With little Enzo here, we are all about easy to make meals right now. I still have a few things left in the freezer as well but I’m trying to space those out. We were so blessed to have so many friends support us by bringing over meals. Also having family stay with us here and there has helped tremendously. Now that it’s been over a month since he was born, we are starting to get the hang of things and cooking more each week. This meal is truly easy and delicious. I wish we had made a little extra because it’s almost gone already!
Update on breastfeeding/health: we are still going strong with breastfeeding. My doctor has managed to remove all of the infected abscess (hopefully!) and I almost feel back to normal on that side. Hopefully no more incisions or needles! I did develop an all-over body rash earlier this week from my antibiotic. Not the most pleasant but after stopping the medicine it has now cleared up. As far as Enzo, he is still clamping down when he eats. I was referred to a chiropractor in Austin who specializes in helping pregnant moms and children, including newborns. We went twice this week and she released a few points in his body, specifically his jaw. She said it was so tight it even popped which is rare (and was a little scary). It didn’t seem to phase him much but he is still clamping tight. I’m hoping that after a couple of sessions things will get better. I’m really praying it gets better before his 6 week growth spurt hits because I’ve heard that one’s intense…
We are able to give him a bottle each day of expressed breast milk which is a nice break for me and great for Joe to be able to feed him. We are still struggling with sleep right now. It seems that he has a lot of gas/tummy issues after eating and has a really hard time going to sleep. Once he is asleep, he struggles to stay that way. It’s been an exhausting few days but I’m hopefully we’ll get over this hump and start to get into somewhat of a routine. I’m also going to try eliminating dairy from my diet for a week or two to see if that helps his little belly feel better. Why does there have to be ice cream in our freezer right now??
This past week has been a bit of a struggle because while I was pregnant I pictured what life was going to be like with a baby. Being able to take him out on walks, carry him around in the Moby wrap, run errands, breastfeed with ease, get a good sleep routine, etc. And now that most of those things aren’t happening easily, it’s almost like I’m mourning the baby I had imagined. Even though I’m beyond blessed with the baby we have it’s still hard at times. I know we’ll get there and I’m trying to enjoy every moment I have with him that I can, even if I’m running on empty!
Enough baby talk, get to making this recipe and enjoy with a delicious salad and nice glass of red wine. Mmmm…
Grilled Eggplant and Pepperoni Parmesan Recipe
Ingredients
- Pepperoni (all natural)
- eggplant (peeled and sliced)
- Pasta sauce (favorite jarred variety or homemade)
- Mozzarella cheese (shredded)
- Gluten-free pasta (or other grain-free pasta alternative such as spaghetti squash)
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Directions
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Season the eggplant slices with olive oil salt and pepper. Grill for about 5 minutes a side until softened.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Pour a layer of pasta sauce into the bottom of a 13 x 9 glass baking dish. Lay the eggplant in a single layer on top followed by the pepperoni and shredded mozzarella cheese. Add as much as you’d like.
- Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted. If you want it a little browner stick under the broiler for about 5 minutes.
- While the eggplant is baking cook pasta according to package directions or make other pasta alternative. Serve eggplant parmesan with pasta and additional sauce. Enjoy!