Reporter Turned Mommy

Dec 6

Picture It!

by reporterturnedmommy

My house may be a mess. I may live in sweatpants and the dog may be waiting by the door to go outside, by gosh darn-it, I mailed out our Christmas Cards/Birth Announcement to our friends and family weeks ago! That’s right. Our card went out right after Thanksgiving. I may not be a Betty Crocker in the kitchen or a Martha Stewart around the house, but I can claim that one small victory. I’ll admit, I’m pretty proud I got those cards out just days after having a baby!

Now I’ll share some of our new family photos with you. Photographer Tom Miller of Parma came to our house and took the pictures of our new baby girl Hadley, and some family shots of all of us.

This is one of my favorites…HADLEY_014

It has been such a joy to watch Blake interact with his new baby sister. I still can’t believe I’m the mother of two.

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In this picture, Hadley is wearing the dress that I wore home from the hospital as a newborn baby. My mom saved it for all these years and now I plan on putting the dress in a shadow box in Hadley’s nursery. It was so special she was able to wear it.

This next picture reminds me of an Anne Geddes pose.

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Blake was also a good boy for our photo shoot.

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Now here’s a look at the new family of four.

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We aren’t quite in a routine yet and I’ve had a TON of help from my mom, who stayed with us for the first two weeks and has been back and forth from West Virginia to Cleveland to help out. Here’s a look at three generations of Cochrane Women!

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Dean has also been wonderful, doing middle of the night feedings and my mother-in-law has been coming over a few mornings a week to pitch in. This is such a special time and we are enjoying the holiday season more than ever.

I hope you all are enjoying the holidays, too! Until next time…

 

 

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Nov 9

The Ides of November

by reporterturnedmommy

Blake only has a few more days left as an only child.

(Here is he dressed up as a cowboy for Halloween. Trick-or-Treat night was only a few days ago here in the Cleveland area because of Hurricane Sandy)

While we are so excited to welcome his new sibling into the world, I also feel guilty that I won’t be able to give him 100% of my attention once the baby is born.  I’m sure there will be some rough days, but I also know our little guy is going to make a GREAT big brother! He talks about the baby all the time and says he can’t wait until he has someone else to play with! Parents, any advice on how to handle two?

As for me, I’m feeling pretty good, considering I could go into labor at any moment!

(Not the greatest picture of me, but it’s the most recent! Dean was dressed as the “Man in the Yellow Hat”  because Blake was supposed to be Curious George but he changed his mind!)

Yes, I’m uncomfortable and wobbly and my balance is totally off, but I’m feeling well enough to go see MADONNA LIVE IN CONCERT tomorrow!

I’m so excited! Maybe my water will break to “Like a Virgin”! haha I can’t wait to VOGUE!

In addition to all the excitement surrounding Baby #2, we’ve also had to deal with some health issues with our nine-year old Schnoodle, Bailey.

 

Bailey was just diagnosed with diabetes and I now have to give him two shots of insulin a day. Luckily, he is a very good and docile dog, so this hasn’t been a problem. I got very overwhelmed, though, when I tried to test his blood sugar. The vet instructed me to prick him on his ear, take his blood and test the sugar. It was much harder than it looked and it’s just not something I can add to my plate right now. Luckily, the vet told me to just keep giving him his insulin shots and I can bring him in for periodic blood sugar testing. I can’t imagine trying to take care of a two-year old, a newborn, give Bailey two insulin shots a day AND test his blood sugar twice a day. I am only one woman! :)

So from a diabetic dog, to Madonna to getting ready to pop, that’s what’s going on around here! I hope to update the blog at least one more time before I go into labor. Mother Nature will determine if that’s possible! Have a great weekend and I will be sure to post some pictures from the concert. You can always follow me on Twitter or check out my Reporter Turned Mommy Facebook Page for updates.

 

 

 

 

 

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Sep 8

Back to business!

by reporterturnedmommy

It is a rainy Saturday morning and the perfect time for me to update my blog. Now that summer is *almost* over, my schedule is returning to normal and I will be posting much more regularly.

We had a wonderful summer here in the Cleveland area and at our summer home on the Lake Erie Islands. Labor Day Weekend, my bestie DeAnna of Dee’s Adventures and her husband, Brad, came to visit. DeAnna and I are both prego and due just two weeks apart!

Here’s a look at us in all our glory!

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Our Labor Day weekends used to be spend boating, swimming and sightseeing. This year, DeAnna and I basically just hung out, talked and ate! It was so nice being with a best friend who is also pregnant. We are indeed in the same boat!

Here’s a look at us out one night in Cleveland with the hubbies.

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Now down to business. Baby D #2 will be here in just two months and I still have SO much to do! My mom came to visit this past week and we got a lot done. I decided on a double-stroller and I surprised myself with my pick. I was convinced I wanted a tandem stroller, not a side-by-side, by after trying out several strollers at Stroller Mama in Lyndhurst, I chose this one.

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It is the 2012 Baby Jogger City Mini GT Double Stroller. I didn’t realize that many of the side by side strollers are just as narrow now as the tandem strollers. Also, most of them are designed to fit through all doorways and aisles. The major selling point for me, though, was the ease of collapse-ability (not sure of that is a real word, but it is today! haha). I have two strollers now…a travel system and a smaller, everyday stroller….and they are both difficult to break down. That has really been a major issue for me. I practiced breaking down all the strollers I was interested in, and the City Mini GT double was the easiest one for me to collapse.

I still have SO much to do in preparation for Baby #2. Right now, my house is filled with “to do” lists and I’m crossing items off daily. Blake’s big boy furniture should hopefully arrive in the next week. In the meantime, I still need to get a new mattress for his big boy bed, new pillows, the lists go on and on!

We are still managing to have some fun while working. My “boys of fall” spent last night at a local high school football game. Check out our future QB, memorized by the “big kids” playing ball. I may have to frame this picture!

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Until next time….

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Jul 12

Dog Days of Summer and Avocado Ice Pops!

by reporterturnedmommy

It’s been more than a month since I’ve blogged. I’ve basically decided to take most of the summer off from blogging because I’m not always in a place with a great internet connection. As I’ve mentioned before, we spend a lot of our summer at the Lake Erie Islands, (think the Hamptons for Clevelanders, only MUCH more laid back! haha) and my cell phone and internet connections there are very spotty.

It’s been a great summer so far. I am now more than half-way through my pregnancy and Blake is growing and learning more everyday! Here’s a look at some of the things we’ve been up to.

 

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We took Blake to Cedar Point one Saturday in June. He was able to ride four rides in SnoopyLand with Mommy and Daddy! He liked three of the four, and is now obsessed with Snoopy!

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Blake also loves boating! This was a huge relief. We took him on the boat last summer, too, but he was so little and we weren’t sure how he would do this summer. Luckily, he loves it!

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 The days are flying by. I think the following picture sums up what summer is all about! No caption needed! :)

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I’ve also started some new activities. I’m now doing Aqua Zumba and I love it!

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They offer it at our local YMCA and I’m doing it with a girlfriend of mine who is also pregnant. It’s a great workout, especially now! I’d never done Zumba before and I love that I can do the moves underwater and no one can tell if I’m doing them correctly! :)

I’ve also tried a few new summer recipes that the whole family is enjoying. The one I’m going to share sounds weird, but if you like avocados, you will like these….frozen avocado pops!

Blake loves them!

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I got the recipe from People Magazine and Chicago chef Rick Bayless.

Here it is…

1. Boil 2 cups water

2. Add 1 cup sugar and summer until dissolved, cool completely

3. Mash 2 medium avocados

4. Stir in water and 1/2 cup lime juice and fold in 1/2 cup chopped mint (I skipped the mint)

5. Pour into ice pop molds and freeze overnight

If you make these, let me know what you think!

I hope you all are enjoying your summer as much as we are. I’ll be updating as much as I can. In the meantime, relish this time of year…it’s definitely my favorite!

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Jun 6

On Your Mark…

by reporterturnedmommy

In a little more than two weeks, I’ll be walking in an event I do every year. It’s my husband, Former Parma Mayor Dean DePiero’s Ninth Annual 5k Run/2k Walk for Charity.

Dean started this race when he first became mayor nine years ago and even though he is no longer serving as mayor of Ohio’s seventh largest city, he is continuing to host and participate in this great Charity run.

This year, all proceeds benefit the Parma Hospital Health Care Foundation, a wonderful, non-profit that benefits the community in countless ways, through research and community outreach and wellness programs.

This year’s race takes place Saturday, June 23rd, starting at 8:30 a.m. at Parma’s own Byers Field. This race winds through the city on a flat, accurate course that is perfect for runners, walkers, dogs and strollers!

Above is a look at those participating in the 2k Walk.

I always walk with either our dog, Bailey….

(this is obviously an older picture!) or push Blake in the stroller.

Cleveland notables always stop by the race. Here’s a picture of Dean with Browns star Josh Cribbs.

This year, my former co-worker and our good buddy Bill Martin, the primary anchor at Fox 8, will serve as Emcee and also participate in the race!

Bill is also an ordained minister and he married Dean and I!

This is such a wonderful community event and, in fact, The Parma Area Chamber of Commerce just honored Dean’s 5k race/2k walk with the prestigious “Pride Award” for “Best Community Event.

We are hoping for as many runners and walkers as possible. You can register now by clicking HERE. Registration is $15.00 now and $20.00 on race. day. A portion of the registration is tax-deductible.

I hope you can come support this charity run/walk. There’s a whole team of people working hard to make sure it is a success!

 

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May 20

A tribute and a girl’s night out

by reporterturnedmommy

Those of you that read this blog may remember my recent post on my buddy Brian McIntyre. Unfortunately, B-Mac passed away a week ago today, on Mother’s Day.

His viewing was Thursday, funeral Friday and Saturday there was a wonderful benefit to help his wife and five-year old son. I could go on and on about what a wonderful guy he was and the legacy he leaves behind. I was so touched at the viewing to see in the midst of the dozens of photographs of B-Mac, there was one of Brian and I and our friend, Gina, at an Ohio University RTNDA (Radio Television News Directors Association) Conference. We all loved this man!

Despite our sadness, the benefit was absolutely packed and I got to see a lot of my old friends from OU that traveled to be here in Cleveland for the event. No one can pack a room like B-Mac! Some of the girls from Fox 8 and I made a night of it and had dinner at a fun tavern in Rocky River.

I’d never been to the Burntwood Tavern and it was great! We had patio seating which was perfect for our beautiful weekend weather. The food was awesome and the company was even better! Here’s a look at our group! From left, Suzanne (when I was working, everyone got the two of us confused! haha Two blonde reporters was too much for people to keep straight!), Danielle, the famous and wonderful Danny Coughlin (Danny was a sports anchor at Fox 8 for decades. He retired a few years ago and has since written two books on his 45 years in the Cleveland sports market. To check out his books, click here) , Katie, Me, Lindsay, Stacey and Elisa!

 

I miss seeing these girls so much and it was great to catch up. Of course, as the girls enjoyed delicious looking wine, I enjoyed fabulous ice water! :) Good news on the pregnancy front though….I’m  feeling better and I’m sure I’ve gained back some of the weight I lost.

Here’s another look at our group, or should we say, “Danny and the girls!”.

 

We all loved  B-Mac, so here’s to our buddy, for getting us all together this weekend! We miss you.

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May 3

Paying it forward, for one of my mentors

by reporterturnedmommy

I’ve been lucky in my life to have had some great career mentors. One of those mentors now needs my help. His name is Brian McIntyre. I first met B-Mac, as we all call him, when I was a freshman at Ohio University. He was already a big-name TV reporter in the Cleveland market, but he always came back to OU to talk to all of us young, aspiring, journalists. Brian made a point of learning our names, watching our newscasts, and then critiquing our work with us after each show. It took time. It took patience. But you could see he loved it.

Years later, when I was 25 and working as an anchor in Charlotte, I landed a job at Fox 8 in Cleveland. One of my first calls was to B-Mac. He was as proud of me as my own parents! Brian gave me loads of advice, from where to live, to the ins and outs of the TV market. When I moved to Cleveland, he took me to dinner, gave me a tour of the city and even copied his own rolodex of news contacts for me.

Over the years, while we were both reporting for different TV stations in Cleveland, we would run into each other on stories. He would always say something over the top when he saw me, like, “There’s the most beautiful woman in Cleveland!”. He said that stuff to everyone to lift us up and make us smile. It always worked! When I would complain about my job, he always said, “We have the best jobs in the world” and he was able to remind me of why I became a reporter in the first place.

Now Brian is in the fight of his life. Cancer has taken over his body and he is now under Hospice care. He has a beautiful wife and an adorable five year old son. Brian was the breadwinner for his family. His wife, a Cleveland school teacher, was recently laid off. While Brian does have insurance, the bills are still piling up. On May 19th, a benefit is being held to help cover expenses for Brian and his family.

Here is the information.

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Anything that any of you can do will be truly appreciated by this wonderful family.

Though I haven’t talked to Brian in a while and have kept up with his journey mostly by Facebook, I feel such a profound sense of gratitude to this man. Have I taken the time to mentor someone the way he did me, and so many others? No. Do I exude positive energy and hopefulness when I walk into a room? Not always. The question is, why not? I am now going to try make a conscious effort to be more like one of my mentors. B-Mac would want me to pay it forward. 

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Apr 23

I’m back!

by reporterturnedmommy

It’s a cold Monday in Cleveland and I am definitely feeling like I am back to reality. I spent a wonderful 12 days down south in Hilton Head with my family.

My parents and brother and sister-in-law live in HHI and we go several times a year and we never miss the Heritage Golf Tournament!  My parents live on the course and it is always our favorite vacation of the year.

Here’s a look at what we’ve been up to.

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Dean, Blake and I, getting ready to walk the golf course.

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Blake and Daddy loved playing on the golf course at the end of each day. Check out the kiddie golf clubs in the back ground.

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We spent our days enjoying the sun and warm weather, going to the beach, playgrounds and eating great food.

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Dean vacationed with us for four days, and Blake and I spent the rest of the time with my side of the family.

We also extended our stay by three days and decided to drive back with my parents. We made the nine hour drive back to West Virginia with my mom. It was Blake’s first long road trip.He did pretty well, all things considered! We made the trip in 10 hours. Not bad.

Now I’ve got a million things to do to get our house back in order….and the forecast today is calling for a rain/snow mix. YUK!

I’ve missed reading many of your blogs and I plan on catching up ASAP. Do you all post while on vacation? I feel weird about it because I don’t want just “anyone” to know we are out of town. What are your thoughts?

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Mar 27

Supper Club!

by reporterturnedmommy

I’m in a monthly “Supper Club” with about eight other women. It’s a simple concept…each month we pick a different restaurant and go out to eat! We’ve been doing it for about a year and a half and I love it. When I was in news, I was never able to join groups like this one because I could never make the 6:30 p.m. reservation time. I was always still working.

Not anymore!

Last night, we headed to Arashi, a hibachi grill in Westlake.

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The chef started out our meal with a Sake tasting for those interested. Many in our group didn’t hesitate to try it!

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Rebecca only wanted a small tasting! See her protesting? ha!

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I didn’t try any Sake….not a big fan…but the girls say it was tasty!

We all ordered our food Hibachi grill style. I got the chicken and shrimp.

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I even broke my own rule and took a picture of my food! haha I still feel silly taking pictures of my food. I’m getting over it, though! :)

The food tasted great but service was on the slow side. Not a problem, though, when you have a group of ladies together over dinner and drinks! Supper club has become something a truly look forward to each month and we’ve tried some GREAT Cleveland restaurants, that I otherwise, would have never tried.

Here’s a look at our group.

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You may notice I’m in a sweater. The weather got cold here in the Cleveland area again!

Last night, we also celebrated a Supper Club member’s birthday. Happy Birthday, Julie!

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Cleveland area folks…do you have any restaurant recommendations for our Supper Club? Everyone else… are you members of any clubs, like book clubs or supper clubs? I’d love to hear about them!

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Mar 26

Celebrity Judge-Chili Cookoff!

by reporterturnedmommy

The Autism Society of Greater Cleveland asked me to be a “celebrity” judge for its annual Chili Cookoff. Of course I said yes! I am so honored that the Autism Society thought of me to help with the special event, especially since I haven’t been on TV in 19 months.

I want to share the details for this fun night for those of you in the Cleveland area, in the hopes that you can come out, have some fun and support this great cause. There are many Cleveland bloggers I’ve been hoping to meet and this would be a great opportunity to do so.

Here are the details:

I’m looking forward to tasting and “judging” all the chili! Any tips on what makes the perfect bowl?

There will also be live music from the “Ace Molar” Band, featuring Fox 8′s Todd Meany as the lead singer.  I know it’s going to be a fun night and I hope to see some friends and meet some new ones as well. Hope to see you next Tuesday (April 3rd) night!

In the meantime, how was your weekend? I hope your week is off to a great start!

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