Mini Vacation, Musings and an Exciting Announcement

I took a couple of hours off on Saturday afternoon to do absolutely nothing related to wiping someone else's nose or butt, laundry, dishes, or the never-ending emotional counseling that ninth grade girls seem to require in order to learn math. (OMG. Lots of boyfriend drama in the ninth grade this week.)

Instead, I half-watched a couple of DVR'd episodes of Grey's Anatomy and drank a beer. It felt quite indulgent at 2 o'clock in the afternoon.

Periodically I page back through my blog entries, and it's notable how my tone changes over time.

Here's a funny one from '07...
Now it's time to get a job and a place to live. But don't worry...this won't turn into a blog where the answer to the question "what has become of m and k?" is "they moved to the 'burbs and now their only entertainment is paying HOA-violations for leaving the trash can out too long.

Nope...just way too much information about what cute thing my kid did yesterday!

And then there's this entry, about listening to hippos on the banks of the Nile River. What??!! I went to Africa? That seems like a lifetime ago.

Anything I wrote before Laurel's birth is in such contrast to how Laurel's birth actually went. In an entry from July '09 about our hospital tour, I liken Magee Hospital to the Hampton Inn and write:
I was greatly relieved to hear that they really do promote a natural approach to birth, and that unless I specifically request it, my labor need not resemble a bad episode of TLC's Birth Day. That is, I will be free to walk around, sit in a jacuzzi, and drink when I am thirsty. There won't be a crowd of doctors and nurses yelling "push!" - which was seriously my worst nightmare since we found out I was pregnant. I wish we did not have cable then, because I watched a lot of Discovery Channel and they really make labor and birth look truly awful.

Ha! I had no idea what was coming my way.

Life...then and now. There's a scene in Away We Go, where one of the friends they're visiting talks about parenting and love and how it's awesome, but you blink and it's five a.m. and you know you are going to be tired all day, all week, the rest of your life. I agree! And yet, life seems so much richer with Laurel around. Even though we're going around the block, instead of to Africa.

Anyway, while I was sitting there, I started thinking about Christmas and traditions and I thought, gee...I would really love to brew up a giant pot of wassail and chat with all my favorite people over the delicious smorgasboard that always appears when we have a party (we have some amazing cooks among our friends and family).

So, December 18. Starts at 5. Come one, come all.