Heat

It has been in the high 90s all last week and all this week. The heat index is in the 100s. Yesterday I started my car 10 minutes before we had to leave to cool it down. I used to do that with snow. Now, I do it with the heat. Coming out of work at 5pm last night I started my car and forgot to turn down the blasting AC. Searing hot air greeted me, making me instantly sick. It was like opening an oven. We are having record heat. The only thing that makes this hot Virginia weather bearable is that everything is in bloom. I have blooming trees, vines and flowers that randomly showed up in my yard. This flower is bigger than a large man's fist and the picture was taken on Saturday at the zoo. Apparently all of the trees and bushes here love this heat. I don't.

Did I mention that I am 36 weeks pregnant? My attached furnace is making it hotter for this lady. NO more summer pregnancies. NO MORE.

Rock What You Got

I have come to the conclusion that no matter how much I whine, moan or groan about my pregnant body, nothing is going to change. There is absolutely nothing that I can do to change the shape of my body. I can not wish this child to spread out a bit on the sides and not look like a torpedo. I can not change the ever growing basketball of my stomach. Strangers will continue to comment, both good and bad. People will continue to stare. But the fact remains the same. I am pregnant with a beautiful baby boy and the super large torpedo belly is what happens to me. I do not swell. I do not spread the weight around. I carry it in front and in full force.

I am ALWAYS the largest pregnant women in the room. My belly always beats anyone else's belly. I may have gained 20 pounds less than they did, but my belly will always be the biggest. Annoying, but true.

I can't change it. My body just carries baby boys this way. Simple as that. My weight is less than with Jack and I have not even hit the 25lb mark yet. ( The one good benefit of a low low sugar forced diet) I still look the same as I did with Jack.

I should do a whole post on what complete strangers have said to me. Some sweet, but mostly rude. It is quite amazing that people have the audacity to talk to a stranger the way they have talked to me. I used to smile and walk away. I no longer smile. I just walk away. The Hubs is about one more rude "twins" comment away from berating the next person who says it. I secretly hope he does it! ;)

Body image is something that I think 98% of women struggle with, or have struggled with at some time. I know that I have, whether I am pregnant or not. It is so easy to envy the girl next to you with the little baby belly, or the long legs, or the nice hair. Comparisons can get dangerous. They allow you to wallow in self-pity and can lead to depression. It is not a healthy thing to do, in any state that you are in. While you can exercise and watch your weight, the way you carry a baby is not something you get to decide. So, why compare?

So, at a 35 weeks, I have finally come to the conclusion that my body does what it does to house a little man and there is not a thing I can do about it. So, if you can't change it... than you might as well rock what you got...

Looks like a normal pregnant belly, right?

Wait for it....

POW! The side view. Torpedo belly at 35 weeks.

Sigh...

There is a LOT to rock here people...

(Sorry for the awkward faces. It was hot and sunny and I am not a fan of being photographed)

Pray

I need prayer.

Lots of it.

It is back.

It was only suppose to happen for the first child.

It came 2 weeks earlier for the second.

I am less than 6 weeks from my due date and may not survive if this wretched thing continues like the last time.

Lord, help me.

I itch.

:(

Less than

...6 weeks until this little guy makes his debut into our world.

and less than 3 weeks till this cute little man turns TWO!

Tuna Cakes

I found this recipe on this blog and wanted to give it a try. It was labeled as a Faux Crab Cake... but tuna is not crab and I would much rather just call it a tuna cake. I have made these a few times and they are super easy and super delicious. You can make and cook them in 10 minutes and the ingredients are always in my pantry, so it is a simple solution of what to make for dinner. I have paired them with a nice big salad and with a lemon-herbed orzo (pictured above). Simple and healthy with lots of flavor!

Tuna Cakes:

1/4 cup mayonnaise dressing. ~I used a low fat version~

1 tablespoon minced onion. ~I do not care for raw onions and substituted onion power to taste. My onion loving hubby didn't even miss them!~

1 tablespoon sweet relish ~ I did not have any relish on hand and the Hubs doesn't like sweet relish anyway. So took this out and added garlic power to taste.~

1 egg, beaten

2 (6-ounce) cans tuna fish (in water) ~I HIGHLY recommend an albacore tuna or a chunky tuna. The thicker consistency of the tuna really helps form the cakes.~

Cooking spray; for frying ~ I used PAM Olive Oil spray~

1/2 cup PANKO bread crumbs ~ I used more for the crust of the cakes. PANKO is a Japanese bread crumb that has less calories than regular breadcrumbs and is super crunchy. You can find it in any store by the regular breadcrumbs.~

1 pinch salt

1 pinch pepper ~ I added extra pepper to the mixture and into my PANKO~.

Lemon Juice, optional

DIRECTIONS:

Heat large skillet over medium heat; coating with cooking spray. While skillet is heating, combine tuna, beaten egg, onion, mayonnaise dressing, 1/4 cup PANKO bread crumbs, salt, pepper and lemon juice, to taste, if desired. Form into patties and dust with additional bread crumbs. When skillet is hot, fry patty until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove and serve.

Enjoy!

Sneak Peak

We spent ALL of our Memorial Day Weekend going from this...

to this...

I will do a full post on the transformation...but the change of color makes my light look SUPER ugly. So I might wait till that is changed before I do the whole reveal.