Category Archives: de rebus familiaribus

happiness is a poopy diaper: Lila Jane has regained her birthweight!

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daddy and lila jane

Great news yesterday: Tracie P took Lila Jane to our local birthing store, Special Addition, and weighed Lila Jane, who has regained her birth weight two days before her two-week mark.

lila jane weight

Of all the gifts that we can give our children, none is more precious than mother’s milk.

I’m so proud of Tracie P and my love for her grows every day as I watch her suckle and nourish our beautiful little girls.

waffles bacon and berries

Naturally, at this point, Georgia P isn’t getting much sustenance from nursing. For her, it’s a comfort and a way to feel close to her mother.

She’s a healthy, if sometimes picky, eater.

As mommy and Lila Jane slumber this early Sunday morning, she’s enjoying a breakfast of wholewheat waffles with organic butter and organic maple syrup, organic berries, and good ol’ nothing-healthy-about-it American bacon.

We have a lot to be thankful for…

Buona domenica a tutti! Happy Sunday, yall!

due angioletti and a favorite under-$20 Bordeaux Blanc

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lila jane one week one day

That’s Lila Jane, one week and one day old, one of our little angels.

She and Tracie P are both doing well and other than some soreness, nursing has been relatively easy. We expect her to regain her birthweight by Monday, when she will be two weeks old, without any problem.

She’s starting to open her eyes and have a look around.

Isn’t she beautiful? :)

rock star

Georgia P had a fun visit with Aunt B and Niece B yesterday.

She loves to dig through my percussion bin in the office/studio. Her current favorite instrument is the wood blocks but the tambourine remains a trusty standby (even if just to stand on).

chateau ducasse

Last night, we paired a bottle of Château Ducasse 2012 Bordeaux Blanc with chicken tacos last night.

The fruit in the 2012 was a bit brighter than last year (perhaps because of a greater percentage of Sauvignon Blanc in the blend with Sémillon?).

But, man, this wine is always a winner at our house: fresh, clean, focused, with low alcohol and balanced acidity, under-$20 in our market. Great wine and the label looks cool to boot.

All in all, I gotta say, life could be worse…

Lila Jane’s first weekend at home

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lila jane july 28

At 7:23 this evening, our beautiful, precious Lila Jane will be one week old.

All things considered, we’ve had a relatively serene first week at home with her.

Nursing is going really well and she should easily regain her birth weight by next Monday (an important milestone in gauging the success of breast feeding).

little toes

Tracie P has been doing a great job of nourishing her: at this point, she feeds “on demand” and Tracie P is a 24-hour latteria (dairy bar).

Daddy can’t do much but try to keep the two of them as comfortable as possible and so these days I’m on kitchen duty (last night’s dinner: carne asada, eggplant rounds fried in extra-virgin olive oil, romaine and radicchio chioggiotto salad, and white rice cooked in chicken stock with Parmigiano Reggiano folded in) and I’m in charge of Georgia P’s recreation schedule.

Yesterday morning found us at Central Market park, climbing up and down (and up and down) the stairs.

And yesterday afternoon after lunch, we visited the Austin Children’s Museum, which really isn’t a museum at all. But it is a wonderful video-free haven for parents: its many rooms/spaces are filled with child-safe toys and activities that engage the children and encourage them to interact with one another.

We had a blast (and I highly recommend it)…

Understandably, Georgia P is still having some trouble adjusting to our new family dynamic and the attention we need to devote to Lila Jane during this tender, delicate period in her life, when all she does is nurse, poop/pee, and sleep.

But Friday morning, when she and I got back from our visit to the playground, she ran up to Lila Jane’s swing and said “hi.”

Then she paused and said, “baby” (which she pronounces bébé).

And then came an “I love you” that brought tears to our eyes as we watched on.

I’m so proud of Georgia P and even in the wake of some tough emotional moments, she never loses her ability to bounce back with her signature sparkle that makes me fall in love over and over again.

love of my life

Thanks everyone for all the texts, emails, cards, and wishes on social media. It’s so wonderful to know that your rooting for us and that you share our joy.

One poopy, one peepee, and please pass the Bollinger

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lila jane

“That’s some really good Champagne,” said my father-in-law Rev. B aka pawpaw as we sat down for a dinner of crock-pot pork loin, potatoes, and salad prepared for us by Mrs. B aka nanna last night, our first at home from the hospital with Lila Jane (above).

“Man, that’s a stinky toot!” were the next words out of his mouth.

seton hospital maternity

The hospital discharged us just after noon yesterday and as you can imagine, we were eager to get home.

Seton Healthcare Family, where Georgia P was born in 2011, took great care of us and the nurses were fantastic.

But there’s nothing like the prodding and poking of newborn care to make you long for the comforts of home.

texas bbq comfort food

Georgia P is doing great as she adjusts to her new family life.

But when watching mommy nurse Lila P became a little too much to bear, pawpaw and I took her out to Stiles Switch BBQ (around the corner from our house) for her favorite meal of chopped beef and macaroni and cheese (Texas style).

The folks behind the counter treated her to a little Blue Bell ice cream for dessert. And by the time we took her home for her bath, she was smiling and laughing again.

bollinger champagne

After we bathed and put Georgia P to bed, we paired our homecoming dinner (thanks again, nanna!) with a bottle of Bollinger Special Cuvée that I’d been saving especially for the occasion of celebrating the Parzen family expansion.

Although we generally reserve Bollinger for special occasions, we nearly always serve it with a meal.

It showed beautifully with the salty/sweet soy sauce/honey jus of Mrs. B’s slow-cooked pork loin.

Brooklyn Guy, who often reminds us of Champagne’s wonderful food-friendliness, would surely approve.

pawpaw and lila

Caring for a newborn is always a challenge. And having a busy toddler in the house adds to the mayhem.

But we’ve been so lucky to have Mrs. B and Rev. B (above) here to help us. Beyond Tracie P and me, they’re the only family members that Georgia P feels at home with. They stayed at home with Georgia P while we were at the hospital.

We’re truly blessed to have such loving grandparents in our lives.

Thanks again to everyone for all the thoughts and wishes. Childbirth is such an intense and emotional experience. To know that you’re all rooting for us means so much and it really makes a difference! :)

Today we’re also thinking of and sending lots of Texas love to friends Gabriella and Ryan Opaz who just had their baby a few hours ago in Porto, Portugal.

With the memories of our childbirth fresh in our minds, we are with you, Gabriella and Ryan! Mazel tov!

An American in Paris and Parzen family expansion update

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love scene

Man, Friday was a really bad day.

41-weeks-pregnant mommy slept in and I got up with Georgia P.

I made her breakfast of scrambled Parmgiano Reggiano eggs and wholewheat quesadillas and we went through all of our regular morning rituals.

Then suddenly, as Georgia P was rolling around with couch cushions (as she loves to do), something — we don’t know what — scratched her cornea.

Corneal abrasions are extremely painful and this was our first episode of having to rush to the doctor with a child who was literally writhing in pain.

I softly wept and wept as I held her in my arms and sang to her her favorite song (Nadia) at our pediatrician’s office.

Georgia P’s eye bandaged to protect it from light (the only remedy), we returned home and she went down for a long nap.

We spent the rest of the day at home, eating ice cream and watching a double dose of Sesame Street, the only show she is allowed to watch (Elmo and Abby are her favorites).

After her dinner, she went down to sleep.

And voilà! The next day it was as if nothing had happened.

Saturday turned out to be a super fun day, with a visit to the park and lunch of Thai noodles that she slurped up with gusto (see the video below).

In the late afternoon, when it was too hot to go outside, we watched the 1951 musical An American in Paris.

Georgia P really loved the final dream-dance sequence (one of the most brilliant moments in American cinema imho).

And when the lovers embraced at its climax, she threw her arms up in the air in joy (above).

And I softly wept and wept…

In other Parzen family news…

There’s really not much news to report. We are now 41 weeks pregnant, one week past our official due date.

We have a ob/gyn appointment first thing tomorrow and it’s likely that we’ll set a time to induce Baby P 2013 and get Tracie P’s labor started.

Thanks for all the wishes and thoughts. They mean the world to us.

This pregnancy has been a healthy and relatively easy one. But little Baby P 2013 is being a bit stubborn about coming into this world.

These last few weeks have been pretty tough. But we’re almost there…

At my favorite trattoria in Florence #FoodPorn #MimeticDesire

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orafo pappardelle

No, I’m not at my favorite trattoria in Florence, Buca dell’Orafo. But Cousin Marty and the Levy clan were there last night and these are the photos they sent.

Has the mimetic desire kicked in yet?

Today is Marty’s birthday: happy birthday, Marty! We love you so much!

orafo ravioli

Cousins Marty and Joanne are currently touring Italy with their son (my cousin) Jonathan and his girlfriend Chiara who is from Viterbo.

And Marty asked me for some dining recommendations.

orafo macaroni

When I moved to Texas five years ago to be with Tracie P, I never imagined that I would reconnect on such a deep level with my cousins from the “estranged” side of my family (my father and Marty are first cousins).

But we’ve all grown really close and they have been so supportive of me and our new family here in Austin.

And now that things are getting so serious between Jon and Chiara (Marty and Joanne met her parents for the first time on this trip), our Italian connection is even stronger!

chiara cordelli

Chiara, who, like Jon, is an academic superstar, loves to tease me about my Veneto accent and we all had a great time visiting when they came out to see my band’s show in San Francisco earlier this year.

Chiara, Jon, Joanne, and Marty: thanks for sending the pics! As we wait patiently at home for Baby P 2013 to arrive (no developments), it’s great to live vicariously through your enogastronomic adventures! I love it…

baci e abbracci

Tannic 2008 Produttori del Barbaresco & veal chop with cremini sautéed in white wine

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veal chop barbaresco

We’re in a sort of limbo these days: now one day after our official due date, Baby P 2013 could arrive at any moment but there are still no signs of labor (yesterday Tracie P had a labor-inducing massage; today, she’ll do acupuncture).

Usually for my birthday dinner, I grill a porterhouse steak Florentine-style and open one of my favorite Langa crus or a Brunello Riserva from a favorite producer.

But this year, knowing that I wouldn’t be having more than a few glasses of wine and not wanting to tempt fate with immodesty, I pan-fired a beautifully tied veal chop and finished it with cremini mushrooms that I had sautéed and deglazed with white wine (some Dettori 2009 Romangia Bianco, for the record). And I opened a bottle of 2008 Produttori del Barbaresco (classic) Barbaresco, a label that you will always find in my Saturday-night cellar selection and one of my all-time favorite wines. (I pan-fired a filet mignon for Tracie P, who’s been craving red meat in these last weeks of the pregnancy.)

In my experience, the greatest expressions of Langa Nebbiolo will be fresh and bright, with vivid fruit flavor, in their early youth. But then suddenly, as if dropping off a continental shelf, they plunge into the tannic depths of traditionally made Nebbiolo.

The bottle I opened on Saturday night, my birthday eve, had already crossed the threshold of this “shut-down” period. And as much as I enjoyed the wine, it was much more generous with its fruit the next night (paired with quesadillas). Just a few months ago, it was still very bright when first opened.

I can hear my wine board fellows crying infanticide!

But in my view of the vinous world, this episode is all part of the joy in watching a wine evolve and remembering each development over the course of my relationship with it.

I drank just two glasses of it on Saturday night and then we finished it on Sunday night (by which time it was showing brilliantly, although still very tannic).

Moral of the story: in keeping with my maxim, never expedite wine, I just needed to give the bottle a day to open up and share its fruit with me.

Thanks again to everyone for the wonderful birthday wishes (mine and Baby P 2013!)! They mean the world to us…

best blueberry pie birthday ever

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best blueberry pie baby

This year for my birthday, Tracie P ordered a blueberry pie from our favorite Austin cake shop, Polkadots (ever since I was a child, I’ve always had blueberry pie — a classic summer pie — for my birthday, which also happens to be Bastille Day, an unheimlich coincidence considering that I am a member of a French rock band).

And being that it’s my birthday today, it was my birthday wish to have blueberry pie with Georgia P for breakfast.

After all, what are birthdays for if you can’t have pie for breakfast?

39-plus-weeks-pregnant mommy is still sleeping. But she gave us the greenlight last night before she went to bed.

best blueberry pie

It’s 7:30 a.m. as I write this and Georgia P and I have already had quite a morning, between pie — hers paired with milk, mine with coffee — and cleanup. :)

Labor still hadn’t begun when mommy went to bed last night. But could today be the day? Tomorrow is our official due date.

Thanks, everyone, for the birthday wishes on the Twitter and Facebook!

I couldn’t have dreamed of a better birthday…