It's a girl...and other ramblings

Okay...so we FINALLY got our ultrasound. It's a girl...it's as close to 100% as you can be about a girl...there was no question when we got the glory shot. I thought I would be a little less excited about it, but I'm not. Part of me is giddy with the idea of all the cute dresses and stuff. And the idea that my baby could potentially be the flower girl at my wedding (if we get married). Ring bearers are cute and all...but come on...everybody knows the flower girl steals the show.

I made it through Christmas without killing anybody...barely. My sister can say the most hurtful things and I really think she thinks she's being funny. She also seems to think it's silly that I won't take Ibuprofen (because it's chemically related to a drug that causes heart defects in 1 in 32 babies), but that I will have a small (4 oz) glass of wine every now and then when I'm stressed. Apparently FAS happens if you even ingest a small amount of wine. Too bad the researchers don't know this.

I had my glucose screening...that went okay...until about 4 hours later when I crashed hard. I don't generally feed my body that much sugar in a day, let alone 5 minutes...I had to take a nap because my bowels were messed up, my head hurt...it was bad. Keeping my fingers crossed that I don't fail and have to take the 3 hour one...that would suck even more...

Not sure what else is going on...Mom invited D and me to New Year's dinner...I love her to death and I know we're invited (it's an open invite), but I'm just not into driving 3.5 hours for dinner...or seeing my family again that soon after Christmas. Especially some of the snarky/snide comments my aunts made just before I left. I plan on going home to visit at least one, if not two more weekends before the baby is born...but I want them to be chill, non-stressful, non-holiday weekends where I can really just enjoy my family for the people I know them to be and not the people they turn into during holidays.

I feel a little guilty. I was reading a friends' blog...and it's so...philosophical and insightful. I mostly complain and talk about food...For some reason, this made me feel somewhat inadequate as a blog-writer. But I realize that blogs are what you want them to be...and I'm not 100% philosophical, so my blogs would be few and far between while I waited for that wonderful insight. As soon as D scans the u/s pics, I'll get them posted. Even the creepy 2D alien baby...but not the creepy 3D horror baby. Those are just WEIRD.

Cookie Madness

Okay...so cookie madness has ensued. The following are recipes that I have made in order to try something new and exciting...mostly they are new and not truly exciting.

Caramel Macchiato Cookies

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
1 tablespoon espresso powder
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup Kraft caramel bits (more if you like)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a couple of cookie sheets with parchment.

Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; Set aside.

Using high speed of an electric mixer, beat both sugars, butter and shortening until creamy. Beat in espresso powder. Reduce speed to low and mix in egg, egg yolk and vanilla – do not overbeat after adding the egg. Add flour mixture to butter mixture and stir until flour is incorporated. Add chocolate chips and caramel bits.

Drop cookies by teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden around edges and set. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Chocolate Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 batch Sugar Cookies, recipe follows
• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1/2 cup crushed candy canes or peppermint candies

Directions

Divide the dough in half and add chocolate and vanilla to 1 half and incorporate with hands. Add egg yolk, peppermint extract, and crushed candy to other half of dough and incorporate with hands. Cover both with plastic and chill for approximately 5 minutes. Roll out doughs separately to approximately 1/4-inch thickness. Place peppermint dough on top of chocolate and press together around the edges. Using waxed paper or flexible cutting board underneath, roll dough into log. Wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Remove dough from the refrigerator and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Place cookies 1-inch apart on greased baking sheet, parchment, or silicone baking mat and bake for 12 to 13 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through cooking time. Remove from oven and let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Sugar Cookie:

3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon milk

Powdered sugar, for rolling out dough

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Place butter and sugar in large bowl of electric stand mixer and beat until light in color. Add egg and milk and beat to combine. Put mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, and beat until mixture pulls away from the side of the bowl

Peppermint Cream Cheese Cookie

2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter

4 oz cream cheese

2 3/4 cups granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 tablespoon peppermint extract (or to taste)

3 1/2 cups flour

Using an electric mixer, blend first 3 ingredients until smooth. Add egg and extract. Blend until mixture is light and fluffy, almost like a spreadable frosting consistency. Slowly add flour, about 1 cup at a time. The cookie dough will be sticky. Separate dough into flat rounds; wrap between plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour or in freezer for 30 minutes. Roll dough flat to desired thickness. Cut with cookies cutters and bake at 325 degrees to desired doneness.

I am going to take the cream cheese recipe and make a chocolate dough out of it as well...then drizzle it with melted caramel.

The first recipe was pretty good...but lost the coffee flavor.

The second recipe needed a boost on the peppermint flavor

The third recipe got a boost on peppermint flavor, but the cookies are crazy-hard...almost like peppermint snaps.

What do you mean, you don't take patients like me?!

Soo...

Just an update on the doctor situation. I went to the new doc. Filled out paperwork, etc. Get into the room and the nurse says "Well, I guess we don't take women as far along as you are." "umm...excuse me? You knew how far along I was when I made this appointment a month ago." After some attempts at explaining, which all failed, she went and got the doctor.

Apparently, the doctor does "shared care" with an OB clinic in CR. They failed to inform me of this. We talked it over and she will be my primary care provider and "refer" me to the OB clinic.

Baby is doing good, as far as she can tell...HR at 140-145. She seemed concerned that the docs at the previous clinic said the HR was 120 and weren't concerned. She also seemed surprised that I haven't had a 20 wk ultrasound. She is pretty sure that the OB will want one. This will be awesome, because I had pretty much given up hope of having a chance at finding out the sex.

Blah day

Dunno what's going on, but I have slept for 18 hours and am about ready for bed again...I slept from 3-9 last night...got up...did a few things...by 1pm was on the couch...napped until I forced myself up at 6:30...and am now ready for bed again. I don't know what the deal is, but I'm exhausted.

The holiday party for work was a blast...gambled for prizes (I won vintage clue)...buffet of amazing food...I had:

Blackened Halibut with mango salsa/chutney

Caesar salad (and no, I didn't ask what was in the damn dressing)

green beans

wild rice

prime rib (it was oh so rare and oh so good)

and pecan pie....

Oh yeah...and it was open bar so I got about 8 pints of water in me.

I then ditched DBF at the hotel room and went to my favorite bar which was nearby and saw a few people I haven't seen in forever...they're so excited about the baby...and a few who were not, but rather just happy to see me! It was such a good time...and a nice mini-vacation...the company picked up the tab on the hotel room, as well...just wish I would have had an easier time sleeping...stupid random noises, drunk students from the pedestrian mall, and strange bed...but I still enjoyed it!