Babies and un-babies

My best friend from college had her baby on Monday. My other friends are having twins. My friend from Missouri had a baby a few weeks ago. I am thrilled to pieces for them and know they'll both be great moms and their babies will be so loved.

Girls I went to high school with have 2 or 3 children already! It's just craziness. I'm noticing that I'm falling more and more behind everyone else.

Don't get me wrong, I'd rather have me all in one piece emotionally than stuck in a horrible marriage with a rotten husband and kids just like him - ADD and allergic to EVERYTHING. But I feel left out of the game. Last one picked for kickball. It's grade school all over again. Seriously, you plow one kid over in soccer and you are branded as a wild card the rest of your life in gym class!

But I'm not trying to throw a pity party for myself. It's like on "Julie & Julia" when Julia Child's sister who was married after her is pregnant and she is so happy but still feels like a yutz for not being pregnant herself. Ya know? [If not, go watch the movie. It's great.] Happy and excited but just a little bummed at the same time.

I love babies. I love squishy thighs. Lower lips and tongues that seem to have a running faucet. Bright eyes. Feathery hair. Little buns. The smell of a freshly washed baby. The itty bitty shoes and socks. The bows and ribbons. The squawks and high pitched sounds they emit. The way they get top heavy and just topple over. The peals of laughter at raspberries on their bellies. How they are easily entertained. How they are so incredibly unaware of everyone else around them but mom. How everything must go in their mouths to be marked as their property. I love that I can hand them back to their mom and smile when they've pooped out their diaper.

what was I saying? oh yeah...

I am SO excited and glad for my friends. They will be fabulous mothers. I am SOOOO incredibly happy I don't have kids from a previous marriage. I am SO glad I don't have kids while I'm trying to work 9 hours a day and date Alex and find time to relax or start going to the gym. There's just no time. I admire all you women who can balance life and work and kids and husband and meals and shopping and decorating and visiting friends and throwing parties and serving in primary. You're incredible!


Happy baby day to Celine and Sam and Janet. Happy un-baby day to me. Happy Wednesday to all who are in the thick of it all.

Chilly Weather Goodness

With the first week of chilled weather under our belts here in Utah, Alex and I decided to make some soup. I love that he loves soup. I am attempting to eat a little healthier so this was our first attempt at soup and healthy mixed together.

Cauliflower Soup [adapted from Food Network]

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1 shallot, diced
  
• 1 head cauliflower, broken into florets
• 1 medium all-purpose potato, cubed
• 6 cups chicken stock
• Salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• Garlic powder
  

It ended up looking like Cream O'Wheat but tasting UH-mazaing. Next time we're going to add bacon chunks, ham, or corn kernels.

I added a fabulous little extra by making Parmesan crisps. You pile a cup of cheese on a sheet and bake about 10 minutes until golden brown and crisps. After they've cooled just break them into shards and garnish with them. So cute!

The absolute best part was that I went to Sur La Table and bought the most darling bowls to have our soups and chilis in this winter.
Aren't they just fabulous! Who wouldn't want to eat soup in this baby!?