Happy 2 Months!

Our precious baby girl is two months old! So much has changed over the past two months I can hardly believe it. She really is a different baby- wide-eyed, alert, talkative, and happy. We get huge smiles from her every morning on the changing table and lots of "ooo's" and "ahhh's" as the day goes on. I can almost see her mind working as she takes in the world around her, lifting her head off my chest to look back and forth. She still enjoys car rides, walks in her stroller, and now likes to hang out on a blanket on the floor, all by herself. I'm pretty sure she has a conversation with her mobile every day too, as she is the most "talkative" lying on her back looking up at the monkey, elephant, and zebra above.

I know I said it already, but I really can't believe two months have passed. On one hand it feels like it's been longer, like she's been here forever. On the other it feels like time has passed so quickly I never even knew it was September until recently. How is this month almost over? I have no idea. Time, days, weeks, months...none of it matters to me anymore. The days blend together and start anew with me wondering what new thing baby will discover next.

I can finally say that I get it- it does "get better." Those first 7 weeks were some of the hardest of my life. Sleep deprivation, exhaustion, emotions, the battle I had with myself daily to just.let.things.go. The laundry, the dishes, the clutter! If you know me you know I like to keep a clean house and it was actually really hard for me just to submit to the disarray. But I did and I feel so much better about it now. Dishes in the sink from last night's dinner? Oh well. A pile of laundry waiting to be folded on top of the washer? I'll get to it. Eventually! Going to bed as soon as the baby falls asleep? Necessary.

I love you my sweet girl. You've made me one happy Mommy.

So What Wednesday

This week I'm starting something new- So What Wednesday.

I'm not sure what direction this blog is going to take. Primarily it will still be a food blog- whatever and whenever I cook something new, improved, exciting, delicious, etc in the kitchen, I will share it with you. But I'm starting to view my blog as more than just a place to share food. I have a lot to reflect on nowadays, you know?

I decided to start with participating in "So What Wednesday" because I see it as a reflection piece; "so what" if I think or do certain things nowadays. My life is different- for the better, for the best, and I have to share, in whatever aspects and in whatever form that may be. 


So What....

-If I'm super excited for the iPhone 4s. Nope, not the iPhone 5. I've had the iPhone 3 for a while and now I'm getting the next one up! I guess I'm behind the times.

-If all my instagram pictures are of baby....and occasional some food.
 Follow me! @ thiswomancooks.

-If I'm so in love with Parenthood. I cry every.single.time I watch that show. I never want it to end.

-If I allow baby girl to nap on my chest sometimes. It's the sweetest/best thing in the world.

-If I'm ridiculously excited to hear back from hubby's residency programs. I'm not the one becoming a doctor!

-If I've checked out every book in the library on how to get your baby to sleep. I can't wait for her to start giving me a 4 or 5 hour stretch...she's still doing three hours!

-If a little part of me secretly wishes I was still pregnant so I could eat chocolate, cake, brownies, etc without feeling bad. :)

-If I'm dreading the colder temperatures. It was 39 degrees overnight- it's September!!

White Chocolate Blueberry Cookies

The past two weeks have been hard. Hubby's schedule has been all over the place with a rotation in emergency medicine. I can't imagine how single parents, military wives, wives of pilots, surgeons, do this on their own, daily. At least my hubby comes home every day (even if it's not always at the same time...) and I can get a minute to myself- usually a quick shower or a run to the grocery store.

Babies are a lot of work! Really, I'm just waiting for the day that I get a 4 or 5 hour stretch of sleep at night. That's all I need baby. Sleep!

Somehow in the midst of it all, I managed to make these cookies. It was several weeks ago when hubby was off for three days in a row (yay!) and I said, that's it, I need to BAKE SOMETHING!

It had been too long.

These cookies are so moist. They're chewy and have the perfect balance of buttery sweetness. The blueberries are not overpowering and the white chocolate is a welcome combination. I think they're the perfect cookie to eat your way through the end of summer before blueberry prices sky rocket again.

It was really hard not to eat these cookies in one sitting. Thankfully, they do hold up well, I'd say almost a week later and they were still pretty darn delicious. Telling myself that I gotta lose the rest of this baby weight was the only thing that kept me from reaching for another!

Creamy Pasta with Italian Turkey Sausage

Today I have the task of keeping the house quiet. As quiet as possible as I can with a 5 week old and dog that likes to bark at any given noise she hears outside our front door. She is a handful- no, not the baby- my dog.

Is this practice, training for when I have a toddler and a baby? I swear sometimes I already feel like I have both! Sandy (the dog) is definitely a jealous, attention hogging pup. Whenever I'm on the floor playing with baby, here she comes whacking me with one of her slobbered up toys and jumping on my back. Then she proceeds to take out ALL of her toys, run around the house like a maniac, and dump her food all over the floor. Too bad I can't tell her to pick up after herself!

Anywho. Today. Hubby is sleeping after working a night shift in the emergency room. I'm doing my best at keeping baby and dog entertained and let me tell you, it's actually harder keeping the dog quiet than the baby! So how am I managing to write this post right now, you say? Well, currently dog is hiding under the couch after I threatened her life after barking at the UPS truck, and baby is strapped to my chest in her carrier. She passes out every time.

Now let's talk about the food, shall we! I made this...oh, who knows, weeks before baby girl was born and I've made it a couple times since (not lately, mind you...). It's pretty good, a decent get-yourself-through-the-work-week meal. It's got protein from the turkey sausage, veggies to make yourself feel good about eating a huge bowl of pasta, and a creamy sauce.

Wish me luck! I've got three more hours to go!

Source: adapted from Mrs. Schwartz's Kitchen 

1 package turkey Italian sausage
1/2 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 red pepper, chopped
2 cups cream or half and half
1 1/2 cups (or so) parmesan cheese + additional for garnish
1 lb penne pasta (or variety of your choice)
1 cup frozen peas
Parsley for garnish (optional)

Heat a large skillet on the stove on medium. Remove the casings off the sausages and add to the skillet. Brown the sausage and grab your pasta pot to begin boiling the water. Once the sausage is fully cooked, remove from the pan and place on a paper towel lined plate.

Add the onion to the pan and cook for about 3 minutes.  After 3 minutes, add the garlic.  Cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add the red pepper to the pan and cook for about a minute. Make sure you already have the pasta boiling!

Add the cream to the skillet and bring to a slight bubble on medium heat. Be careful not to let it boil. Add the cheese once it comes to a bubble. Stir and bring back to a slight bubble and let it thicken.

Drain the pasta and add it along with the sausage and peas to the pan.  Toss to coat in the sauce.

Baby Update: One Month Old!

I can't believe a month has gone by since my baby girl came into this world. It almost feels like I was never pregnant and that she has been here all along. Despite not sleeping, feeling like a walking zombie at times, exclusively nursing every hour to an hour and a half, I absolutely love my new job as a stay at home Mom.

Baby girl and I have just started to get to know each other. She hates her bassinet and prefers to sleep in her Rock N' Play or in Mommy's or Daddy's arms. She loves to play in her crib and can spend a good half hour staring at her toys or listening to music. She also loves walks in her stroller and to take naps in her car-seat. I just pulled out the carrier too and am able to walk around the house with her completely content.

Recently she has been able to swat at the toys dangling from her play gym. She is getting really good at keeping her head up and will look all around the room.

I can't wait for her to start smiling, cooing, ahhing, and recognizing our faces. She is already growing like a weed and will soon no longer be able to wear her newborn outfits. I can't wait to find out how much she weighs at her next appointment! 

Slowly but surely I will begin cooking again. The crock pot and easy meals that I can throw into the oven have been lifesavers. This blog will not turn into all things baby- it will remain a place for me to share my love of cooking and baking. But you'd better believe that there will be lots of pictures, stories, and updates about our baby girl!