Hi, friends!  How are you?  Well, I’m having my first painfully sleepy day.  I am not really complaining because, well, I could’ve been painfully sleepy this whole time!  But Claire is proving to be a pretty great newborn sleeper, capable of a few long stretches at night.  We’re still working to sort out some of that daytime/nighttime reversal stuff; I think it’s as resolved as it can be for her age.  I’m also doing a few things differently with Claire than I did with Henry (swaddling from the start, not being afraid to use the pacifier occasionally, not rushing to pick her up at every single peep);  maybe it’s helping, maybe it’s not. 

Her sleep and eating patterns give me hope, though – it’s like I can already see the light at the end of the tunnel!

I thought I’d share some recent eats and treats.  I’ll be honest; my diet took a total nosedive during the last few months of pregnancy.  I wasn’t great about eating vegetables, and I ate a *LOT* of potato chips and chocolate and desserts (yummmm). I kept on telling myself, “You can clean up your diet when the baby is here!”  So that’s what I’m trying to do. 

I’ve made it a goal to have at least one salad OR one green smoothie with protein a day.  And I’ve been making huge sheets of roasted veggies to have with lunches or dinners.  I’m eating small but frequent meals because I’m pretty much hungry round-the-clock due to breastfeeding.  I keep Larabars and bananas next to my bed for late-night snacks, and I’m trying to nosh on snacks with a good protein/fat combo during the day, like apples and cheese or almonds.  You know – basic healthy food stuff.  I keep reminding myself that the better I eat, the more energy I will have.

… But I’m still finding room for treats.  Can’t eliminate them completely and would never want to!

OMG.  WINE.  When I was about 38 weeks pregnant, I suddenly “remembered” that I WOULD BE ABLE TO DRINK WINE SOON and was so happy.  Claire’s eating and sleeping has been so regular that I can safely savor a glass in the middle of the day – it’s pretty awesome.

Henry and I also made these delicious cupcakes – I have to share the recipe with you!  These cupcakes are Gingerbread Spice with Hot Cocoa Icing.

I used the Candy Cane Lane Tea Cupcakes concept but made the cakes with Gingerbread Spice tea – a straight replacement for the Candy Cane Lane tea.  For the icing, I didn’t add any tea at all but mixed into packets of Swiss Miss hot cocoa (and a touch more water). 

They were gone within the day!  I, for the record, only had two.  Hah.