French dip crescents

There are two conversation starters Scott hates to hear me say: "You know what we should be for Halloween?" and "I found this recipe on Pinterest..."

I'm not a stellar cook, and whenever I find something to make on Pinterest, especially if it's not a baked good, I get my hopes set too high and, inevitably, it never comes out the way I hoped. Ever.

Now that I get off work earlier than Scott, I'm in charge of dinner. I usually get home at about 4:30 with Preston, and he's usually passed out by 7, so that gives me two and a half hours of consciousness with the little guy a night. I don't want to waste any of that with a lot of chopping, sauteing, and blanching. I am constantly looking for something quick and easy — really just something I need to assemble and put in the oven.

And that's where our dinner from last night comes in. When I pinned this recipe for French dip crescents, I was worried Scott would find it too ... well, Pinteresty*? Like that hotdog made to look like an octopus or something. But he was all for it when I suggested it.

And they were just what I had been looking for — an easy assembly job. You just roll the meat and cheese up into the crescent and bake as instructed. Instead of making the suggested au jus (I just didn't want to mess with it), I served them with horseradish dijon mayonnaise and lemon pepper green beans. I think this meal found itself on the "make again" list, and Scott and I spent the entire dinner naming other things we could roll up in a crescent. This could be good for our taste buds but bad for our waistlines.

As for what we should be for Halloween, I'm thinking that Preston could be a football, Scott a football player, and I a cheerleader — just in case you were wondering.

*Pinteresty: (adj.) When something looks really cute but is far too much trouble/time/money than it's really worth. "I thought I would paint the whole room with chalkboard paint, make tissue paper puffs, then cover my couch in burlap, but I realized that was too Pinteresty." See also: craftastorphe.

Monthly Preston: Months two and three

I've let myself get behind on keeping up with Preston, so today you get two for one.

Month 2

Weight: 12 pounds, 1 ounce
Length: 23 inches
Likes: Anything dangling above his head, watching sports with Daddy (he was especially into Wimbledon), going on road trips (after being so good during a 15-hour journey to Florida, he's got to like them a little), reading (well, looking) at books.
Dislikes: Being hungry or being set down
Accomplishments: He can smile, coo, and lift his head with some coaching and lots of wobbling.

During Preston's second month of life, he went on his first family vacation. Sometimes we questioned our parenting, dragging the poor kid all that way, but he slept most of the time and enjoyed all the attention he got from my family. These Florida vacations are a tradition in my family, and it was so fun to start Preston so soon.

From the top: Rooting for the Razorbacks; so cool; smiling; boy genius; sleeping with daddy; rocking some leg warmers; watching TV; thinking deep thoughts; playing in his gym; snuggling with me; my breakfast view

Month 3

Weight: ~14 pounds (We're going to need a bigger white onesie.)

Length: 24.5 inches

Likes: Being tickled, being sung to, licking his clothes (really, anyone's clothes go straight to his mouth. Is that weird?) and still loving books, his pop-up gym and bath time.

Dislikes: Scott sneezing (It freaks him out every time.)

Accomplishments: He's gotten much better at lifting his head. It's like it happened overnight. He's giggling now, too, and is very close to rolling from his back to his belly. He's still exclusively breastfed, but he now gets that in a bottle when I'm at work.

This month I went back to work, and I am so proud of how well he's adjusted. He's been quite the showoff to his babysitters (he has one for Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and one for Tuesday and Thursday). It makes me feel good knowing he's handling it so much better than me. 

From the top: He's found his thumb; seat thief; snoozing with mommy and aunt; learning about the Beatles (got to start them young!); celebrating the Fourth; relaxing; sweet boy; how all the cool kids nap with their pacis; monkey feet; reading; nap time.

Unbelievably good uneven bars

Yesterday during NBC's coverage of the Olympics, they showed this uneven bar routine by Russian gymnast Olga Korbut in the 1972 games. The feature told about how she broadened gymnastics' audience. She and her coach created routines around what viewers wanted to see, not the judges. And she excelled at that. It's incredible to watch — just one more reason why the Olympics make me feel incredibly underwhelming as I sit on my couch.

Feeling a little flat

(A quick note before you get into the real post: You may notice the new layout — a little J.Crew-y, Anthropologie-ish piece of loveliness. If you're reading this in Google Reader, click on over and see it for yourself!)

Before I got pregnant, I wore heels to work every single day. Since I have a desk job, they weren't completely impractical — I wasn't running back and forth all day long. Plus, being 5 feet tall, they helped give me a little height, making me feel less like a college student around the university. However, once my pregnant belly started to expand, my coordination went down the tubes, and my feet swelled up like balloons. So I switched to flats — specifically the same pair of gold sandals every day from March to May. My feet stretched them beyond repair, and they've since gone on to shoe heaven — may their soles rest in piece.

Now that I'm back at work, I thought I would jump back into my heels with excitement, but my feet have grown accustomed to the comfort and ease of being level on the ground. Plus, carrying Preston in his car seat, plus all of my bags, into the house every afternoon is hard enough without having to maintain my balance.

Luckily for my feet, there are lots of cute flats out there to choose from, and they don't look like dowdy mom shoes. These are some of my favorites.

From top left: Target, J.Crew, J.Crew, Target, Old Navy, Old Navy, DSW, DSW, DSW

What about you? Are there certain things you though you had sworn off, only to discover you love them? 

Mom at work

Last week was my first week back to work since having Preston. While I love my job, I had been dreading July 23 since May. I enjoyed the lazy little routine we had gotten into — our morning naps during Kathie Lee and Hoda, folding clothes while singing children's church songs, and all the cuddling, cooing, slobbering and smiling that comes with a baby. We had a good thing going, and I miss being able to be with him all day.

My first day back, everyone was so sweet, sending me texts and Facebook messages, bringing me little gifts and words of encouragement. They were all a great comfort to me. But during that first week, there was one thing that changed my whole perspective.

Coming back was something I struggled with. It broke my heart that I wasn't going to be the one to take care of him. And then one of Preston's sitters sent me a picture of him that said, "Thanks for working hard for us, Mommy!"

As strange as it sounds, that was something I hadn't realized. I was back at work for him. I was going to work to help support our family, not because some mean, outside force was dragging me away from my baby. At this time, for this season of my life, this is the best way I can take care of him. And that changed my entire attitude on going back to work.

Do I still miss him during the day? Painfully so. But I know that when Preston reaches a time in his life when he needs me at home, God will provide that means. For now, I find comfort in the fact that this is how I can take care of him — and squeeze in as many drooly kisses as I can in between.

Olympic fever

The Olympics are finally here! I have been chattering on for months nowabout how much I couldn't wait, and I think Scott is tired of it. While he geeks out about the Oscars, I am addicted to the Olympics — specifically women's gymnastics.

When I was younger, my sister and I took gymnastics along with our two best friends — also sisters. Our love of gymnastics peaked at the same time of the 1996 Olympics and the Magnificent Seven. This was the year the women's team took home the gold and Kerri Strug vaulted her way into infamy on a broken ankle. 

During that summer, the four of us would turn our friends' living room into an Olympic venue, cartwheeling around the floor, balancing along lines in the hardwoods, and vaulting over the couch. We each took on the name of one of the gymnasts — I was Dominique Moceanu — and marked down scores on a Little Tikes blue easel (Remember that?). My sister was Kerri Strug (they had the same, unfortunate, hairstyle) and played up the limping and heroics of the role. We even had gymnast Barbies who we would reenact various routines with. Those were good times. (We would even do rhythmic gymnastics with our Ribbon Dancers. You have to remember those.)

To add to my anticipation, in this year's games, a Harding graduate whom I had the privilege to interview for the magazine will be running in a track and field event! Janet Cherobon-Bawcom will run in the 10,000 meters August 3, and I'll definitely be streaming it at work and cheering her on.



So, while I might be too old to be an Olympic gymnast, I will still be firmly planted in front of my TV dreaming of flipping and flying my way to gold. Plus, I've got to find a sport to dedicate Preston's life to so that some day Pampers will make a commercial honoring me as an Olympic mom.

Monthly Preston: Month one

Has it been a month already? It feels like it's been a blink of an eye, yet we've been doing this forever. My fear was that we'd get this baby home and have the hardest time adapting to him. When I was worrying about being prepared, a friend of mine told me that God made Preston just for us and that we would know just how to take care of him. And thankfully we do! He's a huge blessing, and we've loved getting to know him this month. Here's what he's been up to ...

Weight: About 10 pounds
Length: 21.5 inches
Likes: His fuzzy changing table cover, bath time with daddy, his paci, mealtimes, singing with mommy (his favorite song is — for some reason — Carly Rae Jepson's "Call Me Maybe"), sleeping on someone, his mobile, lots of hugs and kisses, and his little rocking seat.
Dislikes: Having to wait too long to eat, being cold, hiccups, taking his Vitamin D drops, sleeping somewhere other than on someone (although I've learned to trick him into sleeping in his bassinet), not being held, and socks.

At the hospital; going home; first day home; snoozing; one week old; after bath; two weeks old; just like daddy; three weeks old; a boy and his paci.

Happy one month, P! We're loving getting to know you!