There’s something magical about watching my husband interact with our daughter… Seeing his eyes dance as he watches her play, how he wraps her in his arms and kisses her forehead, their cuddle time when he reads to her from his favorite books, and the way he gingerly wipes away her tears when she falls. The thought of his overwhelming love for her takes my breath away and makes my heart happy. If I thought my love for him was powerful prior to Gray’s birth, it has grown ten-fold since then! Every exchange between them is a joy to observe, and I feel blessed to witness every moment. With Father’s Day right around the corner, I wanted to take the opportunity to share a few of my favorite Brad & Gray photos with you. Since it would take a lifetime to express the gratitude I have for my husband and his fatherhood, I’ll let the photos do the talking. They speak more eloquently than my words ever will…

Many blessings to all of the wonderful fathers out there, including my husband and my own dad!!

Until next time… Peace, Love, and Dirty Diapers,

Jenna von Oy

PS. Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter!

            As I mentioned last week, we’ve greeted spring with a sense of relief and excitement here at our house. One of the most beautiful gifts of this time of year is the seasonal fruits, vegetables and herbs that have started coming up in our garden already. Gray and I have been anxiously awaiting our weekly ritual of picking strawberries. (I cut them up for her oatmeal in the mornings, and sometimes include them in her dinner too.) Our blueberries aren’t far behind, which conjures images of future pancakes and jam. Martha Stewart, eat your heart out! Our tomatoes are starting to make an appearance, and the zucchini vines are taking over the side yard. But the part of our garden I treasure most is one that is already in full bloom and waiting to be picked– our herbs.  We have basil, thyme, tarragon, rosemary, cilantro, dill, lavender, oregano, chives… the list goes on and on. So in honor of my passion for fresh herbs plucked from our garden, here is a salad I recently created with some of our mint!

My Pea in a Pod Spring Salad

(Recipe created by Jenna von Oy)

Ingredients:

Approx. 2 Cups Sugar snap peas (I leave them in the pod & chop them)

¼ Cup crumbled Feta cheese

1 Wedge of Red onion- amount determined by your own tastes (minced)

8-10 Mint leaves (julienned)

2 Tbs Extra virgin olive oil

1 ½ Tbs Red wine vinegar (or more/less to taste)

salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together and serve.  Goes great as an accompaniment for lamb burgers!

Until next time… Peace, Love, and Dirty Diapers,

Jenna von Oy

PS. Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter!

As much as I adore the crisp days of autumn and the winter chill that encourages extended cuddle time with my family, I always seem to greet the spring with a sense of relief.  There’s something about seeing the end of another year, and ushering in a new one, that leaves me with renewed hope and excitement for good things to come.  Of course, it helps to hear the birds singing, feel the warmth of sunlight on my face, and watch the green start to creep through the countryside here in Nashville. I’m also a sucker for rainy days, which spring offers plenty of.  The rains always remind Brad and I to take stock of our garden and make our yearly trip down to the local farmer’s market for vegetable and herb starters. Since Gray is one year old now, this year’s trip was especially meaningful. Instead of rushing through, we casually strolled the aisles of radishes and kale. We perused the flower stalls and jam kiosks, and even spent a few minutes looking through the designated flea market area. (Who knew wigs and underwear were such popular items to purchase there?) We sat and enjoyed a fresh fruit smoothie together, and Gray even got to taste her very first strawberry from one of the generous fruit vendors. I think my little girl’s nose and cheeks saw more of it than her mouth, but isn’t that the way it should be? Messy = fun. Heading home, we spent the next few days planting and enjoying the gorgeous weather. Gray made the gardening experience exceptionally enjoyable (and interesting). She really got into showing us where the worms were, running her hands through the soil, and pulling weeds out of the ground. As kids will often do, she used all five senses during her gardening extravaganza. In other words, she tasted a handful of dirt. Thankfully, I suspect she prefers the meals I make for her…

I guess the point of all of this is that Brad and I are (quite literally) planting  seeds for Gray. We want her to cherish the importance of nourishing her body by nourishing the fruits and veggies that go into it. It’s neat to watch her find joy in the outdoors and learn about how things grow. Now let’s hope her thumb isn’t as brown as mine!

We hope you and your family are enjoying a beautiful spring!

Until next time… Peace, Love, and Dirty Diapers,

Jenna von Oy

PS. Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter!

In one year, the earth completes a full revolution around the sun. During that time, there are fifty-two weeks, three hundred and sixty-five days, twelve months, two equinox, and five hundred and twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes. For the majority of my thirty-six years on this planet, those have been my units of measurement for the passing of a single year… But all of that changed when my beautiful little girl arrived. Instead, the last year has been marked by a set of non-scientific facts and figures, and the only mathematical statistics my husband and I have charted can be found in an album with a label that reads, “This baby book belongs to Gray Audrey Bratcher.” A year’s worth of time has been tabulated by the number of words Gray has uttered, how far she has crawled, how many inches she has grown, and the hours we’ve spent cuddling. In fact, I’ve been so enchanted by her achievements that I even forgot my own birthday was this month (May 2^nd), until my husband reminded me! I can tell you there have been 365 mornings of waking up to Gray’s wonderfully dimpled and sleepy smile, and 365 nights of singing her into slumber. There have been hundreds of dirty diapers, hugs and kisses that have numbered in the hundreds of thousands, and an infinite amount of thanks given for being blessed to have her in our lives.  Yes, my baby is already one year old, and it blows my mind more than the Big Bang theory. (To clarify, I’m referring to the theory regarding the early development of the Universe. Not the CBS sitcom.)

The first year went by faster than I could ask, ”Oh my gosh, I really get to be mommy to this amazing, awe-inspiring child?” and “Are you sure I’m qualified?” Every day offers me defining moments that prompt me to marvel at it all.  Having the chance to witness Gray’s daily discoveries is a constant joy for Brad and I, and we cry through happy tears each time she moves from one phase into the next. I suspect many of you have experienced something similar. Over the last twelve months, we have watched her accomplish the traditionally notable firsts such as: smiling, laughing, waving, clapping, crawling, pulling up on furniture, cutting teeth, tasting solid foods, saying “Daddy” and “Mommy,” and taking her first step. But there have been other subtler moments too– ones that crept in slowly and seeped into our hearts, never to be forgotten. Some of my favorites include the first time she laid her head on my shoulder to take a nap, the first time she opened her mouth and leaned in to offer me a fantastically slobbery kiss, all of the times she has smirked wryly at something I’ve said, and her nightly ritual of petting our puppies. There are activities that signify our time spent together: reading The Hungry Caterpillar in French, walking through our neighborhood and talking about the trees, singing and signing the ABC’s, riding the local carousel, planting our vegetable garden, traveling to both the East and West Coasts, and making up silly ditties about ladybugs and bumblebees. Gray has already gleaned some important knowledge in her short time in the world, such as the fact that Mommy will always take care of her when she’s sick (she was such a trooper during her recent bout with the stomach flu!), and that some of your best friends in life can have four legs and enjoy barking at the UPS truck. Gray has discovered early on that music comes from your soul, and that dancing around the kitchen with Mommy is liberating, albeit goofy. The things we have taught each other are abounding and priceless… and there’s considerably more to come! It’s a neat ride we’re on together, to put it mildly.

This particular blog installment happens to coincide with my once-a-month contribution for People.com. For more photos, anecdotes, and a chance to enter my giveaway for a GORGEOUS gift basket from the folks at www.Celebritychitt.com, you can visit my blog there! Please also check back here next Friday, for an exclusive Cradle Chronicles post! In the meantime, if you haven’t read last week’s The “Everything But The Kitchen Sink” Quiche! you’ll find it if you scroll down or check out my archives!

Until next time… Peace, Love, & Dirty Diapers,

Jenna von Oy

PS. Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter!

               Family time is to be treasured, be it through Skype sessions or cuddling while watching Sesame Street. The key is cherishing the moments in whatever shape they take.  For me, that often comes in the form of meals together, since one of the ways I show my love and appreciation is via my cooking. The way to the heart is through the stomach, according to the cliché, and I can’t disagree! A recent addition to our weekend routine has been the “Everything But The Kitchen Sink” Quiche. It’s a fantastic way to get through some of the miscellaneous items in our refrigerator, while simultaneously giving us the opportunity to enjoy an easily-prepared meal together.

I’m hugely opposed to wasting food, so every Sunday night I take whatever leftovers I can find (within reason), and throw them into a quiche.  It never fails to surprise me just how amazing the result is! It just goes to show that anything is good once you mix it with cheese and eggs. The idea of the weekly quiche began courtesy of my friend, Lila. When I gave birth to Gray, all of my girlfriends got together and planned a meal schedule for me. Every few nights someone would show up with food for us, which was an unbelievable show of love, support, and encouragement at a much-needed time. Let’s be honest– in the throes of the steepest learning curve you’ve ever experienced, when you’re more preoccupied with changing diapers instead of making spaghetti, or you’d rather gaze at your newborn instead of making a pork roast, how awesome is it to receive a homemade dinner?! Casseroles have never been such a prized possession. But Lila one-upped the typical dish, and brought us a meal that exceeded the bounds of dinner. She brought over a quiche, and even included the recipe. It fed us for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and we’ve been hooked ever since. I’ve made a multitude of variations on it thus far, using her basic recipe as a foundation. Here’s our favorite version:

The “Everything But The Kitchen Sink” Quiche

 (This basic quiche recipe came from an unknown source- maybe Bisquick? But the rest is all me!)

 Recipe created by Jenna von Oy

Ingredients:

2 Eggs

1 Cup milk

½ Cup Bisquick mix

2 Cups shredded cheese (for this particular recipe, I use 1 ½ Cup sharp cheddar & ½ Cup grated parmesan)

1 Tbsp. butter

1 (14 oz) Can of Artichoke hearts

2/3 (3 oz) Package of chopped prosciutto

~ Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

~In Sautee pan, melt butter on medium-high heat, until browned.

~Add prosciutto, and turn heat to low. Cook for 30 seconds to one minute, or until lightly browned. Set aside on a paper towel, to drain the grease.

~In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs and milk. Whisk until well blended.

~ Add the Bisquick mix, and cheese.

~Chop the artichoke hearts, and add to the mixture

~Add the cooked prosciutto.

~Pour into ungreased pie plate or tin.

~Bake in oven for approximately 45 minutes, or until cooked through.

~Let it set for five to ten minutes before serving. Salad and wine are wonderful accompaniments!

Until next time… Peace, Love, and Dirty Diapers,

Jenna von Oy

PS. Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter!

                 In honor of my first Mother’s Day, I wanted to share some of my favorite mother/daughter photos from this past year. I’m thankful each and every day for the fact that Gray made me a Mommy, and there are no words that can really do my love justice. In lieu of a long blog post, I think I’ll just let the pictures say a thousand words instead…

Happy Mother’s Day to you all! Wishing you a day full of love and blessings.

Until next time… Peace, Love, and Dirty Diapers,

Jenna von Oy

PS. Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter!

                 It may be self-indulgent, but I’m taking a week off in celebration of my birthday (May 2). Consequently, there’s no long blog to update you on anything baby-related. Actually, the only baby-related news is the fact that 36 years ago I was a baby. Who knew I was a future lover of sarcasm, wine, tattoos, and Scrabble? Who guessed I’d be an actress, singer/songwriter, avid reader, amateur photographer, vocabulary maven and blog writer? But most importantly, who imagined I’d eventually be a devoted wife and mommy? I suppose at some point, I was certain of that fact, which is why I celebrated my 36 years on this planet in the best way possible… with my husband and baby girl. And we are still celebrating, so this week’s post is less loquacious than normal. (But maybe that’s a good thing.) In the meantime, I’ve included a photo from last night’s birthday dinner!

Until next time… Peace, Love, and Dirty Diapers,

Jenna von Oy

PS. Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter!

It’s the little things… A tattered blanket becomes a superhero cape; a worn out pair of gym shoes is transformed into enchanted ruby slippers. There’s just nothing quite like a child indulging his or her imagination. (Except, perhaps, an adult who still indulges her childlike imagination! My inner kid is four-years old, in case you were wondering.)

I’ve heard many a parent claim they can occupy their tyke with merely a crate and a crayon, and I know this to be true based on first-hand experience. As a youngster, I recall being inspired to turn boxes into pirate ships, lush rainforests, cloud castles, underground caverns, and haunted houses. I’ve even sailed across the ocean blue on a trampoline a time or two, thanks to the fantastic and fierce power of illusion. The trick is to see right through the cardboard and plastic, to the world that lies beyond it. Somehow, I think I never left that special place entirely behind me, and I can’t wait to travel back there with my daughter in the years to come. Fostering Gray’s creativity and affinity for daydreaming is something I eagerly await. I’m already anticipating the trips to Disneyland, the teddy bear tea parties, and the impromptu dance routines. I’m pining for the days when our linen closet doesn’t merely hold board games and a vacuum. Perhaps it will be a detective agency, or a three-ring circus, or an African safari. The sky is the limit. Imaginary friends? Invite them over for milk and cookies! But, alas, since Gray is only eleven months old, we are still quite a distance from the land of make-believe. Or are we?

It turns out babies enjoy the wonders of parcel packaging too, albeit for slightly less inventive purposes. Gray has discovered the magic of climbing into an empty container for amusement. It’s wildly entertaining to watch her bounce, rock, shake, laugh and clap, as she sits inside of what I generally prefer to think of as recycling. And it doesn’t end there, thanks to her unbridled curiosity. Gray has found temptation in a plethora of banal items including socks, reading glasses, dog bowls, pens, pots and pans, coffee coasters and tea tins. Mind you, some of those are a little more baby-friendly than others, so I don’t always allow her to follow through with the exciting adventure she sets out on. But her enquiring mind definitely wants to know, so we’re adapting. We are gradually rearranging our house as she develops a fixation for each new off-limit item. For example, all of our votive candles are currently hiding in the pantry as if they are escaping Hannibal Lecter. (This is courtesy of Gray’s teething inclinations.) We also recently removed the batteries from one of our less functional TV remotes, in an attempt to deter our budding technology guru from interrupting our tapings of The Mentalist. It’s worth noting that she never manages to erase Sesame Street. Go figure. Another fondness seems to be “reordering” my office shelves and our DVD collection, as well as “perusing” my script pages. This mostly culminates in a floor full of miscellaneous junk and scattered pages, though the other day she displayed her enthusiasm for one of my auditions by taking a bite out of the final scene. Picture the Cookie monster, only with paper. I suspect curbing that habit is going to be a unique experience. We have to watch her like a hawk.

In short, we are steadily watching the unraveling of every room in our home. We may already be able to eliminate “housekeeper” from the list of Gray’s possible future careers, and we live in the house formerly known as organized. But in the midst of the clutter and mayhem sits an empty diaper box, and in that empty diaper box sits the happiest empty diaper box-loving girl in the world; so I’m at peace. It signifies that our days of make-believe are right around the corner, and it’s comforting to know that, thanks to Gray, I’m never far from Neverland.

Until next time… Peace, Love, and Dirty Diapers,

Jenna von Oy

PS. Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter!

PPS. You can also see two hilarious childhood photos of me, that go along with this post, by visiting my corresponding blog on People.com!

1. Diaper Wetness Indicators: Sure, diapers can be foul, stinky, messy business. That said, so is peeling shrimp, forgetting to take out the trash after deboning a chicken, and getting stuck driving behind a truck carrying hot tar… and those things don’t smile and say “Mommy,” or sweetly kiss us goodnight! I don’t imagine any of us would rank diaper changing as our favorite part of motherhood, but I’d like to think we take it all in stride. It’s a small price to pay in the larger picture, right? That said, we run into our share of grimy stuff on a daily basis, so why make dirty diapers more dramatic than they have to be? (Otherwise known as: why wind up with poop on your pants in the middle of a church service, if you don’t have to?) In the first couple weeks of being a mom, I was thoroughly impressed to discover there are now moisture meters on several brands of diapers. Genius! I love being able to see that Gray needs changing well before her diaper is so full that urine is running down my favorite silk blouse, or that immediately identifiable and malodorous scent hits my nostrils, or the dogs start sniffing around her bloomers for the source of the funk. Loving the lack of leakage!

**PS. I thought I’d skip a photo on this one… sometimes a picture is not worth a thousand words.

2.     The Original Ba: Though Gray has graduated to a sippy cup these days, I spent a few months of her infancy trying to encourage her to drink water (or breast milk, every now and then) from a bottle. Being a strictly breastfed baby, she wasn’t terribly enthused about that notion. I certainly didn’t want to force her into it, and I absolutely did not want to wean her from the breastaurant. However, I knew there would be several benefits to the introduction. For example, I wanted to have the option of allowing my husband some father-daughter bonding time, by pumping and letting him feed her. I also wanted to make sure there was an alternative if I had to go to work… you know, since I can’t really leave a breast behind for the sitter. Ultimately, since I have been blessed with the opportunity to stay at home with Gray, she was (and still is) never far from the booby buffet. This means I didn’t have the need for an overabundance of bottles or the accompanying equipment. Nevertheless, when Gray finally took to the bottle, there was one thing that really helped her along… a fancy contraption called The Original Ba. If M.C. Escher had created baby products, the Ba might be it. In actuality, the progressive design was invented by four guys who possess creative imaginations and slightly contradictory career paths: a single dad, a lawyer, a designer, and a rock & roller. It sounds like the start of a really wacky joke, right? But they’ve come up with something neat; a holder that makes it simple for babies to hold their own beverage. Way to think outside of the bottle, gentlemen!

 3.     Smart Teething Toys: Let’s be honest, when your kid is in the throes of the teething woes, you’ll try just about anything to ease their pain… and their screaming. I’m no exception. I’ve experimented with everything from a common household washcloth that I dampened and then froze for a few hours, which is cheap and effective, to the relatively trendy amber necklace. In all honesty, I’m not entirely convinced the latter isn’t someone’s attempt to make millions off of pulling the wool over our eyes. I tried it anyway. I’ve administered homeopathic chamomile powder, and offered Gray every rubbery toy she owns. The good news is that some of them have worked for a few minutes here and there, which I’m grateful for. Here are the two soothers she loves most… by a landslide.

~Sophie the Giraffe: So far, Sophie the Giraffe still reigns as Gray’s favorite. Vive la Sophie! Trust me when I say it’s like catnip for babies.

~Toofeze: This product was gifted to Gray by the generous folks at Toofeze. They even went so far as to engrave her name and birthdate on it, which was incredibly thoughtful. Gray is hooked! I definitely think they’re onto something, as you can also stick the Toofeze in the refrigerator (though the freezer is off-limits) for a colder teether.

4.     The Wubbanub Pacifier: You’ve heard me say it before, and I’ll say it again… Wubbanub has been our saving grace. In terms of calming and consoling Gray, this pacifier is unparalleled. I’m grateful for every plane ride, shower, photo shoot and dinner it has gotten us through. If your child is willing to take a pacifier at all, this is the one. With a stuffed animal at one end, even infants can manage to hold onto it. The ONLY downfall? My dogs find the stuffed animal equally fascinating. Recently, when I failed to keep a close eye on its whereabouts, the Wubbanub monkey met a tragic end. Gray has buried Mr. Monkey, and moved on to the giraffe.

 5.     The Backseat Baby Mirror: I don’t know what I would do without this thing. My sister in law gave us one for our baby shower, and I am indebted. Truthfully, I initially chalked the product up to some sort of car company gimmick. You know, just one more thing they can trick you into thinking your baby needs, during your five thousandth pre-birth Target run. Boy, was I wrong on this one! Though the mirror certainly has its merits in terms of baby distraction, it turns out I’m the one who reaps the biggest benefits. Do you recall bringing your child home from the hospital? It’s terrifying to be out in the big world with your baby for the first time! If you are anything like my husband and I, we drove at snails pace, out of fear we would damage the tiny blessing in our backseat. In fact, a ninety-year old man in bifocals drives like Mario Andretti relative to how we drove that day. While my husband navigated, I sat in the back and stared at our daughter all the way home. I’m not sure I blinked. But in the weeks that followed, I had no choice but to bundle up our newborn and run errands on my own. This meant I was stuck driving, while Gray rode in her safety seat behind the passenger side. I desperately wanted to check on her every five minutes, and I remember being alarmed by the silence. Despite the fact that no mother enjoys hearing her child cry, there were moments I would have given anything for it… just for a sign that Gray was still breathing. Cue the backseat mirror. As soon as that thing was mounted, I became the only gleeful person stuck in traffic. As long as I can glance back and see that my kid is asleep, or looking out the window, or smiling contentedly while listening to The Little Mermaid, I’m golden.

Until next time… Peace, Love, and Dirty Diapers,

Jenna von Oy

PS. Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter!

PPS. I wasn’t paid to promote any of these items, and I feel it’s important to put that out there. Though some of these products were gifted to us, my comments are based on our tried and true experiences with using them. Hope you have an opportunity to try them out as well…

Don’t let the title of this week’s post fool you. Consider it my very belated April Fool’s Day joke. Though Mayim Bialik and I keep in touch, I have no fabulous news of a very special Blossom and Six reunion any time soon. That said, I thought you might appreciate this hilarious pseudo-reunion that took place between me and someone else dressed as Blossom. What does this post have to do with motherhood, you ask? Well, we just might talk about it in the interview. Check out my discussion with Geeking Out‘s Kerri Doherty!

Click here to see my interview on Geeking Out!

And if you’re a fan of the show Girls, or even if you aren’t, check out our fun parody of it!

Click here to see our Girls meets Blossom parody, and witness me wearing one of my fabulously awful 90′s hats that I swore I’d never wear again!

Until next time… Peace, Love, and Dirty Diapers,

Jenna von Oy

PS. Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter!

PPS. Follow Kerri on Twitter too. She’s damn funny!