Thank you all for your kind words on my last post. It has been such a relief sharing such exciting news with everyone. We are all so excited around here. Yesterday, Sebastian and I took a trip to the outlet malls, and I went a little crazy buying baby clothes. When Sebastian was a baby, I was so sad when he grew out of all his adorable little onesies, and now I have a chance to revisit this baby stage once again, and I couldn't be happier.

In other exciting news, our bathroom remodel is in full swing. The bathroom has been fully gutted, and now the contractors are working on replumbing the whole thing. I am so excited to see it all come together. It's always stressful having the house under construction, especially with a toddler and being pregnant, but at least I can see the end in the near future. When we remodeled our kitchen a few years ago, it took close to a year to finish, which was a pretty big nightmare. If you can afford it, I highly recommend hiring someone for your project. From experience, it is way less stressful.

We are getting prepared for our trip to Hawaii. With leave in just a few short weeks now, and I am very much looking forward to relaxing in the sun. I wish that I could also be sipping on a margarita at the same time, but I'll have to try and make do with some virgin drink options this time around. Brent has been abstaining from alcohol in my presence, which has been a big help, so unless he's spilling sloppy margaritas on my lap, I am sure I'll survive.

I have been on a pretty big cooking spree these past few weeks. I've experimented with a lot of new recipes at home. I'm feeling extra creative and motivated, and I am completely obsessed with really healthy foods this pregnancy. Lots of vegetables and fruit. Tonight I think I'm going to try and create a shrimp and asparagus pesto pasta, because did I mention that I'm also really into pasta this pregnancy.

Last month I randomly threw together this cheesy spaghetti. I did not anticipate it to turn out this good, which seems to be the theme of my cooking these days. I start off with an idea, doubt myself a little during the process, and then, in the end, it turns out amazing. This recipe is so simple. Pasta, oil, garlic, tomatoes, cheese, and seasoning. It tastes similar to a mac and cheese, just a little more sophisticated. The recipe takes a little under 20 minutes to prepare, so it has been a go-to favorite of ours for the last little while.

SPAGHETTI WITH A CHEESY TOMATO AND GARLIC SAUCE

serves 4

prep time: 5 minutes

cooking time: 20 minutes

12 oz dry spaghetti noodles

3 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp chili flakes

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup pasta water

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.

While you are waiting for the water to boil, add the olive oil to a large frying pan on low heat. Add the tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper, and chili flakes and sauté until the tomatoes become soft and broken down.

Once the water has begun to boil, add the dry spaghetti noodles. Cook until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of pasta water to the side.

Add the pasta to the frying pan, tossing with the olive oil and tomatoes. Slowly add 1/2 cup of pasta water to the pasta, continuing to toss. You want the pasta very drippy at this point.

Add the cheddar cheese to the pasta and toss until melted. At this point, you can add a bit more pasta water to get a saucier sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.