Peas, pears, and you must be joking

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Baby Mac, at just over five months, eats food now. Real food. Well, real baby food. Gramma—that's me—was fortunate to witness a recent feeding.

His fine dining experience started with peas:

They're not too bad, Gramma.

The second course featured the yummiest of yums, a.k.a. pears:

Oh, yeah.

These ... are ...... the BEST!Then Mom offered a finale of none other than—you guessed it—rice cereal:

You're joking, right?Um, I won't be swallowing this, Gramma.Seriously.Baby Mac did eventually swallow his rice cereal. Or, at least most of it.

Which is far better than his brother, Mr. Skinny Minny Boney Maroney Bubby, currently does with most of his food.

At this rate, the big brother title will soon belong to the younger of the two.

Today's question:

What food would you like to try for the very first time?

29 years ago today

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Twenty-nine years ago today, Jim and I had our first baby girl. We were just kids ourselves—I was 18, he was 21—and were ill equipped to be parents, to say the very least. But we were determined to figure it out and do right by our precious pink bundle we named Brianna.

We've messed up many times along the parenting path—sometimes egregiously so—and poor Nonner bore the brunt of many of those messes by virtue (or misfortune) of being our first. Yet somehow Jim and I did quite a bit right, too, it seems, as our sweet 6-pound, 10-ounce baby doll has grown into one of the most bright, beautiful, kind-hearted, supportive, giving, and forgiving women I know. Plus, she makes the very best cupcakes ever! (I kid you not...just take a look HERE.)

Now, in honor of her special day, I offer a musical presentation for Aunt B from Bubby, Baby Mac and their mama, just because I can:

Happy 29th birthday, Brianna! I am so thankful for you and for all you have taught me, not only about parenting but about myself, too! I love you beyond words!

Today's question:

What do you remember about your 29th birthday, the last one before the big 3-0?

Big three

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Over the weekend, Bubby had his first of several celebrations scheduled for marking his third birthday. What a remarkable year it has been, filled with fun and firsts as he moved from toddler hood to the big three.

Bubby had his first move to a new home, this one with a dedicated playroom:

Bubby, Mommy, and Daddy had their first real family vacation, to Sea World:

He colored Easter eggs for the first time:

He had his tonsils and adenoids removed:

And he got his very first big-boy bike:

Through all that, he attended his very first full school year of preschool:

Then summer arrived, and Bubby took his very first swim lessons:

But the biggest change of all for Bubby as he transitioned from age two to age three, was going from being an only child to a being a big brother. All indications are that he'll do just fine:

Happy birthday to my incredible Big B! May your third year be the best yet!

Photos: Thank you to Megan for letting me steal most from her Facebook page!

Today's question:

What has been the highlight of your past 365 days?

The Saturday Post: Zeppelin wedding song edition

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As of tomorrow, Jim and I will have been married 29 years. When planning our wedding all those kajillion years ago, we knew right away that we wanted "Thank You" by Led Zeppelin as our wedding song. Our pastor, on the other hand, said, "I will puke if you play that song." Seriously.

So we relented and simply had my sister read the lyrics to "Thank You" as a poem during the ceremony. Our official song ended up being the generic but still lovely and fitting "The Wedding Song" by Paul Stookey...played on guitar and sung by our non-puking pastor.

In honor of our anniversary, here is the song Jim and I consider our real wedding song, albeit a more recent, more mellow version than the original. Just so no one will puke.


Happy 29th anniversary, Jim!

Today's question:

What was your wedding song?

Big whoop

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After nearly nine months — an eternity to a toddler — of continual talk about the baby brother he'd soon have, the introduction to the real live thing was rather anticlimactic for Bubby.

All the gadgets in Mommy's hospital room proved far more interesting than the little bundle of joy.

Though there was a wee bit of interest.

Even more so in Mommy's bracelet, it appears.

Bubby offered one sweet pose...

...then he was off, done, ready to hit the road.

What more can you expect from a nearly three-year-old...especially one itching to head back to GiGi's, his paternal great grandma, where he received the royal spoiling treatment while Mommy and Daddy tended to baby brother delivery and duties.

Photos courtesy of Preston.

Today's question:

Who spoils you most? And whom do you most spoil?