Here's a link to our new blog. Hope to see you there!

http://danielandemile.blogspot.com

Due to the fact that I can't get anything to work with this blog, I tried opening a new one. Guess what! that one seems to work fine.

So here's where we're blogging from now on: danielandemile.blogspot.com

See you there!

I know it's a little late....

But here are our meals from this week.

Monday: Corn Chowder

Tuesday: Chicken fajitas

Wednesday: Orange rolls and scrambled eggs

Thursday: Moroccan spice vegetables and quinoa (the flavor was great, but it had no texture...)

Friday: Homemade tomato soup

Saturday: Spinach salad with bacon, honey, and cracked pepper (this is such a good, fast, and easy recipe)

And next week we're having...

Monday: Roast chicken, acorn squash, quinoa/rice medley

Tuesday: Chicken pot pie, spinach salad

Wednesday: Savory potato supper cake, applesauce, rolls

Thursday: Meatloaf, roasted red potatoes, buttered bread twists

Friday: Top sirloin steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, baked carrots, rolls

Saturday: Penne carbonara and fresh tomato slices

This week's menu

I recently went to a Menu Planning lesson (as part of a mother's learning group with some ladies in my ward) and found out that I'm actually doing almost exactly what I should with my meal planning as far as saving the most money and incorporating all the food groups. So anyway, here's our dinners for this week:

Monday: Turkey and rice soup

Tuesday: Gazpacho, crusty bread

Wednesday: Turkey manicotti, garlic breadsticks, spinach salad

Thursday: Top sirloin steak, twice-baked potatoes, steamed carrots

Friday: Fried chicken, bakes sweet potato fries, onion rings

Saturday: Penne Carbonara (We skip the spaghetti cus I don't like long noodles)

Sunday: Leftovers (if we don't eat them all for our lunches during the week)

My two kids

George Smith

George Smith Gibson made his grand appearance Monday night at 10:40 pm. I was scheduled to go in the next morning for an elective induction, but I was still trying to decide whether or not I really wanted to be induced. I had my regular checkup Monday morning and had been having small, irregular contractions since. When Daniel got home from work we decided to go walk around Costco to see if we could get them to even out and increase. And it worked!

Within half an hour I was having to concentrate on breathing through the contractions and we decided to go to the hospital to get checked out. They confirmed I was actually in labor and started my IV for the Group B strep antibiotics. (That was the reason they decided to let me be induced--to ensure that I got a full round of the antibiotics. With my history of short labor (three hours with Lynny), it was a concern.)

Most of my laboring was spent in the bathroom, with Daniel and Jessica (my good friend and doula) by my side. I knew what to expect this time around, and I used pretty much the same coping methods as I did with Lynny. Unfortunately for everyone else, I needed it as quiet as possible during contractions so everyone was walking around on tiptoes the entire time. But I really appreciate they're accomodating me.

Unfortunately it didn't matter that they started my IV as soon as possible. After about two hours I was ready to push. I pushed for about thirty-five minutes before I realized that he wasn't really moving and I decided to change positions. Once I was in a side-lying position he was much more accomodating. After one big push, his head came out. He was still in the amniotic sack, and my midwife was just about to break it when she realized it would burst on its own. And it certainly did...all over Daniel. (I still laugh when I think about it.)

And after one more big push he slid out and I was able to hold him skin-to-skin. It was amazing. I don't know if it's because I'm already a mom and have that maternal mindset, or for some other reason, but I felt immediately close to him. With Lynny it took me a little bit to really feel like she was mine. But with George, he was definitely mine and I was definitely his, right from the start.

He weighed in at 7 pounds, 10.9 ounces and 20.5 inches long. He weighs a tiny bit more than Lynny did, but he's also a little shorter than she was. He isn't sporting the sasquatch feet that Lynny had, which is surprisingly taking some adjusting to. All in all, though, he's about the same size she was. I don't remember her being that small, though. I swear she's always weighed 25 pounds and come up past my knee.

I was able to nurse George right off, and he took to it immediately. Where I had weeks of struggling to get Lynny to latch on correctly, George latched perfectly the first time and ate for at least ten minutes before stopping. And he's continued to eat well. I have really missed nursing since I weaned Lynny at 13 months, and I'm glad I was able to start again with such ease.

I'm really happy that everything went so well with the birth. I was dreading the idea of not having another natural birth. I loved my experience with Lynny and can honestly say I'm one of those freaks who enjoys labor and delivery. I am so glad know that everything went the way it was supposed to and that I didn't interfere with my body's processes. (Although I completely understand why someone would be induced. It would be wonderful knowing when labor is going to start.) All in all, I wouldn't have changed a thing, except maybe had him sooner. I was SO impatient towards the end.

Due to the dumbness that is blogger, I'm only able to post the one picture. See facebook for more!

My screwed up blog

I've received several complaints lately about not updating my blog. Well it isn't for lack of trying. I've started about 15 posts in the past little while only to have them mysteriously delete or disappear in the middle of typing or when I go to publish them. This is yet another attempt at posting. Pictures tend to cause the most problems, so I'm going to avoid those altogether.

Life has moved along in the Gibson house. Daniel is working hard working on his final projects and getting ready for finals. He's so excited to be done with this semester and to have a little break before diving into school again in January. He's also been working both jobs, and somehow finds time to be with his family as well. I can't even say how grateful I am for such a determined husband who takes such good care of us.

Lynny is growing so fast it's scary. I've had several people comment in the last week that she doesn't even look like a baby anymore. She's such a little girl! She gets along amazingly with everyone she meets and she LOVES people. My young women at church have so much fun with her on Sundays and at activities.

She's signing like a mad woman, picking up new signs (and making up her own) everyday. And she's gettting more vocal too. For a little while she wouldn't talk at all and I was a little concerned, but she's doing fine now.

And I'm doing well. I love being able to stay home and be the little housewife I've always wanted to be. I cook and clean, and play with Lynny all day. I also have a few other moms in the ward that I get with regularly to work out or go on walks with. Our kids love playing together (or at least with each others' toys) so we get the chance to be grown-ups for an hour or so. I feel like it's all so cliche--being in a play group, wearing an apron around the house, making the bed every morning--but I wouldn't change a thing. I'm so content with where I am in life, and so grateful for the opportunity to do what I love.

In other news, the Christmas season is upon us, and with that comes all of the wonderful traditions! One tradition that I've married into (and Daniel's favorite) is going to Koosharem, Utah to hike through the mountains and find a Christmas tree. The trees are never perfect, or nicely groomed like the ones you get at a tree farm, but thats part of the charm of them. I wasn't planning on going this year, seeing how I was 8 months pregnant, but I changed my mind at the last minute. And I'm glad I did. I had so much fun. (see facebook for pictures)

Two days after we got back from tree hunting I had my 35 week appointment with my midwife and found out that I could be due any day! (Good thing I didn't put myself into labor on an old logging road in Fish Lake National Forest!) I'm measuring at full term, having semi-regular contractions, and he's dropped so low they can barely feel his head. Real labor could be just around the corner! Or... I could also not have this baby until my due date (January 8). So, basically, I've entered the long waiting game. I'm trying not to get my hopes up that Baby Gibson will make his appearance any time soon, though, because it'll just be harder if he doesn't. We'll try to keep you all updated!

Following my friend, Emily Hoffman's, lead I've decided to post my meal plans for the week. I love reading hers, when she posts them, just because I'm curious to know what other people are eating and cooking. If there are any of you out there who regularly make meal plans, you should post them too. Who knows? Maybe we can inspire each other!

So here's the Gibsons' week in food:

Sunday: Toad in a hole (for conference breakfast) and homemade cream of tomato soup with grilled cheese sandwiches (for dinner)

Monday: Chicken and potato curry, with rice

Tuesday: Seared herb chicken and candied acorn squash

Wednesday: Butternut squash soup with fried onions

Thursday: London broil with roasted potatoes, onions, and carrots and braised cabbage

Friday: Baked rigatoni with chicken, roasted peppers, tomatoes, and zucchini

Saturady: Probably leftovers, because that's where my meal plans end!