The Daily Birch: Bring Your Kid to Work Day

I constantly joke that it was a successful day if the baby is alive, the house didn't burn down, everyone is relatively happy, and I still have my wits about me. Everything else is extra. 

What I'm trying to say is I won today.  

I showered, I worked, I brought my child to a lunch meeting and instantly regretted it, I ran errands, I cooked dinner, and I sat down to relax at 8pm. 

Today was a win despite moments of absolute chaos and for that I am grateful. 

The Kid looking a lot like her maternal grandfather... That face. The stance. 

Vanilla Sugar Latte | Not Just Coffee | Atherton Mills

Eating a bagel with cream cheese for breakfast, two bites of fried chicken and half a Brussels sprout from Tupelo Honey for lunch, and a roasted chicken with new potatoes for dinner. 

Drinking half a pot of coffee, the Green Machine fresh pressed juice from Luna's Living kitchen, vanilla sugar almond milk latte from Not Just Coffee, and half a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. 

Watching the Teletubbies, Dora the Explorer, Nightly News with Lester Holt, and the Voice. 

Working on marketing plans and to-do lists for my consulting business and this blog. Big picture now, breaking it down to actionable chunks by late November. 

Searching for a five year wedding anniversary gift for the mister. Wood is the traditional gift and I can't think of anything.  

The Daily Birch: Nacho Typical Monday

Today I woke up exhausted, which set the tone for majority of the day. Going non stop all weekend, after a week of parenting and running the household alone, definitely played a big part. In addition, a week of heartbreaking news left me emotionally drained and a bad night of sleep was the straw that broke this tired camel's back. 

This morning Charlotte had her follow up appointment for the double ear infection. It's all clear and we got a clean bill of health. Let me tell you, if you want to experience a special kind of hell, take my child to the doctor. She HATES it. The tantrum started from the moment she had to step on the scale and carried through the temperature check, the ear check, and the listening of her lungs. None of the calming techniques worked and she was THAT screaming kid. The eighteen month appointment in November is going to be a blast...

Plotting her escape out of the exam room.

Our second stop of the day was Target. They're currently running my favorite deal on baby necessities (diapers, wipes, formula, etc.): buy $100 dollars worth of product and receive a $25 Target gift card (text SAVE to 827438 to access the deal). We didn't shop around long because it was several hours past Charlotte's nap time.

I worked while she napped but midway through I hit a wall. I'm not one to nap but today it was necessary. I blacked out for fifteen minutes and woke up at the same time as the baby. We hung out on the couch and watched cartoons while I attempted to shake off the grogginess. 

For dinner we headed down to NoDa Brewing to support our friend Stephanie and her fundraising efforts to convert a 1968 Shasta Compact Camper into a Crowned Sparrow Co. Craft Cruiser. You can learn more about it here!

The guest of honor, a 1968 Shasta Camper, at Noda Brewing.

Speaking of dinner, we split a Philly Cheese Steak and nachos from Tin Kitchen's Somethin's Brewing food truck. All the menu items contain NoDa Brewing's beer and a suggested pairing. The beer cheese was on point and the home pickled vegetables on the nachos were definite highlights. I sipped on Roaring Riot (a rye IPA - absolutely delicious), drank the Aprinox (an apricot IPA - it's a little too bitter for my taste), and grabbed a four pack of Gordgeous cans to take home. 

Philly Cheese Steak - Somethin's Brewing/Tin Kitchen

Nachos - Somethin's Brewing/Tin Kitchen

The evening was spent working, watching the first presidential debate, and researching the people running for local offices. 

I've always cared about the election but this time around it matters even more than ever before. It's not about me anymore, it's about my child's future and the future of our country. As someone who moved to the Unites States as a political refugee, I'm scared. I have insomnia caused by this election cycle. November 8th can't come fast enough. 

Fifteen Month Well Visit

Well visits are becoming more challenging as the baby becomes more mobile and more aware of what's going to happen. The poking, the prodding, the shots. Oh, the shots! 

Avoiding the exam table like the plague but possible catching one while sitting on the floor.

Sitting down on the exam table is no longer an option but we did manage to hold her down long enough to get her height measurement. The head measurement was done while she was crawling on the table and we used the standing "big girl" scale this time around to get her weight. Gone are the days of risking it without a diaper in the sit down scale, thank goodness!

The worst part of the appointment was the shots. Since CL won't sit still, I had the pleasure of holding her in my arms while the nurse administered the vaccines. The second worst part of the day was the post vaccine fever. The best part of the day was a toddler who wanted to cuddle. It took two days for the fever to break. 

I'm at the point where I'm questioning how many shots are too many for one visit and if breaking up the three shots into two or three appointments would be a better option. Looking at this immunization schedule, she's due for four vaccines at her 18 month appointment, not including the influenza vaccine. Ouch. The good news is that she will be done with all of the major vaccines until her fourth birthday. 

The stats: 

• Weight: 20.2 lbs (9th percentile)  
• Height*: 30 in (31st percentile) *baby was mismeasured at the last appointment
• Head: 45.5 cm (35th percentile)

The kid:

But first let me take a selfie...

The Daily Birch: an Ode to AAA Carolinas + an IKEA Hack

Things are bound to break when you own an older vehicle and my 2007 Sequoia is no exception to the rule. We purchased the car late last fall to accommodate our growing family and satisfies my urge to hoard the whole house with us everywhere we go. It also satisfies my desire to own a large truck, except this one has a hatchback. Have I mentioned that my other dream car is a Prius? 

We've had AAA Carolinas come out to our house twice within the past two weeks. The first visit was to replace a cracked windshield. Thankfully, our insurance covered it. The second time was this past Thursday when I ran around like a chicken with its head cut off to prep the baby and I to run errands only to find out that the car battery was dead. So much for a perfectly planned afternoon. Thankfully, roadside assistance was at our house within twenty minutes with a replacement battery on hand. My heroes!

We had one hour left before the afternoon nap so we rushed to IKEA to pick up a children's activity desk and chair to put in my office. We were in and out in less than ten minutes. Is there a prize for efficiency?

The trick is to go to IKEA during off hours in the middle of the week, in case you were wondering how we managed to get in and out so quickly! I have found that Tuesday through Thursday, between 1pm and 3pm, is the best time to go. To save more time, you can search the exact location of the items that you need on your phone or at the computers stationed towards the back of the warehouse area. Grab and go! Oh, and make sure to face the bar codes out for an even more efficient check out experience.

I completed the assembly of the desk and chair just in time for the kid to wake up from her nap. She LOVED the desk and sitting in her little chair while coloring with jumbo crayons. 

She also loved drawing on the table and chair. This is why we can't have nice things.

Toddler activity desk and chair.

The evening ended with a much needed Book Club meeting: friends, cheese, and copious amounts of wine.

Watching the Teletubbies. The baby loves them. I love them because it gives me 20 peaceful minutes to drink my morning coffee.

Eating unhealthy: bagel with black cherry cream cheese, Mini Babybel cheese, cheese danish from Starbucks, Russian Siberian style ravioli, baby Brie cheese with bread and jam. 

Drinking: coffee, coffee, water, grande half calf vanilla soy latte from Starbucks, wine.

Working on a client's marketing campaign.

Happy September everyone!

House Update: Week 9

You may have noticed that weeks 3-8 are missing. You see...in the blur of buying a house, renovating the house, moving into said house, selling the old house, continuing to work on the new house, chasing a baby who is now a walking toddler, client work, life, unpacking, decorating, and occasionally having a moment to breathe I have forgotten to blog. Sorry guys!

One of our neighbors told us that he considered buying the house to flip it when it hit the market, after years of being uninhabited, but they were afraid that they would have to "burn the inside and start all over." I get it. This house was a big unknown, even to us. It came as-is and is a big undertaking, not just physically and financially but emotionally too. 

That being said, here's a list of things we've done to the house so far in no particular order: 

• Pressure washed the outside of the house
• Termite treatment and prevention
• Stripped the deck of the old stain and prepped it to be stained this fall
• Cleaned out the gutters
• Pressure washed the sidewalk
• Fixed the garage door (that fell on my car and broke the tail light)
• Removed half wall between the kitchen and the living room
• Added cross beams underneath the house
• Built a retaining wall to support pillars underneath the house
• Added hangers to support air ducts in the basement
• Replaced the knobs throughout the house (hinges are next)
• Replaced all wood on the front porch (railing, columns)
• Cleared the brush in the backyard
• Installed a new fan in the living room
• Fixed the 20+ year old A/C units (hopefully we can get another year or two out of them... nothing can stop a Trane!)
• Pruned the trees
• Cut the hedges
• Fixed all loose basement vapor vents 
• Installed a vapor barrier in the crawl space
• Removed all of the remaining items left by the previous owner
• Installed fire alarms (yep, took us a few days to realize we didn't have any...oops!)
• Caulked bathtubs
• Replaced vanity lights in the bathrooms
• Installed mirrors in the bathrooms
• Removed all carpets downstairs and replaced it with hardwood
• Existing hardwood floors were refinished with new stain
• Installed brand new carpet upstairs
• Installed a custom drying wrack and folding table in the laundry room
• Baby proofed the house
• Stripped all wallpaper
• Fresh paint throughout the whole house
• Installed brand new appliances (refrigerator, dishwasher, and microwave/oven combo)
• Installed new toilets in all three bathrooms
• Fixed and cleaned all outlet covers and A/C vents

Here's what we have left to do this year:

• Stain the deck
• Install a fence
• Various irrigation projects
• Redesign landscape to redirect water flow away from the house
• Install new gutter drainage
• Replace light fixtures in the kitchen
• Replace counter tops in the kitchen
• Replace stove top (will more than likely stick to gas)
• Replace garbage disposal
• Replace sink + faucet in the kitchen
• Replace leaking tub in the master bathroom (may be moved to early 2017)
• Replace counter tops and sinks in the guest bathrooms (may also be moved to 2017)
• Replace faucets in the master and guest bathrooms

Projects for 2017 and beyond include remodeling the bathrooms, organizing the garage, finishing the basement, and installing a new HVAC system.

Oof. That's a lot.

There's a 100% chance that I've forgotten a few things, however, looking at the completed list helps me realize how much we have accomplished in the past two months. It really has been a blur. These lists do not include decorations, putting together furniture, etc. It's strictly a list of items we're taking to the bank when we refinance in February. Give us equity or BUST!

We're still unpacking. And by we I mean me. We're hosting a small Labor Day shindig so the house needs to be 'complete' by the end of this week. We've been up late every night working on the house and I forgot the last time we've gone to bed before 11pm. It's been non-stop, however, we are also beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

I'm looking forward to having more time and energy to focus on other things that we've had to let go for a bit, including our social life.

Ms. Martin, project manager, overseeing the painting of the new porch column and making am appointment with a window cleaning service. 

An Adventure Uptown...with Kids

Back in our younger days, a trip Uptown meant fancy dinners and dancing into the night. These days a trip Uptown means family friendly dinning options and activities. We've traded in getting dolled up at night for juggling nap time and feeding schedules in the afternoon. 

This afternoon we set out Uptown on a family friendly adventure. We started the day at 7th Street Market for lunch. It's one of my favorite places to go because it fits everyone's dietary needs, it's family friendly, and there's adult beverages. It's the kind of place where you can start off with a vanilla sugar latte at Not Just Coffee, order spicy tuna rolls from Bonsai Fusion Sushi and a chorizo pie from Pure Pizza because you were craving both, and wash it down with a local craft beer from Tank's Tap.

Oh, wait, that's exactly what we did!

Almond Milk Vanilla Sugar Latte - Not Just Coffee

Chorizo Pizza - Pure Pizza

Spicy Tuna Rolls - Bonsai Fusion Sushi

Salmon Sashimi - Bonsai Fusion Sushi

There are many other options, too: artisan sandwiches, crepes, cheese boards, fresh juice, and wine to name a few. 

After devouring our lunches we crossed the light rail tracks to ImaginOn, the most fun children'ts library in the whole wide world (at least in my opinion), for a few hours of air conditioned fun. We stumbled upon a Mr. Potato Head activity exhibit that was a sensory overload for the kids, followed by story time with dogs and playing with toys in the Trolley room.

Mr. Potato Head Exhibit - ImaginOn

Story Time with Dogs - ImaginOn

But the fun did not stop there, no sir! We changed the kiddos and set out across the street to the First Ward Park to check out the splash pad. I had no clue what a splash pad was before having a child but we have now been to several, some paid and some free. It's basically a fountain that you can play in without being judged. Not that I've ever gone inside an actual fountain or anything... The one in First Ward Park is small but mighty and was enjoyed by all the kids and adults alike. 

Splash Pad - First Ward Park

Splash Pad - First Ward Park

Splash Pad - First Ward Park

Our fair skinned children were frolicking around sans SPF so we set a 15 minute time limit for the splash pad fun since it was 95 degrees outside and not a cloud in the sky.

We wrapped up just in time to get the kids home for nap time.

Dinner consisted of leftovers from the night before: Peruvian chicken (marinade) over quinoa salad, avocado, and a spicy jalapeno sauce. Combine everything into a bowl and enjoy!

P.S. Here's a little video I put together of our day!

What are you favorite toddler friendly activities Uptown? 

We Sold Our First Home

There are a lot of things no one tells you about selling a house. The hard work. The emotions. The stress.

We came close to putting our house on the market last year when we put an offer in on the gray house in the neighborhood we live in now. The amount of work that goes into listing a home can vary and for us I'm glad it was split up into the two parts. The second felt more stressful than the first: the rush to fix every little thing, packing up the clutter, and making the house picture perfect.

To me, the most unsettling thing about the process was knowing that strangers were coming into our home. Thankfully, our house went under contract after a week of being on the market. 

Saying goodbye to our first home was not easy, however, my last trip to the house provided the perfect closure. It was raining when I got to the house to clean out the fridge and the last bits that never made it on the truck. The sun broke through the clouds as I was closing the door to the house for the last time. A golden glow blanketed our backyard. To top it all off, a rainbow appeared on the drive to our new home. It was unscripted perfection. 

CL helping us sign the closing paperwork.

We closed on the house this Monday, after a one week delay. We got to meet the family who bought the house and after twenty minutes of paperwork we were done. 

We celebrated the sale of the house with all-you-can-eat crab legs at Kennedy's, because why not? 

All-You-Can-Eat Crab Legs @ Kennedy's

There are a few things that I'm going to miss about our old house: the big hill that was perfect for sledding, the real wood fireplace that kept us warm, and our amazing neighbors.

House Update: Week 2

Not counting the move, week two was not as exciting as the first. 

The hard wood floors were stained, the downstairs was painted, and we put in new carpets upstairs. 

Dining room getting a fresh coat of sea foam green.

CL checking out the new carpet in her room.

We spent the week packing up our old house, taking a swim at the new neighborhood pool, and purchasing light fixtures and toilets for the bathrooms. 

Our theme for the bathroom vanity lights was "modern country house." I think we accomplished it with these:

Downstairs Master Bath

Master Bathroom

Upstairs Guest Bathroom

The second week was a lull before the moving storm. A chance to enjoy our old house and to appreciate what the future had in store for us.

House Update: Week 1

The first week of owning our the house was the longest shortest week ever. We started work on the house immediately since we only have two weeks to get the major renovations completed.

We removed the half wall in the living room and moved the outlet to side the wall:

bye bye, wall!

The wall paper is gone and majority of the upstairs has been painted. 

We also removed the ugly blue carpet and replaced it with new hardwood floors and refinished the existing ones. I'm really excited about the stain that we picked out! A mixture of modern gray and traditional brown. 

The ugly blue carpet and a cute kid. :)

Delivery of the hardwood floors.

Stain choices.

The downstairs looks completely different with the addition of hardwood floors! 

I lost count how many stores we went to in search of appliances. We've been to Habitat for Humanity's ReStore, Lowe's, Sears, Sears Outlet, Home Depot, and a few others I can't recall. We have a unicorn of an appliance that needs to be replaced: a microwave/convection oven + oven combo unit. The oven combo has been the driving factor for the brands and finish that we could order. It's not a cheap appliance, either. 

Home Depot has a GE combo unit that we like so we purchased it there, along with a dishwasher and a Samsung fridge. These beauties are arriving this Friday:

the unicorn.

We loved this dishwasher because it has steam spouts for baby bottles.

This four door beauty is ready to be filled with wine and cheese. ;)

Unfortunately, Home Depot does not offer cute baby discounts on appliances.

We haven't decided on whether or not we're doing to keep the gas stove top or switch to electric. We're saving that decision for when we have the time and money to remodel the kitchen.

New furniture will also have to wait and I'm totally okay with that. Now, if we stumble upon something great, we'll get it! Like this wine buffet at the brand new ReStore in the University area:

That's it for the first week!

Broccoli Nuggets

We've reached the point in our journey of raising our child where we have to start coming up with new ways of serving up vegetables. It's not that she doesn't like them, she does. However, she changes up her likes and dislikes every day, especially when it comes to texture. 

Enter broccoli nuggets. The nuggets are quick and easy to make and can be enjoyed by everyone in the family!

Ingredients:

3 eggs

1 pound broccoli 

1 cup bread crumbs

1 cup shredded cheese

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons of your favorite seasonings 

Directions:

Combine all of the ingredients in a Vitamix blender in the order that they are listed and turn it on low and slowly increase to medium speed until all items are chopped and mixed. If you do not have a blender of Vitamix, you can use a food processor to complete this step.

Use a tablespoon or ice cream scoop to scoop and shape the nuggets on a parchment lined pan. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees. 

I used Parmesan cheese and it made the nugget flavor a little too...sharp. Next time I'm going to use a softer cheese like a mild cheddar or jack. I also did not have any bread crumbs on hand so I toasted three slices of Organic Jewish Rye from Whole Foods, sliced it up, and threw it in the Vitamix. As for spices, I used salt, pepper, and a dash of cayenne and garlic powder. 

This is a great recipe to make with whatever you have in your fridge and pantry! Enjoy it as snack or a side dish. 

Let me know what you think!