A mixture of things

POSTED by Kate on January 9, 2012 | CATEGORIES: From The Editor, My Life

I’m just not up for blogging regularly these days but I wanted to check in and say hi.

In December, Elise turned 2. Her birthday party was so much fun. Her personality, her words, her place in our family….it’s all a really fun and special time right now.

Four days later Santa brought Elise this kitchen. We had been talking about it for weeks. It looks like Elise is zoned out here but really she’s in shock. I think she now truly understands cause and effect.

Nay Nay is 5 months old. That’s what Elise calls Tristan so we call him that too. He doesn’t mind.

He’s not really fussy anymore. So that’s good. But he’s also not really sleeping well, either. He is and he isn’t. Inconsistency is what he’s all about these days. And being really cute.

Are you on Instagram? Lately I’ve been posting lists and photos of home projects — my “2012 Home Organizing Project.” My goal is to organize and/or decorate every room in the house so it feels like home. I’m documenting this under the hashtag #2012HOP and would love for you to join me so we can inspire each other.

Months ago I was given a complimentary pedicure at the Urban Mom Salon. Elise played in an adjoining room with a childcare provider while I was pampered. It really is a brilliant idea and I’ve been wanting to share it with my readers. The pedicure was great, the staff was so nice. I’d like to go back. I need to go back. So check it out here.

There’s so much for expecting and new moms in Chicago. I’m really lucky to live in this great city. But right now I’m staying close to home. I’ve been spending some time thinking about what I’d like to focus my energy on in 2012. There is so much to do. The mixture of things becomes so messy. Let’s be honest, there’s nothing nice about potpourri. Too many colors and smells. Its petals become dusty, too.

So I’ll focus on one thing at a time. Or nothing at all. That’s fine with me for now.

Happy New Year, friends.

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About family.

POSTED by Kate on December 4, 2011 | CATEGORIES: From The Editor, My Life

After I delivered Elise the doctor brought her to my chest and announced that she was a girl. I was shocked. Perhaps I had anticipated a boy so I didn’t have to face the fear of raising a girl. A someday woman, wife, mother and friend who will learn from this right-now woman, wife, mother and friend. It’s an awesome and terrifying responsibility.

I look at her. She looks at me. I see a lot of myself but …

I also see her own-ness shining through.

I’ve been quiet lately. It happens when I just don’t know what to say. I don’t have the answers. I’m sleep deprived and frustrated. I’m struggling with parenting choices and guilt that I’m not enjoying Tristan enough. I kiss his china doll face a dozen times a day and smell his sweet head but I secretly wish he were 5 years old. I wish he could just tell me what is wrong.

I find it strange when people say that they knew their family wasn’t complete after the birth of a child. Right now, my family of four is complete. If we have more children, we’ll be complete then too. I think they call this “living in the present” although I’m guilty of wondering what the future holds. If money, space and health weren’t issues we’d have more children. My heart says yes, everything else says no.


The other night I lay in bed alone thinking about my family. The love, oh, the love. It is painful. It gives me the biggest high. It makes me feel guilty. It makes me proud of myself. It makes me examine my behavior, my mortality, my other loves. The non-parental kind. It makes me want to do a better job.

This love is hard.

This love is oh so worth it.

All photos by the very talented Chicago Family Photographer Julia Franzosa.

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Toddler tantrums and the terrible twos

November 17, 2011

Poor Elise. I hope this blog is defunct by the time she’s starting to date or looking for her first job. Our sweet monkey moo is having temper tantrums. Let’s review. She is 23 months. Her brother arrived when she was 19 months. We moved into a new home when she was 17 months. She [...]

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How the head of CPS searches for a school

November 16, 2011

Jean-Claude Brizard and his family moved to Chicago this past Spring. Like so many families relocating to the Windy City, they’re renting in a popular neighborhood to get the lay of the land before they settle on a house — and, more importantly, a school — for their toddler. Brizard and his wife, Brooke Stafford-Brizard, [...]

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Bloggers and Brizard

November 10, 2011

Months ago I wrote a post called I believe in Chicago Public Schools. And I still do. In June we bought a home in the city with the plan to send our children to the neighborhood public school. Yesterday I met with Jean-Claude Brizard, the new CEO of Chicago Pubic Schools. It was a great [...]

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When the whole family is fighting a cold.

November 7, 2011

We’re not sick and we’re not planning on getting sick. But you know that about-to-get-sick feeling? A little scratch in your throat or an ache in your back? We’ve got a plan to fight it this winter. What I’m doing:  Taking a lot of Emergen-C — 1 to 3 packets a day. Taking probiotics — [...]

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The monotony of motherhood

November 5, 2011

I just rocked the baby to sleep and put him in his crib. Before that I nursed him, I burped him, I changed him, I swaddled him. I’ve already been back upstairs twice because his pacifier fell out. I rocked him again and put him back in his crib. It will start all over in [...]

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I could run a marathon right now.

November 1, 2011

A test: For the first 10 weeks of his life, Tristan would ONLY sleep: A) In my arms B) In my sling C) Next to me in bed D) All of the above D. Easy test. The doctor told me to keep practicing putting him down. So we did. There was crying and paci plugging [...]

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Q&A on dairy free diets (part 2)

October 29, 2011

I’ve been heavy on the dairy-free posts lately because it’s such a big part of my life these days. If you’re new here, I’m dairy and soy free to determine if my breastfeeding son has a sensitivity. Jasmine Jafferali is a Chicago-based wellness consultant who is helping me on my dairy-free journey. She agreed to [...]

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My favorite dairy and soy free foods

October 27, 2011

I’m on day 20-something of my dairy and soy free diet. I’ve lost track because I think I’ll be continuing this diet for a while. You can read all about why in my dairy-free posts. A friend of mine asked for a list of my favorite foods so I thought I’d post it here. I [...]

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