All celebrations, meals, gatherings and milestones take place in the home. Germans are house-proud but private, maintain their homes immaculately but not extravagantly or in a way to try to one-up the neighbors or show who’s got the bigger, better, newer whatever…. The homes are lived-in yet clean and ALWAYS orderly, smells of hearty meals and crackling fires greet residents and guests alike, and it’s rare to want to leave home constantly to see what one might be missing. In fact, people look forward to going back home!
My nesting phase of pregnancy (I’m 33 weeks tomorrow!!!!) is making me really feel “at home” and trying to create an environment similar to the one I experienced in Germany. I’ll not have the crackling fireplace (are you kidding? It’s El Paso!) but I can simulate it with pine candles and incense. I won’t have a gorgeous view of the rolling hills of hops fields and fiery yellow rapeseed, the sounds of goats and cows or the greetings of “Grüss Gott!” on the cobblestone streets, but I can, and will, improvise! I’m making this apartment, er, home, a warm and inviting refuge from the dust, loud lowriders, smog and roaring trains that typify El Paso living, and I LOVE coming home.
Yesterday I spent a good 5 hours organizing, tidying, simplifying and beautifying our little home, getting it ready for Hannah’s arrival. Having a place that’s 480 square feet does give one a challenge and it really makes one sort out the needed from the unneeded. Prioritizing comes much easier when that is the only option one has.
So, with the space we have, here’s what I could do. Now if I can just figure out a place to put the Christmas tree!

•••

Last night, Christian made mini burgers for dinner, with baguette and salad. I haven’t heard differently from my doctor, but I am convinced my iron levels are low, because I’ve been craving meat like mad. Meat, gingerbread, baguette, cabbage in any way/shape/form, water!, non-fat lattes from Starbucks, oatmeal, milk, Sharon fruit and peppermint bark… yep, those are my current preggers cravings. Heck, I wouldn’t say no to sauerkraut and a latte for breakfast! God, how many more weeks??????