Exceptions

dress: thrifted, shoes, tights: TJMaxx, bag H&M,
32 weeks pregnant belly

For some odd reason, everyone of us wants to be the exception. Not the rule.
 But exceptions are just that - very rare occasions outside of the norm.
So whenever I was listening to the pregnancy tales of "this is going to happen to you too", I never thought of myself as being the rule. Well, couple of things were exceptional (i.e. lack of morning sickness, no crazy food cravings) but the third trimester is different. 

I have awful backaches. 

My feet swell from being mobile all day long. 

I get up to pee-pee at least twice at night. 

I get heart palpitations just thinking about the amount of stuff I need to get done before our boy arrives.

Hormones are doing its thing - I'm driving my hubs crazy.

To name just a few.

I'm thankful that everything is going well and baby is healthy, as well as I am. Even with everyone around coughing and sneezing, I haven't gotten sick. 

So to sum up - it's going well. 

No exceptions anymore.

Gifts Under $25

Magic Wallet in Calf Hair J.Crew

Tortoise Shell Reading Glasses

Purple Flower Clip

Delicious Start to Your Day - Breakfast Recipe Book

Fair Isle Trouser Socks

Capri Blue Mercury Glass Candle

Printed Oxford Umbrella

Sweater Lined Slipper Boots

Hand Made AUTUMN Wrap Watch

 Long Silver Tone Rhinestone Owl Necklace

       

Chevron Indie Sunglasses Case           

Decisions... Decisions...

sweater: TJMaxx, shirt: Ralph Lauren, skirt: J.Crew, shoes: Payless
(31 weeks pregnant and wishing I could wear Pjs all the time)

So this whole buying-stuff-for-the-baby thing is exhausting. I'm not sure what's harder picking out hard wood floors or a stroller. Definitely the stroller. Then you need a car seat, glider for nursery, bottles, diapers, wipes, blankets, swaddling cloths and whole lot more. 

My hubby and I are both perfectionists (he's to a lesser degree but still in denial) so we scan almost everything with the phone app and look online for the reviews (and better deals, of course). 

So we were buying swaddling sheets and between couple choices of cotton and muslin, we stood in the baby isle for about ten minutes checking the reviews. Yeah, talk about perfectionists. After thorough consideration and mini discussion, we decided on muslin.

Next on the menu, picking out a travel system. There are many requirements and different criteria that we want it to meet and, in a way, we are probably over doing it a little. But it's our first, and we are nutty parents,  maybe just a little. So for now, we are going to research the living days out of every single thing. 

I think we are becoming those parents. 

And that's just scary.

French Onion Grilled Cheese {recipe}

Have you ever had this "Duhhhh" moment when you think to yourself 'Why haven't I thought of this earlier?'. Well I had one of those when I saw the recipe for this an amazingly delicious grilled cheese sandwich. It's the perfect combination of sweet and salty, crispy bread and melty cheese. 

Ohhhh my! Just talking about it makes me want to go whip out another batch. 

Plus, like I say in almost all my recipes - it's so easy to put together.

Ingredients
- 5 red onions
- 2 tbsp of butter
- 1/2 lb of thinly sliced Swiss Cheese
- 1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup of red cooking wine
- french baguette
- thyme
- salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Process 
Makes 4 sandwiches

 Chop up the onions roughly, you don't want to dice them as they will cook down and will be very mushy. Melt the butter in a bottom-heavy sauce pan and add the onions. Leave the heat on medium and keep stirring the onions through the cooking process. 

 Cut the bread into 1/4 in thick slices and arrange 2 pieces of cheese on each side. I mean it's grilled cheese after all so you may want to pile on. Also, get the good stuff, something with tang and perfect sweetness - you don't want to ruin this puppy with domestic Swiss. That's just a sin.

Keep stirring the onions and when they start to wilt, turn up the heat just a notch. The goal (which my hubby said I failed to achieve this time, because he cooks the french onion soup in our family and it's absolute french perfection) is to have your onions start caramelizing on high heat. When you start seeing the purple color on the edges of the pan start browning, that's the sugar from onions coming and almost starting to burn. That's when your onions are done. They will cook down in volume a lot. 

Add the balsamic, wine and thyme and keep stirring to let all the liquid evaporate for another 5 minutes. Once the onions don't have anymore liquid (they will be very mushy though), turn the heat off and set aside. 

Spread about 2 tsbp of onions on one side of the bread, add salt and pepper and cover with the other. 

We didn't add any salt into the onions so at this point they are very sweet. Do a taste test and see how much salt you want in them.

Heat up a panini maker or just good ole-fashioned skillet and  spread a little butter on the outside of the sandwich. Heat it up until the cheese is melted and starts sizzling.

Enjoy! 

Winter Wonderland Baby Shower

Entrance Sign

Table setting and window decor

My sister and I

from left to right: my aunt, mom and MIL

All the wonderful gifts 

Cutest diaper cake one of my friends made for me

Snow Baby Cake

Sister-in-law and I

I had most wonderful time at the baby shower thrown by my mom (with help of friends) last weekend. 

It was amazing! 

Everything from decorations (Winter Wonderland Theme) to food and presents was just the best. I felt so loved and cared for, plus I didn't have to do anything for this fete. It was more formal with sit down dinner and fun games, then opening of presents and desserts.

 Everything was matching and color coordinated, not to mention very well organized. 

I am so happy to know that my baby boy is so loved and cared for. I'm so thankful for such a wonderful family and amazing friends that made that day special.