Hello from my new absolute favorite place in the world: snuggling on the recliner with a warm squishy Bernie sleeping on my chest. Holy smokes, this has been the greatest week ever. Sure, my boobs are about to fall off and I have stitches in a non-disclosable place but just like you have all told me over the past few months, every single challenge and every ounce of sleep deprivation is 1000000000% worth the love I get to have for this perfect little dumpling baby girl.

Today is Bernie’s first Friday! Ever! A week ago Eggboy and I arrived at the hospital after my water broke at around 1am. It was perfect timing because I had just finished up my last planned day of work testing recipes for Girl Meets Farm, and had cupcakes on hand that we packed up for the nurses (who by the way deserve like endless cupcakes forever and ever?! They were so amazing). I spent the day laboring and hanging out with my mom and Eggmom and Eggboy! We watched the Duke basketball game, listened to Unorthodox, talked about books, and I watched them eat Jimmy John’s… dreaming of the Italian Night Club that I’d soon be able to demolish. Since my water broke so early in the day, I assumed that Bernie would be born in time for pizza Friday, but she took her time and came out shortly after the clock struck midnight on her due date, March 30! A Caturday! She was so calm and huggable, I was immediately wildly crazily in love. I didn’t even care that by that time all of the pizza places in town were closed and my only food option was a hospital turkey sandwich haha.

Bernie has my nose, my hair, Eggboy’s mouth (a future good trombone embouchure, he says), his non-stubby toes, and both of our favorite emoji, 😛. Her full name, Bernadette, is in honor of Eggboy’s great great grandpa, Bernt, who came over from Norway and started the Hagen farm in 1876, and my great grandpa Bernard, who emigrated from Hungary. Bernie’s first middle name, Rosemary, is after my mom’s mom! (It’s no coincidence that Rosemary is also one of my favorite herbs, and that it was all over my wedding bouquets.)

Bringing Bernie home for the first time and introducing her to the farm and her room and all of her new toys and clothes was such a magical feeling that I never want to forget. In the week since her arrival, we’ve spent most of our hours cuddling, nursing, catching up on my bagels and lox intake, watching concerts on the Berlin Phil’s Digital Concert Hall, and eating delicious dinners brought over by friends and family. Bernie has perfected her cute little sounds, yips and hiccups and soft perfect sighs, and occasionally she puckers her lips and I melt right down like butter on toast. Oh! And I had my first “is this chocolate? or poop?” moment. It was chocolate! Yay.

Ok I’m due to give some hugs and forehead smooches, so I gotta go!!! Now that I’m officially on maternity leave, I’ll be posting a bunch of (mostly freezer friendly) recipes that I developed over the past few months. I’ll check in every so often with Bernie updates!

And also thank you all so much for your sweet words and messages about Bernie!!! We’ve felt the love through social media and are so so grateful! <3

-Yeh!