Proof of Life: 2021

I have been a blogger on and off for 20 years, from LiveJournal and Diaryland to when my friend bought me the domain aubreyann.com to, well, this blog.  But the advent of shorter form social media (mainly Instagram) has made this medium less appealing because it requires me to sit down in front of a larger screen and keyboard and make more of an effort to put together coherent thoughts.  These days, those quiet moments without a child or cat trying to press keys on my laptop are few and far between.

Top Nine in 2021

1. I went back to work in January after a short maternity leave with Freddie, and he started at the same daycare as Kenny.
2. We celebrated Kenny's 3rd birthday (with a Cars theme) with all three of his grandparents.
3. I was named Tennessee DAR's State Outstanding Junior, and I was also a National Finalist (one of eight) for the national contest.
4. We road tripped to 30A to spend a week at the beach with friends and family.
5. I traveled to Connecticut and Disney World to spend time with my BFF Lindsey.
6. We road tripped to Wisconsin Dells with my parents for a vacation, then cut over to Pittsburgh to celebrate my mother-in-law's 70th birthday.
7. I traveled to Washington, D.C. twice for short DAR trips.
8. Freddie turned 1 and had a birthday party focused on Korean family traditions... and he started walking too!
9. We explored Indiana, including the Children's Museum of Indianapolis, the Indianapolis Zoo, and Carmel's Christkindlmarkt.

I also started strength training this fall about twice a week, have been able to enjoy a lot of podcasts, and I joined Bloomington's chapter of Tri Kappa, a philanthrophic sorority.  I didn't live up to my resolution for 2021 of trying to be better at keeping in touch with friends.  I think that balancing family and work has consumed me for the most part, and even just adding exercise to the mix was challenging.

But life is good, it really is.  We love our home.  We love having family close by.  I love my new career, even when it gives me grey hairs or the stock market is having a wonky day.  It's a good life that I have, and I'm thankful every minute of it.

I do want to write some blog posts about our travels, albeit late in the game as I even have one from 2020 unpublished.  But at a minimum I may check in here once a year or so, just to say hello to my old friend and to preserve something on the internet for posterity.

Freddie's Birth Story

Three months ago (OMG time has flown), we were blessed with our second little bundle of joy,  Freddie!  Overall, his birth was much less eventful than Kenny's (read that story here), but definitely challenging in its own way!

We'd celebrated Halloween with my parents, taking Kenny to trick-or-treat at their house.  Of course, that meant he wanted to spend the night with them!  He spent one night just about every week at their house during my pregnancy, to give us a chance to rest and clean the house as we prepped for the new baby.  It's a good thing that Kenny was with my parents, because the next morning I started to feel contractions.  I started tracking them, because at 38 weeks I know there was a chance that they were Braxton-Hicks.  But these were persistent, and none of the usual tricks to get them to stop worked!  I told Dan, and we hunkered down at home to wait for them to get closer together.

This was definitely more challenging than with Kenny, because I was induced for my first pregnancy.  Every contraction happened at the hospital, and I was able to get the epidural started well before they became very painful, so I'd never really experienced the "real deal" painful contractions.  Honestly, the worst I'd had the first go-round felt like painful cramping.

Around 9pm, I told Dan that I wanted to go to the hospital.  My contractions were about 10 minutes apart, and they were starting to hurt.  But when I got to the hospital, the contractions were close enough together for them to want to keep me there.  They encouraged us to go home and labor for longer.  Ugh!  It was frustrating.

I spent the rest of the night on an exercise ball that my Mom had brought over, watching Band of Brothers on TV as I moaned and endured more and more painful contractions.  The nurse had told me to come back when they were consistently 3 minutes apart, but around 3am (at 5 minutes apart) I told Dan they were too painful and I wanted to go back to the hospital.  By the time we got checked, I was 5cm dilated and they were ready to move me to a delivery room!  Yay!

I included a photo here of me with my mask (pulled down to smile).  Due to COVID-19, I'd never visited the maternity ward at our hospital before.  I'd only toured it virtually!  We also wore masks (yes, I labored and delivered wearing a mask!) the whole time.  I did not have issues with the mask at all, though at the end of delivery they did give me an oxygen mask to help me breathe between pushes.  I also had a COVID-19 test done during labor, which I apparently refused pre-epidural.  LOL.  Don't ask me to do anything when I'm in pain!

Even though I'd progressed quickly during the night, I stalled out a bit that morning.  This gave us time to get my epidural going (thank goodness), and the doctor broke my water in anticipation of some pitocin to speed things along.  Well, breaking my water did the trick!  By the time she checked me next, I was fully dilated and ready to push.  Baby was sunny side up (face up) but ended up turning last-minute after half an hour of pushing.  And then he was here!

Due to my gestational diabetes, Freddie's blood sugar was a little out of whack initially, but after nursing he adjusted well enough for us to go home.  I was feeling pretty good (definitely well compared to postpartum with Kenny!) and we were on our way home within 36 hours.  Freddie had a touch of jaundice, but he was such a good eater that it passed to normal levels quickly.

Kenny has embraced his role as older brother.  Our lives are louder, messier, and more exhausting, but we're really happy we added this little guy to the mix!

My Pandemic Pregnancy

Dan and I had always talked about having two children, and we had hoped to get pregnant or have our second before we moved to Indiana.  We had even gone through fertility exams again, including a round of IUI before we moved.  After the IUI didn't take, we seriously discussed adoption again, but we knew that I'd gotten pregnant before in the cycles after my HSG exam before and I hoped it would happen again... and it did!

In March of 2020, just a few days before the pandemic shutdowns hit our area, I found out I was pregnant.  We'd been trying for over a year like we had with Kenny, so Dan didn't quite believe me when I told him.  The timing was also challenging, as we'd just moved and I was starting a new career.  But we knew this was what we wanted, and thankfully our move had brought us close to family who would be able to help us.

Things That Were Different...

• Virtual Visits instead of in-person visits
• I didn't really have much of an exam before my last trimester!  Since I found out about my pregnancy right as the first pandemic shutdowns and protocols hit, so they honestly didn't really even want to see me other than in-person.
• Curbside Blood Draw
• Since I had pre-eclampsia last pregnancy, they wanted to be sure to monitor me closely in case it happened again.  But what was different is that for one of my big blood draws, I was asked to pull up in my car and have the phlebotomist draw blood while I sat in my vehicle!
• Masks for Visits
• No surprise there, but I had to wear a mask every visit.
• No Partner for Ultrasounds
• Dan was unable to attend the two main ultrasounds, as no guests were allowed.  This protocol changed later in the year, so when I needed an ultrasound close to my due date, they allowed him to join me.
• No Babymoon, or traveling in general.  All my trips for the year were cancelled.
• Virtual Hospital Tour
• We were delivering at a new-to-us hospital, but we couldn't take a tour of the maternity ward.  Instead, I watched a video online!
• Limited Hospital Guests & No Hospital Photographer
• Our hospital only allowed one guest per day, which included your support person.  So if I had tried to rotate someone else in, Dan wouldn't be allowed back.  But this worked out just fine because we only stayed at the hospital for 36 hours, and my parents were caring for Kenny.
• For Kenny, there was a photographer who did a newborn photo shoot on-site in our recovery room.  This was not the case in 2020!
• COVID-19 test in the delivery room
• Apparently I refused this test pre-epidural (can you blame me?  I was in pain!) but the doctor asked me again once I had my meds and I consented.  It sucked!  It was a swab that went way down your throat, then the same swab went way up your nose.  It made my eyes water, and I had to cough afterwards.

20-week Ultrasound

One thing we were able to do safely with distancing was take family photos!  Pictures and social media were how we updated family and friends.

portraits by Amanda Field Photography

We also did a Star Wars/Mandalorian themed pregnancy announcement, sticking to TV trends like our Game of Thrones announcement when Kenny was born.

Overall, pregnancy in a pandemic felt more isolating and lonely. I didn't have my social support structure like last time (other than my parents and texts).  I did have super generous friends and family who sent us giftcards and gifts, which really cheered me up quite a bit to be able to shop or order food when we needed things.  It was also tougher for Dan to connect with this pregnancy, since he couldn't attend the ultrasounds or appointments to hear the heartbeat.  But we definitely were grateful to be growing our family in spite of it all!

Kenny's 2nd Birthday

 Kenny is almost three years old, but I never shared how we celebrated his 2nd birthday in early 2020!

Like so many toddlers, Kenny was a fan of Baby Shark.  So when it came time for his birthday, I decided to make a Baby Shark cake to celebrate!  At the time, Kenny couldn't get enough blueberries in his belly, so I made a lemon blueberry flavored cake with buttercream frosting.  I used some plastic pieces from a cake decorating kit I found on clearance at Target to make the fins.

We got Baby Shark balloons from a local party store, and we had cake and presents at my parents' house since we had just moved to Indiana the weekend prior.  His favorite gifts were his stuffed WALL-E and EVE toys from the Pixar movie.

Kenny was also able to celebrate with his daycare friends before we moved.  I sent mini cupcakes to the daycare, and he wore his Baby Shark shirt.  I didn't post photos here because of privacy for the other littles in his class, but I think he enjoyed his birthday celebration.

And now, due to the pandemic, we will likely celebrate in this small fashion again for Kenny's 3rd birthday in January!  It's tradition for us to do a big 1st birthday, but other than that I think we may wait until he is kindergarten age to do a party.  These mini family gatherings are much less stress and expense, and the memories are just as sweet.

Our New Home!

Remember when I used to blog here?  I'm on maternity leave, and I feel compelled to reflect on 2020 and share more about how we've been.

We moved from Tennessee to my hometown in Indiana early this year, and we bought our first house as a family!  So many things came together to make this happen, and it felt really great to move from apartment living to a house with a yard for a growing toddler.

We found a lovely house just 15 minutes from my parents and my office, as well as walking distance to a great paved trail.  The yard is perfect, it has a paver patio which we hope to furnish and enjoy more over time (we used it for a kiddie pool mostly this year!), and the previous owner who built it ensured we have pretty landscaping year-round.  The perennials he planted delighted us all spring and summer.

We did make a few updates to the house, which was built in 2008.  The downstairs had three flooring types: laminate, vinyl, and carpet.  We put engineered hardwood the whole way through the downstairs, and we painted the whole house.  It really spruced things up and gave us a blank slate, as we did also need to add some furniture for the downstairs mainly.

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We would like to redo the kitchen at some point, adding an extended island, painting cabinets, and updating light fixtures.  This house really only required cosmetic updates for our personal preference, which made it perfect for us!  We did a U-Haul move, and we hired movers in Indiana to help us with the heavy lifting.

The upstairs has three bedrooms and a loft, the latter of which we converted to a playroom.  We made quite a few trips to IKEA to furnish the house, and Dan has basically banned me from it.  But combining what we had from our apartment with the new items, we really have made it into what we had hoped!

I've embedded a number of Instagram photos in this post, so you can swipe for Before/After images of what the house looks like and what it looked like in listing photos.

Living Room

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Kitchen/Dining 

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Playroom 

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Master Bedroom

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Proof of Life: 2020

It's been so long since I blogged here, I don't even recognize the Blogger interface anymore as it has changed!  I did want to check in here, as I do have a few posts I'd like to work on from this year.  But here's a rundown of where we are right now...

1.   We moved to Bloomington, Indiana!  My hometown.
2.   We've made a house into a home.
3.   Kenny turned two years old!
4.   I started a new job as a second generation financial advisor.
5.   A PANDEMIC AND CHAOTIC DUMPSTER FIRE OF A YEAR HAPPENED.
6.   I got pregnant, and I'm due with another baby boy in November!
7.   All the trips we had planned this year were straight up CANCELLED.
8.   We celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary in New Harmony.
9.   We've spent quality time with family.
10.   Kenny started a new daycare.

I'm hoping to do some belated blog posts here for posterity, but mostly you can find me on Instagram.

We're doing as well as we can be!

Reflections

Today is both Flag Day and the Army Birthday. When I was in the Army, we often had cake and celebrations associated with this day. Today, I'm just at home still in my PJs reflecting on the fact that I've spent more time outside of the Army than in it.

The first time I deployed, a volunteer handed me a little flag before I stepped on the plane. It was the same kind I've handed out at parades or nursing homes, the little inexpensive ones on a wooden rod that might give you a splinter if you're not careful. But that day, I had this realization that there was a chance I might not set foot on American soil again. I clung to that little flag in fear and anxiety, hoping for the best.

As controversial as General MacArthur was, sometimes I still hear the recording of his aged voice in my head... ""Duty, Honor, Country" — those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be. They are your rallying point to build courage when courage seems to fail, to regain faith when there seems to be little cause for faith, to create hope when hope becomes forlorn."

In tough times, in challenging times, in scary times, I find myself clinging metaphorically to that little 30-cent flag. Sometimes, I feel its splinters digging into my hand. But I hold fast because of those three words, reminding me to never give up on courage, faith, and hope. There remains the possibility and potential for a better tomorrow.

San Diego

Another work trip journal...  My team went to San Diego to do some focus group research last year, so I got to travel to California and enjoy some pretty beautiful weather.  I also stayed at a hotel with marina views, which was positively lovely!  (I also had a chance to see a DAR friend and a family friends, both before starting work...  love being able to do things like that when I can!)

Hotel room view and breakfast

We also indulged in some delicious eats!  My favorite meal was in Little Italy at Barbusa.  It was absolutely delicious!  We found it using Yelp, and we made a reservation same-day.  I'm glad we did, because the wait when we arrived was long!  Parking was challenging too, but we managed.  The garlic bread was an absolute must!  It's an old family recipe.  The burrata was so fresh too.

My meal was a bit on the overindulgent side... a pasta with bone marrow!  It was heavy and creamy and had delicious sausage in addition to the marrow.  I loved it, even though it left me feeling a bit sluggish after the fact.

My favorite outing was our trip to the San Diego Zoo.  I'd visited the zoo once before in 2012 on a road trip with my sister.  It's an AZA zoo and world-class facility... and it's absolutely huge!  It's hilly, too, so you get your steps in.  We also enjoyed the aerial skyfari at sunset, another highlight to be sure.

On my last visit, my favorite animal to see was the giant panda exhibit.  Unfortunately, the giant pandas were recalled the China in April, so the zoo no longer has them.  This time, I enjoyed the elephants the most.

A weekday evening is the perfect time to visit the San Diego zoo... we found great parking, enjoyed few crowds, and the sunset was absolutely stunning.

I love San Diego, and I hope to visit again soon!

Eating Meat in Minneapolis

I was going to give this post a title of just "Minneapolis"... until I looked at my photos and realized it was pretty much a bunch of pics of meat that I ate.  I hadn't been back since 2014, other than the airport for connections, and I had the chance to return for another work trip to our Minneapolis office.  I was joined by coworkers who lean to the carnivorous side of life (as I sometimes do!) and we definitely indulged.

But first, a photo of some art because it was outside our super cool hotel, the Emery.  I wish I'd taken more photos inside, because the lobby was so unique (so many plants!) and the rooms were quirky too.

For dinner the first night we were in town, a group of us headed to Manny's a classic steakhouse and Minneapolis meat institution since the '80s.  It's often in the "top steakhouses" lists nationally, and they bring out this rolling cart of meat to describe the cuts and help you make decisions.  I've been fortunate during my travels to experience a lot of great steakhouse, so I was excited to visit Manny's.  I couldn't resist taking a photo of the artwork in the waiting area of the restaurant, which is pretty, um, ballsy.  LOL.

The side at Manny's are shareable, and we got the giant hash browns with onions and the macaroni and cheese.  I loved the macaroni, but I wished the hash browns were crispier.  It's such a thick patty, the insides don't get crispy, so I think if they did two thinner layers it would be better.  But they're doing fine without my input, so I'll let it be!

For steak, I got the filet though I considered the baseball steak because that sounded good too.  It was a really good steak, as you would expect.  Not the greatest steak I've had in my life, but a great steakhouse experience for sure.

The server was outstanding, and he threw in a crazy dessert for us to try.  It was huge, and it had a steak knife running through it!

The next night, our larger group went to another downtown restaurant known for its meats, Butcher & the Boar.  We ordered a smorgasbord of things (including charcuterie and the sausage sampler), and they were all delicious!  The restaurant has a hipster beer garden vibe in all the right ways, and I thought the food was really great.  I preferred it to the more traditional experience at Manny's the previous night.

For my main, I was going to order the sausage sampler, but they ordered some for the table so I got to try those beforehand!

So I ordered a steak for dinner, again!  And it was another filet... topped with smoked onion rings.  It was really good, even better than the one I had the previous night.

So as you can see, pretty much the only photos I took in Minneapolis were of meat.  :)  It's a really cool city that I'd like to explore more someday, but sadly the weather wasn't the most conducive to that.  Maybe next trip!

Succulent & Cacti Naked Cake

I've been wanting to learn to do flowers and succulents in buttercream frosting, because I've always found piping to be a bit intimidating.  As I've grown more confident in my ability to make good-tasting cake and frosting, I've spent the past couple of years focused on making my cakes look more well-stacked, level, and decorated.

photo by Allison

My friend was organizing a baby shower for another one of our work friends, and a naked cake with succulents and cacti totally fit the bill.  The mom-to-be is a plant lady, so it was the perfect excuse to try out something new in decorating!  I used Wilton gel food colors (Moss Green and Leaf Green for the plants) and some videos from Wilton to get started, then just went to YouTube and typed in "buttercream succulent" and watched techniques.

photo by Allison

I screwed up quite a few of them, but the ones that didn't find their way into my mouth (emotional eaters, I see you) ended up on little pieces of parchment paper to go into the freezer.  Freezing them really helped firm them up for when I placed them on the cake itself!  It also helped divided up the work so I could get this done on a weeknight.

I'm SO pleased by how this cake turned out.  I'm an amateur baker and decorator with no training, just figuring things out as I go.  But I love to bake as a sort of love language, so I'm game to try new things.  My favorite professional to follow is Minette Rushing, who I met during my time in Savannah.

I'm pleased as Punch with how this cake turned out!