As many of you know, Ryan and I moved to Austin in 2010. I started graduate school and Ryan worked at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas. We made life-long friends, found our cat, adopted our dog, got pregnant, finished graduate school, and ate a lot of breakfast tacos. Growing up in Colorado, Ryan and I had never heard of a breakfast taco. We have breakfast burritos here (which while satisfying…just can’t compare).
Now, of course, there are many variations of breakfast tacos. But the ones we liked best always started with a thick and chewy flour tortilla. If you don’t have access to these (and most of us don’t) then make your own. This is my favorite recipe, and it’s so much easier than you think! As for what comes next? Scrambled eggs, shredded cheese, sliced avocado, crushed tortilla chips, and high quality salsa. Simple but satisfying.
And now for the fun part: 38 weeks pregnant!
Cravings: Banana walnut muffins. I haven’t been able to enjoy one of these yet. I’m very picky when it comes to baked good (surprise, surprise) and it’s been too hot to turn on my oven this week. Thankfully, Colorado Springs just experienced a drop in temperature, so I’m hoping to get my baking pans out this afternoon. Right now, I feel like I could eat half a dozen muffins.
Health: Lucy has dropped deep into my pelvis (which is part of the reason I feel so hungry…my stomach finally has room again!). I won’t get too graphic, but my body is progressing. Labor feels more and more imminent each day. Unfortunately, I found out I tested positive for Group B Strep last week. About 1 in 3 or 4 healthy women test positive. Group B Strep doesn’t cause problems for healthy adults but it can make babies very sick, so I’ll have to receive antibiotics during labor unless my body can clear the bacteria before then. When I envisioned my birth, I didn’t envision antibiotics, and so the news upset me (much more than it should have). But I learned over the course of this last week to let go more. To appreciate the miracle of what is happening and to understand that labor and delivery will be far different than what I want or expect. Of course, we still plan for a natural childbirth, but in the end, every women has to let go of her preconceived notions and let her body and her baby guide her. So Group B Strep turned out to be a good lesson for me. Sneaky bacteria.
The List: Ryan and I went to Boulder over the weekend. We enjoyed the farmer’s market, ate great food, and walked along Boulder Creek. We couldn’t have had a more perfect day. We also ate at a fancy restaurant (last night for Ryan’s birthday) with my sweet sister and brother-in-law. I still need to organize pictures from Paris, but Lucy’s nursery is completely finished, which means I’ve crossed off both frivolous and practical items from our pre-baby list.
Hopes: As I get closer to delivery, I find my fears abating. Instead, I’m filled with hope and a deep sense of joy. I imagine holding her for the first time. I imagine Ryan kissing her forehead. I imagine the quiet moments we’ll share in the middle of the night. Of course, I know that newborns are work. I know there will be days where I’m exhausted and frustrated and anxious. But I’m going to be a mother to a daughter, and Ryan will be a father to his sweet girl. She’ll delight us in ways that no other human being could, and we’ll all grow together, as a family and as individuals. I couldn’t be more thankful for the opportunity to bring all of this into our world.
Austin Breakfast Tacos
*Serves two
4 homemade Flour Tortillas
4 eggs
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup shredded cheese (white cheddar is our personal favorite)
1/2 hass avocado, sliced into thin strips
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips
Warm tortillas on stove top or in microwave. Set aside. In a medium skillet, melt butter over low heat. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs until light and frothy. Pour egg mixture into warm skillet and cook, over low heat until sufficiently scrambled (we normally like our eggs runny, but because I’m pregnant we cook them much longer).
Sprinkle cheese down the center of each tortilla. Spoon warm egg mixture over cheese, allowing the heat from the eggs to melt the cheese. Top with sliced avocado, salsa, and crushed tortilla chips. Serve with hot sauce.
