April 3, 2006 | Mama Smith

and thus it begins

The coming of spring in the Smith household and my new life as a full-time mommy. Not sure how long it will last, but for now I can whole-heartedly say I’m loving this new phase in life. I was actually able to PLAN and prepare a fun meal instead of tossing together whatever I could find in our fridge. A passion of mine, which has been lost in the chaos of getting pregnant, having a bambino, returning to work, was perfecting the delicate preparation of crepes. Tonight they are returning to our table, starting off with asparagus/ham/greuyere crepes. Delicious.

And now Brighton can enjoy real food again as I’m freed up to cook, puree, strain, store some new tasty veggies and fruits. He’s been stuck on sweet potatoes and bananas the past month due to my laziness/busyness with all else. The treehugger in him is beginning, as he scarfed down the pureed tofu and banana mix I made him for lunch. Now I know why the food companies weaken and inject Red #40 and Yellow #6 into certain foods. If they tried to sell some things in their original dull gray sludge color state, they’d never make it off the shelves. Thankfully, Brighton doesn’t care at this stage and gulped down the gray blobs of watery tofu. Mmm.

She’s all mine now…back off employers

As for the rest of the weeked, we soaked up the warm rays, trying to stay outdoors as much as possible. I escaped for a fun lunch with some gals on Saturday to keep the b-day celebrations in full swing. Matthew gave me a long-lusted after item for this coffee fanatic. A beautiful Bialetti. Which creates actual real “coffee” as the rest of the world knows it – dark, rich espresso. When we’d visit our friend’s down in Puerto Rico during college, their mom would bring us this rich brew every morning. I was hooked. Now it can be mine each morning.

And yesterday we had our first Rita’s of the season (I know, we waited too long) with our friends, the Murphy’s, and explored a new park in our area. We’re both starting new home groups in our neighborhoods and were able to share about similar excitements, struggles, and the need to be our knees as Christ starts this new thing, bringing His kingdom into our area. Satan will be and has been after us all as this transition has begun. But being with Christ, during B’s first morning nap, I was reminded, and was so thankful, to be on the victorious side already and to know He will do a good thing, we just have to be faithful to follow and step into scary places with Him.

As for the latest with the wee one. He managed to call his dad on my cell phone by using the speed-dial, holding down #2. It was humorous to hear Matthew’s voice muffled in B’s drooly mouth. And the picture below is evidence that the picture frames and glass vases on our bookshelves are in need of removal very soon. This is where I found Brighton this morning after coming back from putting my coffee cup and a few dishes in the sink. Maybe 2 minutes after I’d left him on that blanket with his toys. He’d crawled over to the door and was on his way out. Goodbye are the little scoots. Now I find him with is head under the coffee table, his chubby fingers searching for treasures under the couch, his mouth chewing on the dials to the stereo. He wants nothing to do with his toys and everything to do with the exciting off-limit items in the room. I can’t believe time has flown by so fast.