Baby Drew is here!

We have waited so long for you, little guy, and you're finally here! Of course, I start crying as I write that sentence... I cried yesterday during his first bath as he cried and shivered through it and then I cried when I found out he'd done great at his circumcision... and now I'm probably crying because its 4am and I'm completely exhausted but even more because we fall in love with him a little more each time we see him (it definitely helps that he's absolutely adorable and has the most kissable cheeks and nose!).

He was born December 28, 2010 at 3:46pm. I was in labor for about 24 hours until we had him. I ended up having an epidural, because the pain had kept me up all night, when we got to 4cm dilated and then within 4 hours we were at the stage where we could begin to push... and 3.5 hours, and a vacuum extractor, later we could see only a tiny amount of his head. The doctor recommended a c-section because of the way he was positioned (slightly to the side) and because she sensed that he was too big to come through the pelvic bone.. and then half an hour later we had Andrew James Migonis III. He was 9 pounds, 1 ounce and 20 inches long and completely healthy (SUCH good news because of past doctors reports!). He hardly ever cries... we know he could be just turning on the charm for the first few days but we aren't complaining, that's for sure!

Merry Christmas!

We had a great Christmas this year... we kicked back during the morning and opened stockings with just the two of us (it would probably be our last quiet Christmas morning for years :)) and watched more episodes of Glee than we should have and then we went over my parents for breakfast and to open gifts.
I love this photo of AJ with the tool belt, Kim gave it to him for Christmas. The smaller photo is of Kim and me holding a scrapbook she made me filled with photos of us growing up. In the beginning she included the sweetest note, it was written as if it were the toast at our wedding... she never gave one because she knew she'd break down in tears. It was such a sweet gift, and of course I cried the whole time I looked at it. The last photo makes me do anything but cry... well maybe cry because I'm laughing so hard... on the last day of school before break all the teachers at Manchester wore their ugly Christmas sweaters... AJ won second place with his Dancing Kitties sweatshirt. When he got home from school AJ was trying to talk to me while he was wearing it but I just couldn't concentrate while he was wearing Dancing Kitties... I don't normally keep laughing while having an important conversation...

the single most amazing meal...

I was asked to help out at a party a while ago and when I got there I found out I wasn't only setting out the apps and prepping the veggies, I was actually making the 70th Birthday Dinner. For 25 people. Roast Beef Tenderloin with a Shallot and Parsley Butter. Yeah.... let's talk about panic for a minute...

I love cooking, but I struggle with it... it's the timing of everything that is so hard for me! It all just comes naturally to AJ, and I'm sure to some of you as well... so anyways, below is the recipe I was given. It seemed simple enough, I just had to make sure it was perfectly cooked. Without a doubt, it was the best meal I've EVER cooked. Things I owe the success to: the meat thermometer (need to get one!), fabulous ingredients and a few fabulous helpers!

Classic Roast Beef Tenderloin

Serves 4 to 6. Published March 1, 2009. From Cook's Illustrated.
Ask your butcher to prepare a trimmed, center-cut Châteaubriand from the whole tenderloin, as this cut is not usually available without special ordering.

Ingredients
1 beef tenderloin center-cut Châteaubriand (about 2 pounds), trimmed of fat and silver skin
2 teaspoons kosher salt (if using table salt, reduce the amount to 1 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Instructions
1. 1. Using 12-inch lengths of twine, tie roast crosswise at 11/2-inch intervals. Sprinkle roast evenly with salt, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees.

2. 2. Pat roast dry with paper towels. Sprinkle roast evenly with pepper and spread unsalted butter evenly over surface. Transfer roast to wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Roast until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of roast registers 125 degrees for medium-rare, 40 to 55 minutes, or 135 degrees for medium, 55 to 70 minutes, flipping roast halfway through cooking.

3. 3. Heat oil in 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place roast in skillet and sear until well browned on four sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side (total of 4 to 8 minutes). Transfer roast to carving board and spread 2 tablespoons flavored butter evenly over top of roast; let rest 15 minutes. Remove twine and cut meat crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices. Serve, passing remaining flavored butter separately.


Shallot and Parsley Butter

Makes about 8 tablespoons. Published March 1, 2009. From Cook's Illustrated.

Combine in a medium bowl:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened
½ medium shallot , minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1 medium garlic clove , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
¼ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Our Christmas Party sans Baby...

We figured we had one last chance to easily throw a Christmas party since Baby wasn't here yet. Last weekend we invited over some of our good friends from church, book club and college. Our invite said "cocktail attire"... and our guests outdid themselves... and no, Nate, cocktail attire doesn't mean dressing up like a martini glass. :)

new stationery designs

Hamilton Horse

I'm taking new orders for stationery for Christmas gifts!

World Traveler

House Progress

 AJ and our fabulous neighbor John worked for hours on Saturday to install our new window above the sink. You may not think it looks that great yet because we haven't framed around the window or put up our backsplash but I felt like I was working in a gourmet kitchen with all the gorgeous light it let in... but really, anything would be an improvement over the drywall we had covering the old window with the lead weights!

The lighting was terrible for the photo with the Christmas tree but you get the feel for what it looks like! What you can't see is that there are no lights on the bottom of the tree... that because I accidentally snipped them with the hedge clippers while making a few minor improvements to the tree! :)






the most delish hot chocolate ever...



 Here is a recipe for homemade hot chocolate from my friend Heather Varela. I must say that I consider myself a Hot Chocolate Connoisseur (although, let's be honest, I'm not snobby about it, I'll drink nearly any cup of hot chocolate someone gives me... Starbucks, though, I must say is a little bitter...).
Disclaimer: this recipe is a little pricey to make because of the powdered milk but it'll make an enormous batch.

1 21.8 container of powered Nestle Quik
3 cups of powdered milk
3 tbs of powdered sugar
11 oz Cremora or other non-dairy creamer

Preparing for the Babe

Miriam, Virgin Mother triptych 2008
Artist: Bruce Herman

At 5:30 this morning I sat in our living room with the house completely quiet and the Christmas tree glowing… these are some of my favorite moments of the year when I can sit and read and reflect in that stillness. As I sat there I reflected on one of the best articles, With Child: Pregnancy and the Incarnation, that I’ve read in my alma matter’s magazine, STILLPOINT. The article was only a page long but it really made me think (link below).


I’ve realized that I’ve been discontent for nine months. I wish I could tell you that I handled pregnancy with grace and ease but I haven’t. I thought about everything I wished I could have been doing instead of what I was doing. Let me quote my favorite line from this article I read: “At many points in our lives we need to obey the admonition of Jesus- that the one who receives a child in His name receives the Lord himself… We’re not just in the abstract, being asked by God to receive a child, but in a fleshly, demanding way to receive a particular child. ‘Here, Jackie, meet Caedmon: he’s a very special boy, made in My image; shelter and feed him.’”

I wish I realized sooner that this was SUCH a neat thing to be going through pregnancy at the same time Mary did it with Jesus 2000 years ago… Despite the fact that I’ve had it rough with near constant sickness for 6 ½ months and some bad reports on Baby’s health I’m pretty sure that Mary had it just a smidge more rough than I did… after all, she was a virgin and not married (basically she could be killed for that back then). She had to get to the place she was giving birth on a donkey (I don’t even like donkeys. Long story but it all goes back to Pinocchio when I was little.). And she gave birth in a stable, Lord willing, I’ll be in Beverly Hospital where I have the option of an epidural (thank God). And you know what, if she had morning / all day sickness I’m pretty sure they didn’t have Zofran to help her keep food down.

I’m committing to really making this advent a season of preparation, both for the birth of Christ and the birth of Drew. In these 22ish days remaining I want to be constantly learning to receive Drew the way I would receive the Lord himself. This child is made in God’s image and it is such a profound GIFT to be entrusted with caring for this tiny little human being. My discontent came from feeling like I was no longer “me” because I couldn’t do certain things while pregnant. If I’m honest with myself about wanting this to be a season of preparation then I better realize how much more limited things will be after actually having Drew! Agnes Howard put it well… “we are being asked to receive a child in a fleshly, demanding way”… Give me the grace, Lord, to do that well.

Link to the article I mentioned above: http://www.gordon.edu/article.cfm?iArticleID=1034&iReferrerPageID=1676&iPrevCatID=134&bLive=1

Tomato Florentine Soup

While AJ and I were in NYC for Thanksgiving I had this great Tomato Florentine soup at this random little cafe... I was inspired to try something similar last night... it was basically the easiest recipe ever and I felt fairly healthy eating all that spinach! :)

In your large pot soften:
1 bell pepper (chopped)
1 small onion (chopped)
1 tsp olive oil

Add:
1 tbsp of minced garlic
2 (14.5oz) cans of diced tomatoes
1 c water
1 (14.5oz) can chicken broth
1 tbsp minced fresh basil
1 (10oz) package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook for 10-15 minutes over medium heat.

(I can't take credit for this photo, it was taken from http://www.theunsaltedheart.com/ because in my hunger I forgot to take my own photo last night... my soup is a little more chunky than the one in the picture!)