A Long Quiet Weekend

For the second year in a row, we spent MLK weekend at home—and honestly, it was just what we needed. Last year, Alison was pregnant, and this year we have a newborn, so staying in and taking things slow has become a bit of a tradition. It felt good to have a long weekend to decompress from the whirlwind that was the first half of January and focus on quality time as a family.

Most of the weekend, we leaned into doing a whole lot of nothing, and it was glorious. Madeline had a little stuffy nose, so we were keeping a close eye on her, ready to jump into action if things got worse. Thankfully, it didn’t escalate, which was a huge relief.

A big part of our weekend centered on Madeline’s sleep. We’ve been learning a lot about how important good naps are for babies, and it’s been a bit of an adjustment for us. Gone are the days when she could sleep anywhere, anytime. Now, we’ve entered the phase of needing intentional nap times, and it’s been a priority for us to create that structure. It’s all part of navigating parenthood—every phase brings something new to learn.

We’ve also been dealing with some sleep regression lately. Madeline has been a great sleeper from the start, but over the past couple of weeks, she’s had nights where she wakes up screaming a couple of times or, worse, every couple of hours. Let me tell you, those nights are tough. But we’re figuring it out. Focusing on solid naps during the day and keeping her bedtime routine consistent has really helped. It’s all about finding what works, right?

The highlight of the weekend was just being together. We bundled up and took some long walks around Daybreak Lake. Even though it was freezing, it felt good to get outside and move. Madeline loved it, too—she was all smiles during playtime and snuggles at home. It’s amazing how the simplest moments, like her laughing at something silly we did, can bring so much joy.

And speaking of bundling up, this weekend was the perfect opportunity to debut Madeline’s dragon suit. I snagged it from Costco a few months back, and at the time, it seemed huge. But our little girl has grown so much, and now it fits her perfectly. She looked ridiculously cute in it—cozy and warm, like a little tribute to the end of the Year of the Dragon. I couldn’t stop calling her "our little dragon."

Alison outdid herself this weekend with a batch of sourdough bagels. They were incredible—probably one of her best yet. We enjoyed them for Sunday breakfast, and since she made a bunch, we walked some over to Blake and Meg’s house. It was nice to see them and little Goldie for a few minutes. Afterward, we decided to extend the walk and check out the progress on the new Bees stadium. It’s coming along nicely, and we’re already counting down the days to opening day on April 8!

On Sunday night, I tackled my signature dish for the month—cannoli. Let’s just say it was a learning experience. The flavor was there, but my filling ended up a little too runny. It wasn’t quite the masterpiece I’d envisioned, but hey, you live and learn. I’ve got some solid ideas for improving next time, and even with the imperfections, they were still pretty tasty.

Monday was more of the same—cozy moments at home. Both of my siblings stopped by, which was such a treat. It had been a while since we’d caught up, and it felt good to reconnect and chat for a bit.

The weekend wrapped up in the best way possible—quiet, unhurried, and filled with all the things we love most: family, good food, and time to just be. Sometimes the most uneventful weekends end up being the ones you remember most.

Now that the weekend is over, we’re gearing up for what’s ahead. With Madeline growing and changing so quickly, I know we’ll look back on weekends like this and feel so grateful we took the time to soak in these moments. It’s not about doing something big or flashy—it’s about being present, even in the smallest ways.