Second Sunday Brunch Bunch: The Place at Perry's

We had to drive through a crazy storm in order to meet up for brunch last Sunday, but it didn't put a damper on our wonderful meal at The Place at Perry's.

The restaurant has a super cool interior and is filled with large, plush booths.

We were seated at one such booth, and my beautiful friends ordered Wine Glass Mimosas while I sipped on the not-quite-as-exciting-but-better-than-regular-water cucumber water. 

In addition to the cucumber water, they brought out free jalepeno-cheese biscuits for the table, which were an excellent way to start off the meal. 

Laura and Sarah both ordered the Bacon Belgium Waffles, which include bacon baked into the waffles as well as extra bacon on top. Because one can never have enough bacon. 

They both loved the waffles, but I think Jill and I out ordered them with the Chicken and Waffles. 

These were definitely some of the best I've ever had. Fantastic waffles, topped with crispy and perfectly seasoned fried chicken, and served with both syrup and gravy…just the way it should be. 

And because the above plate of food was clearly not enough, I ordered a side of Homestead Gristmill Corn Grits as well. I normally require cheese in my grits, but these were truly amazing despite the lack of cheese.  

The other ladies were more than happy to help me finish them off. 

Overall, I definitely recommend the restaurant for brunch. Everything on the menu looked delicious, but it would be hard for me to pass up the Chicken and Waffles. 

Friday Night Photo Dump: February & March 2014

The last two months according to my iPhone photos...

Ava thought Elmo should sport some eye-black (leftover from her birthday party) while watching the Superbowl. 

Even fairy princesses have to stop playing to eat dinner. 

A surprise snow day in February.

All ready for her first swimming lesson.

She absolutely loves going every Saturday!

I was pretty pleased with how the valentines for Ava's classmates and teachers turned out.

Patiently waiting on her burger to arrive. We are so happy they opened a new Chip's location down the street.

Ava's first French braids thanks to her teacher.

Having fun with her cousins during Jack's pirate birthday party.

Arrrrrgh!

New paintings for the living room courtesy of my Dad.

Ava's first trip to Babe's. 

Ava had to bring a photo of her pets to school, and surprisingly, Stella was way more cooperative than Louie.

Banana Bread Pancakes. So. Good. 

Our little fish patiently waiting her turn.

Post-swimming milk and cookies at Celebrity Bakery. 

And a post-swimming three-hour nap. Mama took one as well. 

Flower arranging in honor of spring finally arriving.

The newest toddler fashion…a dress made from Dad's boxers.

A fun dinner with friends, complete with a fancy margarita for Diana.

Not quite the same as (copious amounts of) green beer, but delicious nonetheless.

March's daycare theme was "Stamps in the Passport," and Ava loved dressing up at school.

I can't wait to be one of Lauren's bridesmaids!

A fun playdate at the Arboretum with a few high school friends and their adorable kids. 

It was nearly impossible to get a picture of all five kids together, and this series of photos cracks me up.

Thanks for the bubble blower, Aunt Bee!

Sweet toddler feet.

And finally, the sweetest rendition of "Happy Birthday" ever :)

Baby Boy Shep - 26 Weeks

How far along are you? 26 weeks (technically I am 27 weeks as of this posting).

How big is the baby? About the size of a scallion (length-wise).

How much weight have you gained? 18 pounds. Definitely picking up some speed at this point…but I'm still hoping to avoid the 50-pound mark again.

How are you feeling/sleeping? The hip pain was temporary, thank goodness, so I have been feeling pretty good for the most part. But definitely starting to feel third-trimester pregnant...large and slow. I am also super grateful for the new mattress we bought last year as I think it has helped out with my sleep tremendously!

What was the best moment of the past few weeks? Seeing this little face at the 25-week sonogram...

Doesn't he look nice and cozy in there? He was measuring more on track at this sonogram, so my due date was officially set for July 3. And the c-section will likely be set for the week before. Which means we will get to see this adorable mug in person in approximately 12 weeks. Eek!

What do you miss the most? Wine, of course. And cold, white wine sounds delicious despite the fact that I am usually more of a red wine fan. A cold turkey sandwich also sounds fabulous.

Any movement? His movement has really picked up in the last couple weeks, and Ava even felt him kick one day. She thought it was the coolest thing ever and has been trying to feel the kicks ever since. I learned at the 25-week sono that I have an anterior placenta this time around, which can mask the baby's movements for a while due to the extra padding in front. So, that explains why, despite being my second pregnancy, I didn't feel him much until recently.

Any food cravings? Despite not craving sweets as much this pregnancy, I was DYING to have a chocolate chip cookie from JD's Chippery last weekend. I made it there just as they were closing, but they took pity on the poor pregnant lady :). I foresee a return trip in the very near future.

Baked goods, particularly cheese danish and muffins, are also my pregnancy kryptonite at the moment. So much so that some slightly-brown bananas called out to be made into Cinnamon Crumb Banana Bread at 9:00 pm last week…which I highly recommend.

Is your belly button in or out? Out and about.

What are you looking forward to in the next few weeks? After reading Ava's 26-week post a couple weeks ago, I realized that we were already putting the crib together by this point in my pregnancy with her. As a result, I developed an extreme sense of urgency (i.e., pregnancy-induced craziness) to get Baby Boy's room together and ordered all the big nursery items in one night. Most of it has been delivered, and I can't wait to start putting his room together over the next few weeks.

How is Ava handling the pregnancy/impending big sister status? She talks about "baby brother" all the time and even asked the other day when he will be out of my tummy. Even though Ava has no idea what she is really in for, I think she is really excited to meet him. She also continues to maintain that she has a baby sister in her stomach. And tonight she put my hand on her stomach and said "baby sissa kick"…hilarious!

Finally, for a comparison, click here to view my 26-week post with Ava.