Banana Bread

Banana bread is one of my favorite comfort foods and since its so easy to make, I probably enjoy it a little too often. I'm super picky about bananas and will only eat them when they are slightly over-ripe but before they start turning brown. Since I regularly miss my window to eat them, I justify it by making lots of banana bread.

I've used at least a half dozen recipes before falling on this one from Everyday Food:

• 12 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 3 cups mashed very ripe bananas ( I usually use 4-5 bananas and its great)
• 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 9 by 5 by 3 inch loaf pan, set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together four, baking powder, salt and baking soda.

With a mixer, beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture in three parts and banana in two parts (beginning and ending with flour mixture -- this is important!) Mix just until combined. Stir in the walnuts, if desired with a spatula.

Spoon batter into prepared pan, and smooth top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in pan, then turn out of pan, and let cool completely on wire rack.

Kicking

So, the baby is kicking...all the time. I guess I should clarify that when I say kicking, I really mean more of a fluttering or bubbly feeling. But, it's very cool and it makes everything feel more real.

I feel like I constantly write about how its just "now" that I'm attached or happy to be pregnant. I really have been excited and happy since I saw the double lines show up, but for me its been such a process of acceptance and belief that it's real. I AM GOING TO BE A MOTHER, HOW CRAZY IS THAT! And, at the same time it feels like the most natural thing in the entire world.

Now that I have undeniable proof in the form of ultrasounds, an ever growing belly and now the flutters, my sense of connection and attachment to this little life has increased ten fold. I find myself being way more careful and worried now than I have been thus far. Today, I drank about half a can of diet coke and afterwards the baby was going crazy kicking and I felt so guilty for hyping her up on caffeine.

I truly can't imagine not being pregnant or not looking forward to October. This child has become so ingrained into my life, my emotions and even my sense of self already. The weird thing is I think as much as my husband is looking forward to the baby, he is a month or two behind me in mentally and emotionally preparing for the birth of our baby. Its not that he isn't supportive or encouraging, I think its just he has a hard time identifying because its not actually happening to him.

I am so excited for next Tuesday when we get the final confirmation on our little girl. It will also be really great to have the measurements and hopefully the confirmation that all is well with her.

This blog isn't meant to be all baby all the time. Tomorrow I'll post my recipe for amazing banana bread...with pictures!

A Picture Post

Since blogging in itself is sort of narcissistic, why not go all the way and post a bunch of pictures of myself? And in true blogging fashion, what would a post be without a blurry picture? First up, a little self portrait at 19 weeks 2 days.

After getting totally frustrated at all my blurry pictures, I just went downstairs and had Aaron take a picture of me.
Oh yeah...I got five inches of my hair cut off! What do you think? Here it is tucked...
And untucked...Also, its a little tour of my house. the blue room is the upstairs bathroom, and this photo is the living room. I've gotten really spoiled with my Nikon d40. The battery was totally dead so I had to whip out my little cannon point and shoot and let me tell you, the Nikon is so much better. I love that camera. I was initially really intimidated by its size and all the options, but nine times out of ten, I use it on the automatic setting and my photos turn out great.

The above photo is my totally hot husband working on our downstairs bathroom/laundry room. I told him I was going to label this photo as "man does construction in the nude." But to be fair, he did have pants on.

A Catch All

I can't believe I haven't posted in over a month. Yikes. All is well with baby and the belly is growing like crazy. When I hit 17 weeks the pudge turned to belly and its been growing by the day since then. It continues to blow my mind that I'm nearly half way through this process. I will post some updated pictures shortly.

We had a mini-ultrasound at our appointment last week and the doctor is "guessing" girl. She wouldn't guarantee it because she couldn't actually see between babies legs. The fact that there were no boy parts is reason enough for me to start buying some pink! We have our official ultrasound in a week and a half where we will get final confirmation.

It was so unbelievable to first of all see how much our baby has grown since 9 weeks and then to see it swimming and dancing around was incredible. I am feeling more and more attached to her now that I am showing and we have a pretty good idea that its a girl. I find myself rubbing my belly or doodling her name when I'm bored at work.

I wish I had the right words to explain the way your mind and heart morph and change as you go through a pregnancy. I know for some women, its an instant connection as soon as they see two lines on the pregnancy test, but for me it was so different. We weren't really expecting to pregnant when we did, and although we knew it was a possibility, it was still a huge shock. In the beginning this pregnancy was all about me...my symptoms, my emotions, my body. But, little by little me heart has warmed to this little child and already I can't imagine my life without her...or in the off chance him. Now its not so much about my body and my needs as it is about watching a life grow and anticipating the addition to our family. My heart really is so full of love for this little thing and I hope she is growing and happy and content in her mama's belly.

In other news, we have started our last home improvement project...putting a bathroom in our basement. Aaron has installed the plumbing for a new sink, toilet and shower and he'll begin the electrical this weekend. Its so awesome being married to someone so handy, the only downside is that it becomes all consuming for him, so I basically won't see him for the next two months until its finished.

Here are a few random pictures from the last couple of weeks:

Aaron at our Redneck Barbecue manning the barbecue.
His parents and I teamed up to give him the barbecue for this birthday.

Also: his shirt says I've tried polygamy. (polygamy porter -- the beer) Klassy

The second picture is of one of the iris's my mom gave me last year. She dug them up from her dad's house 20+ years ago and has had then planted at every house she's lived at. It is really special for me that she gave some of them to me and they grew!!! I didn't kill them!

The final picture is a piece of fabric I'm considering for my girls bedding. What do you think?