MY PRINCE

My baby boy is nearly a year old! We got a few professional photos taken and this outfit was my favorite. I call it his Prince George outfit, because it reminds me of the little Prince’s classic style. It’s a Janie & Jack sleeper from the summer collection, I believe. He almost fits into it! He’s such a handsome and happy little boy! 

THIS WEEKEND I:

Watched: The Walking Dead

Listened: to Taylor Swift…who am I???

Learned: that my fridge was too cold and froze all my vegetables

Ate: an amazing homemade meal at my parent’s house

Read: Lena Dunham’s new book

Drank: apple cider

Thought: about my schedule for the month

Wished: I could stop eating junk

Realized: that it’s my four year anniversary at my first full time job

Bought: nothing, actually! Go me! 

SURNAME

Anne Marie Perri.

For twenty-five years this was my name and I loved it. It has so much meaning, every name is a family history. 

Anne: On my mother’s side going back at least 5 generations the Irish women have named their daughters following the pattern Anne, Bridget Kathleen, Anne, Bridget Kathleen. I plan to name my future daughter (hopefully) Bridget Kathleen. 

Marie: Taken from my Nona’s middle name on my dad’s side. 

Perri: My papap Tony brought this name with him from Italy in the 1950s. I have so much love for this name and my Italian American family. It’s hard to put into words what a last name means, but in my heart I know it’s so important to me. 

After getting married it took me two years to finally make a decision on my name. It was a really difficult decision.  I didn’t want to lose the Perri. I have no brothers and I wanted to keep my part of the Perri’s alive. Also, I felt like I would be less of a feminist if I just took my husband’s name. I felt like I was giving up who I am…that might seem ridiculous, but that’s how I felt. At the same time, I didn’t want a different name from my, then, future children.  I changed it to Anne Perri Cole. Perri is my middle name now. It’s not the perfect solution, but it’s the best compromise for me. The Ginger offered to change his middle name to Perri, but we haven’t really discussed it further. I kind of wish we made Jack’s middle name Perri. Maybe that’s something to talk about more. 

Anyways, it’s taken until this year to finally feel like a Cole. Recently we went to a Pirate game on a free t-shirt Friday just because the shirts were for player Gerrit Cole and had “COLE” emblazoned on the back. When we first saw the ads on TV for it the Ginger got so excited and without even realizing it I was too! We made a point to get tickets and dressed Jack in his baby Cole Pirate’s tee that, of course, matched the Ginger. I looked at the two of them all dressed up and finally felt like a Cole. We’re a new Cole family, a part of a larger Cole clan with the Ginger’s parents, sister, and extended family, but we have our own little family. Just the three of us. I love that. And I love being a Cole. 

HEARTBROKEN

Rest in Peace, Robin Williams.July 21st, 1951 - August 11th, 2014

_{Thank you for bringing joy into my childhood and life with your voice and acting. Thank you for your contagious jokes, your wacky impersonations, and amazing acting. Thank you for making my childhood experience better, and thank you for bringing joy to those even though you battled with your own joy. If only you could have known how much you’ve impacted people. Your life work will live on, and you will never be forgotten. I know I won’t forget you. Thank you for helping me whenever I felt sad and having a film for every mood. Gone, but never forgotten}

30 BEFORE 30: #5

OK so I can’t totally cross this one off of my 30 Before 30 list, but I took a first step. Before I’m 30 I would like to run a marathon. 

One problem though. I. Don’t. Run. Like at all.

So when I added this to my list I don’t know why I thought 26.2 miles was going to happen in the next 4 years. But to take some steps (haha no pun intended) to make it happen, I decided to sign up for the relay part of this year’s Pittsburgh Marathon. A few of my friends and I joined together and each took a leg of it. I didn’t train nearly enough, but I ran (sometimes walked) my 4 mile stretch and actually felt pretty great. Compared to the amazing real runners out there doing a half or full marathon, what I did was nothing, but it was an accomplishment for me! 

I hope that I can actually complete this goal in the next 3 years! I should probably put the running shoes back on and get outside! 

THIS MOMENT

What a cheese! #babyledweaning #blw #babycolepgh

GOALS: MOTIVATION

I know it’s only the end of July but I’m already gearing up for a new season. I want a fresh start and in my mind Fall will provide that. But I need to start now. This summer has been fun, but I have not accomplished as much as I would like. I feel a bit stagnant…on my days off I tend to stay in PJs most of the day watching TV, playing with Jack and napping when he does. I also have done waaaay too much online shopping. I need to snap myself out of this boring (and then expensive) rut and get myself on track. I hope typing out these simple goals will provide some motivation to actually accomplish them. 

1. Live minimally  -  less spending, less clothes, less junk

2. Eat healthy  -  salads, soups, water, real food

3. Exercise  - daily sit-ups, daily walks, work up to running

30 BEFORE 30: #2

I’m so excited to cross another item off of my 30 Before 30 list, have a drink with my 21-year-old sister! It just so happens I’m going in order of the list…however that will end soon because I can’t afford to go to Liverpool next! 

My sister turned 21 while she was studying abroad in England, so when she returned this past May it was time to take her out for a proper birthday celebration! We had a delicious meal at Girasole in Shadyside and enjoyed cocktails, then a few glasses of wine. 

It still blows my mind that she has grown up…I never expected her to stay my little baby sister, but it still sometimes hits me just how old she is now! She’s lived in Europe, alone, for almost a year, has one year left of college, has held several professional jobs, and so much more. I do love watching her grow up into this amazing woman, maybe that’s a cliche thing for an older sister to say, but it’s true. 

On that sappy note, I also like the fact that we can drink tequila shots together now, too. 

THIS WEEKEND I:

Watched: so many episodes of Parks & Recreation…and LOVE it!

Listened: to Jack laugh over everything! 

Learned: that I need to suck it up and just be happy working an overnight shift. 

Ate: my mom’s homemade waffle recipe.

Read: Beyond the Sling.

Drank: a watermelon slushy.

Thought: a lot about my family home.

Wished: I had a real weekend off.

Realized: that I’m almost out of frozen breast milk.

Bought: foam floor pads to baby-proof the living room! 

(A NEW) INDEPENDENCE DAY

The Fourth of July has always been my favorite holiday. Every year my family would host a huge breakfast at our house before heading up to our neighborhood parade. It was a tradition older than me and we took great pride in it. But life happens, my parents moved and Independence Day really became just July 4 to me.

I haven’t been too upset about it the past couple years, but this year was different. I think it’s because of Jack. It’s weird to think that he won’t know that part of my family. I guess it’s not just the 4th, it’s everything that the house represented about my family. He won’t know the card parties with my Pap-Pap Joe, he won’t know that our house was the center of basically all the great family parties, he won’t know where I grew up. I guess I have to actually grow up now, life goes on and we make new traditions. The traditions will be his, the ones that he’ll remember when he’s my age and hopefully cherish. 

A favorite at our breakfast on the 4th were my mom’s waffles…so this year I made them for Jack. This is something I want to continue to do every year, some of my tradition but in a new way for Jack. He loved them! He seriously ate a whole waffle. I mean a lot of it was on the floor, but he ate a ton and kept grabbing for more! 

Then we headed over to Mt. Washington for a picnic at my friend Ashley’s place. She has an amazing backyard and we definitely enjoyed hanging out with friends. Hopefully next year we can stay for the fireworks (I was worried about them upsetting Jack this year). 

All in all it was a happy day celebrating Independence Day, remembering our past and moving forward together.