Chef Chad Kelley - Barley & Board / Denton, TX

After a fairly stressful summer of restaurant planning, construction delays and menu preparations, Barley and Board officially opened its doors in historic Denton Square, one single solitary day after Chad and I welcomed our son Grant Henry Kelley into the world.  After joining their team as Executive Chef in early February at the start of construction, Chef Chad Kelley hit the ground running working with restaurant partners on the menu concept and smallware selection before bringing on a team that would help bring his menu to life (and ease in the transition of welcoming TWO babies into the world at once).  

In the weeks leading up to opening day, all the staff was hired and trained with a vengeance knowing that although we had a scheduled c-section date, Grant could very well arrive at any time.  Thankfully everything went according to plan (somewhat) and although Chad missed the official opening day chaos...his staff hit it out of the park that night and the positive restaurant reviews haven't stopped pouring in.  

Located on the Northeast corner of 'The Square', and built in 1858, Barley and Board is located where the Historic Lacy Hotel once stood.  

  

A few days before Grant's arrival, Everleigh and I headed over to Barley and Board during their soft opening to taste test some goodness with Chad's sister Christy and her boyfriend Chris.  Together we were all able to get a good sampling of Chad's creations.  

Bacon Wrapped Medjool Dates

Some of the obvious perks to being married to a chef is getting first taste of menu items before they have a chance to make it out to the public.  (You know for quality control purposes ;)  

Buratta

Wicked Gulf Oysters

 

Kelley Bear Cuteness

 

Parisian Gnocchi

Quail

 

Chicken Goat Salad

BBQ Baby Back Ribs

Barley and Board Burger

And finally.. last but not least...

Pecan Pie Bread Pudding to top it all off.  

Everleigh was most definitely a fan.  :) 

Well done Dad!

 

Grant Henry Kelley - One Month

It's funny how when you're pregnant...eager to meet your new baby, prepping the nursery in crazy nesting mode and trying to calm your anxieties about your impending labor....It can feel like you're literally pregnant FOOOOORRREEEVER.  Especially when you're incredibly uncomfortable....swollen, sore and irritable and feeling like the last months of your pregnancy are out to prove to the world just how crazy you really are.  :)  Or at least that's how it felt for me.  

But once our sweet baby boy arrived.. POOF, he was already one month old.  Just like that.  

I'm sure it has to do with the fact that the days and nights just seem to blur together as we learned to adjust to life with a newborn again.  Survival mode set in and we quickly learned just how little sleep we could actually survive on.  

Sweet middle of the night coos, eyes more alert every single day and an appetite that just doesn't seem to stop. At 9lbs 11oz and 21" tall, he's almost 2lbs bigger and 1" longer than he was at birth. :)   

Welcome to the World - Grant Henry Kelley

Five VERY sleepless weeks later....

I thought it was high time to finally (and of course) OFFICIALLY introduce you to our newest little joy. 

It's funny that after nearly 9 months of planning, prepping, enduring the discomforts (and of course the joys of pregnancy)...when the time finally came to meet the little person taking residence inside my body...it all still felt so surreal.  

After more than a few health scares popped up throughout my pregnancy (dealing with my diabetes which came with daily insulin injections and constant sugar monitoring, finding out Grant had a two vessel cord instead of three, a heart valve issue with Grant that scared the crap out of me but ended up being ok & placenta previa that landed me in the hospital with a bleed and put me on modified bed rest) we were feeling more than a little nervous to face this day.  Thankfully, after all that, we delivered a very healthy and OH SO HANDSOME baby boy!  

Grant Henry Kelley joined our clan on August 11, 2015 at 1:01pm via c-section and we ALL couldn't be more thrilled... EVEN Everleigh!  She's been an amazing big sister and hasn't once asked to send him back to where he came from.  ;)  

So without further ado..(and because this sleep deprivation is NOT for the faint of heart and I really should be napping right now..) here's a look back at Grant's birthday. 

August 11th and our hospital stay - In Pictures

My very LAST preggo selfie..taken right before we left to the hospital. 

Because this c section was planned, we checked in at 10am and went straight to the operating "holding:" room with Chad and my parents (who would be in town for the next two weeks helping us adjust to life with a toddler and a newborn).  

All dressed and ready to go...

Nervous smiles

Then... at 1:01pm after a few tugs here and a few tugs there..

Little Man Kelley took his first breath and of course it was amazing :)

Cue the instant tears.. 

Happy Birthday Grant Henry Kelley :)

Grumpy little face and mommy 

Daddy and Grant waiting for the doctors to finish working on mommy.  

8lbs 2oz and 20" long

Big sister Everleigh meets her baby brother for the first time.. 

And she's in love :)

Be still my heart.  I love my guys.

Sleepy baby..

Definitely what an Awesome Sister Looks Like :) 

Everleigh helping Grandma Maldonado feed baby brother

 

FREEDOM! Finally got released on Friday, August 14th

And now the REAL fun began :)