RECIPE

REMY CELEBRATED HER ONE MONTH MILESTONE YESTERDAY! 

I've always loved to cook and doing so usually means following some sort of a structured recipe. Do you want to know what I've learned since becoming a mom? There is no recipe. Sure, there are books and blogs and magazines. Many of which I purchased prior to Remy's arrival, a few of which I read, and most of which I've now retired to my dust-collecting pile.  There are people who gave valuable "there's no handbook for parenting" advice before Remy arrived, which I stored it in the back of my mind, but never fully understood. And now, here I am. Writing about the lack of a "parenting recipe" and raising my hand in admission that I often wish there was one. But since there's not, I've boiled our "recipe" down to some short words about how we are raising Remy: 

#1)  We love her. Every stinking little inch of her. We love holding her hand and we love her strong-willed personality. We love watching her change each day. We love that she's made our family of two a family of three. We love that she's starting to smile and to discover her hands. We love watching her eyes open wide and then temporarily cross when she sees contrasting colors.  We love her all day long. No matter what recipe you choose to follow, love is always the most important ingredient. 

#2) We will do anything to soothe her. Some say swaddle. Some say carrier. Some say pack-and-play. Some say pacifier. We say, ALL of all of those things - at the same time! When all else fails, we take her for a walk without time-of-day or weather restrictions. Midnight walks in the rain included. 

#3) We let her sleep. And when she sleeps, we don't wake her up. Even when she naps for 4 hours, a quiet emptiness fills the house, and Mom feels super tempted to awaken her beautiful little girl so she has someone to play with ... we let her sleep. 

 #4) We nickname her: 

• Snorker - because she snorts when she disapproves of something. 
• Bunny - because she sleeps in a bunny rocker. 
• RemStar -  because she is (obviously) awesome and has a great ear for music. 
• Sugarplum - because there's nothing sweeter in this world. 
• Miss Mouth - because she eats. all. the. time.  One of her trademark moves is to put a tiny-fingered fist over her mouth and to shake her head like a wild woman. 

And she's always dressed in a way that warrants such nicknames - our pink little diva: 

#5) We whistle.  This is one of our favorite Remy-faces. 

#6) We make bathtime the most exciting 7 minutes of our whole day.  If there was a world record for how many times one could "oooohhhh" and "ahhhhhhh"  in 7 minutes, we'd win.  This type of exasperated excitement also applies to changing diapers, a time during which we make such an overjoyed fuss that you'd think Remy was taking her first steps.

#7) We remind her that while she's the mini-Queen of Hotel Pritchard, there were two Princes here before her. Sometimes, they need just as much love and attention.  

#8) We sing her funny songs about absolutely, ridiculously nothing ... because those are the songs she loves best! And when even the wackiest songs don't entertain her, we call the Grandmas (KiKi and Grammy) for reinforcement! 

#9) We go boating. The family that boats together, stays together. And as we learned last weekend, the baby that goes for a boat ride is a sleepy, cozy baby. 

#10) We trust our instincts.  Right after Remy was born in the hospital, a nurse handed her to Jonny. He looked at her for about five seconds, started rocking her, and said "it's amazing how natural this feels when it's your own baby."   Truer words have never been spoken, and we remind ourselves of that moment almost everyday.  We are blessed with a miraculous daughter who is purely and simply, ours.  This delicious recipe has filled our home with the smells of questioning and discovery. Sleepiness and hunger. Innocence and trust. Curiosity and wonder. Grace and perfection. Life will never be the same. Or more complete. 

POKER

... I drafted this blog post in the very early hours of July 8th (needed something to distract me from the contractions), which happened to be the day we welcomed our beautiful Remy Catherine into the world!   Although it's no longer necessary to post/share, I wanted to do so because I love having the memory of how we spent our last week as a family of two! 

Every once in an uncommon while, I run late.  And most of the time, I embrace this little piece of me. You see, dear friends, I am what they call "a poker."  For those that don't recognize the term, let me elaborate. I'll get out of the shower and feel completely paralyzed about blow-drying my hair until I have first started a load of laundry, checked my email (a 3rd time), poured another cup of coffee, scratched the dogs' ears, waited to hear the weather forecast on the news, etc.  Being the very patient and smart husband that he is, Jonny tells me he knows "not to rush a good thing" and trusts that I will make it out the door - even if that means our day starts 10 minutes behind schedule. 

C'mon little baby ---- mama's about to pop and papa's getting antsy! 

It appears Baby P follows his mama's footsteps in this way, because he or she is presently a day late. But we fear not. And we stress not. And this is because we know the little lady or gentleman is just poking around - doing the little last minute things that he/she needs to feel fully prepared for an entrance to this world.  And also, because we know better than to rush a good thing.  But a little encouragement never hurts, so I spent our entire due-date (July 7th) cleaning the blinds in our house; squatting up & down. Trying to encourage Little One to hurry his/her little bootie up! 

Just keep moving ... keep moving ... keep moving! 

There has been a rain cloud perpetually stuck over the Midwest for the past week, which resulted in lots of indoor time. But the clouds briefly opened up for us on July 4th and we had a nice little afternoon/evening with our neighbors.  In true 'Merica fashion, we grilled out and set off some fireworks, or "rocketships" as our 4 year-old friend (Colt) called them. 

Run, run, run away! 

Colt & Ila's first "sparklers" :) They LOVED them! 

One afternoon we were so sick of the rain we decided to just embrace it and head to an outdoor Vintage Marketplace. We strolled the various booths, umbrella-free and unfazed by the raindrops that rolled through our hair and down our cheeks.  Jonny almost purchased a vintage Trombone, but a young boy was also really enthusiastic about it ... so Jonny quietly walked away.  I've always known that Jonny will be a remarkable father, but it never gets old to witness little moments like that.  

Anyone wanna buy a robot?

And speaking of fathers ... Jonny's dad came to visit us yesterday! He and Jonny built some awesome new cabinets for our kitchen, which are going to replace these icky shelves that came with the house when we bought it a few years ago.  New cabinets mean that we can install a new microwave over our stove, that my cookbooks can be displayed, and that Baby P will have a proper cabinet for lots of cute little dishes, cups, bowls, etc.  We both stood in front of the microwave for 5 minutes last night; pushing all the buttons with widely-amused eyes, reading instructions on how to set the clock, and basking in the glow of 2013 technology.   You know, just parents-to-be, poking around.  

New cabinet and microwave --- this extra space is going to be awesome! 

FORTIES

Everyone told us that our baby would eventually reach the size of a mini watermelon. 

Well friends, “eventually” has become “reality.” And it shows.

One week to go! ... will there be another chalkboard picture? 

Conley keeps waiting & waiting in the nursery. 

This past Friday night was date-night!  We hopped in the car and Jonny jokingly started playing music from the 1940’s on Sirius. We started talking about what it must have been like to be a famous music artist in the 1940’s and eventually started having the conversation in our best 1940’s dialect. I was “Babs,” a glamorous songstress who loved the spotlight.  Jonny was “Harold,” my manager and husband.  I share this only because the stories we created for our characters made us laugh and laugh and LAUGH --- it’s a memory I never want to forget.

Some date nights are just perfect. This was one of them. 

Jonny planned a date at an organic farm called Trader’s Point Creamery, which hosts “Dinner on the Deck” every Friday during the summer.  The event features a farmers market, live music, and a locally-curated meal.   We were seated outside under a big tree, enjoyed the sun’s rays shining on our faces, soaked in the beautiful view of Indiana’s green grass, listened to relaxing music, and feasted on the most delicious dinner.  If I become a cow in another life, I want to live at Trader’s Point Creamery.  

Honey Balsamic Salmon, Rice, Spinach, & Bean Salads

Blueberry Pie w/ farm-made ice cream

Handsome Husband of Mine

Saturday night we attended the wedding of our friends Meghan & Brandon, who we actually helped to introduce at a Halloween party two years ago. It was a beautiful day to celebrate such a dynamic couple and they had really fun details at their reception (milk & cookie bar anyone??)!

Our last doctor’s appointment was another great one – baby’s heartrate is 144 beats/minute and everything is right-on-track. We have our next appointment this Friday, unless Baby decides to come sooner.  We’re waiting on pins-and-needles to find out if we are having a son or a daughter!

I continue to stay busy and keep my mind occupied. Too much down-time means too much time to focus on “WHEN IS THIS BABY GOING TO ARRIVE??”  And on that note, I’m off to get a pedicure J

PLAYLIST

I am making a playlist of songs to bring with us to the hospital, just in case we need a little distraction, some calm, or a boost of energy.  Below are a few that I have on the list so far.  

Anyone have other suggestions of other songs to add?  

·         “Wake Me Up”– Avicii

·         “Whatever It Is” – Zac Brown

·         “Three Little Birds” – Bob Marley
·         “Safe & Sound” – Capital Cities

·         “Mountain Sound” – Of Monsters & Men

·         “O-o-h Child”– The Five Stairsteps
·         “Somewhere Only We Know” - Keane
·         “Love Somebody” – Maroon 5
·         “Lonesome Dreams” – Lord Huron

·         “By Your Side” – Sade

·         “Anything Could Happen” – Ellie Goulding

·         “Love On Top”– Beyonce

·         “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall” – Coldplay
·         “Charlie Boy”– Lumineers
·         “We Don’t Eat” – James Vincent McMorrow

PIXIEPRINTS

We’re only 11 days away from Little One’s ETA! 

Week 38 - only two weeks to go! 

We had a fantastic time with Jonny’s family last weekend!  Sean was in town after six months working overseas, which was so fun because we had not seen him since revealing the news over Christmas that he was going to be an Uncle.  Sean’s visit also provided the perfect opportunity to ask him if he would be Little One’s Godfather - he loves kiddos and we know he is going to do an awesome job!  We also celebrated Deb’s birthday and Father’s Day with Stan. It was beautiful to witness Stan & Deb’s obvious happiness that exuded from having both of their boys together under one roof --- “all the chicks in the nest.”  Baby P will soon experience the blessings of having such fun grandparents and uncles! 

Sean, Deb, and JP sampling Indy microbrews at Brew-Ha-Ha on Mass Ave. 

This week kicked-off my maternity leave and I didn’t realize just how much I needed this refreshing time until it actually started. I went to a friend’s pool for a few hours on Monday, which reminded me of my childhood definition of “summer.”  Movements in the water felt weightless and effortless and free.  It took so much pressure off my hips and when I left the pool, all I could think about was that I want a pool in our backyard!  Does Target sell kiddie-pools for adults?   

Poolside Relaxing! 

I have been washing all of Baby’s clothes, bedding, and blankies and have started reading a few books that have (admittedly) been collecting dust since we first learned of our pregnancy. One of these books is called Great With Child and was recommended by my friend Chandra – an educator, dedicated wife, exceptional mother to a cutie-patootie named Lincoln, and an entrepreneur (check out her simplification + organization business here)!  While lounging poolside, a certain paragraph in Great With Child stuck out to me: 

Relating to this paragraph

This book (and our beautiful friends & family), continue to reinforce that everything I am experiencing is normal.  The exhaustion. The splatter of emotions.  The nesting. It’s all part of the path that leads to a new life – a life of “pixie prints that no one else can make.”  

FATHER

“I believe that what we become depends on what our fathers teach us at odd moments, when they aren’t trying to teach us.” – Umberto Eco

FULL TERM! Keep-on-cookin-baby, but we're ready when you are! 

We joyfully dedicate today’s blog to our Fathers - two inspiring men who have taught us, and continue to teach us, oh-so-much!

LESSONS KRISTIE HAS LEARNED FROM GARY:  

1.       Push Yourself.   Growing up, my dad coached my soccer team, “The Loveland Lightning,” for 8 years.  He gave up countless weeknights and weekends, all while studying for his MBA. It was sometimes hard being the coach’s daughter because I felt he was tougher on me than the other girls. On the field he used to say, “Kristie! PUSH YOURSELF!!”  I hated this … a lot. J  But I eventually learned that I was an excellent slide-tackler (and I still have a hematoma on my shin to prove it).  My Dad taught me that if I found something I enjoyed and pushed myself to excel, I could be great!  Success is always an option if you work hard enough.   

2.       Give.  There are lots of stories about my dad getting in trouble when he was a little kid. My favorite is the one about him starting a fire under the front porch of his parents’ house.   As he grew into an adult, he remained a goofball, although a bit more grounded. For example, after winning a City Amateur Golf Tournament, he dedicated his win to a local boy that recently passed away from a heart defect.  After becoming a father, my Dad remained a kid-at-heart, but continued to set an example of giving.  When Korey was born, he ran around the hospital excitedly handing out candy to everyone he saw – even to those who weren’t a part of Korey’s delivery. There’s unlimited happiness (and fun) to be found in giving unto others.

3.       A Family that Boats Together, Stays Together.  Every family eventually reaches a certain pinnacle of “busy.”  There are lots of groundhog days: wakeup, school/work, practice, homework, dinner, more homework, bed.   Wash. Rinse. Repeat.  But then one year, my parents bought a boat. It was a Celebrity named “Cheers” and we loved every little teak-wood inch of it.  Just about every other weekend in the summertime we’d drive 3.5 hours to Lake Cumberland, KY --- leaving the Groundhog behind. Right before I married Jonny, my dad told me how happy he was that I was marrying a boater.  “A family that boats together, stays together,” he said.  We can’t wait to put our Little One on the boat and make memories, just like the awesome ones my parents created for us on Lake Cumberland. 

LESSONS JONNY HAS LEARNED FROM STAN:  

1.      There isn’t a problem, just a different solution.  My dad has a fix for anything.  Whether it is a way to fix an appliance or push through a work issue (as he calls them, “opportunities”), he can always figure out a way to better the situation.  He always finds a different way to approach things when my line of thinking gets blocked.  If you need proof, go to his garage and tell him a certain tool you need.  He can either find one or get something that will do the job even better.  It isn’t the problem that you need to think about, it’s how to solve it.

2.       Camping is fun.  Actually camping is therapeutic.  Our family has had lots of great camping trips over the years.  When we were little, we would camp at Raystown Lake, and then we had scouting trips.  We also had overnight camping trips to the farm.  Being out there in the “wilderness” gave me a lot of great memories that I will never forget, but it also taught me valuable skills of how to make do with what we had.  We learned to be resourceful, adaptive, and cook some mean grub over the fire.   Camping isn’t just about setting up a tent and sleeping in a bag, it is about learning, doing, and having a lot of fun spending uninterrupted time with your family around the fire.

3.       Don’t be afraid to try.  This isn’t something my Dad has actually ever said to me, but the man can do about anything when it comes to building, repairing or remodeling.  When we first moved into our house in Loveland, we had a typical basement.  He spent countless hours transforming it into a space that we spent a lot of time in as kids.  Now, I haven't learned how to finish a basement (yet), but I have learned how to think through a project.  I have also learned not to step on nails.  My Dad and I are working to build some cabinets for our kitchen at the moment.   Do I know how to build cabinets?  NOPE! But I am learning and once this project is completed, it will probably be one of my favorite parts of our house.

A father nurtures, supports, coaches, and protects. Jonny will surely pass these lessons down to our Little One, a reflection of the limitless love we have received from our remarkable fathers!

Here are some pictures of Jonny’s fathers-day (to-be) weekend celebration: 

Father's Day breakfast - homemade banana muffins (coffeeeee on the side)! 

Jonny napping in his new hammock - made in the shade! 

Italian Fest downtown, where a couple of Catholic Sisters gave us a rubber baby to demonstrate how big our baby was 25 weeks ago. We have come a LONG WAY! 

Jonny and his new axe - it's time to chop down some trees! 

Looks like JP is going to do just great pushing a stroller in a few weeks! 

Trees are down and we're ready for a bonfire tonight :) 

Power-washing where the trees used to be.  This is Jonny's version of "nesting." 

Dad! You're the best, you're the best!  I'm so excited that I dunked my beard a little too deep in the water bowl! 

Happy Father's Day, Dad! I've been waiting and waiting and waiting for this day!!! 

Tired from alllll the fun we've had on Father's Day! Time for a snuggle & a snooze! 

BOATING

From the beginning, I have told people how fortunate we feel to be having a baby – pregnancy is a beautiful gift.  Not wanting to be the person who complains about being tired, nauseous, etc., I try to stay focused on the positive. But the truth is – many things really are much less comfy right now.  One night last week, I was lying on the floor and Jonny was massaging my hips, which have lately become very sore.  I asked Jonny “why do you think this is happening?” and he said “Why do most people have morning sickness and you didn’t? I guess it’s just a tradeoff.”  True-dat, JP.

Professional photo of our Beautiful Gift 

So, in keeping with my commitment to the positive, I give you my top ten reasons why pregnancy has been a beautiful gift:

1.       Watching Jonny’s eyes open with excitement when he sees or feels the baby move

2.       Imagining what (and who) the baby will look like

3.       Absorbing the irreplaceable advice, love, and support from our “village”

4.       Creating four new and totally excited grandparents

5.       Receiving compliments from friends & strangers. It never gets old to hear “you look great!”

6.       Learning, more than ever, how well I trust my own instincts and intuition

7.       Feeling the baby grow. Tiny butterflies transform into tumbles, punches, and stretches

8.       Discovering how much love you can have for someone you haven’t even met yet

9.       Letting people rub my tummy, especially when they’ve never felt a baby belly before

10.   Anticipating how we’ll be as parents. And knowing (deep-down) that we’ll be great.

Now, I’m not a saint. And so I’ll take this time to admit that I am REALLY ready for a glass of wine. 

Hopefully only 4 more weeks of these chalkboard updates! 

We brought our boat home from Kentucky for the summer.  We decided it’s comforting to know that if we’re craving some wind in our hair, our favorite toy is right in the driveway. Parked and taunting us. Saturday was one of those 75°-and-sunny kind of days … and we just couldn’t resist.  Eight months pregnant or not, I am a boater ... and now Baby P is too! 

We recently bought a new DSLR camera and below is one of the first pictures we took: Conley basking in the sunlight of “his room” (i.e. the Baby’s nursery).  Both of our boys seem to understand that a big change is coming in the next few weeks. They follow me everywhere I go and like to nudge their noses up to my tummy.  Two very protective big brothers! 

Conley loves sleeping in the Baby's Room --- waiting for Little One's arrival!