I have to admit...

...that work has been a bit better lately. I have several new clients, most are in interesting industries, and I've been able to challenge myself to get informed on those industries (in all of my "spare" time). I'm also carving out the time to be more proactive with my clients, rather than only reactive to their immediate wants and needs. It's been dizzying, but at least I don't feel as though my brain is atrophying!

I had an interesting exchange with a coworker about balance, and I think that's something I need to address. Not necessarily in the upcoming year--I don't think New Year's is the best or only time for resolutions--but immediately, continually, and earnestly. In the next few days, I'll be identifying the different areas of my life (family, friends, work, health, home, etc.) and devising measurable, acheivable objectives and goals. These clients may be my vocation, but my life is my real occupation!

Christmas Eve(lyn)

We kept calling Evelyn our "Christmas Eve." So cute. Our day started with Evelyn and I paying a visit to Miss Tanya. We met her three kids and I helped her sneak in the presents Matt and I collected for her family at our jobs. Her parents paid her a quick visit, and we got to meet them. Her mother said, "So this is the Evelyn you are always talking about!" If there was any doubt in my mind that Evelyn holds a special place in Tanya's heart--and there wasn't--that would have resolved it!

We got home just before Matt, and opened a few last minute Christmas cards, including one from Viki and Julia with gift cards for Olive Garden and Toys R Us.

When Matt got home, we headed to Aunt Carol's for our annual Christmas Eve party. I walked in and my cousin Joey said it was about time I brought him his baby! She got passed around quite a bit and seemed to love all the attention. She was, as usual, amazingly good.

Aunt Janet (who didn't make it to the baby shower) gave us a Toys R Us giftcard, which will come in handy for her high chair.

After a long visit and plenty of food, we headed down the street to my mom's to open presents.

My grandma (now Evelyn's "Nanny") got her a set of three mini Cabbage Patch Snugglies dolls.

My mom got her a Crawl-Along Drum Roll; a copy of Twas the Night Before Christmas (love it!); a Very Hungry Caterpillar book, doll, and blanket set; and three footed sleepers (spring green floral, pink with snowflakes, and psychadelic pink and purple floral)

She got me a L'Occitane Shea Fantastique gift set; a customized calendar from Shutterfly, with pictures of my family on every month (which I just love) and a new, larger food processor. I can't wait to make bread in it!

She got Matt Modern Warfare 2 and Something Something Something Dark Side.

Uncle Bob gave me a Paris Sweets cookbook and a grater shaped like the Eiffel Tower.

Shannon got us a four-slot picture frame that reads, "TOGETHER WE ARE A FAMILY" and an outfit for Evelyn with red pants and a pink and red polka dot hoodie.

Uncle Glenn got her a Bat & Wobble Penguin, me a glass teapot (perfect for blooming tea), and a Giant gift card (perfect for buying blooming tea!), and Matt a Scrabble card game and a gift card to Best Buy.

Mom also got the family a Wii, and we spent a good part of the evening making our avatars and playing Wii Bowling. Matt and I are going to bring it home at some point; Mom got it for all of us to use. We got home around ten o'clock. According to NORAD, Santa was in Bolivia by then...we got right to bed!

Love it!

Ray the Snowman, as created by Matt's friend Doug and Doug's little girl.

Go Ravens!

Zero to Three

Evelyn turned four months old yesterday. Tomorrow she sees Dr. Kevin for a check up and her next set of vaccinations. I'm dreading those pin pricks and surprised looks and copious tears and sore thighs. I know it's something only Baby Tylenol and sleep and time will heal, but she's also getting Mommy, anyway. I'm going to spend the afternoon with her, even if it's just to hold her while she sleeps.

She's getting to be such a big girl. When I hold her, she pushes herself up and away, surveying the room, expressing her independence in the safety of my arms. She's rolled over for me, getting stuck on her side before rolling onto her back. Then she smiled. She has the easiest smile. And she loves her bath. She fusses while we wash her hair, fusses when we undress her, then calms when she hits that nice warm water. And for a few minutes, I get to admire her in the way I first did: bare and perfectly formed, engrossed in her own experience. Only now, she's gaining control of those delicious limbs. I've kissed nearly every inch of her perfect round body. My fully realized dream of a fat, happy baby.

I've already put away her 0-3 months clothing. Carefully picked out onsies from family and friends, sleepers, rompers, bodysuits culled over time from Baby Gap. All folded and put into matching plastic bins. A "maybe."

Evelyn's First Day at Daycare (I Didn't Cry)

Today was Evelyn's first day at her daycare. I didn't cry when she woke up early (since we did just "fall back") and I nursed her. I didn't cry when my alarm went off an hour later. I didn't cry when I got ready for work, or when she slept through my changing her diaper, dressing her, and putting her in her carseat. I didn't cry on the drive to her daycare.

Matt and I got there and dropped Evelyn off in her room. I put her milk in the fridge and noted her last feeding, nap, and diaper change. I kissed her goodbye. Several times. I didn't cry. (Though Matt and I both were a little pink-cheeked.)

Matt and I went to Starbucks afterwards, to put something warm in our bellies and to fuel my for my first day back at work. I couldn't believe I didn't cry.

I got to work early and settled in and received well-wishes from my co-workers. I pumped in the bathroom at around 10:00. I thought of my baby, of every fat little roll, and it made me smile.

I went to lunch with two of my co-workers, and called the daycare afterwards. I could hear Evelyn crying in the background. She was hungry and the "teacher" felt it was too soon after her last bottle to feed her. I think Evelyn may have wanted to be held. I was sad to hear her crying, sad that she wasn't being soothed that very moment. I wanted to race to her. But I didn't cry.

Matt left work around 4:00 to get her, and got her some 90 minutes later, right about the time I started itching to go home. I left right around 6:00. Traffic was light, but I was frustrated by every car in my way.

When I got home, Evelyn was sleeping in her daddy's arms. It was the sweetest sight. He gave her to me, and I held her for the next two hours, while Matt made a frozen pizza, while we ate, while he washed the dishes. I kissed her sweet little shoulders and hands and face, over and over and over again.

Then I realized that Evelyn was sleeping when I dropped her off this morning, and was sleeping the entire evening after I got home, and that if this went on every day, she may very well not lay eyes on me until the weekends. It would be like her mommy suddenly disappeared from her life. And that thought finally made me cry.

Brave Little Bug

This was taken on my cell phone in the evening, so it's a bit grainy... but it's Evelyn with her Daddy on Halloween. She actually seemed to like Matt's mask. Some of the Trick-or-Treaters on the other hand became Trick-or-Retreaters when they saw him. Several kids didn't make it up the walk. Matt loves Halloween!

Evelyn already had the ladybug romper, so we just threw that on her as a "costume." And no, I didn't take her trick-or-treating. I can't stand when adults take their babies out and actually try to collect candy. Does Evelyn look like she can eat candy??

Halloween Spirit

Before Mom and Dad could fill the cauldron with Halloween candy, I figured I'd let them know I'm the real treat!

More Mail for Evie

Evelyn is becoming very popular with the mailman.It's a Halloween card from Grandma!Okay, I'll lose the bink and read it...
Wait, I can't read yet. But I like the pictures!

Evie Gets Mail!

Evelyn received a package in the mail earlier this week.

Ooh! It's from Grandma!

Look, a few packs of onsies to help keep me warm in the fall and winter!

Good thing, 'cuz I pooped in these.

Random Daddy Cuteness

Some of the things Daddy and Evie do together:

Snuggle after getting her hair washed, before her bath.

(Note the faux-hawk!)

Snuggling after bath, before bedtime.

Snuggle while watching football.

Bathtime

Evelyn loves bathtime. She used to get her bath in the bathroom, but we finally got some sense and put her little bathtub in the kitchen sink. And notice who is washing her hair! Her daddy takes wonderful care of her.

Hey, Baby...Let's Go to Vegas!

Matt has always wanted to go to Vegas. I've never been that interested. I would've liked to have gone in the 40s, 50s or 60s, when casinos were beginning to rise in the desert, when they were new and not so much of a joke. I want the Casino version of Vegas. I used to love that movie! I watched it constantly in college. That, and Empire Records. But I digress.

What I really liked in high school was Garth Brooks. I always wanted to go to a Garth Brooks concert. I'd see footage of his concerts, and he was just so into it. There was so much energy and fun! When he did the big free concert in Central Park, I watched it from my mom's house and nearly cried when she said she wouldn't have minded if I had gone. I used to have a tape of that concert, and I'd watch that pretty often, too. I was super bummed when I heard he was retiring until his daughters got through high school. Matt promised if he ever toured again, he'd take me to see him.

Well, Garth Brooks isn't touring, but he IS going to be playing at the Wynn. In Las Vegas. That first round of sold-out tickets? Yup, we got 'em. They are supposed to be acoustic shows, so it probably won't have the same energy as his old shows, but I'll take it. For now.

Slow Down, Baby!

Evelyn's daycare is closed the week between Christmas and New Year's, and neither Matt nor I can take that week off to take care of her. So, his Mom is going to babysit for us. And she is THRILLED! She was telling Matt how she wants to get her a crib and a carseat and a playpen and a bouncer or swing and toys and and and...

I told him she needs to slow down! We can supply her with our Pack n' Play and swing and rocker and get an extra base for Evie's carseat. And I told him to remind her that she is babysitting AFTER Christmas, so if she wants to get Evie toys she should make them Christmas presents, not an entire set of after-Christmas presents. Then I tried to think of where she's be developmentally by the time Christmas rolls around, and my heart broke a little.

By Christmas, my little baby should have better vision, and like things in color rather than just black and white. She'll like to explore textures. She should be able to grasp her toys. (And necklaces and hair and anything else that will fit in her hand.) She'll be able to bring things to her mouth, and will be exploring her world by tasting everything. She'll be able to sit up, and likely to roll over, and she'll be able to play independently for brief periods. It'll be a sorrow and a relief to not have to entertain her all the time. Or not to have to work so hard to elicit a few beautiful toothles smiles!

She's already grown out of her newborn clothes, is growing out of her 0-3 month clothes, and will be growing out of her 3-6 month clothes. My camera can hardly keep up. I'm afraid I'm going to miss something, especially now that she's headed to daycare. She's changing so fast! Slow down, baby!

Oh, What a Night

We had a test run of what our evenings will be like when I go back to work, and it's not pretty. Right now, I get home at 7 pm. Granted, daycare closes at 6 pm so I'm going to have to either convince my employer to let me move my day back an hour, or figure out a secondary transportation/daycare option. If the former works out, I'll have an extra hour in my evenings, which would be FANTASTIC but still not ideal. Nonetheless, starting at 7 pm, my evening went something like this:

• 7 pm - Matt gets home. I have Evelyn while he gets the trash together, etc.
• 7:30 - Start dinner while Matt takes Evelyn
• 8:30 - Finish cooking, but put it aside so Matt can bathe Evelyn while I pump
• 9:30 - Matt feeds Evelyn while I pack his lunch, and wash dishes and bottles
• 10 pm - Evelyn is fed, changed, and put to bed. We finally eat a cold dinner.
• 10:30 - Wash dinner dishes. Whine about hands looking like a crone's. Matt gets in the shower while I blog.

It's our goal to be in bed by 10:30 so we can get at least seven hours of sleep, including waking to feed Evelyn around 3 or 4 am. It's doable, but it looks like we won't be seeing much of our baby when we get home from work, considering all that needs to be done in the three-and-a-half hours we'll have between walking in the door and falling in the bed. NOT a good feeling.

Things I've Learned in the Past Two Months

I love lists, so here's one about things I've learned to make our lives smoother... and things I've learned to just let go!

• The Velcro swaddler is a gift from God.
• Keeping a wet washcloth on baby's tummy keeps her warm and happy during baths.
• Have multiples of everything fabric: bed sheets, playpen sheets, Boppy covers. Otherwise, baby is bound to barf, pee, poop, or do a combo on your only clean one. Plus, you won't have to do unexpected loads of laundry. I only do Evelyn's laundry once a week.
• Don't bother with clothes that are "newborn" size, because baby will grow out of them quickly. Start with 0-3 month clothes instead.
• Keep the tags and receipts for clothing you receive as gifts, and return them if needed. Evelyn received so many outfits, there were a few she never got to wear. (See above.)
• If you want to use a pacifier but your baby doesn't take to it, it's probably just the shape. Try a different brand. (Better yet, register for newborn sizes in a few different brands.)
• Keep binkies on every floor of your house, and keep them in the same spot when not in use. The moment you REALLY need one, you don't want to be searching all over!
• Get baby socks with longer cuffs. The cute bitty ones never stay on.
• Footed sleepers with little bear feet or other cute patterned features means more seams on the inside, rubbing little feet. Putting socks on underneath help. (And see above.)
• Evelyn is indifferent to mobiles, but loves to look at faces. The mirror strapped to the side of her crib keeps her well entertained.
• Get your man a really cool diaper bag and you'll never have to lug one anound yourself.
• A jumbo box of wipes will last months. A jumbo box of diapers will last a week. (So don't bother buying anything BUT the jumbo box of diapers.)
• Diaper "blow-outs" happen. The first time, it's the most disgusting thing ever. Then, you find you don't even think anything of scraping poop out of onsies.
• Buying darker clothes hides a multitude of stains. (See above.)
• Clothes that are stained beyond salvage are fine for sleepwear, especially if the staining activity tends to happen around the same time every day... at least you know what you're in for.
• Take all the time you want with your baby. Let her sleep on you the entire duration between feedings. Ignore the laundry in favor of admiring her tiny eyelashes and toenails. Spend an entire day barely moving from the spot where you feed her and hold her and feed her again. Soak it up. It goes by faster than you think. And you finally begin to understand--truly understand--all the people who told you that you don't get this time back.

Among the Reasons I Love Our Pediatrician

At Evie's two-month checkup, her doctor asked whether she was smiling in response to our smiles. I told him not always, and he reassured us that it's really more of a three-month skill, and to keep in mind she was about three weeks early, and we should give her that extra time when thinking of her milestones.

Matt told him that she smiles at him most often, but because she usually poops when he's holding her.

Dr. K looked at Evie and said, "Don't worry, sweetie. I smile after I poop, too."

The Bee's Knees

Matt was home from work today due to some confusion at work, so I had him watch Evelyn while I had lunch with D at the French Press Cafe. While I was there, Matt called to tell me that the house was being invaded by bees. Apparently, the underground nest that I'd been so blase about all summer had expanded to include my basement and kitchen. Lovely. We seem to have delt with it with some foam insulation and wasp spray. (We both feel terrible about killing bees while honey bee depopulation syndrome/colony collapse disorder is still an issue. But we killed two dozen bees inside the house, and that's a little much, don't you think?)

Meanwhile, Evelyn is still the bee's knees. Though this afternoon, her day went something like:

Walked around the neighborhood with Mommy in the Baby Bjorn. Was happy. Fell asleep.
Was put in the playpen for a nap. Fussed.
Was put on the play mat. Fussed.
Was put in the swing. Fussed.
Was picked up by Mommy. Happy again!

I have two and a half weeks before I go back to work. I wonder how many of those waking hours will be spent holding my little spoiled one. And I wonder how she is going to adjust to The Young School, where she's going to be "free to explore [her] environment" and "viewed as [an] initiator and self-learner" with teachers "trained to be sensitive observers." Meaning no one will be holding her all day. (I don't love this philosophy when applied to infants, so we'll be taking her to a more interactive daycare ASAP. Stay tuned.)

Off to get some Zs... hopefully, without any bees!

Cutest. Baby. EVER!

I do a lot of singing to Evelyn, mostly made-up songs that describe what I'm doing. Like the Bath Song, where I sing about getting all her little bits and folds and creases washed and rinsed and dried. Or "Everybody Loves Evelyn Vianne" where I sing out all the names of the people who love her or have at least admired her.

Mommy loves you and Daddy loves you and everybody loves Evelyn Vianne! Grandma loves you and Uncle Bob loves you and everybody loves Evelyn Vianne!

Since we've been making an effort to get out of the house more often, I may have to add shopkeepers, random shoppers, and even paramedics. We stopped in Einstein Bagels (darn good coffee!) for my yearly pumpkin bagel a few days ago. One of the employees was having chest pains, and the paramedics were called. When they had the woman strapped to the gurney and was wheeling her out, one of the rescuers stopped to admire our baby. Matt and I got a kick out of that. She IS a beautiful little thing. Even if she does look just like her daddy. :p

Little Lion

Evelyn doesn't do much crying (thank goodness) and before she does cry, she has the courtesy to give us a little warning noise. Matt thinks it sounds like the roar of a baby lion. I'm debating which is cuter: her sneezes or her roar.

Here's the roar, though this time, she wasn't cranky. Maybe she was just allowing mommy and daddy to get the footage she knows we wanted.

The Lost Symbol

Believe it or not, I've had the chance to read in between feeding, diapering, rocking, and trying to get some sleep. Months ago, I put a hold for The Lost Symbol at my local library; I got it a few days after it was released.

I find all of Dan Brown's books hard to put down, so I was bound to like this one (though I still like Angels & Demons best). Admittedly, his writing is formulaic, but it's quite the complicated formula, with lots of interesting factoids and curious historic tidbits. So what if the "twist" was predictable, and the doctrine after the climax was superfluous.

I have to admit, some of the things Dan Brown writes about gets me wondering. This time, his provoking idea is that being created in God's image refers to the mind rather than the body; that all men are thus gods; and that if we all put our thoughts towards the same goal, the resulting mental force could create change in the physical world. (I imagine the Institute of Noetic Sciences is getting a lot more web traffic lately.) Think mind over matter really works? I'll meditate over the changing table and let you know!

More Cute Sneezing

Seriously, if I didn't feel so bad for her having a bit of the sniffles, I could listen to her sneeze all day. So. Freaking. Cute.

Though her congestion only lasted one day, thank goodness.

Bless You!

Evelyn was showing signs of her first cold on Friday. She sounded congested and had yucky sneezes. Matt had a cold all week, so it's no mystery where that came from. (He felt terrible about it!) And true to her personality, she remained a content, sweet baby. In fact, Friday was also the day she gave us her first real smiles. It broke my heart, that sniffly baby rewarding us for getting her sick with a big, beautiful smile.

And she has the CUTEST SNEEZE EVER. I haven't been able to capture a good one, but check out the video. She gasps a few times, sneezes, then gives a happy sigh. Love her so much!

I Swear, It Wasn't for the Presents

At some obscene hour last Saturday morning, I was rocking the baby and singing "Happy Birthday" for the fifth time. She made a beautiful (if wide-awake) five-week-old. And I needed the sleep because we were having guests over to meet her that day.

Our little open house was from 2pm to 5pm, and we had quite the turnout. And quite the spread! I put out a spread of wine, beer, sodas, bread, crackers, pita chips, five gourmet cheeses (plus cheddar, Bob's favorite), pepperoni, salami, ham, smoked salmon, thinly sliced apples and pears, celery, green peppers, baby carrots, quartered radishes, chutney, hummus, mustard, deviled eggs, spinach balls, olives, M&Ms, cheesecake... I could barely fit it all on the table!

Visitors included Matt's mother and aunt; Bob; Viki and Julia; Court and VJ; Ed and Jen; Carlos; Mark; Doug, Tess, and Emma; Brian, Lucy, their three kids and a toddler Lucy babysits; Tom and Lin...I feel like I'm forgetting someone! While it was supposed to be an open house, most people stayed the entire time. I felt it was a success; very encouraging for hosting my first party. Plus, I got to see people I've missed for quite some time: Carlos and I were cheated out of one more pre-baby movie, Mark and I missed out on one more lunch, and I hadn't seen Ed and Jen or Viki and Julia in nearly a year!

And of course, there were presents. Viki and Julia gave us hangers, a first Christmas ornament, and a calender to record events in Evelyn's first year. Mark gave us a custom-made PBJT onsie. (I'll post a picture soon; let's see who "gets it"); the Rays gave us a stroller accessory kit; the Sporrers gave us a gift certificate to Target; Tom and Lin gave Evelyn a pink sweatsuit with bunny ears on the hoodie. And I still haven't gotten out the thank you cards for the hand-knit sweater Christie sent, the bunny and bookends from Mary Robin and Gary, the books from Cameron and Peter, or the outfit from Aunt Pat. And two of our guests mentioned having gifts that are in transit! I know it sounds hokey, but I really am touched by the outpouring of love and generosity we've experienced since Evelyn was born. She's a special baby, and I appreciate all of my very special friends.

On the Other Hand

We took Evelyn to my office yesterday afternoon. She mostly slept through being passed around, loved, kissed, and admired. On the other hand, I wanted to know about workload, RFPs that we've received, proposals we've won or lost. It was reminiscent of how I'd had Matt bring me the laptop to the hospital, so I could check my email and send instructions to my coworkers. And I was more or less "recovered" from labor and birth by the time I'd left the hospital, so by day three I was ready to go back to work. I don't like hanging around the house, can't stand having the TV on all day, and hate feeling like I'm not accomplishing anything.

At the office, my direct boss asked when I was planning to return. With a long sigh, I told her our daycare coverage didn't start until November 1st. "Well, you can take up to twelve weeks with FMLA," she said. "And remember, you don't get this time back."

Back home, her words really hit me. On one hand, I want to get out of the house every day, be productive, accomplish things. But on the other hand, Evelyn will grow so fast during her first year. She'll soon be sitting up, pointing to things she wants, crawling...and walking away from me. So last night, Matt and I watched a movie and I soaked in the joy of having my baby daughter sleeping on my chest. I admired her little eyelashes, rosy lips, smooth round cheeks, tiny little fingernails. I stroked her wispy dark hair, rubbed her small back, and kissed her forehead over and over again.

What I realized is: the part of me I wanted to hold on to will always be there, but what I have in the other hand--the part of me experiencing brand-new motherhood--is fleeting. And I need to hold on to it while I can.

The Five (Sanity-Saving) S's

Even though I read a ridiculous number of pregnancy, birth, and parenting magazines in the past nine months, there was a list of books I had intended to check out in the last few weeks of my pregnancy. But of course, I didn't HAVE a last few weeks of pregnancy. One of the books I missed out on was The Happiest Baby on the Block by Dr. Harvey Karp. Legions of moms swear by this guy's methods for soothing fussy babies. His whole thing is that babies need a "fourth trimester" of three or four months that recreates the sensations of the womb. His five S's are:

• Sucking
• Swinging
• Shushing
• Side positioning
• Swaddling

The sucking thing is self-explanatory. Evelyn doesn't use a binky often, but if she's rooting around, I like to offer it to her before feeding her so I know whether she's actually hungry or just wants to suck on something.

Swinging seems to be something all babies love. Really, who doesn't like being swung, swayed, rocked, or whatever?

Sushing replicates the white noise of the womb. We have a Sleep Sheep attached to the outside of Evelyn's crib, and turn it on if she's still semi-awake when we put her down. Also, if she gets fussy when we are changing her diaper, we lean down and make a "shhhhhhhhhhhh" in her ear; this calms her down and sometimes even makes her stop crying altogether.

Side positioning is something to do while the baby is awake. Babies should always sleep on their backs! We don't really do this one too much.

Swaddling. This is my favorite. THANK HEAVEN FOR SWADDLING! Matt's cousin told me the one thing I needed was a velcro swaddler, and she was absolutely right! The first night home, Evelyn kept had a hard time going to sleep, and would wake herself up with her little flailing arms and legs. The second night, we used a swaddler and what a difference! We use it every night now. In fact, one of my coworkers gave us a Babies R Us gift certificate and we rushed right out and got a few more. This is going to be my go-to gift for all new moms. Love it!

Serious Stack of Magazines

One of the things I've done in the past three weeks is go through the insane stack of parenting magazines I had acquired over the past year. I had multiple issues from seven titles:

• American Baby


• babytalk


• Cookie


• Disney Family Fun


• Mom & Baby


• Parenting


• Parents

After placing an ad for an old client, I found out that you can't buy American Baby at the newsstand. But after having Evelyn, I found out that you CAN get a free subscription to it. It has a good mix of fluff and content, and is short enough for me to read in an afternoon (or one long sitting).


babytalk is similar to American Baby, but a bit shorter. I seem to have picked up a free subscription to this one, too. I'd be perfectly happy with one or the other, but don't feel like I need both.


Cookie is the most upscale of the bunch. It has ads from Ralph Lauren and J. Crew's kids lines, celeb moms' styles, $114 rompers, and ideas for fancy themed birthday parties. Of course, this is the only one for which I was willing to pay for a subscription.


Disney Family Fun is what the title suggests: a magazine full of family activities, getaways, meals, etc. I've gotten a few in the mail from heaven knows where. I think you just end up on a lot of mailing lists. But this is better for those with kids at least in preschool, so I'll likely look into this one after a few years.


Mom & Baby is a fun fluffy one from the publisher of FitPregnancy. I enjoy getting this one on the newsstand to see all the cute baby clothes, accessories, and toys; and for the celeb articles.


Parenting is another one similar to American Baby and babytalk. Really, I haven't noticed any differentiators between these titles. I could get one or none and feel like I'm getting the same content. Though if I had to rank them, I might say babytalk is the best, followed by American Baby then Parenting.


Parents is owned by the same publisher as American Baby. It's the biggest of the ones I've been reading, and has the most real content. It's the only one I probably couldn't read cover to cover in a day. At least not with a baby latched to me every other hour! But it seems like mandatory reading, so I got the free subscription with (you guessed it) American Baby.

Anniversary Song/Bad Mommy

I have the Anniversary Song stuck in my head; today is Matt's and my 6th.

My mom came up yesterday afternoon to watch Evelyn, and she sent Matt and me to dinner. It felt lovely to get dressed nice, put on some make up and heels, and spend as long as we want out of the house. Matt got us reservations at Woodberry Kitchen. We had a seat in the loft, which was great for people-watching. And the people-watching was worthwhile: Cal Ripken, Jr. and his family were having dinner downstairs. The meal was great. I had melon gazpacho, scallops, and carrot cake for dessert. Matt had corn on the cob, shortribs, and flourless chocolate cake. The corn on the cob was RIDICULOUS. I dubbed it "sex corn." It was roasted in the husk and covered in a quarter inch of butter and feta. Matt gave me a bite and I didn't want to give it back to him. We also split a bottle of Cava.

Therein lies the "bad mommy" part.

For one, I had no reservations about leaving my baby for the first time. She was in my mother's capable hands, so I didn't see the point of worrying. And, we didn't spend the entire time talking about her. We mainly flirted with one another and chatted about what we wanted to do when we grow up. We didn't call to check up, and we didn't rush back as quickly as we could. I didn't even snatch the baby out of my mom's arms the second I walked in the door. (Though I did admire her and give her kisses.)

After months of reading parenting magazines, some of which included articles about how to get over the guilt of going out without your baby, I wondered later whether I'm normal. In the end, I decided I'm not a bad mommy at all; apparently, I can be Mommy and a wife, too. So far.

Matt Discovers Poopy Diapers

The picture says it all. And I love the casual look on Evelyn's face!

(To Matt's credit, he has yet to complain about changing diapers... regardless of what's in them.)

Spoiled by Day Two

It was such a wonderful coincidence that I had Evelyn when my mom was visiting. Having her support added to Matt's was a big part of why things went so smoothly. And she is obviously in love with her new grandbaby. She stayed with us for a week after I had Evelyn, and I barely had to lift a finger to take care of her!


On the other hand, it was a bad coincidence that Bob was in Myrtle Beach when I was having Evelyn. Mom couldn't decide whether to call him or not, because we knew what he would do: pack his bags in the middle of the night and head to Baltimore. He's been anxiously awaiting the birth of his little niece. I've had to send him reports on her development every week, and he's been reminding me not to cross my legs (probably why my ankles didn't swell until the last week!). He and his girlfriend got to the hospital Saturday afternoon and (though he was nervous at first) he was all about holding "his" new baby.

Matt's mother also visited Saturday afternoon. Good thing Evelyn is a patient little baby; she was getting passed like a football in the playoffs!

I had Evelyn Saturday morning and was moved into a postpartum room Sunday afternoon. That was fortunate for me, since the postpartum rooms are half the size of the labor/delivery rooms. It made having visitors a bit cramped. Nonetheless, I had visitors, inluding Matt's mom and his Aunt Gloria.

By then, Mommy's little monster was so used to being held all the time, she started to get fussy when we put her in her bassinet. Thank goodness Daddy brought Evelyn's Boppy to the hospital. Besides getting us used to feedings, it became a comfy place to put her during naptimes. Now, we use a velcro swaddler when she's sleeping, to keep her in womb-like comfort. But she still prefers naps on Mom or Dad!

A Star Is Born

Friday, August 14 was pretty much like any other summer Friday at work. I was supposed to get off at 3:30, but was still plugging away at 4pm, working on someone else's project. I had, however, had a bit of discomfort that day. But I was 37 weeks pregnant and that was the first day I felt big and uncomfortable, so I couldn't really complain. Except that I was late going to get my mom. I had invited her over for a girls' weekend before the baby was born. We were going to go see The Time Traveler's Wife, get pedicures, wash a final load of baby laundry, pack my hospital bag, and do other miscellaneous girl-stuff. It was late when I finally got to mom's, and I was having twinges in my stomach on the way back to my house. I figured it was my first bout of Braxton-Hicks and jokingly told her that I hope she knew how to drive a stick shift in case my water broke.

Matt had made kebabs for dinner. We were still at the table (and I was having some ice cream) when I got up to go to the bathroom. No sooner had I sat down when I felt a rush of liquid pour out. I let out a little laugh, finished, washed up, walked back into the dining room, and announced, "Okay, let's go pack my suitcase."

They both looked at me like I had lost my mind.

"Let's go pack my suitcase," I repeated, nice and calm. "I think my water just broke."

They still just sort of stared at me. I had to confirm that yes, my water had broke. And my pants were getting soaked. So we needed to pack. my. suitcase. And that started the madcap rushing about the house. (Fortunately, I had a list and Matt had gotten my suitcase out of the attic that afternoon.)

We got to the hospital around 10:30. I checked in up front and got settled in the triage room. We had the nicest nurse, Heather, and a great midwife. My exam showed that I was already 5 cm dilated but that the baby wasn't far enough down the birth canal, so I'd have to stay on my back until she was, to prevent cord prolapse. I was hooked up to two external monitors: one to monitor my contractions and the other to monitor the baby. Heather would ask how my contractions were. I'd tell her I wasn't having any. She'd point at the spike in the printout and tell me I was indeed having contractions.

Just before midnight, I was moved to a birthing suite. We hung out for about an hour, and since I was feeling little discomfort (and the nurses said I'd probably give birth between 7am and lunchtime), Matt went home to feed Angel, turn off the lights we left on, get his own bag, and to get some of the classical CDs I had requested. My doctor was on vacation, and the doctor on call had figured she could stay home for a few more hours.

By the time he got back, I was finally having "real" contractions. Continuous contractions, one on top of another. All I wanted to do was get up and move around, but since Evelyn wasn't low enough in the birth canal, I was stuck on my back which is pretty much the worst position a laboring mother can be in. Matt wanted to know how long I could go before an epidural was out of the question. My mom asked that I be examined again. My nurse, Darlene checked. Then she called in another nurse, to double-check. Then they called the doctor on call to tell her she needed to get there asap. Then they called the chief resident, because they figured the doctor may not make it.

And I decided about then that I had to push. Darlene and the chief resident tried to encourage me to breathe through it. I asked if it was because I wasn't ready, or because the doctor wasn't there yet. The look on their faces told me it was the latter. So I went ahead and bore down a little with the contractions. Within a few minutes the doctor arrived, scrubbed and ready, and told me I could push with the contractions.

Matt described what happened then (and much like my shockingly easy pregnancy, don't expect your labor to go this well):

At the next contraction, I started to push. Evelyn's head crowned. Mom tells me I became very religious at that point.

At the second contraction, I pushed again, delivering her head and shoulders. I vaguely remember screaming, "GET HER OUT!"

At the third contraction, they did indeed get her out, and flopped her on my stomach. Seriously, that was it. Three pushes. And Evelyn looked up at me as if to say, "PUT ME BACK IN!"

I remember feeling confused. Why is there a baby on my stomach? Why does she look like she knows me? Did I really just make that little person?? And before I could figure it all out, Matt had cut the cord and they took her away to take her vitals and put her in a warming tray.

It was odd to be in bed, delivering the placenta, getting my stomach pressed, getting stitched up, and all the while, watching people attend to my baby. My baby! She had lots of dark hair, dark eyes, and little rosebud lips. She was crying in her warmer, and they wheeled her over to me...I talked to her and she quieted right down. Just like magic.

Went to My Cousin's Baby Shower...GOT MORE PRESENTS

Yup, that's right. My cousin brought me presents to her own baby shower. Evelyn got a polka-dot gown/hat/bootie set, a beautiful white floral footed sleeper, a pink-polka dot romper with a coordinating t-shirt, a whipe-clean bib, a super-soft teddy bear that plays a lullabye, a set of three spoons (young infant, infant, and toddler sized), a set of three feeding bowls with lids and a suction cup that will (hopefully!) prevent her from knocking it off of her tray, some baby hangers, and eco-friendly table toppers (so if we go to a restaurant, I don't have to worry whether the table is sanitary). Quite the haul!

Sabrina's shower went off well, and we were two of three pregnant ladies there. Matt thinks it must have been a very boring November. The drive down there wasn't too bad (two hours; I stopped about an hour in to walk and go to the bathroom), and I was surprised that I didn't have my usual mini panic attack upon entering St. Mary's County, and that it had been so long since I've been down there that I had no idea how to navigate. I passed my middle school almost without realizing it, and passed the intersection where my father and I were involved in a serious car crash without realizing it was now a four-way stop. (As a result of our accident? I wonder!)

The party was fun. There were a few games (damn it, I didn't win!) including guess the chocolate candy smashed in the diaper. Which was DISGUSTING! Sabrina looked great, and got a lot of very cute boy stuff. Hopefully, I'll get a copy of the picture of us standing together with our matching big bellies!!

Heading Home with Your Newborn

I realize that I'm one of those incredibly Type-A structure-loving people. But when I read this I felt--especially given the title--that the content was good, but the order was off. I expected Chapter 1 to be about putting a tiny squirmy baby into a carseat, Chapter 2 to be about what the hell you do when you walk through the front door, Chapter 3 to be about changing that first tiny diaper all by yourself, Chapter 4 to be about laying her down to sleep for the very first time, etc. But it wasn't like that at all.

The first chapter was about breastfeeding, which is probably the most important chapter anyway (for those who are doing that, at least!). And there is some really good information to be had.

Having at this point read more baby books than I care to admit, I can say that the section on finding a pediatrician was most helpful. It gave you not only the questions to ask, but why it's important. And a reminder that physicians are people, so there's no such thing as the "perfect" one. Some of the questions included:

• Do you have hospital privileges at the place where we plan to deliver?
• Where do you admit infants and children in the event that they require hospitalization?
• What are your office hours and location(s)?
• How does your office handle scheduling appointments, answering patient phone calls, and after-hour emergencies?
• How difficult is it to get an appointment for a sick visit? For a routine checkup?
• Will other physicians in the practice see my baby?
• What is your philosophy about (insert whatever is important to you: breastfeeding, vaccinations, antibiotics, sleep problems, colic, etc.)?

Then, the chapters on fever and jaundice were helpful.

Bottom line: if you aren't reading a dozen other books (not to mention all the magazines, but we won't get into that), this is a good one. If you are, read the parts or chapters that pertain to you or aren't included in other books.

Seriously, MORE presents??

Yup, that spoiled baby got more presents! Courtney and I went to B&N on Thursday, and when I came back, Brenda said one of the bosses wanted to see me about a proposal. I wandered in his office and he suggested we meet in a conference room, so I followed him...right into a surprise baby shower!

My coworkers had taken up a collection and gotten cake, ice cream, and a basket full of presents. Evelyn got socks, scratch mitts, a bathrobe, a wipe-off bib, rattles that attach to a carseat, lavender baby lotion (lavender is one of my favorite scents), and her very first teddy bear. Mommy got some all-natural cleaner (someone knows Mommy!), a book on spoiling mommy and baby, a gift certificate to Babies R Us, and a gift certificate to Starbucks.

It was a great surprise! I really wasn't expecting work to throw me a baby shower. Lots of love and thanks to those of you who helped plan. (You know who you are!!!)

A warning...

...a friend mentioned that you may not want to keep the crib down to as few layers as possible, even with the fitted mattress pads and sheets, because of the risk of SIDS. Just wanted to put that out there!

Yet More Presents...and the Nursery Is DONE!

Matt's Aunt and cousins (one of which is due with her second baby shortly after I'm due) couldn't make the baby shower, but were nice enough to send gifts. LOTS of gifts! We got something from them almost every day last week. They sent a mattress pad and cloth diapers (much better than burb cloths), a rocker frame for the baby carrier, a Rainforest Gym, and a Rainforest Jumperoo. Spoiled baby!!

We are pretty much ready for her. This past weekend, I did all the baby laundry. FOUR LOADS. But everything has been de-tagged, washed, folded, assorted by size and color, and put away in her little drawers. We made her little crib twice: a mattress pad, a sheet, then another mattress pad and another sheet. I'm hoping the first time she wets herself right through to the mattress pad, we can just take off the top two layers and not have to worry about making the bed in the middle of the night.

We also hung the curtain rod, and a shelf above her dresser/changing table combo. Seriously, the only thing I have to do is install the carseats, have them inspected, pack the hospital bag, and make a decision on a pediatrician. Yet I have to wait another month!!

Sunday, we took back the few things we received doubles of (Babies R Us' registry kinda sucks) and got a few things for our pregnant cousins, and got my Maclaren stroller (we plan to keep the big Graco stroller in Matt's car), an extra carseat base, a turtle that measures the baby's bath temperature, and two swaddlers (Katie tells me that these are must-haves).

There a few things left on our registry, but nothing we need right away, and I'm hoping some new grandmas will use that for Christmas gift ideas...

We're ready for you, little baby girl!!!

The Uniform Project

I just came across the coolest blog. The Uniform Project is the brainchild of Sheena Matheiken, who has pledged to wear one of seven identical dresses every day for a year, starting May 2009. Every day she reinvents the dress with vintage, hand-made, or hand-me-down accessories. She calls it an exercise in sustainable fashion. I call it genius! I should totally do this after giving birth. To hell with fitting into my old clothes!

Matheiken is using this intiative as a fundraiser for the Akanksha Foundation, a grassroots project working to fund uniforms and educational expenses for children living in Indian slums.

Check it out!

Well, we needed showers...

...and we got both kinds on both Saturday AND Sunday.

Matt’s mother lured us to Enotria under the guise of going to dinner with her and Matt’s Grandma Ryan. Let me caveat this by saying it’s been about 28 years since there’s been a baby in their family, so this is quite the event for everyone.

Matt’s mom, Gloria, Courtney and Janene went all out with floral centerpieces, home-made chocolates in baby shapes, footprint cookies, three cakes in the shape of baby blocks, games, and prizes. We had dinner, then got down to some serious present opening.

Aunt Lorraine (Grandfather’s sister) got us a Boppy pillow, a white sleeper with pink polka-dots, a lady bug sleeper, a pack of five organic washcloths, extra nipples, extra bottle caps, and spoons ergonomically designed to help kids learn to feed themselves.

Charlene (Aunt Lorraine’s daughter) got us the Fisher Price newborn to toddler portable rocker, three burp cloths, and a baby farm animals book.

Marie (also Aunt Lorraine’s daughter) got us a beach-themed onsie, a bunny sleeper with matching bib, a four-piece Precious Moments sleeper, pants, onsie and bib set, a set of three headbands, a set of hangers, and a collapsible laundry bag. And, in case Evelyn isn’t going to be spoiled enough, she got her a set of silver flatware. Yup, my baby has a silver spoon (and fork and knife, by Sean O’Hara)!

Aunt Jeanette (Grandmother’s cousin) bought us a polka-dotted sleeper, a three pack of onsies, and a pair of khaki pants.

Aunt Sandy (another of Grandmother’s cousins) and her daughter Francie got us a Rainforest gym, a set of three burb cloths, and a set with two shirts (a duck and safari animals) and a matching pair of duck-footie pants. Aunt Sandy spent a good part of the time Matt and I were opening gifts repeating the refrain, “That’s going to be one well-dressed baby.”

Aunt Pat (my favorite friend-of-the-family) got us a Diaper Genie and some refills.

Mari (mom’s next-door neighbor) got us two pink floral onsies, a kimono top, a pair of pink pants, If You Give a Moose a Muffin, and a bear bank.

Ruth (mom’s old neighbor) got us two thermal receiving blankets and a plush pink blanket.

Aunt Phyllis (Grandma Ryan’s niece) got us two crib pads, two extra fitted sheets, two pink panda shirts and matching footie pants, and a set of five body suits,

Janene crocheted a blanket, a washcloth and a Ravens-purple hat, and gave us a purple Ravens onsie, a pink Ravens onsie with matching booties and bib.

Courtney and her mother-in-law got us extra crib sheets and the matching curtain.

Aunt Gloria bought us a flannel sleep sack, a polka-dotted bunny sleeper, a pink polka-dotted sleep sack, a striped lamb sleep sack, a lady bug sleeper with a matching bib (we’re hoping it fits around Halloween!) and our glider. She also got us a nursery cross. And, she had the foresight to have the guests write their addresses on thank you card envelopes, and gave us the envelopes and cards.

Matt’s mother and Grandma Ryan got us the stroller and car seat set.

Then it was time to open the gifts from Matt’s mother who, much like my own mother, went completely overboard. She got us a Baby Bjorn, a white sleeper with flowers, a rubber duckie sleep sack, a giraffe and elephant sleep sack, a two-pack of sleep gowns, two seashell onsies, two bubble rompers, a blue sweater.

She got us two watherproof pads, a pack of five flannel receiving blankets, a 12-pack of cloth diapers, two sets of fitted sheets for the Pack ‘n Play, and the organic Boppy slipcover,

She got a food mill, our Born Free bottle starter kit, and a Mommy Hook, which is a huge D-ring that you are supposed to use to hang your bags from shopping carts and strollers and such.

She also got Evelyn’s take-me-home set from Serena and Lily, with the gown, blanket, and hat in 100% organic cotton. I have been coveting that set for a while; we even based Evie’s room off of one of their designs.

At Least My Baby Won't Go Naked...

Mom invited me to a pool party at Aunt Shirley's yesterday, so I lowered myself into the tub and conducted the aerobic activity that is manuvering around my stomach to shave my legs. Then I went through all of my tankinis to find something that looked like it might fit, whined to Matt about getting in the pool with me, grabbed our beach towels, and headed down the road.

When we finally got to Shirley's, it was a surprise baby shower! And how such few people managed to accumulate so much baby stuff (especially considering we are rarely at a loss for babies), I'll never know. But I'm very grateful!

Bob insisted his present should be first, and he got us a dual-sided picture frame where one side can be ingraved with the baby's name, date and time of birth, weight, and length. He also got her two Baby Gap onsies, cute little pants with trees all over them, and three pairs of socks.

Next was a crazy amount of goodies from my cousin Jamie. She got Evie three pairs of cotton newborn caps, two five-packs of onsies, two pairs of pants, six pairs of baby socks, a super-cute polka-dotted sleeper, a pack of three bottles, two extra nipples, two pacifiers, and a dishwasher basket that came with a soft-tip spoon. ("I don't get to buy for babies much; I guess I got a little excited," she said. I think so!)

Aunt Shirley (proud owner of a swing machine that hooks to a computer) made a bib that reads, "I Love My Uncle Bob" and gave us the Baby Bjorn that Matt deemed manly enough to be seen sporting his child in.

Megan got us the Munchkin Diaper Duty Organizer, complete with baby lotion, baby oil gel, diaper rash ointment, Q-tips, wipes, diapers, and a half-dozen washcloths.

Lisa made us a three-tier "diaper cake" with diapers, baby bottles, baby wash, baby lotion, onsies, bibs, socks, pacifiers, a bottle brush, a teether, a rattle, a stuffed bunny with teether hands and feet. The only bad thing about it is that we won't ever want to disassemble it! It was the talk of the shower.

Lisa had also made baby sock "corsages" for me and mom. Again, one of those things that seemed too cute to dismantle!

Anne got us a five pack of white onsies (I'm thinking about decorating them!); safety swabs, Johnson's baby wash, lotion and powder; Baby Orajel; Boudreaux's Butt Paste; a 50-pack of outlet protectors; and a first baby doll.

Aunt Carol got us the Germ Guardian Nursery Sanitizer, and two little rattles as part of the packaging. (Every time we hit a bump on the way home, they would rattle and Matt would break out into a face-splitting grin.)

Grandma got us the Pack 'n Play, and commented that we needed to just take it to Mom's and be done with it. (We're thinking of getting her one, anyway.)

Frighteningly enough, the pile of gifts that were left were all from my mother. She got us the Diaper Genie, the crib bedding, a carseat, a Mom + Dad = Me picture frame, and a pack of diapers. Four sleep gowns; two sleepers; a coverall, sock, bib, hat, and blanket set; another a coverall, sock, bib, and hat set; a onsie-pant-and hoodie set; an "Off to Grandma's" onsie and pant set; a onsie that read "I've Got Daddy Wrapped Around My Finger," and a t-shirt and overall set. She also knit a green sweater with little kitten buttons, and made a pink-and-white sweater, hat and bootie set. At least my baby won't go naked!

She also passed along Bob's My First Bible. Shirley asked Bob, "What if you want to pass that along to your own children one day?" but Bob was perfectly happy passing it along to THIS baby. (And we can always gift it to Uncle Bob if he becomes a daddy one day.)

After all the unwrapping, it was time for cake! They had gotten it from Shirley's favorite bakery, and it was chocolate with raspberry filling and read, "The big day is drawing near...Baby Evelyn is almost here!"

Another Good Reason to Move to Paris

Paris' most famous department store has apparently opened the world's largest dedicated shoe space. We stayed about a mile from Galeries Lafayette but didn't go. However, now that they have turned their basement into a 34,500-square-foot shoe extravaganza, I don't think I'll be skipping it next time I'm in town.

WWD reports that French women buy an average of six pairs of shoes a year. I can rise to that challenge!

Things I Love in July

Cherry tomatoes from my backyard
Cuties
Matt's peppermint-patty brownies (thank heaven they are gone!)
Sea of Shoes blogger Jane Aldridge and her mom in August's Vogue
Noisettes
Tiffany Notes pendant
Kung-fu baby kicks
Old friends
The pink apron Matt got me from William-Sonoma, with "Mommy" embroidered on it
The promo poster for The Time Traveler's Wife
Black-and-white toddler dresses at BabyGap
And two things I saw but didn't purchase at a recent trip to Anthropologie:

Windflower Necklace

The Fallen Ruffle Wrap

Ugly Americans?

Heart disease. Diabetes. And the latest medical condition on the rise due to Americans' unhealthy eating habits? Gout. The Disease of Kings (called so back when only aristocrats could afford to get so bloated with fatty foods and alcohol) is hitting as many as six million members of America's overweight middle class. Obesity is holding steady or growing in each and every state of the union. Seriously people, it's becoming an epidemic. Put down the soft drinks!

Read more in the NY Times.

The Nursery

Stine has been very patiently waiting for pictures... any pictures!... that have to do with the baby. So finally, here are some pictures of the nursery.

This is what you see when you first walk in:

dresser with changing top, and bookshelf on the left;

and the crib on the right.

I got the closet doorknob from Anthropologie,

the alphabet birds poster from Bold & Noble (in the UK!)

and the lightswitch plate from a crafter in Canada.

Since the room is such a bright, peachy pink,we are toning it down with white furniture and blue textiles. And while there are several sheep in the room (the one on the window was sent from Spain from Matt's brother, and the one in the crib makes womb noises), I'd like to bring in more of a bird theme. That's part of the reason why there isn't anything else on the walls...I haven't found the just-right bird things...yet.

Baby Cucumbers!

Since Matt's been home, I've put him in charge of a few daily chores, like watering the garden and making dinner (which is at least planned out in advance). This morning, he sent me a text message reading: Great big cucumber... I love you. Uh, PICTURES!

So he sent me two:

This is the fruit of my one teeny-tiny sunny patch of backyard. I'm not doing much this year; only a puny basil plant, a ton of mint (which came back from last year), some oregano (which has come back several years in a row), some chives (which has been around as long as the oregano), a slightly struggling tomato plant, and a quite happy cherry tomato plant. Just wait: one of these days, I'm going to have a big sunny yard and lots of plants!

Matt's Father-to-Be Day

I have to pat myself on the back for this one... For Father's Day, I went to Dadgear.com and got Matt a flaming skulls diaper bag. It has a refillable wipes case, big pockets for diapers, two pockets for bottles, a changing pad, and straps that can attach to a stroller. Nope, I'm not subjecting my man to a Winnie-the-Pooh diaper bag. This is one he'll be proud to carry, and willing to use long after the baby is out of diapers.

I started with the whole brown paper packages, tied up with strings...
yet Julie Andrews did NOT make an appearance.

Then put it in the crib, for Matt to find it:

(I had to tell him where to look.)

The string comes off the present...

...and becomes a present for Angel.

Yeah, Matt liked it.

Is it just me, or does he even look a little misty?

Inside the bag were two books: Daddy Hugs and Daddy Cuddles,
especially for him to read to his baby girl.

I think I did pretty well!

Menu Board

It's been a while since I've posted my menu boards, and I've had a request for dinner ideas, so here you go:


A little dark; sorry about that!



I'm trying to eat low-mercury seafood twice a week; we usually end up with a fish and a shrimp every week:


Angel apparently enjoys tilapia. My excuse for having him on the table is that otherwise, he sits at my feet and whines the ENTIRE time we are eating, and my nerves can't take it.




That gnocchi was The Shit:


We ended up with a lot sliders. But the rolls were homemade!



This one was from the first full week Matt was home after back surgery. Bless his heart, he did a lot of the cooking (though his pictures of the board aren't as good as mine):



The spanish tortilla (basically, a frittata) was super yummy, and not bad to look at, either:


Finally, this week's menu. Posting these, I notice that I pair shrimp and cous cous a little too often...

Note: most of these recipes come from my Everyday Food subscription. I go through the latest issue on Friday or Saturday, make the menu, make the grocery list, then do our shopping on Sundays. It's nice, because we don't have a lot of repeats in any given month. (Except shrimp and cous cous, I suppose!)