Who's an Animal?

Remember the Muppets? I was shopping at Old Navy and I saw a kids shirt with an image of Animal on it. You remember Kermit and Miss Piggy, but you forgot Animal right?



Animal was the one who was so cute, but so wild that he literally had to be chained to his drum set, so he didn't go beserk. He always had his mouth open and was flinging himself from side to side. Ahhh... now you remember.

Anyways, as soon as I saw that image, I had to smile. I have an Animal. His name is Dean.







Oh, he's cute alright.

But, just let that chain loose and see what he can do...



He can climb a dining room chair like a jungle gym.



He can even get himself stuck like that too!



Most of all, he laughs at the Safety 1st inventors... those smart parents turned researchers who decided the best way to prevent your little one from electrocuting themselves is to put an outlet cover over every electrical socket. Great plan, until your Animal figures out how to pull them out (at age 1, no less!) and turn them into a choking hazard.



"I laugh in the face of danger!"



Our little Deansie... also known as: Deanie Danger and Naughty Cutie!

Meanwhile, back in Obedient Land...



Devon got to make playdough fish all morning and let the hippo gobble them up. This is primetime fun when you are 4 years old!



Devon is growing up so fast. Every time I blink, he has grown another inch. All the sudden, he is sounding so grown up. He is coming up with stuff that I have never heard before. He has attitude. He says stuff like "make sure you don't touch the remote while I'm brushing my teeth because I don't want to miss any of my show!" Hmmm.... Maybe I have two Animals on my hands!

Now, don't think this blog has turned into sappy baby blathering with no mention of food. That would be a real shame. So, here you go...

In food news... the headlines at our house would read: "Mother Recaptures Former Glory." Once upon a time, when I only had one child, that child only ate fresh organic pureed foods. No plastic tubs of Gerber! And when that child grew up, he ate two full servings of fruits or vegetables with every meal. Too bad that was before Dean was born because it sure does sound downright June Cleaver of me!

Well, Dean has eaten his fair share of Gerber and Devon has even learned to beg for "the dinner that comes with the toy." But lately, I have returned to my former glory. And here is the evidence...


Baby breakfast: Fresh pureed strawberries and bananas, mixed with plain Greek yogurt. Does this look the the picture of baby food perfection, or what?


Toddler breakfast: Fresh fruit platter with yogurt.

And for all my hard work, I give myself the reviews... one perfect day of motherhood. Enjoy your 5 minutes of fame!

And so I did.


These are REAL macaroons! Fresh, from Paris. Baked only a few days earlier. Perfectly delightful cookies, with a crunchy merengue exterior and a soft fluffy icing interior. Ideal as a reward, with a steaming cup of vanilla tea!
(Debbie knows that a true friend brings back souvenirs from her travels... delicious food souvenirs! The best kind too! I felt like I tasted Paris for 5 minutes. Mmmmmm!)

So, if you are lucky enough to have an Animal at your house, grab a hot cup of something and sit back and enjoy the show! It's gonna be a wild and crazy ride!

A little bit of reflection on Dean...

A long time ago, I dreamed of having kids one day... being a mother one day. In my mind, I always saw two little girls. One would be mine and the other one would be mine through adoption. I knew I could go through pregnancy once, but I thought once was definitely enough and I would be scared out of my mind to go through that again. I'm a planner and I had things all planned out...

And then that ultrasound showed up on the screen and "boy" became the reality. For someone that thinks they have life all planned out... that was a true turn-my-world-upside-down moment. And then Devon came along and my heart fell in love with the most amazing, beautiful, precious baby in the whole world.

I still thought I could bring my plan back on course. I firmly told my OB-GYN that she would NEVER see me again because I would NEVER be pregnant again. Ha! Well, little by little, my heart started to melt. Every time I looked at Devon, I thought I wanted him to have that special bond with a sibling... that special bond with a sister... to be a big brother to a little sister. See where this is going? I still was imagining Barbies and tea parties and ribbons around ponytails.

I faced my deepest fears. I made the conscious decision to get pregnant again. Firoze and I both wanted to expand our family and we spent many hours staying up late talking about "should we?" "right now?" and mainly "are we sure?" It was no accident that #2 came along.

Sometimes blogs gloss over the realities of life and paint a picture of perfect memories. I want to be truthful and say how things really went down. When I found out baby #1 was going to be a boy, I was devestated beyond belief. Maybe that's selfish, but I only imagined having a daughter for at least 15 years. I never saw a son, or trucks, or sports, or anything remotely boyish. With #2, I knew how much I loved Devon beyond belief, but still wanted a girl. And then the day was here... the ultrasound day. In that moment I was having the ultrasound, time stood still and every second became an hour. I heard the tick, tick, tock of the clock and felt my own heart beat and knew our family would be complete with the announcement of "boy" or "girl." In that moment, when she said "you're going to have another boy" I felt complete peace. I expected to feel that same sense of loss as the first time, but instead I felt like somewhere inside, I knew it all along. I felt like this was the lesson of my life... my family is complete and I have learned how to be the mother of boys. Something I never expected and something I never had in MY plan.

Thank God for His plans. He knew what I didn't know. That my two boys would bless my life more than I can ever say. I'm not sappy or overly emotional. I don't walk around telling people that my boys bring tears of joy to my eyes. I usually tell people how I haven't slept well, or I'm stressed out that Dean is teething, or the insanely smart things that come out of Devon's mouth on a daily basis. But the truth is that life is made up of so many different facets... the soul changing moments, like when your child is born and the ordinary moments, like when Dean blows rasberries with his food and sprays my entire face with applesauce 15 times in a row.

All that to say... Dean was the answer to my prayers. The winning lotto ticket. The end of the story. He made our family complete and that is a huge piece of the puzzle. Like when you are little and you think "hmmm... wonder who I'm going to marry?" and "hmmm... wonder what my kids will look like one day?" Well, now I know. I married someone from the other side of the world and my kids are pretty adorable with tan skin and dark round eyes with the longest eyelashes I have ever seen.

So, Happy Birthday to my little Deansie. To my precious gift. To my beautiful boy. We made it and you are 1 now!

Here are some of my favorite moments of the past year:


Just moments after being born, he was such a beautiful baby.


My good sleeper. I didn't know that babies actually slept at all!


I cuddled and kissed as much as I could. I appreciated those newborn days so much more the second time around.


The first giggles. Is there a better sound to a mother?


Chillin' in the bouncer. Thank God for bouncers!


Eskimo baby. This is probably my favorite pic from Dean's 1st year.


Brothers. It was meant to be.


Chubby baby. Look at those smushy cheeks!


This picture makes me laugh. It is truly "baby old man" - those tummy wrinkles, the look of confusion. Ha!


I try to catch the mischevious look in Dean's eyes, but it is just there for a flash. He is always up to something!


I can't believe my parents grew up with their arms around 3 girls and now they wrap their arms around 4 boys! Life is funny and unexpected.


Happy Birthday Dean! I love you now and always! - Mama

Hi Jack Nicholson... and other dreams.

Sometimes you get such a great night's sleep that you have fantastic dreams. You know it's been a good night when you wake up with pillow creases on your face and hair that looks just like Jack Nicholson in "The Shining."


Heeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrreeeee's Dean!

My dreams lately are all about a vacation. Every day I imagine us in some beautiful, far away place. Tops on my list right now is Capri... oh Giada, why did you have to tempt me? If you see a rerun of "Giada in Paradise" on FoodNetwork, I dare you to watch it and not be depressed that you can't be in Capri RIGHT NOW.

Luckily, the cure for vacation obsession is to plan something to look forward to and right now I'm soooooo excited and happy to have something to dream about...


Royal Caribbean, here we come!



My dreams are about pina coladas on the deck, seeing bright blue brilliant water, feeling the ocean breeze, seeing all three of my boys getting tanned in the sun, and getting away from the pressures of everyday life. A real vacation!

I can't wait for a little bit of this...


May 2010 - Ft. Lauderdale

And a little bit of that...


July 2010 - Charleston


And mainly *time* to spend with my family, my three favorite people...



To give baby kisses under the bright Caribbean sunshine and to say "cheers" with fruity drinks with umbrellas!

Valentine's Sweets & Eats

Since Firoze and I both had to work on February 14th, we moved our Valentine's celebration to Tuesday and Wednesday... our "weekend" off together. That was our real present, just to have the luxury of two days off together.

No matter what gifts were exchanged, or the words that were written in the cards, or the amazing meal we shared, we both know... real love is when your husband or wife says "shhh, it's ok, you sleep... I'll get the baby." When Dean woke up teething at 4:00am, Firoze let me sleep in. When he woke back up at 5:00am, it was my turn to show some love!


Maybe it was because it was so early, but when I laid him on the bed, he didn't squirm or flip over like he normally does... he just chilled. He looked so cute, just flopped out and peaceful, so I had to take a few pics.


I LOVE baby wrist indentations and hand dimples... how cute and chubby he is... makes me want to eat him up!


You would hardly believe this child was just screaming 5 minutes before???


Baby tube socks. Cute. End of story!

So, anyways, back to the real morning... when the sun actually came up and normal people get out of bed and enjoy breakfast...

I went old school, before the kids, back to the days when we were newlyweds... Why does that seem sooooo long ago? :) Anyways, back in the good old days, I would make Firoze a fresh smoothie filled with all kinds of his favorite fruits every morning for breakfast. I'm sure you can guess why the last time he had a fresh smoothie for breakfast was 4 and a half years ago...



So, for Valentine's Day, I brought back the smoothie and surprised Firoze with the start to our newlyweds breakfast.


It was filled with mango, strawberry, and banana... oh my!

And he surprised me with something VERY sweet... literally sweet...


It has been on "my list" - that would be my very important "things to eat" list. Doesn't everyone have a list like that? Hmmm...


After you see this photo, you'll know why it was on "my list." Seriously, these are little works of art. Who needs to go to the museum? Wouldn't you rather look at beautiful food? I would. These are amazing chocolates and I suggest you try them on a special occasion - they are called Norman Love Confections and I really hope they will send me some free chocolate when this blog gets 10,000 followers and they see my glorious review (ok, that is in my dreams).

After a nice morning spent with the boys, I went for my Valentine's gift... to get my hair highlighted. For me, this is truly the definition of luxury - to have a few free hours to sit in a chair, reading gossip magazines and have someone make my hair look pretty. It doesn't happen often, about twice a year to be exact, but when it does, it is SO good.


So, I'm back to being a natural blonde again. Ha.

After more time with the boys, we headed out on... gasp... a date!

It's a Valentine's Day miracle!

A real date... to a very fancy restaurant for a dream meal with My Love. Ahhh... if only every day could be Valentine's Day.

Our Valentine's Day meal was actually our Christmas gift from Aaron and Bethany and they truly spoiled us with an evening of bliss at Bacchanalia. Valentine's Day, Christmas, Martin Luther King Day, Yom Kippur (who knows if I'm even spelling that right? ha!), or any other holiday... doesn't matter what day it is... go there... eat AMAZINGLY for 3 hours... you'll be VERY happy you did and you'll feel very pampered! Thanks A&B - you are the best!

Now, here's the disclaimer... if you are not a foodie, just stop here. Otherwise, you might think I'm crazy. However, if you are a foodie, you have probably dined at Bacchanalia and you probably brought your camera. I looked around and saw you... and you were taking pictures too. And I knew I fit right in... So, here's the play by play... (P.S. These photos are a little blurry because we were dining in "romance lighting" - not the same thing as "McDonald's lighting," which might have made the pictures crystal clear.)

Course 1: Amuse Bouche...

I was definitely amused. I was delighted. This was one of the most memorable parts of the evening. It was a two parter... Part 1... mini cheese puffs (or gougeres, as they are properly known). Unfortunately, they were popped in our mouths and gobbled up before my camera even made it out of my purse. This was a tragedy, since I need to have these again. I MUST have these again. If you know me, then you know I'll be attempting to make mini cheese puffs sometime in the next 7 days. Please chef, I'm sure you are reading my blog and you'll send me your recipe.


Part 2 - radishes with something salty and crunchy on top. Come on people, I was too hungry to take photos and detailed notes!


Firoze started with a Moscow Mule. Didn't you hear on Oprah... Moscow Mule is the new black! Or the new Cosmopolitan. Or the new Bloody Mary. Whatever. It's new and it's very cool, therefore Firoze had to try it. And it comes in it's own signature copper mug - what could be cooler than that? Other than the fact it's served over an entire mug of shaved ice! For those that are wondering, it's house made ginger beer, gin, mint and lime.

Soup Course:


It was beet soup with crispy fried beet curls on top. Doesn't that sound delicious? Not really? Well, let me just tell you... this was frickin' fantastic! It was silky and sweet and savory and AMAZING. I drank mine, and then I finished Firoze's off too... yay me!

Appetizer Course:
Did you think we already ate appetizers... no, we are just getting started here!


Firoze had foie gras. Debbie, eat your heart out! It was politely molded and placed on the plate to be demolished and spread on fresh brioche toast points.


I had the "Blue Crab Fritter," otherwise known as the jumbo crab ball. Oh my goodness... this was full of sweet crab meat without a single piece of filler to be found. How do you shape a baseball of crab meat into a ball and keep it together and deep fry it until it is hot and crispy on the outside? That's a secret that only a chef at Bacchanalia knows, that's for sure! Yes chef, I'll have another.


Cheers Love! I wouldn't want to dine with anyone but you! XOXO

Main Course:


Firoze got the lamb. He loves lamb more than he loves me. Maybe not, but pretty high up there! This lamb was da bomb! That's what Firoze would say if he was a rapper circa 1992. It was covered in about 10 different things like sauces, foams, reductions, spices... if only I knew what they all were.


I got the scallops. I don't normally order scallops, but I thought "take a chance" "be a risk taker." This is not the place to order chicken fingers people!!!! Order what you don't normally order! These are highly trained chefs - they will make it taste good. And they did. It was phenomenal! Imagine... you are on an Adirondack chair on the beach in Nantucket and the catch of the day was fresh scallops. Now imagine butter and cream and potatoes and goodness of the sea. Yep, now you get it.

Cheese Course:

Oh. my. gosh. Where the heck are my pictures of the cheese course? Is it possible that I was so busy enamored with eating cheese that I forgot to take pictures?

Yes.

So, it was truly spectacular. I especially liked Firoze's cheddar with julienned apples and pecans. Too bad there is no photo to tempt you. :(

Palate Cleanser:

Forget about measly sorbets! SORBET, SORBET... GO AWAY! (That's what I imagine the chefs shouting as they came up with this!)


Our palate cleanser was a hot chocolate! Do you love it, or what?! And this was the real deal - thick, creamy... decadent.

Dessert Course:


French press coffee for me. Coffee with dessert says "no kids are present." It's date night after all! Time to relax and enjoy three hours of conversation with my favorite person, three hours of incredible food and great service.




Baba au Rhum. Barefoot Contessa loves it, so therefore I made Firoze order it and told him "you'll love it, trust me." And he did love it. That's why we're a match made in heaven... because I can order for him and I know he'll love it. Awwww... does that make you want to smack us? It's Valentine's Day... just go with it. Spread the love.


Chocolate Molten Cake. This was my choice for dessert and I'm standing by it. I don't care that every restaurant in the history of the world serves it. I like it and I wanted to eat it the best way it could be prepared. Valrhona chocolate... dark, hot... oozy. Oh yes!

So our Valentine's ended very sweetly. It was the perfect day actually. I'm so truly thankful for the love I feel for Devon and Dean. Even more, I'm so thankful for the love that Firoze and I share after 6 years of marriage and two babies. It's the real deal. You can't ask for more than that! I feel blessed and felt very loved on Valentine's Day. I hope your day was filled with love... and chocolate!