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Married a geek, then left a job in advertising to be a personal assistant to a toddler. The pay is... well, nonexistent, but the perks are simply priceless.

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Friday, April 4, 2008

Oh, how life has changed: Birthday Edition

My husband was out of town for a conference, so my friends invited me over for a casual family dinner of gumbo. It was a great idea, except that may have quite possibly been THE most disgusting sounding thing in the world to me.

The gumbo, not the friends and family time...


There were supposed to be a bunch of other people from college there too, including my best friend. It was mostly folks who we hadn't seen a whole lot since they got married and had babies... lots and lots of babies.

It would have been so much fun to see everyone again, but I just wasn't up for it. I gave my regrets and spent my evening channel surfing on the sofa.

Turns out I didn't miss much. My best friend (A.K.A. the only single adult there) called to check on me as she was leaving their house. There was fear and panic in her voice. The kids outnumbered the adults, which, at the time, definitely would have scared me too...

"It was SO crazy. The KIDS! They were all over the place and so insanely LOUD! And, oh my goodness! Their house! Their house! It... was... covered... in... TOYS!" she said. "Man, you and I should be glad we're not pregnant, right?"

"Actually.... I am." and after a brief pause, we both started screaming, "Ahhhhhhh!"

That was 2 years and 9 months ago, and I haven't looked back since.

Today is my son's 2nd birthday. In the calm before the celebrations, I can't help but ponder how those days when I first blurted out the words, "I'm PREGNANT" to our family and friends seem like a distant past but yet, not so much....

You know that saying: "the days are long, but the years are short"? No truer words have EVER been spoken. I can hardly account for all of the late, late nights and way-too-early mornings, photo ops, diaper changes, bedtime stories, frantic phone calls to docs, sweet kisses, tantrums, adorable belly giggles... and the much, much more to come.

To say having a child changes everything would be a severe understatement. While I haven't been a mom for very long, it's still strange to think back to a time when every dinner went smoothly, cleanly, and uninterrupted. Happy hours weren't just for my monthly "girls' night out" and weekends revolved around "hmmm, now which jello shot workout class to take"...

I wish I could say that I miss life before becoming a mom, but to be perfectly honest... I don't. My simple, suburban life may be less than glamorous to most some people, but somehow life just doesn't seem quite right without my son (and all the craziness he brings) in it.

These days, I'm the one with the messy, chaotic house full of toys and barely making it to see my old friends. (Sorry, but sadly it's true) As for my best friend...

She and her fiance are my son's godparents, and they're getting married this summer. Oh, how life has changed!

Then and...

Now and Loving every minute of it.

18 comments:

Sarahviz said...

I like that: "The days are long but the years are short."
So true once you become a parent, huh?

Mayberry said...

Happy birthday! And it is my son's today too! Still working on the b-day post.

Good luck with the party prep.

Mom said...

Amazing how these little poeple change you huh, and in a good way too! Happy Birthday to the Birthday Boy!

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful post - thank you for the smile it brought to my face. (And how right you are . . . I can't believe how long some days are when my baby is coming up on 3! Where have those years gone?!)

Skiplovey said...

Found myself nodding as I read this. Which means - great post!
Also, geez I've totally turned into my mom.
Anyway, happy birthday to the little er getting bigger guy!

OHmommy said...

awww... you brought a smile to my face.

Texasholly said...

Ya, I don't get the gumbo thing either.

Those pictures are so precious. How sweet. It just makes my heart hurt to think how fast they grow up. And some days it takes my greatest self control to assure they do.

Maude Lynn said...

Happy birthday! Fabulous post! I feel the same way about being a mom. Honestly, I can barely remember life before I was!

Anonymous said...

that's what a mother's feel when she see her baby happy. even what big problem will come, a little smile from a baby is a big inspiration for a mother.

Anonymous said...

oh that last photo made me swoon. And my ovaries ache.

My last baby is almost as big as me. I miss those baby days. They do go too quick. Far too quick.

Happy Birthday to your beautiful boy.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful, beautiful post! Happy birthday (to both of you.)

I loved this so much, I'm Stumbling it.

Karen MEG said...

Awww, what a sweet, sweet post. Being a parent is the most rewarding thing; it's a whole lotta work, but like you, I don't regret it one bit.

Happy birthday to your sweetie! I love the first photo, sock on/sock off!

the mama bird diaries said...

Those photos are so cute!!

I can not even remember my life before my kids. It's so weird to think of existing before them.

And I love gumbo.

Gray Matter Matters said...

What a fantastic post. It took the words right out of my brain. Not my mouth, because I could never articulate it as beautifully as you have.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LITTLE MAN!!

Cynthia said...

Isn't it crazy how fast they grow...cute shots!

Tonya Staab said...

such a sweet photo of him sleeping. So do we get to see party pics?

Head Gaggler said...

Aww, love looking at the yearly shots. He's a cutie pie!

MamaGeek @ Works For Us said...

If ever there was a perfect post, this was it.