11 Week Chalkboard Tracker

So I wanted to start doing the whole pregnancy chalkboard tracker trend that's been going around.  I am going to document my pregnancy on a weekly basis.  

11 WEEKS

*Please note this photo was taken the week of February 25, 2014.

How far along: 11 Weeks
Baby is the size of a: Lime
Total Weight Gain: None
The Bump: Mostly bloat at this time so "the bump" comes and goes LOL
Symptoms:  Just really really sleepy all of the time
Food Cravings/Aversions: None
What I Miss:  I miss being able to have a drink! The hubby and I met some friends in Miami this weekend and this was when it really dawned on me that I am not drinking!
Wedding Ring On or Off: On!
Names Picked Yet: We have some that we like for either gender but nothing selected yet!
What I am looking forward to: getting a baby bump!

Big News! Were Pregnant!

Soo I would love to write about how long our process was when TTC (trying to conceive) however I personally feel as if it all happened pretty quickly!  According to my timeline we conceived on Christmas Eve/Christmas which in itself just made me smile!  According to my doctor the clock started ticking on the countdown to Baby Brooks around December 10!  So yea I know its the end of March and I know I am just sharing but we wanted to make sure things were progressing as they should be before I started blogging about it.  So I can officially say were are now Making The Brooks....hence the new title of this blog.

I will be sharing and posting photos of my pregnancy progress via blogging, pictures, and videos so hopefully you can follow us through this process of creating our family and taking the journey through motherhood.

I wanted to share the photo I posted via Facebook/Instagram to share the news of our bundle of joy!

Some Points on Fertility

So a couple of days ago I shared that my DH (dear husband) and I were officially on the TTC (trying to conceive) boat.  If you can't tell my all of my posts on this blog I am one of those dive into research heavy types...things sort of become my "obsession" I am talking pinterest boards and all.  Now for now my pinterest board for the future Baby Brooks is set to private but eventually I promise I will share.....Now that I am back from that side ramble let me get to the real topic at hand points (or facts I have learned about fertility and TTC since we started this journey.



Learn how your body works
This one is a struggle for me because for well all of my life I have tried to learn the things to avoid a pregnancy.  Now I find myself trying to take cues from my body to figure out when the right time for making a baby is.  I find these two apps (Ovia Fertility and What to Expect Fertility).  These apps have tons of helpful information and different kinds of calendars/calculators that will help you keep track of when you are fertile/ovulating, when to test, and when your next cycle should start.

 Watch your weight
I know right this sounds like the fun police are trying to pull you over and write a ticket. But sadly it's so true!  Being at a healthy weight can help make your pregnancy healthier and will even give you a better chance of conceiving.  For me a good source of my weight gain can be alcohol! Which is something I had to cut out all together (since its a no no once we conceive).

Take Your Prenatals
Yes another thing that is frequently said but is something that is true.  Pre-Natal Vitamins should be taken before, during, and after pregnancy.  Trust and believe I have been taking this daily (gotta get my folic acid in!)

So these are just a few points I had on fertility and TTC!

The Best Vegetarian Chili Ever!

So as promised I must share this delicious chili recipe that has absolutely no meat!  I know many of you are trying to start the year off right and this chili will help you do it!  I got this recipe from my favorite cooking blog Divas Can Cook.  It has tons of seasoning and tons of veggies and it is delish! Now before you look at list of ingredients and think its too much for you to try please know that this was super easy to make and it is well worth it!

Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients:

1 Zucchini (chopped)

1 Green Bell Pepper (chopped)

1 Red Bell Pepper (chopped)

1 Small Onion (chopped)

2 TBS of minced garlic

1 Cup of Sweet Corn

1 Bag (12oz) Morning Star Meal Starters (Grillers Veggie Crumbles)

1 Can (14oz) Diced Tomatoes (I used Hunts brand Basil, Garlic, Oregano flavor) 

1 Can (14.5 oz) Whole Italian Stewed Tomatoes (chopped)

1 Can (15oz) Tomato Sauce (I used Hunt's Tomato Sauce Basil, Garlic, & Oregano)

1 Can (15 oz) Kidney beans, rinsed & drained

1 Can (15 oz) Black beans, rinsed & drained

1 Can (15 oz) Garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

3 TBS Chili Powder

3 TBS Celery Flakes

1½ TSP Seasoning Salt

1½ TSP Ground Cumin

1 TSP Paprika

1 TBS Oregano

1 TBS Cilantro

2 TSP Sugar

1 TBS Parsley

2 TSP Thyme

1 TBS Basil

A few dashes of black pepper 

Cooking Instructions:

 Heat olive oil in a large pot.

Add in the vegetable crumbles. and chopped veggies.

Sauté on medium heat until the bell peppers are nice and tender.

Add the corn and cook for another minute.

Add the diced tomatoes, chopped Italian Stewed Tomatoes and tomato sauce.

Stir in the drained beans.

Stir until everything is combined.

Add in the spices.

Stir to combine.

Cover and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Now I will be honest I had my bowl of chili with a side of cornbread (not so healthy huh?)  I has some left over from another meal and I just couldn't let it go to waste.  Although it probably wasn't the healthy option this chili pairs so well with it!

Until next time!