*There is only one piece of this cake left because we ate it all before I took a picture. It is that good. It is that good because it is full of butter.
Halfway through pregnancy, I let you know about everything I had experienced but not expected.
Well, now the baby is here and there is more. I will share them with you, in case you have babies sometime you can’t say no one told you…
1. Sleep is a series of naps. People told me when I was pregnant “oh, get your sleep now because you won’t get any when that baby comes.” Now, I know that not getting any must be an exaggeration, so I discredited that warning entirely. I can also think of times where I have been really busy and gone for a week getting four to five hours a night, and I survive. I get sleep, it will just be a series of naps. two hours here, three hours there, the occasional four hours…all with breaks of feeding and diapering in between. Naps are not the same as regular sleep. If I add all of my naps together for the day and get 10 hours, that is not the same as sleeping ten hours at night. It is like my brain doesn’t rest correctly or something.
2. I lost my keys at Target. I guess that it what happens when my brain doesn’t rest. I couldn’t find them in my bag, or in my pockets, and as a feeling of “oh crap” came over me, all I could think was, “At least I didn’t misplace the baby.” Some kind person had turned them into Guest Services.
3. You can’t make up for sleep with pots of coffee. This is where life with a baby differs greatly from life without a baby. I used to make up for a ton of lost sleep with coffee and Diet Coke. Some coffee is fine, but they baby probably shouldn’t be hopped up on the stuff. Also the definition of “full night” has changed. Full night=11pm-5am.
4. There are weird sicknesses that can come post-childbirth. One of my lymph nodes swelled up to the size of half a Twinkie for a few days. Turns out it was from antibiotics. I got mastitis. That is a less awkward term for “breast infection.” It was the most sick I have ever been and I will say made me feel worse than childbirth. My fever got to 104 and I passed out in an elevator. And to all of the men I have talked to post-infection…not to worry, you cannot catch a breast infection. Yours are safe.
5. I wear two shirts. Most days when I get dressed, I wear two shirts. I put the one I like the best on the bottom. When I get spit up on, I dont have to change, i just take the top shirt off like it was my art smock during finger-painting time and say, “Thank you, baby, now I get to wear the shirt I actually like.“
6. Two days ago I “showered” by wiping myself off with a baby wipe. I am yet to take a real shower since. If I have time while I am not holding a baby, I would rather catch up on emails or make some cookies. Today will have to be a real shower day. This has gone too far.
7. I used to think you were crazy, but now I am pretty sure it is me. If you cut me off driving, it was your fault. If you told me I forgot something, I am pretty sure that you forgot to tell me to bring it, not that I forgot to do it. Now I am pretty sure that it was me in the car, and me who dropped the ball. Something I say at least twice a day? I lost my list. Have you seen my list?
8. I am never sure what the date is. Enough said.
9. Don’t try on old clothes. They don’t fit. Yet. Even though you think you have gotten smaller. This will only end in tears. Put. Them. Down.
10. This is really cute.
This crumb cake is awesome. I halved the recipe and made it in a 9-inch springform pan, which worked well. I served it to a group of people last week, and before cutting into it, someone asked what flavor it was. I thought for a minute and answered, “Butter.” It tastes like butter. It tastes delicious as it melts in your mouth.
Classic Crumb Cake
from Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook
makes one 9×13 cake.
10 tablespoons butter, softened
2 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 & 1/4 cups sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Crumb Topping (recipe below)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9″x13″ pan and set aside.
Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after adding each one. Add vanilla. Add flour mixture and sour cream. Mix just until blended.
Spread batter evenly into pan. Top with crumb topping. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until done. Turn the pan once during baking. Cool on a wire rack.
Crumb Topping
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 3/4 cups unsalted butter, softened
Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or a fork. When well mixed, the mixture should form large, moist clumps.
Original post: https://saltimbocca.wordpress.com/2010/03/19/classic-crumb-cake
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