This is also known as my life every day now.

I am nonstop from the moment I wake up to the moment my head crashes into the pillow. Since going back to work and moving life got much crazier, but I am on a mission to lose the last of my pregnancy weight regardless. This is a healthy and simple dish that I’ve made a few times already. The crust baking in the oven makes my home smell like an old Italian bakery in the middle of the night, and the cleanup is as easy as washing the bowl you used for the mixture. Be lazy like me and keep frozen pie crusts on hand and you can have a fantastic dinner ready in a flash.

Spinach, artichoke, & mushroom quiche
Makes 2 quiches

Ingredients:
2 frozen pie crusts*
6 eggs
1/4 cup skim milk
1 15 oz can artichoke hearts, chopped
1 box frozen spinach, defrosted and strained of all liquid
4 large button mushrooms, sliced

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Beat your eggs in a large bowl. Add the milk, artichoke hearts, spinach and mushrooms.
3. Remove the pie crusts from the freezer and spread the mixture evenly in each crust.
4. Bake until cooked through and the crust is golden, about 20 minutes for us.
5. Enjoy paired with your favorite salad!

*Whole Foods sells a great pie crust with only 5 ingredients. Look for that one!

And now I’m off to simultaneously play with my baby, call in a work order, unload the dishwasher and watch the news.

PS- This tastes even better the next day.

PPS- Check out my latest Babycenter post on starting solids.

• hosted our first dinner parties together
• had many Friday night pizza nights
• ran our first half marathon
• finished our first puzzle together
• designed new bathrooms
• brought home our baby boy
• and on and on and on

Trig & I right after I settled in to Philly, August 2009:

(Oh, how I miss those skinny arms…)

I am really excited to move to our new home tomorrow, but as I sit here on my last day in our first home I am a bit sad. We made so many great memories here, and I am reluctant to move on. Change is thrilling and exciting and fun, but it is also scary. When we got married, or when I moved to Philly, or when my husband started his new job, or when we brought home our son, I was scared but adapted quickly. I hope the same for this new change.

How will Raffi like his new home? Will I ever learn to park in our very small new parking spot? What special home will my favorite serving pieces and plates and cups find? How will Saturday mornings feel? Will the sun hit my face at 6 AM, or will it be soft and dark in my room until late afternoon?

As we take another step in the path of our lives, I recall our beautiful memories and look forward to creating new ones.

Signed,
Farewell to Fairmount

The best I’ve found so far is at Santucci’s Square Pizza. Since having Raffi, PB and I look for more casual, laid back restaurants where patrons wouldn’t be too offended by a stroller and a minute or two of tears now and again. We enjoy dining out and don’t want to lose that just because we have a baby. We were strolling through Philadelphia’s Italian market one weekend when we walked by Santucci’s. I quickly headed to Yelp and saw the reviews were good so we decided to stop for lunch.

Santucci’s is a classic pizza place. It is small and casual with no decor to really speak of. It feels like home in a way, like the type of place you’d want to return to time and time again. The food is great, and the prices are reasonable. I had a cheese pizza and a Caesar salad. The pizza is famously square with the sauce on top of the cheese. The crust was the extreme opposite of salty and had the perfect ratio of crunch vs. chew. The pizza is hard to describe in flavor, but I will sum it all up by saying that you can taste that the ingredients are fresh. I love that. PB had spaghetti and meatballs. While it was tasty, it was definitely not as delicious as my pizza.

Since that first encounter we’ve now gotten takeout pizzas a few times from there. We recently found out they deliver to our new home (we close Thursday and move in 10 days!!!!) so I know we will be indulging in their pizzas even more often.

We are still on the hunt for a pizza place that rivals Pizzeria Regina, but for now, Santucci’s is the winner.

Santucci’s Square Pizza
901 S. 10th Street (At Christian Street)
Philadelphia, PA 19147
215-825-5304

So much excitement this month with the holidays. Raffi and I visited RI for an entire week. He loved the ride and only cried once for about 2 minutes, but the first night was rough. He loves visiting with his aunties, uncles, cousins, and nonna bis (my nonna) as well as friends. We had lots of smiles and chatter starting that week. It was so fun. He was a spoiled prince with lots of entertainment, snuggles, gifts, and interaction.

We took him off his strict schedule and bedtime routine over the holidays, and he seems to be doing really well with us just winging it. Some days it seems he needs more structure than others. New Year’s Eve Raffi partied until 2 in the morning at the big Philly dance, and he loved all the music. Actually, he loved it so much he slept through half of it! We still want to get him on a strict nap schedule, but he doesn’t seem ready for longer naps. He is very much so a cat napper and needs about 5 shorter naps during the day.

After going back and forth on how to stop the swaddle, we decided to go cold turkey. I explain more about that in my latest Babycenter post. Check it out here!

Without swaddling and with all of his big boy outfits, Raffi is now officially a baby and not a newborn. So sad! Luckily he has become even more snuggly than before.

Tummy time is now a struggle when it used to be easy, but we push through it. Sometimes Raffi will roll from belly to back, and sometimes he just puts his head down and cries. Still other times he will just hang out looking around for a solid 10 minutes. He has great head control now, and you can’t hold him facing in when he’s awake. He MUST be able to see everything that is going on or he cries.

Nursing is still easy, and we made it through a fairly intense growth spurt without problem. Raffi gets distracted sometimes, and I love to watch him take a break to look around at the surroundings before he remembers he’s hungry and comes back to eat. Nursing laying down has helped R learn to roll from back to side and back again over and over. He is becoming really good at it.

Being a mom is still challenging for me at times. While others make it look so easy, I struggle now and again. I have a tough time feeling energized and not overwhelmed. I constantly feel like I have too much on my plate and I don’t know how to manage better. I hope that with time it gets easier to figure out how to do it all.

I still hate pumping and I hate giving R bottles. I feel like it is a lot more work, and I’d rather just make myself available every time R needs to eat. We make sure he gets at least 1 bottle a week, but since that requires thawing milk, making a bottle, giving a bottle, pumping, and cleaning bottle and pump parts I often avoid it.

Raffi is still stingy with his smiles with me, but he will smile a lot for his dad and others. I often feel like I’m just the moo cow and he sees me for food only, but then when he’s screaming and I’m the only one he will quiet down for I feel better. I like to feel needed for more than just food.

It’s fun to see how Trig and I turned out as parents. It’s seems like he is way more of a softie than I am. Raffi will lose his pacifier over and over again and I patiently wait while he tries to figure out how to get it back in his mouth, even if it involves some tears. Trig, on the other hand, can’t stand the tears and gives him the pacifier right away so he doesn’t suffer. Both approaches are ok with me, and it’s interesting to see how different we are. At the same time, Trig likes to let Raffi learn to play independently while I always feel that he needs constant interaction.

Talking, singing, and reading are all super fascinating right now. Raffi stares at our mouths and tries to repeat sounds. He especially likes when he read to him and just stares back and forth between the pretty colors of the book and our mouths.

Raffi loves his new baby carrier (the Britax- it’s awesome and so easy to use) as well as sitting in his new Boppy. We thought we didn’t need one, but man does he love lounging on it or sitting up in it.

Our current favorite Raffi tricks include

giving him a mohawk:

and making him float in a room:

Random facts:
Weight: 25-50th percentile
Height: 90th percentile
Sleep: 9-10 straight hours a night (ETA: we only got 6 last night, but I feel confident he will go back to his old ways once he gets used to not being swaddled)
Cloth diapers worn: 1
Outfit changes per day: 1-3, depending on the number of poopsplosions
Poopsplosions: Rare, but we had one really good one that went out the diaper, through his pants and on to his daddy’s sweatpants. Lovely.
Must haves: Wubbanub, Boppy to practice sitting up, 10 little ladybugs book, Discovery Toys baby grooves instrument set, hanging toys that he can grab and pull to his mouth
Songs we love to sing to him: Maramao, Batti le maninne, ABC’s, Na Na Naaaaa
Favorite book: 10 little ladybbugs

2 month update

1- Start cooking dinner every night again and
2- Actually sit at the table to eat dinner.

Trig and I have gotten into a really bad habit of sitting on the couch watching TV while we eat. In addition, I’ve been making at most 2-3 good dinners a week and just putting together random things for meals the other nights. We only get takeout one time per month, but even that is too much for me. I do not like any of these habits, and I intend to change them.

Growing up we had a fresh dinner every single night. There was always a fun meal plus salad and bread, usually with a shared apple for dessert. We didn’t eat until 8:30 or 9 PM when my dad got home from work, but every night we sat together as a family and enjoyed each other’s company. How did my mom do it? Once I hit 3rd grade and my brother was in junior high school my mom went to work for my dad. How did she manage working for him, taking care of us, taking care of the house, and having dinner on the table every night?

It is a puzzle to me.

I am still having difficulty managing my time, and I find that it is 3 or 4 PM by the time I check off 3-5 items from my to do list. When I put Raffi in his swing or on the mat alone for awhile I feel guilty for not constantly interacting. I am not sure how to overcome this. With a big move in the next few weeks and me returning to work in one week, it is just a lot to handle.

Anyway, regardless of all of that, I want to make dinnertime a priority. I started yesterday by making a big list and heading to the market while Raffi and his dad hung out at home. They got some quality time and I got to fill my cart at my leisure. Even after that trip our fridge looks like this:

Not too full, but not empty either.

I made a loose meal plan on my phone that looks like this:

Monday: fried calamari, roasted asparagus, 1/2 avocado each, sauteed shrimp, shared roll
Tuesday: homemade chicken tortellini soup (lots of chicken in the soup for protein). garbage salad. pineapple for dessert (having 2 guests over)
Wednesday: Asparagus & boiled eggs. (You steam the asparagus and then chop boiled eggs over it. Simple and healthy)
Thursday: Pasta in a tuna, crushed tomatoes, & capers sauce. Big salad.
Friday: Having friends over. Will go to the market that day.

Before I had Raffi it was easier to make a fresh dinner each night because I would run (literally run) over to Whole Foods a mile away for dinner ingredients each day and would then walk home. I like buying my food as fresh as possible, but I might need to start planning more ahead and buying meats and things for the week instead of only for a few days. As you can see from the above, the dinners get worse and worse throughout the week. It might take some time but my goal is to never have dinners like asparagus and boiled eggs. However, I’ll start with my first goals of getting a new and fresh dinner on the table each night as well as sitting at the table to eat.

Do you cook a new dinner every night? How do you manage to do that with your busy schedule?

Love, Santa & his elves

Here’s a day in the life with my sidekick Raffi, who turns 12 weeks old tomorrow (but 3 months next week. This counting of his age thing is confusing to me).

7 AM: I hear squeaks from Raffi’s bedroom and take a peek on the video monitor. His mouth is opening and closing like he’s hungry, although his eyes are still closed. I sneak in and pick him up to feed him laying down on the guest bed. I kind of doze off as I feed him.

7:15 AM: Back in his crib, where he is half asleep. He falls asleep in a minute or two. We consider this his morning nap although he doesn’t play before it. I hop back in bed.

8:30 AM: My alarm goes off and I jump up to try and get as much done before Raffi wakes up for the day. I shower even if I plan on exercising, just in case I don’t find the time. I also make the bed, fold laundry, straighten up and try my best to eat breakfast. By 9 AM Raffi is awake and chattering in his crib. I try to let him hang there entertaining himself until about 9:30 AM.

9:30 AM: I go into Raffi’s room and shut off the sound machine, open the shades and smile a lot at him as he wakes up fully. I unswaddle him and really enjoy watching him stretch and smile at me. This is his most smiley time of the day. After 5 minutes or so I pick him up to change his diaper and get dressed for the day. He usually wears soft PJ-like outfits unless we are going to see someone special or we’re going to church. Since I most likely haven’t done everything I had planned to do, Raffi hangs out on his own for a few minutes on his activity mat until I’m done.

10:00 AM: Time to eat! I nurse him while sitting on the couch and watch news/junk or type on my laptop one-handed.

10:15 AM: Play time! We play a lot together at this time, mostly on the mat or I sing songs and he stares etc. After a few minutes of digesting we do tummy time, which he either loves or hates.

11:00 AM: Uh oh! Raffi starts yawning and I panic a little, knowing it’s the dreaded naptime. I swaddle him loosely and put him in his crib. I darken the room a bit and then read a book. Raffi stares at me talking and never notices the actual book. I put on the sound machine, give him a pacifier and a kiss and leave the room.

11:05 AM: He’s crying. I wait a minute or two and give him his pacifier. His eyes close and he immediately turns his head to the side. I start running around the house cleaning.

11:15: Wailing! Pacifier fell out before he was ready to let it go. I sneak back in and give it to him without talking or looking him in the eye.

11:20 AM: Pacifier again. I wait a minute or two to see if he can grab it with his mouth before going in one last time.

11:21 AM: He’s asleep! I check emails, read blogs, get dressed to go out, etc.

12 noon: Someone’s awake! I try to help him nap a little longer but it never works. I unswaddle him, change his diaper, and we play more.

1 PM: Time to eat again! We sit on the couch and I watch TV or just look at my cutie pie.

1:20 PM: he falls asleep nursing. I let him rest knowing he’ll be up in a couple of minutes. He wakes up and spits up his whole meal on both of us. Outfit changes for two!

1:30 PM: Raffi goes in the stroller and we either walk or drive to do errands. After about 30 minutes of looking out the window or at his surroundings, he will doze. If he’s in the car this involves some tears first. I clench my teeth for the 5 minutes of crying and try to blast the Christmas music. At the next stop on our task list Raffi will wake up and look around before gently closing his eyes again- no tears. All in all he’ll sleep about one hour.

4:15 PM: I rush home as fast as possible knowing Raffi will be hungry soon. I unload the stroller with our groceries etc. at lightning speed, realizing just then I never ate lunch. I make 2 eggs and eat them as fast as possible. Raffi wakes up after bite number 2.

4:25 PM: I feed Raffi on the couch while checking emails on my iPhone. I don’t have the chance to respond to any.

4:45 PM: Raffi goes in his babysitter balance in the kitchen while I prep dinner. He practices pushing the pacifier in with his arm every time it falls out, or putting his toy to his mouth over and over again.

5:15 PM: Raffi is already crabby and yawning again. I put him in his swing for a mini 30 minute nap. We repeat the pacifier moves of the morning nap if he is overtired. If not he just stares at the mobile and slowly and gently closes his eyes.

5:40 PM: We have a squeaker. He starts waking up and I scoop him up to dance a bit. We sing or I put him on my shoulder as a “potato sack” and we walk around looking at things. This is a more fun version of tummy time for all of us.

6:00 PM: As I’m snuggling him he falls asleep in my arms. I snuggle up my head next to his and give him lots of kisses.

6:10 PM: He’s back up and yawning. I try my best to entertain him while finishing dinner.

7:00 PM: Baba’s home!!! Everyone perks up as we gab about our days. Trig gives Raffi his bath as I go back to my computer for a few minutes.

7:15 PM: Trig puts Raffi in his long sleeved onesie and diaper. I then brush his hair, double swaddle him, close the curtains and shut off the lights. I lay in the guest bed to nurse Raffi without any noise or light. I am usually on Twitter the entire time.

7:35 PM: Raffi finally pulls off with a contented sigh. I shut off the heater, scoop him up, turn on the sound machine and plop him in his crib before escaping as fast as possible.

Then one of the following things happens:

A: Someone is thrashing in his crib, but he is not crying. We wait with crossed fingers and a warm dinner on the table. He falls asleep.

B: He barely moves from the position I put him down in, and he is sound asleep immediately.

C: Raffi shrieks a bit and we keep running in to give him the pacifier or a pat until he is out.

D: The crying doesn’t sound like tired cries. We pick him back up to check for a dirty diaper or a burp before rocking him a bit and putting him down drowsy again. Then we wait for A, B, or C to happen.

8:00 PM- 5/6 AM: Raffi is asleep. I am yawning by 8 PM but stay up to write, check emails, chat with my husband, eat dinner, and watch a little TV. Lights out at 10 PM, if I can make it that long.

5/6 AM: I see Raffi’s mouth on the monitor opening and closing like a little fish. Every once in a while he squeaks and moves his head from side to side. I wait 5 minutes to make sure he isn’t doing it in his sleep, and then I sneak in to dreamfeed him. He goes right back to sleep while nursing and I put him back in the crib.

Repeat from the top!

Some notes: There are lots more diaper changes in there, often a poopsplosion or two, and sometimes a photo shoot. Raffi smiles the most first thing in the morning, so I really soak up that time and also snap lots of iPhone pics to send to Trig at work.

The end. A day in the life with my 12 week old. I wonder how that is going to change once my maternity leave is over.

PS- Check out my latest post on Babycenter where I share my maternity leave tips.

Nicole D’Andrea, a local RI designer, has decided to do another giveaway right in time for the holidays. She is offering 3 RhodeyGirl readers a chance to win one of her super cute wristlets!

Like I’ve mentioned before, I love d’andrea’s designs and I love supporting small businesses. My d’andrea purse from a few years ago is still in perfect condition, and I love how the leather gets even softer and silkier with age. This year Nicole has the above wristlets for sale at $30 each as well as lots of other classic and funky pieces. I love wristlets, especially now, because they can fit all the essentials: phone, keys, chapstick, money, and credit cards. I actually hang a wristlet off my stroller so that I don’t have to carry anything in my pockets during long walks with Raffi.

This giveaway has come right in time for the holidays. Three winners will be chosen to receive one of the above wristlets to complete your holiday outfit! Best of luck!

Here’s what you can do to get one:

1. Leave a comment saying why you NEEEEEEEED one of these wristlets.
2. Visit the website and share one fact or thing you like via Twitter. You can also just share the link to this post. Be sure to cc me (@rhodeygirltests) so I see it.
3. Share the link to this giveaway on Facebook and come back to let me know.
4. Visit the website and buy one!

**Only valid for U.S. readers (sorry!)
**Giveaway ends Dec 16th at 12 noon EST.

PhillyBoy made a special video for Raffi’s christening, encompassing pics and videos from his birthday to about 2 months old, including his christening! It’s about 10 minutes long, but I promise the cute photos are worth it.

Enjoy.

This has been a year of three serious and incredible changes.

1- BABY

2- HUSBAND GOT NEW AMAZING JOB

3- NEW HOUSE!

We are still living in the city but we’re upgrading to a slightly bigger place with a balcony, garage, and an extra bedroom. It is basically my dream house without the yard. We are even closer to the heart of Philadelphia. We can finally grill or lay out on our balcony. We won’t have to shovel snow from our cars before running to the market. We can have more babies without stressing out over space. Our guests won’t have to sleep in the ocean with Raffi (since the guest bed is in there and we use a very loud white noise machine set to ocean waves all night).

This exciting news means my to do list is a mile long, and that’s before we even actually move in. I sadly go back to work January 2nd (I am sooo not ready) so I want to get as much done now. I find that I can only get a few things done at a time with my sidekick hanging around the house, so it’s important that I do what I can when I can. I spend most of my days shaking toys at Raffi and begging him to smile.

He’s very stingy with his smiles.

We still need to find a nanny, so if anyone is looking please email me! Having a baby around means that unless you’re supermom you are only getting a few things done a day. At the encouragement of RookieMom Heather, I just made a did do list so my husband and I can both be proud of all the things I’ve done today. It felt like so little until I looked at it. And now I’m proud.

Anyway, that’s our big exciting news! I’ve been dying to share it with you for several weeks now, but until we made it through the inspection I kept my mouth shut.

Hoping to be back soon with a baby, sleep, swaddling, and post baby body update.

*The kitchen photo is of our current kitchen. I will post pics of our new house once we’re there.