Baby Bump - Week 26

Week 26
Date night at "Turkish Cuisine" restaurant

The last few weeks have been busy for Ben and I. I've been wrapped with the start of the new school year at work, planning for new programs and visiting classes. Ben's had some big names in town lately (here's just one of the things he was in charge of lately) and has been doing a fantastic job meeting the studios' high demands (not to mention, working crazy hours)! We also hosted my parents and Cory and Justin over the last few weekends...so after all that fun, this weekend we were ready for some quiet time getting things done around home.

Last weekend I went to the Renegade Craft Fair, which is a very cool "hipster" fair where artists to sell their handmade goods, and bought something for the baby's room. If you're in Chicago, I highly recommend hitting the fair up at the holidays or when it returns next year. I also went to a baby resale event in Evanston that was filled with crazy and pushy "Housewives of Cook County" types. It was like an alternative universe where possessed suburbanites shove you out of the way to get a discounted Boppy...and I was a little scared!

The crib and dresser that we ordered for Little Miss Muffet also arrived, so we spent Saturday assembling it and watching football (Go Hawks!). We were happy that we completed the job successfully and without any meltdowns on our part, except for one piece of the crib arrived damaged, so we have to get that replaced...but we are slowly putting together the little one's room. To celebrate our craftsmanship, we went out to eat at a restaurant around the corner from our place that is creatively named "Turkish Cuisine." Hummus does a baby good!

Baby Bump - Week 24

Week 24
U.S. Cellular Field, White Sox vs. Red Sox Game, 9/6

As I told my dad, we're already trying to teach little Ms. Handfelt acceptance and equality. Last week's bump picture was from the Cubs game, and this week, as diehard Cubs fans (although they're really blowing it this year), we're teaching her to embrace those who are different from us at the Sox game.

Things here are going very well - this morning I had my monthly appointment with the doctor, who said everything is right on track with the little one. (She also previously told me that I should feel free to indulge in milkshakes as often as I'd like, God bless her!) Things are moving along - Ben and I ordered a crib and dresser for the baby's room, we've gotten bedding for her, and are still working on daycare plans...boo to that! You'd think it would be easier than it is, but there is no one reliable place to research or find contact information for daycares in Chicago! And the ones that we do call or email are flighty, at best! I did meet with a couple of other "preggies" on Monday (for ice cream, you know it!) to discuss the possibility of sharing a nanny between two or all three of us. No immediate plans came out of the meeting, but it may down the line (it's a little too early to look for a nanny, if that's the road we decide to take, and we're all keeping in touch). I trust it will all work itself out in due time. Let's hope so at least, or else Carm the cat will be watching the kiddo on a daily basis! It was nice, however, to meet some other ladies with babies...so now I'll have some "mom" friends at the playground next year! How nerdy is that? Would anyone have expected me to say that EVER in my lifetime?

Restaurant Roundup: The Farewell Tour

Our quest to shoehorn all of our favorite restaurants into the last few months of our diaper-free existence takes us to some old favorites and one new one. Put in your falsies and throw on a bib while I break out the slideshow.

Half slab of Baby Back ribs at Smoke Daddy, 1804 W. Division. Smoked to perfection, with a choice of 3 sauces: original, sweet and smoky and mustard q. (Go with the latter two). Accompanied by smoke pit beans and a piece of cornbread that would make Fat Elvis smile. This was one of our favorite restaurants when we first moved to Chicago and has remained a smoky stalwart to this day. So good that you won't notice by the end of the meal, your shirt is unbuttoned and you have BBQ sauce in your chest hair. (This applies to women too.)

Short rib brulee, watermelon carpaccio, cauliflower dauphinoise and kamastuna at Bonsoiree, 2728 W. Armitage, taken on my camera phone. We had heard the foodies rave about this place for ages, claiming that it was Charlie Trotter's quality on half the budget, so we finally took the plunge a few weeks ago. We were not disappointed. This is special occasion dining at it's mouth watering best. With it's scatter shot locale and small and intimate dining space, this one really does feel like a hidden gem that nobody knows about yet...but the kind that you selfishly hope stays that way. I expect it's popularity to increase tenfold after being awarded a coveted HHH 'Pretentious Spork Award'.

This was the extra course they brought out to us, which ended up being the best thing we had all night. It's a bruleed scallop, still inside the shell. Crisp and hard on the outside, soft and buttery on the inside, much like your soot-covered great grandfather. This was so good that I walked around the restaurant in tears, hugging anyone that would have me. Though this photo is grainier than the Zapruder footage, trust me when I say that this dish will make you want to go to church and praise the Lord.

Pasta Lorenzo at La Scarola, 721 W. Grand Ave. My favorite pasta dish at our favorite old school Italian joint in town. Bow tie pasta, chicken, shrimp and sun-dried tomatoes in chipolte sauce. To put things in perspective, let me give you a visual. Bow ties at La Scarola are like this. Bow ties at the Olive Garden are like this. (Insert killer guitar solo)

Jamming with Pearls & Consuming Assorted Meats and Cheeses with Ron and Susan

A few weekends ago I was lucky enough to attend the first of two sold out Pearl Jam shows at the United Center. I saw PJ live a long time ago (pre-9/11), but had never even been to a show at the United Center; it kind of goes against my hipster mantra. Casting those reservations aside, I met up with former co-worker and Beovision marketing guru Shane Smith and his roommate, Brian, and we proceeded to park somewhere in the ghetto (ignoring the fact that you might get murdered or raped, it is free). We then met up with 'The Pride of Davenport Courtesy of Low Expectations' Nick Swanson and his blushing bride at a nearby watering hole to have a few brewskies and a plate of tots before the show. As for the show itself, PJ delivered, breaking out the obscure ditties that even Jesus (an avowed Pearl Jam junkie) wouldn't recognize. The highlight had to be them breaking out 'Rats' for the encore. Double fist pump coupled with a single tear. Good times.

Not a week later, who comes storming into town but my mother, accompanied by her mustachioed beau, Mr. Ron Fuller. (Faint applause.) On Friday afternoon, we took in a game between the listless Cubs and the New York Metropolitans in the bleachers. Thankfully, the Cubs came out victorious thanks to an Alfonso Soriano 3-run donkey slap in the 8th inning. Heck, even if they had lost, that wasn't the point. Any time you are able to sit in the Wrigley Field bleachers and consume Chicago dogs, ballpark nachos and Old Style (or in Susan's case, blended vodka lemonades), unencumbered by the responsibilities of this cruel and unforgiving world, you can't really complain. Well, I suppose you can complain if you're sitting at the end of the row and a bunch of guys with mustaches (not Ron) keep getting up every half inning and making you move your legs, but...deep breaths...I'll slowly sip my Old Style and shut my mouth.

On Friday night we went to the Greektown restaurant Venus. Live entertainment, flaming cheese, baked lamb and unibrows. Good stuff, with Mom's Mousakas Tsoukas being a highlight. Is that a Tsoukas in your pocket or are you just happy to see me? Wait, huh?

Saturday was filled with Katy's breakfast quiche and leisurely strolls around the neighborhood, before checking the parents into the Four Seasons. From there, the girls went shopping and the boys hit up the Diversey driving range and miniature golf course. Fuller sank an unprecedented 3 hole-in-ones on his way to a lopsided and embarrassing victory. And investigation is being conducted by the NAAPP (National American Association of Putt Putters) as of this writing.

For dinner we went to Gibson's Steakhouse. The place to see and be seen if you're a ballplayer, celebrity, past your prime cougar or George Hamilton. But Lordy Lordy, Lyle's 40 if that steak isn't good. The filets were all top notch, the mushrooms were just short of psychedelic, the margaritas (oh yes I did) were bueno and the desserts looked decadent...not that we saved any room. A great meal, but it was good to escape the scent of English Leather and hundred dollar bills afterwards and get some fresh air.

All in all a great two weeks. Katy's parents make the trek this weekend and we head to the South Side for a (gasp) Sox game. Sleeping with the enemy! Don't worry, I'll make out with them, but I will not let them go all the way!

Look for more posts coming this week, including food pics (naturally) and my thoughts on impending fatherhood, should I be able to put them into words.

Susan and Ben pregame at Wrigley.

Filet, mashed potatoes, mushrooms and bearnaise sauce at Gibsons.

Pearl Jam: A view from the rafters.

A stirring rendition of Yellow Ledbetter. This is like the video version of someone calling you on their cellphone at a concert and holding up their phone for you to listen.

Baby Bump - Week 23

Week 23
Wrigley Field, Cubs vs. Mets, 8/28

Whoops! Well, I guess I lost a few weeks somewhere along the line since my last post was back at Week 20...all is well in the Handfelt household and our little chicka is growing by leaps and bounds. Over the last few weeks we've made our first official trip to Babies R Us (less scary than I anticipated), painted the kid's room, bought baby bedding, continued our daycare search (no fun), I started my fall class, and we had Susan and Ron visit us for a weekend. Good times for all! I also definitely felt her move for the first time, which made me giggle. I just can't believe it's already September and this kid will be here before we know it. She also has a lot of aliases that our family and friends have dubbed her, including Blue, Handy, Bunny, and Zsa-Zsa. What her real name will be...you'll just have to wait and see.

Ultrasound Day

This morning we had our big ultrasound and everything looked great with our little Baby H. Tiny feet, long legs, strong heart - all good. It was basically sleeping the whole time, with it's arms dramatically draped over it's head like, "Aww man, I'm just trying to relax in here! Quit poking me!" Clearly it takes after me already, needing a nap at 9am.

Anyway...the info we've all been waiting for...we'll be welcoming a baby GIRL to our family! Ben and I are both thrilled and surprised, since we were getting a boy vibe this whole time. Finding this out really makes it all the more real and exciting...

*Cartoon courtesy of Married to the Sea

More Fun With Photo Booths

Click to enlarge. (That's what she said.) Sorry for the PDA in the kiss pic. We ran out of good ideas. Although you'll be happy to know that we in fact did 'get a room', literally.