10 Years

Ten years ago today, M and I had our first date.  Wanna hear the story.  It's full of intrigue, trials, and humor.  Ok!  Thanks for asking.

M and I met at a local gym.  Yes folks, once upon a time, I worked out regularly.  Anyway, we met there and he asked me out to dinner for a Saturday evening.

Said Saturday evening turned out to be a cold, rainy night which thwarted my intentions of straightening my hair because it would have turned into a frizzy mess and M didn't need to see that yet.  I contemplated what to wear and finally selected tan pants, a cream top, and brown corduroy blazer that I loved. (Later I would find out that M hated it. But there were things he wore which were hideous.)

I sat in my living room waiting for him to arrive and I heard a pick up driving up the road.  I told him my house was the third on the right.  He goes to the end of the street, turns around, and in horror, I see him start walking up the front walk to third house on the left.  I had to holler (yes, I wrote holler) out my front door that nope, this house.  Good start.  Strike one?

He walks into my house.  Oh. My. Lord.  I beheld the ugliest brown leather bomber jacket I have ever seen in my life.  Yes folks, a bomber type brown leather jacket.  Strike two?

We're off!  He's taking me to Boston.  We pull into the parking garage and the boy drives way past the ticket booth so he had to reverse.  Strike three?

We begin walking to the restaurant and I was on the street side of the sidewalk.  M so smoothly touches the small of my back and guides me over to the inside of the sidewalk so that he is on the street side and would take the brunt of any inherent drivers.

That got me.  That got me good.

We went to Maggiano's and I was so nervous I hardly ate a bite.  M of course cleaned his plate and I should have known the food bills would be astronomical going forward.

Then we went to the movies.  Mr. Suave tripped up the stairs.  It was actually endearing.   We saw "Identity". The movie was terrible.  M apologized profusely.

He took me home and at the awkward moment at the front door - do you kiss?  Do you not kiss?  We were both like um.....but then somehow it happened and it was .......terrible.  I mean horrendous.

We both went to bed thinking my Lordy what was that.  We can do better.

And we did.

We most certainly did.

Heart Breaker

The sentiment in a baby's eyes is astounding.  So much can be found in those pools of beauty.  They look at you with utter dependence and then can strip you down with a look of scorn for putting their favorite musical abomination of a toy into the toy basket.

But then they can pummel you with the warm fuzzies with the eye scrunch of a smile or melt your heart with the reddening of an impending cry.

Have you ever noticed the brightening of a baby's eyes when filled with tears?  The glossy brilliance of color shining through that wetness makes my heart go pitter pat.  Especially when in these eyes.

And this boy, he's not my favorite boy.  No sir.  Not with those baby blues, porcelain skin, and dimpled bottom.

Look at this face.  Pure emotion left on his cheek.  That one lone tear from a serious wail.

I had probably just picked a booger.

Feeding J: New Foods

This past week, or maybe a little longer, J has been introduced to a bunch of different foods.  I don't follow the rule of something new, wait a few days.  Maybe I should but, knock on wood, no reaction to anything thus far.

J had:

Pancake - It was a hit!

Goldfish crackers - Hmm, interesting.

Ravioli filling - kale and cheese - Yummy, Mummy!

Chicken! - Probably his favorite of the week.  He had it several times.

Baked potato - Oohhh.

Cottage cheese - plain and mixed with fruit  Pretty hilarious.  He would push the curds out with his tongue like what the heck is this?  But then ate it.

Grilled Cheese! - Oh boy!

Vanilla ice cream - mmm, ummm, aaaahhhh, eeee!  (Those were yummy, tasty noises).

And we had some sippy cup success!  All by himself!  I pulled out the noisemakers, hung banners, and threw a parade!

Not really.

I clapped and said yay!

Yes, I used the sippy.  I'm the bomb, yo.

J can also now clap on command.  Mama and Dada are so proud.

He's also taken a couple headers onto the floor from the step down into our dining room.  Just the beginning of bumps and bruises.  But that bugger is determined!

He also knows where the dog's food and water bowls are and makes a beeline for them.  He'll start full speed ahead, stop, turn around to see if M or I are looking, and then take right off again.  Little stinker knows he's not supposed to touch those.

But bless his little heart, he tries to eat my face.  Like full on feast on it.

Mama's face tastes like chicken.

My Other Baby

I need to give some blog lovin' to my other baby.  He deserves it too.

Handsome boy.

Favorite napping spot.

Precious boy.

Maddux says - I wike seepin' on the towch.  It's my most favwit pwace to seep.  And it keeps that wittle baby fing away fwom me.

Blogger Stats

Blogger allows you to see your stats.  This includes how many times your posts have been read, your audience, and your traffic sources.  When I checked recently, I have had 12 hits from Romania and 18 from Germany.

I do not know anyone there but it's pretty cool that perhaps a Google search directed them to my humble blog.  What was their search, I wonder...and I wonder what they thought when they were brought here to my musings, drivelings, and utter nonsense.

Hello, there Romania and Germany!  Welcome to A Homemade Kitchen.  Take your shoes off and stay for awhile.

Baby Blues

I was overcome one day.  And I pulled out my camera and snapped some photos of my boy's baby blues.  They melt my heart.  Every day.

His right eye has a skinny brown streak in it.  My favorite.

Getting tired of the close ups.

Please stop, Mom.

Be still my heart.

One sepia for good measure.

Feeding J: The Start of 'Table Food'

J had his 9 month check up the other day.  Stats:

Weight: 17lbs 3oz
Height:  29in
Teeth:   2
Smiles:  498
Giggles: 604 (can you have more giggles than smiles?)

We talked about crawling, babbling, rolling, sitting, clapping, sleeping, and eating.  The newest phase in J's culinary adventures can begin.  He can start having 'table food'!  I find it humorous that this is what it's called since that is what we call the 'people food' we give to the dog.  The doctor said we could start introducing most everything - even ice cream!  I'm not sure how much sugar I want him having and this is coming from the candy, ice cream, chocolate, and sugar-loving queen.  I am not one to restrict foods - everything in moderation and I will not deny him treats.  He can also have juice which I am also hesitant of but it may be the only way to teach him to use a sippy cup.  The doctor told me half juice, half water.  I may make it more of 25:75 ratio of juice to water though.

Anyway, I'm thinking about having a blog series called Feeding J where I write about new things we've tried, the trials or successes of the new foods, and any recipes or cooking techniques I've used for his food.  Would you be interested in that?  I know I would be.  And I have read other blogs that do similar things and I devour what they write about in regards to what they are feeding their babies.

Still on the No list for foods are: shellfish, nuts, milk (but he can have dairy products?), and honey.

This week, he has been introduced to fresh banana, scrambled eggs, the soft part of bread/rolls, baked carrots, sherbet, apple juice, and Cheerios!  Wow!  Taste explosion!  Some went well (sherbet, juice, carrots, Cheerios), some not so much (banana and scrambled eggs).  I know it's a texture thing so we will try again!

Things he's already been eating beyond formula, oatmeal, and jarred baby food: yogurt and puffs.

I am excited we are at this point in his feeding but am also sad that he's grown so much already.  Before we know it, it will be his first birthday (which, by the way, I am already starting to plan and it most likely will have a food related theme)!

Until the next culinary adventure for Baby J!