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Cleveland Food + Brews — The South Side + the Best of CLE Party

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The last few weeks have been filled with exhaustion, thanks to a cold that we’ve been passing throughout the house and a baby that is teething; but in between the sickies and the sleepless nights, I wound up getting out of the house not once but 2 whole times for fun events with friends.

First came a blogger meetup at The South Side for Chef Natasha Pogrebinsky’s fall menu preview. Even though I was exhausted and a big part of me wanted to stay home snuggled up in bed with Mila, I decided to venture out. I’m so glad I did.

I was able to meet up with some of my favorite local bloggers and enjoy a night of wonderful conversation, laughter, and fantastic food.

Some of the new menu items include a Clam Bake (basically a clambake in a bowl), Garlic Rose Flatbread, Mushroom Arugula Flatbread, Tuna Stuffed Roasted Tomato, The Clevelander (fresh local kielbasa and sausage, a poached egg, butter beans, tomatoes, and kale), Roasted Tomato Hummus, and Sweet Potato and Sage Pierogi — to name just a few.

The food was creative, fun, and best of all delicious. My favorites were the calamari, hummus, short rib, maple sweet potatoes, our world tots, and the flatbreads.

Oh, and rumor has it that The South Side has a pretty killer Bloody Mary on the weekends. I’ll definitely be returning to check it out.

The next big adventure was the Best of Cleveland Party at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Our two VIP tickets not only meant that Chad and I could go on our first real baby-free night since Mila was born 4 months ago, but also that we could visit the Rock Hall and check out all of the 2018 winners of various food, drinks, and live music.

Winners included Sunoco Cafe (Best Hummus), B Spot (Best Burgers), Barrio (Best Tacos), Mitchell’s Homemade Ice Cream (Best Ice Cream), Rocky River Wine Bar (Best Wine Bar), Market (Best Bloody Mary Bar), and so many more!

We dined, we danced, we drank, and we explored so many pieces of music history. It was, by far, one of the most fun events I’ve been to in Northeast Ohio. Many thanks to Cleveland Magazine for putting on such an incredible event.

Sometimes a little bit of (extra) exhaustion is worth the fun, right? Absolutely, totally right. Thanks for being so awesome, Cleveland. You continue to amaze me. ♥ ♥

 

 

Mila Rose // 2 Months

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I. cannot. believe. it’s. been. two. months! SERIOUSLY. It feels like she’s been around for way longer, but also? HOW is it already two months since her birth!? Crazytown. That’s how.

But real talk — I’ve been holding out on telling you something. Because I’ve been afraid to say it out loud:

Mila is such an easy baby. There. I said it.

It’s been one of those situations where I’m afraid to say it out loud. But here I am… saying it. She’s a really good baby.

She’s a great sleeper, she’s a wonderful napper, and she’s an overall happy baby. And I’ve just been afraid to tell you out of fear that I would jinx it.

From the night we brought her home from the hospital and slept for 5.5 hours straight, I was spoiled. Since then, she’s been sleeping regularly from 8:00 PM to 3:00 or 4:00 AM. So, basically, waking up at 3 AM and then again at 7 AM. That’s a huge change from my previous children. Having had two children that were awful newborns, I’m certainly not used to this.

But, after Mila’s two month well checkup, I’m learning to accept that this is real life.

She’s just a fantastic baby. And if she was my first baby, I would have 17 babies. She’s easy. She sleeps. She eats well. She is (mostly) happy. She is lovely. Truly… lovely!

While I still have moments of postpartum hormones (anxiety and sadness), it’s been fairly manageable. I suppose that’s one of the joys of having an easy baby.

But just do me a favor, okay? Please reach over and knock on wood for me. I’m still just a tad bit superstitious. 😉

Life Lately // a Balancing Act as a Mom of 3

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Oh, hi! I promise I’m not just over here having babies and leaving you high and dry. I’m also living a relatively normal life — or at least trying to!

Here’s what we’ve been up to recently:

Bottoms Up Yoga at Sibling Revelry Brewing. 

I jumped at the opportunity to meet up with some fellow Cleveland bloggers for an afternoon of yoga, beers, and laughs, courtesy of Bottoms Up Yoga at Sibling Revelry Brewing!

I brought my mom, Mimi, with me so that she could hang with the big kids while I brought Mila in with me. I mean, she’s a newborn and sleeps most of the time anyway — and this was a class with a bunch of gals I know really well anyway!

Well, she started making those newborn grunts while sleeping in her car seat. I spent most of the time rocking her car seat in between downward dogs before I just gave up halfway through our flow and stepped out.

I ended up ordering some food and sitting down with a flight of IPAs to wait for the class to finish and for Mimi to arrive back with the big kids, so it all worked out in the end.

Sometimes you've just gotta put yourself out there and try to do something fun, even if the end result looks different from what you planned Click To Tweet

Sometimes you’ve just gotta put yourself out there and try to do something fun, even if the end result looks different from what you planned, right?!

The Cleveland Flea.

I’m not a big shopper. I’m just not. But one of the events I most look forward to each month is the Cleveland Flea. Perhaps because it combines my love of Northeast Ohio with my love of finding unique items and food? Yep, that’s probably it!

Well, the last Flea I brought both of the girls with me on a little girls day out. We ate donuts from The Vegan Doughnut Company and walked around for a bit before we settled into a cozy spot for some relaxation and people watching.

Remy is such a social child and she really loves to be given a little space to explore, so I let her do her thing for a bit while I fed Mila.

Work.

I’ve been back to work for weeks now and it’s not all that bad. Mila is with me at all times and the bigger kids have the chance to play and get some energy out for a bit in a different environment. I start teaching cycling again in just a few weeks so our schedule will get even busier, but I’m anxious to get back into the swing of teaching again!

Prepping for Kindergarten.

Ari starts Kindergarten in a week. I’m so excited for him and anxious at the same time. Our school shopping is nearly complete and I have his teacher and room assignment! The only thing we have left to do is attend orientation!

It’s safe to say I’m going to be a complete wreck those first few days. I don’t know if I’ll actually cry, or if my anxiety will just go into overdrive. I know for certain he is ready. He’s so excited and hasn’t even muttered a word about being nervous.

Food Fridays al Fresco at Cascade Plaza.

So many amazing things have been happening in my city over this last year. There are so many events happening on a daily basis (oftentimes at the same time), I’m bummed I’m not able to make them all. Such is life with three kids, I suppose!

But one of the events I knew we had to make it to was Food Fridays al Fresco, which happens every Friday during lunch in Cascade Plaza in downtown Akron. Basically, a bunch of food trucks, backyard games, and live music smack dab in the middle of a weekday!

I was adventurous enough to take all three kids out to this while solo-parenting. It was an adventure, but they had fun running around the big, grassy, plaza.

Edgewater Beach, Cleveland.

While searching for new places to take the kids, a friend suggested going to Edgewater Park and walking along the beach. It was a gorgeous day so I thought, why not?

The water was closed due to rough current, but the kids only really cared about the sand anyway. We walked and explored and played before giving in to the heat and heading back home.

Northeast Ohioans are lucky to have so many adventurous places to explore. This was just the tip of the iceberg for us and I cannot wait to continue taking my kids on these little adventures.

 

In reflecting on all that we’ve been up to lately, I can confidently say that adding a third baby changed everything and yet changed nothing. We’re still doing our thing. We’re still living our lives. We’re still having fun, and working, and playing. It just looks a little different.

In what fun ways

have you been

exploring lately?

 

Birth Story of Mila Rose

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Part of me wanted to write this while it was fresh in my mind. I had jotted down bits and pieces just after delivery but I somehow failed at getting it all out coherently. Perhaps it was all too raw to put into meaningful sentences at the time, but I’m finally ready to put pen to paper.

Although this would be my third baby, I was terrified of labor and delivery. In the days and weeks prior to my due date, I kept giving myself pep talk after pep talk. I stayed hydrated. I made lists. I did everything I could to make this a smooth process. But the fear of both previous deliveries weighed heavy on my mind.

A little recap if you’re new around here: Ari (my first) was a 24-hour labor with intense vomiting and dehydration. I ended up getting an epidural at the 23rd hour and finally dilating from 3cm to 10cm in a matter of 60 minutes. Remy (my second) was the most incredible labor process: I was able to speak in between contractions and felt fine without any pain medications. But when it came time to push, I felt like I was going to die. I ended up pushing her out drug-free and very quickly. 

Like previous pregnancies, my due date — June 16th — came and went without fanfare. I awoke at 1 am on Tuesday, June 19th, with some painful contractions. I readied myself for a long day by trying to sleep in between, but it was difficult.

But that’s good, right? That meant it was real labor!

So I called my mom at 7 AM and let her know that I was up most of the night with contractions. I was sending Chad to work for the day so I told her to go ahead and go in and I’d call her later, too. She had a 5-hour drive ahead of her, but I had a friend locally that would be taking the kids until she arrived.

Around 2:30 PM or so I let my friend Kerry know that I needed her to come and get the kids. The kids were picked up and Chad arrived home a few minutes later. He went upstairs to lie down for a bit and prepare for a busy evening of baby-birthing!

I finally decided to call my OBGYN and let them know about my contractions. They had been between 3-8 minutes apart since 1 AM and I was finally getting the constant “I have to poop” feeling. The office urged me to come in right away since my contractions were so close together, so I woke Chad up after only 10 minutes.

When we arrived at the hospital at 4:30 PM, triage checked my cervix. I was only 2cm dilated. Not surprising, considering my history of not dilating until the very last minute. I communicated that to my nurses. They basically ignored me. I was told that they would admit me under the pretense of knowing that if I didn’t begin to dilate further within a matter of 2-hours, they would take measures to help induce labor.

I gave them the answer they wanted to hear at that point — “Okay.” But I very much discussed with Chad that if they tried to break my water or give me pitocin, we would decline. I was still going for my epidural-free delivery and any interventions of the sort would have caused me to have more pain before my body was ready.

So I was admitted to my room and continued to labor with increasing intensity. I tried the birthing ball and walking, but I just couldn’t get comfortable. The only way I was making it through my contractions was by standing up and leaning on the counter in the room. Chad tried cracking jokes a few times and I shut it down immediately. This was hard labor and I was not up for the jokes.

Every contraction felt like I had to push. Several hours of this feeling and check after check revealed very little change in my dilation. At one point the anesthesiologist came in to introduce herself. I kindly let her know that I was attempting a drug-free delivery and she acknowledged but insisted that we still go through the questionnaire regarding my health history.

Around 10:30 PM I had a contraction that I knew was the beginning of “transition”. For the first time, I grabbed a barf bag and as that contraction hit, I couldn’t stop throwing up. I was literally crossing my legs every contraction. for fear of pushing. The resident checked me again — only 5cm dilated.

Only 5. Hours and hours into labor. I was so discouraged. Each contraction was getting increasingly more intense.

Chad finally said, “Are you going drug-free just to say you did it again?” Truthfully, I wasn’t. But I just (thought) I could do it again; I wanted to believe my body could handle it.

I finally said that I desperately needed that epidural in order to make it through labor. The anesthesiologist was about to head out for a procedure but came running in to help me. At this point, the contractions were coming back to back. I was unable to move or breathe and the pushing sensation was intensifying.

As the anesthesiologist was prepping I yelled out that I felt like I couldn’t stop from pushing. I was checked again — 7cm. The epidural seemed to take forever. I was sitting as still as I could, crossing my legs, and screaming out in pain pretty much nonstop. Once the epidural was placed and the medicine was inserted, I thought I had to push again. I was checked once again — 9cm. I still felt all of it. I needed to know when the medicine would start to work. I was screaming at the anesthesiologist, asking why it wasn’t working. To which she kindly replied that it takes about 15-minutes to kick in.

After the 15-minutes had passed I was still feeling so much pain. She inserted even more medicine in hopes to get me comfortable — or at least not writhing in pain. Another 15 minutes later and it seemed to be working. My OB walked in and did another dilation check — 10cm.

I may not be able to handle the pain, but I know my body. I knew that when I (finally) started to dilate, it would be fast. So here we are at 11:45 PM and I’m being told that I can push at my next contraction. I have to say that the epidural must have been placed perfectly because I could not feel a single thing during pushing and it was the perfect pushing experience.

I pushed for about 4 contractions and she was here!

Mila Rose, born at 12:16 AM on Wednesday, June 20th. Weighing in at 8lbs half of an ounce and 19-inches long! Nearly 24-hours of labor but perfect in every way. Welcome to our little family, Mila. You are already so loved. ♥

Photos: Shorter Shots Photography

What I Wish I Knew As a First Time Mom

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This post is sponsored by Cord Blood Registry ® (CBR ®), but the opinions expressed here are my own.

Here we are… days away from meeting baby number 3. And being this close to her arrival, I just keep thinking about all of the things I wish I knew the first time around.

1. You may not feel an instant connection.

This was something I really struggled with just after our first was born. Sure, I felt protective; but I didn’t get that immediate, overwhelming feeling of pure joy. And the more I talked to others, the more I realized that this wasn’t that unusual. Thanks in part to social media, we would be made to believe that every mother feels an immediate and overwhelming connection with her newborn. But… that just isn’t the case.

And I want all moms to know that. The connection will come — and it may take some time — but it will happen.

2. The incredible benefits of cord blood banking, from birth and beyond.

Before I became a mom I had heard about cord blood banking, but I didn’t give it much thought beyond that. But being a mom changes a person. And a baby’s umbilical cord is made of tissue and contains blood, both of which are rich sources of stem cells that are unique and powerful. Preserving your newborn’s stem cells may give your child or an immediate family member the opportunity to use this resource for current cord blood therapies*!

How amazing is science?! So when we were pregnant with baby number two, I knew what we needed to do — preserve her cord blood with Cord Blood Registry (CBR). That’s because CBR is a resource for expecting parents in so many ways. When you choose to bank with CBR you have access to their team of Certified Genetic Counselors who can discuss your family’s medical history as it relates to newborn stem cells, and educate you on your options to preserve them for your family’s future. CBR believes every family should have the opportunity to preserve their newborn’s stem cells. That’s why they offer affordable payment options to fit almost every family budget and also offer a Gift Registry, where friends and family can contribute towards the cost of banking. Not only that, but their Newborn Possibilities Program® assists families with a qualifying medical need by covering all costs for preserving their child’s newborn stem cells and storing them for 5 years.

The process to get set up is really simple. We enrolled online at cordblood.com and received a collection kit. We’ll be bringing our CBR collection kit with us to the hospital for number 3, and once the cord blood is collected we’ll call the medical courier (phone number is on the kit) and CBR will take care of the rest.

If you’d like to learn more, CLICK HERE and fill out your information to receive a code for $200 OFF initial fees. We’ve already filled out our information and will certainly be taking advantage of the affordable payment plans. I’m so relieved to know that we have a trusted support system with CBR!

3. No phase lasts forever.

This is a really hard one for me. As someone who has struggled with postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety with both of my other children, I know — firsthand — how difficult it can be to see past the fog of sleepless nights and colicky screams. And the last thing any new mother wants to hear is “This won’t last forever,” because, in that moment, you absolutely cannot see that. It just isn’t helpful.

But I’m repeating this phrase over and over again to myself in the coming days — no phase lasts forever — in hopes that I’ll remember and take solace in this during the endless nights and rough patches.

4. Do what you’ve gotta do.

You’ll get a lot of advice before becoming a mom. As a “seasoned” mom, I vow to not be one of those people who asks “Well have you tried ____?” Let’s just all assume that if someone is venting to you about their baby, they are not soliciting your advice, okay?

With that being said, I wish someone would have told me that all parents of a new baby are just surviving; we’re all just doing whatever we have to do to make it to the other side. There is no one ‘right’ way to parent and what works for your friend may not work for you.

Just do what you’ve gotta do and feel no shame about it!

5. You will find your way.

Between the mistakes, the late nights, the tears, the questioning of yourself, and the literal crying over spilled milk, you will find your way. One day you’ll have a toddler and you’ll realize you did it. When you realize that, thank your people — whether that be your family, your spouse, your friends, or your Mama Tribe — just thank them.

You’ll all find solace in the fact that, yeah, that was rough. But we made it.

 

What information

do you wish you knew

before becoming a mom?

Getting Creative in Cleveland

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Despite being very pregnant, I’ve set some fairly decent goals for myself over the last year. One of them is to put myself in front of the camera more frequently. It’s hard, I think, as a mom — without a lot of time for herself — to feel ‘put together’ enough to step in front of the camera. Well, I know it’s true for me. Especially since my mid-section has been rapidly growing for the last 9 months.

But in an effort to stay true to my goals, I’ve been putting myself out there. And when an opportunity came up to meet up with fellow blogger babes at Borrow Rentals in downtown Cleveland, I took it! Not only have I been craving some time with my fellow lady bloggers, but being around creatives tends to jumpstart my creative a bit and kick it into high gear!

I’d never been to this spot before, but the pieces were gorgeous! For someone who is hosting an event, I can see why it’s the go-to spot for items like tableware, vintage pieces, and large furniture!

For me, the best part of the day was chatting with ladies I either hadn’t seen in a while, or had never met in real life before. And the gorgeous Katie Logsdon was there to document the whole thing!

I was feeling very, very, uncomfortably pregnant that particular Saturday. And I tried not to let it show, but it was… difficult. It’s a good thing there were snacks and cookies to hold me over!

PS. Aren’t these pastries and cookies from Annie’s Signature Sweet’s the cutest!? Best part is — I found out she holds private baking classes for groups! Her lemon lavender cookies were to die for!

Since I wasn’t feeling particularly awesome, I decided to hop in front of the camera rather quickly. I am not going to lie — I am completely unnatural in that situation where there are loads of other people around and I have to smile for the camera. But Katie put me at ease!

I’m just sad that I jumped out to head home for a nap before getting this group shot!

It was such a fun afternoon, despite being uncomfortably pregnant. And I’m so grateful to the people who made this event happen — especially Katie Logsdon and Borrow Rentals for their services! And thanks to everyone for slowly but surely helping me to get more comfortable in front of the camera, rather than just behind it!