17/52

A portrait of my daughter every week of 2014.

April is ending. The trees are blossoming and the days are stretching long beyond dinner. We’ve had sniffly noses and late nights. We’ve had warm afternoons followed by light snow. I am surrounded by change, and I see it no where more than in my daughter. She grows and learns and explores more each day. I watch her step out…and then run back to make sure we’re still there to catch her.

She’s talking, which I love. More than any milestone, her words are magical to me. I guess it should come as no surprise that a writer would find such delight in hearing her daughter ascribe meaning to the world with her voice. Chicken. Dog. Cat. Papa. Mama. She knows five words, and she knows them well.

She still isn’t walking but we’re so very close. I just spoke with Ryan (who is watching her while I teach tonight). He thinks she’s on the brink of taking those first few steps. I couldn’t agree more.

Little One In Fort Collins

The second of our baby travel guides! If you didn’t get a chance to read about our adventures in Boulder, you can do so here. Ryan and I took Lucy to Fort Collins over the weekend, and we had a wonderful (and delicious time). Traveling with a baby requires unique planning and coordination, but we’re finding it’s just as fun (if not more) to have Lucy in tow. Fort Collins rests about an hour north of Denver, two hours north of Colorado Springs. Home to Colorado State University and dozens of breweries, it’s a town worth visiting for a day or two.

Black Eye Coffee

Because the drive to Fort Collins is over an hour, we made a pit stop at one of our favorite coffee shops in Denver: Black Eye Coffee. Impeccable espresso drinks, fresh pastries, and friendly baristas make Black Eye an easy choice for us. Tip #1 for traveling with baby: plan for pit stops. Getting out of the car, if only for thirty minutes, meant we had a much happier baby for the second half of our trip (and a much more alert mom and dad).

Choice City Butcher and Deli

We asked our friends for recommendations on where to eat in Fort Collins. Choice City made almost every list. This butcher and deli specializes in natural meats and good beer. We ordered sandwiches, let Lucy watch the sandwich guys throw them together on a stainless steel counter, and then quickly devoured our food. Good bread, high quality meat, and fresh veggies made for a real win.

Armstrong Hotel

Normally, we like to stay at apartments or homes we find through Air BnB. Turns out, Fort Collins is slim pickings. So we found what I think was our next best option: the Armstrong Hotel. As the last operating historic hotel in Fort Collins, the Armstrong was full of charm. The hotel delicately balanced the need for renovation and the desire for historical preservation. And to make an already cool hotel even better: they have a cat named Oreo. We enjoyed our stay. Our bed was comfortable and made me realize we really need to purchase new pillows for home.

Tasty Harmony

Vegan and vegetarian goodness. We came here in the afternoon for a smoothie. We went away with the most delectable frozen concoction that I’ve had in quite some time. Fresh made coconut almond milk. Bananas. Cacao beans. Chopped Dates. Raw Honey. Almond butter. We were all fighting for the straw. Tasty Harmony at three in the afternoon was delightfully quiet, which meant we had time to rest, snuggle, and plan the next leg of our trip.

Maza Kabob

Maza Kabob received the highest rating of any restaurant on Yelp. We had never tried Afghan food before and were eager to explore a new cuisine. One of my dearest friends from college met us for dinner, which turned out to be both delicious and exhausting. Lu had reached her limit from a long day of travel and wanted little to do with eating. We tried to quickly finish our meals so we could leave the rest of the diners in peace. Thankfully, Maza Kebob is another strip-mall joint. Although I felt slightly embarrassed by our messy and loud 10-month old, the restaurant didn’t demand perfection. Once we went outside, Lucy and mama settled down, and we enjoyed a beautiful end to a warm summer day.

Creperie and French Bakery

Creperie is a Fort Collins institution. This small French restaurant has been wooing Fort Collins occupants with traditional buckwheat crepes and fresh croissants for years. They recently made the decision to leave their downtown home in order to expand their restaurant and bakery. We were lucky enough to enjoy breakfast on their very last day in their original home. Our buckwheat crepes were filled with eggs, cheese, tomatoes, and scallions. I’m sad to say we were so hungry for breakfast that we forgot to photograph our meals! Thankfully, we did end up buying a few croissants to take with us…and those were not forgotten by my camera.

We enjoyed these buttery pastries in one of the many beautiful outdoor squares in Fort. Collins. We happened upon a gigantic bear, which delighted both Lucy and her parents (we have called our daughter Lucy Bear since the day she was born). You can’t beat a good photo opp and a croissant rolled into one.

Little Bird Bakeshop

FAVORITE. Well, this was the winner for me. Combine a wonderful bakery with a great coffee program and I’m sold. The baristas were talented. The staff is friendly. The bakers know how to make desserts that don’t scream sugar. I could easily visit this place every single day. The sun-filled space brims with a collection of vintage tables and chairs and a front counter holds the day’s baked offerings. If I had to give you my one place to visit: it’s here.

Breastfeeding

As the mother of a ten-month old, breastfeeding in public is no small feat. Lu is highly distractable, which means more people have seen my nipples than I dare try to count. When we’re not traveling, this isn’t a problem. We run our errands and then come back to the familiarity of home to breastfeed. But when we’re traveling, it can be really hard to get her to eat. Thankfully, she’s 10 months old and not 10 weeks old, which means she doesn’t need to fill her belly every two to three hours anymore. We do our best when we’re traveling and often make up for scanty feedings at night. On Saturday, we found a shaded wall to rest against and had a long and successful feeding. Both Lucy and I were happy.

La Luz and the Waffle Lab

We ended our time in Fort Collins with tacos from La Luz and Belgian waffles from the Waffle Lab. La Luz makes everything in house…and they prize themselves on the freshness of their ingredients. We loved our tacos…and Lucy loved exploring their menus. And what trip shouldn’t end with freshly made Belgian waffles? We tried to keep Lu from digging in (we don’t want her to eat too many sweets and overly processed fare) but we couldn’t resist for long. She wanted that waffle!

We had a wonderful weekend in Fort Collins, and we’re looking forward to our next big trips this summer: Portland and Pittsburgh. More baby guides coming soon!

10 months of Lucille Amelia

And she speaks. Lucy talks more and more each day. For some reason, I didn’t anticipate my squishy newborn daughter would verbally communicate with us for quite some time (at least a year). Despite these low expectations, Lucy had other plans. She says: mama, papa, dog, cat, chicken, and book. She recognizes that dogs come in all different shapes and sizes, and she cries, “dog, dog, dog!” each time we walk around the neighborhood and spot a new canine friend.

She’s grown even more attached to us (and I thought it wasn’t possible!). Separation anxiety has been at an all-time high, which, to be honest, is exhausting. On the days and nights where she only wants to be held by me, I remind myself: this season is so very brief and you’ll never be as “wanted” again. And so I find a tired but true contentment in letting her rest in my arms.

We go to Mom and Me Yoga every week now. I love meeting and stretching and talking with a group of other new moms. I only wish I had discovered it sooner. We’ll “graduate” as soon as Lucy walks….which could be any day now. If I could give any advice to parents to be it would be this: find a way to connect to a community of parents. It makes a huge difference in your mental health.

I wear Lucy everywhere. She loves to snuggle up close to my chest and fall asleep as we walk through our neighborhood or even through the house. Despite the fact that she is now VERY mobile (crawling and climbing and pulling herself up on everything) she still seems happiest pressed against my chest. It is a beautiful and simple habit of our days.

Speaking of habits, we still get a cappuccino together everyday. I sip on my caffeine while Lucy enjoys an apple. She’s growing up in that coffee shop, and I love that the bakers and baristas know her by name. Again: community. It’s essential.

And finally sleep. No, we aren’t sleeping through the night yet. Not even close. But you know, I’m okay with it. Our sleep arrangement is working now. I would love a full night’s sleep, but because Lucy sleeps in the same room as us…nursing her isn’t an inconvenience. Yes, her stomach might be find without milk for eight plus hours…but emotionally, she’s not ready to sleep on her own. And so instead of trying to force her, we’re accepting sleep for what it is now: a series of short naps.

We love you, sweet girl. Happy 10 months!

Creamy Coconut Cake

I spent a long time researching coconut cake options. As much as I bake…and I bake A LOT…I had never made a coconut cake before. With Easter and Mother’s Day on the horizon, I knew I needed to find the perfect recipe. The recipe I’d write out on a recipe card and keep close to my baking pans for years to come.

After a few days of pulling up every coconut cake recipe I could find, I settled on this one. And I’m so glad I did. This recipe required a secret ingredient (and who doesn’t love secret ingredients?): coconut milk powder. The coconut milk powder replaces some of the flour in the recipe leading to a rich, creamy, and moist layer cake. Once you try using it, you won’t go back. I can’t wait to add coconut milk powder to other cake recipes too! Because it doesn’t impart as much as flavor as texture and richness.

We had a perfect Easter, spent with family, on a beautiful Colorado day. This cake was the star of our mid-day lunch…but it would be as equally fitting for Mother’s Day, which is just around the corner.

Creamy Coconut Cake

From King Arthur Flour

Cake
3 cups (12 ounces)e Cake Flour
2/3 cup (2 1/2 ounces) coconut milk powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (5 ounces) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups (10 ounces) sugar
6 large egg whites (about 1 1/4 cups; packaged liquid egg whites work fine, too)
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) whole milk, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 drops coconut flavoring

Coconut Frosting
1 (14-ounce can) unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter
5 1/2 cups (22 ounces) confectioners’ sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla or 3 to 4 drops strong coconut flavoring

Garnish
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded sweetened coconut

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Soak two cake strips, if you have them. Grease and flour (or line with parchment circles and spray with nonstick spray) two 8-inch square cake pans that are at least 2 inches deep.

To make the cake: Whisk together the cake flour, coconut milk powder, salt, and baking powder; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until the mixture is extremely light and fluffy; scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl after two minutes of beating, and beat for at least three minutes more. Add 1/4 of the dry ingredients, mix until combined, and scrape the mixing bowl.

Combine the egg whites, milk, and flavorings; add 1/3 of the mixture to the ingredients in the bowl and mix until combined. Continue adding dry and wet ingredients by turns, until all are incorporated. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl one last time, and mix for another minute.

Divide the batter between the two pans, and wrap the outsides with the soaked cake strips. If you don’t have cake strips, place the pans in larger pans and fill the water halfway up the sides of the layers. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the cake springs back when lightly touched in the center and the edges just begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.

Remove from the oven and place on a rack; remove the cake strips. Let the layers cool for 20 minutes, then turn out of the pan and return to the rack to finish cooling completely before filling and frosting.

To make the frosting: Set a fine-mesh strainer or colander over a bowl and line it with a clean linen towel. Pour the coconut milk into the lined strainer and let the coconut water drain for up to 2 hours, until you have a thick lump of coconut cream.

After the coconut milk has drained, cream the butter with 2 cups confectioners’ sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat in the salt and vanilla (or coconut extract) until the mixture is smooth. Add the coconut cream and mix, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add the remaining confectioners’ sugar until you have a smooth, spreadable frosting. Cover and hold at room temperature until ready to use.

To finish the cake: Split the cooled cake layers horizontally. Place half of one layer on a serving plate; spread with 1/4 of the frosting. Place the other half on top, spread with another 1/4 of the frosting. Repeat with the remaining layers until you’ve used them all.

15/52

A portrait of my daughter every week of 2014.

Some of the best moments of my day? Early afternoon. Lucy has recently awoken from her mid-day nap, and she’s happy to be held, cuddled and tickled. I carry her into our bedroom and we play together on our bed. She laughs and snuggles, and my heart swells with so much love. It makes the less glamorous parts of my day (the dirty diapers, the soaked nursing bras, the dust under the couch) melt away. I’m with my daughter, and we’re both very much in love.

As I type this, sitting on my living room floor, Lucy is crawling up my back and laughing. She’s so active now, and it won’t be long before she’s walking and running. I’m trying to treasure each day of her babyhood because they really are passing so fast. Today, we’ll nurse and play and share oatmeal for breakfast. We’ll walk and snuggle and laugh. Happy Spring and Happy Easter, sweet friends. Thank you for all the love and support.