Is it Baby Time? Labor Day Post 4

7:00 a.m.

Arrived at the hospital/birthing center around 6:00 a.m.

Had a 20 minute monitoring session, the baby sounds great.  My contractions slowed down while resting in the bed, but are picking back up now that I can move around.

Dilated 3 cm. 

Things are quiet here at the center - very nice.  My nurse is named Karen. She seems really nice.  Nurses can make a big difference in how things go, so that's a relief!

Is it Baby Time? Labor Day Post 3

5:15 a.m.

Contractions are still 4-6 minutes apart, but now a little over a minute long.  Definitely stronger.  

We're gonna head to the hospital now.

So thankful that it's early on a Sunday morning and we don't have to worry about tunnel traffic at all. 

Is it Baby Time? Labor Day Post 2

4:00 a.m. 

I called the answering service - the midwife on call is Beth.  There are four midwives in the practice, and Beth is the newest one and I've only seen her twice.  That being said, another one of the midwives, Jennifer, I haven't seen at all - every time I've been scheduled to see her, something came up like a labor or she was sick, so I'm glad she isn't the one there today!

Beth thought I should wait at home a little while, that since my contractions are not yet a minute long (45 sec), I was still a bit early in labor.  

I woke Grant, we both got showered and dressed, and now we're just taking care of last minute things before we go. 

Haven't woken my parents yet, although Grant's coffee grinder might have done the trick. 

Is it Baby Time? Labor Day Post 1

My 5th pregnancy has presented a challenge that I had not yet experienced.  While I have had Braxton Hicks contractions with all of my other pregnancies, it has never been to the extent that I've had them this time.  There have been at least four occasions that I had regular contractions for several hours and was convinced it was the "Big Day", only to have the contractions fade away and nothing end up happening. 

  

Very frustrating.  

Especially when my friends who have been pregnant with me have all delivered their babies already, my parents have been here for several days and my dad will be headed back home on Thursday, and for heaven's sake, I want him to get to see his new granddaughter!  

Today is my actual due date.  

I have not had a baby born on the due date yet.  My first was 12 days late, my second was 6 days early, the third was 9 days late and induced, and the fourth was 1 day early.  

It is 2:32 a.m. and I was awakened about an hour ago with contractions that are much more intense than what I have had up to this point.  Probably about 6-8 minutes apart at this point, nothing super regular, but definitely meaning business. I am confident that today is the day.  

I hope I don't have to come back and eat those words!

Can't WAIT to meet my new baby girl!

Peanut Butter Granola Bars

I was in the mood recently to try a different granola bar recipe.  My family still loves these Chewy Granola Bars, but since good quality honey has gotten even more expensive and harder to find around here, I wanted to find a recipe that used less than 1/2 cup.  These are a delicious alternative and were liked by my whole family, which isn't always easy to do. 

I love the peanut butter flavor and would probably enjoy chopped nuts in these as well, so maybe I'll add some next time.  The flexibilty of granola bars makes them so much fun - you can add in whatever dried fruits or chips (chocolate, peanut butter, etc) or nuts or coconut you want or have on hand. 

I also liked using a combination of oats with this recipe - it just gave them a nice texture.  I'm sure you could use 100% of either and they would be just fine, though. 

Recipe: (adapted from Allrecipes)

1 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1 egg
2 t. vanilla
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
3-1/2 cups rolled or quick oats (I used 1 cup quick, 2-1/2 rolled)
1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°. 
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine peanut butter, brown sugar, honey, coconut oil, egg, and vanilla.  Mix well.  Add in flaxseed and oats and stir to combine.  Add cranberries and chocolate chips (or other desired add-ins). 
Press into a buttered 13 x 9" pan.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Cut into bars after 5-10 minutes, after bars have cooled some but are still warm. 

Makes 18 bars.

Super Soft Sugar Cookies

I like sugar cookies.   

I mean, there's sugar, in a cookie.  What's not to like?

But in all honesty, if given a choice between sugar cookies and something with chocolate or peanut butter or caramel (or all of the above), the sugar cookies would lose every time.  

Until now. 

These are seriously my Favorite. Sugar. Cookies. Ever.  

Reminiscent of the super soft frosted sugar cookies you buy in plastic containers at the grocery store, (did you know that at Wal-Mart, they'll give a free cookie to each child at the bakery....and it's often one of those sugar cookies?  I may or may not sneak a bite of my youngest's cookie once in awhile.), these are so much better, it's ridiculous.

  

Buttery, flavorful, perfect texture, they're just dreamy.  

No artificial ingredients, no chemicals, no weird stuff you can't pronounce, and unbeatable deliciousness.  

Can you tell I'm a fan?

I didn't try to roll out the dough to cut shapes, so I can't say for sure that it wouldn't work, but the dough is pretty soft and spreads quite a bit, so I'm guessing it wouldn't be the best for shaped cookies.  

But when you taste these, you won't care that they're in a plain ole circle shape.  I promise.

Recipe: (adapted slightly from Annie's Eats)

1-1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, room temperature (I used salted)

1-1/2 cups sugar

5 t. vanilla extract

3 large eggs

4-1/2 cups flour (I used half all-purpose, half white whole wheat)

4-1/2 t. baking powder

3/4 t. salt

Frosting:

5 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup butter (5-1/3 T), melted

1 T. vanilla extract

6-8 T. milk

Food coloring (optional)

Sprinkles (optional)

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat together on medium-high speed until soft and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed.  Blend in the vanilla.  

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk together to blend.  With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated and evenly mixed.  Cover and chill the dough for at least an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.  

Scoop a scant quarter cup of dough and roll into a ball.  Flatten the ball slightly and place on the prepared baking sheet.  Alternatively, use a medium cookie scoop like this one (love that scoop!) to make balls and flatten them slightly.  Your cookies will be a bit smaller, but you'll get more of them, so it's okay.  

Space the cookies at least 2-3 inches apart.  Bake 10-12 minutes or just until set.  (10 minutes exactly for me.)  Do NOT overbake!  The edges should be no more than very lightly browned if at all.  Let cook on the baking sheet for several minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

To frost cookies, combine the powdered sugar, melted butter, vanilla, and 6 T. milk to a medium bowl and whisk until smooth.  Whisk in additional milk as necessary until you reach your desired consistency.  Tint with food coloring if desired.  Use an offset spatula or spoon to frost the cooled cookies.  Top with sprinkles if desired.  Store in an airtight container. 

Linked to 4 Moms Eat Dessert

Almost there.....

Because I got a request for belly pictures, and because I figured I might regret it someday if I didn't have any end stage photos of my pregnancy with this little one, I recruited Corban to be my photographer this morning. 

And just in case you're wondering, I did not succeed in my goal to gain only 25 lbs.  My sweet tooth and aches and pains of pregnancy prohibiting me from exercising much combined to result in my gaining the usual 35 lbs or so.  Blech.  I really have my work cut out for me once she's born.  Weight loss is harder after every baby.  

Anyhow.

38-1/2 weeks along - she could come any day now. 

And like my last baby, I fully intend to live-blog this labor/delivery, so stay tuned.....you never know when it will happen!