A Wonderfully Warm Easter Weekend

 

Happy Tuesday! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and Monday. Before we talk about this weekend, let’s take a second to recognize the incredible runners who ran the Boston Marathon yesterday. It was such a joy tracking my friends using the app yesterday, which worked suprprisingly well. It worked so well that I was actually able to watch Charlie cross the finish line via the live streaming! Huge congratulations to everyone but especially those I was tracking – Charlie, Monica, Dorothy, Michele, Lora, Chloe, and Dani! I can’t wait to read your recaps and hear more about your incredible experiences.

Charlie finishing boston

Bo and I spent the weekend in Brooklyn enjoying the gorgeous, unseasonably warm weather and time with friends.

Friday we started the weekend with dinner at Alma, a Mexican restaurant in between Red Hook and Brooklyn Heights, that is known for the incredible rooftop views and their popular margaritas. They made me a delicious, virgin hibisculs margarita and Bo and I enjoyed the view while having chips, guacamole and tacos. It was our first time at Alma and while we heard mix reviews before going, we will definitely be back. The service was definitely not perfect but the relaxed atmosphere, great views and tacos made me want to come back immediately.

IMG_2335

Saturday we had a busy day, spending time in the backyard planting flowers and deep cleaning our deck and patio before we headed out for a quick workout. I enjoyed my first tank top and shorts workout of the season while power walking for an hour and listening to Missing Richard Simmons, an intriguing podcast about the dissaperance of Richard Simmons.IMG_2346 IMG_2350

The rest of our day was spent in a child birthing class hosted by my OB-GYN office and NYU. The five hour class provided a realistic view of what to expect during pre-labor, labor and delivery along with techniques to make the process more enjoyable and less stressful. While some of the information was a review from the books and articles we’ve read, there were some very helpful tips that we didn’t know previoiusly or hadn’t thought about such as calling our insurance far in advance both about the baby’s coverage as well as the nursing pump, the things we do and don’t need to bring to the hospital when we’re in labor and how long they recommend laboring at home before coming to the hospital. It was also helpful to have an actual NYU Labor and Delivery nurse talk us through what to expect once we arrive at the hospital as well as the different laboring techniques, pain management options and what to expect should we have to have a C-section or have any complications. When we’re in Savannah this weekend my mom is going to teach us Infant CPR and then the only other class we are considering is a newborn care class that many people have recommended. Did you take any classes, watch any videos or read any books you’d recommend before delivering your child?

After the long day, we came home and made one of my favorite meals – Veal Piccata- and relaxed on the couch watching Patriot’s Day. We both really enjoyed the movie and learned a great deal that we didn’t know about the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings and the events that followed.

IMG_2348

Sunday morning we were up early for another outdoor workout followed by a wonderful Easter Service at our church, Grace Episcopal in Brooklyn Heights. We’ve been members at Grace for almost a year and this was one of the best sermons I’ve heard to date as it was so relevant in today’s world. The sermon discussed the importance of living a connected life. IMG_2355

I’m going to to do a separate post about the dress I wore on Easter Sunday, but I’m in love with the comfortable mint dress I wore from Pinkblush. The dress is very different than anything else in my wardrobe but I received constant compliments on it and love that it will transition from maternity to nursing after I give birth. I love the dress so much that I’m considering wearing it again this weekend for my baby shower in Savannah!

After church Bo and I had the pleasure of hosting friends for a casual, backyard Easter barbecue. We welcomed guests with a cheese tray and then enjoyed grilled leg of lamb, grilled new potatoes and a Spring salad that Elizabeth brought. The kids enjoyed a small Easter egg hunt which featured 24 plastic eggs hidden in our backyard and on the back porch. It was hilarious to watch the difference between the way a 4-year old and 2.5-year old hunt for eggs.

FullSizeRender

The above dress is one of my best and least expensive purchases of pregnancy!

IMG_2363IMG_2367

ash and elizabeth

Check out those two baby bumps! It’s been incredible to watch both our bumps grow at such different rates since Elizabeth is expecting her second little girl in May and this is my first.

Hope you all have a wonderful week! It’s a short work week for us as we fly down to Savannah late Wednesday night for our last trip home before Baby Girl Diamond arrives. It’s going to be a packed weekend as we have our 15 year high school reunion, a baby shower and my aunt’s 70th birthday!

How was your weekend?

Share Button

Follow:

5 Comments

  1. Dianna April 18, 2017 / 6:24 pm

    My daughter is 10 now but we prepared a birthing plan that we gave to our primary nurse in labour and delivery when we arrived. It let them know how we hoped the birth would proceed, who we wanted in the room, who would cut the umbilical cord, whether or not I wanted drugs and anything else that mattered to us. It was suggested at our prenatal classes because things can get hectic in the delivery room and this way the nurses and doctors knew what our wishes were.

  2. Christina @ montessoriishmom.com April 19, 2017 / 10:51 am

    You look so beautiful in your Easter dress! I wasn’t familiar with Pink Blush, but just complimented someone else on a maternity dress the other day and it was also from there so I’ll have to remember it for the next time I’m pregnant!

  3. Amy April 19, 2017 / 11:40 am

    I love your dress Ashley! It’s nice to have a friend who’s pregnant at the same time, I had one with Adam and it helped to share things. All the best x

  4. Kasandra Raux April 20, 2017 / 3:39 am

    I had a birthing plan, but funny how things changed once in labor. A few of mine: wanted my husband to cut the cord and skin to skin. The latter changed because I went into pre-term labor and could only do it for 20 mins before she was whisked to NICU. I highly recommend taking a breastfeeding class/meeting with an IBCLC if you choose to breastfeed. And then hang onto his/her card. Nursing is not as easy as it seems. I didn’t take an infant care class and felt fine once the little came. Diaper changes aren’t so scary! I will HIGHLY recommend having your hospital bag packed in advance (As I ended up a preemie mom) and making sure you eat prior to the hospital. Once I got to mine, it was no food allowed (in case you have to have an emergency section) and I was starving! Finally my last “tip”: pushing out a baby is like taking a big poop. You bear down the same way. Enjoy the rest of your pregnancy! You look great! 17lbs is NOTHING! You’re growing a human!!!

  5. Rich April 24, 2017 / 3:38 pm

    I’ve just recently watched ‘Patriot’s Day’ and I thought it was really well done – I agree that I couldn’t really remember what happened over the next couple of days after the attack too. There’s also a documentary on Netflix at the moment called ‘Marathon: The Patriot’s Day Bombing’ – this follows the journey and recovery of several victims and is an emotional watch.

Comments are closed.