The doctor and a hint of spring

On Monday, Molly and I met our friends Mandy and Devin at the park to catch up.  We haven’t seen each other in months because of work, distance, and the holidays so we were happy to get out of the house Monday afternoon to enjoy a spring-like day.  However, every other mom in Charlotte and the surrounding towns had the same idea because it was packed.  So we ditched the park and trespassed in a nearby neighborhood playground.  Molly spent a good deal of the time at the playground having a temper-tantrum because I wouldn’t let her out of the gate, but she recovered and was able to enjoy the swings and watch the doggies with her bud Devin.  

 

Tuesday, we visited our favorite doctor for Molly’s 18 month well-visit.  She’s growing like a weed and is right on track with all of her developmental milestones.  She had fun identifying her body parts for Dr. H and chasing a tennis ball around the office.  We even found out MJ has a double ear infection!  It’s her first one – that we know of! – and other than a little trouble at naptime, we never even knew she wasn’t feeling well.  So now she’s on her first antibiotics and hopefully is already feeling much better!

This spring-like weather is certainly making the afternoons a lot easier.  I love that we can spend some time outside after nap.  Yesterday, we saw Jessica and Graham and Sue and Cam at the park and ran into two other moms out for walks on our way back.  There’s just something about sunshine that puts everyone in a great mood!

Read Full Post »

Randomness

The lack of blog posts isn’t a reflection of a lack of goings-on at our house.  Spring semester has officially started after three snow days the first week of class and I’m making every effort to stay organized and well-planned this semester!  As a student, I was always grateful for a new semester, sure that each semester was the semester that I’d get my act together.  Sadly, I still make the same resolution as a teacher.  {Don’t get me wrong – I am plenty organized and well-prepared for my classes – I just always think I can be more organized and planned!}

———————————–

We’re awfully busy with Sweet Birdie’s Nest, too.  Check out what we’ve been up so far in 2011!

———————————–

Molly was sick for about a week and a half, but after eight days of unexplained fever and no other symptoms, she’s bounced back to her usual self.  Poor thing had to have a catheter to rule out a kidney infection and I know that was not pleasant for her.  Luckily, no sign of a kidney infection and the fever has subsided.

Molly was super sweet this afternoon – Jim played golf and Molly and I had a great time playing with her baby dolls and cuddling on the couch.  I hung out in my pajamas most of the day and it was so nice to not run a million errands.

———————————–

Jim and I had a fun, last-minute afternoon date yesterday – we went to lunch and to see Black Swan.  I have to remember that “date night” doesn’t have to be on a Saturday night; we have the most fun at random time and I enjoyed our “stolen” afternoon.

————————————

Finally, I’m thinking about running the Chicago marathon again in October.  I ran it in 2008 as a charity runner and made some wonderful friends while training.  Meredith wants to run a full marathon (we trained for the Kiawah half together) and she’s not having to twist my arm too hard to convince me to run another full.  It’s so much work and a huge time commitment, but the feeling of accomplishment afterwards is definitely worth it!

Read Full Post »

Three decades.

Today is my 30th birthday.

So far, it’s not so bad.  I didn’t have any dread or anxiety leading up to this birthday.  30 certainly isn’t old.  But it isn’t young, either.  I’m at a wonderful place in my life.  I have an adoring, caring husband; a beautiful, healthy daughter; a great number of loyal, fun friends; and steadfast, supportive parents and sisters.  Compared to my 20s, which were fraught with anxiety – graduating from college, going to graduate school, finding my first job, living alone for the first time, meeting my husband, getting married, buying a house, and having a baby – I’m expecting my 30s to be brilliantly calm.  Easy, even.

Of course, there are things I had hoped to accomplish by this point in my life and there are things that I’ve done that I’d never dreamed I would have.  I thought I would have a *really* important job.  Instead, I’m a mother and a wife and part-time college instructor.  I can’t think of three more important jobs, can you?  I’ve always wanted to be tall and skinny, but instead I’ve run a marathon, two half-marathons, carried a baby 42 weeks, labored for 15 hours and then had a c-section.  I always thought my life would be abuzz with friends and family and social events.  And you know what?  It is and I love it.  I know exactly where  – and who – I am.

I don’t love that I have to work out harder, go to bed earlier, and use eye cream on a regular basis.  But hey, those are easy trade-offs for the comfort of knowing I’m loved and in a good place.  So today, {which is a snow day = no class!}, I’m going to treat myself to a Starbucks latte, hang out with my baby girl {er, toddler girl}, go to a playdate, and have dinner with my family.  Oh, and don’t forget a glass of red wine in there somewhere.

I think I’m going to like my 30s.

Read Full Post »