Ferrara's in Florida

Our big kids quite often request Daddy’s one and only meal.  Besides the usual Dad-kitchen-staples of eggs, pancakes and grilled cheese on the George Foreman, this Daddy has a real meal. It’s his special stir-fry: leftover rice, scrambled eggs and soy sauce. But Sable, Ruby and Joel see it as one of their favorites and request it every time I am away at dinner time (which is a rare occasion). When I picked the kids up from the gym childcare after my workout, two babysitters stopped to ask me if my husband was a gourmet chef. They were genuinely intrigued and wanted more details. I couldn’t help but ask if they had seen him, maybe thought he resembled a celebrity chef or reality home cook??  Turns out none of the above, and that they heard about this fabulous Chinese food, the One dish, the kids raved about.

Mom, it’s okay to have dis? (Asking for more sticky note squares from my recipe book) No pls put that back. Mom, I throw this at you. At your head. (A camera!) James, no one throws a hard object at their mom’s head. That’s disrespectful. Joel: yeah James, show respect to Mommy. (Thinking for a second then...) Okay Mom. I would throw it and then get you a bandaid.

This animated 2 year old can talk well. This morning’s conversation: James, let’s brush your teeth. No, Mom. I brushed. With whom? I brushed myself. I’m a big boy. This evening in the Publix parking lot: You’re a sweet baby. Who you calling baby? (Honest truth!) Oh, I was talking to you. I not a baby. What would you like me to call you? I’m James Richard. Okay. What about Champion? Yeah I like dat. Warrior? Yeah dat too. Big boy? Yeah I’m a big boy.