A 2 hour lunch

I don’t want to sound like a whiner, but DAYAM, being a mom is hard work.

I always thought I knew this, but when Kyle was out of town I really realized it.  For real.  Trying to be productive during those 5 days was a joke.  I gave up after the first day.  So much for finishing moving in (I had wanted to surprise Kyle by having the house all done when he returned from his trip).  But how realistic is vacuuming and hammering the art up on the wall during P’s limited napping time?  It’s a miracle I even did laundry.  For the record, I didn’t take a shower that lasted longer than 2 minutes, I ate massive bowls full of roasted salty nuts as a meal (and felt like crap afterwards), and there are still suitcases full of clothes in the guest bedroom.  Basically, I watched a lot of TV while holding Patty-cakes.  He’s turned into quite the attention demanding little man.  I’m interpreting it as he is brilliant and therefore requires as much stimulation as possible to challenge his growing brain.  All parents think that, right?

Anyway, before I get even more off topic, I figured I should share one of the more decent meals I threw together.

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Greens, carrots, brown rice, peanut soy dressing.

You don’t need a recipe for the salad, but here’s what the dressing had.

Peanut Soy Dressing:

  • 3 parts organic peanut butter (I used PB’s organic PB spread)
  • 2 parts water
  • 1 part tamari
  • 1 part sweetener (maple syrup, agave, honey)

Blend or whisk until smooth.  Tweak as your taste buds desire.

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It’s hard to tell, but the dressing coated everything and was awesome.  I’m totally adding edamame to this salad next time.

This snack plate?

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Took 2 hours to eat.  And I had 3 of them that same day.  Because as fancy as it looks, it involves zero prep.

Carrots.  Grapes.  Beyond Meat vegan “chick’n”.  Follow Your Heart vegan cheese.  Van’s gluten free multigrain crackers.

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These are new to the market and I found them at Safeway (of all places!).  I’m always up for trying new GF products.

The ingredients list is FODMAPs friendly too with brown sugar as the sole sweetener.

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I was surprised by how small they were when I first opened the box, but there are actually a lot in there.

As someone who often eats an entire box in one serving, I managed to not do that this time.  And it was hard too because they are really salty and really good.

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Yum.

These will definitely be a new addition to the GF cracker rotation I have going on now.  They are cheaper than Mary’s Gone crackers, so that’s a plus.

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So yeah, picture the above plate, but then imagine a bunch of refills.

Because I ended up eating most of it like this…

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Which meant it took for-eh-ver to actually eat.  And so I required more.  And more.  And more.  I’m not good with grazing.  It confuses me.  I like solid meals.

Can you tell I’m SO ready to cook again!?!  I just need to find a way to do it.

Oh and by the way, I did end up vacuuming the whole house.  It’s spider central out here in the ‘burbs!

*Edited to add: Don’t forget about the buy 2, get the 3rd jar free deal on PB spreads

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Comments (44)

  1. Jessica

    I totally, totally, totally understand. I’m living on dried apricots, grapes, sandwiches and whatever I can find in the freezer to reheat in the microwave, which ends up cold by the time I finish it anyway! It has to be food that can be eaten by hand or stays on the fork/spoon so it doesn’t drop on baby’s head passing from plate to mouth, lol. Sooo frustrating not having time to cook. I’m hoping the whole no sleep/short naps, look at me and hold me all day long thing is only a phase?? On the plus side though they are just so cute, especially when they smile and laugh, it makes it all worthwhile 🙂

  2. Jessica

    How much sleep does he get in the day? You mentioned in previous blogs he was sleeping through the night, which makes up for it somewhat 🙂

  3. Jenny

    I can’t say that I know what it’s like, but it looks like you are doing a great job!! Parenting I would imagine is the most rewarding full-time job there is 🙂

  4. Sherry

    I remember being a first time mommy! I remember thinking when the heck am I suppose to shower?!? LOL! Also, there are no “quick” runs to the grocery store, it became more of an event to go anywhere. You’re doing great figuring it all out!

  5. Lori

    Keep it up hunny! You’re doing great 🙂 And u look fab, so that’s cool, right? 😉

    Happy Mothers Day for Sunday!

    X
    cheers
    Lori

  6. Deanna

    He looks like your mini-me, Elise!! So cute!!!!!

  7. Wendy

    It is that crazy for all of us! You’re doing great!! I’m happy if I get 3 showers a week! Do you have a good baby carrier? The Bjorn sucks after they’re over 10 lbs. I love the Ergo, and my Babyhawk even more. I vacuum, straighten up, cook, clean, and take walks while wearing the baby. He’s weightless in the Banyhawk.

  8. Katie @ Peace Love & Oats

    I think he’s a genius. He’s got to be.

  9. Jessie

    Been there!!! It’s not easy and even with a predictable schedule, keeping a baby/toddler occupied while you do chores isn’t an easy task kudos to all the single parents out there!

  10. Marisa

    My hubby travels overseas for work a week at a time, every single month, so I definitely feel your pain. Honestly don’t know how single parents do it. My baby is exactly one month older than baby P & I must say every month seem to get a little easier though, so there’s hope 🙂 Is he still sleeping through the night?

  11. Ashley @ My Food N Fitness Diaries

    Haha I feel ya! Trail mix has been my best friend lately. 😉

  12. Elise (Post author)

    i know – i wrote a devotional love post on trail mix my first month post partum. then i got my sh!t together and made meals…and then we moved…and that was a serious upheaval. can you imagine trying to pack and unpack your whole house with Hunter’s schedule?!? it’s insane! im glad you can relate…

  13. Brigid

    He does look wise, so maybe he is a baby genius! Seriously such a cutie.

  14. Elise (Post author)

    exactly! hes so freakin’ cute its just so fun hanging out with him i could never begrudge the attention demanding. his smiles and giggles!!! omg, heart melting! i will happily give him my time all day long. but yeah, by 8 pm, im ready to CRASH into bed.
    hes still sleeping through the night – and im very aware of how lucky i am to have that going for me!! hopefully itll continue.
    he only JUST started having a semi predictable napping schedule during the day. before that i just let him lead the way with when he was hungry, tired, whatever. in general, he will sleep for 30 minutes to ~1 hour 3 times throughout the day (morning, noon, and afternoon). if im holding him though, he could sleep way more. he loves being held! and when we go on walks, he almost always dozes off in the stroller too.

  15. Elise (Post author)

    yes times 100. its the best. every time i feel frustrated or tired i remind myself how lucky i am to have a healthy baby boy because its all i ever wanted (and more). i think back to pre-pregnant elise, wishing for this very situation and pinch myself that i got it.

  16. Elise (Post author)

    thank you sherry!! youre so right, the solo grocery trips are epic adventures now – ha!
    contrast to when kyle goes with me, it feels like we are super parents, breezing through the place like pros!

  17. Elise (Post author)

    youre the best lori! thank you!!!

  18. Elise (Post author)

    kyle and i think so too deanna! 🙂

  19. Elise (Post author)

    so far we’re still cool w the bjorn, but ive heard the ergo is great for when hes bigger…so we will see…
    a few people have recently mentioned the babyhawk, which id never heard of before, but now im going to look into that one too.
    i was trying to avoid getting so much stuff, but i think thats a lost cause! ha!

  20. Elise (Post author)

    totally 🙂

  21. Elise (Post author)

    i know! i cant imagine doing this consistently without kyle.

  22. Elise (Post author)

    i keep thinking the same thing – how do single parents do it!?!?

    hes still sleeping through the night! fingers crossed it continues.

    this boy is definitely a product of his parents – loving the routine – at night we do bath time, read him a story, and then i nurse him in the dark in his room and put him down once he’s gotten drowsy a while after finishing…he wiggles around (sometimes for 20+ minutes) but doesnt make any noises or anything, and eventually falls asleep.
    its usually ~9-930 pm that he goes down. if its closer to 9 then he tends to wake up around 530 am. i hear and see him fussing on the monitor and sometimes he will go back to sleep, but sometimes he keeps squawking so i know he needs to be changed/fed again. after that he will sleep til 730-8ish. if its closer to 930 pm that he goes down, he will usually sleep straight til 7 am (at which point we both get up and start the morning routine).
    at least thats what its been for the past couple of weeks. who knows what the future holds in store…

  23. Elise (Post author)

    hehe. so its not just me who thinks hes a baby genius 🙂

  24. Marisa

    That’s great Elise! His schedule sounds almost identical to ours. He’s been sleeping through for the past 5 weeks & holding thumbs it lasts too. I’ve heard of a sleep regression period that can possibly happen at around 4 months, so definitely not taking anything for granted. They are just at such a cute age now aren’t they? The smiles, giggles and babbling just make my day. P is super cute Elise and well done for still breastfeeding. That was very hard for us & I eventually quit at 8 weeks. Just couldn’t keep my supply up & had a constantly crying newborn that needed to eat every 2 hours. Anyway he’s on a soy based formula & doing great. Happy mama, happy baby right?

  25. Wendy Wisner

    Get a Babyhawk (or another Mei Tai)! It takes a little while to figure out how to use it, but if I can do it, you can too. You can get some really nice ones used on Ebay. I recommend the ones with all the straps, not the newer “Oh Snap.” The Ergo is good too, just a little more bulky and less adjustable than the Babyhawk. But beware, once you start getting into carriers, you’ll never stop. I just sold a bunch of my old ones on Ebay… I had too many!

  26. Beth

    Elise, what kind of greens did you use? You look fantastic, girl! And P is such a cutie! 🙂

  27. Beth

    And I almost forgot….Happy Nurse’s week to you!!!

  28. Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl

    That peanut soy dressing sounds fantastic! I will definitely be trying that out! 🙂

  29. Beth

    Elise, if you have time, can you put all your salad dressings under your recipage page so that we can find them again? There was another one with nutritional yeast…and some others, I think.

  30. Lou

    Oh yeah, I remember those days…. lots of TV watching (I got into watching TV series on DVD) lots of Misty-bouncing, and LOTS of grazing. I think I lived on muesli bars, nuts, dried fruit, carrots/hummus & yoghurt. Viper worked away for the first 6 months so I sympathise with you – it’s SO hard when you don’t get a break. Good thing these babes are so cute, right?

  31. sassygirl

    the PB cinnamon peanut butter is. to. die. for.
    gave the free jar to a friend with a peanut butter
    fixation, who devoured the jar!
    oooooooh….so good.

    and ooooooh…cute baby!

  32. Brieanna @ Going Brienanas

    Love the snack plate! The fact that you are able to blog while being a mom is impressive, keep it up : )

  33. Nicole @ FruitnFitness

    Baby P is so cute! I can imagine it must be so hard trying to get everything organized in the new house while catering to a babys schedule.

  34. Elise (Post author)

    Totally! Makes it alllll worth it 🙂

  35. Elise (Post author)

    I’m gonna be perfectly honest and admit its not likely ill get to it in the near future. I’m spread pretty thin right now and this is low on the list…just use the search feature or bookmark posts in the meantime.

  36. Elise (Post author)

    Thx!!

  37. Elise (Post author)

    Just a spring greens mix or something like that.

  38. josée

    don’t get me wrong, i’m not pushing, just curious… are you still running, or again? maybe plans for events or something?

  39. Elise (Post author)

    i hope this comment is a joke.

  40. Shawnna

    Yum! I’m looking forward to making that dressing! I had two babies that were awful sleepers, but they loved being worn while I vacuumed and it was the only way that my youngest would nap! I had a very clean carpet that first year. I think it was the white noise of the vacuum and my constant motion that knocked him out. Anyways, I loved my Babyhawk and also had a wrap as well. Once you try a better carrier, you’ll be amazed at how long you can wear him and still be comfortable.

  41. josée

    haha, good to know i’m not the only one. for different reasons, though. stupid flue epidemic is keeping me home for months by now. silly collegue is actually running, or so she says, after giving birth a few months ago.

  42. Emily

    I can’t even imagine how crazy life must be- especially when Kyle isn’t there to help you! But you’re handling it amazingly well. And one day you’ll look back on all of your snack plates and shower-less days and laugh at it all. (:
    PS: The cheddar version of Van’s new GF crackers are delicious too! Highly recommended!

  43. karen

    I remember (fondly) with each kid, what an awesome feeling it is, when it all comes back together again, esp in the kitchen. I LOVE to cook, and demand lots of healthy things same as you, and it’s so hard w/ newborns. I had no desire at first, but eventually you do, and it’s the best feeling!

    Enjoy this sweet, fleeting, time….savor it. Esp with your first. My babies are 4,6,8…..oh how time flies. And I’m still tired :), and my house is still dirty :), but I make my family healthy food and spend time with them!

  44. Elise (Post author)

    thank you for this comment karen!! of course i know im not alone in this – but its always such a relief to be reminded of it. im definitely enjoying every second w my little man 🙂

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