Keeping Up With The Nonericks

Fun and Firsts

2012-01-16T21:02:00.000-08:00

Despite our silence on the blog, we've been busy during the last few weeks. Arlo got his first haircut and enjoyed his first trip to the aquarium. We also celebrated a good friend's 1st birthday and made time to play in the new and improved playroom.

You may be asking yourself why we felt compelled to cut Arlo's fine hair. Well, pictures are worth a thousand words, so here you go.

How can you notice that cute little face with wild, "Mad Scientist" hair?

Yep, it's even worse from behind.

Who is that handsome boy with perfectly trimmed locks?

We're still waiting for the hair to fill out up front, but he looks more like a toddler and less like a baby after his new haircut.

At the aquarium, we spent a little time playing on a pier to enjoy the incredible view of the Olympic mountains.

We love our town!

Arlo wasn't as impressed by the mountains. He wanted to check out the fish in the aquarium.

Happy Birthday, Wyatt!

Wyatt inspects a cool homemade blanket made by his Aunt Becky. Even Arlo is struck by the craftsmanship.

Reading books together before dinner. Buds for life, we think!

(I owe Arlo an apology for not catching the embarrassing diaper faux pas.)

Fun with Friends!

Wyatt exploring the tunnel.

Barrett playing Peek-a-Boo!

"There she is!"

Serious engineering going on.

Barrett and her Mama, Lydia, providing a little music for the play date.

Arlo loves the tunnel!

Whoa, Santa!

2011-12-27T12:49:00.000-08:00

This Christmas, we planned on having a low-key affair focused on enjoying some quality time as family. Well, Santa didn't get the memo.

I don't know what happened. Arlo must have learned how to work the Christmas system. Of course, we have explained the benefits of prioritizing one or two things to Arlo, and Ryan and I have also talked about planning future holidays around experiences rather than presents. Lesson learned.

Sigh...

With that said, the pictures and videos below summarize our wonderful but excessive Christmas. We missed our family and friends, but we hope everyone had a memorable and relaxing holiday!

Arlo was so excited about Santa's visit that he wished the big night would come already. To cope with the long wait, he played the blues on his harmonica.

Arlo went to Madison, WI, for a few days where he learned how to dance to the Nutcracker. Arlo's cousins, Lucy and Amelia, are not only talented ballet performers, but they were in the Madison Ballet's rendition of the holiday classic.

Ryan and Arlo enjoying a fully decked out Christmas House on our traditional Christmas Eve walk through Olympic Manor.

Christmas morning cinnamon rolls - yum!

Legos!

Arlo is just starting to figure out how to unwrap presents.

Now we have an official play room complete with little table and chairs,

a "Secret Garden" tent with toadstool pillow, a tunnel, and a basketball hoop (see Arlo's demo below).

Ryan and Arlo opening presents. So ridiculously cute.

A playroom that is now ready for action!

Decking the Halls

2011-12-08T20:35:00.001-08:00

On the day after Thanksgiving, we have a tradition of getting our Christmas tree with our good friends, Amy and Byron. This year was the first year we had both of our kids in tow. We are looking forward to continuing the tradition as the kids grow up, but this year the parents had the most fun selecting the perfect tree.

I don't know what it is about a Christmas tree. Perhaps it's the fact that we load it up with twinkling lights during the darkest time of year. Maybe it's the familiar smell that you forget about until you get the tree in your house. Whatever it is, I love it.

Now that Arlo is a toddler (how did that happen?!), we debated whether or not we should fully decorate the tree with ornaments. At the end of the day, we decided we could risk it if we exercised the right amount of caution. We put breakable ornaments up high, made sure there were no choking hazards within reach, and tied the tree to prevent it from falling over. I'm so glad we decorating the whole thing. It seems like a shame to pay money for a tree only to use part of it for its intended purpose.

Byron and Wyatt scoping the selection.

Wyatt did a great job choosing his first Christmas tree!

Jack Frost nipped at our noses.

Arlo thought Ryan could use a little help getting the tree in the stand.

Let the Nonerick family Christmas begin!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-12-03T20:24:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed a fantastic Thanksgiving with good friends and good food. Wonder what a bunch of vegetarians do for a holiday centered on turkey?

The Main Course

Fake turkey sliced into discs make a perfect turkey with stuffing taco! De-lish!

A Full Table = Excessively Full Bellies

We devoured Amy's sweet potatoes with ginger and orange juice, two types of stuffing (yes!), mashed potatoes, cranberry relish, a yummy salad and many more tasty treats.

Wyatt was perfectly content after a wonderful meal.

Arlo, on the other hand, was so full he had to take off his pants.

Buddies playing

I'm so sad that I only captured the last of what was an adorable moment of love between friends.

Barely Keeping Up

2011-11-14T19:31:00.001-08:00

Arlo is walking like a maniac. We are barely keeping up with him, which may be evident based on the messy room in this video. Despite the fact that we have to be even more on our game with a toddler, we are loving the walking phase. For one thing, he sleeps more at night. Perhaps he is wearing himself out more?

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T21:51:00.001-07:00

My favorite holiday is... wait for it... Halloween!

Every year, I go a little nuts, and having a child only makes my obsession worse. Sadly, Arlo was sick this year with a fever, congestion, and a full body rash, so we had to cancel all of our celebration plans, including trick-or-treating! Don't worry, though, we made the best of it!

The front porch by day.

Arlo and Shelob welcome you!

A garden that is slowly going to sleep for the winter reveals a terrifying secret tombstone.

Yes, we did force a sick little boy to wear his garden gnome costume for 5 minutes while we took pictures. Poor baby!

The front porch by night.

Hope everyone had a fantastic and frightening Halloween!

And we have liftoff!

2011-10-24T21:34:00.000-07:00

Arlo is walking! He's also doing his best Frankenstein impersonation for Halloween week. Something tells me it's time to batten down the hatches.

It would be scary if he wasn't so darn cute.

Helping Papa unpack after his bike commute home.

Times, they are a changin'

2011-10-18T21:56:00.000-07:00

Arlo is turning into a toddler. Someone once told me that every new phase with a baby comes with its own pros and cons. In my experience, this is very true. If it wasn't, parenting would be fairly straight forward and easy to figure out after some period of adjustment.

In Arlo's case, he's throwing temper tantrums over every little thing -- diaper changes, picking up toys, eating. At this stage in the game, I have a hard time feeling confident about what to do. Our pediatrician suggests that we don't respond because a reaction will only feed the behavior. Who knew sweet little babies could turn into master manipulators so young?

Ignoring a screaming, flailing baby is really hard. My gut reaction is to say, "Arlo, stop it. Enough of that nonsense. Let's do something else." Ok, it's more than a gut reaction, it's something I've tried but it doesn't work. For some reason, engaging with him just makes it worse, and he is not cognitively developed enough to respond to rationalization.

What did I do?

On the plus side, Arlo is getting more and more curious and and fun to interact with. We've been trying to get him to use sign language to communicate, and he can sign for "milk" and "finished/all done" but we're still working on "more", "change" (as in diaper change), and a lot of other practical signs.

I have to admit that I want to give up on the sign language thing. It seems to work well for some people and not as well for others. We've been trying for months and months, and while we don't sign as constantly or consistently as we probably should, Arlo doesn't seem too rushed to communicate (beyond screaming, of course).

Anyway, back to the fun department. Arlo is walking! He can walk between Ryan and I when we sit 6 or so feet apart. He can walk to us from a piece of furniture. One unexpected part of this walking thing is how important confidence is to a baby. I really believe that Arlo could walk all the time if he wanted to, but he gets nervous, looks for a hand or something to hold onto, and sits down.

I didn't realize how psychology is just as important as physiology. I always assumed a baby had an instinct to walk and decided to give it a try based on some natural urge. That's only part of the picture. It's exciting but terrifying at the same time because it means the stakes are increasing. We need to be more aware of what Arlo needs, provide what we can, and leave the rest up to him. For a neurotic control freak like me, that's really hard.

Circus Scholarship?

I will post a more up-to-date video within the next week, but this is a video from last week when Arlo was more unsure of his walking skills. Crazy!

4:1

2011-09-30T15:19:00.000-07:00

If there is one thing I've learned after a year of parenting, it's that the more help the better. I have nothing but respect for single parents because there is NO WAY I could ever do it alone. In fact, I think the ideal scenario is more like a 4:1 ratio of competent adults to young child.

A couple of weeks ago, Ryan's parents came to visit, which gave us the perfect 4:1 capacity ratio. Of course we love catching up with them, but the real treat is that Patty and John want to take care of Arlo all the time, and they are eager to babysit so Ryan and I can enjoy a night out. After the Patricks leave, we realize how spoiled we are to have them. Sigh...

Must have been a tense moment during a Sounders game.

Grandma Patty blowing bubbles with Arlo.

A sunny day at Woodland Park Zoo with friends, Amy and Wyatt.

My favorite picture from the trip!

Grandpa John showing Arlo the elephants.

During their visit, Patty and John bought Arlo a walker for his birthday and started a training regime to help Arlo learn how to walk. If this video is any indication, it won't be long until Arlo is running around the house like a maniac.

Enjoying freedom while it lasts...

Trick and Seasonal Treats

2011-09-10T21:31:00.000-07:00

First the trick part of today's post. Arlo is getting more fun by the day. We officially entered the phase where we make him do tricks for entertainment purposes. He can high five, wave, shake his head (incidentally, we can't tell if it also means no or is for dancing purposes only), clap, and show us how big he is. Needless to say, it's the cutest thing we've ever seen.

"How big is Arlo?"

And now, the seasonal treats. Summer arrived late in Seattle this year, but we are thrilled it's sticking around for a little while. Today, it was a perfect 83 degrees with no humidity. Awww...

Since we were going to eat on our deck, I felt a little inspired to cook a meal with parts influenced by an episode of No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain. Now, I know what you may be thinking, "Anthony Bourdain is a d-bag." Well, you're probably right. I don't know the guy, but he does flaunt a rough around the edges personality (or persona?) on his travel/food show. He also called Paula Deen "the worst, most dangerous person to America."

The truth is, Bourdain makes part of his living by saying extreme things that have a grain of truth, and as an opinionated person, I respect that. Paul Deen does embody a lot of what's wrong with us, myself included. She eats too much. She cooks food in fat, fat, and more fat. She has created a food empire with a wholesome down-home face, all the while completely disregarding or ignoring the corporate machine that supports her "brand" and makes our food, something we all need to survive, fundamentally unhealthy and unsustainable.

Maybe it's the uptight northerner in me, but I'm a Bourdain fan. He is a jerk, but he can also admit when he's wrong and make fun of himself easily. He doesn't seem to appreciate vegetarianism, but I respect the way he treats meat and food on his show, which is to say that he seems to connect to places where people, either because of need or culinary training, use every part of an animal and know where their food comes from.

But enough of that little tangent and back to the food. Bourdain went to Rome, and in an early scene of the episode, sat down at an outdoor table in a little restaurant to have a local pasta dish. He briefly described the dish, which was a simple spaghetti pasta with a sauce of pasta water, olive oil, salt and pepper and was served in a parmesan "cup." It looked amazing and the scene has stayed with me for months.

Cut to today when I was appreciating all the fresh tomatoes in the garden and (late) summer bounty. I knew I wanted to make a simple Caprese salad with tomatoes, fresh basil, good mozzarella, olive oil, salt and pepper. However, I didn't want to make a heavy entree since it was warm outside. So, I decided to take a crack at the dish Bourdain chowed down in Rome. It was so simple and so good. I highly recommend it.

Making parmesan cups was as easy as 1...

2...

I took a block of parmesan and shredded it with a microplane (if you don't have one in your kitchen, you really need one) into two thin piles, about 6 inches in diameter is best, on a baking sheet. I suggest using parchment paper or something to keep it from sticking like mine did. The, I baked the cheese at 400 degrees until it was bubbling and was just starting to brown. Immediately after taking the sheet out of the oven, I used a spatula to form the cheese into a cup shape by putting it in a muffin tin. I don't recommend this for two reasons: 1. the cup is pretty small for a serving of spaghetti (I lean more toward a Paula Deen serving than a normal serving), and 2. you can get the right size up by putting a large-ish ladle on top of the cheese and curling the edges up. No need to dirty a muffin tin.

Tomatoes from the garden with basil, mozzarella, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Beautiful and delicious.

Finished product (just add wine)

For the spaghetti, I used a few ladles of the pasta water (always cook your pasta in salted water, by the way), olive oil, salt, pepper, shredded parmesan, a little leftover basil, and a squeeze of lemon juice. It was divine!

Proof it was good.

5 Years of Wedded Bliss

2011-09-03T21:38:00.001-07:00

For the annual "Happy Anniversary" post, I like to share photos from our wedding. We look so young and fit and well-rested. It's a funny thing when you've been married long enough to notice the difference between then and now.

I am so lucky to have such a wonderful man in my life. Love you, Ryan!

Happy Birthday, Arlo!

2011-09-02T21:04:00.000-07:00

As the cliche goes, time flies when you're having fun. Arlo is officially 1-year old. Ryan and I can't believe it.

I don't know why it seems like time evaporates as we get older. Apparently, the phenomenon of feeling like time goes by faster as we age is a common belief shared by humans regardless of culture or nationality. One theory is that when you are experiencing a "first" of something, then your memory of those new experiences goes in slow motion.

While this theory probably has more nuances, I don't think the memories of my first year as a parent, which has been chock-full of new experiences, can honestly be described as "slow motion." On the contrary, they seem more like a series of flashes much like a strobe light: Arlo's birth, the first week (a.k.a. hell week), his first bath, sitting up, eating solid food for the first time, laughing and crying, crawling, soccer practice, my first day back at work, his first Halloween and Christmas, his first plane ride, long road trips, meeting friends and family for the first time.

I wish I could remember every detail forever, but I guess that's why living in the present is the only way to reach enlightenment.

We didn't want to do much for his first birthday for a couple of reasons: 1. we're lazy, 2. Arlo will have no recollection of his first birthday, and 3. we didn't want to set a high bar for future birthday parties. How lame would it be if your first birthday was you best birthday?

So we bypassed much of the fuss and had a small group of friends and family over for dinner. Since we weren't going nuts with balloons, a petting zoo, or a bouncy castle thing, we decided to have some good food. We made grilled pizzas, a fresh salad, and homemade S'mores cupcakes.

S'mores Cupcake
Yeah, that is my A-game.

Graham cracker crust, thin layer of dark chocolate, chocolate cupcake and marshmallow frosting.

I think the cupcakes were a hit. At least Xander liked them...

... and Ava too!

Arlo didn't really know what to do with the cupcake at first.

But he quickly figured it out.

Arlo has a sweet tooth like his Mama.

Although he wanted to shove the entire thing in his mouth at once, Arlo quickly learned the benefits of taking your time and making a mess.

The party scene.

I can't believe how much has changed this year, and I'm sure there will just as many, if not more, changes in the year to come. As always, we will keep you (blog) posted!

The Swedish Ballard Babies are 1!

2011-08-25T21:39:00.000-07:00

When I was pregnant, we went to a "Centering Pregnancy" group at our local hospital midwifery group (Swedish Ballard). The group was composed of parents-to-be who shared a due date in the same month. In the case of our group, everyone was due in August of 2010.

I affectionately call our Centering group the "Hippie Vagina Love Circle" because I suspect many people who are unfamiliar with the Centering Pregnancy model think it's a little weird. The fact that we are all Seattle progressives who chose midwives over an OB/GYN for our prenatal care is just icing on the HVLC cake.

Since having our babies, we've gotten together regularly to catch up and have a few drinks. You may remember the Halloween party we posted about last October.

Last weekend, we celebrated the 1 year mark at a garden party hosted by one of the families in our group. Before you get distracted by the adorable babies, I have to tell you that I made homemade Hostess cupcakes (gluten-free and glutenous, of course) for the party, and they were di-vine.

YUM!

It's funny to see Arlo's personality emerge a little more everyday. He's shy and observant, like his father. Goofy and stubborn, like his mother. He's also curious and very loving toward people he knows. At the party, he was a little reserved around the kids he doesn't know well, but when he saw Vivian (the little girl he hangs out with 4 days per week due to our nanny share), he was positively giddy.

Arlo with dirt on his face (yes, he was eating dirt, it isn't chocolate) and Miss Vivian.

Arlo, Jude, and Milo.
I wonder what they are looking at.

The baby line up.
From left, Jude, Vivian, Lucy, Milo, August, and Arlo.

August performing for Arlo.

The families one year later!

Sun, Family, and Bears

2011-08-15T20:40:00.000-07:00

The Nonericks just returned from a fun week in Montana visiting family and introducing Arlo to his cousins for the first time. It was a great trip! We went on a hike in the Jewel Basin in the Swan Mountain Range and just north of Flathead Lake. Arlo got up to his highest elevation yet at between 6500 to 7000 feet above sea level. The record snowfall from the 2010-2011 winter left patches of the white stuff that blocked some of the trails, which was incredible for early/mid August.

Arlo gets some assistance from a binkie when at altitude.

The view over the Flathead Valley.

We need to work on taking pictures of ourselves (ok, I need to work on taking pictures of us).
I love this picture because Arlo put his hand on my shoulder as if he knew it was a warm gesture for a photograph. In reality, he was probably saying, "Mom, I'm here. Pay attention to me."

Arlo didn't like the sun shade on his backpack. He's too big for such baby-ish things.

Arlo and his sun shade.

In addition to hiking, we took the family on a float trip on the Middle Fork Flathead River right outside Glacier National Park. We did the same reach of the river a couple of years ago when my brother, John, and sister-in-law, Ellie, got married.

This time, we left Soma at home and brought a bunch of kids and adults. It was a great afternoon, and we saw loads of wildlife including a black bear on the shore, a bald eagle, trout, ducks, and the list goes on.

Amelia saying, "Cheese!"

Mike and Mama Nonemacher = The Motor/Paddlers

We forgot Arlo's hat so Ryan generously let him wear his grimy old thing.

Amelia and Her Mom, Emily

My co-guide, Lucy. I put her to work!

Lucy taking a break to enjoy the view and smile for the camera.

Finally, we spent a lot of time hanging out around the farm feeding my parent's cows, pigs, and chickens and visiting Arlo's great-grandma. I was adamant that we put Arlo in my favorite childhood bathtub in my grandmother's house. I loved this tub. It had fancy wallpaper and curtains and the best smelling soaps ever. Funny how you get very nostalgic after you become a parent.

Arlo in the world's best bathtub.

Of course, Arlo spent a lot of time with his cousins: Lucy, Amelia, Ingrid, and Lucas. The big kids taught him a lot.

Amelia teaching Arlo the finer points of avant-garde hat wear.

Lucas is deeply troubled that we're the other half of his family.
Well, he's either deeply troubled or smarter than us and casting judgment on our antics.

Cousin Lineup

Amelia feeding the pigs some corn stalks.

Lucy makes sure the cows have full bellies.

Let's just say we aren't going to show this picture to Grandpa Tom.

Very busy.

Arlo thinks feeding the cows is the best (and funniest) thing ever!

I took a video of Arlo feeding the cows with help from Papa, Lucy, and Amelia. Uncle Matt has a little offensive commentary in the background, so consider yourself warned.

July Buffet

2011-07-25T21:30:00.000-07:00

At the risk of executing a random post with pieces that don't fit together, I'm taking a drafting liberty and sharing photos and videos from the last couple of weeks in our house.

Another sunny day, another hike in paradise. Last weekend it was along the North Fork Nooksack River, a beautiful river that I'm working hard with a coalition of local folks to protect under Wild and Scenic designation (think a National Park but for a river). The Nooksack is a fantastic whitewater boating river, and it's the gateway to North Cascades National Park and the Mount Baker Wilderness.

Glacier Creek and Mount Baker

The trail along the river.

Ryan and Arlo taking in the river.

The North Fork Nooksack in the beautiful North Cascades.

Arlo fell asleep upright. Poor little guy.

Hours earlier, this water was snow on Mount Baker.

Now for something completely different.

Arlo is enjoying feeding himself, discovering new things, and learning to play soccer (yes, you read correctly). Our favorite thing, like many parents, is when he laughs himself silly. See the videos below for some unbelievably cute giggle episodes from July. Also, Ryan was inspired by the Women's World Cup and started Arlo's training regimen.

"Food on the face? What food on the face?"

It's a dog! It's a horse! No, It's Super-Arlo!

2011-07-17T10:11:00.000-07:00

Now that he can crawl, Arlo is exploring the world and developing superhero skills. Ok, not superhero skills, but I thought a comic themed video was appropriate nonetheless.

Beautiful Bend

2011-07-16T08:58:00.000-07:00

About 5 years ago, our close friends/family (Hannah is Ryan's cousin) moved away from the Pacific Northwest, and the world hasn't been the same since. Luckily, Hannah and her family recently moved back to beautiful Bend, OR, and while they were in the middle of unpacking and getting settled, they were generous enough to open the doors to the full Nonerick crew, Soma included.

It was a great trip. Hannah and I got pedicures and went out for dinner and a show by 90s band and movie soundtrack staple, Toad the Wet Sprocket. Ryan and Hannah's husband, Chris, enjoyed mountain and road bike rides through an amazing landscape.

Unfortunately, I didn't get many pictures of the beautiful surroundings, but I did take pictures of our trip to a farmer's market and special "Thank You" dinner.

Xander and Hannah watching Ava and Ryan assemble kabobs.

Ryan, Ava, and Ava's bear sous-chef skillfully assembling vegetable kabobs.

Funny Ava!

Arlo insisted he could help. Maybe in a year or two, kiddo.

Yummy cherries and berries. It must be summer!

Arlo loved the music at the farmer's market.
Even though he was exhausted and crammed full of raspberries, he found a little energy to dance.

Hannah, Chris, Ava, Xander, and Max: Thank you for showing us a great time in your beautiful new city!

Epic Hike

2011-07-05T21:50:00.001-07:00

We celebrated Independence Day by hiking to Lake 22 in the breathtaking Cascades mountain range. I could go on and on about the remarkable views and the fantastic time Ryan, Arlo, Soma and me had, but I'll leave it to the pictures since they are worth a thousand words.

Drifts of snow at the top of the hike reminded us of the winter and spring we just left behind.

Welcome!

Arlo (finally!) took a cat nap on hour 3 of our hike.

The beautiful Lake 22 on the northern face of Mount Pilchuck.

Lake 22 x 2

Ryan and I thought this was debris from an avalanche caused by our record breaking snowfall.

The view halfway up the trail.

Ryan and Arlo having a great time!

Something tells me this tree is pretty old.

We decided this could be our mailbox when we move in.

One of many waterfalls on the way up the trail.

Ryan and Arlo enjoying the view.

Yummy! Lunchtime!

Arlo can crawl!

2011-07-04T21:54:00.000-07:00

Don't believe me? Check it out for yourself!

Old Fashioned Goodness From My Kitchen

2011-07-03T21:01:00.000-07:00

I'm just an old fashioned girl. A few years ago, I got into canning, and after taking last year off to focus on gestating a new person, I'm happy to report that I'm back in business. This weekend, I made some strawberry jam. I'm looking forward to many more canning adventures this year, so stay tuned for more updates from the kitchen.

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies

Complete with fresh homemade strawberry jam.

As a kid, I fondly remember my grandmother and mother canning jams, apple butter, tomatoes, and many other tasty treats. It's amazing that with all the food technology in the world, I tend to think simpler is better when it comes to food: organic over food grown with a veritable chemistry lab behind every seed; preparation that focuses on a few good things together (e.g., a salad with good fresh lettuce and a light dressing is better than a ton of bland vegetables drowned in dressing); and changing ingredients with what's in season as much as possible.

Homemade salad dressings are one of my favorite things. Spending money on jars of dressing only to have most if it go bad in my fridge drives me absolutely crazy. Making your own dressing is EASY -- think oil and vinegar with a few goodies -- and creativity is more often rewarded than punished when it comes to the salad. Like putting blue cheese and walnuts in your salad? Try putting them in a basic vinaigrette instead of on your salad.

There are other important benefits to making your own salad dressing. First, you make a little bit, which can still last you a while and give you just the right amount of dressing you need. Second, it's generally healthier for you for a number of reasons including the fact that you tend to need less dressing to flavor your salad. Finally, you can use homemade salad dressing for more than just salads. Sandwiches and burgers love a good dressing.

Ok, enough talk, here's a picture and recipe for a creamy herb dressing that I made this weekend.

Creamy Salad Dressing with Herbs

I didn't really measure the ingredient proportions on my creamy salad dressing recipe, so the following recipe is a rough estimate. Obviously, make yours to taste. I put my dressing in a container so it could be used for a few salads over about a week.

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
1 teaspoon of sugar
A few pinches each of any fresh herb combination. I tend to like 3 herbs that compliment each other. In the dressing photographed above, I used fresh flat leaf parsley (way better than the curly leaf when it comes to flavor), basil, and mint.
A tablespoon or two of light mayo (you can also use Greek yogurt for a slightly more tangy flavor)
Salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients and whisk together with a fork or small whisk. Enjoy!

Ryan's First Father's Day

2011-06-19T20:01:00.000-07:00

What do you do when the months of rain and cold that seem to extend into summer are getting you down? Head for the river, of course!

To celebrate Ryan's first Father's Day, we enjoyed a couple of days and nights in the Yakima Canyon -- just over the Cascades in sunny and warm eastern Washington. By now you know that Ryan is an amazing father for many reasons, the least of which is his desire to be active and share his love of the outdoors with Arlo. Now that the home improvement projects are not on a pregnancy deadline, we've been getting out more and reconnecting with the reason we love living here: a remarkable landscape that has a little bit of everything in one conveniently located package.

Not only was it Ryan's first Father's Day, but it was also Arlo's first camping experience and river trip. All in all, Arlo was a fine camper and a superb boater, but he was so exhausted from the late nights and sensory overloads that he went to bed about an hour earlier than usual. Poor baby!

Ryan and I have a heightened demand for coffee.
Arlo has a bottle and a little extra time in bed to warm up to the day while camping.

A foot bridge at our campground to hike into the Canyon.

The view from camp. Pretty terrible, eh?

Moon-set in the morning.

Hangin' in the backpack while we get breakfast ready.

Our party on the river.

The trusty guide!

Me and my first mate (do you have first mates in river rafting?).

The best Papa in the world doing a great job making sure his little guy is comfortable on the boat.

Arlo even got a taste of his first whitewater rapids. We boated through a small class II rapid in the upper canyon. Unfortunately, he slept right through it.

We hope this is just the first of many family river trips. In fact, the main reason Arlo is in swim lessons is to help him feel comfortable on the river. It's time for us to buy our own boat (we usually rent) so we can take full advantage of the beautiful place we call home.

A day in the park.

2011-06-12T16:25:00.000-07:00

Warm and sunny weather has finally decided to make an appearance in the Pacific Northwest, which means the start of the outdoor summer season. Locals can enjoy a range of activities from hanging out in a local park (our choice for today), hiking, swimming, going to the beach, or anything else you can think of.

We enjoyed the park at our neighborhood middle school. Arlo went in a swing for the first time and played in grass.

Safety First!
Arlo had to wear a sun hat and sunscreen on to protect his delicate skin.

Cutie Pie
(Please disregard the dirty face.)

"What's this?"

"Ok, wait. We were just enjoying the grass. Why ruin that beautiful moment by putting me in this scary thing?"

"Ok, this isn't so bad."

There comes a time in every baby's life when he or she grows enough hair for a mohawk hairdo. Today was Arlo's time.

Side View

Notice how he has a few long strands of hair making him look more like a Dr. Seuss character than a punk with a mohawk.

Arlo is a busy boy.

2011-06-10T10:19:00.000-07:00

Arlo is 9-months old, and he's getting more and more fun with each passing day. Check out this video update!

The Best Memorial Day Weekend Ever

2011-05-31T21:10:00.001-07:00

The Tuesday after Memorial Day stinks. Especially when your Memorial Day weekend was the best one ever.

For the last few weeks, we (well, our great carpenter, Zane, from North 47 Landscape Carpentry) have been building a new, child-safe deck on top of our garage. The job was finished on Saturday, and it looks amazing. I tried to find a picture of the "before" picture, but the best I could find was a picture of Ryan shoveling snow off of the old roof with planter boxes housing dried and nearly dead trees preventing you from falling off the side of the roof (click here).

Whatever it looked like before, it looks fantastic now, and we plan to spend as much time as possible out there this summer.

The view out to the garden and front door.

The deck is so large that we need to invest in lounge furniture to fill half of it.
I also added a massive livestock watering tank for warm season edibles like tomatoes, peppers, and basil. If successful, you may see more of these in the future.

Looking from the garden path toward the entrance to the deck.

And now, a garden photo break.

Lovely Columbine

One of my favorite shrubs for both appearance and fragrance, a Summer Ice Daphne.

Now that the deck is finished, Ryan was able to put up his hammock for the season. We have a great little side garden that is quiet, private, and surrounded with beautiful old roses and other plants. A fussy Arlo got to enjoy it for the first time this weekend during snack time.

A minute before this photo was taken, Arlo was crying and cranky.
The hammock, with a little help from his bottle, calmed him right down.

Now that's relaxation. What more could a baby need?

We also took Arlo on his first "real" hike this weekend. We chose a trail that is close to Seattle and is easy for a baby and his out-of-shape parents.

Shortly after taking this photograph, we talked about getting Arlo climbing lessons when he's old enough.

Peek-a-boo!

This is what we call "Zombie Face."
It's a sign that you have about 45 minutes until meltdown.

Arlo was great on the hike, and we're hoping to make up for not hiking at all last summer. In fact, Arlo will go on his first river trip in a few weeks with a flat water float through the Yakima Canyon and overnight camping in eastern Washington. We're very excited!

Happy Wedding, Alex and Kavita!

2011-05-31T20:56:00.000-07:00

We've had a great month of May. We started the month with a fantastic wedding in beautiful Sisters, Oregon. I work with the bride, Kavita, and we've enjoyed river trips and soccer trash talk with her new husband, Alex. It was a beautiful and deeply personal ceremony. Kavita and Alex spent years in a long-distance relationship while Kavita went to school in the states and Alex worked in the U.K. For the last couple of years, they've lived in the same place, Portland, Oregon.

The reception had fantastic food and a live band. It was Arlo's first wedding, and he's decided that he likes them. He wore a super cute outfit with a white button down shirt from his cousin, Emma, in Nicaragua. Needless to say, he was a hit!

The beautiful bride and her parents.

They're hitched!

The breathtaking setting.

Me and Arlo with friends Leslie and Jessie
I'm bummed that you can't really see his outfit, so I'll have to get him dressed in it at home and take a picture.

The Nonericks

Congratulations to Kavita and Alex! We wish you a lifetime of laughs and happiness!

A visit from Ma and Pa Patrick.

2011-05-02T20:40:00.000-07:00

Last week, Ryan's parents flew in for a visit from Syracuse, NY. (We have a joke about how everyone from the Cuse seems to say the full "Syracuse, NY" instead of just "Syracuse" when they talk about their fair city.)

It was a great week, and the entire Nonerick crew got a little spoiled. Arlo got all the attention he wanted and more. Ryan and I didn't have to change many diapers, and we got away for our first overnight without Arlo. We also celebrated Arlo's first Easter together with family and our good friends, Amy, Byron, and Wyatt.

Looks like they had a good time!

The sun!

Grandma reads from Yummy Yucky.
(Thank you Jill, Mark, and Sadie!)

Open wide

The center of attention and loving it.

Happy Easter!

Byron, Amy, Wyatt, Arlo, Me, and Ryan

Too much boring adult talk

Cutie Patootie Wyatt.
He's nearly 4 months old and already weighs as much as Arlo!

Amy's Easter Table

Wyatt and Arlo be chillin'.

Fun with Grandpa

Fun with Grandma

Soma is no dummy.
He knows where to be and when to be there.

Action Shot

Baby and Papa

Developmental Milestones - Here We Come!

2011-04-20T20:18:00.000-07:00

It's amazing -- Arlo is turning into a little person right before our eyes. We can't believe that he will be 8 months old in a couple of weeks. The fact that he doesn't have any teeth is one of the few things that keeps him in the baby stage. He's starting to move (albeit slowly) by pushing himself backwards, physically interact and play with us and others, and practice basic speech (ok, that may be a stretch but check out the video below.

A not-so-high-quality video of Arlo moving backwards

Gotcha!

"Momma?"

Sitting at the Table Screaming

2011-04-08T09:02:00.000-07:00

More Cuteness Than You Can Handle

2011-03-18T20:11:00.000-07:00

Some of my favorite photos from the month of March.

We are having a hard time getting food into Arlo's mouth.

Mealtime is Arlo's favorite time.

Amy and Wyatt
There is something so sweet about a baby sleeping so hard he's mashing his face.

Amy trying not to laugh.
A sleeping baby should never be disturbed.

Recipe of the Month

2011-03-18T19:46:00.000-07:00

Soon after Arlo was born, our good friends, Amy and Byron, had us over for a dinner prepared by local celebrity chef, Tamara Murphy. The dishes were amazing, and one of the dishes I thought I could make at home was a risotto with farro and lentils.

Farro is a hearty, nutty flavored grain that cooks in about 20 minutes, and it is one of my favorite new discoveries. I found it in the bulk foods section of my grocery store (incidentally, the same aisle with arborio rice and lentils for my risotto).

If you've never made risotto before, it's easy but a little time consuming. I saute 1 onion and a tablespoon of olive oil in my favorite Le Creuset French Oven pot. Let me just say that these pots are pricey, but completely worth it if you like to cook. I use it for soups, one pot dishes like risotto, and even bread.

After the onion becomes slightly soft, I add 1 cup of arborio rice and saute it for a few minutes in the oil and onion before adding vegetarian chicken broth a little at a time. When I've added a cup of broth, I add the rinsed farro and lentils all at once. Then, I keep adding broth when it cooks down.

With risotto, it's important to keep stir almost constantly after you add a little broth. I add about 4 or 5 cups of broth, depending on how thick or thin you want the risotto. The finished product should be creamy and a little on the wet side. I serve it with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Field Roast Smoked Apple Sage vegetarian sausage, kale sauteed with olive oil and garlic, and risotto with farro and lentils. Yum!

First Birthday as "Papa"

2011-03-02T20:07:00.000-08:00

Happy birthday to the best Papa ever!

Rice Cereal Madness

2011-02-28T21:49:00.000-08:00

I tried to include this video in my earlier post on Arlo's new food fixation. Unfortunately, I couldn't get it to work, but I just figured it out. Enjoy!

I know I'm a little biased, but is he too cute for words, or what?

Swimming lessons are going swimmingly

2011-02-27T13:40:00.000-08:00

We are nearing the end of Arlo's first session of swimming lessons. I have to say that signing him up for the lessons was one of the best decisions we could have made. We heard about the program from a friend, and started doing some research on an Australian website (Uswim.com) about the method used to teach kids how to swim.

In addition to Arlo learning some basic water skills, Ryan and I have learned a lot. For example, a few weeks ago, the instructor starting started an exercise where the kids "fall" off the wall of the pool, the parent helps turn them toward the wall, and the baby puts his hands on the wall. Here's a video of Ryan and Arlo in action:

Arlo is the youngest in his class, but it's amazing how far he's come since his first lesson. He still needs to work on holding onto the wall and a few other skills, but he's learning fast.

Too Busy

2011-02-24T20:35:00.001-08:00

Apologies for the blog silence. I'm in the thick of my busy season at work, so my days and nights are filled with work, work, work.

Arlo is almost six months old. In fact, his half birthday is the same day as Ryan's 35th birthday! It's going to be quite a celebration.

This month, Arlo started eating real food, and as usual, we have a complete photographic record.

Mmmm... Sweet Potatoes

What? Do I have something on my face?

Thanks, Momma!

What the heck is this?

When we aren't working or feeding our little bottomless pit, we try to get some fresh air. This weekend, the sun came out, so we meandered around our local beach on Puget Sound.

Cold but beautiful!

Soma found a stick perfect for chewing on.

Olympic mountains and sail boats... awww.

Entering a Fun Phase

2011-01-29T17:58:00.000-08:00

Arlo is nearly 5 months old, and he's getting more and more fun and interactive. One of his favorite things is playing with his wooden rattle. Well, we shake the rattle, but he laughs and puts his hands in his mouth with delight.

He's also turning into quite the swimmer! Today, Arlo went under water for the first time with help from his dad. In fact, Arlo went under water three times before the lesson was over, and he didn't freak out at all. Good thing we captured it on film!

Things are a changing in the Nonerick house. Before we know it, Arlo will be eating real food, crawling, and speaking his first words. We are enjoying every minute of it! Well, almost every minute. We can do without the major diaper blow outs.

Food and Fun

2011-01-23T16:40:00.001-08:00

January has been full of eating and playing (and for me, working). Our friends, Amy and Byron, had a little boy, Wyatt, on January 6th, so we cooked them a meal of vegetarian tortilla soup, salad, and Mexican chocolate cupcakes. Mexican chocolate is one of my favorite things on Earth. The chocolate has a little spice from cinnamon and sometimes chilies. As a new mom, I didn't have time to make cupcakes and frosting from scratch. So I added cinnamon to a box of chocolate cake mix and chocolate frosting. I also bought some vanilla frosting and mixed in cinnamon and nutmeg to give it a little spice. Since Amy was a brand new mom, I held off on the chilies. They were amazing!

In lieu of sprinkles, I tossed some toasted almonds and hazelnuts on the top of the cupcakes.

With all the good food around, Arlo started showing an interest in grown-up food. Ryan and I hold him in our laps during dinner, and Arlo started opening his mouth and leaning toward our plates. Our pediatrician told us he is old enough to try some mashed food if he's showing enough interest. At this point, giving him any food is really to see how he reacts more than feed him. We decided Arlo was ready to try his first bite of real food!

Mmmm... avocado!

I don't think Arlo knew what to make of it. He's not ready to actually eat food, but he seemed to like the avocado. A few days later, we mashed up some butternut squash and dabbed some on his gums. He will be a big boy before we know it!

Arlo also got a new toy this month. Over the holidays, Arlo got to play in his first exersaucer, and he loved it. Ryan and I were a little freaked about about the amount of stuff on the exersaucer. Personally, I'm not sure a baby needs that much to stimulate them. I got a headache just looking at the thing.

Our neighbors had a very cool exersaucer/jumper toy that had four "stations" with different activities, which seemed a little more, well, healthy. I'm not crazy about most of the baby stuff in the world, but this was a good purchase. Arlo loves it!

Arlo focusing on a spinning cat and dog station on the new exersaucer.

And now for Arlo and his exersaucer in action!

Finally, Arlo is starting to find his toes, which is one of the cutest things I've ever seen. Funny how my perspective on such simple things has changed!

Cold Weather Comforts

2011-01-09T13:39:00.001-08:00

The cold January weather makes me seek any and all comforts. It could be a warm cup of tea, a moment in the elusive Seattle sunshine, or a toasty sweatshirt. But nothing beats a comforting meal. Some people prefer the rich and creamy soothing from a pan of macaroni and cheese. Others seek happiness in a sweet and decadent dessert.

Don't get me wrong, those things are fabulous, but lately I've been finding comfort in soup. During the last month, I've made all sorts of soups: blended butternut squash, smooth cauliflower, creamy tomato, hearty vegetable with kale and white beans. Last night, I made one of my all time favorites courtesy of my dear friend, and new mom, Amy. Amy has a fabulous recipe for vegetarian chicken noodle soup with homemade noodles. Yep, that's right, vegetarian chicken noodle soup. Amy and her husband were raised in a religious faith that followed a vegetarian diet, which means she's familiar with lots of meat substitutes. As friends, we've reaped many of the benefits of her knowledge.

For this recipe -- available on Amy's blog -- I used the miracle that is McCay's Chicken Style Instant Broth and Quorn naked "chicken" cutlets. I'm convinced that even the most dedicated carnivore will enjoy these two meat substitutes.

Now, I know what you may be thinking about the homemade noodles. You may believe that because they are made from scratch, they must be hard or time consuming. The truth is that making these noodles is easy. I just put all the ingredients in a food processor and mix until the ingredients come together. Then, I put the dough in plastic wrap and chill while I prepare the soup. Finally, I roll out the dough and take my trusty pizza cutter to make the noodles. The entire process takes about 5 minutes to mix, 30 minutes to chill, and 10 minutes to cook. The results are SO worth it.

I like to use red potatoes and keep the skins on for extra color. The skins may separate from the potato during the cooking process, but I don't notice a difference in the heavenly goodness of the final product.

I also modified Amy's recipe by adding carrots to the soup for a little extra veggie boost.

My other cold weather comfort obsession is roasted winter vegetables. I think roasted veggies are a year round staple, but here is my easy winter version:

2 parsnips
3-4 carrots
2 beets (roasted separately)
2 cups of quarted crimini mushrooms
olive oil
salt pepper

Optional:
2 cloves of garlic
onion (red or sweet onions work fine)
winter herbs like thyme and rosemary

Roast in a single layer on a baking sheet at 375 degrees until the parsnips start to brown. If you aren't sure if the veggies are done, give them another five minutes and check them again. I'm always surprised at how early I want to remove them, but if you keep the veggies in the oven a little longer, they get even better.

You can also roast sweet potatoes (yum!), purple potatoes (my new favorite thing), and good ol' regular potatoes.

Parsnips, carrots, and mushrooms, oh my!

Add a glass of wine or a winter lager, and you will find yourself in a better mood in no time!

2010 Slideshow

2011-01-01T09:32:00.000-08:00

Our third annual end-of-the-year slideshow! Enjoy!

2011 Resolutions (Including a Blog Upgrade)

2010-12-31T19:23:00.000-08:00

Earlier tonight, Ryan and I talked about our resolutions. Here's my list:

1. Focus on fitness and health (cliche but relevant in the post-baby world)

2. Do my best in all aspects of life (e.g., motherhood, work, wife-hood) and don't beat up on myself or others for not being perfect

3. Engage in at least one fun adventure every month (e.g., a hike, river float, or artsy excursion)

4. Expand our blog to include our favorite recipes and food finds

I would like to briefly explain my rationale behind each of these resolutions, so bear with me.

Fitness and Health: Pregnancy was my first ever introduction to obesity. For the first time in my life, I reached a weight considered to be obese for my height. My body aches more than it used to, and I don't feel strong. The proof is in the picture below, which while taken two weeks after I gave birth, shows the true magnitude of my recovery.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not beating myself up or looking for compliments (see resolution #2). In fact, I'm proud of myself because I've lost about 30 pounds from my highest pregnancy weight, 15 since Arlo was born. However, I think many women have a hard time recovering from having a baby and adjusting to their new bodies. I also think we don't talk about it openly and honestly. We all aspire to be the woman who is in a bikini a month or two after giving birth, but 99.9% of us will not reach that aspiration (remind me to tell you about the new mom with a 4 month old, a perfect body, and a string bikini at Arlo's first swimming lesson). And cosmetic surgery isn't an option for most of us.

Frankly, it's natural to be a little more "insulated" than before having a baby. Pregnancy is a journey and the recovery is a journey too. As a mom, I want to do my best to take care of myself both to improve my quality of life and provide a good example for Arlo. Of course, I'm not seeking perfection, just goodness, whatever that means.

Resolutions 2 and 3 are pretty self explanatory, so I'll jump right to resolution #4.

While reflecting on a tremendous year, I started looking at some of my favorite blogs. Of course, I started with my good friend's blog, Plums in the Path. Then, I went to Cannelle et Vanille, Diggin Food, 101 Cookbooks, and a few others and noticed that I really like food blogs. I also, not surprisingly, like to cook and eat (see picture above).

In thinking about the obvious connections between my resolutions and my love for food blogs, I will add food entries, recipes, and other fun tidbits to our blog this year. I will also provide some observations -- hopefully all clever and entertaining -- about reclaiming my body. I hope you enjoy the new stuff.

Happy New Year!

A Christmas Tale

2010-12-29T17:07:00.000-08:00

See the captions of the photos for the story. Just be warned: the plot is a little thin.

We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!

Christmas Cheer

2010-12-21T10:08:00.001-08:00

At the risk of getting preachy, I've spent a lot of time lately thinking about how the world has changed. In reality, I don't think it's changed as much as some claim, but I think one thing that seems to be decreasing in importance is the value of community and a shared belief that we are in "it" together. Whether it's politicians urging people to "keep what's theirs" or attacking collectively-driven acts as socialist and evil, I think our increasing social isolation undermines our democracy and decreases our quality of living. I'm all for independence, but not at the expense of compassion, empathy, and humanity.

In short, I'm a bleeding heart, and I don't think that's a bad thing.

Why raise such deep thoughts on a blog? Last night, we went to a Christmas party hosted by our good friends, Amy and Byron. Byron is in a brass quintet and organized a caroling event where his brass group would knock on doors in the neighborhood and play a song or two. When he went to the first house, the person seemed shocked to see his neighbor offering some Christmas music and holiday cheer. Obviously, the neighbor and the rest of the neighborhood warmed up to the music right away, and it made me wonder why we don't see more caroling or general neighborliness.

A week ago, we hosted our second annual cookie exchange for our neighbors. It was a lot of fun, and I wished we had events like that more often. At Halloween, I was surprised at how many parents didn't want to Trick-or-Treat in their neighborhood. They preferred the "safety" of going to a mall or shopping district over knocking on the doors of their neighbors. I respect the decisions of parents to do what they think is right, but I found their perspective troubling.

I love all the holiday traditions of socializing with people you may never get to know if you didn't live next to each other. I love the idea of teaching Arlo about the importance of being connected to the people around him and the value of being part of a community. To me, it's as important as being connected to our world in general: to know where your food comes from, where your water originates, what plants and animals are around you, what art or music is in your midst. All of these things make us cultured and form our individual and collective identity. Without these connections, how do you have the awareness and sensitivity to know how to operate as a society?

Ok, enough commentary. Now for some photos and a video of last night's festivities.

Byron's brass group in warmer digs.

Christmas sweets!

Bundled Up Boy

Apparently, Arlo can sleep anywhere, as he fell asleep during the quintet's performance.

Apologies for the dark video, but this is a clip of the outdoor performance by Byron's brass quintet.
The video also gives you a sense for the Christmas extravaganza that is the Olympic Manor neighborhood. When we moved into the house a few years ago, we started a tradition of walking through Olympic Manor on or near Christmas Eve. It's truly a sight to be seen.

The Nonericks wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

"Forget rolling over, I want to stand!"

2010-12-19T19:14:00.001-08:00

It's no surprise to seasoned parents that babies change on a daily basis. This week, some of Arlo's changes include standing and early signs of teething. Arlo now prefers to stand over more conventional forms of hanging out like sitting and laying in someone's arms. Check out the picture below for proof.

As for the teething, Arlo has been drooling like crazy and chewing on almost anything that you put in or near his mouth. He also had a number of rough nights so that he could take his discomfort out on his poor parents. Good thing he's so darn cute.

Our nighttime routine is a bottle, a book, and bed.
Sometimes we throw a bath in there to keep Arlo smelling baby sweet.

Finally! Chubby thighs!
Another change is that Arlo is growing like crazy and gaining weight. He's not the skinny baby he used to be!

Arlo in the Jumper, Part 1

Arlo in the Jumper, Part 2

Rockin' and Rolling

2010-12-08T22:41:00.000-08:00

As you know, Arlo hates tummy time. He spits up on Ryan in protest or fusses until we pick him up. One plus side to his disdain for tummy time is the fact that Arlo has been rolling over from belly to back since he was born, albeit not very consistently or gracefully.

Now that he's 3 months old, however, he's a pro.

Santa came early for Ryan and Darcy

2010-12-05T20:25:00.001-08:00

We hate our camera. For years, we've been complaining -- well, I've been complaining -- about our point-and-shoot digital camera. The battery compartment door doesn't close all the way, any low light photo comes out blurry, it's slow, blah, blah, blah.

Now that we have a baby, it's time we thought about our blogging public and had a camera that allows the pictures on our blog to match the high quality of the commentary.

Ryan and I must have been pretty nice this year because Santa came early and delivered a swanky new camera. Below are some of our test shots, but we hope to learn how to use this fine piece of equipment to take photos that will make you want to visit our blog each and every day.

Ryan and Arlo say "cheese."

Bath time!
We are practicing back floats and dripping water down Arlo's face in order to prepare for the next round of swimming lessons, which start in January.

Time for your close up, Arlo!

Puppy Dog Eyes

Another picture of A-to-the-lo.

Ryan reads Arlo his bedtime story.
Tonight, we chose The Night Before Christmas. Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Gibson!

Oh, the camera takes videos too, so we will post a video in the next day or two.

Now I'm off to bed to get a good night's rest before my first day back at work tomorrow!

Giving Thanks

2010-11-28T20:32:00.000-08:00

As you know from watching the video we posted a couple of days ago, we just returned from a great trip to Ryan's home town of Syracuse, NY. We had a great time, and Arlo misses all the attention from his family members. Ryan's mom, Patty, took a lot of great photos of the week and here are a few of our favorites. If anyone else has photos from Thanksgiving dinner or other family events, please send them to us and we will add them to the slideshow.

Click on the word bubble in the lower left hand corner to see captions.

We clearly have a lot to be thankful for this year: a healthy baby, good jobs, and lots of loving family and friends. We hope all of you had a great holiday!

A Week of Firsts

2010-11-27T08:10:00.000-08:00

This week Arlo enjoyed his first plane ride, his first celebrity sighting, his first Thanksgiving, and meeting a lot of family for the first time. Needless to say, he's a little excited about it.

Arlo's First Swimming Lesson

2010-11-13T19:45:00.000-08:00

Today we took Arlo to his first swimming lesson. Why take such a little baby to swimming lessons? Well, young babies have not developed a fear of water in part because they resided in a watery home in utero. Now is the perfect time to teach Arlo how to swim and take advantage of his instincts.

We wanted to enroll Arlo in swim lessons because we love the water and want to enjoy activities like swimming, boating, etc. with him. Another important part of infant swimming lessons is safety. Arlo will learn not only how to swim, he will gain some basic skills that he can use if he has an accident like falling in a pool or out of a boat.

Australia commonly teaches infants how to swim. If you don't believe me, check out uSwim.com for videos and a do-it-yourself swim curriculum.

Arlo's first lesson went pretty well, but after an hour-and-a-half lecture before we got into the pool, he was exhausted and fell asleep in the middle of the lesson. Of course we took a few pictures:

Relaxing Before Getting in the Pool
Arlo is starting to suck on his hands. We are hoping he won't want the pacifier as much, but as you will see, he still needs the pacifier to soothe himself when he gets fussy.

Arlos' fancy new swim diaper.
Unfortunately, he's too skinny to fill it properly. At his two month pediatric appointment, he measured in the 95 percentile for height (25 inches) and in the 50 percentile for weight (11 pounds, 10 ounces). He's a long and lean boy!

Arlo is so lean, he needed a wetsuit to keep him warm in pool water even though it was about 95 degrees.

Arlo floating on his back all by himself!
Just for the record, I watched Arlo closely during the lesson. Don't be fooled by my apparent lack of attention in this photo!

Backfloat Close Up

A Walk in the Park

2010-11-03T16:00:00.001-07:00

One benefit to being on parental leave is getting to enjoy great weather during the week. Arlo and I have been walking a lot and enjoying the sunshine, which we will miss greatly when the Seattle winter (i.e. rain and darkness) set in. Yesterday, I took Arlo off-roading in what I call his SUS (Sport Utility Stroller). Believe it or not, this trail is in the middle of the city. Pretty awesome, eh? This park also has a beautiful beach and a breathtaking view of the Olympic mountain range and Mt. Rainier.

This is the life!

Halloween, Baby Style

2010-10-24T13:29:00.000-07:00

When Arlo was just a bun in the oven, Ryan and I participated in a Centering Pregnancy group operated by a local midwifery practice. Centering Pregnancy merges prenatal care with education on childbirth and other parenting information, and the group consisted of parents expecting babies in the same month (August, in this case, with a couple of babies born in late July/early September).

We've enjoyed getting to know other first time parents, and last night, we hosted a Halloween party for the parents and kiddos. Needless to say, it was chuck full of cuteness.

Mark, Myla, and baby Jude get the "Best Dressed" award for coming in matching bumblebee costumes!

Kristin and baby Meadow (dressed in scrubs) enjoy good company.

Bryan (official party photographer) and Meadow chillaxin'.

Wade, Missy, and baby Vivian (a ghost) strike a family pose.

Jennifer and Lucy (Lucy from Charlie Brown/Peanuts) mingling in the crowd. Lucy is the oldest and most mature baby from our group.

Gretchen, Andre, and baby Milo (a frog) in a fabulous family portrait.

Ryan and Arlo (Frankenbaby) hangin' with the Centering crew.

Diablo Dan feeds baby August (Charlie Brown) to keep August happy during the party.

Gretchen, Amy (mom of August), and Myla enjoy a bite.

Beware of Frankenbaby!

A close up of Jude, Milo, and Arlo.

The complete baby lineup.

Happy Halloween!

Showering Amy and Grover

2010-10-21T08:46:00.001-07:00

Last weekend was fantastic! We enjoyed a visit from a dear friend and hosted a shower for another close friend. The visitor was Bonnie, who flew in from D.C. to attend the baby shower for our friend, Amy. Bonnie and Amy are like family to us. We went to law school together, and during our third year we started a weekly "family dinner" tradition.

After graduation, Bonnie and her husband moved to D.C. to start new careers: Bonnie as a kick-ass patent attorney and Joe transitioned from a career in science to a position with the government. We treasure any time we get to spend together, but we're waiting for the day when we can lease a private jet to start a new tradition of going on family vacations together. Okay, we don't need a private jet to go on family vacations but a private jet helps.

Anyway, Amy is expecting a little boy due on 1/1/11, which we think is pretty cool. Amy and her husband, Byron, are calling the baby "Grover" while he's in utero, and Grover and Arlo are already hanging out together on a regular basis. In fact, when Amy holds Arlo, Grover likes to kick Arlo in the butt.

Amy holding Arlo while Grover kicks Arlo in the butt.

The shower was a lot of fun largely because of the great people who came. Of course, the unusual Halloween theme helped provide a fun atmosphere. To make things easy, we got a lot of help with cooking, gift bags, decorating, etc. In my experience, having friends who like to help makes everything better.

We put Bonnie to work when she arrived, and she also took some great photos. Check it out!

Amy and a geeky math onesie from Ryan and Joe to Byron.

Sara (frittata cook and helper extraordinaire) enjoying some quality time with Arlo.

Game time!

Good company and good conversation

The woman of the hour catching up with friends.

Sara's amazing mini frittatas.

The spread

Sugar coated glasses for drinks

Savory pumpkin pastries (recipe from Martha Stewart's website)

Dessert and gift bar

Chocolate cupcakes with ganache and marshmallow skulls

Ryan, Arlo, and I are so lucky to have such great friends, and we can't wait for the arrival of Amy and Byron's little guy. Arlo is eager to play with Grover and teach him all he's learned in his time as a Nonerick.

Tummy Time!

2010-10-20T20:07:00.000-07:00

Arlo gets a little tummy time everyday to help increase his neck strength and head control. We started tummy time soon after he was born, but he hated it because it meant that his head was buried in a bed, blanket, or chest. In fact, he would roll over from his belly to his back -- a trick usually performed by babies that are a couple of months old.

To help Arlo, we started doing tummy time on a Boppy pillow, which helped but Arlo seems to like tummy time on Ryan's chest best. Thanks to my obsession with taking videos, I was able to capture one of the best tummy time episodes yet.

After taking a quick break to grab a burp cloth, I recorded the rest of the tummy time session.

Arlo is developing rapidly. Every now and then I look at him a see a little boy instead of a baby. For example, I put Arlo in his new BOB stroller last week (see picture below), and for some reason, I think his face resembles a little boy more than a 5 week old baby. Yikes!

Just so you don't think we're bad parents, we have a car seat adapter that we use with the stroller since Arlo can barely hold his head up and clearly doesn't fit in the straps.

Ryan and I are savoring every fast flying minute with Arlo before he discovers that we're not as cool as he thinks we are right now.

Daily Changes and Surprises

2010-10-14T12:38:00.000-07:00

As cliche as it sounds, one of the coolest things about having a baby is seeing a little person change and develop everyday. Arlo is now 6 weeks old and weighs in at 10 pounds, 1.5 ounces, two pounds heavier than he was at his 2 week check in. He's starting to feel like a more substantial baby in our arms -- a happy feeling for a neurotic mother.

Last week, Arlo started cooing and smiling intentionally. With each passing day, he's showing more and more personality. Ryan and I think it's pretty darn cool, but we are a little biased.

Another surprise is that Arlo loves his changing table. It's one of the few places in the house that make him smile and coo like crazy. See for yourself...

Now if we could just get him to sleep through the night.

G'ma Micki

2010-10-12T12:01:00.001-07:00

This weekend, my mom came to meet Arlo for the first time. For now, her grandparent name is G'ma (gee maw). I don't know what she did exactly, but G'ma Micki has a magic touch that puts Arlo to sleep in seconds. Needless to say, her magic is already missed.

A touching photo of G'ma and Arlo.
Notice how Arlo is fast asleep in G'ma's arms.

Monday, Monday

2010-10-04T10:51:00.000-07:00

By popular demand, here's a video of Arlo on a Monday morning.

To be clear, the demand was for a video of Arlo, and the day of the week wasn't stipulated by the masses.

Mimi and Gaga Patrick

2010-09-28T09:51:00.001-07:00

As we reported, Ryan's parents, John and Patty, flew out from Syracuse for a visit. They were the first out-of-town guests that we've hosted since Arlo was born, and it was great to introduce them to their first grandchild and spend time with them. Ryan and I were spoiled with meals, babysitting, and general help with the baby. In fact, John and Patty took Arlo for a night so Ryan and I could have a fun night out with friends.

During their visit, we talked with John and Patty about what they want to be called. "Grandma" and "grandpa" seem a little too traditional. After conferring with other family members, Patty remembered calling her grandmother "Mimi" and grandfather "Gaga." While we aren't sure if those nicknames are going to stick, we're using them for now. We welcome any and all suggestions for grandparent names.

Patty took some great photos of the week and below are some highlights.

Ryan consoling Arlo after a traumatic diaper change.

Soma and "Gaga" preparing for a walk at Green Lake.

One happy "Mimi."

Arlo's first restaurant experience at Wild Mountain Cafe.

Mimi and Gaga Patrick enjoying little Arlo.

Thanks to John and Patty for making the long trip out west and for taking such good care of our entire family. We love you guys!

Arlo's Many Faces

2010-09-28T09:30:00.000-07:00

Arlo is almost a month old, and he seems to have new facial expressions every day. For the last week, Arlo has been getting to know his Patrick grandparents and showing his many faces.

Deep Thoughts

I call this Arlo's duck billed platypus face.

"Oh no you didn't."

A content face that is happy to listen and observe.

A playful little boy.

Sleepy in a house full of noises.

Sleepy when the house is quiet.

Benjamin Button or Arlo?

I'm not sure what to call this face but it makes you wonder what Arlo's thinking about.

"The Packers lost to the Bears? No way!"
(Ok, it may be the start of a yawn, but I thought it was a cute face nonetheless.)

And What About Soma?

2010-09-15T16:45:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to get a good photo or video of Soma and baby Arlo, but Soma has been treating Arlo like the vacuum cleaner. He will approach Arlo with some trepidation, smell him, and get away as quickly as possible. Despite the fact that we tried to give Soma some clues about baby Arlo's arrival (e.g. bringing home an article of Arlo's clothing before we were discharged from the hospital, playing video of a baby crying), Soma's a little unsure about his new sibling. We even bought him an expensive new chewing bone that we gave him as a gift when we brought Arlo home, but Soma saw right through that gesture.

Now that Arlo is home, we are doing our best to give Soma lots of love and attention, keep up with his usual routine, and praise him when he smells the baby. Slowly, Soma is adjusting to life with a new brother, and he seems more comfortable and at ease around Arlo.

One perk of a new baby, whether Soma realizes it or not, is that we are going on small afternoon walks. Earlier this week, we went to one of our favorite city parks, which is more like a urban forest with a beach and meadow that overlooks Puget Sound. Soma had a great time.

Ryan, Arlo (in the wrap), and Soma enjoying a little rest on a bench overlooking the Sound. Soma looks happy in this picture, no?

Ryan and Arlo in the urban woods.

I think Soma is starting to recognize the benefits of having another member of our pack.

First Week Down

2010-09-13T10:14:00.000-07:00

The first week with a new baby is a roller coaster. Nights are no longer for sleeping. Breastfeeding can be incredibly challenging and even painful. The new little bundle of joy can't ask for what he wants so you have to make a lot of decisions based on very little information. Hormones are going crazy and enhance the wide range of emotions you feel during the first week.

Of course, all of the challenges are worth it when you look at your adorable baby. I find this to be especially true when Arlo is sleeping or when he's awake and totally content. Here are some pictures of moments when all the hard work felt worthwhile.

I call this, "Where am I and who the hell are you?"

Finally! A happy and relaxed awake baby.

Super cute pajamas from cousin Hannah and an early morning photo after a nursing session.

I think I saw this pose on an ultrasound.

So far, the second week feels a little easier than the first week. Arlo and Ryan have started watching soccer games together, and I introduced Arlo to football and US Open tennis. We're hoping to go on Arlo's first hike early in the week to take advantage of a last gasp of summer. Nights are still a problem as Arlo doesn't like to go to bed until 3 a.m., but we purchased a swing that, at least so far, helps him sleep earlier in the night. Something tells me Arlo is going to sleep in the swing until he surpasses the size/weight limit, which may be sooner than we think because he is going through his first growth spurt.

Through all the chaos, we've had a lot of love and support that we appreciate tremendously. Friends have dropped off amazing meals that are keeping us standing upright. Thanks to everyone for the food, support, baby supplies (onesies, blankets, PJs, etc.), and Soma care. We are so lucky to have such wonderful people in our lives!

More Arlo

2010-09-07T16:43:00.000-07:00

Such a sweet face.

We call this the "Arlo Burrito."

A swaddle break out caught on tape!

What's with the name?

2010-09-06T19:58:00.000-07:00

Some of you may be asking where we got the name Arlo. We aren't fans of Arlo Guthrie. In fact, he's kind of annoying, and I totally don't understand his politics, so it's safe to say he's not the inspiration for the name.

Actually, the commentator for our beloved local soccer team is a BBC sports reporter, Arlo White. We didn't name our son after him, but when we saw Arlo White's first name, we thought it was interesting, old fashioned, and unique. When we shared our name options with others, anyone who knew an Arlo said nothing but good things about the person. We took that as a sign, but we weren't sure until we saw the baby and tried it on for size.

The middle name, Sherman, is a family name on my side. It's my grandmother's maiden name and a tribute to our family heritage. We are related to John Sherman (Antitrust Act, Sec. of Treasury under President Hayes, Senator), Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman (we all know his story), and Ella Bennett Sherman and John Sherman (Ella was an artist and designer while John was a developer of the Cleveland Park neighborhood in Washington, D.C.).

Welcome Baby Arlo!

2010-09-06T16:31:00.001-07:00

Finally! We are happy to announce the birth of Arlo Sherman Patrick on Thursday, September 2nd, at 10:42 pm. He weighed 8 pounds, 15 ounces and was 21 inches long. We are so happy he's finally here, and we are in transition survival mode.

The following is my birth story. If you aren't interested, you should probably scroll down to the fun pictures.

I tried everything to go into labor naturally -- acupuncture, evening primrose oil, walking, etc. -- but Arlo was too happy to leave his uterine home. As a result, I had an induction that started on the evening of August 31st. Yep, that's right. I was in labor for about 48 hours. It all started with a catheter that was put in place to mechanically dilate my cervix in the hopes of reducing the amount of pitocin I would need and the difficulty of my induced labor. The good news is that after the catheter was put in place, I was able to go home for a little rest. I won't go into to details, but the catheter was very uncomfortable, and I ended up in the tub for part of the night shaking and having contractions. That was only a preview of what was to come.

When we checked into the hospital the following morning, the catheter was removed and I felt pretty good. I was 4 centimeters dilated (as opposed to 0 cm before the catheter) and had mild cramping without regular contractions. A pitocin drip was started at a fairly low dose to try and get things moving. For the next 20 hours, I was pretty comfortable. In fact, I kept telling the nurses that even though the contractions got more painful and required focused breathing to get through, I didn't think I would know that I was in labor if things started on their own.

Just when I was feeling confident in my ability to deliver without medical interventions, the shit started hitting the fan. It started when the external monitors for Arlo's heart rate and my contractions went on the fritz. The medical staff was having a hard time getting readings to assess Arlo's baseline heart rate and the contraction monitor wasn't picking up any of my contractions. The heart rate monitor is critical for making sure the baby's heart rate isn't dipping too low while the contraction monitor provide information on when contractions start and end. In the event that the baby's heart rate drops, medical staff look at whether or not contractions are occurring, which helps paint a picture for potential issues. The short of it is that both monitors are necessary, especially for a labor induced with pitocin.

The monitor issues meant that I couldn't walk or move around as much as I would have liked. However, the monitor troubles became critical when, after about 30-33 hours of labor, the baby's heart rate dropped to the 80s (a normal heart rate for a full term baby is between 110 and 160 beats per minute) and my water broke. Since Arlo was in the uterus for so long, he pooped and the amniotic fluid had meconium, which, if inhaled, could raise complications at birth.

A flurry of midwives, OB/GYNs, and nurses flooded the room and because the monitors weren't working like they should, a vaginal fetal heart rate monitor was put in to provide better information on Arlo's condition. I started convulsing and was put on oxygen. Poor Ryan was watching this helplessly, and I don't know what he was thinking, but I'm sure it was stressful and worrisome.

After some time, Arlo's heart rate increased to within the normal range, and I started to relax. Intense contractions that were 2-3 minutes apart began, and I started moaning and breathing my way through them. Thankfully, I was able to spend time in the shower and the warm water helped me tremendously.

A few hours later, the pain was incredibly intense, but the contraction monitor wasn't picking up any of my contractions. So, the midwife suggested an internal contraction monitor. After having so many things put into my uterus and cervix, the last thing I wanted to do was have another device put inside. I resisted, but ultimately, it became clear that the internal contraction monitor was necessary. Strangely, when they put the internal contraction monitor in it didn't work. The midwife and nurse were surprised and said they had not seen that happen before. The defective monitor had to be removed and another monitor inserted. Ugh!!!

Distracted by the technical difficulties; crippled by serious pain, tubes and gadgets; frustrated by a lack of progress (I was still 4 cm dilated 36 hours into my labor); and exhausted from multiple nights without much (or any) sleep, I finally decided to have an epidural at about 10 a.m. on Thursday the 2nd. When the anesthesiologist put the epidural catheter in place, it didn't work. Once again, we heard, "Wow, we've never seen that before." Finally, after the second try, it worked and I was soon numb but comfortable enough to sleep and recharge.

Now, let me just say that overall we had a great experience at the hospital we delivered in. The technical problems seemed like true flukes of chance, but the nurses, midwives, OBs and everyone else were amazing. However, there was one nurse who was a little frustrating. If you ask Ryan, he would say the nurse was incompetent, cold-hearted, and impossible.

The nurse in question was supposed to help me empty my bladder through two temporary catheter applications before a final catheter was put in place. The reason for the two temporary catheters was due to the fact that my water had broken and the longer a catheter is in place, the higher the risk of infection. I kept telling the nurse I felt pain/pressure and had to pee. She kept telling me I was wrong and refused to put in a temporary catheter to empty my bladder. As I grew more and more uncomfortable, Ryan and our doula pushed for the catheter, and finally the nurse complied.

Then, the nurse was supposed to help me stay on top of my epidural. The system this hospital uses has a base amount of the drug going into the system and the patient pushes a button to increase the dose and stay on top of the pain. I knew about the button, but assumed that I should only use if I felt pain returning. Unfortuantely, if you don't press the button regularly, you fall behind the medication dose and can't catch up. Twice the pain came back so strongly that I started shaking uncontrollably and the anesthesiologist had to come in to get me back to a comfortable state. After the second incident, the anesthesiologist pulled Ryan out of the room and told him that I needed to push the button regularly to stay ahead of the pain. After that, everything was a breeze, but Ryan was furious that the nurse didn't help avoid the problem in the first place.

After a woman's water breaks, infection is always a concern. According to our midwives, when a woman's temperature reaches 100.7 degrees, they start talking to the laboring mother about other interventions that may be necessary, including the dreaded cesarean section. My temperature reached 100.6, so I'm glad to say that I barely escaped the need for another intervention and gave birth vaginally.

After resting and laboring for a few more hours, I started to feel pressure and the urge to push. I began pushing at about 8 pm and continued until Arlo was born at 10:42. I have to say, my favorite part of labor was pushing. I was so encouraged by the positive cheers, and I could tell by looking at Ryan's face that Arlo was on the way! I also felt like pushing was the first time I could actively do SOMETHING to birth the baby. When Arlo emerged, I was completely blown away. Ryan was crying and the experience was truly surreal. It was the most incredible moment of my life. As soon as Arlo heard Ryan's voice at the examination table, he seemed to recognize him and settle down. The whole moment is truly beyond words or description.

Now, we are adjusting to an entirely different life. They say the first week is the hardest because you are just trying to survive the long nights and pain of breast feeding (yes, it is painful even if you are doing it right). I hope that's true because the adrenaline and rush of the moment of birth is starting to wear off.

Regardless, one look at Arlo makes it all worth it. I know that sounds cliche and completely ridiculous and, believe me, I have broken down a few times this week and wanted to quit, but it's true. Arlo tries to smile or snorts like a pig while latching on and it makes us laugh and think we can do it one step at a time. For someone who was a little unsure about this whole baby thing, I'm totally on board now and looking forward to the adventure of parenthood!

One last thing: Both Ryan and I cannot sing enough praise for our wonderful doula, Alissa Wehrman from Sunbirth Services. Ryan told me that he would never have been able to cope with the challenging labor and delivery without Alissa's support and assistance. I feel the same way, and Alissa has been a life saver with postpartum and breast feeding support. I'm awed by Alissa's incredible skill, patience, depth of knowledge, and flexibility. In a word, Alissa rocks!

We also adored our midwives from Swedish Hospital in Ballard. We've worked with all of the midwives and would gladly use them again and recommend them to our friends. A special thank you goes out to Audrey, who saw me through the darkest period of the labor, and Mia, who delivered Arlo in fine fashion! Many of the midwives and nurses at the hospital also sung Alissa's praises. She is very good at what she does!

Arlo almost smiling in the hospital.

My guys sleeping as soon as we get home from the hospital.

Ryan and Arlo's first Moby wrap experience. Lookin' good!

First bath!
Yes, that is a pacifier in his mouth. Arlo has an extremely strong need to suck to soothe himself even when he's not hungry. Since he has no trouble latching on for feeding, we are using the pacifier as a crutch to give us a little sanity during survival week.

I call this Arlo's "old man face" because he looks all scrunched and wrinkled.

One of the fabulous nurses helping us get Arlo ready to go home.

Welcome Baby Arlo! We're so glad you're here!

Maybe I'm just fat and not actually pregnant.

2010-08-28T08:33:00.001-07:00

Well, the baby is about a week-and-a-half overdue, and I'm starting to think that I'm not pregnant, just fat. I have been eating on a hobbit schedule for the last nine months. For those not familiar with a hobbit meal schedule, Wikipedia describes it as:

They would enjoy at least seven meals a day, when they can get them – breakfast, second breakfast, elevenses, luncheon, afternoon tea, dinner and (later in the evening) supper. They were often described as enjoying simple food—such as bread, meat, potatoes, tea, and cheese—and having a particular passion for mushrooms.

This hypothesis may be plausible if I didn't know that there was a heartbeat in my belly and lots of movement, although this could be the result of extreme gas generated by my eating habits.

Assuming I am pregnant, I'm starting to get frustrated with the wait. If I don't go into labor in the next few days, I will be induced, which I'm very nervous about because an induction increases my chances at needing an epidural and/or a cesarean section. Personally, I want to do everything I can to avoid the complications that come with these medical interventions because I want to recover as quickly as possible to start breastfeeding and taking care of the new baby.

In order to ease our minds, we have heard lots of suggestions for starting labor from loving and sympathetic friends and family. Some of the suggestions have real benefits but many are old wive's tales or myths. The reality is that two primary hormones help start labor: prostaglandins and oxytocin (the synthetic form is called pitocin and is used to induce or speed up labor in hospitals). Prostaglandins help the cervix ripen (thin, soften, dilate) while oxytocin helps the uterus contract. Some of the suggested labor inducers are thought to help increase levels of prostaglandins and/or oxytocin. Others have no link to labor whatsoever. Regardless, all of them are funny, so I thought I'd share them with our Nonerick followers.

Sex (semen has prostaglandins and having an orgasm releases oxytocin - this is one of the more possible/likely labor inducers)
Spicy food (no scientific evidence that this works and no clear theory on why spicy foods may induce labor)
Tumeric (no evidence of labor inducing qualities)
Blueberry pie (huh?)
Large spaghetti dinner/eggplant parmesan (huh?)
Jumping up and down (some people must think that jumping up and down will break your water or result in the baby falling out - this is crazy)
Bumpy car ride (perhaps the same rationale as jumping up and down?)
Walking (there is some evidence that walking can help get the baby in position for birth and put pressure on the cervix to help dilation, however, we've been walking and walking everyday without any results)
Eating pineapple (pineapple has a chemical that may help ripen the cervix, but there is no evidence to suggest that this is a credible theory)
Evening primrose oil (Our midwife suggested trying evening primrose oil, which I started taking a couple of days ago. The theory is that evening primrose oil contains prostaglandins to help the cervix ripen, but there is a lack of scientific evidence that this is the case. I decided to start taking the oil because it doesn't have harmful side effects and there are three possible outcomes from taking the oil, two of which result in labor: 1. the oil actually ripens my cervix and induces labor; 2. a placebo effect ripens my cervix and induces labor; or 3. nothing happens.)
Blue and/or black cohosh (like primrose oil, the evidence is not clear on whether cohosh works to induce labor. However, cohosh can have complications for baby, so I'm not going to take it.)
Castor oil (a powerful laxative, castor oil has been used for centuries to stir labor. However, there is no evidence that it actually does anything and it can lead to dehydration and discomfort, so I'm not taking it.)
Nipple stimulation (there is some evidence that nipple stimulation releases oxytocin, but it's effectiveness as a labor inducer is unclear)
Full moon (huh? this one has failed us twice now)

Did I miss anything?

Oh right, it's not all about us.

2010-08-20T18:01:00.000-07:00

This morning, I realized that I completely forgot to post about two cool events from July. First, Ryan's little brother, Sean, got married! Sadly, we couldn't make it to the wedding (something about very pregnant women not being allowed on planes), but we love the pictures and can't wait to see the video! Carolyn, our new sis-in-law, looked amazing, and we heard it was a great party and a beautiful ceremony. Apparently, the rainy weather that had plagued Syracuse for over a day stopped as a wedding gift to the happy couple. That or Sean and Carolyn have some voodoo magic skills (perhaps super hero powers?) that control the weather.

Cheers to the happy couple!
We wish we could have celebrated with you in person, but we love you and thought of you all weekend!

After Sean and Carolyn got married, we had our last out-of-town guests before baby. My brother, Jacob, and his wife, Jenna, flew in from Wisconsin. My hostess skills were a little off because my energy level and lack of mobility only allowed for small excursions, but I loved showing them Pike Place Market and a few other sites around town. Seattle has had a cool and cloudy summer -- not that I'm complaining -- and we didn't get to the top of the Space Needle. However, Jacob remembered a park with a great view of the city that we enjoyed after the sun came out.

Classic Nonemacher shtick...

followed by a classy photo that belongs in a picture frame.

Thanks, Jacob and Jenna, for making the trip, and thank you for keeping fat pregnant woman jokes to a minimum. Love you guys!

Waiting Game

2010-08-19T08:25:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry for the long silence on the blog. We have spent the last few weeks wrapping up work obligations and getting final preparations in place for the little guy's arrival. After I finished work last week, I spent a lot of time sleeping, cleaning, and relaxing. I'm starting to feel a little more "normal" in terms of energy, which is a great thing.

Ryan and I are stuck in the waiting game. I'm past due and labor can start at any time. If I go to 41 weeks, I will have an ultrasound and testing to make sure the bun (more like a loaf at this point) is healthy and safe. My goal is to let things progress as naturally as possible and avoid medical interventions that could lead to more dramatic interventions like a c-section. Unfortunately, this means neither Ryan nor I are in control. Needless to say, we're not entirely comfortable in this new position. I have to admit that I totally understand why some women schedule an induction or c-section.

Here is a typical day in the waiting game: Ryan and I wake up a little groggy and tired from a night of tossing, turning, and trips to the bathroom. We have breakfast in relative silence because conversation is a little tough when you haven't slept more than a couple of hours. When I do sleep, I have weird dreams about my water breaking in really inappropriate places like the grocery store. These dreams don't hold me back from going out, but I can't help but ask my water to stay intact before I go into a store or other public place.

Ryan goes to work because he doesn't want to start his leave until the baby comes -- totally understandable but he is in a tough place where he can't start a multi-day project because you never know when the baby wants to get the labor train moving. I find a couple of easy jobs to do around the house during the day, but spend most of my time napping, reading, or watching Netflix. When the outdoor temperature is reasonable (i.e., not in the 90s), I go for a short walk or run errands to get some activity.

When Ryan returns home from work, he looks for ways to keep himself as busy as possible. Every time I make a noise, he immediately snaps to attention and asks if it's time. I tell him that nothing is happening except the baby kicking my lungs or pushing on my bladder. It's cute to see him so excited and eager to meet his son.

At night, I watch bad reality television shows or read, and I feel terrible for being so lazy when Ryan is a flurry of productivity. Then I remind myself that I am providing basic needs like nourishment, blood, etc. to both myself and another person, so I can give myself a break. That consolation lasts for about 20 minutes. When I start to fret again, I remind myself that I will be working hard when I'm in labor and learning how to be a parent. That consolation lasts for about 45 minutes. This mental back and forth goes on for a while until I'm too tired to worry anymore and I go to bed.

Sometimes, we break up our evening ritual with a baby names discussion. I can't tell you how difficult the names issue is for us. The fact is that we can't talk seriously about names until the baby comes, at which point we we can try out different options to find the name that fits him the best.

We also try to find some time to enjoy each other's company. We went to one of our favorite sushi restaurants for dinner on Sunday and completed the night with gelato. We fully recognize that a major life change is coming at us and that we need to take time to appreciate each other. Spending time together is a priority for us now and when the baby comes.

One thing we've learned in the waiting game: Ryan and I don't like waiting. We aren't the most patient people in the world. That said, we know all the discomfort will be worth it in the end. We are just hoping for the end to be here sooner rather than later.

1 Month To Go!

2010-07-06T18:57:00.000-07:00

I'm 34 weeks pregnant and have a little over a month to go until the little guy arrives. The baby weighs about as much as a cantaloupe, and Ryan and I are running around like crazy people in order to finish up last minute projects before our lives are no longer our own. Ryan is putting up trim in the basement, and I'm organizing the nursery and painting a few friendly garden bugs on the wall. Check it out!

The bug sanctuary and soon-to-be changing station.

Busy bees

A fluttering Monarch butterfly

In addition to nesting around the house, we are finding a pediatrician, lining up day care, developing a birth plan, and preparing our first child, Soma, for the arrival of a human sibling. As if preparing for basic child rearing wasn't enough, we are also figuring out our parental leave plans for work, developing a post-baby budget, and conditioning ourselves for labor and delivery (look for a funny post later this week on Ryan's experience with pre-birth training). It's all a little insane. Ok, it's a lot insane.

I thought it may be helpful to share my 3rd trimester observations -- physical, social, and mental -- for those who want to be reminded of what the 3rd trimester was like or for those who haven't been pregnant (e.g., smart women and most, but not all, men).

While I've been lucky to avoid symptoms like back pain, the third trimester has presented some delightful side effects including:

Painful Hips -- Sitting for too long hurts. Standing for too long hurts. Walking for too long hurts. Laying on your side (forget your back) for too long hurts. You get the picture. Imagine feeling like your hip bones are spreading or moving to the point of near dislocation. I keep telling myself that it's a good sign for childbirth, but let's face it, hip pain stinks. When I get up, I waddle like a penguin and grunt like a weight lifter or a tennis player. Attractive, no?

Heartburn -- Although heartburn is a useful excuse for eating ice cream, the cons vastly outweigh the benefits. Pregnant women make a hormone called progesterone, which relaxes the valve between the stomach and esophagus. This combined with the crowding and shifting of most of your internal organs result in food and acid reflux. I tend to get heartburn if I haven't eaten in a while (30 minutes or so), just finished eating, or lie down. Before I go to bed at night, I kiss Ryan and my bottle of Tums. Ryan is getting a little jealous.

Swelling -- I used to think that pregnant women only had swelling in their feet. No way, Jose. I'm swelling everywhere. I have cankles, and my hands are so swollen, I took off my wedding ring out of a fear that it could fuse with my bulging skin. When you combine my swollen state with my waddling, I look more like the Stay Puft Marshmallow man than a real person.

Exhaustion -- It's baaaacccckkk. Yes, after spending my first trimester trying to find any opportunity to snooze, I'm a walking zombie again. The crazy part about the third trimester is that all the symptoms seem to work collectively against you. For example, because I'm a swollen beast dealing with the discomfort of heartburn and hip pain, I can't hide my exhaustion very well. Need evidence? Check out the photo below for proof.

See how tired I look?

8 months pregnant and ready for bed at 2 o'clock in the afternoon.

Pregnancy Brain -- I admit that I thought pregnancy brain wasn't a real condition. Boy was I wrong. I am 300% more forgetful, flakey, and spacey than before, and it completely freaks me out. Some say it's the result of hormones and stress, but whatever the cause, pregnancy brain is a real problem. For example, I was the last to leave my office one night, and I forgot to lock the door when I left to go home. WHAT THE HELL? Old Darcy would never have overlooked that important detail. I've annoyed friends by promising to call and get together and then completely forgetting my promise. Let's just hope I regain some cognitive function when the little guy arrives because his life could be in jeopardy. I could drive off with the baby in a car seat on the roof of our car or in a parking lot somewhere. Sheesh!

With all the stress and physical symptoms of late pregnancy, it's no wonder why women get a little sensitive. Here is some advice on how to communicate with an uber-pregnant woman:

TIP #1: Lie -- I know we teach our kids to tell the truth and should walk the walk, but talking to a pregnant woman requires some amount of truth bending or even outright lying. For example, tell her that she's carrying the pregnancy really well and doesn't look that big. Sure, the truth is she looks like a planet with her own gravitational pull, but she doesn't have to know that. Tell her she looks fit and strong. Oh, and the "you're glowing" comment should really be limited to the 2nd trimester when it's actually flattering. Pregnant women in their 3rd trimester feel like they are sweating all the time even if it's 30 degrees outside, so "glowing" actually means disgusting and visibly shvitzing all over the place.

TIP #2: Don't tell a pregnant woman how big she is or when you think she'll give birth -- We've all done it. The fact is that telling a pregnant woman, "Wow, you look like you're about to pop." or "Are you sure you don't have two in there?" is a really, really dumb idea. As stated earlier, when in doubt, lie. There is nothing funny or cute about being reminded that you are huge and on the verge of exploding. As a pregnant woman, you feel that way every second of every day. Say something nice or keep your mouth shut. Your balls will thank you for it.

TIP #3: Telling a first time mom-to-be that her life will change after the baby comes is about as helpful as telling her that labor will hurt -- Experienced parents who are in the "club" like to tell expecting parents that life will be completely different when the baby comes. No way, you must be kidding? The fact that I planned having a child clearly shows that I thought life would be exactly the same before and after having a kid.

HELLO?! Planning for a baby means you understand that becoming a parent will require changes and sacrifice. The only thing such a comment accomplishes is freaking out a poor soon-to-be parent who is already a little unsure about the wisdom of their decision. Tell them that they will be a great parent. Do not tell them something they already know and feel insecure about.

TIP #4: No pregnant woman sleeps in the last few weeks/months before going into labor -- Many people say, "Enjoy your sleep now because you won't be sleeping at all when the baby comes!" I'm shocked that so many people think I'm sleeping now. Before pregnancy, I was a stomach sleeper, so the fact that I have to sleep on my side means I'm uncomfortable to start with. Add the hip pain and heartburn that I spoke of earlier and you can imagine my sleeping ability these days. If that wasn't enough, I also have to go to the bathroom every hour or so, which means that the minute I find a comfortable position, I have to get up to go pee and disrupt the whole process.

Oh, and don't retort to a pregnant woman's "I'm already not sleeping" response with the classic, "Well, I guess you are already prepared for a lack of sleep." Seriously, it's tacky.

Hopefully, this provides a little insight on the dos and don'ts of pregnancy communication. While the gritty nature of this post may be too much for some, it is much better than sharing the details of my bodily functions. That's for another post (just kidding!).

The right way to celebrate Independence Day

2010-07-05T18:51:00.000-07:00

Our friend, Joe (husband to Bonnie), came to Seattle for work and stayed for the weekend. Ryan had a great time bonding with his male compadres, Joe and Byron. Watching the three amigos conspire over video games, technology, and alcohol was a lot of fun. Sadly, I don't have a picture of them in action, but I wanted to thank Joe for making the trip and spending some extra time with us.

In addition to lots of male bonding, we spent our weekend benefiting from this. Jealous?

Feelin' the Love

2010-06-22T17:17:00.001-07:00

We felt a lot of love this weekend. Lots of our loved ones traveled great distances to visit us and attend a baby shower organized by our dear friend, Amy. Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate. Between the rain, the clouds, and the cold, it felt more like March than the end of June. Of course, a day or so after everyone left, it was sunny and 75 degrees. If only Mother Nature would show the same love as our wonderful family and friends!

Ryan's dad is ready to rock Father's Day weekend!

Hannah, Chris, Ava, and Xander chillin' at the Nonerick crib.

My mom flew in for one day to enjoy the shower and coordinate with Ryan's mom on labor communications.

Awww... Summer in Seattle.
The ferry ride was fun, but it would have been even better if it was nice outside.

Taking in the rainy view on the ferry to Bainbridge.

Fish face!

Soma thinking deep thoughts or planning an escape with so many people in his house.

Thank you to everyone who visited this weekend and showed us lots of love. Of course, we also appreciate the love shown to us by our local friends as well. We are very lucky to know such cool people!

Happy Birthday, Soma!

2010-06-04T17:18:00.000-07:00

Soma turned 5 this week. It's hard to believe but time flies when you're having fun!

Geez! Take a picture!

2010-05-25T20:40:00.000-07:00

Now that my belly is huge, I'm noticing that strangers tend to fixate on my abdomen. Friends who have kids told me about the belly touching phenomenon, and I prepared myself for that invasion of personal space. (Just for the record, most strangers haven't been so bold as to touch my baby bump without asking.) However, I didn't anticipate the stares, focused glances, and obvious belly assessments. I have to say, it's a little weird.

A lot of folks smile and are very nice about it, but I can't help but panic for a moment or two thinking that I've probably met the person and should recognize them -- a normal response to such nonverbal cues. Then, I remember that I'm knocked up and that they are clearly smiling at my "condition". I wonder how many people are smiling because they are happy for me versus smiling because of thoughts like, "Oh honey. I hope you know what you're in for."

I wonder if asking them directly why they are staring and/or smiling at me would come off as rude. Hmmm...

This Old House is Looking Good!

2010-05-22T15:22:00.001-07:00

The basement looks a lot different than it did a few weeks ago. The drywall is up, and we just finished painting.

We were supposed to go on our annual river trip this weekend, but a bad weather forecast changed our plans. Both Ryan and I wanted to have one last river adventure together before the baby comes, and a pretty mellow trip on the John Day River in Oregon seemed perfect. However, something about snow and thunder told us that this was not a good time for a multi-day trip in high spring flows. Instead, we painted the new walls in the basement, which was perfectly fine with us. With just a couple of months to go before the bun arrives, we are both feeling the push to get organized and settled.

Why does Ryan look frightened when I'm taking his picture?

Guest room!

Ryan bonding with the paint after a job well done.

A future office space under the first window.
The brown room in the distance is the media room or "man cave."

Looking from the media room at the open space, which will be an office (near) and play area (back area near the stairs).

This week, the new flooring is installed, and Ryan will start adding finishing touches like trim work and lighting. Next weekend will be spent moving stuff from the nursery -- currently a storage space -- to the basement and shopping for more stuff. It's amazing to me that we had a hard time filling the place when we moved in, but houses have a way of filling up.

Strawberry!

2010-05-15T19:15:00.001-07:00

Recently, Ryan called me a "gardening geek" on his Twitter feed. Well, I embrace the label. It's true. All geeks are useful, and as a gardening geek, I get to grow stuff that we can use and enjoy. This year, I planted strawberries for the first time ever (yeah, I'm a little slow). While out watering my fruit and veggies, I noticed that we had two strawberries ripe for picking. Sadly, some animal already enjoyed one, so here is a picture of the first berry of the season!

Oh strawberry, how I love thee.

Garden geek... out. Word.

Belly Pic!

2010-05-05T20:02:00.000-07:00

By popular demand, here's a photo of my huge baby bump at 25 weeks (almost 6 months).

Life of Ryan

2010-05-04T19:51:00.000-07:00

First, we had a couple ultrasounds, and the Nonerick oven is in good working order. Hopefully, the baby will continue gestating like he's supposed to, but next week we hit the 26-week mark. Third trimester, here we come!

Some of you may have read the posts from the last few months and wondered what Ryan's been up to. Well, he's been nesting in his own special way. Ryan has spent every spare minute finishing our basement so we can have an office, a guest bedroom, and a play area for the bun. This is in addition to the bathroom/utility room and Ryan's own play area, a media room, that we added late last year.

I'm amazed at how Ryan -- someone who has never done construction or electrical work of any kind -- figures things out. I think he's enjoyed the work, but as he told me the other night "he's done." Despite the challenges and exhaustion, he's done a phenomenal job, and now we're entering the home stretch with drywall going up next week and flooring installation the week after.

Future guest room!

The basement remodel has done nothing to help Ryan's sanity.

And what about Soma? Well, he's been helping Ryan with the construction, although he seems to love the tape measure a little too much.

Oh and Soma gets tired easily. He has to take a break about every 15 minutes or so.

Once we, I mean Ryan, wrap things up in the basement, we can move all the stuff out of what is our current office and start preparing a nursery. I can't wait to get things organized and begin nesting myself. Something tells me Ryan feels the same way!

However, don't feel too bad for poor Ryan. He's comforted himself with a new iPad, which he loves and adores. I have to admit, it's pretty damn cool.

A Kick in the Pants

2010-04-22T18:56:00.001-07:00

Following up on my incredibly depressing post from yesterday, I listened to an interview this morning with Gloria Steinem, and it was exactly the swift kick in the tush that I needed. One of the issues Steinem talked about was the workplace -- frankly one of my main points of anxiety -- and she challenged my assumptions and expectations on parenting and a professional career. I would summarize the interview, but I really suggest folks listen to it on their own (it's under an hour long but totally worth it).

My anxiety about balancing work and family is rooted in the assumption that one is more valuable than the other. The reality is that they are both important, and while I may need to occasionally prioritize one over the other, I'm not going to sacrifice one for the other. I may not be confident in my ability to be a good parent, but I am confident that I want both a career and a family. That's my decision, and it's a decision that millions of men and women make. Society must evolve and recognize that raising a family is productive and valuable work just like professional work. As I said yesterday, I'm ambitious and that ambition isn't limited to just my work life. In the end, I'll be a stronger person for making a decision that I believe in.

For a long time, I've been frustrated that the work/family relationship is often considered a women's issue when in reality men have to make same decision, even if they don't admit it as often as women. Like me, Ryan needs to be both a nurturing caregiver and a professional, and we will be more supportive of each other if we acknowledge that we are both facing the same decisions and challenges. It may seem obvious to most (and Lord knows I'm a little slow), but it helps to reassess and remember that everyone who has children is in the same boat. Sometimes we just don't act that way.

Baking the Bun: An Update From Nonerick Headquarters

2010-04-21T19:03:00.000-07:00

I've been debating whether or not to post about this because it may not be a big deal, but I think the point of a blog is to share the good, bad, and ugly. Last week, I started having strange symptoms. I called our midwifery clinic, and while nothing required urgent attention, I did need to go in for a more thorough examination. Unfortunately, it looks like I may have an elevated risk of preterm labor. We'll know more next week, but in the meantime, I am supposed to take it easy. No exercise. No travel (sad because I was supposed to fly to North Carolina for a work retreat this week). No heavy gardening (gasp!). The good news is that the bun has a good heart beat and is baking right along. In fact, Ryan finally felt the baby kick for the first time on the same day that we went to the midwifery clinic! (By the way, for those of you tracking our fetus' future in professional soccer, Ryan gave the baby a good leg strength assessment.)

I have to admit that when I first found out that my symptoms were considered complications, I was upset for a variety of reasons. Obviously, the idea of going into labor when I'm only 23 weeks along is terrifying. However, I was also freaked out about backing out of a work trip at the last minute and needing a little more accommodation than usual. I loathe the idea of having to stay relatively still until further notice. Maybe it's the midwestern/Catholic/farm girl in me, but I despise the idea of making a fuss over something you can't control. I like to control things, sure, but I also like to fight back against what I can't control by finding a way to move forward anyway. For now, I need to be still and that stinks.

One of the worst thoughts I had was that I did something wrong to cause the problem. I've not been the most enthusiastic or confident mom-to-be, and on some level, I felt like the sarcastic jokes, offensive banter, and negative feelings were coming back to bite me.

The truth is that those comments come from an honest place. I'm not the expectant mom who thinks that pregnancy is wonderful and that the baby is (or should be) the center of my universe. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited about teaching a kid how to read a river, how to read in general, or paint or draw. I can't wait to watch Ryan show him how to build stuff, dribble a soccer ball, or play the guitar. I'm anxious to see what kind of personality our kid has and learn from him. Despite all the good things, at the end of the day, I'm not 100 or even 60 percent sure that this was the right decision. I'm 50/50 on this thing and that makes me feel like I'm already inadequate as a mother.

Deep down, I'm scared about making the right sacrifices to support him and curbing my desire to control everything. While being a mom will require me to give up on some things, my ambitions are intense, and I don't want to give up on anything. I need my own life. If I don't balance things properly, I will probably resent the poor little guy. I guess the bottom line is that I have limits to what I can give, and I worry that I don't have enough to give my kid the best chance in life.

Anyway, back to the most important thing at this moment, the complications. Like I said before, we should know more next week, and I'm optimistic that everything will be fine. My colleague, Amy, had a baby last October, and she told me that there is usually at least one false alarm during pregnancy, and I'm hoping this is it.

Ryan is Mr. Focused. He seems to refuse to worry about things until we have all the information in front of us. Last weekend we talked about how my motto is, "Hope for the best but prepare for the worst and always move forward" while his is, "Don't act until you know all you need to know to make a good decision." We approach things very differently, which is often a good thing but it can be hard. In this instance, I think we're both right, and we're doing our best to recognize what each of us needs to do: I'm moving forward by taking care of myself and getting my brain ready for as many outcomes as possible while Ryan is waiting for more information before figuring out how to react.

We'll see what happens. More to come from the Nonerick oven.

Darcy's Quirky Pregnancy Observation #491

2010-04-05T21:12:00.000-07:00

Tonight, I had my first experience where someone who hasn't seen me in a while immediately recognized that I was pregnant just by looking at me. I know this sounds like a little thing, but I was so excited. Not because pregnancy is some wonderful thing that I want to share with the world, but because I was relieved that someone viewed me as pregnant before thinking I was fat.

I'm not thrilled about having an obviously pregnant belly for all to see. I would much rather blend into the crowd and have to call in sick one day when I'm in labor. Call me crazy, but I would prefer to be one of those women on the TLC show "I Didn't Know I was Pregnant" who have no belly or symptoms of any kind and end up having babies in odd circumstances, usually in the toilet. To be clear, I would want to know the entire time that I was pregnant, but I just wouldn't want it to show or attract attention. On the other hand, I think it would be even worse to be one of those pregnant women who look like they've binged on pizza and Ho Hos for 9 months instead of gestating a little human. So, I guess being obviously pregnant is an acceptable middle ground.

Am I a bad person? Maybe. Will I be a bad mother given my twisted mindset? Probably. But I take the small victories when I find them.

Oh, and I'll take a picture of the belly soon, but it's late and I'm already in sweatpants and lying in bed. For now, your imagination will have to suffice.

Peace!

P.S. Duke can suck it.