Feeling so incredibly lucky in almost every way. I get a little overwhelmed with it all lately (especially after 4PM or anytime after the sun goes down...hormones are weird). Rob and I are really tired most of the time but Sophie is just the sweetest little baby and really chill with the exception of about 3 hours every evening when she screams non-stop. And Ender has been so cute and is trying really hard to get used to all the changes around here.

Eating this chicken enchilada casserole and these no-bake lactation bites. I made the enchilada casserole before Sophie was born and we loved having it in the freezer waiting for us after we got home from the hospital. We actually enjoyed it so much that my mom made another one for us while she was visiting and we're currently finishing it off--I might have to make another one soon! And the lactation bites are an awesome snack for anyone, but I have definitely found them to help me keep up my milk supply.

Drinking tons of water, apple juice, ginger ale, green juice from Pressed Juicery, warm water with lemon--basically anything I can get my hands on. I've been a little under the weather the past two or three days and I think I got a little dehydrated on Saturday, so I've been trying to catch up ever since.

Watching Difficult People, The Crown, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. We're seriously just cruising through shows these days. 

Loving having Rob home on paternity leave. It's made everything so much easier and also it's just fun having this much time together at home. 

Looking forward to Sophie's first Christmas. We don't have a ton planned but I think that's what I'm most excited about--just a low-key holiday and hopefully a few naps.

What are you currently feeling, eating, drinking, watching, loving, and looking forward to? I want to know!

This post is sponsored by La Crema Winery.

After an incredibly busy past few months, I'm really enjoying a slow holiday season and have been planning a super low-key Christmas at home with my little family. I've always loved the idea of doing something non-traditional for Christmas dinner (my family has been known to do seafood on Christmas Eve), and if you know me at all you know my love for Chinese food knows no bounds.

We could always go super easy and order takeout, but I started thinking it might be fun to make our own as a family, so I put together a simple menu of chicken chow mein, beef and broccoli, and some delicious crispy egg rolls to get the whole thing started. Stop by the La Crema blog today to get the two entree recipes, but keep reading here to learn how to make your own egg rolls! (And don't forget to put a few bottles of La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay in the fridge to top it all off.)

Ingredients: 

• 2 carrots, julienned
• 10 ounces of mushrooms, sliced (I like regular ol' button mushrooms but you could use shiitake)
• About half of a small cabbage, shredded
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 1-2 green onions, chopped 
• 1-2 handfuls of fresh bean sprouts (optional)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• Spring roll or egg roll wrappers
• Cooking oil (olive or canola), for sautéing veggies and frying the rolls

Instructions: 

1. In a large pan, sauté garlic, ginger, and green onions together in a little oil for 1-2 minutes. Add the carrots and mushrooms and sauté for another 4-5 minutes, or until the mushrooms are browned slightly.
2. Add the soy sauce and sesame oil, stirring well to combine. Add the cabbage and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until the cabbage has wilted slightly. Remove the entire mixture from the pan and set aside.
3. To assemble the egg rolls, take a wrapper and lay it down flat. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of the veggie mixture onto the wrapper and begin to roll from one side, tucking the edges in as you wrap the roll up. Use a little water on your fingers to seal the whole thing. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.
4. Add more oil to the pan and heat over medium-high heat. Fry each egg roll for 1-2 minutes per side, or until the wrappers are golden-brown. Serve immediately with your favorite spicy Asian dipping sauce (there's a spicy peanut one at Trader Joe's that I like) or a mixture of soy sauce, sesame oil, and hot chili oil. 

Wishing you and yours a happy, healthy, and delicious holiday this year.

We've been home from the hospital for almost 3 weeks now and we're slowly but surely falling into a daily routine--I wake up early with the baby and let Rob sleep in a bit since he stays up with her when I go to bed, I nurse her in the nursery and if possible we go back to sleep for a while in the bedroom before heading out to the living room for more nursing for her, a latte for me, and a few episodes of The Crown.

Ender sleeps in his crate and usually wants to come out at 8:00, so I let him out and he runs around the yard for a while, then comes in for breakfast and we all cuddle on the couch. Sophie usually falls asleep again and I know I could probably take a mid-morning nap or get some work done, but I always end up holding her instead. Once Rob is up we usually make some breakfast, watch more shows (we're currently loving Difficult People on Hulu), and eventually get outside for a walk with the pup and Sophie in the stroller.

The days are long but they fly by at the same time, and every Tuesday I can't believe our baby is another week older. As the hours become days and the days become weeks, I've discovered a handful of things I either didn't know I needed or didn't know I would depend on so much once we got home from the hospital--and here they are:

• This nursing bra is the comfiest and specially designed to wear while you sleep. I bought one but need at least 3 or 4 more.
• I bought this witch hazel to make padsicles for when I got home from the hospital, but it turned out to have alcohol in it so I decided against it. Now I'm using it as intended--as a toner on my face--and totally loving it. They do have an alcohol-free formula if you're looking for one.
• These 4-ounce baby bottles have been a life saver. Sophie is cluster feeding and my boobs are having a hard time keeping up, so I've been pumping and letting Rob feed her a bottle once or twice a day. It's made a huge difference. I always knew I wanted to pump so he could feed her, I just didn't know we'd be doing it so soon. Either way, I'm happy I had them ready to go.
• I got some of this stuff in a Birchbox and used it the other day after I washed my hair. It's so amazing and my hair feels incredible, which is saying a lot since I've just been wearing it up in a top knot most days. I don't usually buy full sizes of stuff I sample but I might be purchasing a bigger bottle soon.
• We thought it'd be fun to buy a nice espresso machine so we could make lattes while Rob is on paternity leave, but I had no idea how much joy this crazy thing would bring to my life. I really look forward to making my coffee every morning, which is important when you've only gotten 4 hours of sleep.
• Nipple cream. Enough said, right? I like that there's nothing weird in this one. I've also been using this luxurious hand cream at night because it smells amazing and my hands are super dry from washing them way more than usual.

If you have any to add, I'd love to hear them!

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