Easy Spinach & Tomato Penne Bake

Now that I am finally getting into a rhythm with having a baby around, I've had a lot a little more time to plan and prepare meals for Ryan and I through the week.

Almost all of the meals I try come from Pinterest. I love that I can do a simple search for a type of dish and thousands of results pour in from various websites and blogs across the web.

I select most of the recipes I make based on three things: finished product photo, number of ingredients and time involved (usually in that order). So yeah, I guess that makes me a pretty lazy cook. I like to think practical.

Anyway, I'm not usually one to crave pasta, but since Ryan loves it, and since pasta is typically a pretty quick and easy dish to prepare, I chose this one from Pinterest-- Penne Bake w/ spinach and tomatoes.

I wish I would have taken a pic of my actual finished meal, but I'm here to tell you that it really did look pretty much dead on the photo that convinced me to try it out in the first place and that rarely happens for me.

Here's the recipe (with a few modifications I made along the way)

* 1/2 yellow onion, diced

* 3 garlic cloves, minced

* 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

* 1 Tbs. butter

* 1 pinch crushed red pepper

* 1 Tbs smoked paprika

* 1 (26 oz) can diced tomatoes

* 1/2 pound penne pasta, cooked

* 4 cups baby spinach

* 3 cups shredded mozzarella

* 1/2 cup breadcrumbs

* pinch of salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400.

In a medium skillet, heat the oil and butter over medium-high. Add onions and saute for about 5 minutes until they start to soften. Add the garlic, crushed red pepper and paprika. Saute another minute. Stir in the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and simmer 5 to 10 minutes.

Add in the cooked pasta and spinach. Stir to combine. 

Pour mixture into a baking dish, sprinkle with cheese and breadcrumbs. (See suggestion below for sprinkling cheese and breadcrumbs in layers rather than just on top for even more cheesy goodness). 

Bake for about 20 minutes or until brown. 

[via]

Next time I make this dish the only thing I'll change is how I layer the bread crumbs and cheese. The recipe says to add both on top before putting it in the oven, but I think layering it on top of the noodles throughout would be even tastier.  I might try adding some italian sausage as well.

It made about 4 servings which was great because Ryan was able to take some for lunch.

Serve with some Texas toast or a nice salad from your leftover baby spinach-- and enjoy!

5 Months

Slow days and fast weeks pretty much sum up month 5. Maybe that's because I don't really sleep, so the nights seem really (and I mean really) long. But since every day is pretty much the same, each week kind of blends together into a big 7 day jumble. I write this as I'm heating up my cup of coffee for the 5th time already this morning and watching the monitor as Evie entertains the idea of waking up for the day.

Ever heard of the 4 month old sleep regression? Apparently it's a real thing, and we've witnessed first hand just how much Evelyn's sleep regressed when she was 4 months old. Out of no where she went from 3 and 4 hour stretches at night to seriously waking up every 1.5-2 hours! Yes, that means I am waking up with her about 4-6 times A NIGHT, people. This has been going on all month. I have no idea whether this behavior is related to teething or just a lot of changes developmentally, but it seems as though she's seeking more comfort throughout the night, and it is exhausting.  Luckily, she usually just wants a quick "snack and snuggle" and we're back to sleep.  On the plus side she's been a bit less fussy in the evenings and easier to get down.

Like I mentioned, it seems as though her frequent night wakings could be directly related to how much she's changing every single day. This month was one of such growth. She went from barely being able to find her hands last month to now sticking her feet in her mouth and grabbing toys with such precision and enthusiasm. It must be a real job for a small infant to piece all of this together.  She's also desperately trying to be mobile. One thing I love about Evie is that she's strong-willed and determined. For instance, she's really into standing (bearing weight on her legs) right now. If she's sitting she gets so frustrated at us, so I spend a great deal of the day hold her up on her legs. She smiles so proudly....I think we'll have an early walker for sure. 

I am so incredibly thankful that I get to witness all of these small but important changes.

This month was tough for me as well. I feel like I am constantly in limbo between feeling like a complete nut case wondering what the heck I am doing wrong (why can't she sleep, why is she crying, is she sick, is she teething, is it her belly...and the list goes on) ...and then I'll talk to another mom or read a blog about another baby doing the same thing as Evelyn and it restores my sanity. OK, I'm not alone, this is normal, it will pass. Unfortunately at 2 in the morning when I am waking up for the 3rd time already to nurse Evie back to sleep I tend to gravitate towards the first.

Thankfully, I've been surrounded by some other super supportive new and experienced mommy's who are eager to send some prayers and hugs my way on a daily basis. A simple "I've been there, it does get better and you're a super mom" does wonders when I'm going on 2 hours of sleep and driving an overtired baby around in the car just so she will nap and I can get a few minutes of quiet time.

Ryan is also such an all-star daddy. He's been working a TON lately-- going into work at 5, coming home at 6 or 7. And that's usually coming off of a pretty poor night's sleep given that he's in and out through the night as I am waking up with Evie. Yet he never complains and is always ready and willing to take over for a bit as soon as he walks in the door. (Usually after he grabs a beer first, ha).  Luckily Evie thinks her daddy is the silliest and she always seems refreshed to see his face when he walks in the door. Watching her light up when she realizes he is home for the first time all day is probably one of my favorite things. Plus it gives me a chance to shower, finish that laundry that I put in like 6 hours ago and clean up dinner before I start putting Evelyn to bed.

Thanks to slightly warmer weather and easier to distract baby, Evie and I have gotten out of the house a lot more this past month as well. Whether it's a short walk in the sling, a trip to Target or play date in the park, the sunshine has been good for all of us, and I can't wait for even warmer days to arrive.

Isn't it funny how different phases in our lives rock our boat for that short period of time, and then it passes and we forget what the big fuss was about in the first place?  It doesnt seem short right now, but I know it won't be long until we are begging Evie to get out of bed in the morning and missing those sweet moments when we could cradle her in our arms. I hope I don't get to caught up in how I can "get her to sleep" or let my circumstances define the quality of our days ..... and instead just treasure the little moments and be thankful for ALL OF THE GOOD things that come with being a mommy to this special girl. 

Your Likes

Your feet, especially when they are in your mouth. As soon as I lay you on your back your feet automatically find your hands. This makes diaper changes quite difficult. 

The sling. We now own 4 baby carriers, none of which you were really fond of, until I started facing you out in the sling. It's been great for walks, getting things done around the house and calming you down in the evening when you start to fuss.
Standing. You absolutely love being up on your feet.
Tummy. You enjoy playing on your tummy better than your back. 

Your Dislikes

Being restrained. This includes the car seat and stroller.
Not being able to be mobile. You get so frustrated that you can't move where you want, when you want.
Getting dressed. Still not a fan of momma putting your shirts on over your head.
Weddings. OK, it's probably not the actual wedding event that you dislike, rather that weddings are in the evenings. Y

Other things...

Since day one we've had trouble getting you to fall asleep at night. White noise is seeming to help (a little).

Thumb. You are finding your thumb frequently. Wondering if you are going to be a thumb sucker? We hope not, but at this point, if it will soothe you, by all means-- suck on at that thumb!

You want to move so badly. It's sad to watch how hard you work at moving an inch or two when on your tummy. 

Love putting weight on legs. Yep, you are so proud when standing tall. Early walker? I bet so. 

Rolling. You are so smooth at rolling from your back to tummy. 

Bearing weight on arms when on tummy. When are your tummy, you can push yourself up to look around and reach for toys. 

At the end of this month you discovered your tongue. One evening you wouldnt stop sucking on it like a mint. So funny.
You learned how to blow air out of your mouth. Cutest thing everrr.

Who needs toys when you've got two feet?

That smile. 

Such a little ham.

Pouting?

If only I could figure out that crawling thing.

Enough with the photos already, mom.  

Busy little bee.

co-sleeping and why it works for us

I never thought we would co-sleep with Evelyn. In fact, in the days leading up to her birth, I had it all figured out. Evie would sleep in the bassinet (8-10 hours at night of course) right next to our bed. Once she was older and we were all ready, we would move her to her crib in her room-- easy peasy!

And then Evelyn was born.

After 2 weeks of no sleep, constant nursing and non-stop nighttime crying, Ryan and I were at our wits' end. How in the world can we get this baby to sleep and where do we put her?

We swaddled her per our pediatrician's recommendation: "Swaddle her tight and then go tighter" he said. It did seem to help a bit, but as soon as we'd get her to sleep and go to lay her down in the bassinet, she would wake back up screaming and we'd be back at it again.

"Just move her to the crib" our doctor said. I laughed inside when he suggested we "simply" move our daughter to her own room. If he only knew, I thought. Evelyn is a tough cookie when it comes to sleep....the crib would have to wait.

The only purpose that cozy bassinet next to our bed was serving was to hold Evelyn's burp cloths and blankets. We needed a sleep solution....

Thank goodness the one place Evelyn would settle down for the night was right between her mommy and daddy. We place her in bed at night, and then I nurse her to sleep without having to move her. Works like a charm most of the time. And so here we are, almost 5 months later and Evelyn still has her own place in our (now much smaller) queen-sized bed.

I remember the first few nights she slept between us being extremely nervous that one of us might roll over on her. To be honest though, that would never happen. Maybe it's just mommy intuition, but I always feel very aware that Evie is nestled right next to me. In fact, I'd even argue that she's probably safer between us than if she was alone.

Dr. Sears, a well known pediatrician and author of several baby books, even encourages co-sleeping stating that infants who sleep near to parents have more stable temperatures, regular heart rhythms, and fewer long pauses in breathing compared to babies who sleep alone.  This means baby sleeps physiologically safer. 

Co-sleeping has also made Evie's frequent wakings so much more bearable. My neighbor is a lactation consultatn (how lucky!) and she couldn't stress enough how much I should learn to lie down and nurse. It really has been a lifesaver. Now when Evie wakes up fussing, I can simply roll over without even sitting up to give her a nightime snack and back to sleep (usually) we all go!

This isn't to say that Evie only ever sleeps in our bed to this day. If we're feeling lucky we'll place her gently in her infant rocker or swing in our room. We've had the best luck with her having her longest stretches of sleep in both of these. The problem is settling her there without her waking up. 

Co-sleeping wasn't what I wanted and definitely not what I planned for, but it ended up being exactly what our family needed-- and a real lifesaver for us in those early months. How long will we co-sleep? I guess that's for Evie to decide. Some nights I wish more than anything that she would fall asleep in her bassinet or crib. But then other mornings I wake up snuggled next to my little girl and hubbie and think, it doesn't get much better than this.

If there is one thing I've learned about parenting, thus far, it's that every baby has different needs. And what might work for one family certainly won't work for the other. Every book, every video, every piece of advice-- they all are great, if it works for you and your baby, that is. And if they don't, then that's OK too. Evelyn just so happens to need that extra security at night, and since mommy and daddy NEED sleep, co-sleeping it is until she's ready to move on.

4 Months

Our spirited little Evelyn is getting so big. Weighing in at a little over 12 pounds at her 4 month visit, the pediatrician described her as "petite, lean and long."  Long?!  Let's hope you don't take after your uncle Matt.

Likes..

Sitting up. You can't do it on your own yet, but with a little support you love sitting up like a big girl. Won't be long until we've got you in the Bumbo!

"Happy and You Know It" song. Your Nana discovered your love for this song, so now whenever we sing it, you giggle and squeal.

Mirrors. You love looking at yourself and mommy in the mirror. Almost always a smile....

Contrast. Big contrasts in color catch your attention, especially now that you are seeing so much better.

Sucking. Those fingers fine your mouth pretty easily these days. Your doctor doesn't see teeth yet, but we think you're in the early stages of teething.

Dislikes...

Pacifiers. We try to put one in your mouth every now and then when you're fussy, but you stick your tongue out in disgust. Maybe some day...

New places and faces. Unfamiliar settings and people make you a little uneasy in the evening hours. But during the day you're doing great exploring your new surroundings.

Other things...

You started getting dry skin on your legs, which quickly turned into a red, patchy rash all over your little body. 

Turns out you have exzema. It was pretty bad for a few days, but Cetaphil and Candula oil works wonders.

You found your toes. You are holding your feet every chance you get, even getting them to your mouth on occasion.

You now know that you have hands that can reach and grab and touch. You are getting to be a pro at quickly putting things in your mouth.

You are laughing....and you laugh so hard. Sometimes it sounds painful.

3 Months

3 months, what?! In some ways it doesn't seem possible that she can already be that old, and in other ways it seems like she's been with us forever. This month we really saw Evelyn's little personality start to shine! She's becoming very aware of her surroundings, and seems to be growing and learning all the time.

Evelyn's likes...

Smiling. Your smile is so precious. Sometimes I catch you laughing for no reason.

Hands. Still love chewing on those hands. You try to stick both in your mouth at the same time.

Tummy time and mirror. You enjoy being on your tummy more and more as you gain better head and neck control. 

You often chat with yourself in the mirror.

Watching mommy do things around the house (fold clothes, clean, cook).

Talking with daddy when he gets home from work.

Singing. Even though your mommy and daddy are horrible singers, you still seem to enjoy it.

Changing table. You seriously have more to say when you are lying naked on your changing table than anywhere else.

Dislikes...

Sleeping.Your GG (Daddy's Grandma Jacque) always says a lack of sleep never killed anyone. Maybe not, but I'm pretty sure I've felt like dying some mornings after you wake me up every hour to eat, snuggle and hang out. Some nights are better than others and you are becoming a much better day napper which I really appreciate.

Getting dressed. You hate having a onsie pulled over your head or having your arms pulled through a shirt. If you are already grumpy then I often avoid these types of outfits in order to keep your fussiness at bay.

When we don't pay attention to you. You get frustrated if we walk into the other room or leave you alone for too long.

Other things...

You've finally retired your newborn clothes and fit pretty well in your 3 month clothes!

You are drooling a ton. We wonder if you'll get your teeth early.

You can occasionally roll over from stomach to back and almost roll over from back to stomach.

You cough at me when you are hungry. It's hilarious.

It amazes me how quickly Evie changes from week to week and even day to day! She's constantly growing, learning and discovering something new.

2 Months

The second month...

OK I'm a little behind on getting this posted. I say this as I sit on the floor next to Evie in her bouncer, one hand on my laptop and the other entertaining my daughter with a rattle.  To say I havent had a lot of time to do "me" things would be an understatement.

I wouldn't say that the second month has been easier, but I can certaintly tell Ryan and I are becoming more comfortable as we learn more and more about Evelyn's personality, temperament and schedule. We've also gotten better at reading Evelyn's wants and needs (understanding her hungry cry, knowing when she's tired, learning what makes her smile, etc). All of these little cues have helped us transition into a more "normal" life with Evelyn instead of the chaos/constant guessing we experienced those first few weeks of her life.

During the second month we established a routine as we noticed more daily consistencies with Evelyn. She wakes up any time between 5-7 am. She eats and then we head downstairs where she sits in her bouncer quite content for an hour or so. I grab some coffee, then we do another feed which usually puts her back to sleep for a long morning nap (typically 3 hours!) which is much appreciated for this mamma who needs some alone time to eat, clean, work and nap.

We play the rest of the day, alternating between the bouncer, tummy time and the play mat. She craves attention, so I can't leave her alone for too long, but all in all, she's a terrific baby during the day.

For most of the second month, when evening would roll around (usually right at the time Ryan would be arriving home) my happy baby girl would turn into a feisty little thing. Our pediatrician suspects she is colicky (lucky us) and that it will pass in the next month or so. As soon as Ryan would walk in the door I would pass her off so I could regain my sanity, start dinner, clean up the mess I made during the day and so forth. She would then proceed to fuss for the rest of the evening.

Nine times out of 10 the only thing that will calm Evelyn down is nursing. Generally it seems like she just wants to nurse, nurse nurse during the evening which can be so exhausting on my end. Since she won't take the paci it seems like she wants to nurse for both hunger and comfort. I usually want to spend time with Ryan and do a few things around the house. but instead Im  stuck on the couch feeding an irritable baby.  Ryan will often put her in the Ergo and wear her to calm her down so that I can jump in the shower and have a few moments to myself.

Getting Evelyn to fall asleep for the night isn't the easiest of tasks either. We head upstairs to our bedroom usually around 9. Ryan does a diaper change and swaddles her. She's usually fussing at this point. I nurse her to sleep, and this can take anywhere between 30 minutes to 2 hours!

We've been co-sleeping because she will not sleep anywhere but our bed at night, and she especially hates her bassinet. I know this is frowned upon by many, but I need my sleep as does Ryan. Plus, research shows that co-sleeping is perfectly safe and even healthy. I'm enjoying her snuggles and it works for us for now since we all the need the rest.  Once down she sleeps anywhere between 2-4 hours (we even hit 5 and 6 straight hours last week!).  She wakes in the middle of the night once. Ryan changes her, hands her back to me. Ill feed her again and then she will sleep another 2-4 hours. This has been great because I do feel rested in the morning and sometimes I can even get her to go down a 3rd time if Im not feeling ready to crawl out of bed.

In the last few weeks we've already notice subtle changes in Evie's sleep. We've had a few great nights where she's sleeping longer stretches and isn't as terribly fussy in the evenings. All positive things that help us feel like there is an end to this crazy colicky period and that SOMEDAY Ryan and I may even get a few moments to eat dinner together, have a conversation or just sit in complete silence on the couch.

Evelyn's Likes...

Hands...hands in mouth, hands on face, hands on mom...I try to make sure they are covered with mittens or you 

tend to scratch the heck out of your face AND ME.

Bouncer, play mat and swing (yay!).

New faces really capture your attention.

Noises and lights. Recently you've taken interest in the TV.

Nursing! Whether you are hungry or just need some snuggle time, you love nursing and we do it often.

Dislikes...

Being held facing inward. You are such an independent little lady and like to see what's going on.

Wet diapers.

Baths. You are petrified of getting clean. We need to work on this because since you hate it so much we may go a little too long without cleaning you, and thats not OK.

Car seat. You still hate when I put you in this. Swinging you in it helps and it usually only takes 10 minutes in the car until you're fast asleep.

Other things..

We took you to your first wedding. It was an evening wedding, so naturally, you ended up
crying screaming the entire time so we had to leave early.

You met some more of our friends this month! It's so fun to introduce you to important people in our lives.

You are still in newborn clothes. Such an itty bitty thing, but constantly growing. I can't wait until we can move onto your super cute 0-3 month clothes. I don't think it will be too long as you are getting too long for most of your sleepers.

We introduced the bottle and you said "NO WAY JOSE."  No luck yet, but we'll keep trying. It wont be the end of the world if you choose to nurse exclusively, plus mommy enjoys the one-on-one time with you.

We're giving cloth diapers a try. (Hoping to do an entire post on this once we give it a little more time). Your little bum looks so cute in the bulky diapers and different colors.

You mostly nap in your swing. You are mesmerized by its mobile and you quickly fall to sleep once we put you in during the day.

You are smiling a ton and cooing. Such a sweet little voice.

Your hair still stands straight up, and we love it.

2 months!

Look how cute in my cloth diaper!

1st Month

Our sweet little girl has been here 1 whole month! I can't believe it. (Such a parent thing to say, but oh so true and now I get it).  While the lack of sleep and frequent bouts of crying have been rough at times, I want to soak up every little moment that I have with our newest bundle of joy.

Here are a few things I've noticed about our sweet little, Evie since bringing her home more than 4 weeks ago.

You enjoy...

-Your hands

-Stretching

-When someone reads or sings to you

-Being held while bouncing on the exercise ball

-Eating, eating and more eating

-Car rides (not right away, but lulling to sleep shortly into the ride)

-Peeing and pooping all over your changing pad

-When daddy wears you in the Ergo

You dislike...

-Sleeping in your bassinet

-Most diaper changes unless its first thing in the morning

-Changing clothes

-Bath time (we hope you start to enjoy these)

-Pacifiers (we also hope you can start to appreciate these for mommy and daddy's sanity)

-Going to bed at night

-The pediatrician's office.

Other things I've noticed about you...

-When you sleep you look fake almost, like a perfect baby doll.

-You came out with a full head of hair, which was no surprise considering your daddy.  I love that it hangs down on your neck and over your ears, and we can't get a big patch on the back of your head to lay down quite yet, so it's always up in the air!

-You are so alert and have been since the moment you first arrived. You have the biggest, deep blue eyes (blue for now anyway) and you are so curious about everything around you.

-You are very strong. When on your tummy you can hold your head up for long lengths of time and you even rolled yourself over once, which was amazing at your age.

-You are so petite, but your cry is terribly mighty and loud.

-Your hungry cry is the angriest thing I've ever seen/heard. You like to eat like your mamma and want it now!

-When nursing, you tuck one fist under your chin and try to slide the finger of your other hand in your mouth. It makes feeding difficult, but its the cutest thing ever.

-Your first week home you made an ENORMOUS mess in your diaper; so big we called the pediatrician to make sure it was "normal." In fact it almost got on your daddy's shirt. :)

-Recently in the mornings, right when you wake up, you are a very content baby. I usually sit you in your bouncer and you give me the sweetest smiles. The baby books say its gas, but I don't see how it could be.

-During week 4 you started following objects with your eyes. You are especially curious about new faces.

-I took you for your first walk in the park. The moment I put your car seat on your stroller you screamed and screamed the entire lap.

- Your first church outing was a success. You slept through the entire service which included very loud music.

Those of course are just a few of the many, many precious things we are learning to love about our daughter.

1 Month Check up!

The doctor said Evelyn looked very healthy at her 1 month visit! She's a small 7 pounds 11oz. and measuring in the lower percentiles for almost everything, but considering she was just over 6 pounds when we left the hospital she's making great gains in weight. She's also 21 1/2 inches long! The doc made the comment that she was basically "tall and skinny" right now.  I couldn't help but laugh at the tall comment given the size of her parents. :)

Happy 1 month birthday, sweet Evie. We are so proud to be your parents and can't wait to watch you grow.