Thursday.
Good morning! Maze says hi from his iFeel rocker – a gift from Aunt Ellen and Uncle Paul. Note the fun color!!
Thursday Matt was able to take the day off of work, which made everything more exciting. He has had to work a lot of actual shifts these past two weeks because my due date coincided with back to college month and we haven’t been able to hire anyone new yet (so if you’re local and looking for a job…!) Owning a business has been 90% awesome (flexibility!) but 10% of the time (like when he had to get up at 5 to work the farmer’s market after [not] sleeping with a newborn) it’s less desirable. But tons of people have really short paternity/maternity leaves, so we’ve been overall very lucky he’s been home as much as he has!
I think they are starting to look alike!
While I fed Maze breakfast, Matt made us French toast! I don’t know why I’ve been craving it so much lately.
Two slices of Cville Crunch bread, dunked in egg and then pan-seared in a medium-low skillet until cooked. Topped with cooked peaches (just put them in the pan next door) and Chia Charger Buffalo Dirt – an interesting new nut butter with a touch of espresso!
Café au lait for me (OMG I CAN RIDE A BIKE AGAIN! Must do that soon!)
Breakfast table:
Sleeping baby:
I had to scurry to get ready because I headed over to the lactation consultant’s house.
Of COURSE Maze latched perfectly in her presence. I felt a little silly for even going! She helped me with the football hold (I had been doing it wrong, hence the reason I didn’t like it) and side lying and we’ve done both of those since successfully. Breastfeeding is going about 85% well now. If my nipples would just get a little less sore, we’d be in the 90%s! Sometimes it’s awesome and pain-free and other times it still really hurts even after readjusting the latch 5 times. I can’t pinpoint why it varies so much.
Matt had to run a catering order and we met back at home for lunch
Snack plate with smoked salmon and side salads
Grapes and sharp white cheddar and apple slices
And a little hunk of our newest bread: Apple Scrapple!!
After lunch we all headed to the radio station for a little commercial recording!! Baby says: “Come in for a hot slice of whole grain bread Cville!”
Then we crashed for family nap hour : )
Then afternoon snack hour. He looks like such a little boy here!!
Then it was cocktail hour! Had a cold one from a bottle:
Maze wants everyone to know that in Baby Language sticking your tongue out means you love something!
He loves his Mazen onesie Rachel : )
Dinner was brought over to us by our good friends Meredith and Garrick!!
They brought their fabulous fiesta chili, which was one of the best I’ve ever had! Must hunt down this recipe as well : ) Hope it’s not a family secret!
Served with rice and TONS of cheese!
Couldn’t resist a taste of cheddar garlic on the side. Cheese overload!
Thanks for the delicious dinner guys!
It’s so weird going to bed right after we finish dinner, but last night it was a good choice. I fed Maze and then he slept for 2.5 hours with Matt so I started the night feeling very well rested! (Aside from the giant spider that scurried across the bathroom floor at bedtime….acckkk!)
Meredith and Garrick's Fiesta Chili
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef stew meat or whole chuck/round roast cut into ½ inch cubes
- 1 medium onion diced (optional - if you're into that kind of thing!!)
- 2 mild green peppers Anaheim or Poblano, diced
- 2 jalapeno peppers diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 can Kroger organic tri-bean blend drained
- 1 can sweet yellow corn undrained
- 1 can diced tomatoes in sauce
- 1 can tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp. chili powder
- ½ tbsp. ground cumin
- ½ tbsp. oregano
Instructions
- In a large stew pot, sauté onion and pepper until onion is transparent (if using onion)
- Add minced garlic, then add stew meat to pot and cook until brown.
- Add spices to meat mixture and stir well.
- Add tomatoes, beans, and corn and let simmer for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Serve over your choice of white rice, tortilla chips, or just enjoy it plain topped with plenty of cheese and sour cream!
- Garnishes: Mexican-style cheese, Sour Cream, Rice, Tortilla Chips
Lynn @ the actor's diet says
Been loving your blog lately bc my best friend just had a baby and I’ve been feeding her. I will just copy your menu!
Ellie@Fit for the Soul says
teeheee, and you can claim it was all your idea! 😛 just kidding. But seriously Kath, I’m in love with your recaps of Maze’s lil quirks! He is just soooo cute and handsome…awwww. And the pics of him and Matt kill me. In a good way. 😀
Kaila @healthyhelperblog! says
He is such a little peanut!! So cute! Loving all the baby pics lately…they are so sweet!
Amelia says
Aw, the cuteness of all the pictures!!!!! 🙂 Reading your updates and posts make me smile every time.
Anna says
That’d be my dream job right there! but i’m in Richmond… and in school, bummer!
Molly says
Hi Kath! I have never had smoked salmon before. Could you suggest a good brand to try for first-timers?
KathEats says
I’m not all that familiar with the brands, but it’s mostly all the same. Look for wild alaskan and make sure it’s pink and moist in the package (not all dried out)
Molly says
Great! Thanks for the tips!
Spice Chicken says
Smoked salmon is sooooo good! You must try it.
Allie@LiveLaughEat says
I’m on a total French toast kick too. I’ve been pureeing pumpkin into the batter. A-maze!!!
Leslie says
I love all these baby pics! He is adorable! Thank goodness there is no more film to deal with. (There are not too many pictures of me as a baby, and a few more of my kids, but I know there will be lots of my future grandkids.)
That made me think, did your dad come up with a name or will he really wait for Mazen to pick it?
KathEats says
He’s waiting!
Leslie says
Can’t remember how you are referring to him in the meantime, was it Grand Peepaw or something like that? I’m glad my parents chose Mimi and Papa because my kids could say it so early. Our neighbor just wanted to be Grandma, but the kids couldn’t say it for so long she became Gaga (funny now because of Lady Gaga). It always made me laugh to hear our teenage neighbors talking about their Gaga.
KathEats says
Yep 🙂
Heather says
My daughter couldn’t say Grandma, so my mom became GaGa. We all love it!
My father-in-law wanted to be Granddad, but again she couldn’t say it, so he became G Dad.
Kerry says
Thrush can make your nipples more sensitive, and there may not be other signs (white spots in babys mouth etc). My only sign was really sore when latching, and some burning sensation when not nursing. Washing my bras every night in HOT water has helped keep it at bay.
I’m visiting c-ville, now…thinking of you. My friend mentioned kohrs, and I was like “Yes!” bc of your blog!
Celeste says
This is just my experience, so take from that what you will. 🙂
Sometimes, it JUST HURTS. At the risk of being TMI, its not like my nipples were seeing a lot of action during pregnancy, and even if they were, it wasn’t every hour or two for twenty minutes at a time. Its a total adjustment period for your nerves, for your skin, for your breasts, to regularly fill with milk and then have a baby latch. My son also latched pretty well (minor adjustments here and there), but I’ll NEVER forget the time when he was about 3 wks old, and he unlatched, reached up, grabbed my nipple, and held. I cried for nearly an hour from the pain of it – my skin was SO sensitive. And that was with a good latch; I never had a clogged duct or thrush or even a blister (not in 16 months)! You just need some time. You’ll get totally used to it in a few days/weeks. Just wait until he cuts that first tooth…
Mom says
Kath says it isn’t done anymore, but in my day, we prepared nipples ahead of time with toughening up measures. I had zero trouble with soreness, and with very fair skin, can only assume it was the toughening ahead of time that helped me. It has to be done in tiny spurts, as otherwise not safe.
Celeste says
I think that is no longer recommended because too much nipple stimulation can induce labor. I don’t understand what fair skin has to with it? I just can’t see how ANYTHING can prepare you for infant mouth clamping on your breast again and again and again.
Anna says
I love lunches like that 🙂
It must just add to the rewarding-ness of the experience that you can now consume things like smoked salmon and caffeine again. (and of course pumpkin beer and red wine :))
Becca says
I love your cheese/fruit/smoked salmon tasting plate. What a good and fun lunch idea!
chelsey @ clean eating chelsey says
Okay first of all, maze is just adorable, and I think he looks exactly like Matt (& Karen!) (sorry mama). Second of all, one of my good friend’s husband’s names is Garrick, and I had never heard the name until I met him! I’m glad to know there are other Garricks out there. Although my husband can never seem to get his name right – so he just calls him Gerry. Ha!
Khushboo says
Your friends sound so helpful with providing meals 🙂
Katie says
Don’t ride that bike too soon- ouch!
Mom says
I get a kick out of Maze performing perfectly for the lactation consultant. When you were really sick once, I pushed my way into a doc’s appointment. When the doctor walked in, he asked,”And how are you today?”and you answered, “Just fine!” I always figure that makes a kid seem less sick. But of course doc’s are smarter than that, and he figured out soon enough you had strep throat.
Cait's Plate says
Oh my gosh he really does look like such a little boy in that picture! Glad the visit with the lactation specialist went well. I so admire you for all you accomplish in a day with a newborn!
Liz @ iheartvegetables says
Kath, he is so freaking cute! (And he’s totally looking like Matt, haha) I hope things are going well!
Nicole says
That picture of yours and Matt’s feet napping actually brought tears to my eyes! It reminded me of such simpler days when my babies (who are now 10, 13 and 15) were little and we’d have family naps like that. Those are the special moments in life–so cool that you have them in pictures!
Julie H. of Spinach and Sprinkles says
Chia Charger Buffalo Dirt— Oooh, I want! That sounds amazing! ….Also, you are one brave woman for wanting to ride a bike- GO YOU! 🙂 (you couldn’t pay me enough right now!)
He is so seriously adorable, Kath! You’ve got to be one proud mama!
Shana says
On the East Coast, scrapple is a mixture of leftover pig parts. Please tell me that’s not the kind of scrapple in your apple bread! And if it’s not, can I suggest a name change so there’s absolutely no confusion? Some people are CRAZY for scrapple but I think it looks so disgusting!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrapple
KathEats says
Well I have no idea if it’s related, but Apple Scrapple has been a famous Great Harvest bread for decades – we didn’t come up with the name. People come to the store and request it all the time, so they can’t be too familiar with the pig term
cathy b. says
this cracked me up……mostly because as a former PA gal, I LOVE scrapple.
Scrapple is actually becoming more popular again due to the whole “nose-to-tail” trend..and it’s not nearly as disgusting as people make it out to be! Basically it is just pork trimmings (much like sausage) that are mixed with cornmeal and water. Once refrigerated it is quite similar to polenta. It is then sliced and panfried (like polenta) and is really pretty delicious! Just my two cents. 🙂
Alisha says
I just wanted to add two quick comments:
1) I’ve really enjoyed looking through your website since I’m starting to eat “clean” and real foods more. I’ve gotten a ton of ideas, so thanks.
2) Also, I love how it looks like you and Matt are taking time to be with each other amidst the baby craziness.
Jenica says
Doesn’t it always seem like whenever you go to a doctor/expert about something, the problem goes away in their presence?! Why?
Lynda says
That is SO true! And then when you leave it comes back…haha.
Amanda says
I made whipped banana oats for the first time today. OMG…SO good! Why have I been waiting so long??? Would love the fiesta chili recipe if your friends will share it… 🙂
Have a great weekend!
Karen says
Gosh…he does indeed look like so grown up in that sleeping on the side pose!!
Hmmm working in your bakery is sounding good right about now 🙂 Wishful thinking.
Happy weekend, Kath!
kathleen @ the daily crumb says
apple scrapple is my absolute favorite GH bread!! it’s a little dangerous when we have a fresh loaf in the house…
Ellen @ Wannabe Health Nut says
Family Nap Hour- Love it! Maze is such a cutie when he’s sleeping. The Peach French Toast looks delish…time to start Pinning!
Susan H. @ The Food Allergy Chronicles says
Okay…that lunch sample plate is one of my favourite kinds of lunches! Yum! I love the simplicity of the stitching of Mazen across his onsie…beautiful! Oh how I wish I lived closer…I would definitely take the job…my dream is to open an allergy friendly bakery…do you realize my boys can eat nothing at a bakery! Since they were young…they drool over the bakery section at the grocery store. Hence, my preoccupation of reinventing recipes to exclude their allergens. Love the pics!
Christina @ The Beautiful Balance says
He is such a little man,so adorable! Happy to see you adjusting so well 🙂
leah says
He’s so cute, and rooting in those little pictures, hungry boy!
Molly @ RDexposed says
For being a new mom, you are looking so pretty! 🙂
Maureen @ Organically Mo says
I just love all these pictures of Mazen!! And I love your family nap hour. 🙂
Meagan says
I really enjoyed this post!
I’m glad you and Maze and Matt are doing well!
That chili looks great – the site of that cheese is making me go crazy! 😉
Kathryn says
loving all the pictures! Just out of curiosity, why don’t you just skip a few days worth of meals, and start blogging the current day? It’s kinda weird to read what you ate 2 days ago…..
KathEats says
Because I don’t have time to blog on the day I eat. I write in the mornings.
KathEats says
I know it’s kind of weird, but lots of bloggers don’t blog in real time like i did for 5 years, and this is working really well for us now. I imagine I’ll get to just one day behind in time
susan says
I’m impressed that you’re consistently blogging! I had such a hard time transitioning into motherhood and such horrible PPD … I could barely function. It was ugly.
Keep up the amazing work!
Lynda says
I also am impressed that you are wrting as often as you are and able to share so much of your daily activities. I’m loving your posts:)
Nicole says
Keep in mind that the majority of women take a 6-8 wk maternity leave. The fact that Kath is even blogging at all shows her dedication and love to her job and readers.
I enjoy your posts, Kath — 1+ day late or in real time!
Andrea says
Wow, in Canada we (well most people I know) take a full year of maternity leave!
Averie @ Averie Cooks says
That cheese bread & fiesta chili look incredible and glad you can ride a bike again! Have fun!
Nursing and the latches, you know, every time is different and although you will toughen up, their suck gets stronger and by the time you’re nursing an older baby/toddler, it feels like they could give a Hoover Vacuum a run for the money but you just kind of…adapt I guess and if you’re 85-90% pain free, I think that’s pretty awesome just a week or so out! But in the moment, I know those bad latches can hurt!
Emily S says
Oooh please share the Fiesta Chili recipe if you find it – looks delicious and different!
KathEats says
just published it! https://www.katheats.com/recipage?recipe_id=6032942
Kerry @ Totes My Oats says
Great family pictures! And that CHILI. Totally trying it soon!
Katie @ Peace Love & Oats says
your lunch platter looks delicious! And I don’t think I’ve had chili with corn in it, maybe that’s why it was so good?! Lol looks good to me!
Liz @ Tip Top Shape says
I am loving all the baby pics. Maze really is beautiful. And that french toast looks delicious. Now I want some!
Rachel @ Personality Crafts says
Hi Kath, glad Mazen likes his onesie! He looks handsome in it. 🙂
Looks like you are all doing well!
heather says
i had to smile at your lactation consultant experience! i struggled so much with latching and had a consultant come to the house FOUR times and EVERY TIME, my son latched perfectly on the first try. it was so frustrating! hang in there, it gets SO much easier. one consultant had me do what’s called the asymmetrical latch technique and it felt so much better! i think you can google it if you’re interested.
Amanda says
I know it may be early to start thinking about Bike trailers but I wanted to give my 2 sense. With our first we bought a solo Burley trailer and lived it! When baby number 2 came we went the other route and bout mid price range! Big mistake and I am still paying for it on every ride!
TinaD says
He really is so adorable! That series of pictures with Matt must have been taken just before he was fed. Such a classic rooting posture in the third picture. I’m glad I get my kiddo fix by teaching, otherwise his pictures would make we want another one!
megan says
im sure you may have answered this before, but where did you get those mugs? i love them!
KathEats says
The bike mug? It was a gift from a reader from NYC. I unfortunately don’t know the name of the shop.
Fran@ Broken Cookies Don't Count says
Lunch looks tasty, love the garlic cheese bread…Yum!
Katie @ Talk Less, Say More says
Oh man PLEASE get the recipe. With the chilly weather coming through, chili sounds amazing!!
Jeanie says
Maze and Matt really do look alike in that picture. 🙂
Amanda @flecksofgreen says
That is the best looking snack plate I’ve ever seen! You should totally save that picture of Mazen sleeping on his arm and frame it!
Aja says
Maze is so cute! I wonder how many times I have commented that, but he really is.
French toast is delicious, I don’t blame you for wanting it so much.
Lou says
Hi Kath…. I had a lot of nipple-pain with feeding too, although the actual feeding was going great, it hurt a LOT…. I ended up discovering I have vasospasm in my nipples (!)
https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bfinfo/vasospasm
Don’t know if this applies to you, but it’s interesting all the same – I NEVER heard of it before I started breast feeding.
Maze is such a cutie – getting me all clucky!
KathEats says
Thanks, I’ll read up on this
Ashley says
Ha, the tongue pictures! He knows what he loves…mama and mama’s milk! I remember that face when I nursed my little one and those little “baby bird” faces always meant he was a hungry little fellow!
KathyZS says
You and Maze are doing GREAT!!! With my first, we didn’t get rid of the soreness until 6 weeks and I can relate to the distress about the pain. I was determined to stick with it (and know you are too!) as he gets bigger and latches better your nipples will toughen and all will be OK! It is one of those hidden things about nursing no one tells you about, especially with your first babe! Both Mom and Babe need to learn and I think you are doing fabulously so far!!! Congrats!
Becky B. says
yes agreed! Your nipples have to develop a “thick skin”- scar tissue— I hate to scare you but my little guy had a perfect latch and my nipples were sore for 10 weeks. They say for fair skin, light haired women it tends to be worse. Dont give up- one day you will all of a sudden realize it doesnt hurt anymore. I remember those toe curling days vividly. It used to make me mad that I had been to classes on breastfeeding, read several books, etc and they all said that if it hurt something was wrong. That is total bologna! (And really sets a women up for failure thinking that something is wrong when it is totally natural; women should be made aware so they can be prepared since it is the normal course of things for many women!) So in the meantime, I saw 2 different lactation consultants sure I must be doing something wrong, and low and behold, I just had to wait it out.
Morgan says
He looks like he is rooting in these pictures, Kath. Adorable little guy! But I think he is hungry. 🙂
KathEats says
It was just before feeding!
Allison k says
Are you nursing on demand or scheduling? Just curious as a fellow BF’ing mommy.
KathEats says
Whenever he roots or cries (that’ are not just fussing cries)! I don’t know how anyone could stand to deny a hungry baby for a schedule? at least not a newborn.
Allison k says
Totally agree…but ppl do!
Morgan says
I just love that the above exchange went on during those ungodly hours… So funny. He really is adorable (and not all babies are, no matter what people say – my mom admitted that my brother didn’t get remotely cute until, like, 5). 🙂
Grace says
Mazen is adorable!!!! Love your sweater, where did you get it?
Annette @FitnessPerks says
Family nap hour sounds lovely!! 🙂
j3nn says
Chili oozing with cheese is the only way to have chili, as far as I’m concerned! 🙂
Robyn @ Blueberries and Oats says
Haha I loved reading that you realized you can ride a bike now! xD Made my day. I’m so glad to hear Mazen and you all are doing so well.
Lacey says
Your baby is so cute! Mmmm, now I’m craving French toast.
And so lucky that your husband has such a flexible schedule (and impressive that you’re been able to keep posting!!)
lindsay says
Loving your honesty about the sleep deprivation;) we want a family soon…BUT want to make sure the hubs is around for the “down in the trenches” time of a newborn baby. I kno many a woman has flown solo on this journey, but Id really like my babe to be there! (we are a military fam). I love all the home delivered meals from good friends too!
Allison k says
I found the desire for really carb-laden food to be pretty high in those early days. I think it’s the breastfeeding/ sleep deprivation combo!
Elisabeth says
That fiesta chili sounds delicious – I’ll definitely be trying the recipe!
So impressed with how quickly you got back to semi-regular blogging – who cares if you’re posting a day or so off 😉
Katie B. says
Ok, so I had my little guy August 28th and am loving following your baby adventure too! What did your lactation consultant say you were doing wrong with the football hold? And any tips on side lying? I can’t do it without soaking us both!
KathEats says
I thought he was supposed to be face up (as a nurse in the hospital showed me..) but she corrected me that he is sideways – essentially the exact opposite of the cross cradle. As for side lying, haven’t completely got it to work yet, mostly because it’s just so hard to get a good latch in that position. I put down a burp cloth to protect the bed!
Melissa says
My daughter was almost a month old before she came home from the NICU, so keep that in mind while reading my next sentences. I don’t know why, but side lying was the best for us and then it was the football hold. I had a c-section, and holding her across my stomach hurt too much for about three months. I do remember having to put a nursing pad over one breast while she nursed from the other while we were lying down. If not, she’d have a wet head LOL. Have you checked out YouTube for videos of different holds/positions?
Oh, and I know this sounds so corny, but I am really proud of you and nursing in public! I was always on the go with my daughter, and got it down to a science fairly quickly 🙂 Good job!
Kristen says
Hey Kath!
I was noticing you your pills on your breakfast table. 2 of them look like Juice Plus. I was wondering if you’ve ever heard of Juice Plus or if you take it? I’ve been taking it for several months but I’m not really sure if it’s doing anything for me. What are your thought’s?
KathEats says
They are placenta pills 🙂 I don’t think those superiors pills are worth the money. Just eat real food.