Eat Your Heart Out

Perhaps you remember shortly after Ander was born I wrote a short post on the traditional Chinese soup that our realtor had generously made me but I was too grossed out to eat. I literally couldn't even taste it I was so horrified. Thus this post is brought to you today in part for you to feel sorry for my latest encounter with the darn "New Mother's Soup" and also for you to see just how far I've come over the last two years. 

It all started when the same realtor Fiona, called Nathan and asked if she and our Landlady could come by to see the baby. I really like both of these women so I was glad to have them. I figured they may bring the soup again but thought I would be able to thank them graciously as I had before and then stick it in the fridge until Nathan could properly dispose of it.
The ladies arrived bearing gifts, one in a suspicious smelling pot. After we visited for a while and they each held Scarlett my heart almost stopped when Fiona asked where a pot was so the Landlady could cook some noodles. Say what? In my mind I was praying I had misunderstood but in my heart I knew. I knew what was about to go down and that there was no getting out of it.
Minutes later the noodles are cooked and Fiona is translating what the Landlady is saying about the nutrition and purpose of the soup. Again telling me how the broth is based from alcohol and then they use "chicken" and "pork" but thankfully this time they refrained from throwing in the kidney that is typically considered a delicacy. The Landlady filled my bowl to the brim and we all sat down to eat together. There was no where to run and no where to hide. I wanted to die.

I had to get a picture of the "meat" without the alcohol broth. I testify to you now that eating this soup would have been completely impossible for me to do two years ago. I have truly come a long way, because I sat down at that table -and though I was silently praying for deliverance the entire time- I gave it my best and tried to eat that soup.
Both Fiona and the Landlady inhaled theirs, noisily sucking the meat off of the bones and slurping up the broth and noodles. There was even a bowl to put your discarded bones in- you're thinking cute little chicken wing bones, no, they were chunky marrow filled hunks of bone. I tried to find a safe piece of meat to eat but ended up with little bits of bone in my mouth, which was alright since then it kinda looked like I had something to contribute to the bone bowl. I did my best to gag down enough so as not to offend my guests. Both of them had seconds.
Lord have mercy.
Literally.
Lot's of silent prayers went on.

Any guesses what part of the chicken ^ this is?

I was finally released from the torture due to an accident. Lunch seemed to be dragging on and by now the baby was fussy and hungry since I hadn't planned on these ladies staying through lunch. Ander's nap time was fast approaching and he was running around like a little wild man. At one point he was filling a cup of water from our dispenser which has spouts for cold, room temp, and pretty much boiling water. He is aware of the hot water and it's never been a problem so I am not really sure what happened. I guess I was a little preoccupied trying not to offend my guests by throwing up the lunch they had generously made me. Anyway, Ander burned his arm with the scalding water.

Thankfully the ladies seemed to sense it was time to go and I was able to comfort my little guy in peace as I began the process of blocking out the last hour and a half. Ander's arm has a first degree burn which is healing really well. My new emotional scars? mmm, not so much.