Pregnancy Thread.....Tuesday, 11/9

[metroames]

Laprettygurl..........Cassidy Paige.................Born 8/19/04
wari.......................Cameron Raed Ari..........Born 8/25/04
Trolly.....................Sophie Sky......................Born 8/31/04
Teach2Live............David Morton..................Born 9/10/04
Shenandoah..........Surrogate Twins.............Born 9/20/04
babyblue26062.....Alexander Jude...............Born 9/29/04
Bozo......................Helen................... ...........Born 9/30/04
ThininMex..............Brianna Irish...................Born 10/05/04
little bear...............Aiden Xavier.................. Born 10/06/04
aphexacid..............Bethany Erin...................Born 10/08/04
lizzyd.....................Henry Stewart................Born 10/15/04

Mrs. Sarah...............W39................11/18/04......Boy
karatejen.................W38...............11/26/04.......Boy
ChristinaK................W37...............12/02/04.......Boy
GetNSlim..................W34................12/24/04......Boy
supportinghubby.....W33................12/30/04......Girl
DesperateInFL.........W32................01/07/05......Girl
Kay&Lydia................W30................01/18/05
Viki...........................W29................ 01/22/05......Girl
Shandril105..............W29............... 01/23/05......Girl
Nyanchan.................W29...............01/31/05......Girl
metroames...............W28................02/08/05......Boy
MadameX..................W28................02/09/05......Girl

AmyJuli.......................W23................0 3/10/05
JennPayton................W22................03/13/05......Girl
blueyedgrl..................W21................03/26/05
kimism........................W21................0 3/26/05......Girl
Heather123................W20................03/30/05
shelly..........................W20............... .04/02/05
Marthad......................W18................04/11/05
Dar20..........................W17................ 04/16/05
Jefinner.......................W17................ 04/16/05
GoJackets...................W15................05/03/05
mom2twoboys............W15................05/07/05
chels_hoff...................W14................05/15/05
Denise85...................W13.................05/22/05

azktycat.....................W11................05/30/05
michigangrad.............W11.................06/01/05
Vixendrop..................W8...................06/18/05
ChristieJ.....................W8.................. 06/19/05
jehcekah....................W8..................06/22/05
gilbabe75...................W7..................06/25/05
Miss Gigl.....................W7..................06/26/05
rooney.......................W7................... 06/30/05
AZparalegal...............W5...................07/12/05
allibaba......................W5.................. 07/12/05

Green12........................................... ...Trying!
2BFitHourglass.................................... Trying!
Kidj4............................................. .......Trying!
SmileyAmy......................................... ..Trying!
lil miss.............................................. ...Trying!
MarriedinSept..................................... .Trying!
Nicole133......................................... ....Trying!
jeepifer.......................................... ......Trying!
StrawberryGirl.................................... ..Trying!
AnnieO............................................ .....Trying!
speckle........................................... ......Trying!
Alissaliz......................................... .......Trying!

[metroames]

Good morning ladies!

I can't believe I actually slept all day yesterday without having to get up once to pee! My right hip is paying the consequences tonight though, since that was the side I was laying on the whole time.

Originally posted by karatejen
Ames~you were on my mind last night as I lay in bed and longed for sleep to come. I kept thinking about your casserole marathon. I know absolutely nothing about making food in advance and freezing it. I am always unsure what is the proper way to defrost it and how long it will keep in the freezer. Would you mind sharing that? I was also wondering if you would share some of your favorite casseroles. I can cook and would love to try some new things, for now and to freeze for after the baby comes.

Wow, I can't believe all the requests for recipes. I'm at work right now, so I'll have to dig a few up when I get home. I don't eat them myself...but make them for my husband, so I'll have to ask him what his favorites are. Since I have so many food allergies, I always seem to be in diet mode, and our schedules aren't that great to eat meals together we virtually never eat the same thing, LOL!

Anyway, the method to my advanced cooking.....First, I have my own rules about what kind of casseroles are freezable based on common sense and trial and error. For example, casseroles that are heavy with raw eggs or have bread or rolls in them are out. I also have learned to tweak recipes to my abilities and my husbands liking too. For example, some recipes don't have you saute the veggies like onions and peppers beforehand and my husband thinks they are too crunchy and doesn't like them...so I always saute the veggies till soft first. Another example, I've never had luck cooking long grain rice so I always use the instant and tweak the recipe accordingly (Off the topic, but after discussing with a co-worker about the rice dilema it seems that having a electric stove instead of a gas stove makes it difficult to cook long grain rice properly. So, maybe it's not just me, but my stove! ). Also, if the casserole contains pasta I always rinse with cold water, otherwise the pasta gets sticky and also it isn't good to put a hot casserole in the freezer anyway. Sometimes, I'll split a larger casserole between two smaller dishes. If it is rich or something he won't gobble up (like lasagna, LOL!) he would prefer to work on a smaller casserole. I have about ten 2-quart dishes and half a dozen 3-quart dishes, and several in-between sizes, so I can pretty much do what I want.

After I assemble the casserole I cover with Saran Wrap (they actually have a special kind for freezing). I then write out the cooking instructions on labels that you can find in the stationary aisle at any retailer. I stick the label right on the plastic and make sure the casserole is well wrapped. Then I put the casserole in a small or medium trash bag (depending on the size of the dish) and get as much air out as possible and twist tie up real good, then put another label with the name and date on the bag. The bag helps prevent freezer burn. Then I put the finished casserole in my big freezer and go on to the next. The benefit of marathon cooking is that you can just rinse your utensiles and dishes real quick and reuse them over and over instead of getting them out of the cupboard and dirty all the time making them fresh...saves a ton of time! One thing I should add, is that if the recipe says to add the cheese for the last 10 minutes, put it in a ziplock baggy and lay it on top of the saran wrapped casserole in the garbage bag, so that you can add it later.

As for how to properly defrost it....it depends. My husband will generally get one out the day before and let it sit on the counter for a good 4 hours or so and then put it in the fridge overnight and then it is ready to go the next day. My aunt, who I've also cooked a lot for, likes to pop it in the microwave to defrost and then cook it right away. She has one of those huge fancy sensor type microwaves that work well. We have one too, but my husband prefers to do it the other way I guess. Some casseroles that are dense will not defrost as fast, and you might just have to extend the cooking time a bit. It is very hard to burn a casserole cooking at 350 deg.

Anyway, hope that gives you some help on how to go about doing this. Maybe I'll have to give y'all a casserole a day for a while or something to give ya something to go on. I'll ask my husband about his favorite too.

I'll come back later with a casserole or two!

Ames

[little bear]

ames you are like betty crocker!!!!!!!!! my husband is lucky to get hot dogs!!!!!!!!! Especially with the baby here it is hard to make a nice dinner.... of course i still eat lean cuisine all the time, not that my weight is budging much!!!!!!!!!!!!! Come on scale move in the downward direction please....

It's a cold day here in ct - aiden is playing on his playmat.... i bought his a leapfrog learning seat yesterday - its like a bouncer but with way cool features, not all pastel and boring......... he is starting to like it, i love it, wish i were a baby so i could play in it!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hubby made me move the swing into the bedroom, he feels he sleeps best in the swing and wants to try to get him to sleep more through the night,,,,,,,,,,, he falls asleep fine in the crib but it is hard to get him back to sleep in it. i think he likes the curled up feel of the swing.................

Halo 2 comes out today - any other Halo fans, i love that game, only game i was ever totally interested in.........

bbl stay warm all
amy

[Dar20]

Originally posted by little bear
Halo 2 comes out today - any other Halo fans, i love that game, only game i was ever totally interested in.........

LOL, Amy, we are having a Halo 2 party on Saturday with our Xbox friends. We used to have monthly Xbox nights, but since Rob quit his job, it's waned a bit. Anyways, we pre-ordered, so he's picking it up later, but some friends of ours got in line to buy it at midnight!

[GoJackets]

I'm still waiting for DH to finish the first Halo....I told him not even think about Halo 2 yet!

KarateJen- Love the RAT CAP! I can't wait to show DH!!! Thanks for showing it!!! I can't remember if I mentioned it, but our boy name is going to be Hamilton (after Joe Hamilton - talk about obnoxious, huh?).

[karatejen]

Originally posted by GoJackets
I can't remember if I mentioned it, but our boy name is going to be Hamilton (after Joe Hamilton - talk about obnoxious, huh?).

I will agree with you there. I love my school, but I think your DH has me beat by miles!!!

Ames~thanks for all the info. I look forward to trying some of your favorite recipes. So, do I understand it correctly that you aren't cooking the casserole before you freeze it? Or are you cooking it before you freeze it and just warming it in the oven later?

[Marthad]

Hi everyone,

Today I got together with some other American mommies in Stockholm and went out to discover unique baby shops. It was really fun, I got some good tips on hospitals/birth centers and strollers. I wasn’t thrilled with the clothing, even in the specialty shops, so www.babystyle.com here I come! LOL

Jeffiner, my hubby has three names—Jan Peter Alexander…he goes by Alex, but it makes monogramming a *****! LOL


Kelley, I’ve wondered if hubby will remember a gift, he is pretty clueless, especially when fine jewelry is involved! Hmmm baby will be born in April…diamond tennis bracelet sounds perfect!

KarateJen, your hubby sounds cute!

Sarah, great picture! You look radiant! Good luck at your appointment tomorrow.

Hi Rooney, sorry you didn’t have a better experience, it sucks when you feel like someone is blowing you off, or not giving adequate thought to your needs….*hugs*

Hi Christina!

Michelle, *hugs* I wish there was something I could say or do to help you. It must be awful to have to work in such a situation…

Hi Vikki!

Ames, great casserole tips! Thanks. I’ve been trying to cook these sorts of things in larger amounts and freeze parts. My freezer is super small, but I’ve tucked in a few things. Now you’re getting me inspired!

LittleBear, I miss Connecticut. Are the leaves done yet? Or do you still have nice color?

Hope everyone is having a great day!

[metroames]

Ok, I'm back. I found several casseroles already saved on my computer so I'll post those today. If you are serious about marathon cooking though, I really recommend subscribing to the Taste of Home magazines. I subscribe to all three, Taste of Home, Light'N Tasty, and Quick Cooking. If I had to recommend one I would pick Quick Cooking. They seem to have the most casseroles of the three and they don't take long to put together.

Ok, here's the ones I found on my computer:

CHEESE ‘N’ PASTA IN A POT
.
2 pounds ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 jar (14 ounces) spaghetti sauce
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes
1 can (4 ounces) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
8 ounces shell macaroni
2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream, divided
6 ounces sliced provolone cheese
6 ounces sliced mozzarella cheese

In a large skillet, brown ground beef with onion and garlic; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce, stewed tomatoes and mushrooms. Simmer for 20 minutes, uncovered. Meanwhile, cook macaroni according to package di¬rections; drain and rinse with cold water. Spoon half of the shells into a Dutch oven or 4-qt. casserole. Layer with half of the meat mixture. Spread 1 cup of sour cream over meat sauce. Cover with provolone cheese. Repeat layers with remaining ingredients, ending with mozzarella cheese. Cover and bake at 350° for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly and heated through. Yield: 8-10 servings.


MIDWEST MEATBALL CASSEROLE

2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce, divided
1 pound lean ground beef
1 egg
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1 package (10 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 package (16 ounces) frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
3 ounces American cheese slices, cut into 1/2-inch strips

In a mixing bowl, combine 2 tablespoons tomato sauce with beef, egg, bread crumbs, onion and salt. Shape in¬to 1-in. balls. Place on a jelly roll pan and bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until the meatballs are browned. Meanwhile, in a skillet or large saucepan, combine re¬maining tomato sauce with vegetables and seasonings. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until heated through; stir in meatballs and set aside. Place potatoes in a greased 11 -in. x 7-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Brush with butter and bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until light¬ly browned. Remove from oven; top with meatball mix¬ture. Arrange cheese strips in a lattice pattern on top; return to oven for 20 minutes. Yield: 6 servings.

BEEF AND BROCCOLI CASSEROLE

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 cup uncooked instant rice
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1/2 cup water
2 pounds fresh broccoli, chopped
or 2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped broccoli, cooked and drained
6 ounces sliced mozzarella cheese
Chopped fresh parsley, optional

In a skillet, brown beef and onion in oil until beef is browned and onion is tender; drain. Combine beef with Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt, Italian season¬ing, rice, soup and water. Place cooked broccoli in an 11-in. x 7-in. x 2-in. baking dish; spoon meat mixture over. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 15-20 minutes. Garnish with parsley if de¬sired. Yield: 6 servings.


Two- SQUASH LASAGNA

1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 can (27-1/2 ounces) spaghetti sauce
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 carton (16 ounces) small curd cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
2 eggs, beaten
2 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 small unpeeled yellow squash, shredded
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a skillet, brown ground beef with onion; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce, fennel seed, salt and pepper; set aside. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup mozzarella cheese, cottage or ricotta cheese and eggs. Place half the zuc¬chini in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish; sprinkle with half the flour. Top with half the meat sauce and half the cheese mixture. Repeat layers of zucchini, flour, meat sauce and cheese mixture. Com¬bine remaining mozzarella with summer squash; spoon over cheese mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake at 375° for 50 minutes or until zucchini is tender. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Yield: 8-10 servings.

BEEF PAS****IO

1 pound ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups elbow macaroni
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 egg, beaten
CHEESE SAUCE:
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

In a skillet, cook beef and onion until meat is browned and onion is tender. Drain. Stir in tomato sauce, salt, oregano, pepper and garlic. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cook macaroni according to pack¬age directions; drain and rinse. Combine macaroni, cheese and egg; set aside. For cheese sauce, melt butter in a heavy saucepan. Stir in flour; cook until smooth and bubbly. Stir in milk; cook and stir for 5 minutes or until smooth and thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in salt and cheese. Spoon half of the macaroni mixture into the bottom of a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. bak¬ing dish. Cover with meat mixture; top with remaining macaroni. Spread sauce over the top. Bake at 350°, un¬covered, for 30 minutes or until heated through. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving. Yield: 6-8 servings.


ZUCCHINI ITALIANO

4 cups thinly sliced zucchini
Water
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup cooked rice
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cook zucchini in boiling water for 2-3 minutes or until al¬most tender. Drain well; set aside. In a skillet, brown beef, onion and garlic; drain off fat. Stir in rice, tomato sauce, oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine egg and cottage cheese. Layer half of the zucchini slices in a greased 8-in. square baking dish, overlapping slices as needed. Spoon meat mixture over zucchini; dollop cottage cheese mixture over meat Top with remaining zucchini slices. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle cheddar cheese around edges; bake an additional 2-3 minutes or until the cheese melts. Yield: 4 servings.

MANICOTTI

1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 can (4 ounces) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
8 ounces (14 tubes) manicotti, cooked and drained
1 jar (32 ounces) spaghetti sauce, divided
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded process cheese

In a skillet, cook ground beef, onion, green pepper, salt and pepper until vegetables are tender; drain. Stir in pars¬ley, mushrooms, egg, milk and bread crumbs; mix well. Stuff filling into manicotti shells. Pour half of spaghetti sauce into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Place shells on sauce; top with remaining sauce. Cover and bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes. Uncover and sprin¬kle with cheese. Return to oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Yield: 6-8 servings.


CHEESY CASSEROLE

1 pound ground beef
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed tomato soup, undiluted
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup small curd cottage cheese
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
6 to 8 green onions with tops, sliced
8 ounces medium noodles, cooked and drained
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

In a skillet, brown beef; drain. Add soup, salt and pep¬per; simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. In a large mixing bowl, combine cottage cheese, sour cream, green onions and noodles. Layer noodle mixture alternately with meat sauce in a greased 2-qt. casserole. Cover and bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese; return to oven for 5-10 minutes or until cheese melts. Yield: 6-8 servings.

PIZZA CASSEROLE

1 pound ground beef
1 package (3-1/2 ounces) sliced pepperoni
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped .
1 can (4 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained
7 ounces vermicelli, cooked and drained
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 can (16 ounces) tomato sauce, divided
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
4 cups (16 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
Green pepper rings, optional

In a skillet, cook ground beef, pepperoni, onion and green pepper until beef is browned and vegetables are tender. Drain. Stir in mushrooms; set aside. Combine ver¬micelli and butter in a 1 3-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish; toss noodles to coat evenly. Pour 1 cup of tomato sauce over noodles. Spoon half of the meat mixture over noo¬dles. Combine Swiss and mozzarella cheeses; sprinkle half over meat mixture. Sprinkle with oregano and basil. Re¬peat with remaining meat and cheese mixtures. Pour remaining tomato sauce over cheese layer. Bake, uncov¬ered, at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly. Garnish with green pepper rings if desired. Yield: 8-10 servings.


WHITE LASAGNA

1 pound ground beef
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup light cream
1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 package (7 ounces) Gouda cheese, shredded
1 carton (16 ounces) cottage cheese
1 egg, beaten
12 ounces sliced or shredded mozzarella cheese
8 ounces lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
Chopped fresh parsley

In a skillet, cook ground beef with celery, onion and gar¬lic until meat is browned and vegetables are tender; drain. Stir in basil, oregano, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir in cream and cream cheese; cook and stir over low heat until cheese is melted. Gradually add Gouda cheese, stirring until cheese is melted; remove from the heat. Combine cottage cheese and egg; set aside. Layer half of lasagna noodles in a greased 1 3-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Top with half of the meat sauce, half of the cottage cheese mixture and half of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers with remaining in¬gredients. Bake at 375°, uncovered, for 30-35 min¬utes. Sprinkle with parsley. Let stand 10 minutes be¬fore serving. Yield: 14-16 servings.

[SmileyAmy]

Hi everyone. So, I think I got a "possibly fertile" result on my saliva test thingy this morning. DH hasn't been feeling well the last couple of days. I told him last night that I am on day 12 of my cycle and even if we have to strap a platic bag to his face, we WILL BD!! All I need is for him to finish. Then I could at least put an Instead Cup in and finish myself.

Amy(bear) ~ I know I am not a parent, and never had a child, but you may want to be careful letting Aiden get used to sleeping the night in his swing. What if he gets used to that and then putting him in his own bed is a bigger issue later because he would rather be in the swing. Feel free to tell me to but out. I just know one friend who's child got used to being rocked to sleep and now has a hard time just being in a still bed rather than his bassanett(sp?) that rocks and DH's aunt and uncle got their daughter used to being held and now she is 2 1/2 and won't go to sleep unless some one hold her plus she still sleeps in their bed with them - but that is a whole nother issue that they can't break.

Anyway, I have been on longer than should *looks around to see if anyone has noticed me on-line* so I should go.

BBL - hopefully!

Hi too everyone else!

[little bear]

Originally posted by Marthad


LittleBear, I miss Connecticut. Are the leaves done yet? Or do you still have nice color?

They were in their prime about 2 weeks ago, this week with all the wind they have dropped - and now CT looks very drab

[SmileyAmy]

Oh and one more thing...MrsSarah, you look so great. You are definitly a cute pregnant lady!!

[little bear]

Halo!!!!!!!!!!! At least i know i am not the only Halo geek - it just is sooooooooo awesome ------------------------ Hubby picked his up this am, but have to wait till he gets home to play, and then with a newborn baby, i don't think we will get much time to play

[GoJackets]

Thanks Ames!!!

[metroames]

Originally posted by karatejen
Ames~thanks for all the info. I look forward to trying some of your favorite recipes. So, do I understand it correctly that you aren't cooking the casserole before you freeze it? Or are you cooking it before you freeze it and just warming it in the oven later?

No, but I do cook the parts to the casserole (meat, pasta, rice, veggies, etc.) and then assemble it to cook as a whole later. For the meat if we cook up a turkey or ham I will cut up the leftovers and put into 2-cup freezer containers to use for casseroles later. Tip: most recipes call for about 2 cups or about a pound of meat. For chicken, I will generally cook up a large bag of chicken breasts in the oven and then cube the whole batch and freeze any I don't use for future casseroles. Ground meat, like beef, turkey or pork I fry up at the time I'm making the casserole. Generally, the instructions will have you cook onions, garlic or peppers when you fry it up.

Hope that helps!

Ames

[GoJackets]

Ames, I have to know.....do you have a separate freezer?

Amy - baby dust...baby dust....

[metroames]

Originally posted by GoJackets
Ames, I have to know.....do you have a separate freezer?

Yep! My inlaws bought an extra chest freezer before Y2K thinking that was going to help them if chaos struck, LOL! Not sure how that would have helped with no electricity. So, after Y2K passed without a hitch they promised us the extra freezer when we moved to our house. I generally keep the small things and things we use often in the smaller freezer above the fridge and then all of our meat (we like to get home grown beef and pork from family and friends in Iowa and I stock up on chicken and other meat when it goes on sale) and casseroles in the big freezer. Last year, when we got half a pig, there was still room enough for over a dozen casseroles. I don't know what I'd do without it!

Ames

[MadameX]

'Morning ladies!

Dena and Jen, you gals are so funny! You make me want to cheer for GT and I've never even been to Georgia (Atlanta airport notwithstanding)...yay for team spirit!

Sarah~You look beautiful, mama!

Angel, Stacy, LittleBear, Tracy, and Suzanne, so good to see you guys check in and love your pics! Tracy, I think you delivered right when I joined these boards. Time flies!

Chels~Forgot to say I love your U/S pics!

Smiley~Good luck this week DTD! fertile! Go, girl! My hubby never felt so used as when we were TTC LOL.

Ames~Whoa! That's a whole recipe FORUM you posted, lady!

Martha~Ooh, April is a good birthstone month! My baby will likely have amethyst as her birthstone. Purple is not my favorite color, so maybe I'll forgo jewelry even though DH brought it up (shock of the century). I thought maybe he could just get me something for the baby but I do like the idea of a keepsake to commemorate the birth 20,30, even 50 years from now.

Dar~I never even heard of Halo until last night on the news they covered all the hype of the new game debut. There were people dressed up in Times Square just for the occasion.

Michelle~It does sound like you are being punished. But it also sounds like your employer is covering their butt so much that if certain patients might be a threat to you, they are totally eliminating your contact with any patients to eliminate your exposure. If they kept you in your previous job, would they also have to get you a bodyguard or something? It's a shame they can't be more creative to put your education, experience, and talent to use for them rather than folding laundry. Sounds like bad management. Hang in there and at least get your paid leave, hon.

BBL
Kelley

[Dar20]

Originally posted by SmileyAmy
Amy(bear) ~ I know I am not a parent, and never had a child, but you may want to be careful letting Aiden get used to sleeping the night in his swing. What if he gets used to that and then putting him in his own bed is a bigger issue later because he would rather be in the swing.

Every baby is different. My friends' 4 1/2 month old spent the first couple months of his life sleeping in the pack n play in his parents' room, sometimes in their bed. She said that sometimes he would fall asleep nursing and she would not be far behind. Anyways, at about 2 months they switched him to his crib without a fuss. I think they made an effort to get him used to his room by playing in there and napping in there.

When they're so young.. waking you up constantly to eat, and you're so tired, you just have to go with what works.

I’ve wondered if hubby will remember a gift, he is pretty clueless, especially when fine jewelry is involved! Hmmm baby will be born in April…diamond tennis bracelet sounds perfect!

LOL.. in a chapter of Girlfriend's Guide I read recently, there's almost an entire page dedicated to giving hubby the hint that you deserve jewelry after delivering his child. She suggests copying the page and putting it in places he will see it.

[Marthad]

LOL.. in a chapter of Girlfriend's Guide I read recently, there's almost an entire page dedicated to giving hubby the hint that you deserve jewelry after delivering his child. She suggests copying the page and putting it in places he will see it.

Running upstairs to look it up now!!! LOL

[MadameX]

I post on another board and asked if anyone's DH was doing the jewelry thing. Answers were all over the place, but some pretty funny!
Here's the thread:
http://www.ovusoft.com/forum/tm.asp?...19&p=1&tmode=1

Kelley

[little bear]

smiley amy and Dar - I totally agree amy - i have the same fear, but as Dar said DH is exhausted with the 2 am routine, during the day i put aiden in the crib for naps and i don't rock him to sleep or anything......... i let him fall asleep on his own,,,,,,,, hopefully letting him sleep in the swing for the one middle of the night stretch won't cause us tons of problems later..........

of course i just bought a glowworm sleeper crib thing they watch that you hang on the side of the cirb, and it lulled him off to sleep this am, so maybe we can try that too............. who knows lol!

[GoJackets]

Originally posted by MadameX
I post on another board and asked if anyone's DH was doing the jewelry thing. Answers were all over the place, but some pretty funny!


Kelley

If I mentioned this to DH, he would tell m