It'sAGirl!

We still can't believe it. We'll have two daughters.

That's it, that's all.

Believe me when I say WE ARE DONE. After this year and a half of hell and a pregnancy full of anxiety, I will never do it again.

But the sweet little being in me is a girl and we are thrilled!

I thought she was a boy from the start until about the last month when I started to waiver in my conviction. And to be honest, I was a little sad to learn we weren't having a son. I know, she's healthy and that's what's important, but I was a little bummed at first that this son I had built up in my mind was never to be. But I've made peace with it and I'm very excited to have a wee baby girl again.

And oh, boy, is our older girl ever over the moon about it.

With our family also having just adopted another boy dog (see my last post if you missed George's story), our daughter came to the conclusion that since we will have two boy children (our dogs) and two girl children (the hairless ones), I can be "all done with the pregnants" now. I'm glad she and I are on the same page.

With all these new happenings around here, it hit me like a brick thrown from a speeding vehicle that our lives could get crazier than they are now in just over three months. Why three months? Because when you have an spontaneous early birth of a first child, you are more likely to have earlier births of your subsequent children. Our dear Peachie was born at 36 weeks. Some quick math (simple stuff, the kind that I can actually handle) and that gives us 14 weeks from where we are today.

Shit just got real.

So in light of that revelation, I've started compiling a list of foods that I want to pre-make before babe gets here and I've started testing the not-yet-tried-and-true.First up, instant apple oatmeal.

I make apple oatmeal a lot in our house. It's our beanie's favourite breakfast. I shared an easy recipe for it on my Instagram a few weeks ago (go have a gander at it if you don't already follow me there). However, as I don't anticipate being able to use both hands with a nursing babe and the older one, not to mention me, will still require food, I wanted to create a super delicious instant version that didn't require grating apples awkwardly with one hand or blasting them through the food processor which is sure to set a tiny babe to screaming. Sure, I could go and buy the little packs at the store, but let's be honest, they are tiny packets of sad disappointment, full of sugars and artificial flavour boosters. How about not.

In less than 5 minutes, I made 6 servings of the stuff. I could easily make more in the same amount of time just by doubling the ingredients. This recipe is full of healthy fats and fibre, the perfect thing for literally anyone. The flax and the chia work to soak up the water and make it thick and creamy, like it had cooked for hours. It really is magical.

Instant Apple Oatmeal Serves 6

2 cups dry rolled oats
1 cup dried apples, ground
1/2 cup pecans
1/4 cup whole flax seed*
1/4 cup whole chia
1/4 cup hemp seeds
2 tbsps. cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
Coconut sugar, for serving

1.) In a food processor, pulse the oats until they are half ground, half chopped. Do not let it turn into a complete powder, you still want a good portion of flakes in there. Turn out into a big bowl.
2.) Place a couple of handfuls of dried apples into the food processor and pulse until there are still visible pieces and not entirely a powder until you get a cup. The powder will sweeten the oatmeal while the little bits add texture. Add to the oats in the bowl.
3.) Next, pulse the pecans in the food processor and add them to the bowl.
4.) In a coffee grinder (or if your food processor will grind finely, use that), grind the flax seeds. Empty into the bowl. Repeat with the chia and add to the bowl.
5.) Add the hemp, cinnamon, and salt to the bowl. Mix everything together until it is a homogeneous mixture. Voila. Done.
6.) Store in a some sort of airtight device. I used individual jars of varying sizes, some to be enjoyed right in the jar, some need to be poured into a bowl to eat. A large container could also just be used, with the portion doled out when you are ready to eat. I portioned these into six servings of about 3/4 cup each. That was a filling meal for me. I also store these in the fridge because of the ground seeds in them.

To eat, simply boil water and add about a cup of hot water to each serving, depending on how thick or loose you want it. Let it stand for ten minutes and dive in! If it's not sweet enough to your taste, some coconut sugar or maple syrup are good sweetening choices. I added a teaspoon of coconut sugar to my portion and it was perfect.

*Buy seeds like flax and chia whole. Once they are ground, they start to oxidize and become rancid much faster. Keep flax in the fridge and chia in the cupboard. If you are using ground, 1/4 whole of either seed will yield 1/2 cup ground, so add that amount.

And that's it! No more cloyingly-sweet cardboard tasting packets!

As a heads-up, while I'll still be posting regular recipes for normal meals, I'll likely increase the amount of make-ahead prepped recipes as my due date looms closer. Keep in mind, that these recipes will not only be great for new moms, but for anyone who finds themselves thinking that they are short on time and could use pre-made meals. It's not only mamas who need a hand (although in actuality we need like ten or twelve ;) ).

But now the sun is shining and I NEED to be out in it. I hope it's sunny wherever you are <3

Combating Impending Craziness with Instant Oatmeal (NOT Instant Pot Oatmeal).