Music to My Ears!

So, I had an appointment this morning and it went wonderfully!! Everything is looking great, I'm healthy, haven't gained weight since the last visit (which is a little hard to believe...not that I've been stuffing my face, but because a lot of the things I have been eating aren't the healthiest!), AND.....I got to hear our sweet baby's heartbeat! It took the nurse a few minutes to find it.....cue the slight panic! She had to switch from the newer doppler model, to the older one. Go figure! She found the heartbeat and I knew right away that's what it was! We looked at each other and smiled so big! She's the sweetest nurse! It was at about 160 bpm and the nurse guessed that it was a girl...but of course, I know not to bank on that and go out and buy bedding and paint for the room! HA! I recorded it on my phone so Joseph, family, and friends could hear it! It is the most beautiful sound I've ever heard! I've been texting them this morning with the audio. I love to keep them involved in the pregnancy! Poor Joseph has a meeting that he can't miss every Thursday morning (which is the only day my doc is in the office in my city...and I'm not going all the way downtown...a 35 min+ drive just for a 15 minute appointment), so from now on, I'm going to make my appointments later in the morning so he can go to the ones he wants to go to. I hate for him to feel left out. It's our first child and I want him there with me!! But it sure is convenient to go first thing in the morning to get it over with, and to beat the crowd!

I feel so incredibly blessed to know that everything is progressing just as it should. Especially after the issues I had in the beginning, I am so thankful that God has taken care of me and this sweet baby. I go back in 4 weeks, and I will take Joseph with me so he can hear the heartbeat firsthand. It will probably be a little stronger by then and I can't wait to compare the beats per minute to the one today!

My sweet husband put together a "montage" that he is SO proud of. You can see it here.

I also tried a new recipe last night. Well, I've had it hundreds of times before, but have never made it myself! Growing up, one of my favorite meals was my mom's swiss steak & vegetables. It's kind of like a stew, but a little thicker. She'd always serve it with cornbread, sliced tomato, and some bunches of green onion. It has great flavor and is so simple to put together. It's something that you can put in a crockpot in the morning, but I had it made in about 2 hours last night.
Here's the recipe...again, super easy!

Swiss Steak & Vegetables
1 large slab of sirlion meat cut into 1-2" pieces - or top round, which is what I used
Flour, make sure you salt and pepper it
1- 1/2 cans French Onion Soup (if you want more flavor, use 1 1/2, possibly 2 cans)
1 can water
Carrots
Gold potatoes, chopped into small pieces
1 or Bay leaves
Parsley - I just shook in about 1-2 tbsp

1. Dredge meat in flour, don't worry if it's not all completely coated perfectly.
2. In a large dutch oven (or pot) on the stove, brown meat in appr. 1-2 tbsp olive oil.
3. Add parsley and bay leaves. I like to do this with just the meat for a few minutes to let the herbs penetrate the meat well.
4. Add soup and water, cover, and cook at medium to medium low for about 45 minutes. You can do it longer on a lower setting if desired. Check pot and stir occasionally.
5. Add carrots and potatoes until they are tender. You can uncover for the last several minutes to allow it to thicken.

I served mine with (a big piece of) cornbread. It was delicious, and I have some for lunch today too! You can also add other veggies you like, such as, corn, peas, or green beans.
Thank you Mom, for the wonderful recipe! It made me feel like I was a kid at home again!!