Initiation

Brunswick Stew is mmmmgood.

Thanksgiving was fun. Peanut was apparently a perfect angel for her daddy on the plane flight there (damn her!). They were all so entranced with her that they all forgot to come and get me at the airport the next day. This is true. Apparently my brother-in-law finally decided somebody ought to check my arrival time, and lo and behold, I was just about to land. All I know is that the next time I am down there, I'm not letting my kid out of my sight, because I know how I rate.

The big news is that said brother-in-law is eloping with his girlfriend and moving to Australia for a job this spring. I finally got to meet the girlfriend, and she isn't intimidating at all. Yes, she's tall and blonde and reasonably skinny. But she's a total goofball, and Peanut loved her instantly, which has only happened once before in her life. So now I feel bad about ever being snotty. I'm such a wuss that way. I'm sorry, I know some of you were looking for some snarky comments, but there really aren't any to make, she's that nice. I can't see what she sees in her future husband, actually. Just kidding, Beano!

We had a lovely dinner which including some friends of my mother-in-law's, one of whom is a trained pastry chef. Yes, she brought some cake, and it was delish. I went to bed early, and slept late, which was to be the pattern over the next few days. We ate barbecue the next night, and T. thought it would be cute to feed the little darlin' hush puppies and Brunswick Stew. Turns out it was cute, as you can see by the above photo, though she didn't do more than chew on the hush puppy. She loved it, and her Carolina relatives couldn't have been more pleased.

The rest of the trip passed uneventfully, except for the fact that I tripped and fell on the front walk not once but twice, tearing holes in both pair of pants that I brought (and the only ones I own that fit), as well as large holes in my knee and hand. Too much stuffing makes me clumsy, I guess. I got to take long naps every day and read four whole books, which is more than I've read in months. Peanut was not quite an angel on the trip back, but she was certainly not a demon either, and we managed. It was honestly one of the most restful trips I've ever had, which I really need.

I haven't been posting much because I've been utterly exhausted every night lately. I finally got in to the nurse practitioner today and she is running some tests. No, it isn't just because I have an infant--I had way more energy when she was three months old than I do now. Anyway, until this is figured out, I will not be able to post much, I don't think, because I can barely stay awake. Bear with me, if you please. I have a lot to say. I can't promise it will be interesting, but hey, you're here, so there must be something in this for you. Though I suppose it could just be for the cute baby pictures...