Kids love grits.

Caroline can almost exclusively eat with utensils now, as you can see by the catatonic focus she has as she attacks spoonful after spoonful of grits at J Christopher's this weekend.

Good morning!

This morning as soon as I set Caroline down on her feet she said in rapid sucession, "I need my bunny, I need my doggy, I need my biscuit book, I need my Thomas book."  So we decided to have them all arranged for her as she ate breakfast.

Hibachi time!

Caroline and her friend Ryan are about to experience the chaos, excitement, beauty and flavor of a hibachi grill. Caroline is apprehensive. Update to follow.

UPDATE:
Good or bad, we had a tame chef.  Maybe he didn't do some cool things on purpose because there were kids at the table (lighting a mass of oil on fire, spinning utensils, etc.) but he did make an onion volcano and was generally entertaining for the kids.  When you go to a hibachi grill at 5:30, you're probably not getting the A-team.

I was worried Caroline would get scared.  After all, I think Santa Claus would seem more welcoming than a guy with knives and a steaming hibachi grill -- and she was scared of Santa.  But once food started to appear on plates, she focused on eating and was prety chill.  As you should be on a Saturday!

Caroline squared

We had dinner Friday night at Canyon's Burger Company before a spirited trip to Walmart, and while Caroline was ignoring her grilled cheese for our french fries, a young lady (pictured, back left) got in the booth behind us to wait on her dad.

She had a lot on her mind. Her name is Caroline too, her daddy is 36 and her mommy is 41 and her daddy was getting her a cheeseburger and her brother likes french fries.

I keep looking ahead to Caroline's stages of development with nervous fear, though its never as hard as when that time comes (walking, talking, etc.).  I've long wondered how I will respond to the 4-8 year-old phase where kids just say everything on their mind because I'm such a know-it-all. Will I let her talk and figure things out on her own, or will I be an overbearing parent and correct what she says all the time?  At least a mix is okay, right?

UPDATE: The Mommy just let me know that I missed a part of the conversation over the booth wall.  Apparently the 'second Caroline' said later, "Actaully my name is Sidney, but I like the name Caroline."  Don't we all...

How Sweet....

We took a family trip to The Yogurt Tap last night and Lady Caroline had a bit of vanilla with a few M&M's thrown in for good measure.

Needless to say, she did not go to bed on time.

Avocado and... Oatmeal?