Hi Friends. I know it’s taken me a while to write. I admit, I’ve had trouble mustering up any desire to make time to blog when I’ve been so blissfully living in each cherished moment with our new daughter. She’s seven weeks old already and it’s undoubtedly true when “they” say time surely does fly. Those extra six days waiting for her arrival felt like an eternity, while this past month and a half has gone by in a blink. I just don’t want to miss a thing. In fact, she’s peacefully napping on me as we speak.
While cooking still remains a passion of mine, dinner these days tends to be made one-handed, with Emma (AKA: MnM) in my opposite arm, often propping her pretty pink bottle with my chin so she can eat while I prepare for Hubby and I do to the same. Before that, we’ve relied on meals brought over by family and friends, the lovely folks at dcuisine who sent us a selection of gourmet prepared dishes, and of course, good ole’ take-out. Last night we even gave MnM her first fine dining experience at the fabulous Il Villaggio, who graciously accommodated us for my mom’s birthday.
During our first two weeks home as a family, Hubby and I typically found ourselves eating at 10:30PM, having no concept of time. Our days were filled with nonstop visitors while we simultaneously juggled lack of sleep and the unpredictable schedule of our adorable new roommate. I’ve stuck to the staples, preparing a lot of already-blogged dishes and quick fixes that while delicious, weren’t exactly something to write about.
Although I do promise to get back to adventures in the kitchen, my creativity these days involves coming up with lyrics to silly songs (I joke that my album will be available for download on iTunes…) rather than flavor combinations. My heart is overflowing with devotion to spending quality time as a mommy, trading food photos for smiley newborn pics, the sound of pots and pans for giggles and coos, sautéing for cuddling and new recipes for new milestones with our little princess.
‘One day she’ll be 16’ I remind myself every time I get to hold her tightly taking in the sweet scent of her whispy hair as her delicate fingers wrap around mine. Those bright blue eyes study my face letting me know she needs me, while the corners of her darling, perfect little lips turn from smirk into beaming smile, making my heart melt. No souffle is worth skipping a minute with this precious little girl.
So why am I checking in now? Well, today marks four years since Hubby and I closed on our home. Four years. That’s an entire college experience (!) From almost-married with a dog, to newlyweds, to new parents, this home has been filled with an incredible amount of love. As I was reading through my previous posts on the subject, I felt nostalgic and inspired.
With MnM snuggled on my shoulder, I slowly walked around each room that had been decorated with such fine detail. Then I stopped for a moment, feeling a rush of excitement at how our priorities have changed. The ‘formal’ living room is now equipped with one of four playmats, an array of children’s books are stacked on the ottomans of our charming TV room (that Hubby and I refer to as the ‘thunder dome’), the kitchen counter is scattered with pacifiers while a mamaRoo swing is plugged in next to the table.
An infant car seat rests on the floor of our dining room, while our newly finished basement-turned playroom is complete with a toy chest amongst other baby friendly activity spaces. A stroller is parked next to the car in our garage, while our sophisticated bedroom still holds a bassinet from her first few weeks home. A baby tub now sits in the linen closet of our upstairs bathroom (equipped with rubber duckies, of course), and the much-used former guest room has become a bright, lavender and white nursery.
I will always remember the first time we entered the front door. After what had been months of an exhausting house hunt, Hubby turned to me and said, “I can picture our kids running down those stairs one day.” Now with MnM here, that will actually be a reality.
It may sound silly to some, why a bunch of walls and a roof can have so much meaning to two people. But when we went searching we weren’t just looking for a place to live, we were looking for a place to build a life. This morning’s vision of scattered burp clothes, teeny socks and dainty hair bows shows me we have done just that.
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Also Read: Buffalo Chicken Pizza and the Keys to Our Home & Cauliflower Pizza Crust and Three Years in Our Home
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1 Comment
I have so enjoyed watching you grow into the women, wife, mother and TV personality that you have become! It seems like only yesterday that we were at your Bat Mitzvah and our son was sleeping in the corner- despite the loud music! Looking forward to your continued adventures- as both a parent and a food blogger extraordinaire!