OH HAPPY DAY!

We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming for A MIRACLE! Our first grandbaby, Calvin Louis Sanders, was born yesterday at around 9:30 PM -- strong, healthy, and absolutely beautiful. The new little family came home from the birthing center at around 4:00 AM, and have been sound asleep ever since. Will be back soon with more details, maybe even a picture or two!
  

WE'VE COME A LONG WAY BABY

Until my sister-in-law Priscilla had her first child, I'd never heard of Lamaze or La Leche League. Dear Pris was a bit of a renegade, you see, as everyone in my family bottle-fed their babies, wanted all the drugs they could get during delivery, and couldn't imagine why anyone would actually want their hubbies to be in the delivery room with them, to see them in such a state! Hospitals were slow to get on board with the new programs, however, and when Priscilla opted to have her second child at home with a midwife, our parents really thought she had lost it. Me? Well, I thank my lucky stars every day that she was there to pave the way for me and my daughters, for it is due in large part to her and her renegade compadres that we now have places like the Austin Area Birthing Center, where Little Goober will be born!

Miss Alexis invited Hubby and I to meet her at the birthing center yesterday, for her now-weekly-appointment with the midwife, and to take a tour of the facility. To tell you the truth, I was a bit blown away!

All but one of the birthing rooms was actually in use, but the one that we did get to see -- the Austin Music themed room - was absolutely fabulous. Turns out, it's the one Lexi and Nate listed as their top choice.

There's also a big walk-in shower in the restroom, where expectant mothers can sit on a balance ball with warm, soothing water raining down on them.

Love those little packets of smelling salts, taped strategically around the room!

Then there is this lovely waiting area for families, with tea kettle, where John and I will be hanging out.

I even got to hear Goober's strong little heartbeat while I was there! Best of all, the midwife says we are 70% effaced, with everything progressing exactly as it should be for an arrival on or around her  due date this Saturday -- and, she'd be very, very shocked if we went more than one week past. Woohoo!

N'AWLINS STYLE

One of my buddies here -- a friend I met on my blog who later moved here and became my friend in real life -- does freelance marketing. Her clients are great little businesses such as charming boutique hotels and wineries. That means we occasionally get invited to join them at some really fun events, like this one celebrating the grand opening of Hotel Flora and Fauna, and this pig roast out at Hye Meadow Winery.

Yesterday, we were fortunate enough to be invited back to Hye Meadow, this time for a N'awlins-style brunch -- four courses, each with a different wine pairing.

Le Menu:

Grilled Veggie Cheese Bread

Seafood Gumbo

Cajun Stuffed Chicken and Cheesy Hashbrowns

Beignets

It was all très, très bien! In fact, the only thing that would have made it better would have been for me to remember to take a lactose pill before chowing down on all those cheesy bits!