Friday, August 31, 2012

35....Sigh

Age is just a number. Today I don't feel older than I did yesterday. Today is just today.

But...

It is also my birthday. As today has gotten closer, I've even had to think about how old I would be. It's not a 'milestone' birthday. And even those haven't hit me hard. The biggest birthday in my adult life was 31 ~ it was my golden after all, but really it was because it was the first birthday after a significant life change. It was my baby's 3 month old birthday. Since then, my birthdays seem to matter even less.

I'm not a big birthday girl--I don't plan or crave parties or extravagant gifts. I just want people to remember and just say "Happy Birthday." So far, I've got lots of messages on-line. That's great--but many of those people wouldn't even know it was my birthday if that site didn't tell them.

For crying out loud, my mom didn't even say anything this morning when I dropped Precious off with her. She gave me her gift early, so it's not like she completely forgot, but still...

And, hubby--that's the big one. For years, he's been convinced my birthday is the 30th and so he says he's just always early, he doesn't forget. Well--nothing yesterday. Nothing today yet. Maybe it's too early, but I doubt it. I bet he completely forgot.

So that's what makes me sigh today.

It's not the end of the world; it'll be fine. But for now, I want to complain just a bit!

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Hope

Being a mother changes my perspective on a lot of things. I used to hope for much bigger things. I guess I still do. I do, however, use the word "hope" a lot more frequently without grandiose desires.

Take, for example, last night. It was a three committee meeting night at our congregation. Which means I was in meetings starting at 5, 5:45, and 6:30 (and made it to all three close to on time!) It's a crazy night--tonight is a close second with meetings at 5:30 and 6:30. Those are crazy times, but instead of five weeknights away from home, it's two--so a trade off I'm willing to take. But last night, the last meeting went a long time--thankfully with great conversation that was valuable. When I locked the door at 8:10; I sighed. And thought, "Okay, Precious will be asleep in bed. I HOPE Baby Girl will be ready for stories and sleep."

Yeah--maybe my hopes are too grandiose! Both were wide awake, wired, wound and playing. Ugh. Thankfully, they did settle down easier than I thought. Precious a bit more loudly, but both were asleep by just after 9.

Now for more grandiose hopes! I hope Precious is on her way to potty training! In the last week, she has expressed adamant desire to use the potty. Sunday morning and this morning, she pooped on the potty. (She's pretty consistent in time with the first poop of the day, so I wasn't super surprised. I was surprised by how she refused to let me take her off the potty before she pooped on Sunday. She sat a long time--for the always on the go girl!!) And, she peed in the potty twice two--once by expressing desire to sit and once when I just set her on. She's been tending to wake up dry from a nap but then wetting just a few minutes later, so one day when she woke up dry, I put her on the potty and, sure enough, pee came quickly.

I hope she will be using the potty consistently soon-ish. She's only 15 months, so I'm not expecting a whole lot. But I'm hopeful Precious will make it easier on us than Baby Girl did!