Birthday Meals

 Doug and Alexa have birthdays coming up.  They are within days of each other.  It always makes it a little tricky, because food is my love language.  That's how I feel loved, and how I make sure my family feels loved.  Food is, unfortunately, NOT their love language.  

If it's Andrew's birthday- he expects to be taken out to breakfast and dinner.  If it's my birthday, I want to go to my mom's house so she can cook me my favorite meal.  If it's Alexa's birthday, you ask, "Alexa, what would you like for your birthday meal?!"  Last year she chose pancakes.  This year she has chosen hot dogs.  There are not words to describe how my soul is crushed.  How can you make hot dogs with ketchup amazing and special?!  You cannot.  Don't try.  She actually doesn't want special and amazing.  She wants a hot dog, on a bun, with some ketchup.  She will most likely not finish the hot dog.  She doesn't want it grilled, she doesn't want the bun toasted, she doesn't want cole slaw, or a delicious chili.  She wants it plain jane.  And tater tots.  But not fancy tater tots.  Just plain tater tots.  

Doug surprised me, and said- "We should see what the options are because it's Restaurant Week!"  He rarely likes to try new things, so I enthusiastically looked up the restaurants and their menus, and shared them with him.  One menu I was soooooo excited about.  There's a restaurant in Midland NC, 73 & Main.  It's a farm to table style menu.  We went for our anniversary and I absolutely adored the food.  Their Restaurant Week menu looked sooo good- that I wouldn't have been able to make up my mind. For example their appetizers included: locally grown Cherokee Purple tomatoes, smoked Gouda cheese, herbs, and bread crumbs.  Or there was a grilled watermelon salad with feta and fresh mint, or the corn and crab soup.  The main course had pistachio crusted pork chops, or Parmesan baked scallops, or bacon wrapped chicken.  Doug wasn't enticed by those.  We're going to his favorite steak place so he can get steak, regular old iceberg salad, and a baked potato.  The steak is good and i love their bleu cheese dressing- and it's his birthday, so I'm not complaining at all, but dang we're missing out on some good food.  

Another area we're different- I require a birthday dessert.  I tend to be traditional with either a chocolate cake or a homemade apple pie (I like to choose apple pie because I know no one else in my house will want to have any- so I'll get to eat it for breakfast throughout the rest of the week- which is my favorite thing to do).  Alexa is going to choose cookies.  Andrew will want Nana's pound cake, and Doug will . . . not make a specific request.  How?!! How has he not planned his dessert for weeks prior?!  How is he like, "Eh- whatever or nothing is fine."  No! That's not fine!!!!  A dessert must be carefully selected.  It's a key aspect of the day!!!! I do not understand this situation.  I do make him a dessert, but I am frequently fraught with indecision and self doubt.  What if he does not love this dessert?!  What if this dessert isn't something he desires?!  Who wants a lame dessert for their birthday?????  And see- this is how birthdays go for us.  He doesn't understand the importance of selecting something delicious, and I don't understand his lackadaisical attitude towards dessert.  Sometimes it's a mystery that we manage to work through the challenges to remain married.  




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