Week 7: The '72 Dolphins

Every season when a team starts out as the Atlanta Falcons at 6-0, the topic of the 1972 Miami Dolphins who had the "perfect season" comes up. The only other team to rival this was the New England patriots when they went 18-1, losing only in the Superbowl to the New York Giants - ouch.

Can the Falcons do it? They have a bye this week, so we'll have to wait until Week 8 to answer that question, but until then here are my picks for all of the other teams who no longer have a shot at that title.

This Week's Bet: Loser does the week's grocery shopping.

Titans at Buffalo - Buffalo. May the worst one win.
Dallas at Carolina - Dallas. Superman may have to find a new dance.
Baltimore at Houston - Houston. Baltimore's first game without Ray Lewis & Lardarius Webb
Cleveland at Indy - Indy
Arizona at Vikings - Vikings
Washington at NY Giants - Giants
Green Bay at Stl - Green Bay
New Orleans at TB - New Orleans
Jets at New England - New England
Jacksonville at Oakland - Oakland
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati - Pitt
Detroit at Chicago - Chicago. Great Jay Cutler story to follow at some point.

Hope at this point in the season those following these picks are in the win column. Last week was rough so my apologies.

Happy Picking!

Week 6: Boys become Men...

Not much time for commentary today. I'm sitting here in my sweat from the gym, with a spoon full of baby cereal and a baby eyeing my chest like he knows it will be the perfect after brunch snack...

Week 6 is where we start to see the men separate themselves from the boys. We'll see if unexpected teams off to strong starts was just a flash in the pan, or if they will emerge among this season's better teams.

This weeks bet: For me, Daddy does bed time on one night of my choosing. Would be curious to see how this translates for others.

Oakland at Atlanta - Atlanta
Dallas at Baltimore - Baltimore
Cincinnati at Cleveland (ugh) - Cincinnati, I guess.
St. Louis at Miami - St. Louis
Indianapolis at NY Jets - J-E-T-S, Jets Jets Jets Jets
Detroit at Philadelphia - Philadelphia
Kansas City and Tampa Bay - Tampa Bay (may you redeem yourself this week Kansas City fans)
Buffalo at Arizona - Arizona
New England at Seattle - New England
NY Giants at San Francisco - San Fran
Minnesota at Washington - Washington
Green Bay at Houston - Houston (controversial comment of the week: Aaron Rogers reasoning for poor play? Poor Rookie practice performance. Hm.)
Denver at San Diego - Denver

Happy Picking!

Week 5: It's NOLA's time...

As promised, here are the first of my weekly picks.

Week 5 Wager: With whomever you bet, loser has to do your least favorite task for the week. This can apply to partner, friend, co-worker...

Miami at Cincinnati - Miami
Green Bay at Indianapolis - Green Bay
Baltimore at Kansas City - Baltimore
Cleveland at NY Giants - Giants
Philadelphia at Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh
Atlanta at Washington - Atlanta
Seattle at Carolina - Carolina
Chicago at Jacksonville - Chicago
Tennessee at Minnesota - Minnesota
Denver at New England - New England
Buffalo at San Francisco - San Fran
San Diego at New Orleans - New Orleans
Houston at NY Jets - Houston

Weeks 3, 4, &5: A Betting Wife...

Time to dust off the keys. I'm determined not to let this blog die as so many of my pre-baby routines have... so I resume with the helmets with more to come on the hormones (stay tuned for how to navigate an epic breakdown).

There have already been many headlines in the NFL. A cliched recap for what we've all missed:

•  The Refs. Never did you think we would see the day when the referees would receive a standing ovation, but they did when they returned to the field after a labor negotiation left them locked out. As Mike & Mike In the Morning said, at least now we know that when bad calls are made, they are being made by the best in the business. That might be my new ambition in life. 
• Tim Tebow is still on the bench; but the entire Jets team is likely not far behind them. They might actually give themselves a better chance at winning if they did not show up. 
• Cleveland still sucks. 
• I believe in one of my first posts last year I asked "Romo, Romo, Wherefore art thou Romo?" Ditto.
• This just in: The Vikings are tied for the lead in their division! 
• The Saints are feeling the effects of their troubled off season. 
• The 49ers might be here to stay. 
• The Rams and Cardinals finally had a nationally televised game... and it was against each other.
• I'd be remiss in this month of October, breast cancer awareness month, if I did not send all of my positive thoughts to Coach Chuck Pagano of the Indianapolis Colts who was diagnosed with leukemia and will endure a long 6 weeks or longer in the hospital to hopefully beat the "curable" disease.

As I'm finding I have less and less time to stay as sharp as I need to accurately represent these topics each week, minimally you can expect this:

Since our family left the sidelines, I've needed a reason to watch every Sunday as emotionally as I did before. So, we bet. For the last 4 years, my husband and I have bet on every game, every Sunday. Whoever wins the most weeks out of the regular season, takes the crown. Let's just say DYNASTY! (Picture me running around the house with my hands in a diamond shape above my head). 4-0, my favor. I have won a remodel to our lower level and a new car in the garage.

Each week I'll post my picks with a recommended bet. Stay tuned tomorrow... (I don't pick any earlier than Sunday mornings... too much left to chance on a Saturday night.)

Happy wagers!

Weeks 1 & 2: Shame on you, Cleveland... The Beauty of Art

I'd be remiss in these first few weeks of this 2012 NFL season if I did not pay tribute to an NFL legend; and, more importantly a wonderful, passionate, intelligent and generous human being. Art Modell, owner of the Baltimore Ravens, passed away just over one week ago.


Art was family. He never missed a milestone in either my sister or my life. He was at graduations, birthdays and weddings. He gave us the life we know today.

And now our hearts break as Art's legacy is reduced to his decision to move the Browns out of Cleveland. Cleveland came for blood, eventually making it an unwelcome place for any of our families to return.

Yes, Lebron left you and went on to win an NBA Championship. Yes, the former Browns turned Ravens left you and went on to win a Superbowl. Coincidental? Loyalty is valuable. Revenue is invaluable.

So, it's time to let go, Cleveland. Your unwillingness to move on is making your city an ugly place to stay.

Art - we give you the last word. We thank you. We admire you. We strive to emulate what you were. We will miss you.

I Don't Believe in Date Night...

Another great article in the Huffington Post... and I couldn't agree with it more.

First, I had to understand whether I didn't believe in it because I needed some reassurance that lazy was okay, or if I actually believed in the principles and it turns out it's the latter!

At the moment, its 10:13pm at night. We've put the baby to bed. Tried to do a little packing for an upcoming trip, and are sitting on the floor eating a frozen pizza. But, it's probably the most talking and the most relaxed we've been in months. There is something about the pressure of a "date night" being perfect that ultimately leaves it far from it.

So, here's to making the most of the little moments; because if you do, odds are you will have a lifetime of them!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/i-dont-believe-in-date-night

Lonny Magazine is live!

Espresso time... the August issue is live!

This month features a piece on DwellStudio's new flagship location in SoHo... one of my favorite mommy picks.

http://www.lonnymag.com/issues/39-lonny-august-2012/pages/1

Our Yellow Construction Paper Contract

My work husband Erin told me a great story about her kids the other day (again, I'll get her to write the book). The kids were just having one of those days. Her solution? An expectations exercise. Can you tell we work in HR? She calmly discussed they were going to be a happy family that day. And what does a happy family look like? She described sharing, using inside voices, kindly playing with their toys. After the expectation sharing was complete, she pulled out two pieces of yellow construction paper and had them sign on the dotted line - really a scribble as they are both 3 and just over 1. Both kids were signing up to the agreement. The day turned around and they had a blast!

We were on a nanny search, which was successfully completed, and we had to give some thought to our parenting style. And, now, we tell the nanny, "When all else fails whip out the yellow construction paper contract".  Seems like it has the promise of working as opposed to the excessively loud and disproportionate consequences.

Here's to our child idol below. Our wish for Brecken: Respectfully appropriate yet allowed a personality!

Holy Balls: An Idiot's Guide to Surviving Summer Storms

Hello, again... I realized that this blog was dying a slow death if I didn't get it together, and with NFL training camps just having started, I better dust off my fingers and get going. So, welcome back!

If you live anywhere within the continental U.S., I'm sure you've experienced on some level the summer storms that have blown through every corner of the country. Just prior to the fourth of July, we  had a terrible storm that lasted for 5 minutes with effects that lasted for weeks.

I had just gotten home from work on a Friday and was laying down for a quick second. Taylor was feeding the baby. It started to get pitch black and then all h*ll broke lose (because of course, I was trying to close my eyes for just a second). I had opened the door to bring in the twig topiary balls we have on our front porch, which blow away in 5 mph, much less 80 mph. I opened the door and like a scene out of the Wizard of Oz the wind blew me back. I had to throw my shoulder into it like a small linebacker to get it to close. I sent Taylor to the middle of our stairwell to keep feeding Brecken (because Becoming Baby Wise has burned into my head that we have a much better chance at life if the baby stays on a schedule). And then there we sat, with no power. For days. In blistering heat.

We lasted as long as we could in the basement. We share a little backyard courtyard with our neighbors where those who had generators were kind enough to set up a little stations to run extension chords. We ran a small window AC unit we had kept from college - hoarding moment paid off! But, my first concern... my breast milk in the freezer. No way was I losing this. So, I called everyone I knew who had power and used their freezers. I had breast milk spread out all over this county.

Finally, on Sunday, the power flickered on. Insert momentary tears of joy. Then went back out. And then like Bombs over Delaware County, a transformer outside our neighborhood blew up. My first thought: do we need that transformer to get our power back? Likely yes. So, my second thought: AEP would leave us for dead and save who they could. In the meantime, our new neighbors came out to say their basement was flooding because they hadn't had their battery powered back up installed for their sump pump yet. Their what?! Crap, literally.... we started bailing water out of our own basement. Finally later that night the power came back on. So picture me, holding baby stripped down to a diaper at this point, sobbing. I had to remind myself to set the tone. Don't panic baby. Pull it together.

Here's the lesson if anyone else has lived their younger adult life in an apartment and is now adjusting to homeownership:

1. Buy a home near neighbors that appear they know what they are doing.  Don't be afraid to poll the hood before buying. What kind of tools do they own? Could you say "water filter" and they can rattle off what aisle to find it in at Lowe's?

2. Buy a generator. We put ourselves on a waiting list right away and picked one up later that week. Did I feel bad taking it from someone who was still without power? Yes... but the baby made us even. We bought one that runs 5500 watts, enough for a fridge, another large appliance and a few lights. Or, you can get fancier and buy one that is wired into your home and can power the entire house with an automatic kick on system. My sister who felt the effects of the storm on the East Coast was at my parents house at the time, and for her, roughing it was running off the whole house generator. I was relieved when she said the power came back on. Poor thing...

3. Make sure you have a battery back up for your sump pump (first, you should check that you have a sump pump).

Until then, here's to cooler weather and calmer skies!

Daily Candy: The Laundress!

One of our favorite baby products I posted was The Laundress Baby Detergent. Daily Candy (Kids) has posted another 50% off deal if you are interested! They have lots of great products for all purposes. Their cashmere wash is also a highlight.

http://deals.dailycandy.com/deal/11767/the-laundress-ew-50-percent-off?vwink=LD:Email:DEALS:DLS:20120625:22:758049:38

Proof positive: This detergent is the magic eraser. Brecken's poopy diapers look like genetically altered pumpkin puree (I'm just trying to set the stage). The below outfit was a tragic victim. Somehow it was even on his collar, but one wash with this detergent and it's like it never happened. I'm still making sense of it, but he can be crisply dressed once again.

Do you know you still have poop on you?

I'm going to do this blog in two parts, one for those who want the more gushy life stuff (see #1), the other who just want the product endorsement (see #2) - you can choose which mood you are in.

#1: Gushy Life Stuff

This weekend Brecken had one of his twice daily blowouts. Yes - he is wearing a big enough diaper, but yet he still finds a way to poop on his shirt collar. I went about my day and as I was walking through the house, Taylor stopped me and asked "Do you know you still have poop on you?" Kairos moment.

Coupled with being covered in poop, I was navigating the emotion of returning to work. You go from condemning yourself for being an abandoning mother to applauding yourself for setting a good example and putting your nose back to the grindstone.

Before baby I was the person that thrived off the late work nights and enjoyed doing it. Now I have a different perspective. We made it through what I am coining as the 'holy sh*t balls' experience that is bringing home a newborn; and, even with that changed perspective, it's still me looking back at myself in the mirror. Sometimes you just need to take a step back and laugh that you are covered in poop and not overanalyze how it reflects you as a person, because most likely, you are redefining what makes that person happy. Tonight, it was a cuddle time with baby followed by time spent watching bad reality TV, a defining moment as even that was an accomplishment. Same product, just different packaging. Life changes - go with it and you'll have a life full of Kairos moments. It's still you in the end...

Two articles related in a way. One posted by Kristin Sanders (of The Fresh Equation) and the other via Bryn Sanders (of byrd-ie.blogpsot.com) and it sort of just helps you decide how to compartmentalize for happiness and a good theory about the impact those choices have. Good reads when you are ready.

http://www.purposefairy.com/3308/15-things-you-should-give-up-in-order-to-be-happy/

http://www.freshequation.blogspot.com/2012/05/way-you-do-one-thing-is-way-you-do.html


#2: The Product Endorsement - Murchinson Hume

With more poop in our lives, I love this line of home cleaning products. I've bought both the "Superlative" Hand Washing Liquid and the "Heirloom" Dishwashing Liquid, one in the Juniperberry and one in Coriander, and there is nothing like it. The dishwashing liquid seems to get our handwashable dishes more clean than I can with anything else. And most importantly it doesn't seem to leave the water spots on the many wine glasses that will likely fill our sink when I'm not breast feeding. It's environmentally friendly, particularly for pets and kids. (One Note: The Dishwashing Liquid doesn't foam up as a traditional soap would, which can be kind of subconsciously tricky... but trust it's working).

Here's my Kardashian-esque moment... it ships from Australia. You can save quite a bit by having it shipped via sea mail; however, this can takes 8-12 weeks at $18-20 per order no less. You'll have to decide if you want to pay for impatience.

Look for local distributors in your area as we used to have a few local boutiques that carried the line!

The diswashing liquid is an oversized bottle - great on your countertops!

Happy Mother's Day: Blissful Baby Products

Photo Courtesy of
Jenny Beck Photography

Having just celebrated my first Mother's Day I'm using the word blissful. I know, I know. I've turned into one of those parents who actually enjoys the sound of the baby crying (he's healthy!) and I don't like bed time as I miss him when he sleeps (too corny, right?).

The first few weeks as documented are trying. You aren't sleeping, you've become a vessel for carrying milk which will only be thrown back up on you (if that's not animalistic...), your Queen Victoria was ripped apart and sewn back together, and through that you have to find the energy to love, care and entertain. But, amid it all, this parenting thing is by far the coolest thing we have ever done; however for sake of full disclosure I haven't taken a shower today ;)

As I have time during feedings to sit and think (dangerous), I thought about my mom asking us what is our must have product. Hard to narrow to one, but here is our Letterman's Top Ten. And let's be honest, these are all luxuries. Back in the day, all you needed was a boob and a scrap of animal skin to strap the baby to your back while you plowed the fields, yet today we would DIE without the diaper genie.

1. Okay... the Diaper Genie. Only because you.must.contain.the smell!

2. Mustela Bath Products - love these as they have been so gentle on Brecken's skin and helped with the shedding and dryness. No diaper rash yet or breakouts on the face!

3. Bloom Products - The Coco lounger & the Fresco highchair - the lounger is easy on the eyes with a wooden frame, but light enough to carry from room to room.  The highchair has been fantastic because it reclines and acts as a raised bassinet until he grows into the big boy high chair - love anything that sees itself through multiple ages.

4. Under the Nile - a line of organic cotton products. Great quality, eco friendly. We've used the bibs and cloth diapers. Always use one on the changing pad as those boy parts are like rocket launchers. (Story: I went to change the baby the other day and asked Taylor why the blinds were drawn... his answer: "Oh, Brecken peed on the window." Note to self - call housekeeper.)

5. Dwell Studio - great modern line of baby products, love their toys. These blocks are fun and aren't made of plastic! (trying to avoid)

6. Puj Tub - I die (as Rachel Zoe would say). Can be assembled one handed, so when your husband leaves you to go play league basketball the family doesn't suffer. Fits perfectly in any sink, pedestal or otherwise. It has a great drains as well so you can hang it flat and avoid hiding bacteria.

7. NoseFrida - a.k.a. The Snot Sucker. Gross concept I know, sounds like something Alicia Silverstone would do. This has pulled mucus that has been hiding in Brecken for 9 months. If you have kids prone to runny noses, congestion and ear infections, a must have.

8. Bugaboo Cameleon - if you talk to my husband, he'll tell you I was obsessed with finding the right stroller. I didn't want to have to keep replacing it - and I wouldn't mind it not looking like a dumpster when we pushed it around. We contemplated all styles, including the jogging stroller - but let's be honest, I cuss at people who jog.

9. Daily Candy for Kids - www.dailycandy.com. Turned onto it by a coworker. Go in and sign up - you can subscribe to the adult version (particular to a city) or the version for Kids. Lots of great deals and notes!

10. The Laundress Baby Detergent - again has been great on the skin. I would normally never purchase this as it's a bit pricey, but see point #9. Signed up for 50% off coupon and ordered a case :)

This list will inevitably change and grow, but we've had fun compiling so far. Our philosophy is less is more... There is a product for everything, but apply a titch of discernment and you'll come up with things that both you and the baby will love.

#1. Diaper Genie Elite - can be found anywhere! 

#2. Mustela Bath Products - you can find these pretty much
anywhere including Target or Babies R Us.

#3. Bloom Coco lounger in cherry. Also available in a
lighter finish.

#3. Bloom Fresco highchair. The seat cover has several
different colors - we chose white and orange.
 www.bloombaby.com

#4. Under the Nile - www.underthenile.com. 100% organic cottons.
Nothing fancy, but wonderful quality and great size.

#5. Dwell Studio Products - www.dwellstudio.com.
These soft blocks come apart and have noise makers in the middle -
and not the noise makers that will make you go batty.

#6. Puj Tub. Follow Steps 1-4, wash, rinse and repeat.
 www.pujbaby.com

#7. NoseFrida - can be found at any retailer that sells baby
products. An amazing gadget & promises to not suck their brains out.
Remember to buy extra foam filters.

#8. Bugaboo Cameleon in black with grey base.
The same frame converts from the bassinet you see to the infant seat that is displayed.
The canopy and base have a myriad of colors to choose from. Clips make it convertible to the Peg Perego, Graco, Maxi Cosi and some Chico car seats. www.bugaboo.com

#10. The Laundress Baby Detergent - www. thelaundress.com. Only takes  2 capfuls for HE washers.

The.Fresh.Equation.

My taste buds have changed since I got pregnant and since baby has arrived. I used to be a beer & hotdog kind of girl, and I could eat a full selection of macarons from Pistacia Vera (or Laduree when in Paris); but, for some reason those things don't appeal nor taste good when I force them down (let's be honest, I'm not really forcing them down).

I'm feeling the guilt of not eating healthy enough more now than when I was pregnant! We needed the nutrients when the bun was in the oven, but breastfeeding is not for the faint of heart and requires lots of goodies and nutrients - and I'm sure it will help with this little chub that's deciding to hang around my waist line.

Tonight I made a green smoothie and it was (as the youth say) delish! Packed in some good vitamins in 2 minutes or less.

I have this ideallyic image of Brecken running around in his Hunter wellies, digging in the dirt pulling out carrots and tomatoes for snacks! We currently live in an area that would make it difficult to have that burgeoning garden, so we found these great raised beds through Farmer D Organics (via Williams Sonoma, www.williams-sonoma\raisedbeds, $79-$149). Perhaps a Spring Project or a good one for next Spring when Brecken becomes a little more mobile. I will have to learn how not to kill all things green & living - perhaps one of the requirements of our prospective nanny should be "green thumb".

My good girlfriend Kristin Sanders, who recently went into business as a health & lifestyle coach, has a great website (www.thefreshequation.com). Like her page on Facebook and follow her for great tips & recipes - and if you are in the NY area, check her out!

Until then, be happy being Green!

Aunt Kiki's Green Smoothie:
1 C kale
1 C spinach
1/2 pear
1 frozen banana
OJ

Toss it in & blend! No need to follow measurements really. I bought some parsley
cucumbers, mango and other accoutrements today as alternatives!

Baby Update: 6 Weeks!

It's amazing we marked our 6th week as parents yesterday... and Brecken still appears to want to stick with us :)

Out of the gate, this adventure has been the hardest thing we have ever done. But, as Brecken continues to develop a personality and look back at us with those big eyes and a smile - it makes any part that makes this seem overwhelming just melt away. The moments lost of just sitting together for hours is time well spent. The early mornings when we are cuddled in bed together is like a perfect dream - probably because we are actually sleeping! Forget everything else that we aren't getting done. I made a long list of to-do's. The goal is to cross one off the list every day, and to take a shower - two things I never thought would seemingly be so difficult.

We've adjusted to operating off minimal sleep! We were walking zombies there for a while - as evidenced by the middle of the other night when I woke Taylor up to swaddle the baby to soothe him - pointing to the cat* that was sleeping at the end of the bed as Brecken slept peacefully in his nursery. We were those people who in the beginning not only slept in the same room with him, but with the video monitor on and the volume up all the way! You can't tell we are new parents.

I'm absolutely sick of the books and articles! If I read one more line that starts with "Recent studies suggest..." Every book you read, every doctor you talk to has a different opinion. I had a wake up call the other day when as we made the decision to move back down to our master bedroom I told Taylor I wasn't sure it was the right thing to do as some cultures suggest leaving a baby alone in their nursery as they sleep is liken to child abuse. Taylor promptly found the place marked in my book where I read this pointing out to me that this reference was to a rural Mayan culture. Taylor suggested we adopt our own parenting style and perhaps not rely on the Mayans to guide our philosophy. Noted... low point...

The feelings of exhaustion and sheer confusion give way to pure happiness and amazement. 6 weeks in I wouldn't change one thing, except perhaps trying to swaddle one of our pets and relying on acient civilizations to guide our decision making :)

A few pictures to share...

Up next: Our favorite baby products (thus far) and the NFL Draft (two independent entries).

*A disclaimer - we are in fact not "cat people". We rescued our dog Tres 2 years ago to bring some balance to our lives; and, now that the dog chases the cat all over the house, we can't decide what kind of people we are.

Photos Courtesy of: Jenny Beck, www.jennybeckphotography.com

Baby Update: Brecken Archer

Brecken Archer Jones was born on Monday, March 19th at 6:03pm (7 lbs 14 oz, 21" long)...

Just a few days late, but Brecken finally made his entrance. And, as I expected, I'm just now opening up my computer to make his introduction to blogging.

We've already changed more diapers than we can image, slept fewer hours than we thought possible, we've laughed, we've cried, been pooped on, peed on, been terrified, and thrilled. 

Here is a little oversharing (for those not interested in details, skip to photos)....

As we sat having a BBQ picnic in our basement due to a tornado warning on 3/18, we had no idea that change in barometric pressure would get things started. Contractions started at 10:00pm that night. We finally went to the hospital at 2:00am the next morning - after having used an iPhone app to track my contractions, because of course there is an app for that. After walking the hall for an hour at the hospital, I still hadn't made any more progress, so we decided to go home with the doctors blessing. We pulled onto I-270 and here came the real contractions! I stuck it out for another 2 hours and back to the hospital we went. Taylor ran two different cars off the road, honking and swerving. My mother in law was hanging out of the back window trying to signal people off the road, my mother was just holding my hand - one finger only as she's not a rookie to this and knew with two fingers the likelihood I would break them would only increase. 

We arrived at 8:00am and by 10:00am or the epidural was in. A-mazing. Period. I've never experienced what it's like to ask your toes to move and they wouldn't; or, to have someone pick up your legs and see a knee and wonder if it was really yours. Not a feeling that I liked, but I knew the alternative would lead to a profanity laced series of pushes; and, we didn't want Brecken coming into the world like that. 

By 5:30pm, we were ready to push. Around that same time, the room next to me was clearly pushing and I'm not sure if it was a human or a baby elephant. The screaming that came from that room was like watching Texas Chainsaw Massacre in 3D. I grabbed our delivery nurses arm with the conviction of an offensive lineman and told her to swear to me that woman didn't have an epidural :) 

Not knowing how long it would take to push, we prepared for a long haul. Well, thanks to my pilates instructor who I will never admit this to as she'd likely charge me double next time, we pushed for 15 minutes and Brecken was here. OB didn't even make it into the hospital in time. 

And this just in... Taylor never hit the deck! Not sure if he'll ever look at me the same way again, but what an experience. Never have I felt so taken care of. While he was overwhelmed with the arrival of his new son, he never left my side as they continued to work on me (for what was quite a while). He kept bouncing back and forth - and as I looked over, there was Brecken looking right back at me. Taylor finally made it to the waiting room to let the family know - where after 10 months of secret keeping, he spilled the name!!

By the time I got home from the hospital, I was talking about how much fun it was! The contractions, the epidural, the pushing... I guess it's true that there's something in your body that allows you not to remember :) I'll take a page out of the cliche book and just say that loving someone so much it hurts has never been so true. I thought my heart was full, but believe it or not, it exponentially has the ability to expand!

And with this, I'll conclude what has been the longest blog post yet. We'll continue to send updates - and we'll get caught up on helmets as Brecken was born on one of the most eventful NFL weeks (very appropriate). 

We love you, Brecken! 

Only a few minutes old.

Resting in the same bassinet that Taylor slept in as a baby.

Both Brecken and his pup are pooped.

Photos Courtesy of: Keegan B. (a.k.a. Aunt Kiki)

I Heart... Nespresso on Sundays

When we were apartment living in Evanston while at Northwestern, my favorite moment of the week (in the offseason of course), was Sunday morning when we'd walk downstairs to Peet's Coffee and get an amazing cappuccino and scone. We could walk across the street to Whole Foods and get fresh flowers... just sort of live this idyllic life - in part because of the cappuccino, in part because it was college. In my mind, every morning was sunny and perfect. Somehow we've selectively forgotten the 30 below temperatures and biting winter winds of Chicago.

Now... we live in the suburbs (enter disgruntled puff of air here) and we have to self create our idyllic moments. Whole Foods is now a car drive away, however we can still have our espresso and scones thanks to the Nespresso maker.

I love this little machine which puts out the perfect, frothy cup of espresso in just seconds. You just pop the little coffee pods in and voila, idyllic moment. The coffee pods can only be purchased from Nespresso directly but they so promptly arrive within 48 hours. Each pod will cost around 50-65 cents, but if you add that up against your Starbucks for the year, it's a luxurious savings. There are a myriad of different machines to choose from.

We even have my own father bought in, who enjoys his own machine every afternoon. Picture a 6'5" ex-football couch drinking from his little espresso cup and saucer - which he says it just the right amount of sophistication in the afternoon for someone like him (insert admiring daughter's chuckle here).

So, on this Sunday morning, find your idyllic moment - and add an espresso.

Nespresso Citiz in White, Crate & Barrel, $249.95.
Add the Nespresso milk frother and you can make that perfect frothy milk
you only thought a cute Barista could whip up. Cute Barista not included.

Baby Update: Still Pregnant...

One week to go, and yes I am still pregnant. Despite the strong feeling that Biff would be coming to meet us early, he is still staying comfy where he is. Doctor thought it might be as soon as this weekend, but seeing as though we are sitting at almost Saturday evening, perhaps no such luck. All in due time...

Thought we would post some pictures of Biff's nursery. It started with the giraffe, Rafa (picture Taylor carrying said life size giraffe through Saks under his arm like an overgrown child himself) and became an African safari type animal theme. All very neutral so we can build around his personality as it unfolds in front of us. From the grass cloth wall to the elephant mobile (for luck - and hand made by GiGi), perhaps it will encourage him to become an explorer!

If I'm pregnant posting this time next weekend, I'll take all creative suggestions for encouraging Biff to come meet us... Until then!

Baby Update: Those Would be My Ribs...

We can now count the weeks left until Biff arrives on one hand! 5 weeks to go (ish)...

We had our last check up and the Dr. confirmed Biff is in fact "locked & loaded", which explains a lot. As he is kicks all the time, I've been trying to figure out where are his hands, his shoulders, his little rump, and most importantly what exactly is attempting to break my right rib.

Heart beat was strong (139) and he kicked the bladder right on cue. He knows the routine.

The Dr. was nice enough to pull him up on the ultrasound. Gone are the weeks of being able to see his whole body profile in one shot. We were able to get part of his face, part of his ribs, oh and yes, he is still a boy. He just wanted to make that unequivocally clear.

She estimated he is about 5 lbs and will likely deliver between 7-8. So those who thought we'd have a 12 lbs, 30" baby - don't hold your breaths. He is just around the 50th percentile. Should make this a bit easier for me :)

The ultrasound generated a new date of around 3/1, but we were told not to read too much into it as 3/17 is still our original due date. Taylor has to leave for the NFL Combine and we're both convinced he's coming in that week he is gone. Gigi (my mom's name for grandma), may have to make a few practice runs to the hospital.

We'll keep you posted, but until then it's sit (and, by sit, I mean anything but) and wait! Our next baby post may be in fact with this little boy we've been growing for nearly a year.

A Few More Hormones: The Year of "No"

I'm not particularly fond of New Year's Resolutions. They are typically quite finite; and, being such, just do it already and quit waiting for the ball to drop to start over. Instead, I favor the idea of a one word theme. Something that will encompass many things that you do. My co-worker, who has become the day version of my husband as she deals with my ramblings and provides checks and balances - reasoned out the possible themes for both of us. Mine is the year of "No". It started as "No - but not negative". Then it became "No - with a positive redirection". And then I said, "No" (fitting)... it's just going to be plain "No".

As I thought about that process, I realized I was qualifying the "No" (defeating the purpose of the one-word theme) because somehow as human beings we feel bad about negative spin. And similarly, we feel bad when we say "No". We always say "Yes" which usually leads to over extension and exhaustion, to which we then complain, defeating the whole point of saying "Yes" in the first place!

And now it leads me here... That same co-worker shared the below article with me which I found so poignant given the timing in my life. And here are my takeaways: There is often this mythical standard that leads us all to want to pretend we live our life in a magazine article. We live our life so that at any moment if US Weekly were to interview us (yes, I know there are more sophisticated publications), we could use all the cliches about love that you would find in a Hallmark card about our marriages / relationships and that, yes, we had quinoa with dried fruit for breakfast, steamed spinach with salmon at lunch, and a juice cleanse drink for dinner, snacking only on almonds throughout the day. **Okay - that last part I know exists for some (my sister for one), but really for the most of the people in US Weekly, it's just the line you are "supposed" to use. We become so wrapped up in what we are supposed to say, feel, do, that it ends up being just a plan or process that we are here to execute, less than about just living your life and owning every part of it good or bad!

Take a read, have a chuckle, don't feel bad that you agree in part. Strive to do be better and be better, but don't forget to take a step back and realize - it's not half bad...

Footnote regarding my co-worker: My hope is to have her guest author on this blog at some point as she and her husband will soon be the author(s) of the following books I've encouraged them to title: I Don't Even Own a F**king Crockpot: A City Mom's Guide to Parenting (her version) and 12 Grey T-shirts: A City Dad's Guide to Simplified Parenting (his version). We're just trying to find the right time to meet with Simon & Schuster.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/glennon-melton/dont-carpe-diem_b_1206346.html

Post-Season Update: Playoffs?

And there you have it. The NFL Playoffs - done and done!

Playoffs are an interesting concept. You play 16 games to get to the post-season, only to have it all come down to one game.

I most certainly took a bit of a hiatus during the playoffs as I just couldn't make sense of who was there! Cincinnati Bengals? San Francisco 49ers? Denver Broncos? Detroit Lions?

The San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens suffered heart breaking losses. Your heart has to go out to Billy Cundiff and Lee Evans of the Ravens. I've never really been able to trust kickers... and obviously with just cause. When I was a coach's daughter, those moments that came down to a field goal usually sent me into the back corner of our laundry room. I'd crouch down on the floor by the dryer with my ears plugged and wait for some sort of indication from Taylor. This time, I was sitting front and center. I was on the phone relaying the play-by-play to my mother who was in transit at the airport; and, I just dropped the phone. Impossible that he would miss a 32 yard kick.

Kyle Williams suffered the same ill fate with the 49ers fumbling the ball on a punt return, putting the New York Giants in field goal range. His face looked like he had lost his last friend, and he may have. It was a tough day for the Harbaugh family.

The end to those games would have put me in mourning for days. I probably would have cried spontaneously reliving it all. But, as my father always told me in those moments (when he was having to console me ironically), "a game never boils down to one play". There were a series of events in both of the games on Sunday that led to those moments. What could have been? For the Ravens, they could have made that kick and very well gone on and lost in OT. The 49ers fumble was a bit more of a nail in the coffin and harder to reason out, but the 49ers had an opportunity to score prior to that in OT and didn't get it done then either. There are 60 minutes of regulation football. As much as the papers plastered those players faces on the front pages - it wasn't just them.

Life's Lesson from Football: When faced with what appears to be a pivotal moment in life, be confident and decisive (and don't hide in the fetal position in the corner of your laundry room), but don't overvalue the place it holds in the greater context of your body of work. Life never comes down to just one moment, but rather a chain of events that simply leads you there.

Post Script - Tebow still isn't that good...

Week #17: Black Monday

There's the proverbial day after the holidays... Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Lay in Bed Because I Drank Too Much Day after NYE. In the NFL, there is Black Monday. The Monday after the final regular season game when the fate of coaches around the league is decided.

Not every man deserves to coach in the NFL,
only because not every many can.

We are all essentially one pay check away from our last on any given day, but in the NFL it comes with a certainty that is both eerily accepted and inevitable. For whatever reason, it's an industry where it's okay for the public to make signs from bed sheets at home calling for your head. How would you like it to show up to work and have people yell over your shoulder that you failed, you're a profanity and want to (as we heard once on KFAN radio in Minneapolis) tie you to the back of a pick up truck and drag you around the stadium until the gas ran out. Explain that one to your 5 year old.

We experienced our own Black Monday in 2008, which came down with the slam of a guillotine. Completely unexpected and out of the blue - or black should I say.  It's moments like those that makes the fact Sports Center runs over and over and over quite nauseating. But, as our family does, you put it behind you and you just keep moving forward, even when every one else won't let you. And so we have for the last 4 years.

This year will bring about 6 maybe 7 firings, could be more. There are the expected (St. Louis having already taken place) and there is always one that is the shocker. I could make my predictions, but you try not to make it a habit of speculating who is to lose their job. Some will happen quick and fast - decisions already probably made, yet not announced. Some coaches are already behind closed doors now, preparing to clean out their office. There are others who will have to wait. Owners and GMs who aren't sure the right course, wanting to see who else falls, to see who will be on the "market"... That waiting is painful.

It's the time of year that is always interesting for us. Is he going back or is he not? If you're a betting person, you'd say no. But, we can't place bets on the NFL. Do I want him to go back? Probably not; but, once a coach always a coach - which leaves us asking, "What's next?"

Life's Lesson: It's worth risking it all only if you are prepared to lose it all.