Baby? What Baby?

Have I mentioned I'm having a baby in 3.5 weeks?

It's mind boggling, actually. I have no idea where the past 9 months went. With the first two girls, it seems I somehow had the time to massage the idea of having a baby--I read frequently about the do's and don'ts of mothering, shopped for maternity clothes, obsessed over what I needed for the upcoming arrival, took "last-time" getaways with my husband right before the births, found time for pre-natal massages, took pregnancy yoga...you get the idea.

This time around, perhaps I've skimmed the baby name book once or twice (Brian and I are notoriously last-minute namers), I did borrow some great maternity clothes from some girlfriends, have attempted to make a massage appointment and did actually locate a box of 0-3 month clothes last night.

I like to think of the discrepancy as not so much a lack of interest in our 3rd child, but rather an increase in confidence about my parenting. I do know that a nursing newborn requires little more than clean diapers and a bunch of sleepers. Parenting/baby books are useless to me now--I've either already incorporated the advice or messed my older two children up. I know well what a C-section entails--it ain't pretty, but 4 days recovering in a hospital by myself does have its appeal on some days. I have missed the massages, and I giggled way too much through pregnancy yoga (picture large-bellied women all doing the "tree" pose) and even fell completely asleep once during yoga nidra. My friend Leslie had to wake me while the class waited patiently in tadasana, watching me rouse from a really good nap.

The difference is also in my level of business--taking of care of two children and trying to find time to pursue my other interests doesn't leave me with much time left to dwell on my growing fetus. However, the last week or so, this pregnancy, tired of being an afterthought, has demanded some attention. It has made my back ache, my legs swell and my heart burn. It doesn't let me sleep and according to my husband, it makes me snore when I do (I'm still waiting for proof). So...the next few weeks may be a bit of a physical challenge, so the busier the better as far as I'm concerned.

A few recent adventures:

Ella had a day off school, so we headed to Glen Echo Park. We caught a showing of "Go Dog Go" at Adventure Theater, which was mindless and plotless, much like the book. I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was...they could have thrown in just a little bit of plot for the sanity of the adults.

The beauty of the park, however, made up for it

and you can't go wrong with an empty stage. My girls most certainly wouldn't let a good stage go to waste. There are always dances to be done and songs to be sung.

And they swung and spun until their little tummies could tolerate no more.

Some good quality ladies time is most definitely a perfect distraction. A Friday night cooking class at L'Academie de Cuisine in Bethesda, the ladies and I concocted: Blackened Catfish Fingers with Calypso Sauce, Beer Batter Fried Cod with Tartar Sauce, Sweet Potato Latkes, Honey Poppy Seed Coleslaw and Pumpkin Mousse with Ginger Cookies. Delish!

Jenny, bless her heart, took most of the fish responsibility. My major responsibility was the pumpkin mousse, which is rich and indulgent. I also learned that it is actually possible to create in the kitchen without use of a Kitchen Aid mixer. I remade it for Sunday dessert.

Here's the recipe if you're looking for something festive and sweet:

1 cup pumpkin puree

3/4 cup sugar

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 Tbsp. melted butter

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Method:

Sitr together the pumpkin and sugar until smooth and creamy

Add the cream cheese and stir that until smooth and creamy

Add the vanilla and melted butter. Combine completely

Whip the cream and fold it into the mixture. Chill.

It is best with something like a sugar cookie along with it...I didn't love their recipe, but let me know if you want it and I'll be happy to pass it along.

And of course, we had to partake of our masterpieces.

We were quite the team! And I do think a maternity apron would have been a bit more flattering.

My brother Drew was in town last weekend and we enjoyed hanging out with him. I have to say that my brothers are dynamite uncles. They are so good to my girls. It overlapped with my parents' big raking weekend. It is a massive project, and given that my parents have conflicting ideas of how it should be done, it gets interesting. For some masochistic reason, Russ loves doing it too much to pay someone to do it.

We chipped in, but the girls mainly just wanted to be tossed around by their Uncle Doo-Doo. (The name was coined from Ella's early talking days, where she couldn't say "Drew", but came out with Doo-Doo instead. Needless to say, the name stuck and is the way Samantha has learned to say his name as well.)

One additional reason for the minimaal focus on childbirth is that Christmas has to be done before hand. I am in full swing Christmas shopping and preparations. I've never put up a Christmas tree prior to December 1st, but this might be the year.

Next weekend is the big Christmas chocolate dipping extravaganza. On Friday, sister-in-law Janene flies into town, "the machine" comes out and we dip like crazy for two days. The massive chocolate production won't exactly be helpful for post-baby slimming, but tradition triumphs.

This past weekend, my mom and I made three batches of fondant, 1 recipe of caramels, 1 recipe of toffee and 2 recipes of truffles...we truly think my Grandma is smiling at us from on high. We've never done it without her and they all turned out splendidly. This Christmas will sure feel empty without her. Thank heavens for our third little girl coming just in time to take the edge off the void of not having Grandma here this year. I like to think that Grandma kissed this baby girl on her way out of heaven, and bestowed just a touch of her own spunk and kindness.

Hopefully, a taste for chocolate, too.