Pizza Parties and Pregnancy Prep

Tuesday brought the first session of our final pregnancy class—Mindfulness and Meditation. Over the next three weeks, we’ll dive into the subtle yet powerful distinctions between mindfulness and meditation techniques, explore breathwork tailored for deep relaxation, and master comfort strategies that incorporate visualization, meditation, and guided imagery. During her introduction, Alison playfully mentioned that she wouldn’t mind missing the last session—after all, it would mean our baby girl had arrived! The first session was incredibly insightful, giving us a new appreciation for how mindfulness and meditation can enhance the birthing experience. We even got to practice some of these techniques, which left us feeling more connected and prepared.

Tuesday brought a funny text exchange with Skylee. A few years ago, I taught her how to use iPhone effects, and now she occasionally takes over Debbie's phone to send me the most random messages. We end up in playful back-and-forths, trading emojis and witty replies. It always makes me smile.

I sent Skylee this slow-motion video of Tex catching a frisbee:

She responded with a funny slo-mo video of her own:

We welcomed a few of Alison’s co-workers over for dinner Wednesday night, including a few who were in town for a work trip. Taking a bit of a risk, I decided to make my signature dish for the month—woodfire pizza. It turned out well, despite a few challenges. We customized pizzas for each guest, even whipping up a gluten-free option to accommodate dietary needs. Although we could’ve improved the flow to speed up the pizza-making process, the evening was a success. We stayed up far too late, caught up in conversation and laughter, making it a night to remember.

On Thursday, we took it easy. After work, I stopped by my grandparents' house to help my grandpa with some iPad troubleshooting, which I quickly resolved. I also lent a hand to my grandma, helping her load the car for their upcoming trip to Jordanelle Reservoir. Once I got home, we whipped up a quick dinner and headed to the Daybreak food truck round-up for some malasadas. We ended the evening relaxing on the couch, enjoying our dessert—just the laid-back day we needed.

On Saturday evening, my grandparents joined us for dinner. Earlier in the week, I was telling my grandpa about the wood-fired sourdough pizza, and he thought it would be a great way to celebrate his birthday, which was that Saturday. Naturally, we invited them over. Learning from Wednesday's party, we made our best pizzas yet. One improvement was getting a second pizza peel, so while I cooked one pizza, Alison could prep the next, allowing us to make four pizzas in about ten minutes. I've also gotten better at managing the oven's fire—starting with more wood and adding less while cooking, which helped maintain the perfect temperature. Instead of having everyone make their own pizza, Alison and I chose four combinations for everyone to share: pepperoni, Margherita, margarita with sliced tomatoes, and Pera. They were all delicious. We also whipped up a birthday batch of one of our favorite Salt & Straw flavors—Meyer Lemon Buttermilk Custard with Blueberries. It was a hit. We spent the evening reminiscing about the good times we've shared, feeling honored that of all the ways my grandpa could celebrate his birthday, he chose to spend it with us. We also celebrated the end of his cancer treatments, which concluded earlier this week, and we're keeping our fingers crossed for good results in the upcoming blood tests.

Sunday morning started with me preparing an extra batch of sourdough bread for the week. I’m trying to stock up on a few extra loaves in the freezer, anticipating that once our baby girl arrives, we might not have the time or energy to bake every week.

Tex also got ready for our baby’s arrival. He wasn’t too happy about the bath and trim—he never is—but he always looks great afterward. He was getting a bit shaggy, and we wanted him to be all set for when we bring our little one home.

The aftermath

The results

We continued our meal prep by making another batch of enchiladas, which were a hit last time. We plan to make one final freezer meal next Sunday, unless, of course, our baby girl decides to make her entrance before then. It could be any day now.