Bowdenisms

Day of Love

2012-02-14T18:00:00.000-05:00

Valentine's Day cam be a controversial holiday for some. It can be a source of sadness for those without a partner, or can be filled with pressure for couples to for something magically, perfectly, romantic. Cynics dismiss it as a made up Hallmark holiday, but I think regardless of your romantic status, it's a wonderful excuse to show those in your life that you love them. Yes, it can be cheesy, or overrated, but it can also be simple, fun and encouraging.

It's a little late to give you inspiration for this year, but I didn't want to spoil any Valentine's surprises by sharing them here too early. So here's a little glimpse into this year's crafts... If you're interested, file them away for next year...(I won't tell anyone where you got the ideas!)

Paint Chip Valentine's cards

So easy...and free! (Dustin questioned how Home Depot felt about me clearing out their entire range of reds...but I figure I didn't take any more than I typically do when choosing paint for my house. Seriously- you should see my collection of beiges. Nuts.) I used Behr swatches because I liked the size and the range of color on each card. Four colors gave me the perfect amount of space to write my note. Each strip included the simple message of I "heart", + a characteristic about the recipient. You could also use the three color versions and write your To/From on the back. Just cut off the rounded edges (and most of the type) and then cut the remaining rectangle in half lengthwise, giving you two strips per card. Jot down your vday note, and you're done!
Paint Chip Valentine's "Book"

For Dustin I continued the paint chip theme, and made an alphabet book- the ABC's of how we met. You could easily tailor the subject to your recipient, making it as general or specific, as funny or sappy as you want. I was originally going to list reasons I love him, but thought it would be more fun to focus on the very beginning of our courtship...before he was a dad, or even a husband. A little walk down memory lane is always fun, and having letter prompts helped me to recall details I might otherwise have forgotten.

This version uses one paint chip card per letter (Home Depot must really hate this one!) I cut them to the size I wanted (again eliminating the rounded corners and color names) and glued plain paper to the back. On the front I wrote "A is for..." whatever memory I chose, and then filled in the back with the story. The four color cards worked perfectly for this too because then there was an open spot for a hole punch (make sure to leave room for this when you're writing on the back!) Thread a ring through, tie a bow on to make it a little fancy and you're done!

Valentine's Nails
And of course it wouldn't be a holiday without a festive coat of nail polish. Behold the vday gradient:

(it took a lot of restraint to resist glitter...)

Hope you had a craftilicious Valentine's Day (if you're into that sort of thing.) And for you project obssessed pinners- remember the true spirit of the day is love...not glue sticks.

Crock-pot Chow-dah

2012-02-10T11:00:00.003-05:00

As you know, I have a new obsession with my crockpot. I don't know what took me so long to get in the slow-cooker game, but I'm making up for lost time, trying to put it to use at least once a week. Fortunately, I not only received a new crockpot as a birthday gift, but I also got an issue of "skinny slow cooker" magazine. I've made two things so far...The first was a chicken dish that was just okay, so I'll spare you that one (at least it was easy! Can't complain too much about failed crockpot recipes when they require so little effort). But my second attempt was awesome, so I have to share.

I come from the "if I'm going to make it in the crockpot, it better require close to zero effort, otherwise I might as well actually cook, and we all know that's not likely" school of crockpot cooking, so I have to admit, the fact that this recipe required not only chopping ingredients, but browning the chicken-in a separate pan-shows I was committed to this one. Yes, I love a "throw raw meat and three cans of condensed soup in a pot, irrationally expect it to taste much better than the sum of its parts, but always end up slightly disappointed" type recipe, but I thought the extra effort (and actual fresh ingredients) might pay off. Fortunately, it did.

Chicken Edamame Chowder

(recipe adapted from the original, here.)

Ingredients

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces (I used about 4 frozen breasts, thawing them in the microwave first).
1 tablespoon cooking oil
(1) 10 ounce package frozen soybeans (edamame)
1 large green sweet pepper, coarsely chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 can green chiles (I subbed this for jalapenos)
2 teaspoons ground cumin (it also calls for 2 tsps coriander...but I didn't have that, and I refuse to spend a ton of money on spices I'll probably never use again
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
(2) 16 ounce cartons chicken broth (It calls for cans, but I used what I had)
(1) 8 ounce carton dairy sour cream
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (I think mine were on the large side, so I ended up only using one and a half)
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Fresh cilantro-optional (I didn't have this either, so I just sprinkled some dried cilantro on top)

Directions

1. Cook chicken in hot oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet until lightly brown.

2. Chop pepper and onion. If you have a ninja, this step is super easy. If you don't...Sorry, sucka.
3. Combine the chicken, soybeans, sweet pepper, onion, chiles, cumin, salt, and black pepper in slow cooker. Pour chicken broth over all. Stir to combine.

4. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 7 to 8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3-1/2 to 4 hours.

5. Chop the zucchini- lengthwise, and then in thin slices. (You'll be tempted to use the mandolin because it's faster, but don't. You'll just end up slicing your finger. Even if you're being super careful, and going slow. You'll definitely slice your finger. And you'll end up with blood everywhere, a half completed recipe, and a crying baby who woke up from her nap early and doesn't want to wait while you struggle to get a band-aid to stick to the tip of your finger. Trust me.)
6. If using low-heat setting, turn to high-heat setting. Add sour cream, flour, zucchini into chicken mixture. Stir to combine. Cover and cook for 20 to 30 minutes more or until mixture is thickened and zucchini is crisp-tender.

7. Ladle into bowls; top with cheese and cilantro, if desired. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
(I served mine with Jiffy Mix cornbread muffins, which turned out to be the perfect compliment.)

I don't want to brag...(and really shouldn't, because it required barely any talent...though I did give up some blood for the cause) but this stuff was guh-uh-ood. Dustin loved it, I got to make a big scene about what a good (temporary) stay-at-home mom I am, and since he doesn't know it was so simple, it was easy to guilt him into doing the dishes. That, my friends, is a good recipe.

Piper's "1st Birthday"

2012-02-06T14:20:00.000-05:00

Almost two years ago, our friends the VanHoudnos introduced us to the idea of the "9 months + 3 months" First Birthday celebration. When their son turned three months old, they commemorated the first official year of his existence (even though he spent 9 months of that time cloaked in mystery...it still counts!) by going out with some friends to celebrate. We had a great time eating Asian food, and sampling bubble tea (I guess the "1 year" birthday is a Chinese concept) and toasting this new little life that was starting to take shape.

I (of course) loved the idea of marking an unexpected milestone, so we decided to embrace the tradition. We thought there would be no better way to commemorate a year of Baby Bowden than by breaking bread (or more accurately: eating pancakes) with some of the people that have been instrumental in Piper's life so far.

So after church this Sunday, a small group of us gathered at Pamela's Diner in Oakland for some syrupy sweet, good times.

The Bday girl was in good spirits, content to sit and pose for pics while the rest of us debated how many pancakes would be appropriate to eat in public.

She even got to play with her friends Mike and Lindsey...

...which went well until Mike called attention to his mustache...

Apparently she's not into facial hair (take a note, Dustin!) Look at her lip! But the crying was mercifully short lived- nothing a little cuddle from Daddy couldn't cure.

There were a couple other little ones in attendance too...and they seemed to approve of the party as well (they got to eat, and carry on like hooligans...what's not to like about that?)

And when they weren't eating, they too took the opportunity to ham it up for the camera:

Before long the little guest of honor was plum tuckered out and spent the rest of the afternoon sacked out in her carseat (it's her party and she'll sleep if she wants to).

But that little lull in the action gave us a chance to give a little toast to tell everyone how thankful we were to have them join us not just for breakfast...but for life.

As parents, we are limited in what we can pass on to Piper. She's been dealt her genetic lot, and beyond that, we have a finite set of skills and knowledge base to share with her. We pray for God to grow us in His wisdom, and for His grace to cover our areas of weakness. Thankfully He's provided us with a group of friends and family to bridge the inevitable gaps in our abilities, and faults in our character, and help us to guide Piper along the path of His divine plan.

If it takes a village to raise a child, then you all have been our cul-de-sac. We are so grateful we are for who God has made you and how you are already helping us shape our daughter into who He would have her become.

Perhaps the greatest skill God has provided me with is the ability to seek out friends better than myself to help us as we muddle our way through the journey of parenthood.

You are each a profound example of the body of Christ, and the church in action. Thank you for all the support, love, guidance and fun through Piper's "first year." She is- and we are- truly blessed.

And for those of you who weren't able to join us for lunch, please know that we are beyond grateful for the extended community of friends and family that have been with us on this journey so far. Thank you for loving our little girl (almost) as much as we do.

Calendar Girl

2012-02-04T20:29:00.005-05:00

Despite yesterday's post, today is actually Piper's real three month birthday (at 8:29pm exactly!). I have a ton of sappy, sentimental thoughts about reaching this milestone, which I hope to share soon...But for now, I thought I'd let you all in on a little project I've been tinkering around with- Monthly Photos! (this idea shocks no one, I'm sure. A chance to build another "photobooth" type set, take more pictures, and show off my precious little Piper? Win, win, win.)

I knew I wanted to document Piper's growth over time, and thought once-a-month photos would be doable, without stressing me out too much. (I took weekly photos of my belly throughout my pregnancy, and though I love having those pics, it was often a pain to make time to shoot that often). I had seen a few ideas online, so I cobbled together what I liked from those and then tried to make it my own. My goals:

Shoot full length, to show how her little body is beefing up.
Maintain a consistant backdrop to show scale and keep the focus on 'lil P.
Include text, to label the month and record little memory "snippets".
Incorporate a chalkboard- a feature element in her nursery, and a bit of a theme from my pregnancy.

Thankfully Piper is (usually) a cooperative model, and she was patient with me as I fooled around. I tend to be pretty picky about this stuff, so I'm not 100% thrilled with the lighting (hard to keep that consistent from month to month) and I might play around with the text/fonts before printing them all (that part is all added in a photoshop layer). But those are things that can all be fixed (or forgiven), so overall I'm happy with what we've come up with. I don't exactly look forward to Piper growing up (my baaaaaaaby!), but I am excited to document how she changes over time.

So here's our ode-in-progress to sweet Piper Jane, month by month.

(click on each photo to enlarge)

Dang, I love this kid.

Face time

2012-02-03T15:35:00.003-05:00

Guess who's three months old!
If you haven't already checked out her 1 month and 2 month mug shots, take a look. It will blow your mind how much she's changed already. Her hair keeps getting lighter, and she seems to be lengthening out a little (...someday she might even have a neck!) I thought it was hard for her to get cuter, but she just keeps surprising us. Now please excuse me while I go smother her little face in kisses...

(oh, and technically her 3 month "birthday" is tomorrow- 2/4, but she was born on a Friday, so the math gets a little fuzzy. But don't worry...I have more milestone photos in the works for this weekend!)

Say Cheese!

2012-02-02T09:00:00.000-05:00

If you saw the photos from our prom party, you'll may feel like it was missing something...

Sure, we had the music, and the dancing, the punch, and the decorations...But there was one prom staple that wasn't represented: The official prom portraits.

Everyone remembers the quintessential prom photo- A cheesy cheap backdrop (might involve some "greek" columns, or a leftover funeral home floral arrangement), a forced 45 degree angle to the camera pose, the guy standing behind the girl with his arms wrapped around her waist, cheesy awkward smiles. Priceless memories.

Now I looooooove a photobooth for almost any occasion, and they're becoming a bit of a staple at any gathering I coordinate (yes...I've been holding out on you- there are a least two other photobooth parties that I haven't shared yet. Someday!) so I knew that we couldn't let this opportunity pass. It's too perfect!

So finding a spot for the photobooth became my non-negotiable for the party. It was a little tricky- our house isn't exactly brimming with extra space (especially once we host out of town guests, create a dancefloor, set aside room for a bar etc. etc.) but I was nothing if not determined. Thus, the famed (ha!) third bedroom became our official photo spot.

We tacked up some tacky stuff...

Did a quick lighting test...(if you look closely, you'll realize it was also an earring test...)

Added some balloons...
and it was ready for action...

One of my friends Holly told me it looked exactly like her backdrop from her real prom. Best birthday present ever. My party mission was accomplished.

Normally when I do a photobooth, I either take the pics myself, or people have to use the timer. But for Christmas this year I got a new gadget- a remote shutter release. That way we could just put the camera on a tripod and people could snap snap snap to their hearts content.

And OH did we snap some pics. In the span of a few hours, we somehow managed to take 277 photos. Two hundred and seventy-seven photos. There were a couple people in the bunch that were more trigger happy than others, but when Dustin and I finally got our chance to play around with it at the end of the night, I found out how easy it was to get a little overzealous. In the span of 2 minutes, we took some 39 pics. It was just too easy! And too fun! When I finally got to go through the photos the next day, I was dying laughing. There are just too many good ones! (I dare you to pick a fav...) It's tempting me to leave it up, and require people to take some shots every time they come over!

So without further ado... I present to you:

Courtney's Birthday Prom Photobooth 2012

(click on each photo to enlarge, and see the awesomeness in its full size glory)

A Night Under the Stars

2012-01-31T11:00:00.000-05:00

If you know me, you know a couple things about me for sure:

I love my birthday.
I love a party.

So you can pretty much guarantee that when January rolls, you're in for some crazy nonsense, in the form of an over the top birthday party. The kind that you should really only throw for someone else...and that "someone else" should probably be ten or under. But I have no shame throwing my a party in my honor, and I refuse to believe that growing up is a reason to tone it down....

...So we party.

Over the years I've had some pretty good shin-digs, if I do say so myself. A few years ago we threw an epic 80's party, 2010 was a classy wine and cheese affair, and last year we combined my two great loves (mac&cheese, and games) for a big blow out.

But this year might go down as my favorite yet. You see, I pretty much spend the 364 days leading up to my birthday planning my party. The minute one is over, I'm brainstorming the theme for the next one (now that I tell you that, there's some pressure to deliver...but I'm ok with that) and I've had this year's theme in mind for quite a while. Brace yourselves- for my 28th Birthday... it was time to bring back the prom!

Yep. I had been begging Dustin for years to throw a prom party, but because my birthday is in January, Mr. Practicality didn't necessarily think the weather would be conducive to high heels and strapless dresses (at least he's considerate of the ladies!). He tried to convince me to wait, and host it in the spring, but I refused to postpone my birthday several months, just because I had the misfortune of being born in the winter. So finally this year he gave in to my vision, and it ended up being perfect timing. I mean, is there really a better time to recreate the slow dancing, photo taking, hair spraying prom magic, than the 10th anniversary of my senior year in high school? I think not.

The main concern now was where to host such a gathering. Our house is cozy after all, but isn't exactly made for events that usually require a ballroom. We kicked around the idea of renting out a room, or a bar...But we realized after about ten seconds of research, it was going to get really involved, and really expensive. So we settled on having it at the old homestead, and just making it as festive as possible (even if that meant putting all our furniture in storage). We tried to keep the expense and workload to a minimum- picking up decorations at PaperMart, making things out of stuff I already had on hand, getting a thrift store dress (and borrowing a tie and cummerbund set) and keeping the menu simple. (that doesn't mean we didn't do it up in style though...as one of my friends said when she arrived- "I could see the sparkle from the street!")

And let me just say- It was perfect. I literally had "The Time of My Life" (which could have been the theme, if I hadn't gone for the ever-popular, and easy to execute "A Night Under The Stars" motif). Thankfully (huuuuuge understatement) my parents had come to "Chaperone"- aka watch Piper, so Dustin and I were able to let loose, and dance the night away.

But we weren't the only ones in the mood to party like (high school) rock stars. People came dressed to impress.

There was primping...

and pimpin'...
I have to say that the girls might have looked the best....

But the guys gave us a run for our money. (these were part of an homage to "Penn Hills Prom". The perfect amount of class, and 'hood.)

But I think you know who stole the show:

I mean, does it get better than a tux/tutu combo? Nope. It does not.

Love was in the air...

And the drinks were flowing...(it helped that no one had to secretly spike the punch, or try to hide a water bottle of vodka in their purse)

This man will help get you Kraken (besides the old punch standby, that was the unofficial drink of the night)

And even the tiniest of guests hit the bottle...(with a little help from Papa)

But of course, the main attraction of the night (of my life!) was the dancing. Before the party, my step-dad asked which room would be the dance floor...my answer was "all of them!" He was surprised, and asked if I really expected everyone to dance? I hadn't really thought of an alternative, (after all- doesn't everyone love all the same things I do?!) so I was hopeful that people would have grown out of their adolescent inhibitions. We did have some chairs set up for the more reserved guests...

But once the spotify mix got going...

...the dancing couldn't be stopped. There was a "Sexy and I Know It" soultrain line (Dustin did his signature knee dance):

And plenty of six-grade style awkwardness:

And of course...just general nonsense:

Towards the end of the night, we busted out the Kinect, and challenged each other to virtual dance offs. Meg and I pretty much showed them how it's done:

But as much fun as the dancing was (and it was FUN), no prom is complete without a crowing of a King and Queen. The competition was fierce, but the voting strategy was left to the discretion of the partiers...Choices might have been based on prettiest dress, most handsome, most school spirit...It was wide open.
But when the votes were tallied, there were two clear winners...

Meg and Jeff!

They accepted their crowns, and shared a hilariously awkward Royal Dance (while their spouses looked on...feeling what I can only imagine is a mix of pride and jealousy)

So as you can see...we pretty much had a blast. It was everything I love about prom, without all the stuff I'd rather forget...I didn't have to cram myself in a limo with 14 of my not-really-closest friends. My mom didn't have to put my date's boutonniere on because I'm too awkward and shy. No one ended up in the bathroom crying because their date danced with another girl...

I had my favorite people together to partake in my favorite things, which makes for a magical night.

(And for those of you who reaaaaaally know me...you know there is one very important party element that seems to be missing...Don't worry- I didn't let you down. Stay tuned for Prom Post Part 2...the awesomeness continues)

One Year Later

2012-01-30T10:00:00.003-05:00

I have something to confess, dear blog readers: I've been holding out on you. As much as I share on here...I've also been keeping some secrets. You see, ever since Dustin and I decided to have a baby, I've been writing a journal of our experience. I kept it up throughout my pregnancy, with the plan of turning it into a keepsake book for Piper (and us) someday. I'm so glad I was able to record so many of my thoughts along the way, but I wasn't always ready to share those feelings with the online world. (and to be honest, I'm sure there are tons of stories in there that you'd be just as happy to not hear). But now that we've made it to "the other side", it's fun to look back to the beginning of this crazy ride. I certainly won't be posting all of my musings here, but I thought this entry was a cool snapshot in time from the very start of our new lives. It's the first thing I ever wrote in her book, and it shows just how much can change in one year...

-------------

Written 1/30/11

Ready?

Last night, Dustin and I went out to dinner and made one of the most monumental decisions in our lives thus far: We’re ready to have a baby!

A baby.

That is ours.

All the time.

But by “ready” I’m not exactly sure what I mean, because we are most surely not “ready” in most (if not all) traditional senses of the word. We haven’t figured out a single practical concern that might come along with being pregnant, let alone with having a child…

And yet- we are ready.

Ready to hold a baby.

That is ours.

All the time.

Ready to raise a child. Love a child. Grow our family.

We’ve talked about babies in an abstract way for years, always knowing that someday of course we’d want to start a family. We committed to five years of marriage first…just us…and then planned to talk seriously about having kids after that. I had various bouts of baby-fever over the years, usually lasting a few hours to a few days. But in recent months, it’s been more of a constant feeling in the back of my head, and inside my heart. Could I be ready?

We made plans of when were wanted to start “trying” (a phrase I hope to never say after this precise moment. You don’t try to have a baby. You do it. As in it. As in, the thing you don’t talk about, jeez get some manners!) but we never felt fully ready. When it would come time for me to take that tiny nightly pill…I would. And we’d revisit the discussion the next month.

But last night…was different. I held Dustin’s hand over a restaurant table, and flat out that I wanted to have a baby. Not in theory, not someday, but now. And he met me with all the understanding, support and love I could ask for. We kicked around ideas of timing, the upsides, the downsides, and tried to weigh it out the best we know how. But in the end, we came to the same place we always do. Are we ready?

And the answer this time was yes.

I was so happy in that moment….so excited for the planning ahead…so anxious to see the next steps in the journey that God is laying out for us…

I hope I always remember how I felt in that moment. The quiet, joyous calm before our worlds change forever. We’ve been us for so long, it’s hard to imagine revising our version of we, to include three. And as ecstatic as I am to begin the next steps of our lives, I’m also scared. A mere couple hours after we shared a meal and our plans, I shared my fears. Though Dustin was already fast asleep, I couldn’t help but shake him awake…needing to unload my swirling thoughts. As we laid in bed, I imagined a baby in the room next to us. And it felt different. And scary. Were we serious? Could we do this? Was this a “colossal mistake”? (Yes, those are the exact words I used.) Dustin wiped the sleep out of his eyes and reassured me, like he always does.

He loves me. And I love him.
And soon, hopefully, we’ll have someone else to love, forever.

Very Pinteresting

2012-01-27T13:24:00.004-05:00

You are all familiar with the Innovation/Adoption Curve, right?

Wait...no? You're not a giant loser that still remembers charts from your college marketing classes? Good news...I am! Let me refresh your memory:

See that grey chunk on the right? That's me. Well, at least when it comes to technology. I manage to weasel myself into the early majority, or even an early adopter (I hesitate to call myself an innovator...) in a lot of things, like fashion, decorating trends...nail polish!...But for some reason I've always been slow to jump on the new technology bandwagon. More accurately, I wait until the bandwagon is barreling towards me, and I pretty much have no choice but to climb aboard or get flattened. I held on to the flip phone until the bitter end (which was still before Dustin gave it up), I resisted Facebook for years, and genuinely debated returning a new xbox 360 (with Kinect!) because "we already have a nintendo!"

But my most recent hold out- and subsequent cave in- is Pinterest.

For those of you not familiar with Pinterest. Thank you. You've made this laggard feel slightly better about herself. (seriously, all my friends are on it, and two have even blogged about it already.) Basically, it's an online space where you can "organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web." Rather than dealing with webpage bookmarks (which inevitably get all mixed up, or lost on multiple computers), or trying to save images to your desktop (which makes it hard to impossible to recall the original sources), Pinterest gives you a spot to save everything, keeps it organized, and embeds the links so you can remember where you found things.

It's a great site, but I was hesitant to embrace it for a while, mostly because I wasn't sure I wanted all my business on online "front street" (yes, this coming from someone who publishes a blog...I see the irony). Finding and compiling inspiration is a big part of my job, and the thought of all my work and ideas being common knowledge kind of freaked me out. (For what it's worth, this is actually a pretty common Pinterest complaint. No one likes everyone knowing where all their ideas come from. I'm all for sharing, but it'd be nice to keep a few things private, lest all our parties, homes, closets and dinner tables start to look identical.) But eventually the convenience factor outweighed my desire for creative secrecy, and I gave in.

Since then, I've been a pinnin' fool, and I now have 48 boards and 609 pins. Here's a snapshot of some of my stuff...

My (p)interests span a pretty wide range, but my main foci (yep. foci. told you I was a nerd.) are party ideas, recipes, home decor inspiration, and some photography tutorials. I pretty much pin anything that catches my eye, but I do try to narrow it to ideas that I might actually try one day. No, I'm not going to be able to recreate every picture I pin (nor should I...) but one of my Pinterest Pet Peeves is people who pin all day long, but you know never bother to actually do any of those projects. Maybe there are people out there who just like to collect pretty pictures, but I want my boards to have a purpose. Some ideas I'll rip off directly (no shame...that's what it's for!) some I'll use as a jumping off point for similar projects, but for the most part, everything I pin has a fighting chance of actually coming to life...my life.

So with all my spare time (ha!) I've been trying to make good on my Pin Promises, and turn some of my inspiration into reality. I've done a few crafts, and taken a whole lot of photos, but my most notable pinterest success stories are in the kitchen. Rather than clipping recipes, filing them away (or letting them pile up) and forgetting to do anything with them, I'm using pinterest to motivate me to follow through on my culinary dreams.

To help inspire you...here are a few things I've tried so far:

Potato Soup
I've finally fallen in love with crockpot cooking (I'm really behind the times on that one!) And love a good "dump everything in the pot" type recipe. This one turned out great (so good that we just started eating it, and forgot to take pictures...). And just to show I went the extra mile to make it my own- here are my modifications: I did two cans of cream of chicken soup (10oz each), and added 4 strips of bacon (I cooked it in the microwave first and then chopped and added to the crockpot). The recipe doesn't say how much cheese, but it's just used for a topping when you serve so you can do whatever feels right. I topped it with the cheese, sour cream, and chopped scallions, and served it with salad and sourdough bread. Yum.

Pulled Pork

This is probably a lot of people's go-to meal, but I had never tried it. This photo convinced me it was easy enough to try...4 ingredients? Can do! I used Coke Zero instead of diet pepsi. (because of course I did!) and doubled the recipe. (not really on purpose...that's just the size of pork butt that was available. heehee...pork butt.)

Here's mine, simmering away....Delish.

Baked Apples

And in non-crockpot news, I gave this sweet treat a try, for an Apps and Zerts party in my honor (if you do nothing else, please click on that link. I don't even watch Parks and Rec, and that clip still kills me.)

Again, I got a little caught up in the process and forgot to take a photo of the final product, but they weren't half bad. I used pie crust instead of puff pastry (because apparently my reading comprehension isn't what it used to be) and sprinkled sugar and cinnamon on top before baking, because, well...that sounded delicious. I had to cook them much longer than the recipe said, but that might have been due to my substitution of pretty much the only ingredient it calls for. If you attempt this one, may I suggest investing in an apple corer (de-corer?). I've heard it's faster...and maybe safer...than my steak knife solution. Equipment and ingredient challenges aside, they turned out great.

(And just to illustrate my Pinterest Point [no, I don't know why I've taken to capitalizing things into formal categories. I think it's the alliteration. Too Tempting!] about too much sharing, the aforementioned Apps and Zerts party nearly ended in a Pinterest Pitfall, when a friend brought an app that I was thisclose to making. We discussed how one of us had pinned it from the other, but we don't remember who's Pinterest Property it was, so we agreed to touch base before future parties, to avoid overlap. Crisis averted!)

So if you haven't already gotten your Pin on...get going, you laggards! And if you need a kick start- you can follow me. I'm not promising it'll always be pretty, but it at least be Pinteresting. (Pinterest Pun. Perfect.)

Like a weed

2012-01-25T15:53:00.003-05:00

1 week....11 weeks...

wow.

Wafflemania

2012-01-22T17:04:00.000-05:00

Last week as we were getting ready for church, my friend Meg texted to ask if we'd like to go get "fancy waffles" with her and her husband Sean after the 11'o'clock service. Apparently a new spot Waffallonia had opened up nearby and Meg was anxious to try it. Waffles? Yes. Fancy waffles? Absolutely yes.

So after church we headed out into the frozen tundra that Pittsburgh has become, in pursuit of doughy treats. But we were quickly reminded how a baby can make even the most simple outings into a Big. Fat. Hassle.

Piper was apparently not as excited as we were for Belgain cuisine. She began to make her displeasure known with a frantic wail from the backseat, shortly after we left the church parking lot. As the timing worked out, it was probably about time for her lunch, and she wasn't keen to wait. Perhaps more experienced parents wouldn't have sweated it...after all, it's not that complicated a problem. She's hungry. We should feed her. That's about it. But Dustin and I are still new, and things like this tend to rattle us. (In our defense, I think reasoning skills take a distinct hit when you're trapped in a confined space with a screaming baby.) So we did what seems to come naturally at this point- we got stressed, overreacted and snapped at each other.

Should we still go? Where are we going to feed her? Can we even get in the place? I passed it the other day, it looks small. Look it up! This review says there aren't many tables. Where will we sit? What do you want me to do? Quick! The exit is coming! Call Meg. She's not answering! Where are we going to park? Aaaaaaaaaaaah........

Trust me, I think it's just as dumb as you do in hindsight. But in the moment, it's easy to jump to "It's ruined. Everything's ruined" rather quickly. But thankfully, cooler heads prevailed (this time I was the voice of reason, but in general it's pretty much 50/50 on which one of us is going to have to talk the other one down. Reason #493 that I'm thankful not to be doing this parenting thing alone.) We made it to the eatery, and (bonus!) found a parking space just around the corner. I fed her in the front seat of the car (something that has become increasingly common as we take more chances with midday outings that may- the horror!- conflict with her need to eat), Dustin strapped her in the Bjorn, and we were on our way. Freakout officially unnecessary.

See? We're all smiles again...just keep moving. It's freezing!

And as it turns out- the slight inconvenience ended up being worth it...Because these fancy waffles? Were delicious.

It's a pretty simple system. But it works.

They're pretty specialized- they literally just serve waffles, but they do mix it up with toppings- you can get fruit, fancy spreads, or even ice cream.

Dustin and I opted for plain and I couldn't have been happier. The dough is thicker than regular waffles, and somehow they create this crunchy sugar glaze on the outside. I didn't think they needed a thing.

But Meg and Sean are a bit more adventurous than us (or perhaps just have a bigger sweet tooth) so they went for the fanciest of the fancy waffles. You know, the ones that require plastic cutlery.

The reviews were right, it is a tiny little spot with only a few stools (I imagine they'll do even better once the weather warms up and people are more inclined to take their waffles to go). But don't let that deter you....Even if you are in a bad mood, with a crying baby, and overly dramatic concerns about accessibility...Put on your fur hat, and venture out. You might just like it.

Birthday...

2012-01-19T22:16:00.001-05:00

Birthday wake up call:

Birthday note:

Birthday yoga:

(her gift to me was sleeping the entire class)

Birthday lunch:

Birthday nails:

(For those of you into that sort of thing, I used:
American Apparel Summer Peach, OPI Designer De Better,
and Sephora by OPI Only Gold For Me- )

Birthday smiles:

Birthday flowers:

Birthday present:

Birthday Mac and cheese:

Birthday hip hop:

Birthday Facebook:

Birthday Beer:

Birthday date:

Birthday hats:

Birthday wishes:

Birthday love:

Priorities

2012-01-18T15:38:00.000-05:00

In my short time as a mom, I have learned that motherhood is all about priorities. No, I don't mean "seeing the bigger picture", "not sweating the small stuff" or "focusing on what really matters" life balance type priorities. I mean- "which is more important, eating or showering?" survival type of priorities.

Because I have quickly come to realize that I am no longer in charge of my days (or my life). I have a new boss, and she's kind of a tyrant. Sure, Piper may only be 13lbs, but she rules with a tiny iron fist. She doesn't necessarily tell me what I can do, but she certainly dictates when I can do it. Gone are the days of creating an ideal to-do list, and then checking tasks off in the order that I see fit. In a world of unpredictable naps, you have to make the most of free time while it lasts, so I've had to learn to prioritize in a whole new way.

The minute her head hits the pillow (or more accurately, her swaddled butt hits the mattress) I have to hit the ground running. If I have anything I want to get done without simultaneously holding/bouncing/entertaining a wee one- now is the time. I quickly think through the pending chores or activities for the day, and choose the one that I'll be most upset about not completing. I start there and cycle through in descending importance, until I hear my little stop-watch wail, and it's once again Piper Time.

I don't have the luxury of matching up my tasks to my mood. To delay things means to bank on having more time later...and that's not always a guarantee. The climate is now-or-never. Not carpe diem, but carpe this exact instant, who knows when you'll have another chance! Maybe I want to work out today, but I'm not exactly feeling it right now...Too bad. Yank on the yoga pants and jump on the elliptical...this could be my last shot for the day. And do you want to eat lunch today? Well, ignore the fact that it's 10:45. This is your window. Love it or leave it (or watch it leave you).

And even more challenging than that is the detailed sub-level of prioritization that I've had to master. Say I chose to use her morning nap as a chance for me to get ready; that's not enough. I have to break it down further. A shower is almost always necessary, but there are choices within that choice- If push comes to shove, would I rather have clean hair or a clean body? You can't assume both are going to happen (let's not even talk about shaving)...If I do get to bathe uninterrupted, the decisions don't stop there. Put on makeup, or dry my hair? More specifically- dry my whole head or just hit the bangs and move on? Every moment is a gift (and I don't mean it in the sappy, spiritual sense). Use them wisely!

(The great irony is that at this point in writing this post, Piper actually woke up, requiring me to change her diaper and rock her back to sleep....I choose to blog, but which sentence should I type first?! A whole paragraph may not be an option!)

And though I have somewhat free reign while the little boss sleeps, she still manages to influence my path. I know that she'll tolerate laying on the bed while I get dressed, but will probably balk at being left to play while I wash dishes. I can eat breakfast with her on the couch while we "talk", but anything involving the lap top (my lap is her lounge chair of choice) is out of the question. So naptimes are often spent dressed in a robe, loading the dishwasher as silently as possible, and frantically checking email (and even then only the online tasks that can't be completed from my phone get attention). [And I've learned the hard way that painting my nails is a task that is only to be approached when Dustin is in the house. Any attempt to do it without backup, will invariably result in a crying baby, and a ruined manicure.]

Don't get me wrong- my day isn't one constant stream of Double Dare type physical challenges (Quick! Get dressed, make lunch, mail four thank you notes, clean off the coffee table [again] and write a blog post before time expires!) but I have learned not to take time for granted. Plans can go up in smoke in an instant, and an afternoon I had expected to have free to get some things done, may actually be spent giving an emergency bath, washing another load of laundry, or just giving some much needed cuddles.

Turns out I have a new number one priority now...And truthfully, I wouldn't have it any other way.

DeLovely DeLurking

2012-01-14T15:37:00.000-05:00

You may not be aware...but today is a holiday (and no, I don't mean my birthday...but that is coming!) Today is a blogging holiday: It's National DeLurking Day! (ok...the actual day might be a little suspect. Depending on the source, it could be anytime this week, or this month. But around these parts we're going with TODAY! Because I said so!)

For those of you who don't know what that means, it's basically a chance to encourage folks who read but don’t comment to come out of hiding and say hello.

See....you guys may not comment regularly (or more accurately for most: ever) but I know you're here. I have a stat tracker, and while my traffic numbers are nothing to brag about (I hope even if they were, I wouldn't) I do know there is a "silent majority" of you who check out the site, but don't have the courage (or time, or energy, or interest) in commenting.

I certainly understand the hesitation. Reading blogs is a no-risk pastime, but commenting requires you to put yourself out there a bit. It's one thing for me to publish my life story...that's my choice. But others may not always be ready to add their two cents. Often when people mention that they've seen my site, they say something to the effect of, "yeah, I've been stalking your blog", and it cracks me up. The idea of "stalking" implies that it's a secret, that it's shameful, and that I don't want you here...But for me it's exactly the opposite! I write because I love to create, to tell stories, and record memories (more on that here), but I blog because I love sharing these thoughts with others. I invited you all here (if not directly, than at least indirectly- through facebook posts, features on other sites, etc.) When I write, I want it to be a part of a conversation, and even if every reader doesn't actively participate in every post, my goal is to involve people on some level- to make you think, or laugh, or at least help you fill a few minutes of your post-lunch slack time at work.

So whether you're family members, fellow bloggers, internet strangers, Facebook friends, or "real life" friends... Take the risk today. Click that comment button and join (or start!) the conversation. At least for one day. (oh- and if you happen to stumble on this post after the "official" delurking day- leave a comment anyway! There's no expiration on the fun!)

Anything is fair game, but for those of you unsure of what to write- here are some questions to weigh in on....

What do you wish you were having for dinner tonight? (or maybe you're lucky enough that you ARE having it!)
If you had to go back to relive school year, which grade would you return to?
How much wood would a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood?

And if you're really really stuck. Just wish me an early Happy Birthday! Can't go wrong with that! :)

Nursery Love

2012-01-14T14:18:00.004-05:00

Anyone sick of seeing pictures of Piper's nursery yet?

...

(I will take that momentary silence after my rhetorical question as a "no, never!")

...

Good! Because her room is in the spotlight on one of my favorite sites- Chalk + Dot.

Scoot on over to see the details (and a preview post with a pic of our sweet little girl-from two months ago- can you believe it?!)

It's a magic number..

2012-01-12T09:00:00.006-05:00

We have a quite a few ditties that we use to serenade Piper, and sometimes if she's really lucky, she gets the pleasure of hearing our rendition of this song...

But as much fun as that is, one of her new favorites is a Schoolhouse Rock classic...
Tell me this kid wasn't born to multiply:

Hopefully she'll tolerate our silliness 'til she's 3x10 and beyond.

(p.s. I can't decide what I love more, Piper trying to sing along,
or Dustin getting all the words wrong- including "3x1 is 1 of course")

A very new New Year

2012-01-10T18:19:00.000-05:00

I've talked before about how much I love New Year's Eve, but this year was a little challenging. I mean, I love Piper to pieces, but she does tend to cramp our party style a bit. With the new addition to the family, going out to paint the town red wasn't really an option. But truthfully, even if we could have abandoned her for a bit, Dustin and I weren't really feeling it. The holidays sort of sneaked up on us this year, and we were having trouble getting into the party-hardy spirit of New Year's Rockin' Eve.

But even though we weren't feeling 100% festive, I wasn't ready to throw in the towel. I knew if we treated it like any other night, hunkering down in our pj's and taking turns burping our sometimes-fussy little girl, we'd regret it. Because I may have been struggling a bit with my post-baby/post-holiday flushy-push body (having a baby is only half the problem...Christmas cookies did a number on me this year...), and neither one of us exactly had energy to spare, but I still thought it was important to try to keep some aspects of our life constant. Before Piper, we would have gone out and marked the New Year with some sort of fanfare, no matter how small. So I refused to give in to the temptation to be lame. No! We are still young! We are still fun! And I will prove it by putting on too much eye makeup and wearing uncomfortable shoes!

Our friends had invited us for a shin-dig at their house, which was the perfect fun, but low key option, so I dug through my closet to find some sparkly (but forgiving) threads, we packed up a bag of supplies (you know- the New Year's essentials: diapers, frozen breastmilk and Uno), and we were on our way.

And overall, it ended up being a pretty great night. We joined a few couples for some snacks, some drinks (although Dustin and I stuck mainly to soda...we might still be fun, but we weren't willing to take risks when it came to getting home safely at the end of the night) and some games. (Someday I'll teach you the rules to Power Uno. It's a new fav.) Piper was a bit ornery though- if her New Year's resolution was to get a normal sleep schedule, then she was determined to live it up all the way until midnight!- so we had to take turns holding/rocking/feeding/changing her.

It wasn't anything too taxing, but it did remind me that the days of both Dustin and I being fancyfree are pretty much over. We tried to balance party mode and parent mode as much as possible, but still struggled slightly to fully engage in adult conversation and competition.

But Piper was a sweetheart (albeit a very alert sweetheart who didn't want to miss a moment of the fun). She watched the Christmas lights and showed off her new ruffly outfit.

But once Dustin put her in the Baby Bjorn she finally succumbed to the lure of sleep, and we were able to feel a little less divided, and enjoy the last few hours of 2011 as a couple (+ one sleeping lump).

It was definitely a bit of a different type of New Year's celebration than we're used to, but different is the new normal around here. And as we embark on a new year together, I can honestly say that I don't know what to expect, but I'm determined to enjoy the ride.

12 Dates of Christmas- Recap

2012-01-08T22:23:00.001-05:00

Dustin and I had the ambitious goal of going on twelve dates through the holiday season...And we did it!

Mostly...

Kinda...

...If you expand the definition of the word "date" to include any time Dustin and I are together with fewer than 4 other people present. Bonus points for leaving the house!

I'm kidding, a little. Sure, the ideal goal would be "real dates"- a night out with only the two of us, a fancy dinner, and maybe a movie, or some other fun activity. But with a newborn around, and a hectic holiday schedule, we had to be a little more flexible. So we did our best to prioritize time together, whenever, wherever, and however we could. Here's the official rundown (with a few grainy iphone pics for good measure):

1: Kroger run
A trip to the grocery store may not be your idea of a date, but as it was our first outing sans baby, it totally counts. Dustin and I got a little stir-crazy the weekend of Thanksgiving, so we took advantage of being at my parents house and bailed on the little one for a quick shopping trip. Not the most glamorous activity, but after three weeks with a baby carrier constantly in tow, it was refreshing to get out as a couple. Dustin even humored my request to pose with the Yuengling display (now available in OH-IO!) And afterwards we stopped at Burger King for frozen Cokes. If that's not a quality date ingredient, I don't know what is.

2: Shopping & Sonic
After our wild first date, we wanted to keep the streak alive, so we headed out to Motherhood Maternity, to pick up some nursing attire! So again, before the baby, I wouldn't count this as date (ok, before the baby, I wouldn't go there, date or no date) but since it was just the two of us, and Dustin was so sweet to go on such a lame errand with me, I'm counting it. Plus- we went to Sonic on the way home to stuff our faces with yummy burgers, cheesy tots and strawberry limeaids. I hate to make food the sole date-qualifier, but let's face it...we do love to eat. I'll try to overlook the fact that we were held to a strict timeline due to Piper's eating schedule, which forced us to get our food to go, and hurry home. The brightside is Dustin was able to support me during an emotional outing (no one likes clothes shopping 3 weeks postpartum, right?) and we had a bit of time just the two of us, during what was otherwise a very baby and family intensive weekend.

3: Qdoba lunch
Our offices are near (in my case directly above) a Qdoba, so Dustin and I have shared quite a few lunches there over the past few years. During the end of my pregnancy, as I got a bit more needy (for attention, and queso) we were going almost every week- usually for $1 Taco Tuesdays! Now that I'm on maternity leave, Piper and I occasionally get out to meet him for lunch, and Q is typically still our spot of choice. We've been a few times now, but the first "date" here was right after Piper's one month doctor appointment. We probably broke all the date rules by talking about our daughter the whole time, but it was still a milestone for us. It was our first workday lunch as a family (though she slept the whole time), and gave us a glimpse into the possibility that we could have a baby totally rock our world, but still keep one or two routines from our "old" life too.

4: Chick-fil-A dinner
Are you tired of the fast food yet? We weren't! So I met Dustin after work one night for a romantic (ok, not really) meal. Again Piper slept, so we were able to enjoy our waffle fries in peace while we talked about Christmas plans. There might not have been candlelight, but there were poinsettias! Oh, the ambiance.

5: Michael's Pizza
One Friday, Piper and were checking out a yoga studio near Dustin's office, so we took the opportunity to meet him for a post workout lunch. We were all Q'd out, so we mixed it up and went to a local pizza joint. We got to discuss Dustin's job a bit, which was a nice change from all the diaper talk we've been doing lately. Any chance we get to have a non-parenting centered conversation is a good thing. And if it involves pizza, all the better.

6: Sample Sale & Sushi
One of the big perks of working in retail is the discount, but even better than that, is the annual sample sale, where we can score sweet deals on clothes...and this one was right before Christmas, so it was the perfect time for us to get some last minute shopping done. And the extra bonus is that it fell on a night that a restaurant near our warehouse offers half price sushi. So we decided to make a evening of it. We shopped our hearts out, which we actually ended up having to do separately...apparently the company doesn't feel too safe about letting an infant hang out around the conveyor belts and loading docks...weird, I know. So we took turns watching Piper, which cut into our date night plans a bit...but we made up for it by eating a crazy amount of sushi. And sipping out of our straws all fancy-like. You know, like you do on a date.

7: Panera & the mall
After our first morning back at church (yes, it took us a full six weeks or so to get back in the groove...I'm pretty sure God understands) we headed out for a cozy lunch at a former favorite- Panera. (we spent every Monday night there for a few years straight when we were leading Young Life). After filling our bellies, we hit up the mall to find some new jeans for me (I'm realizing at this point that Dustin is pretty much a saint to put up with this caliber of "dates"...I guess if you keep him well fed, he'll be pretty accommodating).

8: RedBox Movie Night
A non-food date! Imagine that! After a marathon trip to the grocery store, we decided on a whim to rent a movie and I chose Crazy Stupid Love. I thought we might have to turn it off during the first ten minutes, as Dustin's man-crush on Ryan Gosling almost grew out of control (I thought maybe they were going to go on a date!), but we ended up loving it. It may be a while before we get out to the theater again, so settling down to enjoy a movie at home, uninterrupted was a delightful little luxury for us at this point.

9: Breakfast with Santa, Stocking Shopping, and Five Guys Lunch
We already detailed our morning with the Claus, but the fun didn't stop there. I dragged Dustin to no less than three stores to find new Christmas stockings (fun date right?!), and we picked up a few gifts for family. By the time lunch rolled around it had already been a pretty long day, so we were thankful for the break to sit for a bit, shell some peanuts, and indulge in some deliciously greasy burgers. Our little peanut didn't seem to mind the pit stop either.

10. The Company Holiday Party
Ok folks, this one is the real deal. A full night out- just us, no baby. There were drinks (alcoholic ones even!), food and yes...dancing. It doesn't get date-ier than that. It was our first time leaving Piper with someone other than my mom, and the very first time someone else would attempt to feed her. We were really worried we wouldn't both be able to go, and had planned an elaborate trade off scheme, where Dustin would go early, and I would stop by later and hand Piper off to him. But as much as we wanted to party with our coworkers, we really wanted to have a night together, so thankfully, our friend Rachel offered to watch Piper and give us a chance to celebrate as a duo. I think I was supposed to be nervous about my daughter's first night with a sitter, but I was so excited for a night "on the town" that I dropped her off and didn't look back. (I mean, I was only going to be gone for a couple of hours, and Rachel has three kids...Piper's actually better off in her hands anyway!) It ended up being a totally awesome night. I got to catch up with a ton of my coworkers, eat a bunch of previously off-limits foods (pregnancy no-no's like soft cheese and fancy meats) and I even indulged in two- TWO!- alcoholic drinks. In typical Bowden fashion, Dustin and I danced until our feet fell off (ok, until my feet fell off- I had heels on! I'm telling you, this was a big night out) and really just had a blast. I did feel a little like Cinderella though, as I had to cut the night a bit shorter than I would have liked. Rather than turning into a pumpkin at midnight, I turned back into a mom around 9:30. I had to retrieve my daughter, and wrap the night up by pumping milk and washing bottles. But oh, was it glorious while it lasted. (Did I mention Dustin wore a tie? We really went all out here...)

11. Saladworks
At this point it was a few days after Christmas, so we were getting down to the wire on the twelve date timeline. And this one is a reeeeeeal reach as far as dates go. I encouraged Dustin to get out of the house to grab salads not really because I wanted to go on a date, but mostly because I had reached my limit on ham. The two of us were so tired from all the holiday festivities and traveling, that we barely talked. But we shared our salads. So it counts. Small victories, people. (and in my defense, we had actually planned a pretty elaborate date for our last day in Philly, but bailed to spend more time with family and friends instead. Although I'm not sure anyone would have protested too much had we gone on our date and left the baby with them. After all, things are pretty much all about her these days.)

12. Red Robin
I'm not going to lie, in some ways this last date was pretty much the equivalent of a concluding paragraph in a high-school essay: A bit of filler just to meet the required word count. It was the Monday after New Year's, and Dustin's last day off of work. We had a great week and a half off together, and I was dreading him going back, so I was in a bit of a funk all day. I was stressed about doing something fun. In my mind, we HAD to do something fun, or else the whole vacation was ruined. RUINED! But the feeling of the "countdown" was ironically ruining my motivation, so as much as I felt the pressure to live it up, I didn't actually want to do anything. I was creating a no-win situation for myself, feeling like a failure if we didn't complete our official twelve dates, but acting so cranky that I have no idea why Dustin would want to go on a date with me anyway. And if that wasn't enough, I was so frustrated with Piper that day, her schedule was all out of whack, and it seemed impossible for us to even leave the house, so I was moping around feeling sorry for poor old "about to be by myself with the baby again, and we didn't even complete our dates, lame-o" me. But Dustin knows my heart, and saw through all the junk that I had barely even gotten to verbalize, and offered to take me out to lunch. I fed Piper, and we each got the shortest showers ever to maximize our "free-time" window while she napped. We opted for an old favorite- Red Robin, and with our moods significantly improved, we attempted to keep the conversation as "us" centered as possible. We chatted about exercise goals, our new small group study, and work concerns. It wasn't a monumental day for any reason, but we managed to prioritize spending time together in a simple, but special way.

Squeezing in twelve dates in just over a month required a bit of planning and some creativity, but I'm happy we did it. Like so many things, we can occasionally luck into our goals, but it's important to me to put the time and effort into living deliberately. We're still settling into to what it means to be mom and dad, and it's far too easy to forget that we are still husband and wife. So while I don't think it's reasonable for us to go on several dates each week all the time (to be honest, we'll be lucky if we get that opportunity several times a month) focusing special attention on each other, and prioritizing our relationship is definitely something I want to make not only a tradition, but a habit.

Two Months

2012-01-04T21:10:00.003-05:00

Happy Two Month Birthday Piper!

I love every bit of you.

(I won't promise I'm going to do this to her every month...but I don't promise I won't either...)

They Are Twins, That is Why

2012-01-02T18:40:00.000-05:00

Since the moment I had Piper, people have been commenting about how much she looks like Dustin (and I do mean, the moment, I'm pretty sure one of the delivery nurses said something...) Friends call her Baby Dustin, strangers can't stop mentioning how much she resembles her daddy, and Dustin's family pretty much use any opportunity to brag "of course she's cute! She's a Bowden!"

But rather than taking their word for it (and by "their", I mean, everyone)...Let's take a look:

Baby Courtney:

Baby Dustin:

Baby Piper:

Again, I give you...

Baby Courtney:

Baby Dustin:

Baby Piper:

I think it's safe to say she favors him a bit in the looks department.
But do you need a side by side shot just to be sure?

Yeah, I'm pretty sure she's his daughter.

Occasionally it bothers me that she looks so much like him. I mean, don't get me wrong, I think Dustin is cute, and I obviously think Piper is cute (more like, the cutest thing ever!), but sometimes I feel a little left out. It's not that I'm so vain that I would rather her resemble me...but it would be nice to feel like had something to do with this adorable little baby- rather than just being the woman that delivered Dustin's little mini-me.

I actually read an article though, that said newborns most often resemble their fathers, and it has a biological purpose. Mothers have an undeniable bond with their children, and there isn't any doubt of their biological connection. But because paternity can sometimes be called into question. It turns out that babies who look like their fathers are more likely to be taken care of. The dads are more inclined to raise babies that are undeniably theirs. And in the animal world it actually prevents the dads from eating the young!

Now, there was never any doubt that Dustin was the father...and I certainly wasn't worried about him eating her, but if I think about it, I suppose it is nice for him to have this bond with her. She and I are connected in ways that he will never be a part of, so for them to look alike kind of evens the playing field a bit, and gives us both something special to share with her.

And besides, everyone assures me that babies' looks change a ton over time. She could look like him one minute (or week, or month) and me the next. I'm sure as she grows she'll show a resemblance to both of us in different ways. And if she looks like a Dustin clone forever? Well...I think she could do much much worse.

She may not look like me...But I think she still knows I'm her momma.

(oh- If you're not familiar with the title reference...that little gem comes from a silly comedy bit about the Super Mario Brothers. A friend played it for us years ago, and we've been quoting it ever since. "I ask if they want ice cream, and they both say vanilla. Now how in the hell?")

New year, new resolutions

2012-01-01T11:00:00.001-05:00

2012! The end of the world is near!!

...maybe not...but it is the end of the year at least. And you know what that means: it's resolution time!

Last year I decided to do monthly resolutions, rather than struggling through a big list for a few weeks only to inevitably give up on it all by the time February rolled around. I planned to keep it going this year, but couldn't seem to come up with my twelve goals. ...Pinterest to the rescue!! While perusing the site (Piper and I often tool around there while she's eating) I found an article about the special things happy people do that set them apart. And wouldn't you know it...they list twelve things. Perfect.

So while I already consider myself a pretty happy person in general, I figure it can't hurt to give these tactics a try. Each month I'll focus on a different "happy trait", and try to put it into practice. I mixed up the order a bit to line up with how I'd like my year to lay out...Here's the plan:

January: Increase flow experiences.
February: Practice acts of kindness.
March: Take care of my body.
April: Commit to my goals.
May: Nurture social relationships.
June: Cultivate optimism.
July: Avoid over-thinking and social comparison.
August: Learn to forgive.
September: Practice spirituality.
October: Develop strategies for coping.
November: Express gratitude.
December: Savor life’s joys.

First up- Increasing flow.
When I originally thought about what my resolutions might be, one that I came up with was "be present". This is pretty similar to the idea of flow. The author of the article describes it as being "completely engaged in the activity that you’re doing." This isn't always my strong suit. I find in productivity, so I often multitask, attempting to cram in more activities and accomplishments into less time. While this is sometimes harmless, (folding laundy while catching up on DVR'd shows, scrolling through facebook while I pump), sometimes my split focus makes me less effective or causes me to cheat myself (or others) out of a better experience. It reminds me of the phrase "Jack of all trades, master of none." When I'm scattered all over the place, many things may get done, but fewer get done well. And even worse, this shallow & broad approach cheats me out of having full experiences, and fully giving myself (attention, time, effort...) to those around me.

In order to be as successful as possible, I want to break each resolution down into practical goals. So for January, here are some areas in which I know I could increase my flow:

Talking on the phone. Tagging on mindless tasks like putting clothes away, or folding diapers? Fine. But attempting to sneak in little jobs that require attention (even minimal) like sorting mail, or surfing the web? Nope. I want to focus being a better listener, and a better friend, and making my phone companion my first priority is an easy way to do it.
Driving (and riding). I adhere to the "no-texting while driving" rule as much as possible, but do take advantage of stop lights to send quick messages. It might not be technically dangerous, but I admit it's probably still not the best idea. And when I'm riding in the car, I could definitely be a more attentive passenger. No one likes to sit next to a lump glued to her iphone.
Hanging out with Piper. I must say this girl is pretty good at capturing (if not demanding) my full attention, but there are still times when I might shortchange her. It's tempting to give in to the internal pressure to get things done around the house, or succumb to the lure or TV, the web etc. (see my previous mention of checking Pinterest while feeding her). I'm certainly not neglecting her, but even allowing myself to dwell on the other things I should or could be doing, prevents me from being 100% focused on being in the moment with her. Some of my very favorite times over the last two months have been when Dustin and I stop everything we're doing, and just watch her. We'll "talk" back and forth, sing songs, poke her little belly, and exchange smiles...Sure, we could be doing something more productive, but in those moments I know we couldn't be doing anything more important.

So that's my goal for now...what about you? Comment away...or better yet- call me. I promise to listen!

A Very Bowden Christmas

2011-12-29T12:00:00.000-05:00

It seems Christmas this year was more of a blur than usual...maybe it goes faster each year, or maybe it was the combo between the new baby and all the traveling that made it seem to speed by. The 25th seemed to come upon us before I was totally ready- but we did make some beautiful memories along the way, and the best news is- it's not over yet! My dad and family are visiting this week, and then my mom's side is coming up next weekend. Yay for never ending holidays!

But before time gets away from us, I wanted to record some of the special times we've shared so far this season:

Trip to Philly

Do I love a six hour drive on the turnpike? Hardly, but when you have a dozen or so family members on the other end waiting to greet you and (more importantly) hold your baby, you go willingly. Our trip this time was as busy as ever. We crammed in visits with both sides of Dustin's family, as well as some friends. I snapped pictures constantly, and posing with our snuggle bunny soon became mandatory (not that I heard anyone complain) I could (and did) assemble an entire album of Piper sleeping on various people's chests.

Seasonal outfits

Try as I might to avoid turning Piper into a Toddlers and Tiaras type spectacle, I do find myself getting caught up in the fun of playing baby dress up. The holidays are just too good of an excuse to pass up. Even this non girlie girl knows Christmas is the time for velvet dresses. Plus I figure we only have a couple years where she's going tolerate donning footie pj's, so I'm milking it. And is there anything funnier than a baby in an ugly sweater?

Christmas trimmings

I warned you that we weren't going all out (or even halfway out, really) but we did manage to get at least a teeny bit festive. Our Christmas pandora stations (yep- two! Call me a Scrooge now!) have been in heavy rotation, I managed to update our stockings, (I'm in love with the new ones!) and I hung Christmas cards (loooove getting all this fun mail!). And of course there was the task of wrapping our presents. We're still going strong with the brown paper (a tradition that is at least 3 years running) but I updated them with yarn and paper snowflakes this year.

Time together

We are lucky that I'm off work this year, and Dustin took a week vacation too, so we can hang out as a fam. Yes, our time has been packed full of actives, but we've still managed to steal away for little moments just the two (or more often, three) of us. We've had long talks in the car, cuddled, and enjoyed parenting together- giving baths, changing diapers, tag teaming burping. And we even got away from the munchkin for a few minutes here and there. (we had a few people who graciously offered to hold her...and maybe never let go).

It's been a wonderful week, lots of laughing, lots of presents, lots of hugging and lots (LOTS) of eating, and it's gotten me even more excited for Cheistmas round two and three...

Sleepy Bear

2011-12-28T12:00:00.001-05:00

So cozy....have to hibernate...

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T09:00:00.000-05:00

It's Christmas! Throw on a hat, climb in your santa bucket, and celebrate with those you love.

Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Momma Bear

2011-12-23T09:21:00.002-05:00

In the beginning I was stunned by her. Who is this moose of a child suddenly emerging from my womb?

Then I was perplexed by her. Who is this piglet of a infant, snorting, and snuffling all hours of the day?

Sometimes I am aggravated by her. Who is this bug of a girl, crying and pestering to be fed, and changed, and burped, and held, and fed some more?

She challenges me, she surprises me, she exhausts me, she betters me, she confuses me, she (yes...) bothers me, she astounds me. She humbles me.

She is my baby bear, and I love her fiercely.

There Must Be a Pony!

2011-12-17T12:32:00.000-05:00

In Piper's nursery, we have a chalkboard wall, with some hand drawn "art" (various scribbles by me, not sure they count as art exactly...) but in one of the frames I put a print of a book cover- "There Must Be a Pony"

A while back I bought a set of Penguin postcards, and I've framed some of my favorites. (you can see a few more here). I chose them strictly based on colors or illustrations I liked, not on the actual books (out of all of the titles, I don't think I've ever read any of them!) so I didn't think much about including this one in Piper's room- I just thought it sounded funny, I liked the pink, and the horse's goofy little grin.

But then my mom told me the origin of the title. In case you don't know it, I'll share it with you:

It's a joke about twin boys about five or six years old. Worried that the boys had developed extreme personalities -- one was a total pessimist, the other a total optimist -- their parents took them to a psychiatrist.

First the psychiatrist treated the pessimist. Trying to brighten his outlook, the psychiatrist took him to a room piled to the ceiling with brand-new toys. But instead of yelping with delight, the little boy burst into tears. "What's the matter?" the psychiatrist asked, baffled. "Don't you want to play with any of the toys?" "Yes," the little boy bawled, "but if I did I'd only break them."

Next the psychiatrist treated the optimist. Trying to dampen his outlook, the psychiatrist took him to a room piled to the ceiling with horse manure. But instead of wrinkling his nose in disgust, the optimist emitted just the yelp of delight the psychiatrist had been hoping to hear from his brother, the pessimist. Then he clambered to the top of the pile, dropped to his knees, and began gleefully digging out scoop after scoop with his bare hands. "What do you think you're doing?" the psychiatrist asked, just as baffled by the optimist as he had been by the pessimist. "With all this manure," the little boy replied, beaming, "there must be a pony in here somewhere!"

I typically consider myself an optimist, but this takes it to an inspiring extreme. Because while I do try to see the bright side of things, my personality includes a hefty dose of realism. When I am presented with life's "piles of horse manure", more often than not, my response is to get aggravated and disappointed, complain, and generally do whatever I can to get out of that situation. The optimist kid, on the other hand, saw beyond the crap (literally), and was open to...and hopeful for...the possibility of something good.

Though this story can easily led to a trite and cliche lesson, it still stuck with me as an interesting illustration of a powerful concept. Life as a new mom (or a worker, or a student, or a...anything really) is full of piles of manure at times, and it's easy to get bogged down in it, and jump to the negative. It's much harder to look past it, or even deeper into it to find the pony. And I know it's not always that simple- maybe not every bad thing we encounter is created by something beautiful. But I believe that there is some truth to the idea that there is always something good to be found if you have the right attitude.

But beyond just encouraging me to adopt a Pollyanna outlook, I think the most striking part of the story is that the boy not only believed there must be a pony- he was willing to jump into the pile, and dig through the poo to find it. He didn't stand idly by, spouting off platitudes about how "everything happens for a reason" or my personal least favorite: "...God opens a window". He believed in the possibility of something positive, and he set out to find it, even if that meant wading through the muck for a bit. I'm certain he wasn't immune to the smell, or the dirt, and I imagine he wasn't any more enthusiastic about the amount of work the endeavor would entail than the average person. I bet he's like the rest of us that think poop is gross, and digging through it is even grosser. The difference is his attitude, and his choice in spite of his common belief. If all of us were confronted with the same problem, some of us would end up isolated in the corner, attempting to shield ourselves from the negative, ultimately missing out on any experience at all. Many of us would end up angry, frustrated, wallowing in self pity. And the unavoidable fact is that regardless of our choices, just by being in the room, all of us would end up covered in stink, despite our efforts to avoid it. The boy embraced that fact, dove in, and- I believe in the unwritten ending- ends up riding off on a pony.

There is some irony to the fact that this picture is hanging above Piper's changing table. A spot where ten times a day I actually do have to scoop my way through poop. But hopefully I can emulate that second little boy, and my story will include me embracing my pony- the stinky, but beautiful little girl that created all that mess.

So what are your piles of poo? What are the ponies that are potentially hiding within them?
And what are you willing to go through to find them?

Santa Baby

2011-12-15T11:08:00.001-05:00

Last Sunday, we woke up early for some festive family fun. You see, there's a little penguin at our house who is working on her Christmas list, so we needed to bring her to the man in charge- Santa! Luckily, our office has a connection, and had set up a breakfast with him, and Ms. Claus.

But before she could meet jolly old St. Nick, of course we had to get her dolled up in some winter duds...

As you can see she was overwhelmed by excitement.

But when we finally got to our destination (the hotel for the breakfast was in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, which might as well be the North Pole) she perked up a bit...

The banquet room was pretty busy- apparently this Santa guy is kind of a big deal- so we got in line right away to take advantage of her good mood. I was willing to skip breakfast if she had a meltdown. But miss a chance at a photo op? Not a chance. Piper was content to show off to our coworkers while we waited, and even let me pop a headband on her before we got to the front.

Visiting Santa was never a big tradition for me growing up, but I know enough about it to know that sitting the lap of some some stranger in a suit is enough to make most kids freak out. I hoped maybe Piper was young enough to not realize the potential terror of the situation, and allow for a few cute pics.

We got the obligatory "I have no idea what's happening" photo (her current face of choice).

But my favorite is this gem:

"Santa, you're boring me...give me some presents and lets get this over with..."

(and can we talk about that Santa? Not exactly the most realistic St. Nick I've ever seen, but what he lacked in authenticity, he made up for in friendliness. During our turn, he must have said Merry Christmas about a hundred times- I didn't have the heart to tell him Piper couldn't care less...)

But she didn't cry, so we took it as a win, and moved on to breakfast...With a few more pics of course:

And we even got a family portrait in front of a tree...(she was even less enthused by this if you can imagine, but you can't blame her, by the end, she was a sleepy polar bear cub.)

Merry 10 days 'til Christmas!

Twelve Dates of Christmas

2011-12-12T13:00:00.000-05:00

Are you ready for December's resolution?

For our new tradition, Dustin and I will be going on 12 Dates of Christmas!

I saw this on another blog and I love the idea. The details are pretty much wide open, but my goal is for Dustin and me to set aside time to spend together during the holiday season (Thanksgiving to New Years). Life has been a little nuts around here, and it's easy for Miss Piper to take over all of our time (and conversations, and energy, and money, and...) I thought it would be good for us to make an effort to keep some of the romance, spontaneity, and simple fun from our pre-Piper days. Sure, the little bug will have to tag along with us most of the time, and sometimes our dates won't actually involve going anywhere, but I'm still looking forward to having some special time with Dustin in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the season.

So far we've logged at least 5 dates, if you count casual lunches, fast food dinners, and one baby-free trip to the grocery store (I argue that in the early days with an infant, these things count). I'm hoping that as we get a bit more comfortable carting the little one around (or *gasp* leaving her with someone else!), our dates will get a bit more ambitious. We've got a few fun things planned- a trip to the Strip District, a night out for sushi, and maybe even a holiday party or two. It doesn't really matter what we do, it's just about being intentional, being present, and being together.

I think it'll be a good for us to end each year with an extra special focus on our relationship. Because as much as we love our little girl, we want our marriage to be the foundation of our family, and are committed to making the effort to put each other first. As the years progress, I know our holidays will continue to be filled with traveling, and presents, and crafts, and pageants, and cookies: all the fun and festive trappings of traditional Christmases. But the first, and most important of our family traditions will be to love each other.
Times twelve.

Times infinity.

Strike a Pose

2011-12-09T21:55:00.003-05:00

She's pretty patient with me...

She waited until I took all 34 photo options before she threw up all over her rug.

Lesson learned, kid.

(and by that I mean- I won't make her suffer through another silly photoshoot for at least a couple days....)

(but seriously, can you blame me? look at those adorable faces! I have to capture every one! And then smother them with kisses!)

(also- do you not have the urge to write a caption for each photo? go ahead...pick your favorite and tell us what Piper's thinking...I choose #9- "Mom, stop taking stupid pictures, I'm about to barf on the rug!")

Wouldn't it be nice: December

2011-12-08T10:18:00.000-05:00

Can you believe it's already December? I sound like an old lady- where does the time go?

But really, this year flew by, just like they always do, and now it's time for my final resolution of 2011. This months goal:

Start a Tradition

When I made up this resolution a while ago, I was thinking it would be perfect for the new baby. Like most people, I have tons of childhood memories tied to the Christmas season, and

many are involve traditions that we repeated year after year. As I think about our future with Piper (and maybe, just maybe more children) I'm excited to introduce some of those traditions into our family, as well as make some new ones of our own.

But as it turns out- I'm not quite in the holiday spirit this year. (You may remember a similar attitude from the last two years) Don't get me wrong, I'm looking forward to Christmas, but the excitement of the season has gotten a little overshadowed by the whole "new baby" vortex that is our life right now. There's a part of me that wants to do the holidays up in grand style to officially celebrate Baby's! First! Christmas! But a much (much) bigger part of me thinks: She'll never remember this year, let's plop her on Santa's lap, snap a photo and skip the rest of the work this time around. So that's pretty much what we're going to do. My goals for commemorating Piper's first Christmas are as follows:

Get her picture taken with Santa. I think we did this exactly one time when I was a kid- on my first Christmas. So I can't promise this will make a repeat event, but it's worth a shot.
Make (or more likely buy) her a stocking. I never really loved the stockings I made Dustin and I when we got married, so I'm using Piper as an excuse to right that wrong, and get a trio of new stockings for the Bowden house. I should probably get on it soon, but then again, if I wait long enough maybe they'll go on sale!
Visit Dustin's family. This year, we're going to make the trek to Philly to spend some time with everyone there. I'm excited to introduce Piper to the rest of her family- including her grandparents, and Great-Grandma!

annnnnnd...that might be about it. We may not doing all the traditional decorating, baking, party hosting etc. but I'm excited to spend time as a new little family.

And fear not- Even though we're not starting an official family tradition as I originally expected, that doesn't mean I'm bailing on the resolution- We're actually doing something I'm pretty excited about. Stay tuned for that update....

...ooooh the suspense!

In the meantime, I leave you with a pic of our little sugar plum. Something tells me we'll make footie pajamas a tradition around here.

Life with a Baby: First Month Must Haves

2011-12-04T20:32:00.002-05:00

Today marks the official one-month mark since Piper's grand entrance into the world. To say we're still getting the hang of this parenting thing is an understatement, but each day we get a little more experienced (or at least less frighteningly naive). So no, we are by no means any type of experts, but we have learned a lot in the last 30 days.

When preparing for Piper's arrival, we tried to not go crazy with the baby gear, and reigned in our registry as much as possible. But babies still amass a lot of gear, no matter what you do. For newbies like us, it's hard to determine what's worth the hype, and what's a waste of money and space. And of course, there is some truth to the idea that all you need to raise a baby are some diapers and boobs. But aside from the true bare necessities, there are a few items that after my short month as a mom, I personally deem "must haves". Half for posterity, and half to help any of you that are about to embark on the parenthood journey for the first time, I've recorded some of our MVP's (most-valuable products). It's by no means an exhaustive list, there are certainly many more things that we use (and love) on a day-to-day basis, but so far, we've found a few favorites that I wouldn't want to do without. (Official disclaimer: Everyone's experience, and baby, and body, etc and so on, are different, so while this list got us through our first month, you might hate it all.) Check it:

For Baby
Clockwise from top left:

Vibrating pack and play- We've been getting up 2-3 times each night, so having Piper in our room saves us a few bleary eyed steps each time (and having her close makes me sleep easier as I can monitor her little snuffles without worrying about cryptic noises through the baby monitor). And the vibrating feature on the basinet is awesome. It soothes her, and we've found can occasionally be used as a "snooze button" of sorts to trick her into five more minutes of sleep. (don't judge).
Disposable changing covers- You know what's really fun? Having Piper poop as I'm changing her diaper. I mean, we're talking three times a week fun. She just loves it. These little sheets save us from washing the cloth cover every time she gets the urge to go (over and over again).
Miracle blanket- They call it that for a reason. It may not be an actual life-saver, but our little snuggler loves a swaddle, and this is the only one we found that she can't weasel her way out of.
snug a bunny chair- It makes the baby look like she has bunny ears. Done.
Sleep sacks- These are Piper's nightly uniform...she has at least 8, and we go occasionally go through a couple in a night (see must have #2). Not having to wrestle with snaps or tiny little footies is priceless when you're changing several diapers a night- usually with the lights off, and sometimes with your eyes shut.
Diaper rash stick- We got this because it's safe for cloth diapers (vs. traditional creams) and it works great. (Dustin swears it's just a giant version of climb-on...which wouldn't really surprise me. That stuff is crazy good.)

But it's not alllll about the baby. I've found a few must-haves for myself too.

For Mom

Clockwise from top left:

Nursing pads- Ok, I actually pretty much hate these, BUT they do get the job done (and by job, I mean protecting my clothes from the never ending milk buffet I'm serving these days. Isn't motherhood fun?)
Flax seed- no one warned me to up my fiber intake after giving birth...but it turns out it's necessary to you know...move things along. Allow me to warn you. Sprinkle this on pretty much anything...it doesn't taste like much, but even if it was terrible, it'd be worth it!
Nursing tanks- I bought a bunch of sports bra type pieces, and a few tanks as well (underwires are a no-no at this stage of the game) but I didn't love any of them. They were shapeless and sloppy, and lumpy and dumpy (or was that me?) But these are great- they're form fitting, without being excessively tight, they're long enough to actually cover your body, and the best part- they have a bit of padding in the cups for some extra coverage and camouflage (you know, for those lame nursing pads you have to wear).
Plastic cup- This thing is my constant companion. You wouldn't believe how thirsty I can get these days, and with all the pills I have to pop, it's helpful to have a drink handy at all times.
iPhone-How? HOW? did people survive without iphones? I am totally that person now- the one that's obsessed with her phone, but when you're tied to a baby for multiple hours a day, the iphone is your saving grace. I have constant access to email and texting, which helps me not feel isolated, and apps like facebook and pinterest help keep me awake during 4AM feedings. Oh- and without babybix to track Piper's daily activities (i.e. meals and bathroom habits) I'd have pretty much no clue about anything.
heating pad- This was as close to a lifesaver as it gets. I have a traditional electric heating pad as well (which I used nightly too) but this little guy can be heated up in the microwave, and forms nicely to your body.
Elastic waist pants- I was lucky enough to lose a lot of the baby weight quickly (perhaps the only perk of delivering a moose of a baby...) but even if you're in that same camp, don't kid yourself, you will not want to wear jeans. And I've found that sweatpants (or their slightly more modern cousin- the yoga pant) can crush your spirit after a while. I had two pairs of slouchy cargos from aerie that I wore before I was pregnant, all the way through my pregnancy, and even home from the hosipital. They're just as comfortable as sweats, but make you look put together without any effort-the very definition of must-have for a new mom.

But I would be remiss if I didn't share the one thing I couldn't do without:

Honestly. I'd be lost without Dustin. If I could somehow clone him for all new moms to put on their registry I would. He has taken care of me in a way that I never expected I would need, and I can truly say I don't know what I would do without him. He adores his daughter and puts the needs of his two girls above and beyond anything else. In the past month he has taught me (again) what it means to have a servant's heart, and continues to show me what it is to love someone whole heartedly. And that is a must have.

Rub a Dub Dub

2011-12-01T15:38:00.000-05:00

When describing Piper's first sponge bath out our house, a few words come to mind- screaming, weeping, gnashing of teeth...

Not exactly the most adorable photo-op.

I was so looking forward to baby bath time...the sweet smelling baby soap, the cute little hooded baby towels, the squeaky clean cuddly baby. At no point did my dream contain a miserable, wailing child that is behaving as if we're ripping out her toenails, rather than just patting her with a washcloth. We learned quickly that piper hates being cold. HATES it (she may look like Dustin, but there is a little bit of me in there for sure). And unfortunately, it's really hard to keep a baby warm during a sponge bath. We certainly tried to make her comfy cozy, but in the end- we settled for speed. If we couldn't make it enjoyable, at least we could make it fast.

So for her second bath, I thought I learned a lesson. I decided to relocate the operation to the bathroom tub. I made special effort to heat the room before hand....I had all of our supplies ready, I made sure the water was warm, we got her in the tub....

And she screamed. Oh did she scream. Turns out no amount of preparation could change the fact that she just hates the bath.

Her third bath? Utter failure again. (In her defense, it was 11:30pm, and it was a bit of an urgent situation as she had just thrown up all over her jammies.)

So I resigned myself to having a bath-hating baby. We wouldn't star in any John and Johnson commercials, but I figured we could suffer through a quick scrub every few days.

But then her umbilical stump fell off (yuck!)- which allowed us to change up our strategy- we could skip the sponging, and take a "real" bath. For our first attempt, we were at my mom's house, so we didn't have an official baby bathtub, but a beverage tub works in a pinch, right?

So was she just as miserable in deeper water?

No!

As we lowered her in the water, and started to splash around a bit, I kept waiting for wailing to begin...But it didn't! I wouldn't say she looooved it (hard to say when she can't smile yet) but she seemed perfectly content the whole time.

She even lounged long enough for us to take some pictures. And dream of dreams, when it was over, we wrapped her up in a little hooded towel, and she cuddled right up. No tears.

I mean really, is there anything cuter than a baby in a hooded towel? I struggle to even put clothes on her after seeing her like this. Ever day, a new hooded towel. Should be good until at least kindergarten, right?

She was even checking herself out a bit...

And fortunately, the joy extended to our next attempt when we got home. We plopped her into her own little tub, and after a few tears, she settled in just fine.

And then we got to wear another hooded towel. Success!

It's the simple things right? Happy bathtime everyone!

Good morning mustache

2011-11-29T09:11:00.001-05:00

My husband is pretty much awesome.

(and if you pose right you can have funny little hat AND a mustache. Bonus!)

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T11:51:00.001-05:00

With love from our 10lb baby turkey.

It's Hard Out There for a Mom

2011-11-20T12:50:00.004-05:00

I have never been an extremely empathetic person. It's not that I'm not caring, or capable of feeling for others, it just doesn't come as naturally to me as it does to others. I tend to be a pretty logical thinker, which often leads me to seeing things in black and white, whereas empathy requires a certain grey area that I don't always see right away.

So before, when I heard stories of the struggles of motherhood, I didn't fully understand. Sure, I figured being a mom was hard, but without the whole "walking a mile in their shoes" thing, I didn't fully get it. I remember seeing a bumper sticker on a car a few months ago that read "You don't work full time until you're a mom". I scoffed at it, thinking the driver was a self-righteous woman begging for attention and pity about how rough her life is. I mean, I worked full time, plus volunteered with Young Life and church, plus lead a small group etc and so on. Could having a couple of kids running around really make it so much harder?

Yes. Oh my lands, yes.

I'm only two weeks in to my new life as a mom, and let me just tell you. It is hard.

Getting up three times every night. Is hard.

When she cries emphatic, inconsolable tears, being the only one that can fix it. Is hard.

Feeling like you're going back on the internal promise to not turn into one of those lame mommy bloggers. Is hard.

Having all your muscles hurt, not being able to sit, or stand, or lay comfortably. Is hard.

Trying to dress to accommodate a between-sizes body, and maintain constant access to the boobs. Is hard.

Being needed, so badly needed, every two hours. Is hard.

Having to strategize time to shower, or eat, or poop (yeah, I went there, we're in the trust tree now). Is hard.

Managing crazy emotions, including random crying jags. Is hard.

Learning to rely on others, and feeling like you're burdening people with your weakness and neediness. Is hard.

Being alone all day (not counting a tiny nonverbal, poop machine). Is hard.

Feeling woefully underprepared and unqualified for the job of raising a human. Is hard.

Feeling like you can't possibly rise to this challenge, and feeling guilty for feeling that way. Is hard.

When they say "having a baby changes everything." They mean every. thing. In an abstract way I knew our lives would be different, but I thought maybe it'd be different in an "us + 1" kind of way. In reality, that +1 has completely changed who "us" is. I'm not just me with a baby. I'm a mom. And as much as I didn't want it to change me. It has. In ways that I don't even know or understand yet. Yes, tons of it is positive. I have a capacity to love like I never have, I've gained a new sense of family, I've found a nurturing and care-taking side of myself that I didn't always exercise. But so much is changing so fast, it's hard for me to even find myself in the midst of it. Navigating new situations, while barely knowing who you are, and how you fit in this new foreign life- is hard.

When I think of moms I know, my own mom, or even crazy licensee plate mom, I just want to apologize. I had no idea. No idea how hard it was. How brave you are. How lonely you might have been. Or how much you may have needed support and understanding. I have walked about a block and a half in "mom-shoes" and I have a glimpse of how difficult the journey can be at times. Thankfully I have an adorable baby, and a fantastic husband to come along side me in the trek. And a God that is teaching me patience, endurance, humility, love, and empathy.

The hard way.

America's Next Top Baby Model

2011-11-17T16:42:00.001-05:00

Before I had Piper, I always said that if my baby wasn't cute, I would know it. I would still love it, but refused to be one of those delusional moms that forces people into watching slideshows of their wrinkly, red, alien faced babies, cooing the entire time about how a-DOR-able it is. (You gotta see the bay-bee!).

So when I say my baby is cute, you have to believe me...For real. My baby is cute.

For the first week or so I could barely get up to move around, but that didn't stop my dream to do a newborn photoshoot of my girl. By the time she was a week old I felt good enough (or was just tired of waiting) to make it happen. I had no clue what I was doing, but I figured we'd give it a shot anyway. Luckily Dustin was accommodating (when is he not?) to my trademark over ambition, and helped me set up props, backdrops and ladders all over her nursery. We cranked up the portable heater and had a heating pad on standby as well- resulting in near tropical temperatures that had us sweating like pigs, but Piper loved every cozy minute of it. In fact, once we got it that warm, it was hard to even get her to sleep. I thought all the warmth and activity would knock her out, but she seemed to love it, and refused to shut her eyes. (well....she does still like to shut one eye sometimes, giving us a look we've dubbed Pirate Piper) Eventually though we were able to lull her to sleep and get some shots of our little nugget.

It's a struggle for me not to take photos of her all day, and between both of our cameras, and two iphones we've probably documented more of her first two weeks than our parents did our whole lives, but can I help it that she's the most adorable kid ever born?

You gotta see the baby...

I may be biased...but I can't even choose a favorite pic. I guess she's my favorite...every last bit of her.

Wouldn't it be nice: November

2011-11-15T20:42:00.000-05:00

Ahhhh maternity leave...12 weeks off of work, no cares in the world, just total baby bonding bliss...

Right?

I really didn't know what to expect with maternity leave. The part of me that is used to working nonstop thinks I'm going to be wildly bored. And the part of me that is tired of working nonstop, thinks I might love the opportunity to slow down for a bit.

But I am worried about feeling like I have enough to do. I know the whole "taking care of the baby" thing will fill a majority of my time, but as a naive first time mom, I do wonder sometimes how hard that can all be. Surely between the feeding, napping and diaper changes there's still ample down time right? I mean, I'm eliminating at least 40 hours of obligations a week...There can't possibly be that much baby poop (I hope, I hope)!

But then again, I've heard the horror stories of stay at home moms- never getting sleep, or even a chance to pee, let alone take a shower. People say the first couple months are totally exhausting and overwhelming and that it's accomplishment just to make it through each day.

I'm sure that as with most things, the truth lies somewhere in the middle, so I'm interested to find out what my experience is. I'm such a planner it's hard for me to jump into a new experience with no idea where I'll fall on the spectrum. But the one thing I have heard consistently is that the time goes quickly, so regardless, I want to make sure I savor it, and make the most of it. The question is just what does "make the most of it" mean?

Is it spending all day snuggling my little baby bundle, or taking advantage of the free time in the day to get things done? Can it somehow be both?

No one has the answer to that, but I recently read about an idea that I really liked...so much so that I made it my resolution for November. I found an article about being a new mom (unfortunately I can't remember where I saw it...It might have been from Rookie Moms- a great source for clueless women like me!) that talked about giving up the idea of a to-do list...Because in the crazy first days of caring for a newborn baby, it can be self defeating to set your goals too high. That much life change is overwhelming, and having a list can lead to a sense of failure if you're not able to manage everything as well as you think you "should". (In general the very concept of "should" becomes a bad word in the world of mommy-hood. Too much room for negativity and guilt).

They suggest instead of crafting to-do's, focus on recording your "I did's". Imagine the sense of accomplishment of being able to cross everything off of your list at the end of the day...Because you wrote your list at the end of the day. And only included things you did! Sure, it's kind of cheating, but who's going to argue with 100% success rate?!

So in the month of November, as my girl and I settle in to our brand new lives together, I'm trying to cut myself some slack, and take pride in what I do get done...even if that's just keeping the little one alive (not exactly a small task). Problem is I am a HUGE to-do list person. Mostly it's not bad, because it keeps me motivated and organized, but when tasks linger day after day it does lead to stress and a feeling that I should be better. That's not at all how I want to remember these precious few weeks with my daughter, so I'm attempting at least a temporary view shift, and will aim to focus more on my successes than pie in the sky goals. Sure, I'll have tasks that need to get done, or projects I want to attempt, which is fine- but hopefully I can relax a bit and settle into the pace of being a new mom. If some days I cheer just for getting out of bed, then so be it. (and some days I think I'll stay in bed on purpose...productivity be darned).

Piper has been home with us for a little over a week (we came home last Sunday) and I've already seen the need for the new mindset. I mistakenly thought I would waltz right out of the hospital without issue but it's taken me longer than I expected to heal. I expected to spend the first week focused solely on my baby's needs, but I've found that I needed full time care and attention too. As a result, I've had to morn the loss of some postpartum dreams I didn't even know I had. It was so hard for me to readjust my expectations, and realize that not only was I not going to be supermom, I would have to ask for help with everything. It was a struggle for me not to feel like a failure when I couldn't hobble across the room to pick up my daughter, and had to leave the bulk of her care (minus the feeding) to Dustin or my mom. I cried daily, wishing I could just sit up to feed and burp her, sad that I couldn't have people over to meet her, upset that I didn't have the energy or the stamina to do the simplest of tasks, like bathing or dressing her. So I had to make a choice, instead of beating myself over what I couldn't do (which in the short term, included almost everything), I had to focus on what I could do. I ate healthy, drank tons of fluids, tried to sleep as much as possible, and fed her every couple of hours without fail. That may not have been my ideal to-do list in the beginning, but it was the best I-did list I could muster.

And so far, Piper is just fine. She gained a pound in just a week, confirmation that I was at least doing something right. Dustin got some valuable Daddy-time before he returned to work, and my mom got to spend a ton of time with her granddaughter, as well as taking care of me, (which she swears she enjoys). And for my part, I've learned a little bit about being vulnerable, and accepting help from others. Imagine that- motherhood taking me on a journey I didn't anticipate, and teaching me lessons I didn't expect. Something tells me there's much more of that to come.

So all that being said- here is my "I Did" list from today:

Feed and change Piper by myself- I managed to do such impressive tasks as sitting and standing, which allowed me to burp her, take her to her room to change her, and even nurse her from a chair, rather than bed. Thank heaven for small miracles.
Take a nap- I didn't prioritize sleep enough over the last couple of days, and ended up exhausted by early evening. Today I shut an US weekly (the self control!) and took advantage of Piper's nap as a chance to take my own.
Dry my hair- and not just the front. I went the extra mile, using a straightening iron and skipping a headband- hot mama!
Try cloth diapers- We want to give cloth diapering a shot, but with me out of commission, it didn't seem like the ideal time to start. But today we had some downtime, and enough energy to give them a try. We haven't come even close to mastering it, but we're at least attempting it.
Leave the house- this was HUGE. I missed both of Piper's first pediatrician appointments, which broke my heart, but I was in no shape to get in the car or sit in a waiting room. Up until today my only trip outside the house was to see my doctor and beg for more drugs, so any sort of voluntary outing was a big accomplishment. My mom helped me out (no driving while on Percocet!) and we mastered such firsts as packing the diaper bag, and using the car seat. We spent a blissful hour at Target, purchasing no less than $200 worth of goodies, and generally restoring my sense of being a normal human again. Retail therapy for sure.
Eat pie. C'mon, every list needs a gimme.

So that's November's focus- a goal to have fewer goals. It may be harder than I think, but I have a feeling that is the new theme of my life. And I'm ok with that.

Making Maternity Memories

2011-11-13T12:01:00.008-05:00

Little Miss Piper is surely taking over around here, and it's equal parts completely strange to have a baby in house, and utterly unimaginable that there was a time that we didn't know her. But indeed there were pre-Piper days...lots of them, and we were lucky enough to get to document the very end of our baby-less life with a maternity photoshoot.

As soon as I got pregnant (ok, and WAY before) I knew I wanted to do a maternity shoot. It's not that I exactly love getting my picture taken- I'm kind of indifferent to that- I just love the idea of recording the crazy stage of life. And though we snap photos all the time around here, we haven't had anything professional taken since our wedding, so my baby bump seemed like the perfect excuse to do a real deal photoshoot.

Luckily we are friends with a super talented photographer (he didn't pay us to say that...we actually paid him!) Anthony Barlich, and he was up for the challenge of capturing my big self on film. He had never actually done a maternity shoot before, but we figured it's pretty much the same as engagement pictures...if the girl in question had gotten herself "in trouble". (For what it's worth, I was probably more nervous than he was- I sort of hated having our engagement pictures taken...it felt awkward to stand around stage-kissing and looking lovingly at each other while someone watched. Imagine now having to just stand around like a lump trying to "glow" for the camera. Strange!) I did have pretty strict rules for him though- I refused to take off my shirt (you can tell how big the belly is through a layer of cotton...no need to get graphic), I would not be wrapped in any sort of sheet or gauzy fabric, and Dustin was not to put his hands on my belly in the shape of a heart at any point (or kiss the belly. no.) It's fine if that's what you're in to...that's just not my scene. So we agreed to keep it as non-cheesy as possible, and I trusted Barlich to capture the maternity magic of it all without the cliches.

We actually had to postpone the shoot once because the time he planned to be back in Pittsburgh (from his sweet Chicago life) I didn't think I was big enough yet. I told him that's probably the first and last time he'll have a client push a date back because they want to gain some weight! By the time he was back in town, I was exactly one week away from my due date- so we were no longer worried that I was too small- we were just hoping I was still actually pregnant by the time he got there. But our little girl stayed put, God blessed us with the most beautiful day we've had in weeks, I put my "I'll look fat, and dumb,and lame" worries aside, and Dustin put on a sweater! And big boy shoes! We were ready...

And Barlich brought his A-game.

I am in love with what he captured, and so thankful that we were able to set aside an afternoon to record the end of an era.

I tried to narrow it down to my favorites here, but I pretty much love them all...so the whole batch is posted on Facebook. Thanks again to Barlich for all of your hard work to make this special for us. Even Piper agrees that you were a wizard at capturing her good side..and she's a tough critic.

Sweet Piper Jane

2011-11-11T20:47:00.009-05:00

Piper Jane Bowden
Born 11/4/11
8:29 PM
8lbs 12oz
21.5" long

One week ago we were anxiously awaiting your arrival. Now we're slowly but surely getting to know the newest member of our family. So far we've learned:

You love to be swaddled, and have taught your daddy how to get your arms secured tightly so you can't escape.
You hate being naked, or cold, or naked and cold.
You love to sleep, happily snoozing through the day (in fact I think we only see your eyes about twenty minutes a day).
You hate baths. (see: naked, cold.)
You love to eat. In the rare moments you aren't sleeping, you want to be eating (can't say that I blame you).
You hate to be kept waiting- when you're hungry, you're hungry now. You'll give a small warning by smacking your lips and turning your head side to side looking for food...but if we don't heed that, it's cry time. Big time.
You love to pee on your grandma whenever she changes your diapers. (we secretly think it's pretty funny, but you should probably stop before she starts to think you don't like her.)

You are a girl with a thousand faces, a total snugglebug, a poop machine, a calm soul with a passionate streak. You are our sweet Piper Jane.

We may have only known you a week...but we're in love forever.

Baby B's New Digs

2011-11-01T22:03:00.000-04:00

No...we didn't have the baby yet (she is due today...but seems to be pretty comfy where she is!) But we have the next best thing: The baby's ROOM! I sort of scooped myself on this one, posting the first look at Baby B's room on Project Nursery- but thanks to all of your views and Facebook "likes", we were featured as Project of the Week (thanks everyone!!), so I really can't be upset that Bowdenisms didn't carry our own exclusive. (p.s. people have been asking what I "win" for being chosen....and I'm pretty sure it's just bragging rights. And so I'm bragging!!)

But it gets even better...another one of my favorite nursery blogs (yes, I have many!) Chic & Cheap Nursery, is featuring our room too! Check out our post- with lots more details and photos!

So for anyone still here...even though you've already seen some of the shots, there is (much much) more to the story, and we're excited to show you where our little bug will be spending her time. First: A reminder of what we started with:

A mixture of a blank slate...and a complete mess.

First step was to remove the wallpaper. And OH MAN what a task this was. We didn't realize the room even had wallpaper when we first moved in because the walls were all painted with a seasonal mural. We painted over that with a light grey, but it took about a million coats to fully cover it. Only when we were done did we discover that there were seams on the walls...telling us we had now fully sealed about 8 paint layers over wallpaper. Ugh. This time around we could have painted over it again, but we were worried that it was going to start to bubble, and in the long run, starting with clean walls would be a better choice. And we had already removed wallpaper from the guest bedroom, so how hard could it be, right? Spoiler alert- really freaking hard. The paint had pretty much formed an impenetrable force field over the wallpaper. We spent the better portion of a week steaming, scraping, and silently praying the paper off the walls. Thank goodness we had help.

But eventually we reached that light at the end of the tunnel, and we were ready to paint (well...prime...and then paint...)

I knew I wanted grey walls, and after much hemming and hawing (my signature move when it comes to selecting paint) I chose Mickey's Shadow. Yes, it hurts my design pride a little to say I picked a Disney paint (for a nursery! so cliche!), but it's really a gorgeous color. The bigger undertaking was my plan for the ceiling- STRIPES! I had seen a few inspiration images with striped ceilings, and fallen in love. Dustin tried everything to talk me out of it, but it was too late. My heart was set on it. Thank goodness (again!) we had help!

Taping off the ceiling was quite a task- it took three of us, a laser level and a math degree, but we got it done. (in this first photo you can see that we tried no less than four variations of grey for the ceiling. I had the paint mixed at least twice, and hated both, so I eventually resorted to mixing white ceiling paint in the grey until I deemed it acceptable. See? Signature move!)

(look at my mom- what a trooper!)

And it ended up being everything I dreamed of. (Just to be extra thorough we painted all the trim with a fresh coat of white. Nothing is too good for our baby!)

The other thing I knew I couldn't live without (dramatic is my decorating style): a chalkboard wall. Dustin happily obliged, but in hindsight we should have realized we wanted it to be magnetic before we painted with the chalkboard paint. Could have saved us hours of work....but I digress.

Next big project: The changing table dresser. We were super lucky to get a dresser for free from my mom's neighbor. It wasn't in the best shape- note the giant hole in the top, accompanied by circles of putty from the previous patch job...

We ended up having to do this piece twice, after our first attempt to patch the hole with wood filler and cover with veneer was a big bubbly failure. (of course we didn't know it failed until after we painted it. The nursery was becoming headquarters for Murphy's law at this point). The second round we added a sheet of flat white-board paneling, which did the trick.

But the fun didn't stop there, It was time to rope Dustin into another "looks so easy, but will end up taking you all day and temporarily squelch your will to live" type of project: Converting an old ikea chair into a glider/rocker. It seemed like a simple enough concept- purchase an old recliner from craiglist, take off of the base, attach it to our existing chair, done. And in theory it was that simple- it just wasn't easy. If the base wasn't in the exact right spot the chair would tip funny, leaning too far to the front or back. Poor Dustin had to try about five different times to get it just right.

But his persistence paid off. We're rocking now!

At this stage in the game, I think I kind of ran out of steam when it came to documenting the rest of our progress. The big big projects were out of the way, but the list of to-dos was still daunting, so we put our heads done and set about gettin' 'er done. We tackled:

making "pelmet boxes" for the windows- a job that took an entire roll of duct tape, a glue gun, a staple gun, and wall brackets before successful completion. (nevermind the fact that I had to go through two rounds of fabric before finding one I liked)
sewing an ottoman cover (my first time making my own piping!), and an adjustable crib skirt (so refreshingly easy!)
assembling a rug- We spent roughly an hour comparing rugs at Ikea (not to mention weeks of online research), finally purchased one, only to get it home and hate it. Then inspiration struck when I found a doormat sized rug that I loved- I decided to give it a shot and order six, with the plan to assemble them into one giant rug. It worked out beautifully- but only after I ordered another round of six rugs because I wasn't totally thrilled with the color mix of the first few. We chose our favorite of the whole bunch and made one large rug. It's quite possibly my favorite thing in the room (which is really saying something). It's totally one of a kind, and was just as cheap as any other option we found.
building book ledges- This one was super easy (for me!) because I had the dream team of workers- Dustin, my dad, and my step dad. They custom built all eight shelves in one morning!
painting and hanging the frame collection- I painted a ton of frames we had laying around, found and made art for them all, nailed them up to the wall....and....hated it. It looked great by itself, but once we had all the books on the opposite wall, the room was just getting too busy. And the nails weren't working out well either- I was worried it would be all too easy for little roaming hands to knock them off the wall. So we started this project over too- stripping all the art, filling the holes, and instead attaching the frames to the wall with velcro. In the end, I much prefer this look, and it takes advantage of the chalkboard wall much better than the initial attempt.

After all that, we just had to assemble some furniture, place all our accessories, and our months long labor of love was over. Like most projects around here, it was a ton of work- at times much more than we bargained for. There were definitely points when were beyond frustrated, when I couldn't find the look I was going for, or when a project failed and we had to start over. But all of the late nights, and the repeat trips to Lowe's were worth it. We were able to build a room I'm extremely proud of- and totally in love with.

I think the only thing that would make this room better is having a little girl to sleep in it at night. Guess we've got one more thing on the to-do list after all.

Happy Halloween-Office edition

2011-10-31T17:00:00.000-04:00

So as much as I like this baby-to-be we have brewing here, I was a tad worried the little bug was going to cramp my Halloween style. My due date is one day after Halloween, so it makes for some tricky timing...Do I plan a maternity costume? Should I get a baby costume too, just in case? Is it a waste of time to make a costume at all? After all, I could have been in the hospital for the big day, rendering all of my hard work useless. (Yes, I might have been over thinking it a bit, but I do tend to take this kind of thing seriously...)

I hemmed and hawed over it for a while, and finally decided to give it a shot, and make a pregnant friendly costume. (and maybe I picked up a couple pseudo-costume outfits for the little one just in case). I didn't want to cut it too close though, so as the leader of the office costume party (now in our second year!) I made the call to have our party a week early, just to increase my chances of actually attending.

I wasn't sure how into the idea everyone was, after all, not everyone loves a costume as much as I do....But party ended up being a total success! We had about a dozen participants in the costume contest- which isn't bad considering there are only about 25 people on our team. And those who dressed up really went for it. Check it out:

We had Inspector Gadget, Madonna, Cruella Deville, a Native American, "Not Karen" (a sarcastic costume pun that he had to explain to me...), a peacock (with handmade feather tail!), Peter Pan, a softball player, Stock Ann (an inside office joke- thus, the runaway crowd favorite), and a gypsy. Well done everyone!

And me? I was the Very Hungry Caterpillar of course!

Yeah, I kind of look like a second grade project, but I'm ok with it. What I wasn't ok with, is how many people have never read The Very Hungry Caterpillar! Who raised these people? If you're one of these unfortunate souls unfamiliar with the genius that is Eric Carle, I suggest you fix that immediately. And not just because it'll make you appreciate my costume more...although it will (my forehead doesn't have a rash....the caterpillar's face is red! And my fruit isn't moldy...it's a take on the artist's watercolor style! details people!)

But even if everyone didn't dress up- they did all get into the spirit with the food! We had quite a spread, and I made my signature Spooky Punch. It's probably the easiest recipe I have, but it's become a staple at the office parties- I just alter it slightly to suit the theme (it's been tweaked into Shamrock Punch and Engagement Punch, depending on the occasion). I don't have photos, but I'll share the recipe and we'll call it even.

Spooky Punch:

1 two-liter of lemon-lime soda (I recommend diet)

1 container white grape juice (again if there is a low-calorie option...do it)

1 can frozen lemonade concentrate (lite??)- thawed

1 container sherbet (any flavor- I like lime or orange because they're the spookiest colors!)

1 pack gummy worms

Pour it all in a giant bowl, adding the sherbet and gummy worms last so it all foams up, and the worms float on top.

Last year I went all out, and froze red colored water in a latex glove, and then added the icy hand to the mix. Worth the effort! (if you're making it for a different occasion, skip the gummies- and severed hand- and change your sherbet flavor to match the color scheme.)

And if you think I'm being too health conscious with all the diet suggestions- trust me, it's for the best. The punch is delicious, but it gets really sugary, really fast. I made the "Full-octane" version this time, and we realized a little too late we should have instituted a 1 cup limit. But those are the risks you take with spooky punch I guess...

So we may have overindulged a bit, but overall it was a fun afternoon. And of course- with any costume contest, there had to be a winner...And more importantly- a trophy for that winner! I was pretty proud of this year's creation- a version of our logo...spookified!

Apologies that this is the best photo I have...ignore the hat wearing squirrel- he's part of the costume, not the trophy (and no, I can't really explain it...)

So all in all, it worked out pretty well. Baby girl stayed put inside my giant fleece food-fest dress, and Dustin wasn't even forced into my antics. Win-win.

Notes from (Possibly) Our Last Childless Weekend

2011-10-30T17:32:00.000-04:00

Funny thing about having a baby...you never know when you're going to have the baby. So with our due date rapidly approaching, we realized this could be our last weekend without a little one around. We didn't make special plans, or purposely organize a Great Grown-up Outing...instead the weekend unfolded in a relaxed and spontaneous way- making it the perfect "last weekend" of all.

The highlights:

Having a semi-drunk Dustin come to pick me up in the alley at work after a happy hour with his team. I hop in and immediately remark- "You smell like booze! Should you be driving?" He looks at me with a sheepish grin, "Probably not!" We switched places.
Deciding on a whim to go out to dinner on the way home and texting a couple friends to meet up. (Oh- and the mac and cheese hot dog- that part was pretty great too!)

Laying on the bed reading "Wishes for Baby" from my mom's second graders, until we fell asleep, opting for a 15 minute power nap instead of cleaning before people came over.
Having friends over for "game night" which somehow turned into "hang out in the guest room playing random musical instruments night". We must have played and sung (and screamed and danced and laughed) for over an hour- belting out old Young Life favorites and cheesy songs from our "youth" (at one point we rocked No Pigeons- a song I had forgotten I even knew.)

Everyone took turns on the Cajon...and later regretted it

as their hands turned black and blue from overuse.

The dynamic YL club duo Lowe and Dustin led the session-

offering up standbys like Apologize, and Mr. Big.

Lindsey and Mike look serious...because they are seriously rocking.

The tambourine was a big hit of course, as Barlich jammed to Justin Bieber,

butchering the Ludacris portion- "When I was thir-teen, I had my first LUV..."

Learning to play Puno- a made-up Uno variation that involves a lot of yelling and hitting yourself in the face. (and a rule that I kept misunderstanding, resulting in me screaming "Cougar Town" instead of "Cougar Power" and being mocked by the group).
Putting on the All Day album at a ridiculous volume until 2AM when we finally decided to call it a night.
Sleeping in deliciously late.
Going out to "breakfast" at noon. (Note the belly can justbarely still fit in a booth. If I'm sitting up straight. Before pancakes get involved.)

Reading, blogging, napping, and watching TV. all day. Allllllll day.
Going on a real live movie theater date instead of holing up in front of OnDemand. (We saw 50/50 which I fully expected to cry through, but I didn't anticipate welling up in the previews. Oh Tom Hanks, you get me every time.)
Cleaning, washing diapers, packing a hospital bag, and installing batteries in various devices, in preparation for baby (ok, none of that was really a highlight...but it did need to get done).
Even more reading, mixed with some football watching, and photo uploading.

It has been a delightful weekend. I don't remember the last time we had so little planned, but had so much fun. I know our little girl will add a whole new dimension of fun to our lives, but for now I'm thankful for a few days with my husband. He's pretty great. Makes me want to have his babies.

The Big Reveal!

2011-10-29T11:32:00.005-04:00

I know you are all anxious to see the nursery (or maybe I'm just anxious to show off my new favorite room in the house!), and I have a full post coming with photos and details....But in the meantime, someone has stolen my thunder. And by someone- I mean me!

On a whim, I posted some photos on Project Nursery, and lo and behold, our room has been chosen as one of the finalists for Project of the Week!! (I know, right?!?)

I'm so excited to share all the details with you, and tell you all about it....But while I get my blogging act together, why don't you mosey on over to our feature on the Project Nursery site and check it out? And if you you really like it...or just really like me...you can "like" it on facebook. The project with the most votes wins!

Wishes for Baby: Pregnancy Memories

2011-10-28T17:00:00.000-04:00

For our Grand Video Finale we decided to record some thoughts on this crazy experience of growing a baby. I've been journaling about my pregnancy over the past few months, but I thought it would be nice to have an impromptu memory sharing session with Dustin. Nine months is simultaneously so long, but so short, and I'm thankful that we were able to reflect a bit before it's all over.

Wishes for Baby: Predictions

2011-10-27T17:00:00.002-04:00

So now that we've shared our hopes for our baby's life, it's time for us to go one step further than wishing, and actually predict her future.

In part 2 of our video rambling, we take guesses regarding the arrival of our little bundle of joy. I can't wait to see how wrong we are.

Wishes For Baby

2011-10-26T21:22:00.003-04:00

At all of my showers (yes all...I'm so spoiled!) the guests filled out "Wishes for Baby" cards. Each had multiple prompts, and everyone filled in the blanks with their personal hopes and dreams for our little girl. I haven't gotten to see all of them yet (my mom is compiling them all into an album. Again- so spoiled!!) but the ones I have read are an awesome mix of funny and thoughtful, ridiculous and precious. I love that we have personalized notes from so many of our friends and family, and I know our daughter will get a kick out of them someday.

Not wanting to be left out of the fun, I decided Dustin and I should fill out our own "Wishes", using the same prompts.....But rather than just jotting them down, I thought it'd be fun to make a video! I coaxed Dustin into sitting down to answer my questions, and we whipped up amateur reel of our hopes for Baby B.

Part 1 is all our Wishes For Baby. I make no excuses for my (lack of) cinematic skills (my skin is glowing like a pumpkin, and you'll routinely hear a lawn mower in the background), or our level of preparation (Dustin actually sounds like he's been thinking of answers forever, whereas my rambling is enhanced by my eyes perpetually being in my "thinking squint"). But hopefully you'll enjoy our silly little thoughts, and if nothing else we can save this post to show our daughter yes, your parents were always giant dorks, and you're not the only one who thinks so.

P.s. You're hooked now, right? Stay tuned for parts 2 and 3....

Wouldn't it be nice: October

2011-10-23T12:00:00.001-04:00

I'm back on the resolution wagon- so much so that I'm already declaring October a success!
Somewhat due to the kitchen remodel, but also in large part to laziness (or at least a supreme lack of energy attributed to pregnancy, a full time job, AND the kitchen remodel), we've been eating out quite a bit over the last few months. And I wish I could say it was a lot of fancy, romantic date nights, but more often than not we found ourselves swinging through a drive-thru on the way home from work, or a semi-weekly Lowe's run. It's been my goal for a while to meal plan, grocery shop, cook....you know, be a grown up! But we never seemed to be able to get into a rhythm, so many nights ended with us looking at the clock, realizing it was after 7, and just cobbling together whatever we could to avoid starving.

When I think about what I'd like for my family as we start to raise kids, it's important to me that we have dinner together as much as possible...And that dinner be somewhat homecooked, and eaten from chairs, not the couch. It's a FAR cry from where we are now, so I realize I need to start making some changes, if I want my future fantasy to ever be a reality. I'm definitely a "systems" person, so I've been trying to come up with something that inspires me to meal plan, and makes the entire chore of daily feedings easier (our grocery list is a start...but shopping is only half the battle). For some people this may come easily, but I'm much better at event planning than the day to day. I have hundreds of recipes torn out of magazines that I'd love to try, and whenever we have people over, or I have to bring something to someone else's shindig, I really enjoy trying new recipes. And over the years we've compiled a binder of "go-to's"- things that we've tried, loved, and would (in theory) make regularly. But for some reason, I can't seem to get my act together on a daily basis, so our planned meals are few and far between, and quesadillas, mac&cheese, and fast food become our stop-gap staples.

I could blame a lot of things- long working hours, difficulty cooking for two people, busy evening schedule, etc. and so on. But as reasonable as those excuses are, they're not enough to keep me from knowing we really could do better. I may never be June Cleaver, with a piping hot, made from scratch dinner waiting on the table for my husband, but between the two of us we can certainly make an effort to be more intentional about our weekly meals.

SO- We're starting the process of change. The first step in my pregnancy nesting-brain was to prepare some meals for when the baby arrives. I figure if I can't pull it together to cook now, I'll have no shot when we have a newborn in the mix. It's not a permanent solve, but having a fully stocked freezer feels like a good head start for our new, responsible eating filled, life.

Dustin and I set aside pretty much the whole day and attacked some freezer-friendly recipes, with great success. In one day we managed to turn this:

into seven different meals for storage. (And bonus- all of the recipes serve at least four, if not eight, so really we have weeks of ready made meals waiting in the wings.)

Our menu:

Zucchini Lasagna (we managed to refine the process since last time)
Artichoke Chicken Bake
Soft Taco Pie
White Chicken Chili
Macaroni and Cheese (you know I'm always up for a new version! Becase we're freezing it, I didn't try it yet, but based on what I had on hand, I substituted goat cheese for gorgonzola, and parmasean for gruyere. We'll see how that all turns out!)
Chicken Enchiladas
Stuffed Shells

And if that wasn't enough....We also prepped some food for a little "Yay! The Kitchen is Done!" get-together we're throwing tomorrow. On the list there:

Skyline Chili Dip
Tomato/Mozzarella/Pesto salad
White Trash Puff Balls (pepperoni, and pineapple/ham)
7-layer Mexican Dip
Stuffed Mushrooms (I made these a few years ago on trick or treat night....for us, not the neighborhood kids...so now they are forever linked to Halloween in my mind and I get a craving for them ever year around this time)
Zucchini Nut Bread Cookie Sandwiches (FYI- the first round used wax paper and almost burned my house down- but the cookies looked great. The second round used non-stick spray, which was much safer, but the cookies look like giant flat blobs of goo. Good news: They all taste just fine.)

It was a loooooong day, but I'm proud of all we got done. We are set for a big day of eating tomorrow, a few weeks of meals later, and we even had enough random leftovers from the process to make a couple dinners for this week! And besides that- we got to use our new kitchen! I mean really use our kitchen. The new work table was a game-changer- we have twice as much "counter" space as before, the old refrigerator we moved to the basement stored all our frozen meals, and party prepped dishes (we dubbed it "party fridge") and the new double ovens allowed me to make three trays of cookies at once (meaning I could burn down the house in half the time as before!) I can't wait to show off our new digs...but right now, it's time to eat!

Baby Shower-palooza: Part 4

2011-10-21T09:00:00.000-04:00

The fun's not over!

Can you believe it? There are even a few more people that love me and wanted to be in on the baby fun! Dustin's family (especially his mom, step-mom and sisters) were so sweet to throw a shower for me. I don't have many pictures (I was too busy enjoying it all!) but the location was perfect, a country club-type restaurant with a yummy buffet...including cheesecake, yesssss!

We played some games of course- a couple of toughies! We had to finish the nursery rhyme lyrics (proof that I'll need some books to cheat off of...I could barely remember any of them!) and we took a stab at matching baby names with their meaning (I had no chance at winning this one). But the funniest part, was after we finished...we couldn't find the answers! So the prizes went to the matriarchs of the group- Mom Mom and Great Aunt Carmen. I figure they know the most about raising babies, they probably would have won anyway, right?

We wrapped up the festivities by opening presents. This was the first shower where the attendees knew the baby's sex, so you better believe we got some adorable stuff for Baby Girl Bowden! She even got her first doll!

But while it was a big girlie day, the men got into the action as well. No, they didn't attend the baby gift and game squeal-fest, but they did make a big family event of it. While all the girls were having shower-fun, the boys went out for some beer and snacks on their own. I love when Dustin is able to get together with all of his brothers, but when his dad, uncle, and cousin get in the mix? Even better! Everyone got to hang out together at an impromptu after-party, so we took the opportunity to take a few photos of the group.

Check out the fellas:

And the Bowden ladies:

It was so great to get everyone together...But maybe the best part was Dustin being reunited with someone special from his past:

That little guy is Mitchel Artie, Dustin's cabbage patch doll from when he was just a wee tot. His grandma bought it for him twenty five (?) years ago and his Dad held onto good old Michel all this time. We even got his birth certificate- and the funniest part is, he was "born" on November 1st...My dude date!

All in all, it was a great day. We had a wonderful time relaxing, reminiscing and laughing with family. I can't wait to have a new little one around to join in the fun.

Wouldn't it be nice: July, August and September!

2011-10-18T17:00:00.000-04:00

With all the baby-talk going on around here, I've been neglecting a regular Bowdenisms feature- Monthly Resolutions.

And I mean really neglecting it...We’ve gone three months without an update. (For those of you with your eyes glued to sidebar- anyone?- I have been updating the pic with the resolution itself...so that’s at least something!)

So here are the goals you missed:
July- go on an adventure
August- clean up my act
September- make something pretty

As for my results?
So-so.

I’m sure I could go back and figure something out that applies to each of them, but I’m not sure that’s totally in keeping with the original goal which was to intentially focus on a particular goal, and making it happen. That being said- all was not lost, as there are definitely plenty of activities that went on around her within those categories.

In July I did go on a long weekend to Ft. Myers, so I suppose that’s “adventure-ish”.
And we went to Burgatory which was a culinary adventure at least. Ok...so I’m not that proud of July’s results...Next time around I hope to have a much more thrilling tale to tell, but half credit for half trying will have to do for now.

August’s goal was really born out of necessity- our house was a hot HOT mess. (kinda still is? Clock is ticking....) But we made huge strides in August. We got a TON done on the nursery and kitchen, and managed to keep the chaos someone controlled by month end. We pretty much ran ourselves completely ragged in the process- tearing down wallpaper, sanding, painting (and painting, and painting and painting) but with a ton of events (i.e. Baby showers) scheduled for September, we didn’t have much choice but to buckle down and get some things done. (P.s. Get excited, I’ll be sharing pics of the Great Bowden House Remodel soon. Very soon. Have to get those up before this baby steals our thunder and no one wants to talk cabinet hardware anymore!) So again- not complete success, but not total failure. We definitely made a concerted effort on this one though- we just maybe bit off more than we could chew...or at least more than we could chew that quickly.

And as for September- This is another “close enough, we’ll count it” type of situation. I can’t name one specific project that I tackled “in the name of pretty”, but that’s not to say pretty things aren’t happening. The bulk of the nursery was designed and assembled in September- and I have to say....It is (in my humble opinion) gorgeous. I know it’s a tease to say that, and not prove it- but just wait. I think it’s worth it.

October’s goal is to eat fresh and I have big plans (I should anyway, as we’re halfway through the month already!)

So pretty much all that to say- you kind of missed nothing...but you kind of missed a lot- I’m just not willing to show you yet.

Best blog update ever.

Baby Shower-palooza: Part 3

2011-10-16T15:58:00.001-04:00

Did you think two showers was enough? No way! There's more!

My mom and a good friend (and former roommate...and bridesmaid!) from college Sarah offered to throw me a shower in Columbus, and who was I to say no? I was kept completely in the dark on all the details, which I was exactly what I wanted. My mom continually worried I had some secret expectations, and the party wouldn't live up to my dreams, but they did a fantastic job, and it surpassed anything I could have thought up.

The theme was "Dick and Jane" and there were cute touches everywhere.

Guests could choose either a girl or boy sticker for their name tag based on what they thought the baby's gender was...and they were asked to suggest a name for the baby too.

They also continued the "Wishes for Baby" tradition- I can't wait to compile all the cards and have a big collection from all our friends and family!

And of course there was food! One of my only requests was for pie. And boy did they deliver. Sarah made four of the most delicious treats I've ever had...There was apple caramel pie, lemon tart, razzleberry pie, and pear almond tart- all 100% homemade.

We all pretty much fawned over her the entire time telling her she needs to put pictures on her bakery website (which she doesn't have...yet...).

And just in case we ever got tired of eating...there were activities too! We played a fun (but really really hard!) game where we had to match a baby-related phrase to the names of candy (think: "delivery nurses"="lifesavers").

I lost BIG time, but there was enough candy to go around, so we all ended up winners in a way.

And after we had our fill of pie and candy...it was time for presents! Everyone was so generous...I got more stuff than I can even record.

Baby gifts are just so fun. I mean, look at my giant duck!

And as if Sarah hadn't done enough...she made a quilt for Baby B! It's really beautiful, and with all the colors, it will match the nursery perfectly.

It was such a fun day for me, but even better- I think everyone else had a great time as well.

(If you zoom in you can see some of the baby name suggestions were better than others...The Peters women suggested such gems as "Ursula" and "Prince Eric"...but then eventually settled on "Mergabeth"- a hybrid of their names and my mom's. Not happening!)

And what baby shower would be complete without a vintage car (with mannequin passengers) in the yard?

Wait, what?

Yep. You heard me:

It was definitely an unexpected element, but my step-dad was so excited about the silliness of it all, we couldn't help get caught up in it. He had gone to a local shop (or three) to borrow mannequins and then dressed them up for the party. And since they were looking their finest, we had to humor them by posing for some pictures!

Even with photos, I'm not sure I can do the day justice with any description. Everyone coming together to celebrate with me was so special. I got to spend the day with some of my best friends, who I don't get to see nearly often enough. And I was completely spoiled by gifts and love. A very good day indeed.

From the peanut gallery...

2011-10-10T18:56:00.002-04:00

When leaving work last week, I ran into a woman from Subway that I see from time to time smoking in our shared alley. I smiled as I walked by, and she announced loudly (from her perch on an upside-down milk crate)- “You look like you’re going to have that baby today!” I was taken aback slightly, because though I know I may have been waddling a tad (it had been a long day after all…) I didn’t think my current size implied impending delivery. I laughed it off, and said “Nope, not until November!”, but she was adamant, insisting “No way…that’s going to be your little pumpkin baby!” So I muttered a “We’ll see!”, smiled again and shuffled off to my car. Enjoy your cigarette, lady. Thanks for calling me fat.

But the unsolicited comments didn’t stop there. Dustin was out of town, so I headed off to pick up dinner at Wendy’s (maybe for the second day in a row…what are you, the Subway lady? Stop judging me!). And as I was waiting to pay for my bacon cheeseburger (and small fry, thank you very much) I heard the drive-thru employee squeal “oooooooh, look at that BAY-beeeeee!!” It took me a minute to realize she was referring to my belly, and even then I didn’t know exactly what to say, so I smiled and uttered a vague, “yeah…….it’s in there”. But she was undeterred by my lack of enthusiasm, (and oblivious to the line of cars behind me) and barreled on. “Giiiiiirrrrrllll, you so SMALL! When I was pregnant, I was…well, I had a small frame…but I was BIG! You so luck-Y!” (hopefully my attempt to type her inflection is working…it’s hard to do it justice). I never know what to say to comments about my size, so I typically attempt to defect the compliment to avoid sounding conceited. I responded, “Yeah, I still have some time to go though, so I could definitely get bigger!” She must have taken my cheerful tone as an excuse to continue our budding relationship, asking, “Why? You early?” I told her no, not really, that I just had a few weeks left, which really got her going. “Oh, girl, you so small! You gonna snap right back. Oh yeah. I’m so jealous! You gonna snap. right. BACK!” I interjected something about “not if I keep eating bacon cheeseburgers!” But she had made up her mind, and she continued to hurl compliments (can you do that? I’m pretty sure that’s what was happening) at me long after I pulled up to the second window. Not that I minded really….It’s certainly better than being heckled by a “sandwich artist” on her smoke-break.

So all that to say, in the land of pregnancy, you can’t really win. Some people will insist you’re “ready to pop!” (A verbatim comment I got in church last week, in addition to an “any day now!” prediction from a guy at work...) but just as quickly, others will assure you “you’re tiny” (thank you to the other woman at church who sprung to my defense) or “you can’t even tell from the back!” (something I actually here quite a lot, causing me to wonder who all these pregnant-from-behind women are). I try not to take it to heart though, because I think mostly people see a pregnant belly, can’t not say something, and end up just spouting off whatever comes to mind, regardless of how true, or appropriate it may be. As evidenced by a recent encounter with a stranger in my office bathroom, who after asking my due date, attempted to encourage me: “You don’t even look that bad!”

Thank you ma'am. Your sensible loafers aren’t even that ugly.

Baby Shower-palooza: Part 2

2011-10-04T21:53:00.001-04:00

After a surprise filled Friday, there was more fun to be had...the very next day! That Saturday was my Pittsburgh baby shower (yes, I'm so spoiled that I have to refer to my many parties by city. And let me just say, it's not a bad problem to have!) When I found out I was pregnant, my friend Meg graciously offered to throw me a shower. I was so thankful, but a little worried about overwhelming her with my picky creative nature. I looooove (LOVE) to plan a party, so the thought of having a party that I don't get to be involved in was a tough idea to wrap my head around. And poor Meg was stressed that I had some sort of crazy expectations that she wouldn't live up to. Well she needn't have worried. The shower was perfect. I did make a few requests (striped straws...punch...) but made huge effort to stay out of it, and Meg somehow crawled into my head and made things happen I didn't know I wanted.

But if I know Meg at all, she would want me to mention that she had help...(talented, and humble that girl. I could learn a thing or two...) Luckily, I have a gaggle of ridiculously talented friends that offered to join the fun. Rachel takes the "detail oriented" to a truly impressive level, and is a dedicated crafter to boot. And while Deb prefers to stay out of the craftiness of it all, she's an excellent hostess, and an even better cook. (I know she loves me because she made mac and cheese. Award winning mac and cheese no less.)

So it's safe to say I was in good hands. But don't take my brag-fest word for it...let me show you what these ladies whipped up:

There was a book theme (love!), and every detail was thought out.Check out the spread!

(Which I enjoyed thoroughly, thankyouverymuch.

Punch bar- yesssss.

Custom made sign (complete with an ampersand!)

Book lanterns (one of many adorable book themed crafts):

And if that wasn't enough- we had what many people heralded as the main event of the day- the gender reveal! The girls set up a board where people could vote- and show off their guess with a blue "bow tie" or pink barrette...

How cute is that? (for those of you wondering- the vote ended up tied.)
And the reveal method- Cake!

But not just any cake- a custom made creation by my friend Lindsey.

Seriously. Did I tell you I have talented friends or what? I can't believe she made that with her own hands....all for me! I mean, are you seeing this? Yellow and grey chevron stripes, tiny little decorations, a Baby Bowden bunting? Too much!

But the best part of the cake was the inside. Lindsey was the very first to know the sex of the baby (a secret she kept extremely well!) so that she could make a color coded cake to reveal the news to everyone at the shower. But of course I had to challenge her a bit more, and asked for vertical stripes. If you're not a baker (and I certainly am not!) you wouldn't know that that was a crazy request (I didn't!), but Lindsey is a true pro (seriously....she's an actual professional. As in- you should hire her!) and made my dream come true.

So with everyone watching in anticipation, I cut into the top layer....

....and of course, it was PINK!

Yay!
Everyone was so excited...Meg (and my mom) even cried. It was hard to keep the secret for so long, but it was such a fun moment to hear everyone squeal with glee at the same time.

After all that, I would have been content with all the food and fun so far, but it turns out there were more surprises to be had....not to mention I got presents too!

I got tons of baby gear...but even more fun- everyone brought their favorite children's book to build a library for Baby B. We played a game where we had to guess the books based on a quote from each of them...And lets just say I'm not as well read as I thought. It was hard!

But I got acquainted with some old favorites and was introduced to a few new titles too! (I can't wait to show you the baby's room now that all the books are on display-it's beyond awesome. But actually I can wait...and will wait. Back to the shower...!)

After the "official games" we had an impromptu activity, which could have been titled Courtney Has No Idea What She's Doing- The Babywearing Edition. One of my presents was a Moby Wrap- which for those of you as clueless as I am, is like a sling made out of a HUGE piece of fabric. The instruction booklet is approximately 17 pages, but swears it's So Easy. So we broke it out for a test drive (using a doll as to not subject a real baby to my inexperienced fumbling).

And let's just say, I'm not a natural.
But I didn't let technical issues stop me from working it.

Is it bad that my parenting strategy might be "fake it til you make it"? This baby and I will muddle through somehow...

So that's the story behind my Pittsburgh shower....To say it was an awesome day is an understatement. I'm continually in awe of how blessed I am to have such caring, giving, and utterly fabulous friends. I can't wait to introduce my little girl to this amazing group of women.

Baby Shower-palooza: Part 1

2011-10-02T20:33:00.001-04:00

Are you ready for a non-stop onslaught of baby shower posts?! Well get set...because that's what I have coming your way.

After a month of parties and presents and basically spending every Saturday being completely spoiled, I've finally found time to upload all the pictures and share the details. I am beyond blessed to have a slew (yes, a slew!) of ladies in my life that went out of their way to "shower" me with love. I'm so thankful for the millions of details (and probably millions of hours) that went into all the fun surprises.

First up was the biggest surprise of them all- a work shower, with all my Visual ladies (and a couple brave guys that came for the snacks). Parties are a big deal in my office- nearly every week we gather in a conference room for a "surprise" birthday celebration. "Surprise" in quotes because the guest of honor is rarely, if ever, fooled by our bogus meeting requests asking them to come to a specific conference room that is solely used for singing and cake eating.

But not this time...no, the crew went all out, reserving the fancy company "events room" and having my boss lure me there for a legitimate sounding meeting. I was tied up in meetings all afternoon, and I lamented to my boss that I was starving, but she had little sympathy and marched me to our next task. But as I rounded the corner, I saw my entire team had gathered to throw me a party! With food even!!

The theme was "crafty", a fun idea in honor of my job and the details were perfect. They made a

Baby Bowden banner, and everyone filled out a "Wishes for Baby" card full of predictions, and hopes for our baby-to-be. There were sweet sentiments, plenty of Steeler references, and perhaps the worst baby name suggestions I've ever heard. There was even a craft for people to do at the shower (of course) and I'm now the proud owner of a baby mustache/pacifier collection. Our baby is going to be one classy lady!

They had all my favorite foods...punch, coke zero, fried soft pretzels (trust me on those....mmmmmmmmmm), pie! And each one had a little "mom loves..." label. I was blown away that they knew me enough to think of all my favorite things- and went out of their way to get them all!

There were TONS of presents...ranging from adorable, to really cute, to perfect, to wonderful. (seriously, I'm so spoiled!) I got some practical stuff (like bottles and a Boppy- which had to be explained to one of the boys in attendance. He left soon after.), fun stuff (like decorate your own onesies), and fancy stuff (like a silver rattle and bowl, that people had to remind me not to eat pretzel cheese sauce out of...)

One of the other highlights though, was something that they didn't plan. Dustin, in his infinite craftiness (the sneaky kind, not the glitter-glue kind) knew about the shower, and planned a surprise Gender-Reveal activity to finally share our secret with the group. They had been begging to know the sex of the baby for weeks (probably since before we even knew it!), so Dus made a puzzle for everyone to do to find out. It was a bit harder than he might have suspected, but eventually they were able to piece together the "G" and they made quick work of it from there. It was so fun for me to see people so excited for us, and even funnier to find out that only two out of the twenty-some people had guessed the sex correctly!

It was the first in a string of super-special days for me, and I'm so thankful for co-workers who are actually more like great friends.

Baby Belly is Bananas

2011-09-29T20:39:00.004-04:00

I was wrong. It turns out we're actually having an alien.

At least, that's what my crazy belly antics would suggest...
Can't wait to see her dance moves instead of just feeling them!

It's...a...

2011-09-18T23:12:00.004-04:00

The word is out...

And we're pretty excited!

Are you ready for some Footbaaaaall?

2011-09-11T21:41:00.004-04:00

For those of you who are worried that it's all baby talk and kitchen construction around the Bowden household, fear not! For Fall has arrived, and with it comes a time honored tradition- Fantasy Football.

oh yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.

Dustin and I are now embarking on our fifth season of FFB, and the craziness of our current household has not slowed down the pretend-sports action. We're continuing in our mixed-gender "Battle For Supremacy" league (which consists of about 2 people we're familiar with, along with 8 of their hooligan frat friends), but we each have separate leagues as well. After a couple years of co-managing a team, Dustin is now a full fledged member of the "Women Can't Win" league with his Pittsburgh friends, (which could be more appropriately named- "Women Aren't Allowed to Even Enter the Competition). And I am now the league manager of the rival group- "Men Can't Menstruate" (ok, it might not be the best name, but after five years, we can't change it now.)

I had no idea I would like FFB as much as I do....I originally got involved as a way to

help me tolerate Dustin's incessant football viewing, but I've really gotten into it. It does get me interested in more games and players, but it also satisfies my competitive urge, gives me one more online forum to waste time on, and allows me to expand my smack-talk skills.

One of the best parts of being in multiple leagues though, is seeing the difference in how a guys' and girls' league function. The "Battle" league only has two girls out of twelve participants, and the online draft is always full of sexual innuendo, inappropriate comments about people's mothers, and highly-informed snarky comments about player picks that I only occasionally understand. And when Dustin hosted the "WCW" live draft a couple weeks ago, our house was a den of testosterone...nothing but banana pepper pizza, and beer as far as the eye could see. The guys were camped out in front of their computers, cheat sheets, and magazines, and each round was held to a strict time limit, inclusive of an alarm for slow-pokes.

The girls league on the other hand, is a little more "loosey-goosey". We held our live draft last week and as always, it was a mixture of mock-seriousness, and complete girlie ridiculousness. And it is different....Our first year, we found out one of our girls was pregnant because she declined the customary first round toast. The next year we we were heckled by the pizza delivery guy who could NOT get over a group of girls participating in FFB. And we've been known to embrace the football theme in our own way- opting for cute football field table cloth for the snacks, or even a cake in the shape of a stadium!

But by far my favorite parts of the girls league are the memorable quotes from the draft. This year we have a pretty even split between returning members and rookies, which made for some choice comments. Some of the best:

"I should probably draft Eli Manning because he's so cute!"
"Are you drafting all Ravens?" "No...[pause]...but only because my husband told me not to."
"I have to leave early...can you draft for me? Here's my strategy: Don't draft anyone from Cleveland or Cincinnati."
"I'm going to try to collect all the Williams"
"Oooh, Mark Sanchez...I've had my eye on him since college."
"Who did you draft? Emmanuel Lewis?" "Um no. That's the little black kid from Webster."

Yes, we are clearly forces to be reckoned with.

And so begins our season....week one is almost wrapped, and I've not only lost both of my games, but I also may have incorrectly predicted the winner of every single matchup in my girls league. I wish you better luck...Unless you're in my league, and then I hope you choke on a Tostito. Not fatally. Just enough to keep you from stealing any of the good free agents. Not that I would know who they are.

TV-free update!

2011-09-07T17:00:00.001-04:00

We did indeed make it one (almost) whole summer (almost) without TV!
If you remember- we committed to turning off the tube from June through Labor Day, (with only a couple very important viewing appointments allowed....).

The summer actually went faster than I thought (I’m getting old!) which was unfortunate...but the good part was I honestly didn’t miss TV a bit. We were so busy (SO busy!) that I don’t know when we even would have squeezed it in if we wanted to. We definitely got more done around the house without the distraction, and I made other things- (like reading!) a priority. I’m sure it would have been harder if I knew I was missing tons of my favorite shows (Summer is admittedly a dry season for quality programming), but in all I found TV is one of those things that once you get used to not having it, you don’t miss as much as you’d think. I think the more I watch, the more I want to watch...they suck you in with commercials and promos, and before I know it I have a DVR full of things I think are must-see. But when I took the option away, it didn’t have a hold on me anymore. (I think there is probably a parenting lesson in here somewhere....)

So, we’re officially into September now, and planning our re-entry into the magical world of TV. Dustin and I talked about it a little, and our goal is to be deliberate about how we approach our viewing habits now. It would be easy to fall back (literally) into the pattern of flopping down on the couch after a long day, and enjoying an evening of mind numbing entertainment. And it’s not that we never want to do that, but we’d like to prioritize other things- like cooking, talking, reading, cleaning, playing games, raising a baby, far ahead of TV.

For me, I’ve found that setting a time allowance (an hour a day etc.) isn’t the best solution...as it usually ends with me flipping channels, not finding anything I really want to watch, but settling on something dumb. And then in the meantime I find several other options to tape for the future, and before you know it I’m locked into season five of Teen Mom (they’re like 23 now!) and thinking it matters. Instead, I think the approach we took this summer was successful- limit our “watch list” to things we really love, and just watch those. No flipping around. No lounging mindlessly in front of junk, just deliberate relaxation with shows we enjoy. Sure, I may be over thinking the whole thing, but it’s what works for us.

Last night was our first official night with the option to watch, and I took advantage of some down time to check out a couple of my guilty pleasure shows: The Rachel Zoe Project and Top Chef- Just Desserts. And what I found? I didn’t miss them at all. After breaking the cycle of crap-tv, I was better able to see that these shows aren’t really guilty pleasures at all- they’re just guilty. I turned Top Chef off in the first ten minutes, and though I made it all the way through RZ, I have no desire to watch the rest of the season. Maybe my tastes are elevating? Or maybe I’ve just learned that my time is valuable, and if I’m going to spend it on TV it better be worth it. (for what it’s worth, I totally plan on watching regular Top Chef when it comes back on. That is some quality stuff).

So with those guidelines in mind, here is our schedule for the fall season....(yes, it’s a little heavy on football. Not sorry)

Sunday:
• Football- all day with the football.
• 8pm- CBS- Amazing Race. We usually watch this on Tuesdays with a group of friends (and win money, but that’s another story for another day)....
Monday:
• 8pm- NBC- The Sing-off. I know it’s bad...but we loved it last year! I have a Nick Lachey weakness!
• 10pm- Bravo- Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. hey- I'm only human!!
• Football- 8:30pm
Tuesday:
• 8pm- FOX- Glee.
Wednesday:
• 9pm- ABC- Modern Family.
Thursday:
• 8pm- NBC- Community
• 9pm- NBC- The Office
Friday & Saturday: Nada

What do you think? What’s your viewing philosophy? Do you have a TV plan in place? Are there must-see shows that we’re missing out on?

Better After

2011-08-31T23:40:00.003-04:00

While we're knee/waist/baby bump/earlobe deep creating some "after" worthy projects around here, one of our past efforts has gotten some blog-fame. Lindsey, over at BetterAfter chose to spotlight our media cabinet redo. So fun!

Check out the post here, and peek around the rest of her site- no shortage of fun makeovers to attempt (as soon as we contain the current rubble.)

Now and Then

2011-08-21T19:17:00.003-04:00

What a difference 7 months makes:

House and Friends and Thanks

2011-08-14T09:24:00.006-04:00

To say that we've been up to our ears in house renovations would be a complete understatement. More accurately we've been up to other people's ears, as friends and family have generously offered to help with the seemingly endless stream of menial tasks that lie between us and a livable residence. I can't even say how grateful I am for all of this help- Mom, Vern, Nathan, Dillon, Tina, Matt, Daddy (and anyone else I may have forgotten due to asbestos poisoning!)...You are appreciated beyond words. We may still live in a dusty pit, but with your help, it's on its way to becoming at least a dusty house. Without your time, skill, tools, and effort, I would certainly have packed my bags for a hotel, and Dustin would likely be trapped under a pile of plaster.

So we've been unbelievably blessed. But there are two folks that have gone above and beyond what normal friendship is, and showed me again and again what the love and fellowship of Christ is.

A couple of weeks ago at small group, I was sharing that I felt completely overwhelmed, and panicked that the baby was coming too soon, and we were woefully unprepared. (A feeling that has decreased some, but probably won't ever go away...) Everyone listened, and offered to pray. But Meg and Sean showed up. That night they spent four hours stripping nursery wallpaper, and painting kitchen walls. They saw a need, and took the opportunity to love and bless us, by coming alongside us in our toil.

I have a tendency to take on too much sometimes (understatement), but rather than struggle alone, my usual tactic is to rope someone else in with me, to hopefully save me from drowning, or at least make sure I don't go down alone. It's probably not my best trait, but Dustin has gotten used to my messes becoming his messes, and subscribing to my permanent "team mentality" when in comes to getting things done. I definitely take this for granted sometimes, but give myself a bit of an out, because we are married after all, and I think that give me some sort of "two become one" license.

But Meg, without explanation, has come to understand and support this part of me, and is constantly there to pitch in and bail me out. Most times I don't even have to ask- she'll call and say she's free for the day and wants to help with whatever I'm doing. Other people would probably tell her thanks, but enjoy her day off....I on the other hand, ask her to bring Sean and lunch. (which she did, and it was helpful and delicious, respectively.)

She'll ask me questions. She'll listen to me complain. She'll spend hours constructing a photobooth backdrop that I insisted upon building (see above...we do good work). She'll pray for me. She'll scrap tiny chunks of wet paper off of crumbling plaster walls with her bare hands into the wee hours of the night.

She is a friend, of the best and purest kind. I pray that I have, and take the opportunity to be that type of friend to her and others.

...And I really hope they buy a house and have some babies soon, so Dustin and I can start this glorious mess all over again, serving from the other side.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.

Pop pop!

2011-08-03T17:00:00.000-04:00

So yes, we’re in the throws of a dramatic, (and messy!) kitchen renovation....

(want a sneak peek via camera phone? Here ya go:)

...But that’s no reason not to embark on an elaborate popsicle making extravaganza, is it?! No!!!

Pretty much nothing can stand in between me and a popsicle, so approximately 30 seconds after we had our new fridge, I decided it was time to christen it with homemade fruit popsicles (for a work friend’s bday...because I’m a giver).

With the help of my trusty Ninja, and friend Tina, I set about making as many popsicles as my new bottom-freezer could hold.

I turned to Martha (and one other random online source) for help, and narrowed it down to the following recipes:
Watermelon-Strawberry Pops
Watermelon-Blueberry Ice Pops
Raspberry Limeade Layered Quick Pops (split into separate batches of raspberry-limeade and plain limeade)
Pineapple Pops

I don’t have any pics from the process, but it was EASY! I had 1 square foot of countertop, and a completely full sink (with bonus socket wrenches teetering on the edge) and we still managed to get 5 batches done (one of each...double Raspberry Limeade) in an hour.

I (shockingly!) don’t have 40 popsicle molds, so I opted for 5oz dixie cups and small wooden spreader/spoons, which worked out perfectly. (3oz would have been suffiecient too, if you’re going for twee-little adorable snacks). I wanted my pops to be fancy and layered, so we kept all the batches separate, and filled each cup up half way with one flavor. Then we let them set for about an hour while we watched The Bachelorette Finale (yay JP!).

I returned to the freezer to check, and found that while the new freezer was working...it was actually working a little TOO well, and my brand new icemaker had dropped cubes into each one of my cups. (That’s what I get for using the ice bin as popsicle storage. Having fancy things is going to take some getting used to!) So we plucked them out, turned the ice maker off, and poured in our second layer. But due to the ice fiasco (and perhaps some impatience on my part) they weren’t quite set, so my layers went by the wayside, and each cup ended up being some sort of mystery fruit blend. A liquid-y fruit blend to boot, making it nearly impossible for the sticks to stand up....OH welllllll....we pressed on.

After a full night in the freezer, a trip to work in my handy cupcake caddy (get one! It’s so great!), they were ready for the party.

I was worried they’d be impossible to eat, but it worked out surprisingly well to just tear off the cups.

And surprise! A few flavors even had their layers intact! (and no- those aren't my nails...my coworkers are fancy too!)

And not surprise! Some of them were crooked and weird and crazy!

But that didn’t stop people from double-fisting popsicles in an attempt to try all the flavor combos. (I don't judge at all...I had two, one before the birthday girl even arrived, as a "test". And if you know me, you realize that 2 popsicles is actually a remarkable display of self control. In high school my friends and I would to hold "Popsicle Day" in which we would see how many popsicles we could eat before we got sick. We would end knee deep in boxes, I never even approached my threshold.)

My favs: Pineapple, and Watermelon-Strawberry. The limeade was a hit,and I liked it mixed with the raspberry, but as a layer on its own I think it was a little tart. And nothing personal- but Blueberry isn’t always my fav. That’s more Dustin’s thing. (he goes through the frozen bags like they’re candy. Or like I go through popsicles.)

So there you go. Press on popsicle lovers....don't let anything stop you.

Master of our Domain

2011-07-28T09:00:00.000-04:00

After seeing the not-yet-a-nursery, you might think we’re not making any progress around here in regards to baby adjustments. But no! Let me remind you, that in order for that room to be cleared out at all, Dustin and I had to make a pretty big change. We had to learn to share. A room that is. And by that I mean we had to consolidate our clothes storage into one room…we’re already pretty good at sharing a bedroom (I mean, we’re having a baby…!) but our clothes needed to share space. And this was something I was pretty worried about. But it’s going surprisingly well! Everything found a home (it helped that we got rid of a TON of stuff), and I’ve even had better luck keeping my things picked up, since I can’t just toss things all over the floor and bed, shut the door and walk away.

But it wasn’t as simple as just moving my clothes over to our bedroom- we had a to do a bit of a furniture switch-a-roo. And on top of that, we were in the middle of a bit of a makeover in this room (which explains why I’ve never really spotlighted it on the blog). But if I wait for it to be 100% finished (or even 75%, really) it might never go on here, so on with the show!

First- the before:

As in, way before. This is what the room looked like when we toured the house. Not bad…especially compared to the “four seasons room” or the “triplet’s bedroom”, but not exactly our taste. So in the great pre-move-in painting frenzy, we chose a light beachy teal for the walls, and went to town.

The after:

This is pretty much how the room was for the last few years. I liked it…but didn’t love it. In fact, it was probably one of my least favorite rooms in the house (which isn’t as bad as it sounds, because we have some rooms I really love). For whatever reason, it just didn’t feel like me (or us). But it sort of felt silly to redo it, when there wasn’t anything wrong with it, especially when there were so many other things that are much higher on the priority list (i.e. kitchen, bathroom, and pretty much everything else around here). Luckily, Dustin supports my particular brand of crazy, and agreed to repaint the room.

The color I chose….wait for it….dark teal!

After living with a dusty teal for three years, I finally had the opportunity to change it, and I just wanted a new version of basically the same thing. But no! It is different! So very different! And not even just to my crazy-picky designer eye (is that giving me to much credit?) After seeing a pic in an online magazine, I fell in love with Benjamin Moore’s “surf blue”, and knew that’s what the new room had to be built around. But I was worried about the room being too dark (Imagine! Me? Painting a room too dark? Impossible!) so I compromised, and decided an accent wall would accomplish the look, without making the room into an ocean cave. (P.s. if you are shuddering right now, don’t feel bad. The words “accent wall” pretty much make me want to gag, as I picture bad Trading Spaces episodes from the 90’s. But stick around, I think this one turns out ok.) So I had the Home Depot paint guy match the photo, and then……you know the next step here folks…..add black, ensuring I would love the deep, rich result. We also picked up some white paint for the walls- and here’s where the learning curve kicks in- it ended up SOOO white. So very white. It served as an ok primer to cover the previous color, but we had to go back for new swatches, and choose a less-white white to save the white trim from looking like the ever popular shade “Smoker’s Teeth”. Having averted that crisis, we were on to the decorating, which was 90% placing old items back in the room, adding in just a few new touches.

Annnnnnd….after:

Again- not finished by any means, but oh so very much better. To me anyway.

We added some frames and accessories, I painted some canvases for the focal wall (after drawing in Illustrator, and making some stencils), and we popped a new pillow on the bed (a surprise no-reason present from my husband. The very best kind of present.) And that was pretty much it for the overhaul.

Oh- and then there are these little ditties- my great unfinished dream.

I somehow got my heart set on striped curtains, and COULD. NOT. FORTHELIFEOFME. find any. So I set to making them myself. But not making striped curtains out of striped fabric. No no no. This, after all, was a Courtney Project, and one half of the Courtney Project parameters is that it has to be WAY too complicated. So I made my own striped fabric. That I then made into curtains. And the other half of the CP rules? Leaving said project unfinished as long as possible. See those hems, and that lining? No? Well that’s because I haven’t done it. But that doesn’t stop me from hanging them, and taking pictures for the entire internet to see and judge! Ta-da! (p.s. if you have a great link to striped curtains, or even striped fabric, or even even a how-to that’s way easier than the mess I’ve made, I will thank you kindly to keep it to yourself. We are too far down the path now. Stubbornness will push us the rest of the way.)

But even these afters are really technically "before"s. Because though the repainting project is still fresh in my mind, after looking at the date of the photos, it seems we completed that last August. Yikes. (in my defense, I didn't start the curtains until January, so I'm not actually as behind as you might think.) So it seems we've been living with the new color for quite a while...

But now for the reason you came here (actually I have no idea what that would be at this point…) the results of the great clothing merge! Once we got the room looking somewhat how we wanted it...of course it was time to tear it apart again to make room for my stuff. Luckily at this point, with just a bit of shifting and swapping, we were able to make it work.

It was quite simple really- my “everyday” clothes got consolidated from my closet and armoire into just the armoire.

Dustin kept the closet and dresser for 98% of his things. Dress pants and blazers (surprise! These ragamuffins actually own such things!) are in the guest room closet. And anything of mine that has to hang, (plus shoes, bathing suits, and workout gear) is in the huge (and completely full) hall closet.

Oh- and my “jewelry table" has been relocated to the top of Dustin’s dresser. I wouldn’t say he’s thrilled about this, but I’ve saved him a place for the 4 watches he never wears, and the gobs of change he collects somehow despite never paying for anything in cash. It’s all about compromise, right?

The new arrangement has worked out quite well, and though we could stand to dress up the room a bit (or maybe just hem some dang curtains!) to me, it’s looking pretty good.

Nesting

2011-07-14T09:00:00.002-04:00

We got such great reactions to the tour of my dressing room, I was almost hesitant to tear it apart to create a space for baby’s room. But I do love a decorating project, and knew that as much as I loved my room now, I’d love re-imagining it for a wee-one even more.

May I present to you, our nursery:

What? You’re not impressed? I mean, sure, we don’t have a crib, but the baby can just curl up on that bench, right? I put some leftover pillows and a quilt/wall-hanging on it. Should be fine.

And no, we don’t have a changing table- but we do have a dresser just waiting for a bare baby bottom to rest upon its stained metal top. Or maybe the 1/3 of a dining table would serve as a good spot? After all, it is next to the radiator, and has some spare light bulbs hanging around on top…

And who needs a glider when you have an ikea arm chair (I think that’s what’s under all those pillows?) with non-matching ottoman?

Mobile? Nope.
Bookshelf? Nope.
Toy/supply/clothes storage? Nope/nope/nope.
Rug or Curtains? Nope and nope?

Left over Vogue posters, broken mirror and nomadic sewing machine? Check, check, Check! (and before I get a “it must be a girl!” comments- let me assure you none of these three items are staying. And now let the “she’s taking down the posters…it must be a boy!” comments ensue…)

So…..It’s safe to say we’re not quite ready for the baby’s arrival. But OH do we (I) have big plans!! Big big plans! (ok- regular sized plans…I don’t want you guys expecting too much). And as soon as our big/huge/overwhelming plans are finished in the kitchen, we’ll move upstairs to make some baby-magic (the decorating kind).

But until then, we do have this little gem:

A brand new dimmer switch. 85% installed by me (Dustin’s 15% was mostly reminding me emphatically and repeatedly to turn the power off before I began, or opened the package, or even looked at the wall.) I figure this way if the room turns out more like this “before” than a true “after” we’ll just dim the lights, and no one will have to know.