Saturday night Matt let me catch up on sleep and did most of the nighttime shifts of diapers, soothing, rocking and listening for cries. I think I got 8.5 total hours of sleep! Glorious.
We are 3 for 3 on brunch! Karen declared that while the weather is great, Mazen is young and going out to dinner is on hold we need to carpe diem and go out to brunch every Sunday.
I woke up hungry though, so I couldn’t resist a breakfast a few hours before out brunch date.
Yogurt + banana + chia + honey drizzle
And half of an Apple Bar!
Totally addicted to decaf 
We headed downtown and ate at Cville’s most popular breakfast spot: The Nook
Per usual, Maze needed to eat as soon as we sat down.
Is this a laugh or a cry!?
But after eating, he usually snoozes while the grownups enjoy the meal
I had a havarti dill and tomato omelet
And a side salad
Matt’s entrée won though – crab cake, eggs, toast, homefries
After lunch, we were blessed with a sleeping baby, so we went for a long Sunday stroll
Welcome to fall! It was great to get in a long walk. I’m really tempted to try running, but I just don’t think I am organized enough yet (and go to the doctor in 1.5 weeks for a check-up/clearance, although I think things feel pretty normal..)
One problem with blogging with a little delay is I don’t remember what we did all afternoon! I know we had lots of nursing – I watched Glee (LOVED Sarah Jessica Parker!) and more Downton Abbey (almost done with Season 2 – sniff). We also changed all the bedding in the house – clean sheets and fall comforters.
Tonight’s dinner was a Matt creation! He was craving a crockpot bean soup and created this recipe using a ham steak from Babes in the Wood and a pound of great northern beans.
Pork And Bean Stew
Ingredients
- 1 pound great northern beans
- 1 pound ham steak or other meat equivalent
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp Liquid Smoke
- 1 tsp rosemary
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp butter
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 3 cups green beans
Instructions
- Soak beans 8 hours or overnight in water
- Drain, rinse, add to crock pot with 4 cups of water
- Sear pork shoulder steak in butter and salt in a skillet set to medium high until brown on both sides, add whole steak to crockpot
- Deglaze pan with water through garlic ingredients. Bring this sauce to a boil while scraping browned bits off pan, pour into crock pot.
- Set crockpot to high for 3-4 hours
- 30 minutes before mealtime, add green beans
- Stew is done when white beans are cooked and flavors melded
- Salt to taste
- Garnish with sour cream, rosemary and pepper
Served with rosemary, sour cream, lots of black pepper and a side of Cville Crunch toast
Our little foodie always wants to play during dinner. He can’t wait to taste real food!
Racheal @ Running with Racheal says
I love Downton Abbey and cannot wait for the next season to start. I think I watched the first two seasons in two days. 🙂
I hope that I will be able to enjoy brunch when my little one makes her appearance.
Claire @ Live and Love to Eat says
These are some beautiful fall photos – I like how your boys are color coordinated! 😉
Laura says
That omelet looks so good! I think havarti cheese is a gift from above! 🙂
Jen says
Hi Kath. What kind of yogurt do you usually buy? I’m still trying to figure out my favorite brand. I assume you eat Greek, but I guess I haven’t been reading long enough to be be sure.
KathEats says
I switch off between Oikos plain and Whole Foods Low Fat organic plain
Lisa @bitesforbabies says
I loooove Oikos too! 😉
Anele @ Success Along the Weigh says
No offense but yeah, Matt’s brunch wins! 😉 Mazen looks like a little inchworm all swaddled up in his little blanket in those last 2 pics! Such a cutie!
Life's a Bowl says
Looks like a wonderful and relaxing Sunday and Maze is absolutely adorable!!!
P.S. Your pictures always look so beautiful and tasty, so pretty!
Carly @ Snack Therapy says
That stew looks so creamy! I bet it would be fantastic over rice or quinoa! And I love those last pics of Mazen looking up at Matt… So cute!
Jill says
Hi Kath! Love your websites. I’ve been following BERF since the beginning – I found it before reading KERF, actually! My husband and I are just beginning to consider having a baby, so I’ve loved reading about the details of your experience so far.
This may be a silly question, but do you breastfeed Mazen at night or bottle-feed him? I’m just wondering how you manage to get 8.5 hours of sleep if he needs to be fed every couple of hours.
Thanks! And Happy Fall!
Jill
KathEats says
I feed him, and 8.5 hours is VERY unusual! It was just this night because he gave us some longer stretches and my nights are 12 hours long, so I was up for 4 of those hours. But last night, I only got 5 hours of sleep and was up for 6 hours!
alex says
I wish you’d just to a quick recap of the days that you haven’t done and get caught up! I’m less likely to read through a post if I’ve already read what you’ve done via Twitter. I read more of your posts when it was new information
Ella says
I just want to say that I’m amazed you are posting so much at all, Kath! I NEVER could have done what you’re doing when my babe was Mazen’s age.
Danielle says
If I understand correctly that is not the issue. Kath is not behind. Her posts publish in the early AM. Today’s post was about Sunday. So, she experienced and had her Sunday. Then she had Monday to put together her post, decide what she wanted to talk about, which pictures etc etc. Then she sets that post to publish the next morning.
If she “caught up” she would have to write about Sunday on Sunday evening. This would not give her the flexibility that I’m sure she needs at this time.
So once again, Kath is not behind she is simply using a type of blogging schedule that allows her a little flexibility to find time to sit down at a computer.
KathEats says
Exactly. I just can’t blog in real time with a newborn, so “catching up” wouldn’t help at all
Jessica says
You are doing great Kath 🙂 A few days late–heck, even a week or two late!!–is NOT “behind” if you have an infant …!
KhushbOo says
Matt’s entree looks great…and huge! Did he finish it?
KathEats says
Pretty much!
j3nn says
Matt’s brunch choice looks KILLER!
Mazen looks like a little glowworm bundles up in Matt’s arms. So adorable!!!
Heather @ Fit Mama Real Food says
Love that laugh or cry photo!
JessE @ LoveLifeFromScratch says
Matt’s creation looks great! Definitely crock pot weather now. Got mine going at home 🙂
Ali @ Peaches and Football says
The bean soup looks wonderful – I need to make some. I’m still waiting for season 2 of Downton to show up on Netflix. I’m hoping it’s as good as everyone says it is. 🙂 8.5 hours of sleep? Amazing!
Katie @ Peace Love & Oats says
your omelet sounds delicious! Haha I’d take that and Matt’s homefries and be a very happy camper!
Jessie says
Maze is like the Mona Lisa of babies! Whether laugh or cry, that face is adorable 🙂
Andrea @ The Skinny Chronicles says
Fall already?!?! So hard to believe.
…Sometime when you have a chance, you’ll have to do a review of your various swaddling systems on Baby Kerf to let us know which ones you thinking work best (blankets vs. straight jackets with zippers and velcros and such…
KathEats says
I’m planning on it!
marie says
Miracle swaddling blanket!! 🙂
Ella says
You guys are doing so awesome! I’m so impressed. And Karen is a smart lady – especially good idea to go out to eat when you have 3 willing sets of hands to play pass the baby. That way you can actually eat your meal 🙂
Maureen @ Organically Mo says
Isn’t SJP perfect for Glee??
I’m so jealous of your fall weather! I’m still dealing with high 90’s {actually yesterday hit 101}! Yikes!
Averie @ Averie Cooks says
Your white bean stew looks great but the havarti dill and tomato omelet really looks good! You are the only person who could pique my interest for savory – at 9am! 🙂
natalie @ will jog for food says
Maze looks so cute all wrapped up!
The food looks great. I’d love to have some of that bread with every meal 🙂
Cher @ Weddicted says
Mazen looks so cute all bundled up in those pictures with your husband. Adorable!
Rachel says
hahaha omg I love the face Mazen is giving Matt LOL! Too cute
Ellie@Fit for the Soul says
awww Matt is such an inspiring husband and daddy! He’s so helpful 🙂 Boys, make sure to take notes! lol. And Fall in your neck of the woods sounds and looks fantastic.
maria says
My dr cleared me at 4 weeks postpartum to run again and it felt strange at first. By 6 weeks everything felt normal and I even threw in some interval training.
Christina @ The Beautiful Balance says
Fall weather!! Le sigh….it was 106 yesterday here 🙁 congrats on 8.5 hours, the average person does not even sleep that long haha.
Lauren says
Such a great idea to enjoy brunch out rather than dinner. I love that you guys are still enjoying your usual outings, but just adjusting now according the Maze’s schedule.
Susan H. @ The Food Allergy Chronicles says
I had a craving for bean soup last week…Pasta Figioli! Yours looks delish…will check out the link!
Taylor says
Okay, Mazen is absolutely adorable. Though I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that 🙂
& Matt always seems to pick the most delicious sounding/looking meal!
Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) says
Look at that team work! It’s nice when it works like that! Tony and I had the same system wen the kids were small and it has rolled right into their older years too! You have such a great little family there!
coco says
great brunch! I can’t wait to go out with the baby, unfortunately according to Chinese tradition, I need to stay at home for 4 weeks.
Kath, just to let younknow, I tried the shift thing with my hubby and it worked. she even slept a stretch of 4 hrs!!! 🙂 thanks again for the tip!
KathEats says
OH great!!
Lauri says
I love Brunch!!! Why is dinner out not doable right now? I feel like dinner ouot is the easiest at that age b/c he could just sleep on you or in the carseat! We had so many dinners out when my son was a newborn…
KathEats says
Because we go to bed at 8:30 : ) We could do an early casual one, but I also don’t want to risk crying in a nice restaurant. Hopefully in a month or two he might get more predictable.
Claire says
Definitely start doing dinner out now! A dinner at 6 pm, and you all can be back and in bed by 8:30. It gets harder and harder to do restaurants as they get older (especially once they really start in with the “witching hour” in the evenings around 4-6 weeks (if I remember right?) and can last for months), now really is the easiest time. And little newborn cries are so quiet (at least my little girl’s were!) that over the din of a noisy restaurant no one can really hear them. I celebrated my 32nd birthday at a super fancy restaurant with my one month old in the Moby wrap (I just shifted her around to nurse while I ate my scallops!). And if you start now it will help them get used to it, which is great when they are older.
KathEats says
We’re still cluster feeding and fussy at dinnertime, so I don’t want to brave it…yet. Maybe when he’s out of the fourth trimester but before he’s a toddler we can pack it in
Claire says
Oh, that’s a bummer. My girl’s evening fussiness really didn’t kick in until closer to a month or so. At her current age (10 months) she’s great in restaurants, since she LOVES solid foods – I always just order her some plain steamed veggies, and feed her in the high chair. She loves it! But another thing to keep in mind is that as your baby gets older (out of the “fourth trimester”) their bedtime will usually be between 6 and 7 – we do dinners out very early these days!
jen says
Yes – whether dining out or at home dinner time is so early for us now that we have a young one (15 months). It’s been hard getting used to 5:30 dinner time and 8:00 to bed (for us – 6:30 or 7 for her).
And we never went out to dinner or lunch or brunch until our girl was old enough to eat solids. At that age she became really interested in the food and all the activity in a busy restaurant (we used to pick the busier the better!), but before that she was just super fussy most of the time and particularly around dinner time.
BTW Kath – You do a great job of knowing/doing what’s good for you and your famly despite all the barrage of suggestions, comments, and folks telling you what they did (i.e. what you need to do 🙂 ). I would guess it can sometimes be overwhelming to have so much unsolicited feedback on your every baby-move.
Lauri says
I will also just say don’t be scared off of dining out when your kid is a toddler either! Every kid is different so it may or may not work but I thin if you get them used to it and used to sitting at mealtime from the get go (not now when they are a newborn of course!!) then it makes it even easier!
Kelly says
I totally love Downton! Didn’t you find you had a different feeling of Mary from the 1st season to the 2nd season. I don’t want to spoil but I was amazed at how different I felt about her in the 2nd season. Cannot wait until January! **Downton Abbey Season 3!!**
KathEats says
A little…I’m almost done with the finale!
Sharon says
A new series premiered last week on Masterpiece theatre called “Call the Midwives”. it is set in 1950’s London. I think it might be a fix for all of us desperate for more Downton. Might be worth checking out.
KathEats says
I recorded it – excited to watch!
Sharon says
Awesome…would love to know what you think of the series.
Pat says
I loved it, and then the 3 episodes of Upstairs, Downstairs to get caught up for Seasons 2. 🙂
Katie says
I just bought the Call the Midwives book and can’t wait to read it. Love Downton Abbey, watched it on DVD last winter. Love historical books and television shows like these. Grew up with Little House on the Prairie and Anne of Green Gables and I am now enjoying them with my daughter. Love the looks on Maze’s and Matt’s faces, looks like quite the conversation they were having. Great picture of you and Maze as well.
Cait says
I love that blue mug! And that apple bar as well as that brunch both look so incredible.
Love the swaddler Mazen is in – that’s such a good idea!
Jenica says
Wow, what cute photos of those two together! Mazen and Matt look a lot alike.
Annette @FitnessPerks says
8.5 hours of sleep is FABULOUS! Go you!
Love the photos of Mazen 🙂
Abby says
I’m sure as a blogger you want to keep things on the up and up, but Downton Season 3 has started and you can watch it online. I watched episode 3 last night and it was a good one! No one will know if you don’t tell 🙂
KathEats says
Ooo do tell where : )
Hope @ With A Side Of Hope says
That is a good idea to go out and enjoy brunch! Matt’s food does look delicious! 🙂 I cannot get enough of of Mazen pictures. He is too cute.
Vidya says
OMG!! Look how Mazen is looking at his dad’s face in the last photo! He’s such an alert baby!
Deirdre @ Oh Well Whatever.com says
Brunch looks amazing! So jealous of the happy sleeping baby while out to eat. My girl is almost 2 and going out to eat isn’t so much fun anymore ; ( I am usually trying to one hand my dinner while she is jumping up and down on my lap trying to flirt with the booth behind us.
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
I imagine 8.5 hours of sleep felt amazing!
Also, Matt’s entree looks incredible.
Ali says
How do you feed Maze while you’re out to brunch? Just at the table with a nursing cover? Or have you started pumping and feeding him a bottle at the table? Just curious becauseI ‘m currently nursing my 2 week old and I feel like I can’t do anything because of the nursing schedule. Looks like you’ve been able to do a lot with him and I guess I’m just looking for some tips!
KathEats says
At the table with my cover. Since we’ve been in outdoor settings, it hasn’t been too obvious
Jessica says
Wow, Matt’s dinner creation looks amazing! Three cheers for boys that cook!! 🙂
Ellen @ Wannabe Health Nut says
Matt seems very hands-on and helpful, that’s nice. And I like the brunch rule…everyone should follow it—babe or not. And I do the same thing you did…I’ll always get the simple salad + egg dish while everyone else goes all out on waffles or homefries. I like brunch bc I can easily make a healthy choice and still feel satisfied. (And steal bites of bacon off my bf’s plate!)
PS. I think Maze is doing a laugh-yawn. 🙂
Emily @ www.main-eats.com says
Such beautiful weather-the leaves haven’t even changed in Kansas City yet!
beth g says
The baby’s hair looks reddish in one of the photos? Is it?
My son is a redhead so I recognize it.
KathEats says
Matt says it looks red to him at times. I don’t think we have any redheads in the family though?
beth g says
We didn’t have any redheads either, but it is a recessive gene and can come up if there are people who had it. WHen my son was born I was shocked to see it.iF Mazen does have it, and it looks like he may, you will see it is a big conversation piece; people love it.
Angela says
I’m thinking I need to get my swaddle on this winter. hah. It just looks so comfy!! Snug as a bug in a rug.
Dennis says
Those breakfasts look delicious and I absolutely love northern beans. All in all it sounds like a great day with great food.
Jennifer says
Have you seen Call the Midwife? It’s a new British series that started this past Sunday on PBS. It takes place in England during the 1950’s. The first episode was really good!
KathEats says
I recorded it!
Emily says
Does it take awhile for Downton Abby to get good? I’ve watched 2 episodes and so far, I don’t get the hype…
KathEats says
I loved it right away..
Katie @ Talk Less, Say More says
Maze looks like he’s giving Matt the “Dad, WHAT are you doooooing?!” face. Starts young, I guess. 😉
And I love Karen’s thinking – carpe diem brunch sounds perfect!
Heather says
Just curious, and you may have already answered this (I haven’t read every comment 🙂 but are you using natural light now for your photos? I imagine setting up the lights would be a pain with all the baby stuff…
KathEats says
For breakfast and lunch yes. Dinner is with our dining room light, which you’re right needs to be good enough !
Alicyn says
Looks like a great Sunday. And thanks for sharing the recipe for dinner! Can’t wait to try it.
Hilary (Four Little Forks) says
Gosh Mazen is a cutie. And getting cuter by the day!
Okay so this is an odd question and I’m sure you’ve already covered this elsewhere on the blog, but I’m curious: What do you put in your coffee? Cream? Milk? Sugar?
I’ve been using this fat-free chemical-laden artificially flavored crappy coffee creamer and I’m looking for some healthier alternatives… Wondering what you use?
KathEats says
Just a splash of milk. I used to use splenda years ago but actually prefer it without now. I think the coffee flavor is better without it!
Lee says
I’ve noticed that in many pictures, Mazen is swaddled. Is he swaddled most of the time?
The reason I ask is that swaddling is now starting to fall out of favour with some research showing that swaddling can impede motor development (because the arms are wrapped tightly against the body), can increase the risk of SIDS (because of overheating and/or too tight a swaddle), and can actually make learning to sleep unswaddled more challenging. This is in addition to the previously known risk of hip displasia from improperly swaddling too tightly around the hips.
I have a 6mos old and although I had planned to swaddle her as a newborn, she preferred her arms out. But the few times we tried swaddling I worried that making it tight enough so she couldn’t get her arms out meant it might be too constricting around her little chest.
To be honest, I am not that up on the research. And of course there are pros and cons to — and research to support — everything. Just thought I would mention it as food for thought.
KathEats says
We only swaddle him for sleep and naps and getting him into them. I think right now the pros out weigh the cons, as all of my medical professionals recommend it.
jen says
I’d be curious to know what “falling out of favor with some research” means. I’d love to see any articles out there as I’m thinking of having another baby soon and although swaddling was genius with our first one I’d like to consider any emerging research. I haven’t heard anything negative about it before – only super positive things about how it’s been done for ages in many cultures and helps mimic the womb, etc. Like Kath, all of my medical profs highly recommended it and they taught us how to do it in birthing class and at the NICU when our girl was born.
Amelia (Eating Made Easy) says
There are studies that show that…
1 – babies should not be swaddled while nursing, because they use their hands to navigate and become more competent eaters, which helps build/maintain supply.
2 – swaddling too much (not sure if this means too often, too tight, or too long) increases cortisol levels in the baby’s body, which is a sign of stress.
Not saying I’m for or against, just sharing some less-talked-about info 🙂
JoJo says
Yumm.. the apple bar looks amazing!!
Maze looks so adorable wrapped up in Matt’s arm! He definitely will grow up to be a foodie 😀
Buy glasses online says
The food look delicious!! and your baby is so cute! 🙂
Fran@ Broken Cookies Don't Count says
Your omelette looks so tasty…I LOVE havarti cheese!
Lisa @bitesforbabies says
Isn’t it amazing what sleep can do to you?! I remember getting 8 hours for the first time after my son was born…I felt reborn myself!!!
Molly @ RDexposed says
You make motherhood look so pretty!