Savory & Sweet Anniversary: Part Two

I don't know which is better, to eat like a queen or be treated like one?  But I get both :-)  I've got a man that loves & cherishes me/our family & not only that, he can cook like you would not believe! :-)  This is our anniversary dinner, arugula and fresh apple salad, butternut squash and apple risotto, roasted lamb, pork stuffed mushrooms for an appetizer and grilled asparagus.  It looks like I was too swept off of my feet to take any pictures of our dessert but that was homemade miniature apple pies a la mode (with a little vanilla ice cream).  Oh and we had that most delicious muscadine beverage to accompany the meal.  Thank you honey for such a sweet and wonderful anniversary!  I love you, xo Chemeeka 

"The Prettiest Baby I've Ever Seen!"

It's one thing when the parents say it, but it's a whole nother thing when everyone says it.   People tell us all the time...actually, we hear it all the time, "....that is the most beautiful or prettiest baby that I've ever seen!" 

 

The day Gianna was born, that first 24 hours, a nurse, which was actually a friend of mine came into the room, as I was burping Gianna on the side of the bed and said, "can I see her?" and I said, "Yeah." And she bent down and took a look at her and said, "Chemeeka, she's beautiful."  I said, "I know."  She continued..."no, I mean, like stunningly beautiful."  And I said, "I know."  Believe you me, I was shocked that she was actually so beautiful!  But, given the benefit of the doubt that just maybe she was saying it because she was my friend, when we moved to North Carolina when Gianna was only 9 weeks old, we'd hear it all the time.  "Oh my gosh, she's beautiful!"  "She's gorgeous", "That is the most beautiful baby I've ever seen."  Well....speed ahead three and a half years later.  I'm in Harris Teeter, not around friends.  "Excuse me, I don't normally do this but I have to tell you..."you have BEAUTIFUL children."  "You're baby is absolutely gorgeous".  I'm thankful to God that we have been blessed with these two wonderfully beautiful, gorgeous little girls.  I never thought that I would be.  This is my second time around, hearing it constantly, from people that I don't know, who have never met me, and have nothing to prove.... And I can't say that I disagree:-)!

Stage One Foods & Blueberry Pancakes

Well I guess that you could say that we're doing our Stage One & Stage Two foods in a not-so-traditional way:-)  Sophia has enjoyed eating her own piece of an apple, fresh green beans (just gnawing on them) and sweet potatoes.  We tried the single grain oatmeal cereal for a while and sometimes she'd just be playing. 

 Until one day, I had her in her baby carrier strapped to me while I was trying to eat my breakfast.  Which was just a plain homemade pancake, without a fork & she wanted some!  So, we said, "okay, it's soft...it's mushy.  It's plain, should be fine..."  And so I gave her a little bite and she ate it right up.  Afterward, I set her up in her high chair and tore up the rest of the pancake and she ate it like a pro.  Now she's on to blueberry pancakes;-)  What a doll!  She & Gianna are the best of friends and as sweet as any two girls could be. 

Look at that little sweetie pie :-)

 Happy Day Everyone!
-Mama