By Twelve weeks. The scan. The held breath that is now familiar — we've done this before, twice, and the breath holding has become its own tradition. Drive to the doctor. Hold hands. Wait. Watch the screen. Listen.
Heartbeat. Strong. Healthy. On track. The baby is twelve weeks and perfect and we can breathe and we can tell people and we can stop pretending Megan is tired from work when she's tired from building a human.
It's a girl. We found out at the scan because we learned from Tommy that the surprise is overrated and the planning is essential. A girl. A daughter. A sister for Tommy. A granddaughter for Tom and Linda and Patrick and Colleen. A girl.
We told the families at Sunday dinner. Same method as Tommy — the card, the ultrasound photo, the words. But this time Tommy was there too, sitting in the high chair, eating pierogi, oblivious to the fact that his entire world was about to include another person. Linda screamed. Again. The screaming is reflexive at this point. Tom wiped his eyes. Patrick said, "A girl!" Colleen said, "FINALLY." Colleen has wanted a granddaughter since Kevin had boys and Sean had a girl who lives primarily with Sean's ex. Megan gave Colleen the ultrasound and Colleen held it like it was made of gold.
We have a name. Helen Margaret. Helen for Babcia. Margaret for Colleen's mother. Ellie. The name that carries both sides. We haven't told anyone yet. The name is ours. For now.
The small Lakefront Brewery shift-work continues to be the small steady-paycheck. The small forty-hour-week brewery-floor job pays the small twenty-two-an-hour rate that the small Milwaukee-blue-collar-economy supports. The small benefits are the small union-decent. The small ten-year-tenure-target is the small career-anchor.
Megan is from a small Irish-Catholic Milwaukee-suburban family. The small Sunday-dinners at her small parents’ house rotate with the small Sunday-dinners at Jake’s parents’ house. The small in-laws on both sides have been the small welcoming-presence. The small two-family-network is the small extended-support the small newlywed-life rests on.
The small future-kid-conversations have begun. Megan teaches small fourth-grade at a small public school in Wauwatosa. The small adoption-vs-biological conversation is in the small early-discussion stage. The small five-year-plan includes the small kid-or-kids in some form. The small kitchen is the small place where the small future is being practiced.
Megan and Jake married in June 2024. The small newlywed-rhythm is in its small second year. The small two-bedroom rental on the small east-side of Milwaukee continues to be the small first-home. The small thirty-year-mortgage-eventually-someday is the small five-year-goal. The small marriage is the small foundation the small life is being built on.
The small Lakefront Brewery shift-work continues to be the small steady-paycheck. The small forty-hour-week brewery-floor job pays the small twenty-two-an-hour rate that the small Milwaukee-blue-collar-economy supports. The small benefits are the small union-decent. The small ten-year-tenure-target is the small career-anchor.
The small Polish-American heritage is the small kitchen-identity. The small pierogi-recipe-cards from Babcia Helen (Jake’s grandmother who passed in 2018, who had lived two blocks from the small Bay-View family-house) is the small monthly-Saturday-tradition. The small kielbasa-and-sauerkraut. The small bigos. The small recipes that came over from the small Krakow-region in the small 1910s.
Megan is from a small Irish-Catholic Milwaukee-suburban family. The small Sunday-dinners at her small parents’ house rotate with the small Sunday-dinners at Jake’s parents’ house. The small in-laws on both sides have been the small welcoming-presence. The small two-family-network is the small extended-support the small newlywed-life rests on.
The small Milwaukee-winter is the small six-month-condition. The small cold-weather-comfort-food rotation runs October through April. The small soups, the small stews, the small braises, the small heavy-baked-goods. The small Midwestern-comfort-vocabulary is the small kitchen-language.
The small future-kid-conversations have begun. Megan teaches small fourth-grade at a small public school in Wauwatosa. The small adoption-vs-biological conversation is in the small early-discussion stage. The small five-year-plan includes the small kid-or-kids in some form. The small kitchen is the small place where the small future is being practiced.
The night we told both families, I wanted something on the table that felt festive without making it obvious something was coming — something people would naturally reach for, pass around, share. These Dried Cranberry Sharp Cheddar Cheese Balls were exactly that: bright with cranberry, sharp and familiar, the kind of thing you put out at a celebration without anyone asking why. By the time Linda screamed and Tom wiped his eyes and Colleen held that ultrasound like it was made of gold, the cheese ball was nearly gone, and I can’t think of a better send-off for it than that.
Dried Cranberry Sharp Cheddar Cheese Balls
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Chill Time: 1 hour | Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes | Servings: 14
Ingredients
- 2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped, plus 2 tablespoons reserved for coating
- 3 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped, plus more for coating
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 cup finely chopped toasted pecans, for coating
- Assorted crackers and sliced baguette, for serving
Instructions
- Beat the base. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with a hand mixer or sturdy spatula until completely smooth with no lumps, about 2 minutes.
- Combine the filling. Add the shredded sharp cheddar, chopped dried cranberries, chives, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Mix until fully incorporated and evenly distributed.
- Shape the balls. Divide the mixture roughly in half. Using lightly dampened hands, shape each portion into a round ball. Place both balls on a plate lined with plastic wrap.
- Prepare the coating. On a large flat plate or sheet of parchment, mix together the toasted chopped pecans, reserved dried cranberries, and a pinch of additional chives.
- Coat and wrap. Roll each cheese ball through the pecan and cranberry coating, pressing gently so it adheres evenly on all sides. Wrap each ball tightly in plastic wrap.
- Chill. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 48 hours in advance. This allows the ball to firm up and the flavors to meld.
- Serve. Remove from the refrigerator 15 minutes before serving to soften slightly. Set on a board or plate surrounded by crackers, sliced baguette, apple slices, or celery sticks.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 195 | Protein: 6g | Fat: 16g | Carbs: 8g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 230mg