We have had such a fun morning!  I’ve been looking forward to our 20 week ultrasound since the day I found out I was pregnant. 

Since we are seeing a midwife group, they don’t do the ultrasounds directly in their office.  Instead, we went to an imaging center in the same hospital and had a nice ultrasound tech guide us through what we were seeing.

I know I am clearly biased, but tell me – is this not the cutest little face you’ve ever seen?  :)  I am amazed at how much he has grown and truly become a little person since we last saw him 7 weeks ago. 

I love him so much already!  I know he needs a lot more time to grow and get strong, but I wish so badly that I could hold him and smell him and cover him in kisses.

One of the first questions the tech asked us was whether or not we wanted to find out the sex.  I told her we’d already been given the early word that we should be expecting a boy, but we were very anxious to confirm that news.  Within seconds of bringing his image up on the screen, she was able to tell – “yep, that is definitely a boy!”

Check out the arrow – definitely no question!  At one point she was trying to get a picture of his open hand, and was laughing because he wouldn’t take his hands off of his little man parts.  Typical.  We will work to break that habit quickly!

To some of you this probably just looks like a big black and white mess, but it’s actually a picture of his precious little face!  Eyes, lips, and nose – all there!

While the ultrasound is of course VERY fun for the parents-to-be, it’s also the point where the doctors check to make sure all parts are there and growing as they should be.  We were able to see 10 little fingers and toes, facial features, 4 chambers of the heart, hemispheres of the brain, kidneys, bladder, and so much more!  Truly incredible.

Little legs and feet!  Looks like a runner if you ask me…

I was also able to confirm that since my initial scare with a low placenta – just as you all told me it would – it has moved up and out of the way where it need to be.  Hugh sigh of relief!  She also confirmed that my placenta is forward facing, which is why I haven’t felt him moving around too much yet. 

In this profile shot you can see the backbone with all the vertebrae.  I can’t believe something so incredible is actually inside of ME!  Pregnancy is by far the coolest experience of my life.

Check out the dark spot on his chest in this picture – that’s his little beating heart.  When you see it live you can actually see the beating and watch it flicker.  Incredible.

I am on cloud nine after seeing our healthy little guy and hearing how big and strong he is.  As of now he’s actually measuring about a week ahead, and the ultrasound estimated my due date to be October 11th (original date is October 15th).  We’ll see when he decides to get here!

In the meantime I am anxiously awaiting the “I’m in labor” phone call or text from my big sister, who is due this weekend!  So many exciting changes for our family this year, and I can’t wait to meet all the new members.  This was probably the last time I will see Baby Malone until he joins us in October!

Now that we have his boy-ness officially confirmed, I am excited to really dig into shopping for nursery things this weekend.  Next on my list – figuring out what we need on our registry!

I’ve been doing a lot of baking these days, mostly of the sweet variety.  So I thought I’d mix it up today and do something a little more savory.  Something cheesy, something crumbly, and something I am most definitely looking forward to making again…

White Cheddar Yogurt Cornbread

Ingredients:  (serves 8-10)

• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp + pinch salt
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 cup Greek yogurt (2%)
• 2 medium eggs
• 1/4 cup Earth Balance
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 3/4 cup shredded white cheddar (or other) cheese

To Prepare:  I made this delicious cornbread in my handy dandy cast-iron skillet.  It’s something I don’t pull out very often, but every time I do I think, “I should use this more often.”

If you don’t have cast-iron, you should get some.  But you can also make this cornbread in a square baking dish in the meantime.  Start by pre-heating the oven t0 400 degrees.  Then combine the cornmeal, flour, corn kernels, baking soda, sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt in a large mixing bowl. 

Don’t forget to sprinkle on the cayenne, too!  It gives a really subtle but wonderful kick to the final product. 

In a separate bowl, combine Greek yogurt, 2 eggs, almond milk, and Earth Balance (or butter). 

Finally, pick your favorite cheese and get to shredding!  I highly recommend freshly shredded cheese for this (not the bagged kind) because it melts and tastes so much better!

I used my favorite Beecher’s aged white cheddar, but you can use whatever cheese you prefer – the possibilities are endless!

Mix the wet ingredients into the dry, and then fold in almost all of the cheese, reserving just a bit to the side.  Spread the batter into your greased skillet, and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.  Before you pop it in the oven, sprinkle the top with a tiny extra pinch of salt!

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. 

Perrrrrfection.

I love how the whole corn kernels add some texture and crunch to this super moist and fluffy cornbread. 

Paired with tomato soup, for a delightful lunch in the Seattle sun.

This cornbread is definitely much more savory than sweet, and I love the moisture that the Greek yogurt gives to each bite.

I can’t wait to make this again and try different varieties of cheeses and options for pairings.  Butternut squash and black bean chili, anyone?

I have a feeling this will not be lasting long in our house.

Enjoy!