WIAW #15: A Two-for-One Deal

I hate to admit it, but I've had a serious consumption issue with baked goods lately. Actually, the truth is, I've had a problem with cookies, cake, chocolate chips, peanut butter on a spoon, frosting on a spoon, the list goes on. Last night the husband noted that all of our silverware was in the dishwasher, yet the entire top rack was empty.

Basically, if you can put it on a spoon, I've been putting it in my mouth. Not. Good.

Meatless Monday: Pepper Polenta and Red Sauce

I'm realizing, more and more, that the iPhone photos aren't cutting it. I'll fire up the Canon again soon.

Sundays are for waking after the sun has risen, listening to in-the-spirit morning radio programs, dressing for church, playing ball in the backyard, eating brunch, pushing a stroller in the park and taking an afternoon drive with your sunglasses on.

Then again, maybe that's what Sundays are all about. Maybe not.

Maybe Sundays are about watching it rain, putting away groceries, folding laundry and ripping open the cardboard on a mixed case of Saranac. Maybe they're about watching babies roll around on a homemade quilt from their great-grandmother, stopping them only long enough to pull their tiny hands away from the dogs' tails.

Two things I know for sure, though: Sundays are for family. And Sundays are for red sauce.

10 Things You Should Never Say to a Mom of Multiples

During undergrad I earned myself the nickname "The Clam." It wasn't exactly one of my favorite monikers, but I couldn't really argue with my girlfriends who found it fitting: If I found myself in a situation in which I didn't feel like talking, I wouldn't. I'd clam up. But I didn't really consider myself being "clammy." In my mind, if I had something valuable to contribute, I would. If not, I simply wouldn't.

I don't like telling people when I think they're wrong. I don't like confrontation. I generally don't like strangers. Maybe I'm awkward.

It's this demeanor that has forced me to let a lot of things go, for example, when someone says I look tired. Gee, thanks for telling me you think I look like crap today. I have three infants at home. Or when a total stranger comments on how I "look great for having triplets." So had I birthed only one baby I'd have no excuse not to be back in my size 4 jeans already? 'Cause I'm wearing a size 6 at the moment. I think that's pretty dang good.

WIAW #14: Creamy Oatmeal + Other Eats

You'd think that by now I'd be sick of oatmeal for breakfast every single morning. Surprisingly enough, though, I haven't tired of it yet. I guess maybe that's because I rarely eat just old-fashioned oats and water. There's usually a serving of fruit-flavored yogurt, applesauce, apple slices or milk mixed in with my usual dish.

But last weekend I went a new route, thanks to Pinterest, and mixed eggs - yes, eggs! - into my oatmeal. (Confession: I spend way too much time on Pinterest in the middle of the night. It helps keep me awake during 3 am-pumping sessions.)

WIAW #13: Happy Birthday, Now Eat Your Veggies

 

The truth is, I started writing this post about three weeks ago. Such is life. Thanks for the cake, Aunt KiKi!

My issue with birthday cake is that when it's in the house, I eat it. I'm not sure what the husband's issue with cake is, but he's good for a slice right after the candles go out and that's it. He doesn't care a bit for leftover cake. And that leaves you know who to finish off the Pyrex.

Last weekend was A couple of weekends ago, our lives were filled with a lot of birthday cake, in addition to candy-coated and peanut butter-filled eggs. It's an understatement to say this girl needs a break from the sweets. (No, lactation cookies do not count, thank you very much.) So I got myself all excited for April's WIAW challenge, thinking it might be to eat more veggies, as it has been previously in April. Let's be honest: Who doesn't need to eat more vegetables? I know the husband and I definitely do.

But, April isn't eat-more-veggies-month this time around. That's cool. I've taken this opportunity to look at my diet overall and try to incorporate more fruits and vegetables throughout the entire day - not just at dinner. (C'mon, who else is guilty of waiting until dinner to eat their vegetables for the day? This girl, usually.)

So here's a look at the healthier things I've been eating lately.

Strawberry Crisps Topped With Oats

iPhone photos lit by the microwave hood light? Not that flattering.

My desire to eat oatmeal is becoming a bit scary. A bowl for breakfast every day? Check. Lactation oatmeal cookies? Almost always eaten in twos. Oatmeal smoothies? Don't tempt me.

All I had to do was read that oatmeal is good for your milk supply and I was hooked. Now, I have no idea whether it's my morning oatmeal or the brewer's yeast in the cookies that's helping me maintain my milk supply enough to feed triplets, but I don't plan to mess with the system anytime soon to find out. 

If there's anything I've learned since becoming pregnant with triplets it's this: If the method works, don't mess with it. 

Guinness-Sauced Sundaes & Happy Feet

St. Patrick's Day Feet From left: Baby Baby, Firstborn, Little Man

Guinness cupcakes, corned beef and cabbage, Irish coffee, Bailey's brownies: Are you tired of hearing about St. Patrick's Day yet? Me neither, which is exactly why I have no shame posting about the holiday a whole day late.

I was dying to serve a Guinness dessert to the fam last week. (We were lucky enough to spend spring break with my momma, stepdaddy, Big Little Brother and his fab gf.) Naturally that meant I pored over Pinterest during my wee-hour pumping sessions until I found something that A) sounded delicious and B) used Guinness.

Trying to Embrace Sleepless Nights

The last week has been rough in the sleep department for our house. Well, actually, I should rephrase that: Our firstborn has been sleeping like an angel for the last week and has enjoyed multiple nights of uninterrupted rest. Everyone else in the house is about to lose it. Thank you, sleep deprivation. I missed you - not.

After we brought the babies home in November, nights became long. (Yes, I carried those triplets 36 weeks, and we welcomed our sweet babies in November, though I'd planned all along to meet them in October.) The husband and I were so blessed that we didn't spend even an hour in the NICU. The downside to that? (Can there be a downside to that? Yes, there can.) We returned home with three tiny infants and a recovering momma - and not one of those babies wanted to sleep when it was dark outside.

WIAW #12: Oven-Roasted Broccoli

I'm going to start answering to "Cookie Monster."

It has been a super long time since I've photographed everything I've eaten in a single day. I think that's probably because when I was carrying our trio, what I ate in a single day was super scary. 

I ate a lot. And I got really big (50.5 inches in diameter, to be exact). But I made really big babies (for triplets, at least). So it was totally worth it.

Now that I'm feeding all three of them, I still eat quite a bit. I don't count calories. I don't always think before I put food in my mouth, unless it has to do with how much I can eat in a given timespan: How much longer will the babies be happy? What time are they going to wake up? When do we need to feed them again?

And, no, I have no idea when this is all going to catch up with me. All I know is that I have 10 more pounds of baby weight to lose before I'm back to where I was when I started. I guess if I think I'm going to get there sooner rather than later I should probably be eating more veggies.

Meatless Monday: [When You Need] Pasta & White Beans

I spent $2 on orange juice one morning last week. In fact, I spent $2 on 12 oz. of orange juice. That’s absurd. But I woke up with a little scratch in my throat, and if the momma bear gets sick, this whole ship is goin’ down. So I needed the orange juice.

Needed. It.

It was a need like the need I had to get a Snickers bar out of the vending machine while working last weekend’s consignment sale — a need like the need I had to eat this simple and delicious pasta dinner.

Well, Hello!

 

One of our absolute favorites

Slainte!

Cheers to ending what was fast approaching a six-month blog hiatus. If you ask the husband, he’ll tell you he doesn’t have any recollection of what happened in December. Apparently the second month of parenthood is a complete blur for him. I remember most of December, but I’m not sure why I barely wrote in August and never sat down to write during the months of September or October. Come to think of it, I was sitting a lot! I wasn’t cooking much, though, and maybe that’s what fueled the lack of posts. The husband was cooking and I was just growing – and growing and growing.