So the Duchess of Cambridge gave birth to a baby boy yesterday. Just 4 weeks shy of Lucille Amelia’s arrival in this word. It’s hard to believe she’s a month old in some moments (like when I look at pictures of her lying on my chest just hours after birth…and I feel like we first met just yesterday). But then in other moments I feel like we’ve never been without her (like when I wake up beside her and find those bright blue eyes staring right at me).
Life with a newborn is ever changing. We learn one routine and then she quickly establishes another. Some nights she’ll wake me up twice and then other nights I feel like I’m up every hour. She fusses at lunch one day, then at dinner the next. She prefers the right breast on Monday, the left breast on Tuesday. Change. Change. Change. However, this truth remains constant: our need for each other. And while this need is now largely physical (these newborns can nurse!), I know that this is only the beginning of a beautiful and lasting bond.
She smiles at us, she laughs while she sleeps, she screams when my milk doesn’t let down fast enough…or when it comes on too strong. She loves being held by her papa and she loves being bound close to my chest. We started cloth diapering her yesterday, and we’re hoping that the introduction of a pacifier will make our life at least a little bit easier at least some of the time.
I’m surrounded by friends and family that love her and me and Ryan. They’ve showered us with food and visits and words of encouragement. All new mamas need to be told that it’s okay to feel overwhelmed and then to be given tangible support. We have been richly blessed.
And so I’m making ice cream sandwiches and pesto pasta and maybe even a loaf of bread in the days to come (we’re getting AC installed tomorrow). My recipes are less involved post-baby but still just as cathartic. Because motherhood is wonderful but also tiring, and I still find the greatest surge of energy when I’m able to set my thoughts aside and step behind a mixing bowl to create.
I layered strawberry ice cream between two amaretti cookies. I must confess that I didn’t make these cookies myself (Whole Foods has an amazing cookie display case…and like I said…AC is on the horizon but not quite here). However, I do have a recipe to share that I’ve made in the past to great success. So if you feel up to baking, go for it, and if not, then know there is no judgment in stopping in at Whole Foods. Strawberry ice cream tasted lovely between these nutty, chewy cookies but I imagine a dark chocolate ice cream would be just as divine.
Amaretti Ice Cream Sandwiches
Yields 4 cookies
8 medium Amaretti Cookies
1 cup strawberry ice-cream
Allow ice-cream to soften on counter for 5 minutes (it should be just soft enough to scoop). Place 1/4 cup of ice cream on the backs of four cookies. Using a metal spoon, spread ice cream to the edge of each cookie. Take the remaining four cookies and place on top of ice-cream. You will make four sandwiches. Eat immediately or store on a tray in freezer.
Lucille is just beautiful, Monet. Congratulations to you and Ryan! (and may your AC arrive and be installed with no trouble or fuss:)
Monet…you are doing such a great job with Lucy! She is growing and gorgeous…and obviously very content. So very happy for you and Ryan…and secretly hoping you’ll be in Austin once she’s a bit bigger so I meet her in person! Hooray for a/c…I’m sure Summer is warm, even in Colorado. Our Texas Summer is much less-brutal than the past couple of years, so that’s something to be thankful for. However, I never met an ice cream sandwich I didn’t want to devour :)!!
She just gets more adorable every day! Sounds like you’re adapting well to the everyday change. I know I’d have a tough time with that, but whatever keeps the baby happy, hehe! Wishing you lots of luck with pacifiers and cloth diapering, too. These cookies are just lovely. I’m sure you’re looking forward to baking in an A/C’ed house!
Weird how even after they’ve only been here a short while it’s hard to imagine life without them – right?
It sounds like motherhood is treating you well. Aren’t babies magnificent? I just adore watching my nieces and nephews take in the world.
Hope you are doing well, darling. Sorry I haven’t commented in a while. Life has been a bit crazy (both in a good way and in a crazy way).
Monet,
I’m so glad that you will have A/C soon. Much more baking to come:) You seem so calm and well adjusted to motherhood already. Pacifiers work well for nursing babies in those early months.
Your Ice Cream sandwiches are the perfect Summer treat for nursing Moms, and anyone else.
Yay for AC! I can’t believe Lucy is a month old already. Adorable picture of you two and no one will blame you for less involved recipes. I don’t have a baby and I am doing it too these days. Haha but really amaretti ice cream sandwiches sound perfect for these humid days!
I love reading your beautiful telling of new motherhood, and of course any pictures of sweet little Lucy. These ice cream sandwiches look amazing as well! Yum!
Yum! I love amaretti cookies (and all things almond) and this sounds wonderful. My little guy loves all kinds of ice cream sandwiches and we could use one right now! Glad the AC is coming. All the best with Lucy!
What a darling picture! I love that little pink hat. And she’s so small in that picture of the two of you! I’m so glad you’re enjoying these days, even if your schedule is never predictable. And there’s definitely nothing wrong with getting a little help from Whole Foods, especially when you have no AC! Enjoy your precious little one 🙂
She looks so tiny! Keep her close the time flies! I can’t believe my little one has been here for almost 7 months already (and that my blog has been abandoned that long).
Good luck with cloth diapering, it is so addictive! I have about 30 now, and would have 1000 more if I had the money!
No matter that you took a shortcut to the cookies (especially if you have no AC!) they look absolutely delicious! Wishing I had cookies in the house to make some, to. I will have to settle for a bowl of ice cream alone 🙂
She is so tiny and sweet! I’m loving the pictures! And I’ve never made my own ice cream sandwiches but they sound like the perfect easy summer dessert. Stay cool!
What a beautiful treasure Monet! Congratulations to you and Ryan!
I love the amaretto and strawberry combination!
Four weeks already! It really has gone by so very quickly. That’s such a beautiful image of Lucille lying there sleeping – it just melts your heart when you see them asleep. Lovely little ice cream sandwiches xx
Love seeing the pictures of your beautiful baby! Keep them coming!
Hi,
It is so nice to see you and your daughter is so so lovely! I hearded a lot about how tired you are the first months after birth and I am preparing myself to this but I think I will not understand totally until I will be there.
These little dessert is really nice and easy, I like both amaretti and ice-cream. I will make some ice-cream during the weekend… and will post it soon.
Ciao.
Amazing amazing! That is all the words I have! She is beautiful and your sandwiches look great!!
I cannot get over how gorgeous your daughter is!! She looks so healthy and peaceful! And you, lady…you’re looking marvelous and healthy as well!! These ice cream sandwiches are mouth-watering…perfect treat for all this hot weather we’re having!
It’s already been four weeks?! Craziness! Lucy is gorgeous – I love that she’s smiling in the photo of the two of you. Take it one day at a time, Monet. Every mother I know tells me that it’s a steep learning curve every day. I’m so glad to hear that you’re getting lots of help. More importantly, I’m glad you’re able to get into the kitchen to do something cathartic just for yourself. You definitely need those moments. Yay for AC and for easy ice cream sandwiches!
Monet, motherhood suits you so well : ) You must be so excited for AC! It’s been so hot out lately too (well at least here in NC). Ice cream sandwiches are one of my favorite summertime treats – these look delicious!
Welcome to parenting 101- giving yourself permission to take a few culinary shortcuts!! Love your ice-cream cookies, and love seeing pics of your sweet Lucy! Hard to believe she’s already 4 weeks old!
Wow.. Cant believe she is already 4 weeks old.. Times flies!!!! She is so adorable!
Glad you’re getting AC – so easy to bake in the summer when you have that. Although with great ice cream sandwiches like this, who wants to bake? 😉
Oh she is just too sweet! Such beautiful photos! I’d love to hear how you adventures in cloth diapers go!
She is so gorgeous!! What a wonderful gift. Thank you so much for sharing!
That little girl of yours is SUCH a beauty!!!
And these little amaretti ice cream sandwiches are pretty cute also. The perfect bite!
four weeks already? time is flying by! she is precious!!!
Hi Monet,
Lucy is so cute!
The ice cream sandwich looks wonderful! A definite treat that is well-deserved!
Take care!
everything in this post is BEAUTIFUL
You are blessed indeed. Lucy is beautiful and you look amazing as well.
No shame in using store bought cookies when you have much bigger…or, actually smaller…things to take up your time. What a little doll she is!
You just look so natural and happy with Lucy curled up in your arms it’s truly beautiful! these ice cream sandwiches look so moreish!
The Meatball Shop is known for their customizable sammies. When it comes to meat, have things exactly the way you want them: ‘balls made from your choice of beef, pork, chicken, vegetable, or whatever the special of the day is (a recent special: jerk chicken, habanero pepper, all spice with mango chutney) topped with your choice of tomato, spicy meat sauce, mushroom gravy, Parmesan cream, or pesto. But forget dessert, which is just as customizable: pick two cookies, mix and match encouraged, and choose your ice cream flavor to smush into the center for an incredible ice cream sandwich.
I love seeing how Lucy grows. Your blog is filled with love and it gives me warm feelings when I visit. Yourice cream sandwiches look so good! Pinning now!
Summer is just around the corner, so let’s make some ice cream sandwiches. The flavor combinations are limitless, but I have to say this sugar cookie & strawberry ice cream combination really satisfied my sweet tooth! It was a refreshing treat, that’s for sure.