There's a boat in the camera!

Recently we had some family photos taken. It was long overdue, considering the last photos we had done professionally were in May 2014 and didn't include Dad! So we enlisted an old friend, Meredith Carroll, to get some family of three (plus) shots. We had about an hour and decided on a natural setting at Ross Bridge. Per usual, I was anxious about these pictures weeks in advance...

What will I wear? What should B wear? Should we match, coordinate or just see what happens? What if I don't sleep well the night before and look puffy? What if B doesn't behave and we don't get any good shots of him? Is the time frame OK? Should he nap before or after? Should we eat before or after? We all need haircuts immediately. Do I even remember how to put on real make-up? 

Normal concerns; they all seem valid. Luckily, my MIL is a mind-reader and found something for B to wear (for these AND Santa pictures). She is a saint and we are so thankful for her initiative when it comes to things for B, our house, and just life in general! 

B learned the word "reindeer" that day. 

The week of, I made it to the Swanky Stork to pick something out for myself. I quickly found two things that I couldn't part with, so I was set. Now it was time for Dad to select his attire. He went through several rounds of options before finding something just perfectly "Fall" that coordinated.

Coordinating greens throughout, subtle but effective.

Whew! Now it was all down to the day. We got an early start to the morning, thanks to B, but ended up rushing out the door - how does that happen?!? B slept in the car and woke up when we arrived, not in a great mood, but he perked up with some gummy snacks. So we were off. It took Mom and Dad some time to warm up for the camera and focus. Meredith instructed us not to look at B and try to make him smile, but to look at the camera and focus on smiling ourselves! Great advice. This is why half of our every day pictures turn out with one of us looking drunk and the other talking. To get B to smile and focus, you have to get creative. 

Show me your teeth! Cheeeeeeeeessse! Look here at the camera! Do you see yourself in the camera? If you look at the camera you will see a boat! There is a boat in the camera! Do you want some crackers? Give us one more smile and you can have some crackers! See how Dad is smiling, smile like Dad! 

It was exhausting. But Meredith assured me by the end we had some good shots. And she was right!

The framers... 

"There's no boat in that camera, but I'll grin anyway."

Just like Dad.

B loves his boots.

We love our sweet B.

And the outtakes...

B is five, Dad is asleep and Mom looks like she hasn't slept in days.

What happens after an hour and you say "Cheeeeeeeese" for the 400th time.

"Kiss Mommy!" or eat her face...

Mid "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star"

"No, I will not hug baby Wyatt" - B
"Please get your hand out of my crotch" - Mom

Take Them Food: Restaurants to Try

Here in the South we like to take people food. New neighbors get baked goods, new moms get entire dinners. It's awesome. People come see the baby, hold the baby, and bring you food. Then they leave...and you can stuff your exhausted face in your bathrobe while breastfeeding. I can't wait!

I will say the etiquette is different depending on the family. When some of our BFF's had their first child, we brought them dinner and we stayed to eat with them. But most of the time it's an early evening food drop with limited baby viewing. You rub yourself down with sanitizer and coo away.

Restaurants in Birmingham have gotten wise to the idea that people not only take meals to others, but sometimes just need a good dinner to pick up and serve to the family - no cooking involved. I have done some research recently because of new babies in the family and thought I would share a list of options. I know there are more, but this was what I came up with pretty quickly.

Ready to Eat -

• Urban Cookhouse - Crestline, Summit, Homewood. Pick up meals after 3 pm.
• Maki Fresh - Rice bowls for four, definitely unique. I haven't had the chance to try this one yet.
• Taziki's - Many locations! Pick up after 2 pm.
• Zoe's - Multiple locations, two different serving size options.
• Costa's Mediterranean - Trussville and Hoover. They have all sorts of options for 2 or 4 person meals. You can also get their baked pastas uncooked and ready for the freezer!
• Little Donkey - Homewood. I could only find the info on the "taco packs" under the online take-out ordering. Four options with sides. Another one I haven't tried, but their tacos are damn good. Now if we could just get to-go cocktails...
• Taco Mama - Crestline Village. One option that feeds 4 hungry people!
• Iz Cafe - Hoover (Rocky Ridge) and English Village. They have a monthly menu of take home meals available Tuesday thru Thursday.
• Jim 'N Nicks - Many locations! And you get the option of buns or cheese biscuits...cheese biscuits, every. time. please. thank you.

Cook at Home (or freeze for later)

• Ashley Mac's - Cahaba Heights, Inverness, Riverchase."Gourmet To Go" casseroles and prepared foods (appetizers, desserts, salads, etc). Definitely get dessert and pick up a dozen sour cream biscuits for you and the lucky recipient. They just melt in your mouth!
• Homewood Gourmet - Homewood. Rave reviews from everyone who has received one of these bake-at-home gems. Don't forget the gigantic cookies and/or brownies. Remember...bathrobe eating is better done with dessert in-hand.
• Dishn' It Out - Crestline (next to Saw's Juke Joint). Extensive selection! I often peer through the windows at their freezer collection while waiting to eat at Saw's.
• What's 4 Supper by Edgewood Catering - Homewood. I haven't tried this place yet, but they put out a weekly menu that looks great. They offer frozen and freshly cooked.

*Most of these places do have prepared foods (chicken salad, pimento cheese, etc) but they specifically offer a "Meal for 4" or "Family Dinner" option that is all ready to eat when you walk in the door.

Update...better later than never!

It's been a while since I wrote a blog post. It's sort of embarrassing considering how strong I started, but it's hard to keep the momentum and inspiration. I take that back, the inspiration for content is there, the inspiration to sit down and write is not always close behind. 

So much has happened in our world since my last post. Let's see...

• I went to LA for work for 10 days. It was such a great professional experience and I hope I get to do it again. Dad came to visit for a couple of nights which was really nice considering I didn't get to see him as much as I would have liked! We got to stay in a beautiful hotel, eat good food, and spend a bit of time together.  

Mini monkey bread for dessert after lunch at Salt Air in Venice. Divine! 

View from my room at the Fairmont Santa Monica. 

• We decided to start trying for baby #2. This proved to be a bit more difficult than we had intended, but after a visit to our specialist, Dr. Malizia at Alabama Fertility Specialists, we were able to conceive after only one round of Clomid. On what would have been my mom's 59th birthday, July 14, we found out we were having another little boy! 

B is ready for football season.

I think he gets his sweet tooth from me. Has to eat the icing first!

• We put our house on the market, sold it after about four months, and bought a new one! We lived with the fantastic Nonna and Poppy (my in-laws) for three weeks in between and moved in to the new house on July 2. It is HUGE - comparatively - and we will never move again. We have just the space we need and moving is not fun, especially during your first trimester of pregnancy. Big kudos to super Dad for basically doing it all himself, and my MIL who is an expert packer!

  

  We had a ton of people come thru our house. But we found the right buyer with the help of the Josh Vernon Group! 

  
  

  

  B loves the new kitchen table from Nadeau! He has breakfast on the bench, and dinner on the end left chair. 

• We have been on several lovely vacations, including two beach trips to Orange Beach with family and a parent's getaway/Dad's work convention to New Orleans. We also made it to Gulfport for Memorial Day to celebrate Aunt Lala's birthday, and tell the family that we were pregnant! 

  

  At Fisher's in Orange Beach (April 2015).

  

  In Orange Beach before heading to dinner (July 2015).

  

  Roasted cauliflower and bone marrow at Domenica in NOLA. 

  
  

  

  Muffaletta, salad, pulled pork sandwich and Brussels at Cochon Butcher in NOLA.

  
  

  

  French toast, scotch egg, and boudin and grits for brunch at Angeline in NOLA.

• Barrett turned TWO! Life with B has been entertaining and honestly, fun! Several months ago he hit a point where he was very difficult to wrangle. He wanted to touch, pull, grab, push, and hit everything. He is incredibly inquisitive, which I love, but can be maddening at times. Then one day I realized he wasn't so much like that anymore. He seemed more comfortable with his surroundings and aware of what things were, so he was less compelled to investigate every item and/or place. On a daily basis he learns or says something new. I still don't understand what any of the words mean, but they are coming. Family meals are fun because he enjoys them, encouraging us to "sit, mom!" and "sit, dad!" Next step...lose the pacifier at night time (already gone from naps thanks to school!) and upgrade to a twin bed. We will need that crib for when baby #2 gets here in January!

  

  Blowing out his birthday candles!