Is it Baby Time? Labor Day Post 4

7:00 a.m.

Arrived at the hospital/birthing center around 6:00 a.m.

Had a 20 minute monitoring session, the baby sounds great.  My contractions slowed down while resting in the bed, but are picking back up now that I can move around.

Dilated 3 cm. 

Things are quiet here at the center - very nice.  My nurse is named Karen. She seems really nice.  Nurses can make a big difference in how things go, so that's a relief!

7:00 a.m.

Arrived at the hospital/birthing center around 6:00 a.m.

Had a 20 minute monitoring session, the baby sounds great.  My contractions slowed down while resting in the bed, but are picking back up now that I can move around.

Dilated 3 cm. 

Things are quiet here at the center - very nice.  My nurse is named Karen. She seems really nice.  Nurses can make a big difference in how things go, so that's a relief!

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Is it Baby Time? Labor Day Post 3

5:15 a.m.

Contractions are still 4-6 minutes apart, but now a little over a minute long.  Definitely stronger.  

We're gonna head to the hospital now.

So thankful that it's early on a Sunday morning and we don't have to worry about tunnel traffic at all. 

5:15 a.m.

Contractions are still 4-6 minutes apart, but now a little over a minute long.  Definitely stronger.  

We're gonna head to the hospital now.

So thankful that it's early on a Sunday morning and we don't have to worry about tunnel traffic at all. 

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Is it Baby Time? Labor Day Post 2

4:00 a.m. 

I called the answering service - the midwife on call is Beth.  There are four midwives in the practice, and Beth is the newest one and I've only seen her twice.  That being said, another one of the midwives, Jennifer, I haven't seen at all - every time I've been scheduled to see her, something came up like a labor or she was sick, so I'm glad she isn't the one there today!

Beth thought I should wait at home a little while, that since my contractions are not yet a minute long (45 sec), I was still a bit early in labor.  

I woke Grant, we both got showered and dressed, and now we're just taking care of last minute things before we go. 

Haven't woken my parents yet, although Grant's coffee grinder might have done the trick. 

4:00 a.m. 

I called the answering service - the midwife on call is Beth.  There are four midwives in the practice, and Beth is the newest one and I've only seen her twice.  That being said, another one of the midwives, Jennifer, I haven't seen at all - every time I've been scheduled to see her, something came up like a labor or she was sick, so I'm glad she isn't the one there today!

Beth thought I should wait at home a little while, that since my contractions are not yet a minute long (45 sec), I was still a bit early in labor.  

I woke Grant, we both got showered and dressed, and now we're just taking care of last minute things before we go. 

Haven't woken my parents yet, although Grant's coffee grinder might have done the trick. 

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Is it Baby Time? Labor Day Post 1

My 5th pregnancy has presented a challenge that I had not yet experienced.  While I have had Braxton Hicks contractions with all of my other pregnancies, it has never been to the extent that I've had them this time.  There have been at least four occasions that I had regular contractions for several hours and was convinced it was the "Big Day", only to have the contractions fade away and nothing end up happening. 

  

Very frustrating.  

Especially when my friends who have been pregnant with me have all delivered their babies already, my parents have been here for several days and my dad will be headed back home on Thursday, and for heaven's sake, I want him to get to see his new granddaughter!  

Today is my actual due date.  

I have not had a baby born on the due date yet.  My first was 12 days late, my second was 6 days early, the third was 9 days late and induced, and the fourth was 1 day early.  

It is 2:32 a.m. and I was awakened about an hour ago with contractions that are much more intense than what I have had up to this point.  Probably about 6-8 minutes apart at this point, nothing super regular, but definitely meaning business. I am confident that today is the day.  

I hope I don't have to come back and eat those words!

Can't WAIT to meet my new baby girl!

My 5th pregnancy has presented a challenge that I had not yet experienced.  While I have had Braxton Hicks contractions with all of my other pregnancies, it has never been to the extent that I've had them this time.  There have been at least four occasions that I had regular contractions for several hours and was convinced it was the "Big Day", only to have the contractions fade away and nothing end up happening. 

  

Very frustrating.  

Especially when my friends who have been pregnant with me have all delivered their babies already, my parents have been here for several days and my dad will be headed back home on Thursday, and for heaven's sake, I want him to get to see his new granddaughter!  

Today is my actual due date.  

I have not had a baby born on the due date yet.  My first was 12 days late, my second was 6 days early, the third was 9 days late and induced, and the fourth was 1 day early.  

It is 2:32 a.m. and I was awakened about an hour ago with contractions that are much more intense than what I have had up to this point.  Probably about 6-8 minutes apart at this point, nothing super regular, but definitely meaning business. I am confident that today is the day.  

I hope I don't have to come back and eat those words!

Can't WAIT to meet my new baby girl!

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Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies {Crazy Cooking Challenge}

It's Crazy Cooking Challenge time! Crazy Cooking Challenge is a group of food bloggers who get together once a month to bring you one featured food item. We all make this one item, but, of course, we each make it in our own special way. Because that's what we do best!

This month's feature is ... drum roll pleasssssssse ... CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES! Tina of Mom's Crazy Cooking (our Crazy Cooking Challenge hostess-with-the-mostest) challenged us all to get creative with this feature food. As long as our cookie had chocolate chips in it, then anything else, as far as ingredients go, was fair game!

Now, the rules of The Challenge are that we can't just make our own personal recipe favorite, or a recipe that we have posted on our blog before. We are to make a new-to-us recipe, or to use a new-to-us method, found somewhere out in blog-land. With Tina's creativity challenge in tow, a blog-land-searchin' I went. And, wow, was it ever hard to decide which of the many, many, many fantastic cookie creations to try!

I finally decided on these Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies from The Culinary Chronicles. I love, love, love me some Nutella (as evidenced my recent Nutella French Toast). And these cookies did not disappoint. They are yummy, just like I knew they would be! When I brought these to school to share with my fellow teachers (they are the recipients of quite a few of my baking products!), one of my friends said, "Oh, I love Nutella! I could bathe in it!"




While I don't recommend bathing in Nutella, I do highly recommend making these cookies! You'll be glad you did.

Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies
Source:  Slightly adapted from The Culinary Chronicles

Ingredients
1 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
8 T. unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 c. granulated sugar
1/3 c. light brown sugar
2/3 c. Nutella
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg
3/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips


Directions
1.  Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

2.  Cream together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in Nutella and vanilla extract. Mix in egg. Add flour mixture and mix until just incorporated. Add chocolate chips.

3.  Refrigerate dough for approximately one hour.

4.  Drop approximately one tablespoon of dough 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake at 350 for about 11 minutes until the edges look set. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes then carefully remove to cooling racks.

Enjoy!

Enjoy visiting the other Crazy Cooking Challenge participants through the links below. Looks like there are some delicious chocolate chip cookie variations. Oh, which to try ... which to try...

{Click to view my other Crazy Cooking Challenge entries.}

This post is linked with Foodie Friday hosted by Designs by Gollum, Sweets This Week hosted by Sugar Bananas!, Sweets for a Saturday hosted by Sweet as Sugar Cookies, Sundae Scoop hosted by I {heart} Naptime, Sweet Indulgences Sunday hosted by A Well-Seasoned Life, Delicious Dishes hosted by It's a Blog Party!, Cure for the Common Monday hosted by Lines Across My Face, Savvy Homemade Monday hosted by Home Savvy A to Z, Crazy Sweet Tuesday hosted by Crazy for Crust, Tuesday Talent Show hosted by Chef in Training, Tea Party Tuesday hosted by Sweetolofy, Tasty Tuesday hosted by For the Love of Blogs, These Chicks Cooked hosted by This Chick Cooks, and It's a Keeper Thursday hosted by It's a Keeper, This Week's Cravings hosted by Mom's Crazy Cooking.

It's Crazy Cooking Challenge time! Crazy Cooking Challenge is a group of food bloggers who get together once a month to bring you one featured food item. We all make this one item, but, of course, we each make it in our own special way. Because that's what we do best!

This month's feature is ... drum roll pleasssssssse ... CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES! Tina of Mom's Crazy Cooking (our Crazy Cooking Challenge hostess-with-the-mostest) challenged us all to get creative with this feature food. As long as our cookie had chocolate chips in it, then anything else, as far as ingredients go, was fair game!

Now, the rules of The Challenge are that we can't just make our own personal recipe favorite, or a recipe that we have posted on our blog before. We are to make a new-to-us recipe, or to use a new-to-us method, found somewhere out in blog-land. With Tina's creativity challenge in tow, a blog-land-searchin' I went. And, wow, was it ever hard to decide which of the many, many, many fantastic cookie creations to try!

I finally decided on these Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies from The Culinary Chronicles. I love, love, love me some Nutella (as evidenced my recent Nutella French Toast). And these cookies did not disappoint. They are yummy, just like I knew they would be! When I brought these to school to share with my fellow teachers (they are the recipients of quite a few of my baking products!), one of my friends said, "Oh, I love Nutella! I could bathe in it!"




While I don't recommend bathing in Nutella, I do highly recommend making these cookies! You'll be glad you did.

Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies
Source:  Slightly adapted from The Culinary Chronicles

Ingredients
1 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
8 T. unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 c. granulated sugar
1/3 c. light brown sugar
2/3 c. Nutella
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg
3/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips


Directions
1.  Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

2.  Cream together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in Nutella and vanilla extract. Mix in egg. Add flour mixture and mix until just incorporated. Add chocolate chips.

3.  Refrigerate dough for approximately one hour.

4.  Drop approximately one tablespoon of dough 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake at 350 for about 11 minutes until the edges look set. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes then carefully remove to cooling racks.

Enjoy!

Enjoy visiting the other Crazy Cooking Challenge participants through the links below. Looks like there are some delicious chocolate chip cookie variations. Oh, which to try ... which to try...

{Click to view my other Crazy Cooking Challenge entries.}

This post is linked with Foodie Friday hosted by Designs by Gollum, Sweets This Week hosted by Sugar Bananas!, Sweets for a Saturday hosted by Sweet as Sugar Cookies, Sundae Scoop hosted by I {heart} Naptime, Sweet Indulgences Sunday hosted by A Well-Seasoned Life, Delicious Dishes hosted by It's a Blog Party!, Cure for the Common Monday hosted by Lines Across My Face, Savvy Homemade Monday hosted by Home Savvy A to Z, Crazy Sweet Tuesday hosted by Crazy for Crust, Tuesday Talent Show hosted by Chef in Training, Tea Party Tuesday hosted by Sweetolofy, Tasty Tuesday hosted by For the Love of Blogs, These Chicks Cooked hosted by This Chick Cooks, and It's a Keeper Thursday hosted by It's a Keeper, This Week's Cravings hosted by Mom's Crazy Cooking.

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Peanut Butter Granola Bars

I was in the mood recently to try a different granola bar recipe.  My family still loves these Chewy Granola Bars, but since good quality honey has gotten even more expensive and harder to find around here, I wanted to find a recipe that used less than 1/2 cup.  These are a delicious alternative and were liked by my whole family, which isn't always easy to do. 

I love the peanut butter flavor and would probably enjoy chopped nuts in these as well, so maybe I'll add some next time.  The flexibilty of granola bars makes them so much fun - you can add in whatever dried fruits or chips (chocolate, peanut butter, etc) or nuts or coconut you want or have on hand. 

I also liked using a combination of oats with this recipe - it just gave them a nice texture.  I'm sure you could use 100% of either and they would be just fine, though. 

Recipe: (adapted from Allrecipes)

1 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1 egg
2 t. vanilla
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
3-1/2 cups rolled or quick oats (I used 1 cup quick, 2-1/2 rolled)
1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°. 
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine peanut butter, brown sugar, honey, coconut oil, egg, and vanilla.  Mix well.  Add in flaxseed and oats and stir to combine.  Add cranberries and chocolate chips (or other desired add-ins). 
Press into a buttered 13 x 9" pan.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Cut into bars after 5-10 minutes, after bars have cooled some but are still warm. 

Makes 18 bars.

I was in the mood recently to try a different granola bar recipe.  My family still loves these Chewy Granola Bars, but since good quality honey has gotten even more expensive and harder to find around here, I wanted to find a recipe that used less than 1/2 cup.  These are a delicious alternative and were liked by my whole family, which isn't always easy to do. 

I love the peanut butter flavor and would probably enjoy chopped nuts in these as well, so maybe I'll add some next time.  The flexibilty of granola bars makes them so much fun - you can add in whatever dried fruits or chips (chocolate, peanut butter, etc) or nuts or coconut you want or have on hand. 

I also liked using a combination of oats with this recipe - it just gave them a nice texture.  I'm sure you could use 100% of either and they would be just fine, though. 

Recipe: (adapted from Allrecipes)

1 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1 egg
2 t. vanilla
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
3-1/2 cups rolled or quick oats (I used 1 cup quick, 2-1/2 rolled)
1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°. 
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine peanut butter, brown sugar, honey, coconut oil, egg, and vanilla.  Mix well.  Add in flaxseed and oats and stir to combine.  Add cranberries and chocolate chips (or other desired add-ins). 
Press into a buttered 13 x 9" pan.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Cut into bars after 5-10 minutes, after bars have cooled some but are still warm. 

Makes 18 bars.

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German Chocolate Chip Cookies

I found this recipe out in blog-land, and couldn't resist giving it a try.  I love German Chocolate Cake, and a cookie that combines it's classic chocolate, pecan, and coconut flavors??  I couldn't pass it by. 

I've had German Chocolate Cake on my to-be-made list for quite some time, but haven't seemed to get to it yet.  My mother-in-law makes a fabulous, from-scratch German Chocolate Cake.  Somehow, cakes always seem so daunting to me.  But cookies?  Cookies are easy!  So much easier than cake.  So these German Chocolate Chip Cookies leap-frogged the cake in my recipe queue.

The creator of this recipe is Lesley of Lesley's Eats.  Thank you, Lesley!  Hop on over to Lesley's blog to hear the sweet story of how she and her mother brought this recipe to be.  The only tweak I made was to increase the amount of coconut - I love coconut.  Coconut and chocolate together? - love it even more.

So, don't feel like making a big ol' German Chocolate Cake?  Give these little German Chocolate cookie gems a try!

German Chocolate Chip Cookies
Source:  Lesley's Eats

Ingredients
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 c. unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 c. packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 c. chocolate chips (the original recipe called for milk chocolate, I used semi-sweet)
1 c. chopped pecans
1 1/2 c. sweetened flaked coconut


Directions
1.  Cream together the butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.

2.  Stir dry ingredients into the butter/sugar mixture, making sure that everything is fully incorporated. Mix in the chocolate chips, pecans, and coconut.

3.  Drop batter by spoonfuls onto baking sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Enjoy!

This post is linked with Recipe Sharing Monday hosted by Jam Hands, The Cure for the Common Monday hosted by Lines Across My Face, Savvy Homemade Monday hosted by Home Savvy A to Z, Mangia Mondays hosted by Shine Your Light, Tea Party Tuesday hosted by Sweetology, Tuesday Talent Show hosted by Chef in Training, Crazy Sweet Tuesday hosted by Crazy for Crust, Cast Party Wednesday hosted by Lady Behind the Curtain, These Chicks Cooked hosted by This Chick Cooks, It's a Keeper Thursday hosted by It's a Keeper, Fat Camp Friday hosted by Mangoes and Chutney, Friday Potluck hosted by EKat's Kitchen, Sweets for a Saturday hosted by Sweet as Sugar Cookies, and Must Try Monday hosted by My Favorite Finds, This Week's Cravings hosted by Mom's Crazy Cooking.

I found this recipe out in blog-land, and couldn't resist giving it a try.  I love German Chocolate Cake, and a cookie that combines it's classic chocolate, pecan, and coconut flavors??  I couldn't pass it by. 

I've had German Chocolate Cake on my to-be-made list for quite some time, but haven't seemed to get to it yet.  My mother-in-law makes a fabulous, from-scratch German Chocolate Cake.  Somehow, cakes always seem so daunting to me.  But cookies?  Cookies are easy!  So much easier than cake.  So these German Chocolate Chip Cookies leap-frogged the cake in my recipe queue.

The creator of this recipe is Lesley of Lesley's Eats.  Thank you, Lesley!  Hop on over to Lesley's blog to hear the sweet story of how she and her mother brought this recipe to be.  The only tweak I made was to increase the amount of coconut - I love coconut.  Coconut and chocolate together? - love it even more.

So, don't feel like making a big ol' German Chocolate Cake?  Give these little German Chocolate cookie gems a try!

German Chocolate Chip Cookies
Source:  Lesley's Eats

Ingredients
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 c. unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 c. packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 c. chocolate chips (the original recipe called for milk chocolate, I used semi-sweet)
1 c. chopped pecans
1 1/2 c. sweetened flaked coconut


Directions
1.  Cream together the butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.

2.  Stir dry ingredients into the butter/sugar mixture, making sure that everything is fully incorporated. Mix in the chocolate chips, pecans, and coconut.

3.  Drop batter by spoonfuls onto baking sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Enjoy!

This post is linked with Recipe Sharing Monday hosted by Jam Hands, The Cure for the Common Monday hosted by Lines Across My Face, Savvy Homemade Monday hosted by Home Savvy A to Z, Mangia Mondays hosted by Shine Your Light, Tea Party Tuesday hosted by Sweetology, Tuesday Talent Show hosted by Chef in Training, Crazy Sweet Tuesday hosted by Crazy for Crust, Cast Party Wednesday hosted by Lady Behind the Curtain, These Chicks Cooked hosted by This Chick Cooks, It's a Keeper Thursday hosted by It's a Keeper, Fat Camp Friday hosted by Mangoes and Chutney, Friday Potluck hosted by EKat's Kitchen, Sweets for a Saturday hosted by Sweet as Sugar Cookies, and Must Try Monday hosted by My Favorite Finds, This Week's Cravings hosted by Mom's Crazy Cooking.

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