Mexican Quinoa

I was browsing Pinterest the other day looking for quinoa recipes and I came across this one.  We love a good taco night around here and I'm so sick of boring rice and beans as a side.  And to be honest I don't even really like rice.  I was so excited when I found this.  It turned out to be easy and delicious. Win-win!

Here's what you need:

• 1 tbs olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 can diced tomatoes and green chilis (14.5 oz)
• 1 can black beans (15.5 oz)
• 1 can whole corn kernels (15.5 oz)
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• grated cheddar cheese and sour cream (for topping)

WARNING: This makes a lot.  It doesn't look like it when you start but the quinoa gets huge. Could easily serve 6 people.

Here's what you do:

1. In a large sauce pan heat the olive oil over medium/high heat and add garlic.  Just saute until fragrant.  Less than a minute.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients (minus the cilantro and the toppings) and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-25 minutes.
4. Stir in cilantro just before serving and add toppings.

Lactation Shake

Peanut Butter Banana Lactation Smoothie: healthier than eating lactation cookies :)

• Protein Powder (I use vanilla)
• 1 banana
• splash of milk
• Chia Seeds (because they are a superfood and I put them in everything these days)
• Scoop of Peanut Butter
• 1/2 tbs flax seed meal (soak in water for a few minutes before to soften)
• 1/2 tbs. brewers yeast
• ice

You don't have to do peanut butter banana but this flavor is sweet and can cover up the bitterness of the brewers yeast.  I might try a fruity or green shake next.  Protein, flax seed meal, and brewers yeast are the important ingredients for lactation.  

Today I also heard that coconut oil and grass feed butter (whatever that is) are also good and some people put them in coffee (decaf).  There are so many home remedies for low milk supply out there and who knows if they really work but I have pretty much tried them all and now have a really great supply so I will keep doing what I'm doing. 

It's A Boy: A Shower For Shann

It’s A Boy!

We got in just under the wire here.  Little Patrick decided to make an early debut about 3 days later :)

Target diapers make the best diaper cakes.  Those polka dots are just too cute!

I wanted to do two large balloons with tassels but those tassels, although cute, can be really time consuming.  I can't help it though, I just love a giant balloon with a tassel string.  Blame Pinterest I guess. 

All the decorations were made by me.  I purchased the design from the Etsy shop called Haute Chocolate Favors.  The designer had a pink and blue girl whale theme and I had her do a custom package for me.  She sent the files over and I printed and put it all together.  

I made sparkling lemonade punch.  Just lemonade, club soda, lemon slices, blueberries, and ice.  Easy and refreshing.

The "salad party" has become the go-to with my girl friends.  Any time we have a party each girl makes a different salad and brings it.  It makes the food really easy and when it's all women (who eat like birds) it works perfectly.  WARNING: I would never serve this to a bunch of guys :)

My favors were small bags of candies.  I found Hershey kisses with "It's A Boy" strings which I thought were really cute.

A fun little diaper activity.  The guests write funny or inspirational messages on diapers to be reserved for late night diaper changes.  It's supposed to be a little something to get you through those incredibly tough/exhausting times in the beginning.

Blake's Grammie and Patrick's Grandma-to-be.

Making new friends :)

Niki, getting Blake down for a nap.  Thanks again for that one!!

The glowing momma-to-be opening her gifts :)

My daughter is 5 months and I still haven't gotten my hair done.  This is officially disgusting.  It has been over a year now.  This is first on my list if I ever get any "me" time and/or some money :)  But aren't her glasses adorable?

The whole crew

Blake Olivia: 5 months

What's been happening this month:

• 14 lb. 7oz at her doctor appointment.  Almost double her birth weight. 
• Doing much better at tummy time and rolling over from front to back.  She only gets to her side from her back though.
• Wearing size 6 month clothes.
• Laughing.
• Chewing her hands.
• Still drooling a lot.
• Understanding and anticipating games.
• Loves playing with toys, especially throwing them on the ground over and over and making me pick them up.
• Still needs to be swaddled for sleep.  I might get the Zipadee Zip soon to try to transition her.  It comes highly recommended from a few friends.
• Found her voice and loves to use it, loudly.
• Pulling hair. I can't ever wear mine down anymore.
• Loves to play with her feet.
• Waking up at night again. She wakes up about every other night.  I've read that this can happen at about 5 months because baby becomes more aware of their surroundings.  I am going to start some different methods for sleep so that I can create good habits.  I'm not a believer in "sleep training" but I am going to start gently helping her to learn to self soothe and fall asleep on her own.  I hope this works.  I didn't buy a book on it (because seriously, who has time to read a book?) but I have read up on a few different techniques and am going to sort of make up my own sleep techniques.  We'll see if it works.  More on that later.  I still really don't mind helping her to sleep but I would like to stop completely relying on nursing to sleep so that other people will be able to get her to bed.