Nurture. What a great word. So many meanings, so much promise. Full of hope and faith in the future.
As I mentioned way back when, at the start of 2012, Matt and I have a tradition: in lieu of New Year’s resolutions, every year we choose a single word to live by. A mantra to remind ourselves what really matters. This year during our New Year’s Day hike, when I asked Matt what he thought our 2013 word should be, “nurture” was the first word out of his mouth. And it was perfect. At the time, I was about 6 months pregnant, (now only 7 weeks, yes I said weeks, left to go!), and just starting to feel the movements of a new life taking shape inside me. We had nurtured the hope of becoming parents for a long time, and now it seemed it was really going to happen.
For us, the word contained not only the obvious meaning of nurturing our child, and cultivating the types of values we want to pass along as parents, but also a reminder to nurture ourselves and each other. To steady ourselves against the all-consuming, life-changing event on the horizon.
I found myself thinking about this promise last weekend, as I was preparing a meal to drop off for my friend Clare who just had a baby. Most of the time, nothing gives me more pleasure or satisfaction than cooking for the people I love. And going above and beyond with a few culinary details (homemade chicken stock for my soup, pie dough from scratch), especially for people who might not have the time to do it themselves, is a gift I love to give. But last weekend, as I was rolling out pie dough with my great-grandmother’s wooden rolling pin (we’ll get back to her in a moment) and rushing to get my tart in the oven, I discovered that at 8-months pregnant, standing in the kitchen for hours is not as fun as it used to be. As much as I wanted to make the meal of all meals to soothe the bodies and souls of a family with their hands full (newborn AND toddler!), what I wanted and needed even more was a nap. In my quest to nurture others, I had forgotten to nurture myself.
Now back to my great-grandmother, Mary Blanche. She knew a thing or two about how to nurture. For Christmas every year, she gave us each a tin of homemade cookies and new flannel pajamas, lovingly sewn. And when I visited her as a little girl, we would make snickerdoodles and tapioca pudding, and serve it up on her finest china at tea parties for prestigious guests (my dolls, stuffed animals, and other dignitaries.) She would pull a step stool up to her kitchen counter so I could be her kitchen apprentice, kneading and mixing at her side. I loved her wrinkled hands, talcum-scented and soft as pie dough. But in addition to all the loving touches she doled out to those around her, Mary Blanche was really good at taking care of herself. Of hearty Michigan farm stock, she had a streak of independence and gumption that served her well all her life. She lived out her final days alone in her house, and as family legend has it, was making herself a pot of homemade chicken soup from scratch on the day she died, at age 96.
When I finally arrived at Clare’s house with a basket of homemade goodies, flustered from rushing around all day, I was greeted with a very calming reality-check. The whole family–mom, dad, newborn, and toddler were settled in for a Sunday afternoon nap. Rosy-cheeked, and pleasantly tired from a hike, they greeted me in PJs and bed-head and invited me into their cozy cocoon. Invited me to slow down. Leading by example in the most nurturing way.
I was really happy to share a lovingly prepared meal with this family, and I know they sincerely appreciated it. But I also know they would have equally appreciated a much simpler gesture. And so, after that visit, I vowed to give myself permission to simplify. And naps. More naps!
Thank you Clare and Mary Blanche for helping me remember to nurture myself.
The meal:
Sausage & Kale Dinner Tart, recipe from Food 52, posted by My Pantry Shelf. (Whose blog My Pantry Shelf is definitely worth checking out.)
This recipe is fantastic. I’ve made it before. This time around, I made a few minor modifications in an effort to reduce the guilt I feel about eating pie for dinner: used a lower fat turkey sausage and substituted 1/2 cup of the flour with whole wheat flour. But then again, I probably negated those efforts by adding slightly more cheese (ricotta AND goat’s milk feta) than the original recipe calls for. Oh well. Delicious either way.
Served with cauliflower soup (recipe from The French Market: More Recipes from a French Kitchenby Joanne Harris & Fran Warde) and salad greens from our garden, with a homemade Dijon vinaigrette.
At least I was “self-nurturing” enough to double the recipes so we could also enjoy the fruits of my labor!
I love you, Tiff!! You are always thinking of everyone else and this was expressed perfectly in this story. I’m glad you learned you can express your love without wearing yourself out! The photos are gorgeous and I’m sure the food incredibly nurturing. Miss you so and hope you get lots of naps! ❤ mud
Thanks Mud! Miss you too.
Love this post! Making time to nurture yourself and simplify when you can will make a huge difference as you enter motherhood! So sad I can’t be there to celebrate on Sunday! Let me know if you have time for one more lunch! xoxo Audrey
Thanks Audrey–that’s wise advice coming from a mama like you who knows a thing or two about balance!
Beautifully written… Wish I lived closer so that I could bring you a homemade meal when baby Z arrives! Xo Dani
Thanks Dan. I wish you could too! And wish I could’ve done the same when your babies were born…
I love your NY resolution idea 🙂 And congrats on being pregnant…remember to breathe during the delivery! If you deliver at MGH please tell everyone (OB’s & nurses) I said hello…I miss them!
Thanks Leslie! I forgot you were a doc there. Actually we’re delivering at CPMC but I have many friends whose babies were born at MGH. Email me if you have any words of wisdom from your experience in the field! Hope you’re doing well.
What a well written story: from the soul of a very big hearted gal ! Nurture thyself . Love, Dad
Will definitely follow those doctor’s orders, Dr. Dad 🙂
Lovely. We could all take more naps, or at least slow down….big belly or not.
Indeed. Here’s to naps!
Ms. T- the tart looks beautiful. What a wonderful thing to share with a new family. How exciting to have a little one of you own on the way! I hope you have plenty of loved ones to shower you with yummy food when the baby arrives!
Thanks Karen! It’s a great recipe–thank you for sharing it. I’ve been meaning to tell you, I also made your lime tart with gingersnap crust (a virgin version sans tequila)–also a winner! Hope you’re doing well.
Love this post, Ms. T. You are amazing at nurturing others with home made food and love… Sometimes it is hardest to remember to nurture ourselves, but this, we must do, also. Rest easy, my friend. The best adventure is just ahead.
Love, Clare
Thanks Clare 🙂 Hope you guys are doing great and that you still seem as relaxed as you did when I last saw you!
Ms. T, the stories, the photos and the recipes were just wonderful; as are you. What a great friend and such a beautiful and thoughtful gift to Clare. Makes me want to have a baby just so we can get the same. Too much? Yeah… anyway, we are so excited for you and Matt and your notes about nurture are indeed taken to heart. Also, I wanted to tell you that the following sentence was just beautiful, “I loved her wrinkled hands, talcum-scented and soft as pie dough”. Ahhh. Love YOU.
Gary
Thanks Gary. No, you don’t need to have a baby just to get some home-cookin’, but sorry, I don’t deliver to Brooklyn! However, we ARE hoping to take the little guy on an East Coast tour in August or early Sept, so I’ll keep you posted… Love to you and D.
I was just thinking about your blog this weekend and hoping for another post 🙂
This was lovely. And so was the delicious meal you brought me when Clara was born!
Thanks Steph–was happy to do it then also 🙂
Oh, Tiff, you are something else! I love this post. The lesson you were gently reminded of while nurturing another young family. Oh….and the recipe loks amazing, too. Baby Z is sooooo blessed to have you and Matt for parents!
Thanks sweetie!