New Normal
A lot has transpired since last I wrote. I’m so glad I got that one picture of me pregnant. We had wanted to get good pictures with the boys and me and monthly shots of my growing belly, but it never happened. And it wouldn’t have been finished anyway since I barely got into my third trimester before my pregnancy came to a screeching halt. Cohen Robert Simrak was born at 31 weeks gestation, 3lbs 8oz – nine weeks early – due to severe pre-eclampsia. We were both on the verge of death and no one realized how close until after they cut me open and rescued Cohen from a calcified (read “DEAD”) placenta. He…
Hearty Banana Oat Bread
I’ve been dying for some banana bread. I’ve had three bananas in the freezer for quite a while waiting for the right time to make bread. Then the other day, Vince (he lives on our third floor), came down and was about to throw away four more bananas. “WAIT! No! Don’t throw them away!” I yelled at him. He stopped dead in his tracks and looked at me. “They are turning brown up there,” he said. “I’ll bake with them.” He didn’t even know you could do that with slightly browned bananas. So today, after putting the boys down for naps, I pulled out the frozen bananas and all the ingredients to make my…
Our Saturday in Pictures
So what did we do today while Dan was away? We had fun! We had our bumps along the way. But all in all, it was a profitable, bonding day. One major bummer about it all: I discovered at the end of the day, I have honest-to-goodness cankles. I used to think I had pretty attractive feet. Not so, anymore. Any semblance of vanity I once had is gone with this pregnancy. I think I’ll be keeping my feet up tomorrow. Good thing it’s going to be raining all day tomorrow so I won’t be tempted outside.
Home Alone. Or Am I?
Back when Dan headed up the Senior High Youth Group at our church, he traveled a lot. I didn’t always go with him, so I’d be home alone with the boys. I could be home alone for a month at a time without him. I never liked it, but somehow I got through it. I don’t know how. But I did. But now, he’s gone for a couple of days and I miss him terribly. The boys and I have managed to fill our time with fun things to do. But at night, when all is dark and the house is creaky, I really miss him. I had just finished folding the laundry and crawled in…
Talk About My Weight And I Just Might Wield It In Your General Direction
When people say to pregnant women… “You look miserable.” “You look like you’re going to pop any day!” “Are you sure you’re not carrying twins? Maybe you should have your doctor check again.” …don’t be surprised if someone walks away from that conversation with a black eye. And I guarantee it won’t be the woman in “the delicate condition.” I am in my third trimester. I still have about two-and-a-half months to go. I am only going to get larger, more swollen, and more miserable. I’d really rather not go out in public. But since I can’t help that, I have to do my best at making myself look presentable, happy, and spry. I may or…
Phase 1… or 5 or 6
The biggest craze around our house is currently what we call Phase 1 in the construction process of modernizing our old house. It was built in 1920 and has left a lot to be desired. In the past three years we’ve owned the house, we’ve replaced the boiler – converting to natural gas – replaced the water main, the front porch, added and/or updated several outlets, painted, took down wallpaper, replaced some flooring, ripped up old nasty carpets and linoleum, knocked down a wall and put in a sliding glass door that opens out to our deck. We’ve also replaced the ceiling in the kitchen complete with a new fan, outlets and access for recess lighting….
To Blog Or Not To Blog
My better half has instructed me to take up blogging again. I’ve thought about it several times, but I’m at the point where I just don’t know what to say. I never thought I’d be there, but I am. These past two years have been especially challenging for me as our community, collective family social life, schedules and basic way-of-thinking have been challenged and changed so dramatically. I realized recently that it all dates back to the miscarriage. It was at that point, that everything started changing for us. It wasn’t just the miscarriage that marked the change, but it was at that time that the changes started taking place that involved a whole host…
Back To Homemaking
I’m happy to report that I have now returned to being a homemaker as my primary occupation. Eli continues in Kindergarten at Faith Christian Academy. He is blossoming and doing very well in class. Gabe is back home with me. I’m very excited to have the alone time with him. The transition has been taken in stride by everyone. Dan and I are both relieved that I can be home and freed up to do things around the house, run errands, cut back on expenses (convenience can be an expensive necessity, at times), focus on Gabe and prepare for our next child due in July. We are very excited (and a little nervous) about entering…
New Normal
A lot has transpired since last I wrote. I’m so glad I got that one picture of me pregnant. We had wanted to get good pictures with the boys and me and monthly shots of my growing belly, but it never happened. And it wouldn’t have been finished anyway since I barely got into my third trimester before my pregnancy came to a screeching halt. Cohen Robert Simrak was born at 31 weeks gestation, 3lbs 8oz – nine weeks early – due to severe pre-eclampsia. We were both on the verge of death and no one realized how close until after they cut me open and rescued Cohen from a calcified (read “DEAD”) placenta. He…
Hearty Banana Oat Bread
I’ve been dying for some banana bread. I’ve had three bananas in the freezer for quite a while waiting for the right time to make bread. Then the other day, Vince (he lives on our third floor), came down and was about to throw away four more bananas. “WAIT! No! Don’t throw them away!” I yelled at him. He stopped dead in his tracks and looked at me. “They are turning brown up there,” he said. “I’ll bake with them.” He didn’t even know you could do that with slightly browned bananas. So today, after putting the boys down for naps, I pulled out the frozen bananas and all the ingredients to make my…
Our Saturday in Pictures
So what did we do today while Dan was away? We had fun! We had our bumps along the way. But all in all, it was a profitable, bonding day. One major bummer about it all: I discovered at the end of the day, I have honest-to-goodness cankles. I used to think I had pretty attractive feet. Not so, anymore. Any semblance of vanity I once had is gone with this pregnancy. I think I’ll be keeping my feet up tomorrow. Good thing it’s going to be raining all day tomorrow so I won’t be tempted outside.
Home Alone. Or Am I?
Back when Dan headed up the Senior High Youth Group at our church, he traveled a lot. I didn’t always go with him, so I’d be home alone with the boys. I could be home alone for a month at a time without him. I never liked it, but somehow I got through it. I don’t know how. But I did. But now, he’s gone for a couple of days and I miss him terribly. The boys and I have managed to fill our time with fun things to do. But at night, when all is dark and the house is creaky, I really miss him. I had just finished folding the laundry and crawled in…
Talk About My Weight And I Just Might Wield It In Your General Direction
When people say to pregnant women… “You look miserable.” “You look like you’re going to pop any day!” “Are you sure you’re not carrying twins? Maybe you should have your doctor check again.” …don’t be surprised if someone walks away from that conversation with a black eye. And I guarantee it won’t be the woman in “the delicate condition.” I am in my third trimester. I still have about two-and-a-half months to go. I am only going to get larger, more swollen, and more miserable. I’d really rather not go out in public. But since I can’t help that, I have to do my best at making myself look presentable, happy, and spry. I may or…
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