Good morning everyone! We have had so many fun things happening this past month. I’ve been wanting to blog- but I feel like my to do list is falling on top of me … and… More
2016 Nostalgia 🫶🏻
I’m a bit behind on making a post, but I simply could not resist hopping on the 2016 nostalgia bandwagon. 2016 is one of my all time favorite years. It was absolutely my favorite year before Quinn and Tripp came into the picture. I was surprised to see so many people also hold the same fondness for it that I do. I think I thought my love for it was circumstantial, but I also think culturally it was such a fun time- probably partly due to the music; the music was *the best*. Social media was simply fun- “doom scrolling” wasn’t part of the vernacular. We also had yet to live through a worldwide pandemic. Most people my age were graduating college or in their early 20s- simply a fun time of finding our feet as young adults. 2016 was a huge year of change and FUN for DJ and me. We were married in August of 2015, so it was a large part of our first year of marriage too.
I graduated from nursing school and we packed up our things and moved to California! Our entire life and the entire world felt like it was on the horizon. Endless possibilities. We made trips to Michigan, Baltimore, MD, New York City, a restaurant in the Ozarks, Fort Worth to visit my mom and Pete, New Mexico, The Grand Canyon and Monterey. I actually lost a lot of my photos in 2017 when my phone crashed, but I’ll share some of what I have left! Thankfully I still have many of those photos embedded in the posts I’ll link!
As soon as we moved to California, I started this blog. Here’s my first post! I can’t tell you all how much I absolutely fell in love with blogging. Well, clearly, 10 years later I’m still here so I suppose that is evidence in itself. Previously this blog was under the name “Mack Marie”, and my tagline was “living loving learning”. When the word “basic” came into the cultural zeitgeist I realized I could probably be the poster child. Out of self-consciousness I quickly deleted my tagline as to try to break free from the Ugg boot loving, chevron printed, Starbucks pumpkin spice drinking, live laugh loving box. But, alas, I couldn’t shake my basic ways entirely as evidenced by my beloved chunky necklaces worn far into 2018, being a far too frequent Target shopper and my expert level knowledge of The Bachelor franchise. Nonetheless, I was embraced here in the blog world- and wow, those were fun times! I felt like blog world was on fire & when I moved somewhere that I didn’t have a community, I immediately found community here. I really miss those internet days! I’ll never forget my first ever hosted meet & greet– does anyone remember those?!
We spent the summer settling into our Cupertino stomping grounds, exploring new restaurants (oh how I miss the food!) and frolicking about Northern CA. I always used the word “frolic” when we lived there. It felt like the Bay Area was our playground!
At the time, I was 22 and studying for the NCLEX. Even though I was studying for boards, for some reason it felt so much less stressful than all of nursing school had felt. It was the first time in so long that I didn’t feel a tremendous amount of stress and pressure. I felt like I was truly living for the first time; I genuinely remember thinking that. I reflect so fondly on who I was then- a bit naive, incredibly motivated and so excited about what was to come. That world-is-your-oyster feeling is something special to reflect on! “Endocrine disrupting chemicals” weren’t even on my radar, I published recipes on here that would be considered quite “mid”, and I went on long runs in the mountains by myself.. where there were mountain lions- ahh to be so carefree again lol.
2016 was the year of Snapchat filters, artsy coffee shots & The Chainsmokers. “Closer” will always be inextricably linked to 2016 for me.
I was so proud of our first apartment that was decked out in HomeGoods and TJ Maxx (I still remember I made countless trips back and forth).
We got involved in a church that we loved soon into moving there. I joined the church hiking group and made lifelong friends, Tammy, Dani and Sara there!
I discovered Peet’s coffee- my obsession. I became friends with the barista, Connie, who worked at the one near us. She reminded me a bit of my mom. She was there nearly every day I stopped by to study, and I so enjoyed our chats. I wish we had stayed in touch, and I hope Connie is doing well today!
2016 was the year I discovered podcasts and listening to Serial became part of my personality. We also discovered one of our favorite restaurants to date- Mt. Hamilton Grandview.
The last 10 years I have lived, loved and learned a lot…even if we no longer have throw pillows that say so. Oh 2016, you will always have a special place in my memory!
January Part One!
Hey hey! Hope you all are having a wonderful January so far. That feels almost sarcastic considering we live in Antarctica, I mean Ohio, but, genuinely, I hope your year is off to a good start! January has been a bit of a whirlwind. I’m excited to recap it because I feel like my head has been spinning lately, and blogging always helps slow that spinning down!
We have a couple last few days of 2025 to wrap up then we’ll jump right into 2026 :). December 28th I started the day with eggs and toast with some of Amy’s homemade chili crunch sauce. I’m addicted. I could drink it!
We stopped at Giant Eagle that day, so naturally Quinn picked out some gorgeous blooms. It’s become one of my favorite traditions we do whenever we’re at that store.
That evening was how most nights look lately for dinner. Nothing fancy, just something nutritious that both a preschooler and a baby will be able to eat and enjoy. This evening it was pulled pork from the crockpot with quinoa, mixed veggies and broccoli.
Our Mimi (Quinn and Tripp’s Great-Grandma) makes all the great-grandkids their own picture book when they are born. Quinn absolutely loved hers and Tripp got his very own for Christmas too! She cuts out pictures from magazines and adheres them to each page. It’s just really special & I had to share! 🥰
Tripp is fully obsessed with Moose. He will point at him whenever he walks in the room & we have to make sure he doesn’t tackle him every time Moose decides to lounge on the ground. It’s pretty stinking adorable though. Quinn also serenaded Moose the other night singing “I love you soooo much, you’re my sweet boy”. If the video wasn’t so long I’d have to post it. I’ve watched it so many times- it’s precious. I feel like most of my camera roll is just adorable videos of the things Quinn is saying and the things Tripp is doing. It’s hard to really capture it all into a post- this time of life is just magical in so much of what doesn’t even get captured. For instance, last night while I was putting Quinn to sleep she wanted to sing the Barney song together. She’s fully on a Barney kick, which warms my 90s-born heart. Anyway, at the end of our song, she said, “awww that is sweet. I am going to happy cry”. It was cute. I’ve explained to her how I’m “happy crying” before & it’s so adorable and funny when they decide to try out a phrase they’ve heard before.
Anyway, apparently I’m feeling a little rambly today! December 30th was an easy dinner of lamb, green beans, roasted carrots and couscous.
I definitely serve most of Tripp’s food directly on his tray otherwise the whole plate is going on the floor lol.
On December 31st we FaceTimed my mom with her and Pete’s new puppy, Stella!!! Moose got to meet his Aunt too although they both slept through the introduction.
Quinn and Tripp were thrilled!
That evening we decided to order in Pizza from Athena’s. I just love their vegan pizza options even though I can technically eat dairy again & this time I opted to try their spicy seven pepper pickle pizza with vegan Hidden Valley Ranch, vegan mozzarella, dill pickles and a “fiery hot & spicy seven pepper magic dust blend”. I mean idk, but that sounds like a must try! Put a magic dust blend on anything and count me in!
It was good! I couldn’t do more than about one slice because it was a lot going on, so naturally I dug into DJ’s pizza too lol. DJ and I were saying there has to be some type of name for someone who orders the “novelty” item but then wishes they just got the more standard thing. I’ve definitely been guilty of this… more than once. Haha.
At 6 pm, we put on a kids’ countdown on TV (a recorded one you can play anytime). We had the party hats, party horns and clappers. When the music was playing after the “Happy New Year”, I went to pick up Quinn to dance and the party horn dug into her gum a little causing it to bleed. I felt so awful. She was ok but it definitely hurt :(. Thankfully it didn’t interfere with her falling asleep and she forgot about it by morning. I spent the rest of the night getting the house in order. I especially like to start January 1st with a decently clean home.
We spent January 1st just relaxing at home. Quinn went straight into art mode!
For dinner, we had chicken with Roots sweet potato fries, peas and I also had it with a slice of the pickle pizza. The combo was great!
Is anyone else an offender of opening every cabinet/the fridge and not shutting them behind you? I do this every time I’m cooking & I don’t know why I’m like this 🤣. I’m just exposing all my quirks in this post.
After Christmas, Quinn got on an Elf Pets streak. Kinda funny how she decided she was into it after the holiday season was over, but hey, whatever works!
She randomly decided that day to take all of Moose’s toys from his crate and throw them on the stairs. Why? I have no clue. Poor Moose Man just constantly putting up with his little sister’s antics lol.
Those first couple days of January are a bit of a blur. I had a horrific headache that I had a hard time getting rid of.
January 3rd we had a fun family day out. We went to Barnes & Noble and ran a couple errands. My headache had mostly subsided. But then that day I started getting blurry vision and pain on one side of my neck over my carotid. The symptoms were concerning enough to go to the emergency department. We were there until about 11 pm, and thankfully everything came back ok. They suspected an atypical migraine. I’ve had migraines before but this was so different – I never had the blurry vision after the worst part of the headache or the neck pain. Very thankful all was ok though!
We had a funny experience there. While they were gathering my history, I asked them to make a note that I was breastfeeding so any meds given to me were breastfeeding safe. Of course they agreed then we went back into the waiting room to await the CT scan. One of the nurses called our names and brought us back to an exam room (he was quite young and looked a little uncomfortable). He pointed to the room and said “here’s your room, we will need it back as soon as you’re done though”. I thought a bit of an odd thing to say considering we weren’t planning on moving in haha. He then said “just let us know when you are done!”. I said “ok, no problem, but tell who?” And he said anyone at the desk. And then I just looked at him a little confused and said “and just clarifying- done with what?” And he got kind of quiet and goes “feeding your baby”. It suddenly all made sense! I explained Tripp didn’t need fed (he was actually totally asleep at that point), and that I had a cover if he was hungry. He said someone said I needed a room to feed him, which I’m not sure where that came from, but I’m guessing from our convo about the meds needing to be breastfeeding safe. The whole situation was genuinely funny, I just felt bad for the young lad who seemed so uncomfortable about it all. It was extremely nice of the staff to find us a room too. But thankfully we were able to give them back that room very quickly 😂.
Gigi picked up Quinn from the ED soon after we arrived (around 8 pm) and helped get her to sleep. When we got home Tripp wanted to play with his DJ table. It was midnight. Ok Mr. Night Owl 😆.
The next day, January 4th,the migraine was still there but subsiding. I attempted to make some broccoli fritters. Tripp was in a bit of a food strike for a solid week after having the flu. He didn’t much want these, but Quinn enjoyed them.
That day we just stayed home. It was very low key.
Marie and Jorge made us a calendar of all the doggies and Tripp found Moose immediately on it 🥹.
Tripp is also in his making magnet soup era. This is how I often keep him preoccupied while I’m cooking.
January 5th we went to the store and found pine berries! I thought it would be fun to try something new. We all loved them! The package did not last long. They taste just like strawberries.
I also got this cookie granola to try! It was tasty, but I still think I prefer the chocolate sea salt.
January 7th we went to a storytime. I absolutely love story time with the kids.
Quinn used to be quite bashful during story times and didn’t participate much. She has gotten much more into it and is now coming out of her shell!
The theme that day was unicorns. They have a little craft after and that day they made unicorn horns for the kids to wear. So sweet.
That evening we drove to my sister in law, Kylie’s, basketball game! Last time we went we grabbed coffee from a delicious coffee shop called Happy Bean on campus, so we had to stop there again.
It was so much fun to watch her play! The kids did well too.
January 8th Quinn lived in her make believe world with her dolls. I just love this imaginative/creative age.
While I fed Tripp, she really wanted to feed her own doll haha.
She did give her a bath after, the responsible mom that she is.
The weather was actually fairly nice that day so we went to the park. At the bottom of the slide, water collects and Quinn calls it her pond. She collects various things and throws them in. That day we talked about what and why certain things sink and others float.
For dinner that night we had a broccoli cheddar risotto from the feeding Littles cookbook with some chicken.
The newest flowers Quinn picked out 🙂.
That day we tried to get Tripp to wear shoes. It was an utter fail. He reminded us of dogs that put shoes on for the first time and don’t want their feet to touch the floor. He was not about it. I never had that problem with Quinn, so I’m not really sure what to do? Tripp is walking now too- so he kinda needs to learn to wear shoes lol.
The evening of January 9th we had some white bean burgers from the Feeding Littles Cookbook. This is one of my favorite recipes from there personally, but Quinn and DJ weren’t really about it. At least Tripp liked them haha!
I also made some chickpea coconut cookies with peanut butter added from the cookbook. They don’t look pretty, but they actually are quite nice. I like them for the kids since they aren’t loaded with sugar. I even let Tripp try a nibble since there’s so little in them.
January 10th I made some lemon ricotta lasagna with pumpkin and kale for the kids before DJ and I headed out on a date night for my birthday!
I had been craving Ken Stewart’s Lodge’s truffle mushroom toast ever since we had it a couple years ago.
It always feels weird driving in a quiet car. I also never sit in the front seat anymore either unless I’m driving, so that also felt odd haha!
We went before the dinner rush. It was so peaceful. I’m writing this with a smile because this dinner was so lovely & having that one on one time with DJ was such a gift.
We started the meal with lobster deviled eggs. Need I say more?!
And here is what we came for! The truffle mushroom toast!!!!
It actually was even better than I remembered. It’s so phenomenal. The way they serve the whole green onion with the toast reminds me of CourtneyCookInsta. Are you familiar with her? She went viral for a cheese stuffed sweet potato, but she has such a sweet personality and the way she appreciates and loves food is so endearing. Anyway, sometimes she’ll just eat a whole green onion with her food & that’s what it made me think of!
DJ got one of their steak specials – wrapped in seafood!
We shared creamed spinach as a side.
And I got their scallops. This is probably my favorite scallop dish I have ever had. It was unreal. The scallops were served over butternut squash risotto with pancetta and feta. Perfection.
That was truly one of my favorite meals to date. One for the books. Usually we would get the peanut butter bomb for dessert but we were so stuffed. It takes a lot for me while breastfeeding to ever feel genuinely stuffed, and that meal did it hah!
Gigi said Tripp did really well! It really felt like a turning point. His separation anxiety is definitely improving!
January 11th we went to the Hudson library to change things up a little bit. They don’t have quite as much in the way of things to play with but they did have a dog there that day that the kids could read to!
The dog’s name was Daisy. Quinn just adored her. She picked out a really sweet book and it took everything in me not to start welling up while reading it! Quinn repeated the words after me. It was sooo sweet. I can’t remember the name of it- if someone knows based on the illustration please tell me! It’s about a baby growing up, all the things they will do “soon”. I really wish I knew the name.
We played tea party, with the blocks and then some magnatiles. To pass more time we also did a photo hunt in the library. First I took pictures throughout for Quinn to find, then DJ did a round for her.
When we got home I had to get a bit creative for dinner. I made us some stir fried chicken and then these Jess & Ben’s fries- these are SO good!
We had our leftovers from Ken Stewart’s – so we put a little of the truffle mushroom sauce with the chicken and divided up the side of creamed spinach.
January 12th was a day at home, although we did run a couple errands.
I found this granola while we were out. I do still like the chocolate sea salt Purely Elizabeth better – but it grew on me!
January 13th was my official birthday. I wanted to go out for frozen yogurt since I haven’t been able to have it in so long. We all went out as a family to Sweet Frog in the evening & it was just delicious!
January 14th was another story time. This time it was rainbow themed!
This feels like a good place to wrap! Stay warm and safe out there, friends!
Mackenzie
Tips Transitioning 1 to 2 Kids
Hi everyone! I have quite a few friends transitioning from 1 to 2 kids this year. A couple of them have asked me for some tips and I think I just have stared at them blankly thinking Girl, I’m barely surviving 😂. However reflecting on this past year, I do think I have some things that worked/I would go back and tell myself. Of course, these tips may not help everyone, may seem obvious and all babies/family dynamics/etc. are different- but who knows, maybe it will be helpful to someone!
– Something I recommend that worked well: Giving your oldest a gift from the baby! Quinn was all about Daniel Tiger at the time, so in the hospital when she met Tripp we gave her books and a Daniel Tiger story reader from Tripp. She loved that (and still does). Also when Quinn met Tripp in the hospital DJ was holding him, not me- so I had my arms free to scoop up Quinn. This was a tip I was given before I had Tripp, and I’m very glad we did that!
– In the early days, when baby is super sleepy, make sure to focus on time with your oldest. I prioritized quality time with Quinn (assuming Tripp was fed, changed and content) and it was huge in helping her with the transition! Tripp did eventually start voicing his preference for me, but the first few weeks he was so content cuddling with anyone and just slept most of the day anyway. I still got so many wonderful newborn snuggles with him naturally, but I made sure to prioritize time daily with Quinn. Getting quality time with Quinn has been way harder as Tripp’s gotten older with his separation anxiety (and recently mobility), so I’m grateful I soaked up that time with her to start things on a good note.
– Avoid the temptation to rely on snacks & screen to appease your oldest. I really wish I could have told myself this one! Of course, I’m not saying we’d have done none, but I think we used these as a crutch and distraction for Quinn at times. We had some habits and routines to clean up when the dust settled so to speak, and I just wish we had set a better precedent from the get go. And sticking to a routine with the food/snacks is sure to avoid a lot of battles and meltdowns.
– Involve your toddler/preschooler as much as possible. They LOVE to help! We had Quinn’s helper tower next to our changing table and she helped me pick out a diaper for many of those early changes.
– Make sure your baby takes a bottle. You’re probably thinking “duh!”. But I did not make much of an effort with this and it has made it tough to go anywhere this first year for long periods. Since I knew I’d be staying home I didn’t really bother, but there were situations where that came back to bite me. For example, one time we had to leave a wedding early because Tripp refused a bottle.
– Don’t compare your second postpartum journey to your first. I fell into this trap big time. I had an easier postpartum time overall after my first, but the circumstances were so different, and I am now a mom of two! What a blessing, but I was doing a disservice expecting things to look similarly to the first time. My body didn’t “bounce back”, we get out less, the house is much more of a mess, who even knows what my hormones are doing- and it’s OK!! Giving yourself grace and time is very important.
– Accept the help. The first time after Quinn I felt pretty comfortable managing things without a lot of help outside of DJ. After Tripp I understood the need for a village much more. It’s so important to accept the help where you can.
– Take it truly one day at a time. Those early months can feel like Groundhog Day often, but it helps to find something specific for you to look forward to for yourself each day- for me it was a walk or an afternoon mug of Nespresso. Understand that everything is a stage. The hard ones, the amazing ones. One day at a time.
-Doing all the things (getting both kids ready, leaving the house, making meals, finding routines) is a muscle that needs exercised. It WILL get easier the more you do it. You will find your system. It just takes time & it will need adjustments as the kids grow and needs change.
-Don’t underestimate what a midday dance party to toddler bops can do for everyone’s mood! …Along with just being silly. Silliness has been such a great way to connect with Quinn even if we don’t have a lot of actual time one on one. There’s always a way to make a moment silly, you just have to find it/create it.
-Get outside as much as possible
-Have a toy bin rotation system. This helped sooo much in those early days! I’d just bring out a bin of toys Quinn hadn’t seen in a while & it did a decent job occupying her.
– Two things can be true at once. This may be my number one piece of advice. I can’t tell you how many tears I cried over the guilt I felt for struggling in the first year of this transition. We had our healthy miracle baby I had prayed so much for, and yet I was still struggling big time. I felt weak and undeserving of the tears- “what is wrong with me?!” I thought. But those trenches are tough. The sleep deprivation is tough. The managing your own nervous system, your toddler’s and a colicky baby’s nervous system is tough. It’s ok to be the most grateful, full of love, overjoyed you’ve ever been while also being exhausted, feeling isolated and admitting you need help. It took me a long time to realize how absolutely ok it is for all of this to exist at once.
Despite how hard some moments of this time of life can be, there’s never a question that the joy of the newest addition outweighs the difficult moments in a truly inexpressible way. Your heart will grow in a way you didn’t even know was possible! Seeing your little ones bond is a taste of heaven! The sweet moments are even sweeter, the fun moments are even more fun! You have so much to look forward to that you may not even realize now.
Well thank you for letting me babble. Not sure that this was even all that helpful, but maybe it will resonate with someone out there!
Mackenzie
New Years Reflections and Resolutions
Hi everyone! It totally depends on the year if I feel a drive to make resolutions or feel extra reflective. 2025 was one of them. This year was the year that I became a mom of two. It stretched me in ways I didn’t even know were possible. It was hard. It was wonderful. My heart is so full. Being entrusted with the sacred responsibility of being Quinn and Tripp’s mom is something I will never take for granted. Seeing the two of them playing or Quinn telling Tripp how much she loves him makes my heart burst! Tripp has expanded my heart. The adage is true “your first child shows you how deep you can love, and your second shows you how wide”. This year holds memories that I will treasure beyond words.
Until this year, I never really questioned how I was doing as a mom. I was able to give my everything to Quinn when it was just her. And suddenly with both of them, I never feel like I’m giving enough. Guilt has become a constant companion in this season. If I workout I’m guilty I’m not spending time with them. If I am not prioritizing myself I’m guilty that I’m not as energetic, shorter on patience and less present. It’s an impossible plates in the air situation. But it’s one I’m grateful to have even if it leads me to tears on the “I just need a minute” days. I am learning how to create quality time, especially for Quinn since that’s been the toughest to find- but it’s been an evolving process. This whole past year has been a constant evolution. So many stages, phases, changes that each hold so much preciousness that I want to pause time and yet they also hold a weight that at times feels like it might break me. I’ve learned to ask for help a little more. I’ve learned to be ok with things being half done and “just ok” because sometimes that is just what’s necessary.
Another area that has changed this year is friendships. I have gained some wonderful friendships and expanded my mom circle. But then other friendships have changed for no reason I can particularly point to, and that has been really hard for me to accept. Now I think I’m at peace with it & I’m focused on the gratitude for the circle of friends I have that have had grace with me as I’ve navigated this year and clearly love my babies too. ❤️
Personally, I have undergone quite the transformation. Going from working to stay at home mom has been more of an identity shift than I expected! I am so grateful to be home with them, and wouldn’t change it for the world, but it has been an adjustment! I think I want to go into a post about this deeper as I’ve been having this conversation with quite a few people lately. Also, physically, my body is different after two kids. I didn’t “bounce back” the way I did after Quinn. I dropped 10 lbs. after coming home from the hospital with Tripp and then the scale didn’t move after that. I think my body is very content where it’s at, especially with the energy needs of breastfeeding, so I’m trying to honor that. When I do have the time, I’ve shifted my focus to strength and using working out as a stress outlet with high intensity training intervals that are short (20ish mins). This has been a good groove and one I plan to continue in this year.
Onto my resolutions!
- Finally learn to make sourdough! I’d love any tips! 🙂
- Read/listen to the Bible in a year. I’m listening to The Bible in a Year podcast with Fr. Mike Schmitz. He reads the scripture and then adds some insightful commentary. DJ did it last year, and I’m really looking forward to it! I also am going to do a devotional book from my dear blog friend, Allie! I am so amazed by her!
- Do one date every other month with DJ- this is a lofty goal but one that I would really like to prioritize.
- Talk positively about motherhood/our days in front of Quinn. I found myself a couple times last year talking about how hard things were in front of Quinn. While she may not understand what I’m actually saying nor she may not care, I don’t want her to ever think I’m not enjoying her or my time with her. There’s a place for those conversations to be productive, but I want to make sure I speak positive words even on the tough days. And I’m not saying “toxic positivity” – but venting in front of her about it helps nothing. Im also not saying she can’t ever see me upset or having a tough day, I try to model when I’m overwhelmed taking deep breaths and such, but it’s just the venting that doesn’t feel right to me.
- Be more intentional with my free time. I have already started implementing this a bit, and it’s felt great. I don’t want to scroll mindlessly or swap between apps on my phone when I have a minute before bed. Maybe I’ll even… dramatic pause… get back into reading this year! But I’m not putting pressure on myself with that since my brain is usually fried by the end of the day.
- Make a to-do list every day. I did this for years, and it feels so productive to check off even simple tasks. With being a stay at home mom it can feel like I’ve accomplished nothing at the end of the day, which isn’t true. So if I write everything out and check it off, I think this will help me stay focused (off the scrolling) & also just give me that boost of feeling accomplished.
- House projects: shelves for storage organization in our basement, finish basement guest bedroom decorations and finish the half bath decorations
That’s about it!
I’d love to hear your reflections and resolutions if you’d like to share!
Happy 2026!
Mackenzie
5 Vacation Friday Favorites!
Hey everyone! We went on vacation recently and I wanted to share 5 favorites from our trip!
This was everythinggg. Being postpartum and dealing with diastasis recti, I still felt so comfortable in this suit. Loveee.
The size, the look, the durability – this is my new favorite beach vacation staple! (Just realized this is currently unavailable- I hope they restock soon!).
I lose and break sunglasses like nobody’s business. These are still stylish snd not heartbreaking if I sit on them, lose them in the ocean or leave them at a restaurant on accident (all hypothetical scenarios, of course ;)).
– Sunscreen!
Getting healthy, non toxic sunscreen is a non-negotiable for me.
I wore these every day! Very comfy and went with just about anything I wore.
And that’s a wrap! Happy August!
P.S. this post contains Amazon affiliate links, which means I might earn a small commission if you make a purchase 🫶🏻. Please know I’ll only ever share products I truly stand by and use!
The Early Weeks!
Hey everyone! Where to even begin?! I have so much to discuss. I’m thinking maybe I should just stream of conscious this for a bit and then fill in the gaps after?! Here we go- this will be all over the place…especially with my sleep deprivation added to the mix, hah!
We returned from the hospital on February 27th. I was elated to bring Tripp home and be back with Quinn. However I have to admit I felt an uneasiness as I walked through the door. I think more than anything I had some anxiousness about how Quinn would deal with the transition. But she has adjusted way better than I could have expected. We have some tough moments where she acts out as any two and a half year old does, but it’s rarely directed toward him. She is the sweetest big sister. She just loves her baby brother & helps pick out his diaper for changes, reads him stories, shows him how to crawl, tells him “it’s me” (meaning “im here”) when he fusses, and loves to just look at him (she frequently asks “can I see him?!”).
The biggest challenges we have had include: not being able to pick her up (initially with my recovery and now when Tripp’s in the carrier wrap), not being able to just stop breastfeeding to play with her, and we have some trouble with bedtime since Tripp tends to be awake and want me at the same time I put her to bed. Bedtime is probably our greatest obstacle right now. I’ve held onto wanting to do bedtime with Quinn since it’s one of my favorite parts of the day with her, but I may have to give up the reigns to DJ with how it’s been going.
Each day and night looks different. Even over a month in we have yet to find a consistent routine that works- I think because the kids’ sleep is all over the place. Quinn wakes up a couple times a night usually and Tripp was an amazing sleeper for two weeks but then some reflux and gas kicked in that has really interfered with that. Hoping we can get him sleeping well again once those are under control!
We’ve been blessed with the best support and “village” during this postpartum period. I especially felt how much that was needed this time around with two kids. Also I got a sinus infection that first week following delivery and DJ got a cold, so the help was all the more welcomed. Our church organized a meal train and brought by a meal every other day for two weeks. Some people in the church we hadn’t even ever met participated and brought clothes for Tripp and activities for Quinn. The generosity and giving hearts of our church family blew us away! Meals included various soups (these tasted extra good with us being sick), lasagna, spaghetti and meatballs, salads, homemade bread, fruit, cupcakes and chicken pot pie biscuits! I barely had to dip into my postpartum stash of freezer meals a month out!
My mother in law, Gigi, has been so incredibly helpful and selfless with her time and energy. She has responded to our calls every time of day from early morning to middle of the night to help us out. After coming home from the hospital, she was over almost every day until my mom and Pete could arrive, she watched Quinn while we were at the hospital and for doctors’ appointments after delivery, has helped with dishes, laundry and has held sweet Tripp many times so I could give Quinn some intentional time, do a few chores, or take a shower. And she brought over a delicious bbq pulled pork meal and other food through the weeks. I also just so enjoy her company always.
Emotionally – she’s really been a huge support for me this whole past year through absolutely everything and continues to be now too.
We also have received the sweetest texts, beautiful flowers, cutest clothes and other gift packages to the house. Everyone’s thoughtfulness and care for our family has meant the world 🩵.
Many walked with us through a lot of grief last year & now it’s such a joy to share this happy, exciting time with everyone! (Including you all here!).
Now to Tripp. The expression “your first child shows you how deep you can love, and your second child shows you how wide” is so so true.
I treasure each moment with him and know how fast these itty bitty newborn days fly. I look at him and can’t believe he’s ours. I don’t feel as overwhelmed or stressed about the exhausting newborn chapter this time because I know it’ll be over in a blink. (Although I do still feel overwhelmed and exhausted at times it’s just easier to keep in perspective). I’m just really trying to enjoy it. We had a pretty stressful start though- Tripp had a misdiagnosis that led to a specialist referral that was entirely unwarranted, then we also saw cardiology and neuro because of some concerning symptoms that arose within his first week. He had an echo and EKG and his heart was healthy as can be, Praise God.
Neuro also was not concerned and said his symptoms should resolve by two months. Last week was the first week without doctors’ appointments, and it’s been sooo wonderful just soaking up our time at home with a sense of normalcy and the peace of mind that he is ok!
Some things that he does that I want to remember: he loves his hands up by his face and sleeps that way like in the picture above, he makes this little sad face with his lower lip that simultaneously kills me because I don’t want him sad but it’s also soooo cute, he’s super intrigued by the contrast books and cards, when he looks up from the carrier and studies my face I absolutely melt, he actually is soothed by driving (which is huge because Quinn hated the car!), he loves the sound of running water, and there is nothing cuter than his sneezes and yawns… Except some of the little baby noises he makes- I don’t remember Quinn being as vocal as a newborn but he makes some seriously adorable little squeaks and coos.
The weather has been all over the place. Getting outside for walks was imperative to my mental well being when I had Quinn, but it’s been harder this time. I walk about two miles once DJ gets home on the treadmill if the weather doesn’t allow us to get outside that day, but any movement feels great.
I’ve definitely dealt with quite a bit of mom guilt. Especially these first few weeks I really wanted to give Tripp the same type of postpartum period I gave Quinn: 24-7 doting attention, tons of skin to skin, endless cuddles on the couch together. It’s just impossible to do that and split time with Quinn, who I also want to be with all the time & set a good tone in this transition so she feels prioritized. But it constantly feels like I’m not giving enough to either. However, once Tripp hit the weight limit with the carrier wrap, it was a game changer to being able to play with Quinn while he sleeps cuddled close to me.
I’ve also felt guilty about screen time. The screen time parameters were pretty much out the window the first couple weeks, but we’re back on track now!
Our toy rotation has been working out really well! Quinn has been pretty well occupied by the rotating bins & activities.
DJ is just the best. He does so much for all of us, is going on so little sleep while working full time and never complains for a second.
How most of our days look right now ❤️
One night that I felt extra terrible from the sinus infection, DJ took Quinn over to Gigi and Gordie’s so I could just lay on the couch cuddling Tripp. Quinn drew this Dino on the etch and sketch! I found it impressive.
March 4th was our first outing as a family of 4! We went to the Stow Park. It was so much fun and felt great doing something normal for Quinn. Plus that day had the first hint of spring weather!!
Quinn was too nervous to do big slides just last fall but is all about them now!
This boy loves his bear lounger.
March 5th I took Quinn on a mommy-Quinnie date. We went to a nearby McDonald’s and I got her an ice cream cone. I brought sprinkles along so she could add them. It was a sweet memory for us both I think 💞.
Later that day, Tripp met his Aunt Kylie for the first time!! He and Quinn also got some time with his Sissy & Poppy too!
(Also we got a playroom couch since then so we no longer all have to sit on the floor- yay!!). Haha.
That week and the next we had to go all over Timbuktu for Tripp’s specialist appointments which all turned out just fine in the end ❤️. On one of our drives, we discovered an amazing coffee shop in Cleveland called 5 Points. SO. Good.
March 7th we had a hankering for pizza. We ordered from Decheco’s, our new favorite! Not pictured: the charred hot honey pizza, so gooood.
We went to Sweet Frog after!
I tried making oobleck for Quinn one morning, but she had zero interest in this haha.
Moose has been very gentle with Tripp. He has adjusted well, and doesn’t seem particularly affected by his new human. He did get noticeably less demanding with his constant ‘talking’ to us, so I think he knows we are pretty stretched right now. We are also taking him to Marie’s more in this postpartum period so he can get good exercise and play with his friends.
Speaking of daycare, we are still taking Quinn once or twice a week to give her a sense of normalcy & also for some days of bonding with Tripp one on one. It’s been good for all of us & Quinn actually asked to go this past week which has never happened! We’ll change up the daycare situation at some point with me not working now, but we’re trying not to throw too many extra changes at Quinn all at once.
I love these doctor’s pjs I found for Quinn from Old Navy!
March 8th we went to the library! Tripp was super chill the first two weeks which made these outings a cake walk. We just kept our distance from people and sanitized our hands like crazy.
Tripp has grown a bit a lot fussier the last couple weeks due to some reflux and gas. The reflux is actually getting so bad I’m worried he has the cow’s milk protein intolerance like Quinn did, but we’ll see (update: since originally writing this post, pediatrician confirmed he does have it, poor thing!). The treatment for that is for me to cut out dairy from my diet since he breastfeeds, so I’m glad I could go back to my post about what I used during that time to jog my memory of what alternatives to get from the store.
Overall though, breastfeeding is going well! Although it makes me ravenous. I remember that with Quinn too, my breastfeeding hunger is nearly insatiable. I stopped losing weight about a week after coming home from the hospital, but I’m ok with that. I really don’t want to lose much this time around because with Quinn it fell off so fast, and then I ended up needing to gain back 20 lbs to get pregnant again. I’m not trying to have to go through that again if we decide to have another one, but also just for my own health the weight is good. Any time I start feeling insecure about how clothes are fitting or anything else I just try to focus on how grateful I am that these changes are what made it possible to bring Quinn & Tripp into the world. My overall physical recovery has actually been easier than it was with Quinn, thankfully!
March 9th we took Tripp to church for the first time! Our church has a “quiet room” that is separate from the sanctuary to watch the sermon. We came in early and left early. Only a mom and her son were in there so it felt a lot safer than actually going into the crowded sanctuary.
That afternoon DJ took Quinn to a new playground! I am so thankful he had off a few weeks for paternity leave. it made a huge difference!
We did tummy time with Tripp for the first time that evening. They told us to wait about two weeks to start, which was surprising to me. I remember with Quinn I started right away. Tripp actually loves tummy time just like Quinn did. Actually if he’s really fussy, I find doing tummy time helps. The little man has good strength- he moves his head side to side and lifts his hind legs into Superman pose!
We found these awesome educational posters off Amazon that I’ve been using with Quinn. I find she interacts with them the most when I ask her to be the teacher and I pretend to be the student.
A couple times I’ve been able to get out for walks with Tripp in the carrier using my maternity jacket I got when pregnant with Quinn! It feels like stepping back in time since I took walks like this daily with Quinn.
My postpartum show of choice has been Severance and DJ’s has been The Office. Severance is the weirdest show I’ve ever seen, but I can’t stop watching!! I love the psychological element of it.
Quinn has been eager for walks to the park when the weather allows. One day she made Gigi and me mulch “pizzas”.
Emotionally, postpartum is a rollercoaster. I can feel the hormones dipping and shifting, but it helps knowing those will even out eventually. In general my perspective is very different this time around. I know all the difficult parts of having a newborn will be over in a blink. I don’t have a lot of anxiety either- my anxiety was definitely worse during pregnancy which was the case with my pregnancy with Quinn too. There is no greater joy than holding my two little ones.
March 13th Tripp met Kelley (Nini) for the first time! This was special as Kelley watched Quinn for some of our OB appts and has prayed for us & been such a source of encouragement through my whole pregnancy.
Yay for no coats on March 14th! that evening it felt like the whole neighborhood went to the nearby park. It was a gorgeous evening, and I met another mom I’m hoping to schedule a play date with soon!
March 15th Renee, Chris, Ender and Emelyn stopped by to meet Tripp for the first time 🩵. I always love watching the cousins play together.
March 16th I made pancakes to start the day!
That afternoon was Ender’s birthday party! Yes, Renee made that cake! She will never cease to amaze me with her cake making skills.
Tripp and I stayed back to avoid being indoor among a lot of kids with Tripp so young & with so much going around; it was hard not to be there, but DJ and Quinn had a blast!
That evening we had leftovers. I had a veggie bowl with tofu and orange sauce for dinner (I had leftover sauce from the orange chicken I made in the crockpot). It was so simple yet so good.
And my mom and Pete arrived that day! Can’t wait to share about their time here too!
Mackenzie
My labor & delivery round 2 & postpartum stay
Hello hello! I have admittedly procrastinated writing this post as my delivery experience was pretty scary this time around. But Tripp is here and doing well, which is all that matters.
On February 25th overnight I noticed he was not moving much along with contractions that were becoming pretty regular. So in the middle of the night we went to labor and delivery. I also was sick- I had an awful cold and felt like I’d been hit by a bus. I couldn’t stop shivering and had zero energy. Gigi met us at the hospital around 3 AM and took Quinn back home since we had no idea how long we’d be there. Thankfully Tripp got super active once they hooked me up to the monitor. His heart rate was running high, so they considered doing an induction right then and there. However after some fluids, his heart rate came back down where it should be and they felt safe discharging me. Around 9/10 AM we headed home.
Quinn was having a ball with Gigi even though she was going on barely any sleep and showed no interest in going back down.
DJ took work off and watched Quinn while I slept and lay in bed all day. I was miserable. Being sick doubled with the contractions was something else! I was sooo grateful I didn’t need to be induced that morning because I didn’t know how I would handle labor the way I felt. My platelets were also low so they didn’t know if it would be safe to get an epidural. Being induced without an epidural sounded like quite literally the most painful thing. I didn’t want to get an epidural to begin with, but if I was being induced it was a no brainer to get one.
My contractions never subsided and through the afternoon they got stronger and more intense. Around 3 PM I felt a smidge better (regarding my cold). I ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (my pregnancy go to), and had a couple sips of coffee. Each hour that passed I felt like I was turning the corner more and more.
Around 6 pm I was having to sit during the increasingly painful contractions so we rang back Gigi with the “we think this is it” phone call. She immediately came by and took back over with Quinn who was still in her same pjs and happily sporting her St. Patrick’s day hat. She made sure her kitty got a hat too.
We zoomed to the hospital. There was some debate whether to induce or not again, but thankfully when they retested my blood my platelet count was in a place where I’d be able to get the epidural. I ultimately was not induced, but I still got the epidural considering I didn’t feel well and I didn’t even have enough energy to get out of bed to walk the halls. I was definitely not in a head space to conquer unmedicated labor, but I was grateful I felt better than the morning.
From the beginning of labor we were seeing early decelerations on the monitor (a type of heart rate pattern that usually indicates head compression during contractions). They weren’t concerned about these. But then the early decelerations became deep variable decelerations which are dangerous. Every time I had a contraction we watched his heart rate dip significantly. It was very hard to watch & every time it happened (which was nearly every contraction), we grew more concerned. They had me turning to different positions to try to find one to prevent the decels, but nothing seemed to be working. At that point the team started an amnioinfusion (infusing sterile fluid into the amniotic sac) to try to relieve any cord compression, but that also made no difference. I was desperate for my OB to actually get there. I trusted her and I felt like no one was taking charge. They started talking emergency C-section. They also thought I may have been having a placental abruption as bleeding picked up. Then shortly after that they thought they saw meconium in the amniotic fluid which would be dangerous for Tripp; they alerted us that a peds team would be in the room ready to intervene if necessary after delivery. When my OB entered the room she took total control- she immediately had me start pushing and used a vacuum so Tripp was here in less than 5 minutes. He was doing great and scored wonderfully on his APGAR scores which was reassuring. I did not have a placental abruption and he did not aspirate meconium, thank goodness. We were (and still are) praising God he is here and healthy.
This boy has no idea how many people love him already and have prayed for him.
He was born at 4:05 AM on February 26th. A couple fun facts- I guessed the date both Quinn and Tripp were born on correctly. Second fun fact- Quinn and Tripp’s birthdays are both made of the integers 2, 5 and 6!
Anyway, thankfully, I was still feeling better than the day prior despite giving birth. We ordered First Watch while waiting to be roomed on the postpartum floor.
Quinnie was all smiles with Gigi and Grandpa.
When we got to our room, we couldn’t believe the size! It was much more spacious than our postpartum room with Quinn which was a true shoebox haha. I have a tiny suspicion one of my colleagues arranged it for us, which is extremely kind if the case.
The whole day was spent trying to get a little sleep and soaking up all the cuddles!
A very special moment of the day- Tripp met his namesake, his Poppy ❤️. He also resembles him as a baby based on a baby picture we saw!
That evening one of the nurses offered to watch Tripp while we slept for a stretch. We were not about to say no! We got in two solid hours which felt incredible.
February 27th we ordered Anna Bean coffee– this was tremendous & the food was good too! I wish we had one near us.
We missed Quinn so much, and while we could have technically stayed another night we were eager to get home and back to her. Plus he was doing well & no reason for us to stay. That mindset was very different from our first time with Quinn where we stayed as long as possible and asked every nurse to show us how to swaddle 😂.
Before leaving, Gigi, Gordie and Quinn all came to the hospital to meet Tripp for the first time!
Quinn meeting Tripp was a moment I’ll never forget. It surprised me how well she understood what was happening, Tripp also gifted Quinn Daniel Tiger character figurines, books and a song player that won the way to her heart! 😉
One of the first things she did after meeting him was move back my vest and look at my stomach as to confirm baby was no longer in there. It was cute watching her wheels turn. And while he was nicknamed Winnie the Pooh a good portion of my pregnancy, she now solely calls him “baby brother”.
We left the hospital as a family of four!
Hopefully I can update y’all on the first month here shortly!
🩵,
Mackenzie
Tripp’s Nursery!
Hi everyone! I’m so excited to share Tripp’s nursery with you!
I reused the crib, changing table (if I could go back in time I would have ordered something GreenGuard Certified) and rocking chair from Quinn’s nursery
Postpartum Meal Prep!
I wanted to share all in one place the meals I prepped to have ready for lunch or dinner postpartum. I doubled a lot of the recipes and then just froze leftovers. Hope this helps someone looking to do something similar!!
Slow cooker lemon butter chicken and potatoes
Cheesy broccoli chicken casserole
Moroccan Lentil and Chickpea Soup – I will note during the time I ate this soup I had some serious contractions. To be safe, I stopped eating it, but I do look forward to the leftovers postpartum! No idea if it caused those contractions, but just wanted to note this to be safe.
L’Albatross & Our Babymoon!
Hi all- first I just want to say thank you for such kind and loving words regarding my last post ❤️.
I hope everyone is doing well. I have been so eager to write this post. Our to-do list is dwindling, nursery is ready, air ducts have been cleaned, the house is deep cleaned and carpet cleaning is done. I had my last shift at work which was very bittersweet. We’re ready and eager to meet this little guy!! Ok let’s jump in!
January 12th DJ and I went to L’Albatros in Cleveland for my birthday while Quinn spent the evening with Gigi and Grandpa. This restaurant was DJ’s suggestion! He has been on a streak of finding the best gems lately.
This elegant and quaint French restaurant is tucked away in a corner of Case Western University’s campus. The building itself is actually an old carriage house.
One unique offering they have is the “assiette de fromages”, an assortment of cheeses. I stayed away because I wanted to be safe while pregnant, but we will be back to try as many as possible! DJ tried three different kinds and finally admitted how good they were when I pried it out of him (he didn’t want to brag since I was abstaining hah!). Also the fig jam and other accompaniments they serve it with were excellent. It transported me back to our cheese tasting in Austin at Antonelli’s!
Another appetizer we tried was the French toast. I expected it to be more like a crisp toasted bread, but it was actually French toast! It was savory with ragout of wild mushrooms and a balsamic glaze. The flavors went together beautifully!
Now, the main meal I ordered was one of my favorite meals of late. When they set it in front of me I figured I’d barely make a dent seeing the size. But I just about polished it off. So what was this dish?! Let me present you the duck confit with crispy duck leg, sweet potato puree and braised cabbage. This is a dish I will not forget!
DJ ordered the hanger steak and fries with bearnaise sauce.
While waiting for our food and enjoying the romantic moodiness of the restaurant, DJ asked if we had ever been to a French restaurant before. I remembered we had been to one in San Francisco. I couldn’t remember the name, so to the blog I went! I found the post where we visited Cafe Claude. It made us laugh that DJ ordered the same thing at L’Albatros he had ordered there!
After our fantastic meal we were so full but still had room in our dessert stomach. We stopped by the Handel’s near our house for some ice cream.
It was such a wonderful evening!
January 13th was my official birthday. 31 years! I am no longer 30, I am in my 30s. It was a really great, low key day. I soaked up a day with Quinnie, and everyone made me feel so loved 🥹. We ordered pizza from Decheco’s Pizzeria & it was fantastic! Maybe our new favorite pizza spot! The charred hot honey pizza and pineapple were where it’s at. And I was absolutely spoiled with the best birthday treats from friends and family!
January 14th we whipped out some toy bins in the basement for a change of pace.
Random- I have been craving carbonation a lot lately- but don’t really want to drink soda. I found this Sparkling Rainwater (yes actual Rainwater), and it gave me my fix!
Oh and I have got to RAVE about this birthday gift of Caraway food storage containers!!! I am OBSESSED!
January 15th we had a quick errand to run at the mall and naturally we stopped by the play place for a bit. I was hungry before we left around three and knew Quinn could use a snack too.
We stopped at a sushi place and ordered veggie rolls. They were delicious, but don’t let this picture fool you- this girlie spit her first bite all over the table.
We had to stop in the photo booth, as we do. I’m not sure if it’s sophomoric of me to love these things, but I treasure my little collection of photo strips with my Quinnie girl. I let Quinn choose the themes and this is what we landed on 😄.
A bump pic! I don’t remember exactly how far along I was. 32 weeks if my math is right?
That evening I started my postpartum meal prep! Coming up in the following posts will be a lot of large, nutrient packed meals made in the crockpot. First, I made a beef enchilada casserole. So good!
Moose being able to play at Marie and Jorge’s this winter has been such a great thing. It still gets him some exercise when we can’t walk him and he loves the socialization with other dogs. Don’t know what we would do without them!!
January 17th I made Quinn one of her favorite breakfast options- banana spinach pancake “pizza” .
We actually did a breakfast for dinner situation!
Had to share this adorable picture of Moose snuggling with one of Quinn’s stuffed animals 🥹.
January 18th I started the day with a Nervous Dog au lait with oatmeal, yogurt and peanut butter, my go to lately.
That afternoon I packed up for our baby moon and Clair, Lainey (Clair’s sister) and Layla (Clair’s daughter) arrived that afternoon to have a girls’ weekend with Quinnie!
Quinn had zero issue saying goodbye to us and was so happy to be with them.
DJ and I headed to Cleveland, where we did a little babymoon staycation. First up- Cordelia! Halston and Kevin got us a giftcard here for Christmas and we were so eager to use it. We have heard nothing but rave reviews about this place.
It’s located on the classic East 4th street in downtown. This street is happening!! It’s been a while since I’ve been here, and it was fun to see the new stores and restaurants illuminating the alleyway.
Decisions decisions!!! It was so hard for me to decide. The pregnancy restrictions actually helped a lot in the case , otherwise I really wouldn’t have been able to make up my mind!
We started with a trio of party snacks. We opted for carrot muhamarra with hazelnut dukkah, thaxton’s garlic with honey and sumac, and pimento cheese with smoked chili. Goodness it was all fantastic. I think DJ’s favorite of the three was the pimiento cheese and mine was the carrot muhamarra. I have no idea what half these words mean but I know they translate into insane deliciousness.
We enjoyed our appetizer while taking in the cozy, bustling establishment. It has a great vibe. It’s refined, yet inviting. Warm and cozy, while casually elegant. We loved it!
Next up, we tried the “bone in Brussels” with Harissa, salted almond charoset, genmai and mint. The “bone” is the stalk of the Brussels. This was very yummy!
Now the star of the show- the “burger box” with smoked cheddar, pickle, onion and Cordelia’s sauce. This was tremendous. One of my favorite burgers ever! (Although I still think often about the one from Heck’s!).
First baby moon meal was a major success! Thank you, Hal and Kevin!
Quinn was busy making pizzas and we were so far out of her mind haha.
We went back to the hotel after- we stayed at the Hilton Cleveland Downtown, which has become our go-to place when needing or recommending a hotel in Cleveland. Last time I was here was for my 30th birthday!
We had a great view of the Browns stadium!
Given how cold it was, all that sounded good to us was Door dashing dessert and watching a movie. DJ humored me with watching Wicked, which I’d been dying to see.
We had seen it on Broadway together, so it was fun to watch the movie together too. We loaded up on some serious desserts- an outrageously good cookie and Afters ice cream. We were in dessert heaven!!!
Yes, we are watching on Quinn’s iPad 🤣.
Unfortunately I realized I had forgotten my thyroid meds again. I figured one missed dose would probably be ok, but DJ insisted on going back to get them for me. He knew I would be likely secretly spiraling over it. So he drove about 40 mins back home, got the meds and returned, acting like it was no big deal. He is just the best. I did feel bad it cut into our time together, but we were able to finish the movie the next evening when Quinn fell asleep.
The next morning I snuck in an early morning workout. I always have the best workouts when traveling, I’m not sure why! Throughout my pregnancy, I have tried to get in about 3-4 miles a day in some type of walk/run combo. The walking has mostly taken over at this point, but just feels good to move!
I received an adorable pic of these two cuties first thing in the morning!
And Mr. Moose had a play date at Marie and Jorge’s that day. They sent this picture of a spiffy Mr. Moose!
I had a hankerin’ for coffee shop coffee, so we stopped by Rising Star Coffee Roasters on our way to brunch (we knew there’d be a wait, so this would help tide us over!).
This coffee was SO good!
Brunch time! We went to Juneberry Table, one of the most highly rated brunch spots in Cleveland.
I was absolutely famished by the time we got seated (I think we had a 40 min wait), and I was ready to chow down. We hung out in the car and chatted during the wait which was still so enjoyable.
We started with the Cheddar and Chive biscuit with sorghum butter and jam. This may have been my favorite thing here!!!
Then I also tried their parfait because it sounded refreshing, and it was!
I also got the Ohio Spelt Pancakes with sorghum butter, Ohio apples and cinnamon and syrup. There are not words!!!!
DJ ordered the Gravy and biscuit with local mushroom gravy, spinach, soft scrambled eggs and sausage crumbles. This was super delicious too.
It was definitely worth the wait and the hype!
We had considered going to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame before heading home, but the roads were starting to get hairy. We headed home instead eager to see our girl.
She was not ready to be done playing with them when she saw us 😂. She clearly had an amazing time. They also made this sweet Valentine craft with her for us 🥹.
That was a very special weekend we will treasure!
Part 3 January coming atchya next, that is – unless it’s a birth announcement haha. I’m 37 weeks!
🩵,
Mackenzie