By our glowing guest blogger CarlaValencia de Martinez
BohoJulia
asked me to write a post while she’s busy taking care of a newborn. Sadly, if you
were thinking you were done with the rantings of a hormonal pregnant lady,
you’re not. I’m right behind Julia with just 5 weeks to go before we get to
meet our baby girl, Carlota Paz Martinez. (And I think the double girl hormones
REALLY jack you up.)
SO rather
than share with you how uncomfortable it’s getting combined with the idea of
getting one more ultrasound (I’ve had about six) I decided to share some of the
things I’m loving from nesting, to cooking (which means eating), to decorating
and everything in between.
eat
One word:
beans
Yes, the
simple, unassuming pinto bean cooked in a slow cooker is one of my favorites
and it’s SO easy to make. This basic recipe becomes the base for refried beans,
chili, bean soup and so much more.
What you
need
A slow
cooker
4 cups of
pinto beans (picked through and washed with water – no need to presoak, the
crock’s going to do that for you)
chicken
stock or just plain old water
half a
yellow onion
3 (or more)
garlic cloves
Tbsp. of
salt
Instruction
Put the
rinsed beans in the slow cooker and cover with water. I like mine soupy to
start so I cover with about 2 inches of water or chicken stock. Throw in the
onion and garlic, cover and set on high. As soon as the beans start to cook or
you smell them (this takes hours), add the salt and continue to cook. I either
set this all up before I go to work or at night before I go to sleep. By the
time I get home from work or wake up my beans are close to ready, if not ready.
My favorite
way to eat them is in a bowl with whole grain rice, chopped avocado, tomato,
Mexican sour cream and homemade hot sauce with warm tortillas.
nest
I’ve been in a mad dash to
organize my entire house (don’t worry I won’t show you everything). Here’s a
peek of Carlota’s room. I especially love the canopy over her crib which was
inspired by a pinterest image I found that reminded me I had this inexpensive
IKEA canopy I had used when Pascual was a newborn. I remade it into a girly
version with gold glitter feathers and pom poms (which I am obsessed with). I
also found www.lwphsews.com on instagram
and LOVE the quilts, swaddles, crib sheets and more this mom of two hand makes.
And the peace sign given to Carlota by a group of lovely ladies makes me smile
daily. www.vintagemarqueelights.com
read
My first
birth experience involved pitocin, epidurals, episiotomy and more – oh my! And
I really had no idea what was going on. It wasn't a bad experience, but it just
wasn’t even like I did anything, if that makes sense. So this time, I wanted to
educate myself and just finished reading Ina
May’s Guide to Childbirth. May is probably this country’s best known
midwife having delivered thousands of babies along with her partners at their
compound in Tennessee called The Farm. It’s basically a hippie’s guide to
natural birth, and it was a great read with true birth stories, explanations
for everything I did the first time I gave birth and realistic goals for
someone like me who wants to have a natural birth in a hospital.
Buy the book
here: http://www.amazon.com/Ina-Mays-Guide-Childbirth-Gaskin-ebook/dp/B000S1LT1A/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1408560474&sr=1-1&keywords=ina+may%27s+guide+to+childbirth
Image via Gabriella Nissen, Art Director at 002 Magazine
wear
Who am I
kidding? I’m not wearing much of anything exciting except my de petra. (Does
that count?) I’m basically spending tons of time in my bedroom of late so in
essence I’m wearing my room. I am so in love with this mirror I had custom made
by Gino Vian www.themerchanthouston.com
and I get to stare at it every day for a long time from my bed rest vantage
point. Speaking of bed rest, I love the rustic simplicity of my super soft www.parachute.com bedding that only gets
better with every wash.
I’m not
going to lie, this bed rest thing is NOT easy! I like being lazy by choice in
most cases, but I’m not very good at it anyway… it has been made so much easier
thanks to my girlfriends and family who pick up my co-op on Tuesdays and bring
it over; take Paz on playdates; bring me flowers, a hardback book with a
handwritten note inside and dinners, or just stop by to sit in my bed with me. Thank you; you all know who you are. I love you so much that now I am crying
uncontrollably – but I am beyond happy and full of love.
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Pick up a copy of 002 Magazine to see more of Carla's work and our favorite section, her monthly list of favorite things! Follow her instagram here: http://instagram.com/valencarla
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Pick up a copy of 002 Magazine to see more of Carla's work and our favorite section, her monthly list of favorite things! Follow her instagram here: http://instagram.com/valencarla
