Well I won’t beat around the bush – my sweet Lincoln here has something to share…he’s going to be a big brother this fall! (GOSH, this kid!)
As many of you have correctly guessed (hello random cinnamon roll craving!) this family of three is about to become a party of four, and I thought this Mother’s Day-themed post would be the perfect time to share that I’m going to be a Mama again! We are ecstatic and Lincoln is (so far) excited to have a baby “brudder” or sister. I am wrecked over the thought of not being able to give him my complete and undivided attention anymore, but I’m also incredibly happy to be able to give him a sibling.
Although I never get this personal online, I feel compelled to tell you that over the past year I’ve been made sensitive to the fact that some people can’t just snap their fingers and get pregnant. This little bean didn’t happen as easily as Lincoln did so to anyone struggling to get pregnant, my heart goes out to you. It’s easy to look at people sharing good news online – whether it’s a new baby, new house, epic vacation – and think, why not me?! (I’ve done it plenty,) but so many times there’s an unknown backstory. That said, it would crush me if anyone dealing with infertility read this news and thought it came to us on a silver platter. Don’t stop trying and remember that you are not alone. Talk to your friends (it is unbelievable how many people I now know have struggled/are struggling with getting pregnant,) focus on de-stressing your life, and/or do what did and try acupuncture plus a crap ton of b vitamins! In all seriousness, I’m with ya.
So far I’m feeling pretty good. Like my first pregnancy, I haven’t had have any nausea or food aversions (it’s actually been the opposite – I can’t stop eating all the things!) but the fatigue from Celiac plus being pregnant is pretty brutal. All in all I cannot complain though! We find out the gender in about a month so I’ll keep you posted, and in the meantime I’ll just be over here continuing to try and wrap my head around the fact that we’ll have two children (total – no twins in this belly!) before the holidays. Holy moly…here we gooo!
Alrighty, onto zee food!
I kept forgetting Mother’s Day is this weekend, which is why this I’m posting my favorite Mother’s Day recipes three days before the big day. Better late than never though, right?!
I think a lot of online sources will lead you to believe that Mom wants, like, asparagus tips and a kale salad to eat on Mother’s Day, but I’m here to tell you NO. No, no, no! Luckily Ben knows that on this day, especially, I love being pampered with a hearty breakfast, unique drink, or over the top dessert (or, uh, all three!) which is why I’m including boldly flavored, crunchy, savory, salty, and sweet recipes in this roundup of recipes for Moms who LOVE to eat!
I’ll probably spend this Sunday like I have the past two Mother’s Days – gardening in the sunshine then hobbling to bed 8 hours later after completely overdoing it. What can I say, I love me a good tradition.
Last thought, I know many of you reading ARE Moms, so feel free to pass this post on as a little virtual nudge to whoever could benefit from having it this weekend. Finally, happy, happy Mother’s Day. ? It certainly took becoming a Mom to fully understand how unbelievable my Mom, Mother-in-Law, and all of YOU truly are. ❤️
Champagne Sangria Punch
If Mom is a champagne-lover (and not PG,) hand her a glass of Champagne Sangria Punch, aka mimosas spiked with wine (YES!) first thing Sunday morning. Trust me, best way to start her day!
Sausage, Pepper and Mushroom Hash
Rarely do I get a chance to savor a big, hearty breakfast between getting Lincoln ready for school and Ben out the door, so a big plate of Sausage, Pepper and Mushroom Hash is something I’d definitely appreciate being handed on Mother’s Day morning. Top with a fried egg and you’re set.
Maple Almond Granola Parfaits
This particular granola holds a special place in my heart because I ate it for breakfast several times when Ben and I were on our Babymoon in Charleston while I was pregnant with Lincoln. Just sweet enough and packed with protein and sweet dried fruit, handing her a crunchy/creamy Maple Almond Granola Parfait in the a.m. would really show you care.
Kale and Bacon Quiche with Hash Brown Crust
I had this Kale and Bacon Quiche with Hash Brown Crust for brunch in Chicago again, while I was pregnant with Lincoln, and I’ll never forget it. If Mom is watching her carbs but still craving something decadent for brunch, this is the dish. Plus you don’t have to mess around with buying or making a pie crust.
Avocado & Shortcut Beet Hummus Toast
If your girl is a health nut, and loves her some avocado toast for breakfast, kick it up a notch by serving her Avocado & Shortcut Beet Hummus Toast which is made easy by using store-bought hummus. Don’t skimp on the goat cheese and sprinkling of coarse salt, which really makes this toast unique.
Prosciutto-Wrapped Mediterranean Lamb Burgers with Bruschetta
One of the things I appreciate about Ben is that he’s always willing to cook recipes that I’ve deemed delicious-looking but too much work. While Prosciutto-Wrapped Mediterranean Lamb Burgers with Bruschetta may sound super fussy, they’re actually really easy and you’ll knock her socks off by grilling this elegant and unique lunch or dinner.
Mojito Fruit Salad
If your Mom/wife/partner is anything like me than they totally geek out over beautiful, colorful food. Mojito Fruit Salad definitely fits the bill and is the perfect accompaniment to her Mother’s Day lunch or dinner. Tip: drizzle extra fruit salad + the syrup that forms in the bowl into a glass of champagne at the end of the night!
The Best Fruit Dip EVER
While I really need to re-shoot the photos for my Best Fruit Dip EVER, I’m including it because it’s one of my Mom’s and my absolute favorite recipes. Honestly I just eat it with a spoon! Serve with a fresh fruit platter – she’ll absolutely love it.
Click here for the recipe >
Blueberry Almond Crisp
My Mom and I both also love blueberries AND crisp, so Blueberry Almond Crisp is a winner in the dessert department for Mother’s Day in our family. My Mom has taught me many things over the years and one of the most important is DOUBLE THE CRISP in your crisp recipes, which I definitely implemented in this one. ;)
No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecakes
If Mom is a chocolate-lover you CANNOT go wrong with these individual-sized No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecakes that taste like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Toooootally epic!
Have a great weekend!
Lindsey 05.10.2016
Thank you so much for this. I’m currently trying to get pregnant with my first, and isn’t as easy as I had hoped. I appreciate hearing success stories as I head into fertility testing.
Nancy 05.10.2016
Kristin, so happy for you and Ben and Lincoln, and the new little one on the way! Praying for a healthy pregnancy, better delivery than the first, and healthy baby.
Beth 05.10.2016
Congratulations!!! I am so excited for you and your family. :) I’ve been reading your blog for years and have loved watching your family grow. We have two little ones, and also struggled along the way with fertility issues. You are so right when you say that once you tell people that you are struggling, its amazing how many other families have struggled as well. Thanks for sharing your story! :) Sending you positive vibes and well wishes!!!
Joanna 05.10.2016
Congratulations to you all! And thank you for sharing your kind words about fertility issues. I just wanted to quickly tell my story: my hubby and I got married in 2009 and started trying for a family pretty much straight away, but nothing doing. We are lucky enough to live in a part of the U.K. that meant we could have three rounds of IVF on the National Health Service, but we still didn’t have any positive results. So in 2015, we started training to be adopters – and then found out that I was expecting! The baby is due in just over two weeks, and we are beyond delighted (if a little daunted by the work involved, not least because we are 38 and 40 years old!). For us, I think it was probably relaxing and forgetting about trying that worked (I had even stopped taking any medications/vitamins, even folic acid, which I felt very guilty about once I realised the little one was on the way!), but I know I always hated that “just relax” advice when we were trying, so don’t like the idea of being used as a cautionary tale for others! Nature works in mysterious ways… Huge congratulations again x
Jamie 05.09.2016
So many congratulations!! Our first took almost a year and so far we’re on three years trying for a second, and I’m 40 so… we’ll be talking seriously soon about whether I should try the B’s and Acupuncture route, or we call it a day and wallow in the awesome little dude we already have. = ) Happy belated Mother’s Day!
Hannah 05.09.2016
Congratulations! I am a reader of IGE since 2012 and absolutely love your posts and recipes! Hope you’ll have an enjoyable pregnancy and you’ll keep us updated whenever you feel like it!
Greetings from Germany!
Alison 05.09.2016
Congratulations!!!!!! This is such exciting news for you and your family! And while I’m sure you’re a bit nervous, I think it will be a blast learning how to be a mom to two kids and watching them grow together! I hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day!
Brittany | Words Like Honeycomb 05.09.2016
So very excited for you :) I was hoping this was coming soon, since I just know little Lincoln will be the most adorable big brother <3 Happy Mother's day to you (belated) and so happy to follow along with another sweet pregnancy!!!
Julie 05.09.2016
Congrats!!! So happy for you guys! Sorry to hear you struggled a bit to get there… it was very kind of you to share that w/ others to know that they’re not alone. Glad you’re feeling great.
Lisa 05.09.2016
Congrats! I hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day!
Steph 05.08.2016
Thanks for being honest about your struggles. I am also having some difficulty getting pregnant with my second. Would you mind sharing the vitamin B combo you took? Happy Mother’s Day!
ST 05.09.2016
I was wondering the same thing about the vitamins. I will take any help I can get!
Many congratulations!!
Kristin 05.09.2016
You bet! Here are the B vitamins I took/take from Country Life because they’re certified gluten-free. Prenatal: http://www.countrylifevitamins.com/store/prenatal-omega-mom, Action B 50 caps: http://www.countrylifevitamins.com/store/action-b-50, Folic acid: http://www.countrylifevitamins.com/store/folic-acid-800-mcg. This vitamin B6 might be something to look into too: http://www.countrylifevitamins.com/store/vitamin-b-6-200-mg (All posted with the disclaimer that I am not a doctor and am only sharing what worked for me!) :)
Joanna Gehrke 05.08.2016
Oh Kristin, CONGRATS lady! I am so very happy for you guys! Happy Mothers Day to you, I am sure it is a very special one! I too was a wreck while I was expecting my second because of the same reason you are with Lincoln/only baby syndrome. It only got worse for me as my pregnancy went on! HA! BUT, I can tell you that literally the minute your 2nd enters this world, it’s all good! xo
Nikki 05.08.2016
When’s your actual due date?
Kristin 05.09.2016
Late October. :)
Emily 05.07.2016
Congratulations! Infertility is a rough road. I’ve been on it. And I don’t have the second child I was hoping for, but I do have peace and contentment (most of the time). I’m genuinely happy for you.
I’ve never commented here before, but I’ve been trying lots of your recipes and loving them! I’ve determined to have a more healthy lifestyle, eating mostly real foods from the perimeter of the store. You have helped me make tasty dinners and breakfasts (I’m loving the smoothies) and I have energy, I feel good, and I’m losing weight! Yay!
Oh, and I also love your blog because I’m also an Iowa girl and I know I can find the ingredients you use. So thanks! And Happy Mother’s Day!
Kristin 05.09.2016
Thank you so much, Emily. I’m sure making peace with it is easier said than done. I’m so glad you’ve been able to use the recipes to live your best life too!
Paola @ Do It With Heart 05.07.2016
Congratulations! I’m sure you’ll be a great mom of two.
Delia 05.07.2016
Congrats so excited to hear this news for you guys! Love hearing about your family life along with the food.
Alice 05.07.2016
Congratulations Kristin! I’ve been an IGE reader for a couple of years now and I love your blog. It has the perfect balance of recipes and real life. I love that your recipes don’t have any random ingredients in them and work for people who don’t have food sensitivities as well as those who do.
Julie H 05.07.2016
Congrats- that’s great news!! Thanks for sharing and Happy Mother’s Day!
Robin 05.06.2016
Congratulations! (And thank you for your openness and sharing of the getting pregnant experience). Tasty, tasty recipes! Perhaps I’ll find something good on Sunday. :)
Julia 05.06.2016
Congrats Kristin!!