[Real Food Friday] Link Love: Kale! + Homemade Girl Scout Cookie Recipes

Since it’s Friday (and I’ve already posted once today…who am I?)  I just wanted to share two fantastic links for your enjoyment.

100 Days of Real Food - I’ve already geeked out on here and even more on Facebook about my love for 100 Days of Real Food.  Finding Lisa Leake’s blog a few years ago was a huge turning point for our diet.  I wrote a little bit about that here  and have more in queue about our transition.  But for today, I’ll share a link that I certainly appreciate: 5 Ways to Easily Eat Kale.  I often hear friends say that they have no idea how to implement this incredible super-food into their diet.  We primarily use kale in our daily smoothies but earlier this week I used it in place of spinach for a veggie lasagna.  Delish!  I think we’ll try the eggs recipe tomorrow morning…

Eating Rules - I found Andrew Wilder and his blog through 100 Days and I really like his approach.  He has three simple rules:   1) when you eat grains, only eat 100% Whole-Wheat grains 2) don’t eat high fructose corn syrup and 3) don’t eat hydrogenated oils, trans fats, or anything that’s been deep-fried.  So simple yet so not simple.  But the love this week is for his most recent post, “Why I Don’t Buy Girl Scout Cookies“ and how the beloved treats break all three rules.  I admit, I’ve enjoyed a couple of cookies when offered here and there but we haven’t personally bought them in two years.  There are other reasons to consider not buying GSC (this blog doesn’t go there) but ultimately, they’re packed with gross stuff.  This weekend I’m finally going to try out a few Pinterest-sourced recipes for homemade Caramel Delights and all natural  Thin Mints.  (If I were super disciplined I’d try this one for Whole-Wheat, Honey, and Agave Samoas…we shall see!)

Have a beautiful weekend!  xoxo

Squawking + Discipline 101

I am putting aside my incomplete [Real Food Friday] post to ask for some help or insight…so much for consistency.

Confession:  I haven’t read a lot of parenting books.  I read books about babies and plenty of books about Real Food.  I was around babies a lot growing up and nannied so much that I’m comfortable with many stages of childhood and reinforcing other parents’ discipline decisions.  But I’m increasingly aware that this stage of my kid’s childhood intimidates me.   As H’s parents, we are in charge of the initial response to unwanted behavior and discipline in general.   And there are so many theories and books out there…where does one begin?  A few books have been recommended but life has been so busy that I haven’t had a chance to read them yet.  But the time has come.

H is 14 months old and generally a very happy child.  As long as you let him sleep and keep him fed, he’s a total lover.  But he has mastered this SQUAWK.  At first it was cute (“Awww…you’re experimenting with sound”!) but, after a few days, we began twitching every time it happened.  We tried ignoring it, we tried shaking our heads with serious faces (he just laughs at our alleged serious faces…oh dear).    But the squawk has reinforced that we have no idea what we’re doing.  Not that any parent does, not that any lone theory applies to every child, but we need help.  Yes, the squawking is likely a stage and he’ll grow out of it if we don’t feed it (right?) but it highlights that we need to start deciding how we’re going to approach discipline.   It’s a personal choice for every couple and we will ultimately decide where we fall in the chart of options.  I guess we’re looking for a few good starting places.

Too soon? Too soon.

Any tips or reading recommendations?  Insights? Any specific to squawking are welcome with open arms!

[Top Ten Tuesday] Favorite Baby Items: 4-12 Months

Is it terrible that I can barely recall this time?  I mean…it wasn’t that long ago but I am struggling to remember our concerns were, what Harry used, and what we preferred.  Initially the memories are fuzzy because you’re sleep deprived, nursing all hours of the night, and just trying to maintain some composure.  Then you realize it’s fuzzy because it’s happening so…stinkin’…fast.

A lot of the same favorite items from 0-1 month and 1-3 months stayed at the top of our list as the months continued.  The Ergo and Moby continued to be worth every little penny.  Cloth Diapers are a way of life around these parts.  We sent Coconut Oil to Harry’s new school in the place of traditional diaper cream.  And the one about Zero Expectations?  That’s not going anywhere.  The following items emerged as the year ticked on and, whether a singular item made the list or a theme emerged, these are in no particular order:

Maclaren  Umbrella Stroller - Now of course you don’t need a Maclaren stroller specifically.  We just happen to love ours a whole lot.  We debated strollers for a long time – “test driving” just about every kind you can imagine.  And as we got closer to our Chicago trip last October, we had to pull the trigger.  An umbrella stroller just made sense – it needed to break down quickly and easily, be light enough to walk around/travel with, and durable enough to withstand a lot of city walking.   Maclaren is generally a great quality stroller and I geeked out over the shoulder strap for ease of carry when it’s closed.  Throw in the fact that we scored a great deal on the floor model that we could still use a BBB coupon with…sold.

Toys/Jumperoo/Walker  - Several of the toys mentioned in the 1-3 Month Post were still toys that H loved.  Our favorite trick was to rotate through toys, hide some for a while, and then he’d flip out when he found them again.  Not books, though.  Books are always available and never in shortage.  Three of his very favorites to read through together and on his own: My Big Animal Book,  Spanish Words, and, to my heart’s delight The Very Hungry Caterpillar (surprise surprise, he loves the food). Some of the new toys we introduced at this time we kept appropriate for his developmental stage.  The Rainforest Jumperoo he inherited from his cousins was a massive hit until he was about 9 months old.  When “cruising” officially started, he wanted nothing to do with stationery activity.  His sweet friend Lucy lent him her Melissa and Doug Chomp & Clack Alligator walker and he is still in love with this guy.  He also grew more interested  in tactile toys – standouts being the B Squeeze Blocks  and good ole Stacking Rings.  The other favorite toys are the somewhat obvious balloons and the bouncy balls from the wire cages at WalMart (you don’t really need a link for those, do you?).

Legwarmers - H’s Aunt Steph likes to make fun of his love for legwarmers.  Okay, my love for legwarmers and Matt’s inability to stop me from putting them on our son.  But the truth is that when H got more and more active, these were more than just aesthetically pleasing.   They became the best way to keep increasingly active legs warm, and change diapers as “the flip” came into play.  You know what I mean…the flip that makes diaper
changing and dressing babes SO MUCH more difficult.  With these I don’t need to go through the extra steps of pulling up pants on a babe who just saw the remote control across the room and wants nothing to do with me.  A onesie + legwarmers is my absolute favorite combo (when it’s too cold for just a cloth diaper).  They became our go-to for around the house lounging.  Okay, maybe some errands, too.

Lovey…and a backup! - I referenced this in the last Top Ten favorites as an afterthought.  Well afterthought no more…this kid is in LOVE with his bunny, Stinky.  Why the name Stinky?  Because he chews on the ears until they’re hard and crusty and smell to high heaven.   But he also walks around dragging him by an ear or arm, Stinky trailing behind him like Michael Darling and his teddy bear in Peter Pan.  It’s absolutely precious.   Some kids never take to stuffed animals but I think most little persons find comfort in something – a pacifier or blanket – and my advice as soon as you identify that object is to STOCK UP.  Stinky was getting some wear and when he lived up to his name, we’d take him from H for a day to wash and let him air dry.  When I wised up to the idea of a backup, I discovered he was discontinued and sold out.  Not cool, Jellycat.  I placed orders on random online boutiques, three times getting an email that they were out of stock and unable to fulfill my order.  FINALLY one came in the mail and with how excited I was, you’d think the bunny was my lovey.  Now we rotate them and never let Harry see that more than one exists.

Music Table – I mentioned several toys earlier but this one deserves to stand alone.  You may recall that Matt and I are anti-battery operated toys.  We’re not total grinches – we just prefer constructive toys that don’t play the same songs over and over or randomly start talking in the middle of the night (it happens…and it’s creepy).  We love BOOKS and activities that incite the imagination.  But this toy is our big exception.  You can choose different options (so it’s not always the same sounds or theme) and H was playing with it as soon as hand-eye coordination strengthened.  And it’s what kickstarted his dancing…and we love his dancing.  Do the same songs, phrases, and noises still get stuck in our head?  Of course, but his little bouncing bottom makes it all worth it.

Bath Tub / Toys - Harry always enjoyed bath time   After he fought with RSV at 4 weeks old, he even loved the warm showers we’d take with him to help him breathe clearly.  But since the time he could sit up baths have become something super special.  This boy LOVES his Primo bathtub, to the point where he refuses to take baths in a plain tub when we travel.  He’s comfortable in this one and it has been great at every stage of growth.  With toys, we’ve kept it fairly simple but H is certainly never bored – we pour water from the ducks, write out messages for Daddy, and give kisses to the fishes…to name a few activities.  Afterward we pile them all into his organizer (okay that’s mommy’s favorite part).

Sunscreen + Swim Float – Once H hit 6 months, we had a lot of pool time and we’re pumped for this year.  The basic supplies were swim trunks, a long-sleeved SPF shirt, a sun hat with a brim, this really awesome pool float (witha detachable shade!) and, of course, sunscreen.  There is a whole post or two’s worth on how we’re beginning to evaluate our skin care.  We’ve long evaluated our diet and since moving to a Real Food diet, we hit the slippery slope of scrutinizing every single thing we digest and chew.   Then H came along and we started looking at skin care products more closely.  His skin is just so perfect and beautiful, I didn’t want to put nasty chemicals on it.  I’ll refrain from the long list of things we avoid…but you learned last time that we’re obsessed with Coconut Oil.  One of the things it definitely doesn’t do is protect him from the sun.  Our latest discovery is from our awesome friend Sarah’s newest adventure into the world of Arbonne.  Basically, I trust their products on account of their high standards (WAY higher than the FDAs) and I’m pumped about their sunscreen for H.  (Yes, it’s pricey…but knowing and supporting an Arbonne consultant has benefits.  Let me know if you want to ask her questions about it!)  More than anything, I recommend reading up on ingredients to avoid and checking out your sunscreen options.

Video Camera - We dropped the ball here.  We caught some good moments on iPhone camera and more than enough pictures but given how often Matt and I watch old videos and sigh, we wish we’d taken more footage.  If you don’t have a video camera or if you’re like me and your iPhone’s memory is always filling up with pictures, I recommend a Flip Cam.  That’s our new plan.

Cooking Supplies -  Here’s the motherload of this list that demands a post of its’ own soon.  Starting at 6 months, Baby Food became our obsession and object of focus.  Where to start, what to try, and so…many…opinions.  The most amazing thing is realizing how incredibly personal this topic (just like nursing) can be for other mommies.  Here’s my disclaimer – every parent does what they genuinely believe to be best for their child…this I trust.  Some parents like to talk about other parents’ decisions in a judge-y or flippant tone.  There’s just no room for this.  We all need to support each other as we work to make good decisions for our babes with what means and capacity we have.  With that being said,  we chose to not use boxed cereals or oatmeal and make all of H’s food at home…Real Food diet from day one.  H doesn’t eat anything that we wouldn’t eat ourselves (minus Puffs…those are necessary for on-the-go).  It’s also one extra way that my full-time working self can love on H and feel solid about what he’s eating when I’m not around.  That’s only 3 days a week but time apart from him never gets easier.  So we get to pour a lil bit of love into his food and a bonus result is the fact that at this rate he eats almost everything we do (except white sugar…because apparently we’re “mean parents”).  To prevent this post from being any longer, here are the basic tools we already had on hand to get started: Jelly Roll Pan (for roasting veggies), Steamer Basket to use with pots (fast and easy way to soften veggies), Blender/Smart Stick/Food Processor to puree softened veggies and fruit (the Smart Stick is seriously awesome for convenience and easy clean up),  Ice Cube Tray and/or Freezer Storage Containers to store food after bulk prep.

Eating Supplies – The quick and dirty rundown: Snack Cup for his puffs and eye-hand coordination practice, Sippy Cup (used primarily for his daily smoothie), Favorite Animal Plates (he loves getting to the bottom and seeing the animals…clapping is typically involved), plenty of Spoons (because  they double as toys and always seem to go missing), Thermos Food Jar (for food on-the-go or warm lunch at school), and reusable snack bags (for his waffles and chopped fruit).  But our very favorite, for wherever we are: POCKET BIB.  Once Harry was sitting up, this thing got way more comfortable and also became the only bib he couldn’t rip off.  The pocket catches food and it’s super easy to clean off.  We also tried the Summer brand but Baby Bjorn is much more durable.

Some honorable mentions – our pack n’ play (Chicco…a wee bit heavy but couldn’t travel without it) and our jogging stroller (Joovy Zoom 360…another category we “test drove” at nausea).  We really do try to keep it simple and minimal.  We had a Bumbo and it was nice (especially with the tray) but didn’t stand out over time.  After seeing how quickly H grew out of things and transitioned into new phases…our focus remained on essentials and things with long-term value, like legwarmers!

[Mommyhood Monday] The Story of Harry, Part III

In The Story of Harry Part I and Part II, we shared the back story on our fertility story.  Basically, I heard I may not be able to have kids, told Matt when we started dating, he was really awesome, we got married, eventually started trying to get pregnant and found it not coming so easily. We moved back to Texas from Vancouver, slowed life down a bit and pondered our options.

In Part II, I mentioned that fertility treatments were not an option for us.  To expand upon that a bit: as a couple, we were lucky that this was a required pre-marital topic of conversation.  Since my fertility was questionable, we talked about what would happen if we couldn’t get pregnant.  As I mentioned in Part I, in the 10+ years I had been given to consider my fertility I came to the conclusion that if I couldn’t get pregnant, then I was 100% called to adopt.  Did I want a sweet, soft baby with baby smells and baby sounds?  Of course I did.  But could I pay thousands and thousands of dollars for a baby that may not happen when there are children out there in need of love and a home?  I personally could not.  And neither could Matt.  And that was nice, to be on the same page.

Now this is a highly personal choice for every person and couple.  If I had not had years to ponder the possibilities, I know how quickly I would have continued to explore every other option.  In this day and age, we women are made to believe that we can do everything and we can do it whenever we want.  At a young age we are pointed to birth control in an effort to “control” our bodies and their natural functions (for our personal convenience or to mask the symptoms of other health irregularities).  Then, we go off of this medicine and expect quick results when we want it to do what we’ve told it not to do for a while.   And THEN we’re pointed to take more drugs and pay more money to get it to do that.  For every single person that’s experienced it, in any fashion, it’s sincerely tragic when it doesn’t happen.  For some, it calls you to question your womanhood and what you have to offer your spouse.  This was something I had always battled.   This is why Matt’s comment in Part I was so epic, “this world will not be deprived of a beautiful mom…perhaps only of beautiful babies.”  Throughout this time he reminded me of this, constantly.  So while we consider fertility to be a blessing…we also had to consider infertility to be a blessing.  All roads still led to a family and plenty of babies out there want one, too.  That was our personal choice.

So as we found ourselves home in Austin, we laid low and began to look toward adoption.  Because I turned down a job offer upon arrival in an effort to rest for a bit, my schedule was far less demanding than when we lived in Vancouver.  Now I was taking care of my nephews (my sister liked to refer to me as her “lady in waiting” in those days) and we were staying in, sleeping more, doing less.   Matt quit drinking caffeine and alcohol and boosted his Vitamin C, taking some of Dr. Shannon’s advice as a last-ditch effort, but I moved on from the daily tasks of charting and monitoring.

I was also fighting the urge to become bitter.  Accepting that God’s in charge doesn’t automatically prepare you for the emotions of His plan.   Embracing the idea of adoption was incredibly easy, but releasing myself from the idea of being pregnant certainly was not.  There were only three instances where I allowed myself to be vulnerable with close friends…to tell them how hard of a time I was having with our fertility test results.  Every single one of them found out they were pregnant within a matter of days.  For each of them I was thrilled and so truly happy.  That part came easy.  But facing a very likely reality that we would never get to experience this gift of biological parenthood, that was heartbreaking.  I didn’t let myself cry over it until I heard a pregnant couple complain about the inconveniences of morning sickness and food cravings.  That was too much for me.  I could be genuinely happy for you, but I was not in a place to sympathize with your pregnancy symptoms.  I excused myself and cried in the restaurant bathroom for 15 minutes.  That was my emotional low.

Can I just say that the Infertility scene in the “Up” life sequence made me “ugly cry”?  Still does. 

Then in early April (four months since we’d moved back), I suddenly grew very lazy.  I had super low energy and felt a little queasy.  I wrote it off but then tried to count back to my most recent cycle and couldn’t.  I was going to dismiss it for a few days more but then remembered that my dear Diana mentioned me wearing an A-line bridesmaid dress for her August wedding.  Since she was going to pull the trigger on that pretty soon, I went to the grocery store for my sister and picked up a test (without telling her).  I went back to her house and took it.

Positive.

Back in Vancouver, a sweet nurse friend gave me about a couple dozen pregnancy tests when she found out we were “trying”.  I had gone through them during our efforts and taking them became a very sad experience.  I would wait until I was 5, 6, up to 10 days late…all negative.  This “positive” was hard-earned*.

I walked out of the bathroom, stunned, and showed my sister.  She had me turn around and take the other test in the box.  Another positive.  I panicked…”I’m on sabbatical…who will hire a pregnant woman…we’re not prepared for this!”  My sister reminded me of the logic that had carried Matt and me through so much, “everything happens according to a plan and you’re not in charge.”  Clearly.

I texted Matt, “Call me ASAP.”  He called me, out of breath, “Are you…?”  Apparently, unlike me,  Matt had not stopped counting the days.  He had been suspicious before I even thought it an option but didn’t bring it up for fear of dashed hopes. Such a faithful man.

We were pregnant.  We were going to have a baby.  There were many challenges to face and come through, but the seemingly impossible had become possible.  Through no rhyme or reason but solely through the grace of God (though we do strongly believe He did some work through Dr. Shannon).

I will always remember my very first doctor’s visit, specifically when my doctor did the dating sonogram and I saw our baby for the very first time.  I cried and mentioned to her how ever since my diagnosis at 17, I had prepared myself for this to never happen.  She responded with, “It’s maddening what some doctors put young girls through…you didn’t need to go through that for so long.  There’s so much we don’t know.”  I’m pretty sure she thought I was crazy when I told her that I was thankful for it.

And I am.  How else would Matt and I have tackled such critical conversations early on?  My questionable fertility led us to better habits, an incredibly healthier diet, and, most importantly, a surrender to the Lord’s plan for us.  The word “control” finds ways to sneak itself into the lives of the most faithful and we were certainly no exception.  Even in our boasts of obedience to His will and our acceptance of His plan, we were still blindsided.   How sweet is that! (And how foolish is boasting?)  Now our hearts have been opened to adoption and the calling still remains.   This is not to be written off, it is not to be tossed aside or forgotten.  But we got to start our family with Harry.

Look at me, making progress in Harry’s story!  The next one is the last of this series and it’s the motherload…his Birth Story.  (Only 14 months later!)

Peace and Blessings to you as you start the week…make it a meaningful one!

*I am highly sensitive to the fact that our “hard-earned” positive is still laughable compared to the thousands and thousands of couples who go through longer periods of fertility woes, miscarriages, and those who never receive the positive test result.  I very much believe that the journey for each couple is different, not to be weighed against each other or competed against.  We received a beautiful gift and however any future gifts should present themselves (biologically or by other means), our lessons learned were to never assume where God’s plan is taking us and, no matter where it leads, to never stop counting our blessings.

Thirty and Thriving

When you struggle to remember your WordPress logins, it’s been a long time.  I’d like to say that instead of keeping this up, I’ve been super productive elsewhere and making strides with home projects and meal plans.  I’d like to say my bench is complete.  I’d like to say a lot of things.

What I can say is that I’m now almost 60 days into thirty and have no shame about what I completed on my Roaring Twenties Bucket List: I painted, I planned an “Awkward Mommy Happy Hour”, I finished our Christmas shopping in November (this was huge!), and I got the Four Generations of Howeth photo.  40% is not too shabby.

Since October I’ve started a new job, all three of us had birthdays, and busy Christmas season happened.  January has been busy with work and H starting his lil spanish school (it’s a shame Harry doesn’t translate to a spanish name), and figuring out what a “routine” looks like for us.  To let you know how busy the week feels, all three Howeths were tucked in by 8pm on Fri night and 9pm on Sat/Sun night this weekend.  It was heavenly.

For Harry’s first birthday, we went to the park.  It involved all of Harry’s favorite things: people, balloons, food, and swings.  What more can a little boy want?

H has yet to eat refined white sugar – we found a great recipe with ripe bananas, unsweetened applesauce and spices over at Our Havenhill for his smash cake and clearly, he didn’t mind.  The only pity from the party is that we didn’t get very many pictures and definitely didn’t get one of the three of us.  Note for any mama stressing out over first birthday shenanigans ..don’t worry about the little details and jump into pictures!  If the snack bowls aren’t at least 65% full for three extra minutes…your babe will never know.  Pictures are what lasts.

Speaking of…those who follow on Instagram saw this back in December but I’ll share it here for fun.   For how bad I can be with sticking to things, I’m impressed with myself for pulling this off.  So fun to see the month-to-month changes and transformation.  What a babe!

xoxo

12:51AM – A Moment

The Story of Harry Part III has taken me a while.  It’s been started about 3 times but I haven’t been able to get it to a place where I’m happy to post it.  It is not meant for brilliance or anything, but it’s still part of Harry’s story.  So it’s special to me.

Much to my dismay, it’s not getting published tonight.  Instead, I am sitting here with a babe that has fallen back asleep in my arms.  And I will do anything I can to prolong the moment.

The mornings may be blurry, the nights may be broken, but there is little chance that you’ve ever heard me complain about lack of sleep since H has been born.  I love these moments.  He’s almost 11 months old (AHH) and with his mean teeth waking him up these recent nights, I soak in the time.  During the day I am generally multitasking.  I make it a point to not be on my phone while feeding Harry and the TV is usually off when he’s awake.  But with my ADHD nature, my mind is a few different places.  I’m working, I’m sending emails while he plays with his blocks, I’m on the phone with a client while he blissfully crashes through board books (could I be any luckier?).  Though I have been blessed with the ability to work from home and be with him most of the week, I’m still working.  Though my eyes are always on him, I’m still divided.

But in the early morning hours, I’m hopelessly devoted.  I didn’t sign up for sleep when we prayed and prayed (and prayed some more) for a babe.  I signed up for these moments, when he’s heavy with warmth, breathing sweet breaths, and filled with dreams.

Thanks to the love affair H has with his crib, he rarely falls asleep elsewhere.  Especially not in our arms.  So tonight,I’m recording in words how special this moment is to me, and I’m off to soak in as many as he’ll let me.

Peace be with you and yours.

[10 11 12] Pumpkin Patch

It’s been a hectic week…we were on vacation in Chicago until Monday evening and went straight back to crazy Tuesday Morning. Last night we managed to meet up with Ava and the Babbs at a Pumpkin Patch. The light was fleeting and Harry had skipped his late afternoon nap so we’re going to give it another go next week. Luckily, this kid is cute enough to make grumpy and sleepy look good.

“This one’s got a crazy look in his eyes…”

“This is our guy. I’ll get it.”

The Money Shot.

Lashes.

Punkins.

Chillin’

xoxo

[Top Ten Tuesday] Last Ditch Bucket List for My Roaring Twenties

You guys, I have exactly TWO MONTHS left in my twenties.  Unlike some I am actually thrilled for my thirties (many thanks Charlotte from Revenge and Jennifer Garner) and can’t wait to see what’s in store.  But I still have 60 days and why not make a Bucket List?

This will probably be considered incredibly lame by many (I get a thrill with a 9PM bedtime after all) but hey, you can make your own bucket list and I’ll think it’s fabulous.

10.  Run 3 miles.  Laugh at the tiny number all you want.  I am NOT a runner.  My form, my patience, my feet…they’re all off.  But everyone who commits to it ends up loving it so there must be something there.  That and sometimes I’m a little jealous of Matt’s early morning runs.  It charges his day and puts him in a great mood, without fail.   A good workout in the morning does that for me as well but something is missing.

9. Sew A Pillow.  I already own a sewing machine and I have sewn before.  But I’m scared…scared of messing up or ruining fabric I love.  But something tells that if I don’t get to it, the lovely fabric I have piled up will be donated by my husband to someone who is not too scared to use it.

8. Paint. My sister and I have a Groupon for a painting class that we need to use, so this is kind of an easy one.  My mom just happens to be one of those incredibly talented people who can pretty much do whatever she wants.  ”I love this photo…let me make it a painting!” ” Need a colonial costume for 1776?  I’ll take care of that!” (Yes, those happened.)  I didn’t inherit this talent but I did inherit an interest in all things constructive so hey, why not.

7. Read 3 Books. One book will be spiritual.  One book will be career development.  One book will be a classic.  None of them will be Harry Potter or Toddler 411.

6. Get the Four Generations of Howeth photo. Harry’s a super blessed babe to still have his paternal grandfather and great-grandfather living.  Our shameful confession is that with life being as hectic as it’s been, we haven’t gotten to introduce the two just yet.  Funny how a 4 hour drive seems just-that-much-further when you have a babe.

5. Buy Something Fabulous on Black Friday.  I have no idea what but it will be fabulous and most likely impractical.

4. Knit a Blanket.  Knitting I am much more comfortable with and though no expert, I could swing a blanket.  I have about 10 different patterns bookmarked so, let’s do this.

3. Finish Christmas shopping in November.  This should be on my list every year.  But this year I have a baby turning 1, me turning 30, and Matt’s birthday all in the first week of December.  I’m looking at you, Amazon, to help me make sure this one happens.

2. Create “Awkward Mommy Happy Hour.”  I like this the more and more I think about it and hear positive feedback and dernit, it’s going to happen.  Stay tuned, mommies…time to put on the clothes we don’t want to ruin with spit up, wear impractical shoes, and practice being non-awkward.

1. _________________.  Can’t decide on this last one…gonna need some thinking and some feedback.  Should it be daring and adventurous?  Should it be scary and something that pushes me out of my comfort zone?  Share any suggestions you’ve got!

There you have it.  90% of my Bucket List and only 60 days* to make it happen.

*This is me acknowledging that the completion of 50% of this list will be something to celebrate. Make it 20%.

[Mommyhood Monday] The Story of Harry, Part II

It’s not Monday, it’s Tuesday.  Busted. Grace please?

In Part I of Harry’s Story, I left off at the part where I met Matt and was quickly swooned by his acceptance of fertility question marks and his willingness to journey through God’s plan with me.

Matt and I met Christmas 2006, began dating in 2007 and grew serious later that year.  We were engaged in March of 2008 and married in February of 2009.  It was shortly after our engagement that I began taking my temperature every morning and following the charting procedures for Natural Family Planning (NFP).  Now some people assume that our decision to use NFP* was based on me being Catholic and that we entertained no other option.  Others assume we wanted babies from the start.  But the truth is that we weighed several other options and did not want to get pregnant right away.  NFP was simply the only choice we could personally move forward with clear eyes and full hearts (can’t lose, right?).

*If you want to know more about our decision to use NFP, I am happy to share.

The factors that led to our decision to delay pregnancy were the same of most newlywed couples.  After a long-distance engagement, we wanted a bit of time together.  Matt was in the thick of grad school and we were living in Vancouver, Canada for at least a couple of years.

Now I could get into the next part with great detail but I’ll keep it a little close to the cuff.  Basically, we had a very early pregnancy “scare” (that word is important) that had us all in a fuss.  “We’re not ready!  We have a timeline!  How could God do this!?”

It was that last part that stopped us in our tracks.   I mean, did you guys read Part I of this story where I had to tell Matt that I might not be able to have babies?  How far we had strayed!  Me, with my incredible perspective and questionable fertility, had allowed myself to get so wrapped up in a timeline that, for even a quick moment, I “feared” pregnancy.

We weren’t pregnant.  And though our planned timeline was safe our hearts were softened to the idea.  We continued to postpone pregnancy for the next few months.   Then I was offered a job…my dream job involving international travel and event planning and career growth to the max.  They requested that we stay in Vancouver for at least 3 years and after plenty of conversation, we agreed to those terms.  I was THISCLOSE to signing the dotted line when I casually asked about “family growth”.  Though an employer cannot legally state a preference it was said, in no uncertain terms, that they preferred for those 3 years to be uninterrupted.

So now I was staring my PCOS in the face.  If you recall from Part I, the clock works against you with PCOS and delaying another 3 years meant that 1) the timeline was being forced by us and 2) the fertility window would keep closing.  So I rescinded my verbal agreement and told them that they would be better suited finding someone else.  They pressed for more explanation and finally I told them that I couldn’t guarantee I wouldn’t get pregnant for three years.  They weren’t too happy and I’ll never forget the tone of their voice when they said, and I quote, “you are turning down a great opportunity because you want to be a mommy someday?”  Well, when you put it that way…yep.

So then, with perspective again refreshed, we began actually trying.  Six months into trying, a laughable amount of time compared to so many couples, I began to speak with a doctor about it.  He chuckled, told us to try for six more months and then we’d run tests.

In the first six months I read Dr. Marilyn Shannon’s book, “Fertility, Cycles, and Nutrition.”  We received a copy in our NFP course and let me just say that if I am ever lucky enough to meet Dr. Shannon, she won’t be ready for the amount of love and giddiness I will exude. This is what got me to examine our diet and our supplements.  We cut out high fructose corn syrup, aspartame, and most processed foods.  I began taking a prenatal and we kept in shape.  We felt great but still weren’t pregnant.  So we ran the tests.

Our results showed two strikes.  Not just one for my PCOS, but one for Matt as well.  Two strikes and a less than 3% chance of ever getting pregnant.  I got a second opinion and the results were confirmed.

This time our perspective didn’t fail us.  We were tired, a bit beat down, and emotionally drained but we knew that this wasn’t a battle for us to fight.  Our hearts had been preparing for this for years.  We made the decision to move back to Texas and take a break.  No more charting, no more counting days and taking temperature.  Fertility treatments were not an option.  We just wanted to surround ourselves with family and friends back home and start to save for adoption.

So we moved back to Texas.  I was in a bit of a “mourning state” so I turned down a job, took a sabbatical, and worked for my sister as a nanny to my two nephews.

I know this is a lot of back story and that is definitely why it’s not entitled, “Harry’s BIRTH Story”.  But my intention here was also to document our journey.  Perhaps it also sheds a little bit of light on why I am Mom-arazzi with our babe…I am in a constant state of wonder that this little miracle is actually ours.  That and he’s really cute and fun.

Next Monday, Part III.  If it makes you feel better, I will commit to there only being IV parts.  Call it the “Lost” treatment…the light at the end of the storytelling tunnel is near!

Peace and Blessings friends.

Summer Awkwardness

Without any warning, I took a break this summer.  Our marriage needed some TLC, my babe always deserves my attention, and we had a lot going on.  We had a long summer – filled with the completion of a thesis(!), work, the birth of our incredibly precious and beautiful niece (our very first!), and Harry’s Baptism.

Harry’s Baptism was such a sweet occasion and he is one lucky babe to have our dear friends Melissa and Matt as his Godparents.  He rocked a bonnet and kept a good face the entire time.  Let’s face it, this kid is only unhappy if we mess with his sleep schedule or we don’t give him enough food.  He’s his father’s son.

The picture above failed to capture H in his bonnet, which means you’re totally missing out.

Truth be told, this summer was a difficult one.  Harry is the happiest babe we could have ever prayed for and he is our sunshine and delight every single day.  But I’m pretty sure that with a few different factors, I managed to slip into a low place that I’m just beginning to emerge from.  A place that had me going to bed super late and sleeping less, watching way too much TV (Confession: I finished the entire series of Felicity in a little over a week…that’s EIGHTY-FOUR episodes…not proud), and being fairly anti-social.

The emotions of becoming a mom are so fascinating to me.  The biggest effect was awkwardness.  I’ve always had awkwardness as a part of my make-up but wow, it has multiplied over the past 10 months.  I can be in a room full of people I know or a room of strangers, both of which never phased me before, and I want to just run home and work on a project or finally start The West Wing (let’s face it, I’m overdue).

I hear this is not abnormal for new moms.  I joked with my sister that I should start an “Awkward Mom Happy Hour” where we just practice being sociable again.  There would be topics we are not allowed to talk about: poop, sleep patterns, milk supply, baby food, and baby milestones being on the banned list.  But, in order for that Happy Hour idea to work, I’d have to schedule another Mommy Happy Hour that focuses on that list.  If I’ve learned anything about community these past several months, it’s that all moms need other moms to discuss these pivotal child-rearing topics.  Maybe I’m not joking anymore?

So we’re back.  This little blog post is dedicated to my lovely Kate who demanded an update.  Apparently leaving Harry’s Birth Story unfinished was just plain rude. My apologies. Part II coming on Monday!