How To Buy Organic and Not Go Broke.

Trip and I went shopping at Trader Joe's on Sunday, and noticed a few of our staple items had gone up in price. We usually buy all organic, but with the ever increasing prices of produce, we've had to put some items back on the shelf.

Well, no need to skip the bananas. Just skip paying the extra dollar on organic. Vegetarian Times recently had an article on "How To Buy Organic," with a list from the Environmental Working Group of the 12 most pesticide-laden conventionally grown fresh fruit and vegetables. So here's the list of the produce items where you shouldn't penny-pinch (buy organic):

1. Peaches
   
2. Apples
   
3. Bell Peppers
   
4. Celery
   
5. Nectarines
   
6. Strawberries
   
7. Cherries
   
8. Lettuce
   
9. Grapes (imported)
   
10. Pears
    
11. Spinach
12. Potatoes

In general, thin-skinned vegetables that grow underground can absorb pesticides and heavy metals, so organic is best. So fruits and vegetables such as avocados, bananas, mangoes are okay to buy nonorganic. Also, there are quite a few fruits and vegetables that do not appeal to pests and are rarely treated with pesticides, thus have low pesticide residues (if any): asparagus, broccoli, corn, eggplant, garlic, onions, rhubarb, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, blueberries, cantaloupe, grapes (domestic), grapefruit and watermelon. These are all okay to buy nonorganic.

As for dairy, it's best to always buy organic. In particular, organic milk contains no hormones or antibiotics, so is highly recommended. I know, $7 for a gallon of milk seems ridiculous. But trust me, there is a huge taste difference (I drink milk all the time now! Could also be the pregnancy thing, but it really does taste better.)

Another thing to keep in mind is buying local. According to Vegetarian Times, not only do some farmers claim that after the food industry took over the "buy organic" philosophy they often ignore traditional organic values such as sustainability and a connection to the local economy, but there are certain highly perishable foods whose flavor and nutrients are so dependent on freshness that it pays to buy local whenever possible. So hit up those farmer's markets! Even if they are not certified organic, they can be a great way to put the freshest, tastiest food on your plate while supporting your local economy and helping the environment. Who wouldn't want that!

We're Having a Boy!

As I mentioned in my Four Month Belly! post, we had a little scare last Monday that prompted a visit to the doctor. To make sure everything was okay, she did an ultrasound. During the ultrasound the doctor said, "I think I know what you are having..."

"Can you tell us?" I asked.

"Well, I think you're having a girl. I can't be certain, because baby is straddling the umbilical cord, but see that..."

[She points to some blurry image that apparently made up girl parts.]

So of course Trip and I translate "can't be certain" as "you're having a baby girl!" So all week we had it in our heads that we were having a girl. Trip bought a book of baby names and we didn't even look in the boy section. We were already disagreeing on the shade of pink we would paint the nursery.

Fast forward to Friday, our second trimester ultrasound. Now, our OB had warned us that some technicians can be pretty testy, perhaps even a bit cold. But we were so fortunate -- our technician rocked. She was definitely all business in the beginning, but just thoroughly explained what the process was going to be, and said her main concern was our baby. She asked us if we wanted to know the sex, and that she would tell us during the warm and fuzzy family part at the end of the exam, after about 30 minutes of seriousness. 

So during the important, serious, technical, don't-talk-to-me-because-I-am-concentrating exam, she says, "Well, I know what you are having. Quick, tell me your guesses."

"Girl."

"Girl."

"Girl, huh. Well, you're wrong. It's a boy. See, there's his wiener."

(Apparently the important, serious, technical term is "wiener".)

A boy. Oh my goodness, a boy! Of course we were both shocked at first, only because we were so certain we were having a girl. But that quickly faded for both of us as soon as we thought of our beautiful baby boy. We can't wait to meet him! I must have cried five times that day thinking about him...

Tears of joy for our Baby Boy Johnson.

(Or, "Baby Boy with a Johnson" as our technician proudly joked. Did I mention already how much we loved her?)

Four Month Belly!

Well, I "popped" this month. It's actually good to be past the looks-like-I've-let-myself-go belly and on to the full on preggers belly.

107# and 31.5"
It's hard to believe that I only grew half an inch this month, but I think everything has rounded out and moved to the front. :)


Baby is as big as a bell pepper and weighs almost 7 ounces, and is about 5 1/2 inches, head to bottom.

PHOTO: BabyCenter

I really can't believe it's been four months. Wow. Time flies. We're almost half way through! How is that even possible?! And so far I really can't complain. My energy level is back, but I still do get tired in the mid-afternoon. That kind of sucks on the days when I'm in the office, but I deal. I've been going to the gym pretty regularly, which I think is helping me feel good overall. I met another mommy-to-be at the gym, who is due any day now, and she said the best advice she could give me is to keep working out. This is her second, and she said that even with a rough first trimester, she has felt so much better this time around because she has been consistent with working out. And let me tell you, mommy was working out! Lifting weights, using the medicine ball, working up a sweat on the treadmill. She's my new inspiration! So I try to stick to this schedule: cardio and weights Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; prenatal yoga on Tuesdays; and hike on Thursdays. Weekends are for relaxation and rejuvenation. :)

The hefty appetite definitely started this month. I've suffered from some pretty uncomfortable heartburn and indigestion (probably due to my tiny torso), but it hasn't stopped me from eating! I've had more salt cravings than sweet, which is odd for me. (Kettle chips and onion dip... Yum...) But I still have my dark chocolate every night (a pre-pregnancy ritual). Despite the pigging out, my weight gain is right on track -- a pretty consistent pound a week.

We had a bit of a scare Monday with some mild contractions, but the doctor had us come in and everything seems to be okay. Just the thought of anything being wrong with our baby sent me on an emotional roller coaster. All I could focus on was our little peanut, and making sure he/she is perfect. I guess it was my first taste of how overwhelming the unconditional love that comes with being a parent is. Let me tell you, as soon as I saw that little heart beating, I felt my entire body relax. And any time we can get a sneak peak at baby is fine by us!

We have our second trimester ultrasound on Friday, so keep your fingers crossed that everything is going well, and that baby cooperates and we are able to find out the gender. I just put a poll up in my sidebar, so let me know your guess!

My progress:

One Month: 100# and 24"
Two Months: 101# and 25"
Three Months: 104# and 31"
Four Months: 107# and 31.5"

The Amy Winehouse Halloween Costume How-To.

So it looks like Amy Winehouse will be a popular costume choice again this year. I've gotten over a thousand hits so far this week to my post from last year, and have also gotten many inquires regarding how I put my costume together. So I thought I would give the interested parties a quick rundown of my Amy Winehouse interpretation (if I can remember it all):

1. The wig - This, of course, being the most important element of the costume. This was actually two wigs pinned together. The bottom one, which was on my head, had bangs. The top one was an old Elvira wig. I stuffed it with styrofoam balls and teased the heck out of it, then pinned it to the crown of the other wig. Then it was just a matter of twisting and pinning all the hanging hair up to the beehive. Be prepared with A LOT of bobby pins. (Must give thanks to my friend Amii for helping with the endeavor, and providing the wig head to make it all a bit easier to construct).
2. The tattoos - Unfortunately I can't remember the exact online store I bought these from, but I can tell you I used multiple images of Amy Winehouse to make sure I got some that were pretty similar to hers. I also placed them in the right spots. Try doing a search for "Pin-up girl tattoo" and "Sailor tattoo". Refer to my original post for images. There are also some great tattoos of scars and cuts that would work well, if you wanted to represent Amy circa 2008 (poor thing).
3. The clothes - This was actually the easy part. White tank top with red bra underneath, short skirt, platform sandals, a bunch of necklaces and some big plastic earrings. Again, search for images of Amy for inspiration. If you don't already have appropriate clothes, try a secondhand store like Goodwill. Or buy cheap at Target.
4. Make-up - The eyes are the focus here, and a must. Lots and lots of eyeliner. Black, thick, and going out to a point is necessary. Red lips are good, too. I had a picture of her next to me while I applied my make-up to make sure I got it pretty close.
5. The piercing - I just glued a tiny crystal just above my lip. You can find a bag of really cheap ones at the fabric store. 

So that's it. I was fortunate that I already had the clothes and the black wig with bangs from my Gogo Yubari costume the year before, and I borrowed the old Elvira wig from my sister-in-law (if you do borrow a wig, keep in mind you'll be teasing the hell out of it). The main expense was the tattoos (which was around $20). Give yourself plenty of time for shipping so you don't have to pay the ridiculous overnight charges. 

Good luck and please let me know if you have anymore more questions!

First Purchase For Baby.

We purchased our very first item for baby recently -- a new car. :)

Like most new parents, safety is a huge concern for us, so we traded in our Escape for an '08 Honda Pilot. Reviewers applauded the 2008 Honda Pilot for its safety precautions, as is also reflected in its five-out-of-five ratings in government crash tests. The Pilot was also named a "Top Safety Pick" by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

We had our first carload over the weekend, with six adults and one car seat carrying a one-year-old. We all fit great! (Although my sister-in-law complained that the third row was a bit tight. My brother thought it was just fine.)

For purely aesthetic reasons we picked the '08 over the '09. We weren't digging the Hummer-esque front grill of the '09. And with a DVD player, we knew it was the one for us.

Don't accuse us of not helping the economy. :)

2009 Calendars From the Talented Anna Cote

Last year I stumbled upon a wonderful designer on Etsy. I was looking for a unique, bold print calendar, and her screen printed ones were exactly what I was looking for. I put them up in my cubical at work, and got many compliments (not to mention a cheery, happy workspace!).

I received an email from her last week that her 2009 Screen Printed Botanical Desk Calendar is now available for sale on Etsy. She sold out last year, so act now if you are interested! I just bought mine!

You can find them here.