Starbucks – robinchartier

Baby girl and I hosted the embassy spouse coffee group this month. While we were setting up for the the party we took some photos of ourselves.

Showing off her ability to climb up on the table, stand up, and crouch back down.

Super proud — right before she took a tumble off the table.

No blood, no foul.

On the menu: Fruit salad with melon, apples, grapes, oranges, and mint.
Chicken salad sandwiches (in the croissants)
Molasses cookies
Chocolate Banana Bread
Drinks: coffee, tea, orange juice, champagne

Nothing fancy — good food served on paper plates with wooden forks and paper napkins. And I was able to put my large collection of Starbucks mugs to good use. The fanciest part of it all was my new tablecloth from the Syrian wood guy in the sook. I figured as a grownup, I probably should own one tablecloth so I bought this one last week. It’s a latte colored fabric with slightly darker embroidery thread.

There were 15 or 16 women in attendance and we had a fun time chatting, eating, and shopping. (A woman was there who sells shirts that she imports from India). Camille partied right through her naptime. She was too busy “trying on” the clothes and eating bites of cookie to feel tired. She strutted around the room like she was one of the the girls instead of my baby.

One of the best parts about Josh’s course is that class starts at 7am so he often gets home by 2 in the afternoon. Not so great for him to have to get up early, but fun for us to be able to go do things as a threesome before the boys come home from school.

One thing we like to do is go sit at Starbucks. We could drink coffee at home, and at $4.50 for a grande cap it’s not cheap, but it’s one of the few places where the employees speak Arabic and they all know Josh by now and chat with him as they make our drinks.

We decided Camille is finally old enough to get her own drink. We started her on the steamed milk — we’ll save the harder stuff for when she turns 2.

I love that the mall is modern and has places like Chili’s and Cinnabon, but the people walking by in dishdashas and abayas show that we’re clearly in the Middle East.

She’s mad because she wants to hold the cup herself, but she keeps trying to turn it upside down or take the straw out so Josh is trying to “help” her. I’ve always told people that she has no problem telling us exactly how she feels . . .