Happy 5th Birthday Tristan

6:45 a.m., I am laying in bed sleeping, I hear from Tristan’s room, “Mommy?! Do you know what today is?” I reply, “Yes! Happy Birthday Tristan! Come here!” Typically in the morning he comes, jumps up in bed and we snuggle for last few precious minutes before I have to face the day. I hear, “Ahhh, Mommy, you need to go downstairs and get my food and do that thing we talked about. “ Sigh. He asked for breakfast in bed like Daddy got on Fathers day. Just a note, has mommy ever got breakfast in bed? No. Is she bitter???? I will leave it to you, to decide :) I reply, “I am on it Tristan. Give me a second and I will be back with it.” He reply's, “Okay mommy. Oh and don’t forget to sing me the happy birthday song too.” Roll of my eyes, “Of course, Tristan.”

I am not going to even get into how the hell he is turning 5 or how I feel about it. There is not enough space or time to delve that deep into it. Time….it always gets the better of me in so, so many ways.

He wanted banana pancakes, so that is what he got, and a slice of bacon. We brought it to him and sang the "happy birthday song."




He wanted hot dogs for dinner, and so he got that too.






Saturday was his birthday party. It was the first year he asked for friends. Normally, he just wants the grandparents. We had the family first, and then later the kids came. Joel and I embrace the low key. We try to keep things simple. In that vein, the kids that were invited were not allowed to bring presents. Insanity... I know! I also know that some thought we were mean parents. Maybe. I just really feel that, first, he has enough. However, mostly I want him to learn to honor company for company's sake. Their gift to him was them sharing time with him. I want him to learn to ask people to share time with him for the joy in that, not for the crap he can collect from the invitation. So go ahead call me mean... I just hope he won't in therapy one day!

It is amazing to see how your children learn the social dance. To see how excited he was to show his room to friends and show them his special things was precious to me. You realize that for five, he is sharing himself. I loved to see it.

Our wonderful neighbor made his cake. It is really one of the cutest cakes I have ever seen, and if you live in Richmond, e-mail me if you want the contact information.



Not only was it a cute cake but it was crazy good (as always Mark!!), and I find it rare to get that combo. Tristan agrees.




Finally, after all the excitement of the day our neighbors stopped by for a special birthday wish for Tristan, and Jillian got some snuggle time.

We are lucky, so lucky to have great family and friends. It is days like this that really make me remember what my heart knows. We are blessed. even if time is not my friend...





Literally seems like yesterday...sigh...

Oyster Nirvana At Mama Zu

Last night me and my husband went to Mama Zu. I love their food. Hands down it is got to be the best pasta in town (among other things). Last night Joel and I decided to get an appetizer. We noticed they had fried oysters. Now normally I don’t like fried oysters (or most fried food for that matter) that much, however I had just been standing next to someone at the bar who was eating sweetbreads, that looked so heavenly… I think it just put me in a fried frame of mind. I think in my mind’s eye these friend oysters would have some panache, maybe some chopped mushrooms and sauce over top. Somehow I thought they would look like the sweetbreads I had been salivating over. I was so disappointed when they came out. It was just a plate of fried oysters….whoopee. Now anyone in Richmond knows Mama Zu is not only wonderful but CHEAP. I am talking $9 for a HUGE pasta dish cheap. These oysters were $15. So I expected there to be something special about them, or at least there to be a lot of them. However, it was just 8 measly oysters on a plate. Just in case you are a math whiz that is almost $2 a pop. I felt sad. Let down. Disappointed in Mama. Then I tried one. Holly Good Mother of Our LORD!! These were no typical fried oysters. They were barely breaded, they were barely cooked, they were sweet, and salty and juicy and crisp all in one pleasingly perfect mouthful.

I can now die happy. …… Or at least I can once I figure out how make them myself!!!