Week 31: Chocolate Butter Cookies

This week I chose to bake chocolate butter cookies.  Victoria chose the recipe for the week in honor of her 11th birthday.  Her birthday is just four days away, and she wanted me to let her choose the recipe, so I did.  She looked through my collection of online recipes, as well as the dozens of recipes that I have "on deck" in my recipe box, and decided on this one.  The resulting cookies are buttery, chocolatey, and scrumptious.  The recipe didn't make very many but that was the only down side.  This recipe has only 6 ingredients, and it was really simple to make.  Here is the link to the recipe that I used:http://www.landolakes.com/recipe/2824/chocolate-butter-cookies

In anticipating Victoria's birthday later in the week, I reflected on her birth 11 years ago.  It was a whirlwind to say the least. I was on bed rest at home for approximately a month due to pre-eclampsia, and pre-term labor.  On July 7th, after an office visit with my OB, he decided to induce labor due to the pre-eclampsia.  I had been to the hospital previously due to the pre-term labor so I was familiar with the procedure of getting hooked up to the monitors.  Once I was "plugged in" the induction began.  I was okay at the beginning, but after my water broke it all went south.  I was in hard labor for 18 hours and had to push for 3 hours.  My epidural did not work so it was a ridiculous series of events.  Dan and I hadn't slept since Thursday night, and we were up all night on Friday due to the contractions.  On Saturday afternoon, my doctor thought that I may need to have a c-section.  My doctor asked our permission to try a vacuum assist and we consented. Eventually Victoria was born with the assistance of a vacuum and forceps.  YIKES... talk about a cone head!  Victoria Ann Sutherland entered the world on Saturday July 8, 2000 at 2:42 p.m.  She was born with hiccups, but other than that she was perfect. ♥  

I, on the other hand, was a mess. I had all sorts of yucky complications and it took a long time before I felt normal again.  Add to that the craziness of a first baby who had colic and never slept, plus breastfeeding around the clock, and I was a total freak! It took MONTHS before Dan and I were on somewhat of a routine and even longer until we felt "normal."  It was a really stressful time and we questioned ourselves constantly.  Who knew that a little 6 pound 15 ounce baby could wreak such havoc on our lives. Once Victoria was over the colic and she actually slept (at about 4 months) we finally got it together, and found our stride...just in time for teething! Looking back I really felt like once we felt comfortable the bottom would drop out as either something would change or something new would crop up. It really was trying for Dan and I and we learned a lot about ourselves and each other.  Now we are a well oiled machine when it comes to parenting and handling the kids.  I wish I could go back and experience that time in our lives over again, BUT with the knowledge that I have now. What a different experience it would be.

Victoria has chosen a "glam girl" theme for her birthday, and she has decided against having a cake. She wants a giant cookie to be her cake, and she wants me to remake a few of her favorite cookies (week 28's  ricotta cheese cookies and week 29's nutella cookies) to serve at the party.  She is hoping for good weather as she wants to swim during the party, and then have a bonfire.  I hope the weather cooperates and that her birthday is all she wants it to be.  I do my best every year to make the kids' birthdays special.  I love love love the idea of having a whole day devoted to making their wishes come true.  We have been fortunate in that we are usually able to grant their wishes or at least come close.

My wish for Victoria is that she grow into a healthy, happy, and well adjusted young woman.  I hope she finds a life partner that makes her happy and loves her "all the way."  I hope she finds a career that is fulfilling both financially and emotionally.  I hope that she chooses motherhood to be a part of her life, and if so, I hope that she is blessed with at least one daughter. (I think everyone should have at least one daughter... I think that everyone should have at least one son too. ☺)  I hope that she appreciates all the little things in life, and I hope that she can maintain a sense of humor through it all.  Most of all I hope that I live long enough to bear witness to all the things that life has in store for her. That's all my Mom wanted too...to watch all of her "babies" grow up.  Unfortunately she didn't get her wish.  So this year as my sweet Victoria makes her birthday wishes and then blows out her candles, I'll make some silent wishes too.  I'll wish for good health and the strength/wisdom to make healthy choices to ensure that I am here a long long time.  I'll wish for patience as I continue to guide my babies through adolescence and into adulthood. I'll wish for grace and courage to deal with all the disappointments and heartaches in life.  Lastly, I'll wish for comfort and peace as we all continue to deal with Mom's absence. ♥

Victoria ~ July 2000

Victoria ~ July 2011