As strange as it might sound, I think it finally hit me this week: we’re having a baby. At this point, I’m very comfortable with being pregnant, but in a matter of weeks, I’ll begin a new chapter. I’ll be a mom. And this reality–motherhood–is both exciting and terrifying. Maybe I’ve come to realize the realness of little Lucy because her kicks are no longer just playful jabs. Her movements are powered by real, strong, baby legs. And when she turns, I can feel the heft of her body. My stomach moves to one side, and Ryan can run his fingers along her back. Or maybe it’s because we’re finally in our new home. Lucy has a bedroom now. Her crib is sitting beneath her window. The changing table is by the door. This new environment, our first home, inspires visions. Visions of her crawling. Visions of her coming home from school. Visions of weeknight dinners with a family of three.
I’ve heard this is natural. These feelings of ambivalence and even fear. I’m thankful I have the support of my family. A well-placed sentence can do wonders to calm a nervous mama’s heart. And Ryan and I are so thankful for our new home. We still have LOADS of work to do, but I wanted to share at least a few pictures. There will be more to come soon!
Our fireplace mantle might just be my favorite part of this house. On it: a few favorite prints, spools of colored twine, and a recycled “heart” from my Aunt Sherry.
I just hung my collection of vintage plates on our dining room wall. I found all of these at the thrift store, and I love the small imperfections in each. I wanted to give you a “full-room” picture, but our table is still covered in boxes! Priorities right?
Now that I’m done with my MFA, I’ve organized my books by color. Highly impractical but visually stimulating. Unfortunately, we have about five more boxes of books that didn’t fit on the book shelf or in the color scheme.
Another favorite part of my new house? A built-in china cabinet. I have so many little things that make me smile, and it feels good to finally have a place to keep them. My sister Susanne gave me How to Cook the Perfect Day last year, and it’s become one of my favorite books. Not only is it full of good recipes, but the prints are beautiful.
And because home is much more than a pile of possessions, I wanted to share one of the first breakfasts I made in my kitchen. I’m fully convinced, you can never go wrong with a fresh plate of pancakes. Light, fluffy, and full of ripe bananas, these whole wheat pancakes are addictive, to say the least. The slight sweetness from the honey pairs perfectly with that ubiquitous yellow fruit. I know I had a hard time not eating the entire batch! These taste especially good when served with maple syrup or strawberry jam. As if you needed a reminder.
Best Ever Banana Pancakes
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1/2 to 1 cup chopped bananas
In a small bowl, whisk together whole wheat flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside. In a medium bowl whisk together honey, butter, buttermilk and eggs until light and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes). Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Stir in chopped bananas. Allow batter to sit while you heat your skillet.
Heat medium skillet to medium-high heat. A drop of water should sizzle upon contact. Grease pan with either oil or butter (butter is my favorite, of course). Pour 1/4 cup of batter into skillet. Allow to cook for approximately one minute. Bubbles should rise to the surface and the edges should be golden brown. Flip and allow to cook for approximately 30 seconds on the other side. Serve warm with maple syrup or strawberry jam.