knick knack on my gate

On with the countdown showdown between Eli and Henry. Eight days out. We'll start with now and finish with then.

Now as in June 5th, 2006:

I demand that the freezer get itself  full of frozen, healthy meals that can feed us for weeks post-partum. I don't want any helping hands to worry about making food. All available helpers should pour over Eli and Henry and moi. And somebody is going to need to take Maltsby for a walk here and there. All morning I have been fretting over recipes. I'm mostly empty-handed.

So you all cook, right? Do you have anything that is easy enough to make in bulk, freezes well, is full of veggies (or fruits or whole grains or nuts) and does not contain cream of mushroom soup?

Help a pregnant lady out, would you?

Then as in January 11th, 2005:

My body is not my own anymore. It aches, strains, groans and wakes without permission from me. It's almost rude. I do remain in control of showering and eating but everything else is determined by Eli. This is natural. This is natural. This is natural. I am as excited to meet Eli as I am to have my body back in whatever shape it is returned to me. Is it too much to ask to know when it will be returned to me? I'd like a specific date and time. Now. 

Eight lessons that pregnancy wants to teach me

Fear is a choice. And it's been an easy choice for me when no one is around to tell me to quit nursing it.

All the unknowns won't kill me.

Having patience is the only way to stop the unknowns from killing me.

Nine months has been a decent amount of time for me to wrap my mind around who I'm becoming. Mom.

Eight hours of sleep a night is no longer necessary or realistic. Four or five may be just as good.

Managing my own life has been good practice (or the only practice) for managing little Eli's life. Same basic principles. Eat well, sleep, love, learn, trust, let go and risk. Obviously, I haven't had very much of his life to practice with yet. Soon.

The physical body transformation of pregnancy is not fun for me. I have not embraced or unearthed the beauty of the pregnant body.

I'm able to reproduce. The science of pregnancy catches my fancy. My systems are a go therefore I must be fully operating human.

I don't claim to have learned all of these lessons. Not even close. Pregnancy just set them all neatly at my doorstep. I'm still scared of plenty and impatient with many. It's a new awakening or angle on some persistant life lessons. I'll keep up my studies and work on being a better and better me. I hope I'll recognize myself from day to day.  

Comments

[anne]

Rather than give you a specific recipe, I will say this: All soups freeze well. Soups with beans are filling if you don't have The Bean Troubles. Giant vats of vegetable soup are easy to store in meal size containers in the fridge.
Also you may want to try Googling "once a month cooking" - tons of recipes.

[Marie]

Hi Meredith,
Do you like lentil soup? I have a recipe that will make a large vat. Let me know and I'll send it on...

Also, I've been finding tons of recipes here http://www.aicr.org/site/PageServer?pagename=dc_rc_entrees that I want to try.

I have one for burgers that contains grated carrots - very good! I'll type that up for you. I imagine it would freeze well.

[raehan]

I love the line: "I have not embraced or unearthed the beauty of the pregnant body."

But them you always have gems like this in your posts. That's why I love reading you.