Scenes from a weekend

Comfort food

August 14, 2012

It's hard to remember now that Sam wasn't always the happy kid he is now.  And even harder to remember that Nick and I weren't always as content as we are today.  Pretty much from week 28 of my pregnancy (when Sam was mis-diagnosed with brain abnormalities-boo to overreacting doctors) to the day he was born (a month early) until he was almost 10 weeks old, there were lots of tears in this household.  From all of us.

After he was born, there were breastfeeding issues, his acid reflux, sleep deprivation, and post-partum depression. I was a mess.  I remember looking at Nick one night after Sam had finally drifted off to sleep on my chest and saying I felt like a shell of my former self.

April 9, 2012

I was so sad.  The overwhelming joy I felt when I held Sam for the first time had faded into a fog. 

April 16, 2012

I'm grateful that I had Nick to rely on to feed me and comfort me during those days.  There were many nights that he came home from work to find me in the rocking chair trying desperately to soothe our fussy baby while the white noise machine blared crashing waves and seagulls crying.  Dark days, my friends, dark days.  Knowing that a hot meal was waiting for me made the endless shushing bearable.

Though I learned a lot during the first three months of my life as a mom, I'll focus on the most edible.  My husband can really cook.

Pasta with peas, eggs, and cheese.

Grilled steak and onions with olives and sun-dried tomatoes.

 

Portuguese fish stew with mussels, clams, shrimp, and King crab legs.  Fun fact- I'm allergic to crab.  Found this out after devouring more than half of this bowl.  Itchy palms=run to CVS for benadryl  

Farewell, my spiny friend.

Nick also made some stellar stuffed mussels with spinach that are unpictured because we ate them too quickly.  I *heart* muscles. 

I'm lucky that my issues weren't anything that Lexapro and good food couldn't cure.  To all new moms and dads out there- be kind to yourselves.

Broccoli Cheese Breakfast Casserole

I love hot breakfast.  Whether it's oatmeal or pancakes, I like something warm first thing in the morning.  Bake ahead breakfast casseroles have been my go-to breakfast item for years.  I'd made a 9x13 pan on Sunday night and Nick and I would split it throughout the week. 

Now with Sam on the scene, having a quick breakfast is more of a need than a want.  I jokingly refer to Sam as "the warden" and let me tell you, he runs a tight ship.   He demands several square meals a day and doesn't take kindly to waiting. 

He was nice enough to help me make this week's casserole, even got his hands a little dirty in the process.

I use this basic recipe as a jumping off point and generally add ham, cheese, and broccoli.  So good and filling!

Remember that time...

When our son came 4 weeks early?

Samuel came to see us April 9 at 8:35 am.  He weighed in at 6 lbs. 11 oz.- not too bad for a month early!  He was in perfect shape- didn't need oxygen or time in the nursery at all.  Guess he was just done cooking.

I think I can say with certainty that he is the best thing I've ever baked.