Long Nap, No Meat

Ainsley is STILL napping (going on 3 hours now) so I thought I'd take the opportunity to update the blog. Now watch her wake up immediately.

We leave for Florida on Friday! Clearly I am excited because this is all I talk about. I am packed for the most part and after a Target run this afternoon we should be all set. I've always been an early packer and with a baby (and lovely bag restrictions) it's gotten 10 times worse. I've mainly traveled alone with Ainsley since her birth so getting to travel both ways with Ian in tow feels like a luxury. Someone else to hold the baby and the bags? Much too exciting.

She woke up.

Continuing 4 hours later...

This is why I can't write blogs in more than one sitting. I've completely forgotten what my motivation was...read the title, oh yeah!

So, on the pregnancy front not much is new, other than feeling huge for 4 months along and my sudden aversion to meat. I was biting into a roast turkey and havarti sandwich on homemade bread anticipating the deliciousness to abound my senses when instead I had an uncontrollable gag reflex and the urge to urp. Not the reaction I was expecting. Since that moment nearly a week ago I have been unable to touch meat, think about meat, smell meat, and of course, cook meat.

Perhaps this seems normal for a regular pregnant woman. Pregnant women=crazed food aversion/craving ladies right? True, expect when you take into account that with Ainsley I couldn't get enough meat, pork to be precise. I'd explain more but I'm getting nauseas just typing about it. Ugh.

So what to do when the head chef of a 3 person carnivorous household suddenly goes veggie? Turn to my favorite Moosewood cookbook of course. I was actually excited to try out some new recipes this week and made sure Ian agreed to them all beforehand to avoid the inevitable "it's fine" reply when asked how a new dish is.

Tonight we had Cauliflower and Cheese pie with potato crust. It was awesome! Ian had 3 helpings and even picky Ainsley ate a good portion. Also on the menu this week is a Mexican Pepper dish, Eggplant Parmigiana, and Bulgar (sp?) Casserole. The pepper dish is new but the other two we've had before and have passed the test. I have to say it felt great to leave the market today with a cart full of yummy good for us food, lots of veggies, grains, and fresh cheeses. I feel like I always eat best on Mondays when the grocery shopping motivates me. Too bad a pecan caramel dessert is in the oven right now to ruin all that!

In other news, Ainsley got her first hair accessories today! Okay, I bought her her first hair accessories. It started out innocently enough, a headband here, a flower clip there. Before you know it I'd cleaned the shelves of any possible hair option for a slight of hair toddler. Let me tell you, it was all worth it. Her adorable quotient went up like a million percent with that little pink flower pin in her hair. I took pictures but let me tell you they don't do her full justice.

This one's of me and my vain attempt (I wonder where Ainsley gets it?) to get a shot of my new awesome haircut. I don't think I've had my hair cut since last summer. It had pretty much become a rats-nest. Oh the joy of cute short hair again.

Still dolled up while reading with daddy.

This face pretty much says it all.

Half of the cuteness is of course Ainsley in all her 14 month old glory, the other is her love of her new accessory. She was literally preening around the house. Probably my mistake for showing her how she looked in the mirror. Whoops! Guess it's never too early to learn vanity. Every time the clip got loose or she played with it too much and yanked it out she'd run over to me, hold it out, turn her head, and patiently wait for me to place it just so in her hair. The whole thing is just too much. Luckily she let Ian take it out for bedtime. I was a little worried there for a moment.

I am excited for a busy (for us) week this week. Just about 2 commitments a day! I'm thankful or the bustle in hopes of making this week fly by. I can't wait to get some fresh air, vitamin D, and quality family vacation time. If I don't write again before we leave you can rest assure I'll have all the details upon our return, and oodles of pictures.

Happy Monday!