Baby Asher 2014!

Our friends Aubree and Patrick had their second baby, Asher, this week! He's a blog-record-breaking baby at over 10 pounds and record-breaking cuteness.  Oh my gosh, squeal! He looks a little like Patrick's dad right now I think. But we'll have to wait to be sure because babies morph so quickly in the first month or two.

Baby Asher rocks

Big sister Avery meets her new little brother

Aubree, Patrick, and Avery in Vermont 2013

A week ago, we went to visit Aubree, Patrick, and Avery in Vermont. Aubree and I have been friends for almost 10 years since we worked together in DC. We talked about stuff to do in advance, so when we got there on Saturday, we freshened up and then all went to the Magic Hat Brewery together. It's one of the more fun breweries we've been to, in part because of the Mardi Gras decorations and four free samples per person. The samples were little, but since I'm not a huge beer person it was perfect. We were able to fill a growler there with our favorite of the samples.

On the Magic Hat Brewery tour

We thought it would be a great a idea to do a brewery tour-- with two kids in tow. It was not. To be fair, it was just James that wanted to touch everything and scream when we didn't let him. But luckily, they let you do a self-guided tour as well, so we let the group tour clear out and then we went on our own. Of course, both children were angels when no one was there to witness it.

Magic Hat Brewery floor

Aubree made us an awesome dinner, giving my husband entirely the wrong idea about what I should be making every night. Avery went to bed first, and then James. Then we were free! Ain't no party like parents after their children go to sleep (but before 11 p.m. when we have to go to bed also)!

Saturday night bedtime for Avery

Both of the kids wake up at 5:30 a.m. which is sad for all of us, but helpful for the weekend, because no one had to be afraid of waking up anyone else. Their cat Telma was happy too because she slept with us and was happy to be set free. (Telma is like a tiny Nomar.) The dads got up with the kids because they are awesome. 

Sunday morning 5:30 a.m. wake up with the dads

Even though they have the same wake up time, the kids have opposite nap schedules, so we took it easy in the morning. I love being lazy and unrushed on the weekend so this worked well for me. Aubree made us an awesome breakfast complete with blue berry muffins and an egg thing that I want to eat every day. We took James to a really fun nearby park while Avery took her afternoon nap. Then we had another delicious meal-- this time a team effort between Aubree (who marinated) and Patrick (who grilled). Finally, with three kiddie naps behind us, we went out in Burlington.

Patrick, Avery, and Aubree at the waterfront

We started at the waterfront where they were having a low-key Maritime Festival. The waterfront is a beautiful place to go for a walk, or if you don't have kids in tow, the Boathouse is the perfect place to get drinks on the water. Summer is short in Vermont, so they know how to enjoy it there. We had some fun there back in 2005, but we skipped it this time.

Posing with our little monkey

Me and Aubree in front of Lake Champlain in 2013

Didn't realize until afterwards that we took a picture in the same spot in 2005!

Then we had dinner at a cute pizza restaurant called American Flatbread. It was a good place for kids because it was noisy, and they had fun pizza toys, that unfortunately our kids tried to eat. We were sitting near the pizza oven which is probably nice and toasty in the winter, but perhaps a little warm in the summer. I think maybe they were trying to hurry us along?

Avery is distracted by her fun pizza toy

The pizza toy comes with removable toppings, perfect for baby-chewing.

Those flames are not from the oven- they are just coming out of my head.

Afterwards, we cooled off with some ice cream on Church Street. We didn't do a Ben and Jerry's factory tour on this trip, but this was the next best thing. The kids were pretty happy about this turn of events.

James enjoying some chocolate-chocolate ice cream.


Avery enjoying a cone.


James was pretty excited about this cow.

Some kind stranger took a million photos of us on Church Street so that we could get one where the children were at least sort of paying attention. It's my favorite photo of the trip. 

Clous and Phils on Church Street

We really enjoyed visiting, and James especially liked spending time with Avery. He recently turned a corner where he likes spending time with younger children and not just older ones, and he was pretty gentle with her the whole time (though we are still working on sharing!). Our favorite was when the kids were asleep- haha! We didn't leave until very early Monday morning, so we got to spend another night hanging out, drinking and snacking, and it was hard to tear ourselves away to go to bed. 

Walking back after dessert

And since we were still there Monday morning, I took some "first day of school" photos for Avery.Well, her first day in the toddler room. Since it's taken me so long to post this, tomorrow is Aubree and Patrick's third wedding anniversary! Congratulations! Can't wait to see you guys again! 

What a gorgeous family!

Avery and her Grandmother 2013

I've been thinking a lot about my friends in Vermont, Aubree, her husband Patrick and their little girl Avery. A week and half ago, Avery overslept. Aubree got a bad feeling about it, so she went to check on her, and Avery was breathing but non-responsive. I cannot even imagine the horror. Aubree reacted quickly and called for an ambulance. The rescue team was able to check her on the way over. Her blood sugar was low and they were able to bring her back to consciousness promptly, but the family had to stay at the hospital for several days over the holiday weekend while they tested her to see what was wrong. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending how you look at it, they weren't able to find anything wrong.

Avery back to her beautiful happy self

The three of them had just gotten home when Patrick's mother had to be admitted to the hospital and suddenly passed away. She had fought cancer around the same time my dad did, and for two wonderful years she was winning the battle. In those years she got to meet and love Avery and spend more time with all of her family. Patrick was very close to her and since they live fairly close to each other they saw each other frequently. His mother was an extremely positive and inspiring person, and every extra day with her was a gift. But losing someone that wonderful is all the more painful. I know the sad journey that Patrick is beginning now, and I wish there was something I could do to help. But I know his mother's love is there supporting him, and that her love is so strong that it will eventually guide him back to happiness.

Aubree, Patrick, Avery and Patrick's parents

Avery and her grandmother Ginny

I hope that Avery grows up to be the kind of inspiring woman her grandmother was, and I hope Avery has an angel looking down on her as she goes through her follow up appointments with the doctor.

Baby Avery 2012!

Aubree and Patrick welcomed their daughter this month. I'm so excited for them to begin this wild and crazy journey that is parenting. She is a beautiful doll of a baby. No one expected less from this beautiful pair. They are a couple that truly deserves a happy ending for their fairy tale. Little Avery is the beginning of that happy ending.  Happy birthday to Aubree and happy early Father's Day to Patrick!

Avery in her adorable newborn hat


Patrick holding his daughter at the hospital


Mom and her little girl on the way home
(Can you believe how great Aubree looks already?)

Aubree and Patrick's Wedding 2010

Kevin and I went to Vermont, just for the day, to see Aubree and Patrick get married. What a great-looking couple. I've known Aubree since we started working together in DC in September 2002, though we started bonding in 2003. Their wedding was at Sugarbush Resort on a beautiful Saturday afternoon and evening. Aubree looked stunning, and Patrick looked like he might float away with happiness. Congratulations!

Aubree smiles at her mom after the ceremony

Notice the guy on the zip line at cocktail hour?

Too awesome.

Aubree's high school friends/bachelorette party buddies

First dance

Buddies

Aubree's Bachelorette 2010!

Aubree and Patrick are getting married in late summer and she had her bachelorette party in New York City last Saturday. I had to work during the day so missed their early meals and shopping, but I was able to make it for their evening crawl through Soho and the Lower East Side. We had dinner at Dos Caminos, and the food and margaritas were delicious. The guacamole is amazing and if you order the 4-person size it probably feeds 6 people.

Laura, me, Kim, and Aubree at Libation

Then we had drinks at a lounge Pegu Club, where the waitresses had Asian looking silk robes. This is where the sticker game began, but it didn't really get going until we got to a dance club called Libation in the Lower East Side.

The sticker game was invented by Aubree exactly 6 years to the day before her Bachelorette party, in 2004. While at Taste of the South in DC she began to use free stickers to play a game of tag with the guys at the event. The guys caught on fairly quickly, but that didn't stop the game from being super fun.

Aubree at Taste of the South, June 5, 2004

A victim of the sticker game in 2010

As we were winding down in the wee hours of the morning we stopped at Lea, an unassuming hookah bar and lounge. This place turned out to be a surprise treasure. The bartenders were very friendly and entertaining. They gave us cookies, let us try the hookah (it's mainly dried fruit and only a little tobacco), made us smoke bubbles, helped Aubree complete things on her bachelorette list, and took pictures. Can we please celebrate Aubree's bachelorette every year?

Me & Aubree

Scratching a dare card

Comparing muscles

Second Date: Politics and Love 2006

Instead of waiting the requisite three days, the Tuesday after our Sunday first date, I get the following (excuse) email from Kevin:

Message from sender:
did you see this? the headline on today's herald reads: "miami streets burst with spontaneous joy." also: stay out of the sun! it's going to be insanely hot today. gelato can only be consumed with a straw.
INTERNATIONAL | July 31, 2006: Ailing Castro Gives Temporary Power to Brother

Nothing warms a girl's heart like talk of revolution, and pretty soon we were planning our second date- dinner at Continental Divide, a restaurant in Charlottesville that serves giant margaritas. After dinner that night, he said something crucial-- but to explain I have to go back a few years.

In 2003, I started working at the soda lobby. I became interested in the politics of food. I decided that the government subsidization of corn (used in corn syrup in American sodas) was particularly diabolical for a number of reasons from health to the violation of international trade treaties. In 2004, when returning from an all-day drinking event of some kind (Wine Festival or Gold Cup), I turned around in my bus chair and got into an argument-to-the-death about corn subsidies with my friend's then-boyfriend. Sometime afterward my friend Aubree wrote on my Friendster wall, "... do not discuss corn subsidies with her."

On Thursday, August 3, 2006, we were walking back from dinner at Continental, when Kevin remarked how much he hated corn subsidies. That's when I knew.

Wedding Cocktail Hour and Half 2009

Our ceremony was a little short so our cocktail hour was extended. And who doesn't like a longer cocktail hour?

Our signature cocktail, the Cape Cod Mojito

Aubree and Patrick enjoying some wine outside

Posing with my high school friends

Jinsoo playing classical piano inside

We used a clean wine bottle as a guest book and encouraged guests to write us messages that we would wait to read until our one year wedding anniversary. We will smash the bottle if we must.  It's the sentiments inside that matter.

Message in a bottle

Writing messages for our guest book bottle

Group photo and Wedding Thank You card

Then we went inside for the Reception