This is the last summer we’ll spend as a family of three.
I’m still trying to wrap my head around this life-changing thing that’s happening in just a few short months. Sometime this fall, our three will become four and our whole family dynamic will change forever. And if we’re being brutally honest, that’s just as scary as it is exciting.
Two kids. Two boys, actually. Mother of two. Party of four.
With my first pregnancy, it was nine solid months of preparation. Shopping. Cleaning. Cooking. Decorating. Reading. Researching. More shopping. Daydreaming. More shopping. I was entering a whole new world, this world of parenting, and you better believe that I was going to be prepared. And not just prepared. Over-prepared.
Then pregnancy number two comes along, and there’s just so much going on with raising a toddler and living in the city and potty training and swim lessons and playgroup and running a household and cooking and cleaning and laundry (so. much. laundry.) that there just isn’t a single moment left in the day to even think about preparing for another baby. And besides, how much preparation does the second baby really need, anyway? I’m thinking we buy some diapers, set up the rock ‘n’ play, and call it a day. Amiright?
But don’t believe for a second that I haven’t been thinking (and dreaming) about how life will be different this fall. How this new tiny human is going to impact our family, and our individual lives, in a big, big way. How my sweet, rambunctious toddler is finally going to have a playmate his own age to play with (read: boss around). How my husband will have two boys (boys!) to teach how to play baseball and to take on camping trips and to sporting events. And how my life is going to look drastically different as a mother of two.
And as I’m trying to wrap my head around all of these things, I’m also trying to be very aware of the time I have now, this limited time as a family of three. I’m trying to live in the present, to savor every moment. And I’m trying to shower a little extra love and attention on these two guys I love so dearly.
In these last few months as a family of three, I want to give my husband every spare minute of my uninterrupted attention and affection. To focus all of my energy on my very first tiny human, the one who made me a mom. To enjoy the ordinary, unplanned, unscripted moments of each day.
To linger over bedtime stories and sing “just one more” bedtime song. To make hugs last a little longer. To take advantage of impromptu zoo trips and playground adventures. To savor the solid 8+ hours of uninterrupted sleep that I’ve come to enjoy each night. To cook extravagant dinners and bake desserts to my heart’s content. To steal a few minutes just for myself, to read a book, take a walk, or just enjoy the beauty of this city that I love.
To embrace the last few months of our threesome before this new tiny person shows up and turns our world upside down.
So today, T and I made peaches and cream bars. And while a morning spent in the kitchen with my little sous chef is nothing new or extraordinary, it seemed just a little more special today. Bittersweet, even.
Will it be any less special to have two tiny sous chefs in my kitchen? Absolutely not. In fact, I’m really looking forward to that day. And I already know it’s going to be awesome. But for now, a day spent in the kitchen, just me and my firstborn, is a pretty special thing. And I want to make sure I appreciate and remember that, in all of its messy, sticky glory.
Peaches & Cream Bars
Recipe courtesy of Sally’s Baking Addiction
Active time: 15 minutes
Start to finish: 1 hour
Makes 9 large bars
Ingredients
For the crust and topping
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
10 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed
1/2 cup chopped pecans
For the peach filling
1 large egg
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 medium peaches, peeled and chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
For the vanilla glaze
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line 8×8 baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper with enough overhang on the sides for easy removal. Spray nonstick spray.
For the crust and topping
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon together until combined. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry blender until it reaches coarse, pea-sized crumbs.
Remove 3/4 cup of the mixture; put in a small bowl and mix with pecans. This will be set aside for the topping.
Evenly press the remaining oat mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes as you prepare the filling.
For the peach filling
Whisk the egg and sugar together until smooth and creamy. Add the flour and salt; whisk until combined. Fold in the peaches. Remove crust from the oven after 15 minutes and pour the filling over hot crust. Sprinkle with reserved oat and pecan mixture. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown on top. Allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Transfer to the refrigerator and allow to chill for 2 hours before cutting into squares.
For the vanilla glaze
Stir the confectioners’ sugar, cream, and vanilla extract together until smooth. Drizzle over each square.
Store bars tightly covered in the refrigerator. Bars stay fresh for up to 4 days.