A return

Today's entry is about a lot of things. Autumn is always a time of introspection for me, which can get me into a lot of trouble. I usually end up--at some point--dwelling on the old familiars (weight gain, blemishes, how hard it is to shop for pants when you're over 6 feet tall) and not absorbing the fabulousness of the season. Today, instead, I'd like to take a moment to dwell on some good things, even in the face of adversity.

I suppose I'll have to explain that adversity first, but then on to good things!

L. Itsababy had a doctor's appointment today. His doctor is worried about his weight. He just isn't gaining enough. he's currently 24.5 inches long according to the tape measure there, and weighs only 9 pounds. That puts him in the 99th percentile for height, and about the 35th for weight. The doctor suggested we start using breastmilk fortifier, to get him more protein a few times a day. This means I'm going to have to pump, add the fortifier, and feed, which with E's feeding schedule means I'm going to be spending most of my day attached to dairy equipment. The other option is formula. I have already fought this battle, and don't want to fight it again. So there you go, adversity.

Happier things!

We walked 3 miles in just about 40 minutes, which is a good clip when you're pushing a stroller and there are bridges and it's super dark out and you can't see bloody anything and you trip like twice. Yay run-on sentence!

E got his first set of inoculations today, so I can take him to church on Sunday! Yay communing with God and my ward!

One of the side-effects of E's shots is sleepiness! Yay sleepiness!

I made a super healthy dinner! Yay healthy!

Another thing to return to: posting meal ideas and recipes. Therefore, here is what we had for dinner! Remember, this is split three ways

Two boneless skinless chicken breasts, seasoned with garlic and basil, pan-grilled with one tablespoon olive oil.
Chicken was sliced and placed on top of a salad which consisted of:
1/3 small head of red cabbage
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 yellow bell pepper, julienned
1  large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 heart romaine lettuce, chopped
1 cup broccoli florets
2 green onions, chopped
dressed with champagne vinaigrette.

On the side we had garlic rice (well they did, I didn't. I had enough carbs today) and sauteed zucchini and crookneck squash.

Which reminds me, one of the best things about autumn is the colors of vegetables. If you live in a place with a mild climate, like California, you have access to the makings of some absolutely beautiful dinners. Reds and oranges and yellows and greens and purples all converging on the grocery produce section at once, and squash most prominently. Such and amazing and versatile food, squashes lend themselves to both savory and sweet dishes with a flexibility usually reserved for gymnasts and circus freaks. Expect lots of fabulous squash recipes in coming months,

Until then, sleep and eat well!