11 July 2008
10 July 2008
Ian after a new diaper
He is always most active and aware right after the traumatic experience of a diaper change.
Ian in the morning
After the first night in the home...he did great! Kind of cranky from 3:00 am to 6:00 am, but great otherwise. We all slept from 6:00 till 10:00 this morning.
Ian Whitman Chapman
From Tim's Tuesday morning email: "Ian Whitman Chapman was born very early this morning at 1:13 am. He weighed in at 6 lbs 3 ounces and is 19 inches long! All he and mom want to do is sleep! And boy do they both deserve it after nearly a 22 hour labor!"
30 June 2008
A couple of weeks ago my mom and sisters threw me an amazing baby shower. It was just perfect in every way. They put so much time and effort into making every detail flawless. It was also wonderful to see all of my Pennsylvania family and friends. Tim's mom and sister Hannah made the trip all the way from Pittsburgh and his Aunt Monika came from New Jersey! My friend Krista whom I hadn't seen in 6 years came with her daughter Hannah. I was just once again overwhelmed by everyone's generosity, words of wisdom, incredible thoughtful gifts, and love.
The menu card and decorations
My sisters Emily, Rebecca, and Abigail who did all the work and preparation for the shower.
My older sister Sally and her son Will
The soon to be grandmothers!
Tim's sister Hannah, and my friend Krista and her daughter Hannah
21 June 2008
18 June 2008
Over the last couple of weeks we have been getting our bathroom renovated. Our good friend Jesse's company, ConnellSchmidt, has been doing all of the work and they have done a fabulous job. The bathroom is almost done, just some finishing touches are needed, but the transformation is amazing. ConnellSchmidt and all of their workers did an incredible job of dealing with our 1902 house and all of its intricacies and outdated plumbing. Jesse even recreated the original molding in the bathroom since it is no longer available. I have posted a play by play below.
Notice the gross tile, no tub, and mix-matching colors
Day One: Everything out, tub in!
Oops...slight leak from 100 year old pipes. I think this is when I had a nervous breakdown. Seven and a half months pregnant and I come home to this. Not cool.
Toilet is back in, we can return home. Showering with plastic and no shower curtain is interesting. Floor is one quarter finished. I think this may have been my meltdown weekend. Fortunately my mom came for a visit this weekend and totally took my mind off of our bathroom. But can you imagine making your mom shower in this? And making her brush her teeth in the kitchen sink?
Floor is finally all in.
Floor and shower tile done!
Waynescoating is up and first coat of paint is on the walls.
Cabinets are in but still waiting on the vanity top and sink.
Our Bathroom Before the Renovation
Notice the gross tile, no tub, and mix-matching colors
Day One: Everything out, tub in!
Oops...slight leak from 100 year old pipes. I think this is when I had a nervous breakdown. Seven and a half months pregnant and I come home to this. Not cool.
Toilet is back in, we can return home. Showering with plastic and no shower curtain is interesting. Floor is one quarter finished. I think this may have been my meltdown weekend. Fortunately my mom came for a visit this weekend and totally took my mind off of our bathroom. But can you imagine making your mom shower in this? And making her brush her teeth in the kitchen sink?
Floor is finally all in.
Floor and shower tile done!
Waynescoating is up and first coat of paint is on the walls.
Cabinets are in but still waiting on the vanity top and sink.
I'll post the completion of the bathroom tomorrow after everything is finished. They are hopefully finishing up tonight! YAH!!!
30 May 2008
32 weeks pregnant plus need for cold bubbly beverage = Craving #4- Root Beer
Several years from now when I look back on my first pregnancy I will think of only four things:
Orange juice, eggo waffles, fruit, and now root beer.
Each trimester can be described by the food that I craved in each. The first I was sick and orange juice was the only thing that made me feel better. The end of the first to the beginning of the second I craved eggo waffles. One weekend I ate waffles for every single meal. I didn't even switch up the syrup from regular to blueberry. I literally just ate eggo waffles with maple syrup for every single meal. That carb-packed couple of weeks led to my body needing/craving/yearning for fruit. I couldn't (and really still can't) get enough. My favorites are watermelon, blueberries, raspberries, and pineapple. And now that I am in my third trimester I average a can of root beer a day. I love it.
Several years from now when I look back on my first pregnancy I will think of only four things:
Orange juice, eggo waffles, fruit, and now root beer.
Each trimester can be described by the food that I craved in each. The first I was sick and orange juice was the only thing that made me feel better. The end of the first to the beginning of the second I craved eggo waffles. One weekend I ate waffles for every single meal. I didn't even switch up the syrup from regular to blueberry. I literally just ate eggo waffles with maple syrup for every single meal. That carb-packed couple of weeks led to my body needing/craving/yearning for fruit. I couldn't (and really still can't) get enough. My favorites are watermelon, blueberries, raspberries, and pineapple. And now that I am in my third trimester I average a can of root beer a day. I love it.
17 May 2008
Last weekend my two friends Kristen and Cynda threw me the most incredible baby shower. It was so surreal. Everything was perfect. The invitation declared that the "2008 model has arrived" and the theme was red and yellow cars. It was so adorable. Kristen even spent the entire previous night making pound cake mini cars for favors. I was completely blown away. They had all of my favorite food: quiche, strawberry and banana muffins, salad, and a huge fruit salad.
It was so wonderful to see all of my DC friends gathered in one place. Did I mention I was blown away? I am still overwhelmed by everyone's generosity. Tim and I got some amazing gifts for our baby. I am definitely feeling more prepared for this baby post shower. Thank you Kristen and Cynda!!!!
Some of the scrumptious quiche.
Opening an adorable outfit.
Santorum girls!
The AMAZING Hosts!
It was so wonderful to see all of my DC friends gathered in one place. Did I mention I was blown away? I am still overwhelmed by everyone's generosity. Tim and I got some amazing gifts for our baby. I am definitely feeling more prepared for this baby post shower. Thank you Kristen and Cynda!!!!
Some of the scrumptious quiche.
Opening an adorable outfit.
Santorum girls!
The AMAZING Hosts!
29 April 2008
Catching Up and Counting Down
The last couple of weekends Tim and I have had family in town which has been so much fun! It started with Tim's mom visiting while in DC for work, then my Uncle Dave and Aunt Courtney and their three kids, followed by Pete, Matt, Abi, Becca and Geoff two weekends ago. We had such a wonderful time with everyone. I wish they would all come back! Below is a picture of Abi, Matt, and Pete on Pete's 27th birthday. I also posted a picture of Abi and I which shows my baby belly.
This past weekend Tim traveled up to Maine to celebrate his friends 30th birthday while I drove to PA to visit with my family and my great friend Danielle. Danielle helped me pick out a super cute dress for my shower in June and my parents helped me pick out a glider for the nursery. Slowly but surely things are coming together.
I am now in my third trimester and I have constantly been craving fruit. I put fruit on everything: waffles, cereal, oatmeal, salads, icecream. The problem is that along with the fruit I have also been craving bread, and not the healthy whole wheat bread, nope I have been craving white bread especially bagels. I made waffles the other night after eating pasta and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Bisquick is my best friend right now. As I write this I am now craving strawberry shortcake. Yum!
It also seems that every two weeks our little baby boy goes on a growth spurt. I get dizzy and faint as he saps me of energy and food. I have to eat constantly to stop myself from passing out. Just this morning I had to pull over the car in downtown traffic and shove gum in my mouth to stop myself from fainting. IN addition, baby boy has decided that he will kick non-stop as he drains me of my energy and every piece of food I put in my mouth. Kicking is one of the very bitter sweet aspects of pregnancy that I will never get used to.
This past weekend Tim traveled up to Maine to celebrate his friends 30th birthday while I drove to PA to visit with my family and my great friend Danielle. Danielle helped me pick out a super cute dress for my shower in June and my parents helped me pick out a glider for the nursery. Slowly but surely things are coming together.
I am now in my third trimester and I have constantly been craving fruit. I put fruit on everything: waffles, cereal, oatmeal, salads, icecream. The problem is that along with the fruit I have also been craving bread, and not the healthy whole wheat bread, nope I have been craving white bread especially bagels. I made waffles the other night after eating pasta and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Bisquick is my best friend right now. As I write this I am now craving strawberry shortcake. Yum!
It also seems that every two weeks our little baby boy goes on a growth spurt. I get dizzy and faint as he saps me of energy and food. I have to eat constantly to stop myself from passing out. Just this morning I had to pull over the car in downtown traffic and shove gum in my mouth to stop myself from fainting. IN addition, baby boy has decided that he will kick non-stop as he drains me of my energy and every piece of food I put in my mouth. Kicking is one of the very bitter sweet aspects of pregnancy that I will never get used to.
13 April 2008
Getting Ready
Tim and I have been doing a ton of work around the house getting it ready for our little baby boy. Other than selling all un-needed furniture on Craigs List we have also been starting to collect a few necessary baby items. This adorable bassinet is on loan from our neighbors. It is just so cute and matches our house perfectly. The bassinet which will sit by our bed will serve as our baby's sleeping spot for the first couple of weeks. Pippin was very curious about this new piece of furniture. In fact he was so excited about the new bassinet he actually jumped into it.
Other changes to our house in the last few months have included:- getting a new bedroom rug and thus moving our old bedroom rug to the kitchen
- getting a new rug for the living room (since we have all hardwood floors I feel like we need to start baby proofing our house and covering up these hard surfaces)
- New curtains and bedding in the nursery/guestroom
- Selling a cedar armoire on Craigs List
- Landscaping and gardening our front yard (this really has nothing to do with the baby)
- Purchasing adirondack chairs for our back porch
- Buying a new kitchen table
- Starting to landscape our back yard
We have also decided to completely remodel our bathroom before the baby arrives. We currently don't have a tub so we will be putting in a tub and all new tile, fixtures, paint, furniture, etc. I am so excited for this to be complete.
I feel like these last few weeks have completely flown by. We have had several weekend visitors including my aunt and uncle and their three precious children this past weekend. With all the work we have planned over the next couple of weeks I have a feeling the baby will be here before we know it. Here is a picture of me at 27 weeks. It is not great since it is on a self timer and I am talking to my mom and trying to take the picture at the same time.
06 April 2008
Carmel
Al British novelist once said, "You can fall in love at first sight with a place as with a person." Well I totally fell in love with Carmel, California when Tim and I went there on our honeymoon almost six years ago. We recently had the chance to go back again for the third time.
We stayed in a cute little bed and breakfast a block from the beach. Tim got to play his favorite course again and they actually let me walk it this time. I grew up going to golf tournaments with my parents and have always felt at home on the golf course. Well, Cypress Point blew my socks off. It is absolutely stunning. Every hole is picturesque.
The same can be said for the beach and town of Carmel. The quaint homes with fabulous gardens and cypress trees suggest that you are walking in a fairytale. Tim and I took several walks along the coast and thru the neighborhoods.
We had an amazing time visiting with Tim's grandparents as well (they live there several months out of the year and have the most darling house and front garden). On Easter Sunday we worshiped in the church where they were married. We walked in the courtyard after church as the children found hidden easter eggs in the lilac trees.
You can view our pictures at this link (you may need Internet Explorer instead of Firefox to view them. ) Carmel Pictures.
We stayed in a cute little bed and breakfast a block from the beach. Tim got to play his favorite course again and they actually let me walk it this time. I grew up going to golf tournaments with my parents and have always felt at home on the golf course. Well, Cypress Point blew my socks off. It is absolutely stunning. Every hole is picturesque.
The same can be said for the beach and town of Carmel. The quaint homes with fabulous gardens and cypress trees suggest that you are walking in a fairytale. Tim and I took several walks along the coast and thru the neighborhoods.
We had an amazing time visiting with Tim's grandparents as well (they live there several months out of the year and have the most darling house and front garden). On Easter Sunday we worshiped in the church where they were married. We walked in the courtyard after church as the children found hidden easter eggs in the lilac trees.
You can view our pictures at this link (you may need Internet Explorer instead of Firefox to view them. ) Carmel Pictures.
27 March 2008
Sorry I haven't posted recently. And yes, this is a post just to post post. I have been feeling guilty lately about not blogging but my creative juices just aren't really flowing right now. My friend Steph's blog is hilarious and I literally laugh out loud when I read her blog. I feel very inadequate after reading her blog...she is just so darn funny!
I have another good reason for not posting. Tim and I recently went to California for a mini vacation. We had such a great time and the coast was absolutely stunning. It is hard to melt back into reality after visiting such an enchanting place as Carmel, CA.
Not sleeping has also taken its toll on me. I sleep for literally 2 hours a night if I am lucky. The rest of the time I stuff my face trying to coax my baby boy into a food coma so that he falls back to sleep and stops kicking me in the bladder. It doesn't always work and therefore Tim and I have become zombies and somewhat reclusive (if I don't sleep Tim doesn't sleep). We close our shades at 7pm hoping we can fall asleep early. It doesn't work so I have started to become most productive between the hours of 2am and 5am. Pippin's schedule is totally screwed up. Our neighbors are confused by our trash appearing on the curb at 4:30am. I have already planned my spring cleaning during sunrise hours next week.
So, yes this post was full of excuses but I do feel better now after getting them all out. Promise to post pictures of our babymoon soon!
I have another good reason for not posting. Tim and I recently went to California for a mini vacation. We had such a great time and the coast was absolutely stunning. It is hard to melt back into reality after visiting such an enchanting place as Carmel, CA.
Not sleeping has also taken its toll on me. I sleep for literally 2 hours a night if I am lucky. The rest of the time I stuff my face trying to coax my baby boy into a food coma so that he falls back to sleep and stops kicking me in the bladder. It doesn't always work and therefore Tim and I have become zombies and somewhat reclusive (if I don't sleep Tim doesn't sleep). We close our shades at 7pm hoping we can fall asleep early. It doesn't work so I have started to become most productive between the hours of 2am and 5am. Pippin's schedule is totally screwed up. Our neighbors are confused by our trash appearing on the curb at 4:30am. I have already planned my spring cleaning during sunrise hours next week.
So, yes this post was full of excuses but I do feel better now after getting them all out. Promise to post pictures of our babymoon soon!
12 March 2008
Trip to Connecticut
Last weekend I FINALLY got the chance to go and visit my older sister Sally, her wonderful husband Seth, and their two precious children- Cate and Will. Will is now a month old and he is the best baby I have ever met. Sometimes I didn't even know he was there. I heard him cry once and it was only for 45 seconds. I am not lying. He is the best baby ever!
I am told this is not always the case with new babies (I am being sarcastic if you didn't pick up on it). I am hoping and praying though that my little boy learned a few things from Will when he was visiting.
My sister lives in the cutest town - West Hartford. The neighborhood streets are wide, clean, and lined with tall trees. The village is so quaint and has great character. After picking me up from the airport Sally, Cate, Will and I headed to Target where I finally found a somewhat decent maternity bathing suit. What is it with maternity clothes designers? Just because we are already huge and feeling 5 pounds away from being a whale doesn't mean that we also want loud hideous patterns on our clothes. Isn't the stomach bullseye enough?
Anyway, after Target we went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond so Sally could buy me a fan, which I told her I didn't need in order to sleep. But she bought it anyway. With all my pregnancy snoring, they probably needed the fan more than I did. Then we went to Babysrus- and boy was it crazy. Cate and I had a great time trying out every single glider. Cate also told me (she likes to tell people what to do) that I was a baby and couldn't talk so for half of our time at Babysrus I had to speak by crying at different octaves. I was able to add some more stuff to my registry though which was great! It is so fun shopping now that I know I am having a boy. After our excursion to Babysrus we went to Starbucks to refuel and then on to West Hartford's premiere toy store.
By the end of the afternoon we were exhausted. We had just enough time to relax and change before hitting the road to go and see Jake Armerding perform. Jake went to camp with Seth when they were younger, and also went to Gordon College. He put on a great show and we had an awesome time.
The trip was wonderful and definitely too short. Since Sally has gone through pregnancy twice now she is a great source of honest information, and I stress the word honest. I can't wait for our little boys to meet! I have posted pictures below of the trip.
I am told this is not always the case with new babies (I am being sarcastic if you didn't pick up on it). I am hoping and praying though that my little boy learned a few things from Will when he was visiting.
My sister lives in the cutest town - West Hartford. The neighborhood streets are wide, clean, and lined with tall trees. The village is so quaint and has great character. After picking me up from the airport Sally, Cate, Will and I headed to Target where I finally found a somewhat decent maternity bathing suit. What is it with maternity clothes designers? Just because we are already huge and feeling 5 pounds away from being a whale doesn't mean that we also want loud hideous patterns on our clothes. Isn't the stomach bullseye enough?
Anyway, after Target we went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond so Sally could buy me a fan, which I told her I didn't need in order to sleep. But she bought it anyway. With all my pregnancy snoring, they probably needed the fan more than I did. Then we went to Babysrus- and boy was it crazy. Cate and I had a great time trying out every single glider. Cate also told me (she likes to tell people what to do) that I was a baby and couldn't talk so for half of our time at Babysrus I had to speak by crying at different octaves. I was able to add some more stuff to my registry though which was great! It is so fun shopping now that I know I am having a boy. After our excursion to Babysrus we went to Starbucks to refuel and then on to West Hartford's premiere toy store.
By the end of the afternoon we were exhausted. We had just enough time to relax and change before hitting the road to go and see Jake Armerding perform. Jake went to camp with Seth when they were younger, and also went to Gordon College. He put on a great show and we had an awesome time.
The trip was wonderful and definitely too short. Since Sally has gone through pregnancy twice now she is a great source of honest information, and I stress the word honest. I can't wait for our little boys to meet! I have posted pictures below of the trip.
10 March 2008
02 March 2008
A Little Taste
For a little taste into what it is like being pregnant...
- being pregnant is sleeping for two hours, then laying in bed for two hours making a mental list of everything that you need to do before the baby is born, going downstairs to get a glass of orange juice hoping the hunger pains will subside, getting up to use the bathroom 8 plus times, getting completely and totally frustrated with your husband and dog who are both snoring and seem to care little about the fact that you are carrying their baby/sibling and are having an awful time resting, finally giving in and getting out of bed around 4am to read blogs and finish off the box of saltines that you opened earlier that day.
Luckily tomorrow is Sunday and other than church we have no real plans.
To take my mind off of the fact that I can't sleep I am remembering the delicious meal that Tim and I shared earlier this evening (which to think of it probably is the cause of this sleepless night)...Tim and I finally went out for Valentines Day. Our friends love Montmartre, a French restaurant on 7th Street, SE near Eastern Market so we had to see what all the fuss was about. Boy did it live up to the hype. We had an amazing meal (rockfish with red beet risotto and roasted asparagus followed by a scrumptious blueberry tart), the service was efficient, and the whole evening was just relaxed and totally fun! Then we came home and I made Tim watch Con Air which is probably one of THE most cheesiest movies ever, but for some reason I love it.
Here is to hoping that all of my other fellow pregnanties are fast asleep...and if not please google chat me.
- being pregnant is sleeping for two hours, then laying in bed for two hours making a mental list of everything that you need to do before the baby is born, going downstairs to get a glass of orange juice hoping the hunger pains will subside, getting up to use the bathroom 8 plus times, getting completely and totally frustrated with your husband and dog who are both snoring and seem to care little about the fact that you are carrying their baby/sibling and are having an awful time resting, finally giving in and getting out of bed around 4am to read blogs and finish off the box of saltines that you opened earlier that day.
Luckily tomorrow is Sunday and other than church we have no real plans.
To take my mind off of the fact that I can't sleep I am remembering the delicious meal that Tim and I shared earlier this evening (which to think of it probably is the cause of this sleepless night)...Tim and I finally went out for Valentines Day. Our friends love Montmartre, a French restaurant on 7th Street, SE near Eastern Market so we had to see what all the fuss was about. Boy did it live up to the hype. We had an amazing meal (rockfish with red beet risotto and roasted asparagus followed by a scrumptious blueberry tart), the service was efficient, and the whole evening was just relaxed and totally fun! Then we came home and I made Tim watch Con Air which is probably one of THE most cheesiest movies ever, but for some reason I love it.
Here is to hoping that all of my other fellow pregnanties are fast asleep...and if not please google chat me.
29 February 2008
Almost halfway
On Sunday I will be 20 weeks. Thankfully these last couple of weeks have gone by much faster than the first 12 weeks. I recently found out that two of my friends are also pregnant so it has been so fun sharing stories with them. Also, I am now officially over morning sickness (at least I hope so). I went through about 10 weeks of nauseua, followed by 4 weeks of stuffing my face, and now I seem to be on the other side of all of that.
Last weekend I went shopping with my mom and sister and had an absolute blast looking at cribs, gliders, and changing tables. Then we went to Babysrus and practically finished my registry. After all of that we mustered up some energy to go maternity clothes shopping because boy did I need it. We found some great deals, and I can now bend over without popping buttons. We had such a great time and I can't imagine doing any of this without them. My sister Emily is a teacher and she along with my mom totally guided me through the baby store. Everytime I was stumped or overwhelmed they helped me to make the right choice. They were even kind enough to tell me when a certain maternity shirt made me look hideous. Although I did end up getting it because it was only $4.99. Can't possibly pass up a deal that good.
Oh, and..... We find out the sex of the baby one week from today! We can't wait!
Last weekend I went shopping with my mom and sister and had an absolute blast looking at cribs, gliders, and changing tables. Then we went to Babysrus and practically finished my registry. After all of that we mustered up some energy to go maternity clothes shopping because boy did I need it. We found some great deals, and I can now bend over without popping buttons. We had such a great time and I can't imagine doing any of this without them. My sister Emily is a teacher and she along with my mom totally guided me through the baby store. Everytime I was stumped or overwhelmed they helped me to make the right choice. They were even kind enough to tell me when a certain maternity shirt made me look hideous. Although I did end up getting it because it was only $4.99. Can't possibly pass up a deal that good.
Oh, and..... We find out the sex of the baby one week from today! We can't wait!
18 February 2008
We have deer in DC
The weather this morning in DC was just absolutely glorious! I can't really go into that much detail on what a little sunshine and warm weather does for my spirit, because it would take all day, but let's just say that it got me out of bed (the first since Thursday night) and to the National Arboretum on a walk with Pippin (who I hadn't walked in over a week because of the flu).
So we were just walking along, and what do you know...two huge deer just galloped right past us. They literally stopped me in my tracks. And of course the first thing I did was look around to see if anyone else had also witnessed this deer crossing. No witnesses were found. I did just see that right? I looked to my side for confirmation from Pippin. Of course he didn't even bark at the two massive deer, he was more interested in a pile of geese poop on the side of the road. It was one of those odd experiences when you see something totally out of its element right in front of you. I mean, deer do not belong in DC, and especially not in this area of DC. The Arboretum is bordered by the dirty Anacostia river, a four lane highway, and rows and rows of projects. I did start to doubt myself for a moment thinking that hallucinations may be a symptom of pregnancy, or maybe it was just that I had eaten nothing but eggo waffles and tea for the last five days. But I swear, I saw two deer in DC today! Of course, now every time I look out my window I expect to see two deer run by our house, sniffing at our trash, and jumping over our metal fence on their way to catch the bus to Union Station. It is like a bad episode of Lost.
On a totally unrelated but just as serious a topic, I realized today while walking our dog that I have already started to waddle. This is totally not cool! I am only 18 weeks pregnant. Could it be that my hips are really starting to grow that significantly? Ick. I hope it is not God prepping my body for a large baby. I am totally praying for a 5 lb. 9 ounce baby that miraculously gains a couple ounces upon birth and is just safely over 6 lbs once I bring it (and by "it" I mean our precious little baby) home.
So we were just walking along, and what do you know...two huge deer just galloped right past us. They literally stopped me in my tracks. And of course the first thing I did was look around to see if anyone else had also witnessed this deer crossing. No witnesses were found. I did just see that right? I looked to my side for confirmation from Pippin. Of course he didn't even bark at the two massive deer, he was more interested in a pile of geese poop on the side of the road. It was one of those odd experiences when you see something totally out of its element right in front of you. I mean, deer do not belong in DC, and especially not in this area of DC. The Arboretum is bordered by the dirty Anacostia river, a four lane highway, and rows and rows of projects. I did start to doubt myself for a moment thinking that hallucinations may be a symptom of pregnancy, or maybe it was just that I had eaten nothing but eggo waffles and tea for the last five days. But I swear, I saw two deer in DC today! Of course, now every time I look out my window I expect to see two deer run by our house, sniffing at our trash, and jumping over our metal fence on their way to catch the bus to Union Station. It is like a bad episode of Lost.
On a totally unrelated but just as serious a topic, I realized today while walking our dog that I have already started to waddle. This is totally not cool! I am only 18 weeks pregnant. Could it be that my hips are really starting to grow that significantly? Ick. I hope it is not God prepping my body for a large baby. I am totally praying for a 5 lb. 9 ounce baby that miraculously gains a couple ounces upon birth and is just safely over 6 lbs once I bring it (and by "it" I mean our precious little baby) home.
17 February 2008
18 Weeks
Well I was really looking forward to a romantic dinner on Valentines Day with Tim. I pictured us sitting there holding hands across the table (although that NEVER happens) and dreaming about having a little baby, deciding on a name, etc. Instead we both got the awful flu. We were so pathetic for about a week. Our dog even got sympathy sick as well. He was going to the bathroom and throwing up every two hours. Good practice for having a baby.
Now that we are both feeling better we are spending our long weekend, (which was supposed to be spent visiting my sister in West Hartford, CT and her new baby William Matthew but got canceled because of our sickness,) fumigating our house, drinking tea, and trying to heal our chapped noses.
If we are feeling up to it tomorrow night we are going to finally go and try Montmarte, a french bistro on Capitol Hill for dinner. Then we can talk about how at 18 weeks I am still having weird food aversions, starting to have heartburn, and definitely busting out of all my pants. We are only two weeks away from finding out our baby's gender though! I can't wait!
Now that we are both feeling better we are spending our long weekend, (which was supposed to be spent visiting my sister in West Hartford, CT and her new baby William Matthew but got canceled because of our sickness,) fumigating our house, drinking tea, and trying to heal our chapped noses.
If we are feeling up to it tomorrow night we are going to finally go and try Montmarte, a french bistro on Capitol Hill for dinner. Then we can talk about how at 18 weeks I am still having weird food aversions, starting to have heartburn, and definitely busting out of all my pants. We are only two weeks away from finding out our baby's gender though! I can't wait!
04 February 2008
Super weekend
This past weekend was dedicated to our friend Jesse. Jesse recently got out the hospital, and his amazing wife wanted to show him some love. Our great friends from Maine flew down to surprise Jesse, and his wife bought him a new flat screen tv. Jesse is a huge Patriots fan and was really hoping to throw his own Superbowl party. That was not happening without a new tv though. Needless to say it was so wonderful to see Jesse so happy and to see him smile and laugh - And to just hang out with great friends all weekend. A perfect diversion from normal weekends of chores and errands.
The real reason I post about this is again because of food. Our menu for the superbowl party was outstanding. Again, the great thing about having such good friends around is that everyone helps eachother out. We chose the menu over dinner a week before: wings with Jaime's blue cheese dip; chips; goat cheese, red pepper, and arugula on ciabatta; turkey, bacon, pickles, and cheese on italian; and chunky potato soup with bacon, scallions, cheese, and sour cream as toppings. Everything turned out perfect, except the wings which take too long to cook. I have posted the recipe for the potato soup below. It is so easy to make and unbelievable. Perfect for a cold night, and it will last you days! I recently made it for dinner for my husband and we ate it for every meal the next three days.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
- 4 medium sized all purpose potatoes
- 3 fresh leeks
- 3 yellow onions
- 1/2 cup whipping/ heavy cream
- parsley and or chervil to taste
Bring broth to simmering point. Peel potatoes and cut into eigths. Add potatoes, onion and leeks to broth. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Mash potatoes into the broth using a knife or a potato masher to form smaller pieces of potato.
Add chervil, parsley, and cream. Simmer for five more minutes.
Toppings: bacon, cheese, scallions, sour cream
ENJOY!
The real reason I post about this is again because of food. Our menu for the superbowl party was outstanding. Again, the great thing about having such good friends around is that everyone helps eachother out. We chose the menu over dinner a week before: wings with Jaime's blue cheese dip; chips; goat cheese, red pepper, and arugula on ciabatta; turkey, bacon, pickles, and cheese on italian; and chunky potato soup with bacon, scallions, cheese, and sour cream as toppings. Everything turned out perfect, except the wings which take too long to cook. I have posted the recipe for the potato soup below. It is so easy to make and unbelievable. Perfect for a cold night, and it will last you days! I recently made it for dinner for my husband and we ate it for every meal the next three days.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
- 4 medium sized all purpose potatoes
- 3 fresh leeks
- 3 yellow onions
- 1/2 cup whipping/ heavy cream
- parsley and or chervil to taste
Bring broth to simmering point. Peel potatoes and cut into eigths. Add potatoes, onion and leeks to broth. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Mash potatoes into the broth using a knife or a potato masher to form smaller pieces of potato.
Add chervil, parsley, and cream. Simmer for five more minutes.
Toppings: bacon, cheese, scallions, sour cream
ENJOY!
In honor of eating
I am officially 16 weeks, and I am officially stuffing my face every two seconds. I have never eaten more in my life. I eat an apple, sandwich, and chips and am ready for another meal an hour later. It has been really hard for me to get used to but I suppose I must feed my baby.
The service was Ok, I did have to ask for a lemon not 3 but 4 times. All in all, we had a great time but it was mostly because of the company and not the venue.
Next month- Oyamel serving fru fru Mexican tapas.
Here I am at 16 weeks. I am not ready for the bare belly shots yet.
In honor of eating a ton and a desire to be restaurant connoisseurs , two friends and I have started trying a new restaurant each month. Last week we went to Zaytinya, an Eastern Mediterranean mezze restaurant on the edge of Chinatown. The decor is fabulous and trendy. Bright blue walls with white tables and chairs. Techno music plays luring you to have one more mezze, one more drink, as though the party will never end. We were a little disappointed with the food however. The servings are small, actually they are teeny tiny. They are packed with taste, but SO TINY. You are supposed to order 3 or 4 of them but at a price tag of $7 each that gets a little pricey. And, I actually think you would need 9 or 10 to really fill up. I on the other hand settled for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich followed by a slice of pizza when I got home.The service was Ok, I did have to ask for a lemon not 3 but 4 times. All in all, we had a great time but it was mostly because of the company and not the venue.
Next month- Oyamel serving fru fru Mexican tapas.
30 January 2008
Fifteen Weeks and Counting
I have waited to blog about this until I had told most people personally, but now I feel like it is safe to do so. Tim and I found out in November that I am pregnant. We are so excited for this new step in our lives. Actually, it is all we really think and talk about. Our lives have shifted focus to this little baby, now the size of an apple, inside of me. It is amazing how something so small can have so much impact.
I was quite sick for the first two months with the nausea tapering off in the middle of the third month. I am now 15 1/2 weeks and feeling much better. It has been hard for me to get used to my body constantly changing, but I just keep focusing on that time when I will have a little baby to hold.
Patience has been difficult for me in these last couple of months. I want the baby now. Just give me five days to set up the nursery, buy the necessary stuff, and I am ready. However, I feel as though God is teaching me patience and to enjoy these days, weeks, and months I have to revel in this entire process.
19 January 2008
Happenings and Going Ons
It has been a while since I have posted.I have been feeling pretty sick lately, so this is where you can usually find me on any given evening. Curled up on our leather chair with Pippin close beside, reading whatever useful information I can find on the Internet and attempting to stay connected to family and friends.
It snowed for the first time this New Year the other day. Tim was away for work so it forced me to get out of the house and take Pippin for a walk. He absolutely loves walking in the snow. He jumps from one snow pile to the next eating as much snow as possible.
I was glad to have taken my camera with me. A snow covered Capitol Hill is something worth documenting.
I love this garden at all times of the year and purposely walk by it as often as I can. The low bushes do a great job of catching the snow
I hope this person doesn't mind me taking a picture of their car. I just love the colors. Can you tell that we have also been having unusually warm weather lately? Our daffodils and narcissus are already starting to bloom.
As I write this the snow has dissipated and the cold sunless skies are back. I am learning to enjoy life despite this dreary weather. One of my new years resolutions is to be more creative in life. So far that has only manifested itself in creative food dishes which my husband may or may not appreciate. Therefore, I am searching for more creative ways to spend my time.
Along the same lines, I am always amazed at how Christ can bring light to dark, smiles to sadness. This morning I woke with an awful headache, feverish aches and pains, and a clogged sinus. Needless to say I was not feeling well. However, upon logging onto my computer I saw an email from a long lost friend. It brought tears to my eyes and totally made my day! This friend is safe, happy, and hopefully moving back home. Prayers have been answered. Despite the gray skies it is truly a joyful day!
05 January 2008
From Farm to Table
Although DC has an abundance of great restaurants, it seems as though my husband and I always end up at our local Capitol Hill restaurants instead of taking a cab downtown to try a new restaurant. Therefore, I was so excited to try the Blue Duck Tavern with two other Pennsylvanian couples on New Years Eve.
Simple, clean, traditional, organic, ode to our Jeffersonian past - these are thoughts that come to mind when entering the Blue Duck Tavern. Located in the Park Hyatt on the edge of Georgetown the Blue Duck Tavern is the epitome of simple elegance. I love the decor of this restaurant including the red and blue fabric walls, and the dining area scattered with Amish inspired tables and chairs. Everything just looks so clean. Nothing is overdone. Simple centerpieces. The kitchen is completely open - you are even allowed to practically walk right through it. I was just blown away by how quiet everyone in the kitchen worked. They seemed to dance around the kitchen in one fluid motion making delicious masterpieces. The menu is simple and a la carte. My favorite! You get to order a little of everything. Meat and vegetable items are listed next to their originating farm - many from Pennsylvania.
Our meal was absolutely delicious. Everything bursted with flavor, including my chestnut stuffed quail. We all agreed that the creamed spinach was out of this world with the goat cheese rosemary grits a close second. We topped off our meal with their world renowned apple pie, mango and papaya crisp, and cappuccinos all around. We were ready to be rolled out the door and into our cars just in time to get home and watch the ball drop. This was a perfect relaxing way to spend New Years.
17 December 2007
Merry Shindig
This past weekend two of my friends (Cynda and Kristen) and I hosted a Christmas Party. I don't know why we never thought of doing this before, but throwing a party with two other people is the best idea ever.
Less work, less preparation time, less money = less worry and more fun!
We spent one evening planning the menu, one morning shopping, and one afternoon cooking, cleaning, and putting on the final touches. In the end we transformed Kristen's house into a very festive space with lots and lots of sugary goodies. Kristen's house is perfect for a Christmas party ever since she painted her walls green.
Our menu: Dark Chocolate cake; pistachio and dried cherry shortbread; stuffed dates; tiramasu; raspberry triffle; candied pecans; candied peanuts, honeycomb, dried apricots all on a plate with three different spicy and hard cheeses; and an apple gallette.
Our drinks: Ginger champagne (champagne served with a ginger simple syrup that is so reduced it is spicey), pomegranate and lime vodka martinis, pinot noir, and winter lager.
We had so much fun cooking and setting up for this party. We left no plate ungarnished and no corner of her apartment undecorated. Kristen even bought a dvd that plays a picture of a fireplace. It was definitely a good conversation starter.
Merry Christmas to everyone! Hope you have a relaxing, peaceful, and thoughtful holiday.
Less work, less preparation time, less money = less worry and more fun!
We spent one evening planning the menu, one morning shopping, and one afternoon cooking, cleaning, and putting on the final touches. In the end we transformed Kristen's house into a very festive space with lots and lots of sugary goodies. Kristen's house is perfect for a Christmas party ever since she painted her walls green.
Our menu: Dark Chocolate cake; pistachio and dried cherry shortbread; stuffed dates; tiramasu; raspberry triffle; candied pecans; candied peanuts, honeycomb, dried apricots all on a plate with three different spicy and hard cheeses; and an apple gallette.
Our drinks: Ginger champagne (champagne served with a ginger simple syrup that is so reduced it is spicey), pomegranate and lime vodka martinis, pinot noir, and winter lager.
We had so much fun cooking and setting up for this party. We left no plate ungarnished and no corner of her apartment undecorated. Kristen even bought a dvd that plays a picture of a fireplace. It was definitely a good conversation starter.
Merry Christmas to everyone! Hope you have a relaxing, peaceful, and thoughtful holiday.
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