Tropical Mango Smoothie Bowl // Welcome Baby Alanna II

Part II for Alanna’s birth! (See part I here)

After Alanna was born, we moved to a new unit. We were eager to head home asap since Isabelle was home with B’s parents, and they were flying out at 5am the next day back home to California. Since Alanna and I were doing well, we were able to be discharged within 24 hours. 

We were exhausted (no one gets sleep in a hospital, but especially parents with a brand new baby) and happy to be home. Isabelle’s first impression of meeting Alanna was “No thanks, I’d rather watch Cocomelon”, but she did peer at her from afar with curiosity. Our pup Nike’s face was one of “Another of these crying humans again?”

The next day, B’s parents flew home for a doctor’s appointment, and B’s brother Alan flew in from Florida. B didn’t have any paternity leave, and Alan was a big help entertaining Isabelle (from playing ice cream shop to watching Rambo) while I recovered. Although I felt great in the hospital, I was absolutely miserable at home the first week with the severe pain of my milk coming and afterbirth contractions (which I had no idea was a thing, but afterbirth contractions worsen with each subsequent pregnancy as the uterus shrinks back to normal size). Later that week, B’s parents came back. 

To add to the excitement, we all got COVID19 🙁 

B started feeling symptomatic and tested positive. Then his dad, mom, Alan, and I also tested positive. We weren’t sure how we caught it since we had been SO careful the entire pandemic; perhaps from eating at a restaurant or B’s parents picking it up when they flew back to see it. 

B was required by the office management to stay home 5 days, and although he had wanted to work, he was definitely the sickest, and in no shape to leave his bed, let alone work. Isabelle never tested positive but did get sick, so we had a cranky, miserable toddler. 

Alanna was only a week old with no immune system, so we were terrified of her catching COVID19, and everyone wore N95 masks in the house. We brought Alanna’s bassinet downstairs; I slept on the couch to separate her from B. We also had a heat wave that week, and the house was miserably hot, especially with wearing a mask 24/7 even while sleeping.

We slowly recovered, and B’s parents flew home again. My parents and sister delayed their visit several days, so they wouldn’t get COVID19. While I was sad their trip was shortened, I was glad they were able to see us even for a little bit. I was able to bring my family to a Sunflower farm festival, so they were able to do a bit of sightseeing, but we mostly stayed home. 

My dad and sister flew home, and ironically, they got sick with COVID19 (likely caught at the airports, it’s amazing how fast this current omicron variant spreads!). My mom, who had stayed another week to help out, managed to avoid COVID19. Alanna luckily never got sick either. 

Although the first few weeks with Alanna were more exciting than I liked, and almost everyone on both sides of the family got sick, there were a few silver linings. I was just happy B and I weren’t COVID19 positive during labor, since I didn’t want to give birth alone in the hospital or be separated from the baby. Alanna was healthy, and no one was seriously ill. We all hopefully have some extra immunity now, and my breast milk has COVID19 antibodies to help protect Alanna in the future. 

Still, COVID19 postpartum is not an experience I want to repeat, because those were some of the most exhausting weeks of my life! It seemed like a full circle that Isabelle was born when the COVID19 pandemic started and we end with this. 

Sharing a recipe of a tropical smoothie bowl, since I need a vacation after all of the above.

Tropical Mango Smoothie Bowl

Ingredients
2 cups mangos (I used frozen)
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 cup almond milk
Toppings: strawberries, rambutan, chia seeds, coconut flakes

Directions
Blend the frozen mango, coconut milk, and almond milk in your blender until smooth. Add more fruit to thicken or more milk the thin it. Smoothie bowls should have a thicker consistency than a regular smoothie you drink, so it can hold up the fruit.

Divide the smoothie between two bowls. Add your toppings to decorate and serve. Enjoy!