Babymoon.

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We spent our babymoon in Southern Pines, NC at Knollwood House B&B. We stayed in the Hickstead Suite in the carriage house (above). I loved the gorgeous hydrangeas. We saw a lot of them during our stay.

The innkeeper, Joe and Lyndee, were incredibly welcoming and very excited about our baby. I still feel thrilled when people (especially people we don't even know!) are genuinely happy for us. We settled in right away. The king-sized bed was perfect, and the pillows were dreamy.

We'd gone to Harris Teeter to buy fancy "dinner snacks," so we could stay in for our two evenings and save a little money (and energy). We ate pita crackers, tiny rounds of brie, strawberries, summer sausage bites (for me), and amazing HT Traders milk chocolate macadamia cookies.

We were the only ones at the table the next morning despite six place settings. I don't understand why people wouldn't get up for breakfast at a B&B! The special, unique breakfasts are a huge part of the charm. How often is breakfast really such an exciting meal? Of course, after my mother's brunch reception, I'm a bit spoiled.

Lyndee was so nice about Josh being a vegetarian, and she chose dishes that made leaving out meat simple. Joe was vigilant about refilling our little cut crystal glasses with orange juice. First, we had crescents of cantaloupe decorated with half strawberries. I find it interesting that pregnancy seems to make me unusually tolerant of a variety of fruit (orange juice? Cantaloupe??).

The main dish was vanilla cinnamon French toast topped with baked cinnamon apples. I had bacon as well, and it was in that perfect place between soft and crisp. Isn't it wonderful when even breakfast has dessert? We had tiny cut crystal glasses of raspberry sorbet with a bit of whipped cream. I would have taken photos of the breakfasts if it wouldn't have seemed rude!

At lunch time, we went into town and, on Joe's recommendation, sought out Sweet Basil Cafe. It was a tiny place open only for lunch. I wondered what waiting tables at a restaurant that's only open four hours five days a week would be like. We arrived in the middle of the rush but didn't have to wait.

The menu was very vegetarian-friendly but also had plenty of options for picky meat-eaters like me. Josh ordered the Penne Sweet Basil. I had the Grilled Chicken Napa with avocado and bacon on Tuscan bread with fries. Oh, that Tuscan bread was something special. Josh had it with his pasta as well.

We shared a slice of the Featherlight Cheesecake...oh dear. I could have eaten two more slices on my own. It was so light that it was more like cheesecake mousse. If I could do something nice for everyone on earth right now, it would be to give each person a piece of that cake.

We went on a long walk, popping into a couple of shops but mostly pacing through the residential streets. I was worn out by the time we got back to the room for reading, scribbling, and more dinner snacks. We reached page 100 in The Secret Garden!

Our second breakfast was even better than the first, and we had company. The woman in the couple mentioned that her birthday had been the day before. I said, "And mine's today!"

We sat down to grilled pineapple with blueberries, yogurt, and mint (again, these fruits I don't normally like were delicious). The main course was a cherry tomato and asparagus frittata, tender sausage links (politely absent from Josh's plate), and half a not-too-sweet cinnamon roll.

The sorbet, this time blood orange and in tiny rounded goblets, came out with pink birthday candles for me and the other birthday guest. How fun!

Josh and I packed up and went to the Weymouth House to see the little NC Literary Hall of Fame. I hadn't been to an historical house in so long. I went to them all the time as a homeschooling child. Something is very nourishing about them. We saw a horse-drawn carriage, and I told Josh we could try a stint as a family of reenactors.

After touring the house, we walked along the trail and found fountains, lily ponds, and gardens. The carriage rushed by every now and then like a vision of the past.

By then, we were hungry, and we'd like Sweet Basil so much that we went back. We got the last table. Josh had the Hot Vegetarian, an open-faced tomato, avocado, onion, and white cheddar sandwich with basil mayo on Focaccia. I had hot roast beef and brie with honey mustard on Tuscan. I had house greens with balsamic vinaigrette (having decided one round of fries was enough).

We then went in search of something I'd spotted the day before: C Cups Cupcakery. I expected an empty shop, but people were coming in to pick up orders, and a mother and son were having a cupcake date. Isn't something special about soda in glass bottles? Josh had Coke, and I had root beer.

He ordered a key lime cupcake with green sprinkles. I had a carrot cake cupcake with cinnamon cream cheese frosting. We sat at one of the three little tables with pink napkins, bright faux daisies, and little shakers of sprinkles (just in case anyone needs more).

Josh said, "This feels very fancy." I was looking at the little white highchair in the corner, thinking about bringing Oliver here for his first taste of frosting. I can't wait to see his face when he tastes his first cupcake or tiny bit of ice cream. Our babymoon was relaxing and romantic, but we never stopped dreaming about our boy.