Is it too late?

Is it too late to make New Years Eve plans? I had decided that we didn't need to go out this year. And it's hard to find a babysitter, since we don't generally have non-family babysit unless Sophie is already in bed. Obviously all of my family will be out partying. Obviously. And even if we could find a babysitter, I just couldn't think of anything to do. I can't drink, which makes everything a lot less fun. I didn't want to do what we did last year. Which was the same thing we had done two years ago. So I just kind of let it go. But now I'm feeling slightly depressed about not having New Years Eve plans. Shimmy and I have made plans every year we have been married, except when NYE fell out on a Friday night. It's really not a big deal that we'll be home. We have several upcoming "dates." Our anniversary is next week, followed by the annual partner dinner the following weekend. And then we will be in Vegas the last weekend of January. But I can't help feeling down about tonight. So if anyone can think of something we can do, please let me know. Suggestions must accompany the offer to babysit, of course. I have a feeling I'll be hanging out with Carson Daly until the ball drops. That is, if I can stay up that late.

A Day in the Life

Yesterday was an awesome day. The best one I've had in a very long time. It didn't even matter that I spent it hobbling around in pain with my "broken" tailbone. Sophie woke me around 9 am, which in itself was awesome. It is always nice to wake up and realize I've gotten more sleep than I thought I would. We got ready as fast as we could and drove down to Silver Spring. She spent the day with Nana happily playing, coloring, and blowing bubbles, while I went here with my dad and Uncle Arthur, who is visiting this week from Charleston. A splendid time was guaranteed for all. We spent two hours deeply engrossed in these photographs. I began to hate the photographs of people who were there, observing the Beatles play, wishing I could have been sitting in one of those dingy chairs in studio 2 at Abbey Road on that night. I purchased a print after much deliberating. I am the first of only 40 people in the world that will ever own this print. It will become known as a very rare collector's item. Yes, it was expensive. I'm adding it as a rider on my home insurance. I will smile every time I look at it. I will picture myself in a boat on a river. I will still love that piece of art and history when I'm 64- and forever after.

After we left the gallery, we drove over to Shimmy's office. My dad and uncle got the grand tour of his mini empire and I got to chit chat with the work people I only get to see a few times a year. Then we all headed back to my parents' house for a really nice family dinner. Uncle Arthur (or "uckle" as Sophie calls him) took some gorgeous family photos:







PS: Can you find all of the Beatles references in this post? Bonus points if you can tell me exactly why they are relevant to the day's events.

My Alternative Lifestyle

Today I wanted to sleep in. Instead I woke up with a sudden muscle spasm in my leg courtesy of the fetus.

Today I wanted 10 minutes alone so I could use the bathroom. Instead I chatted with my daughter while she sat on my lap, facing me on the toilet.

Today I wanted a nap. Instead I polished silver.

Today I wanted a stiff drink, or even just wine. Instead I had a glass of water.

Tonight I would like some sushi for dinner. Instead I will probably eat the remains of a bunch of random things Sophie will eat a few bites of and then change her mind about. And even if she does eat everything (by some miracle) and I can eat a plate of food made just for me, it can't be sushi. It will probably be cereal. Bah.

A Letter

Dear Ma'am,

Although I do not know you and I have never seen you before, I will never forget you. While you were driving to work yesterday, talking on your cellphone (which is illegal in DC), you hit my husband. I cannot imagine what went through your head as you recklessly sped around the corner and through a cross walk and found yourself face to face with a 6'3" man on your windshield. I would hope that your first thought would have been "I hope he's okay." I'm sure you also thought "I hope he doesn't call the cops." You are lucky- he was too shocked to think about anything besides walking away. Let me tell you what my thoughts were after learning about what happened. I thought, "Thank God he is okay." Then I thought, "What if he had been hurt?" Then I thought, "What if he had been killed?" I imagined my husband- my best friend and soul mate- laying mangled somewhere. I thought of myself, our daughter, and our unborn child trying to live in a world without him. Instead of happily playing with my two year old in our Music Together class, I sat with my head in my hands, sobbing. I merely existed for the rest of the day, wandering around aimlessly and going through the motions of my daily activities. I did not spend more than 20 minutes out of close physical proximity of my husband from the time he got home until we both the left the house for our separate destinations this morning. We have been together for 11 1/2 years. In that time I can very honestly say that I have never taken my husband for granted or not appreciated him. I have always thought about how lucky I am to have him each and every day, and that my very worst fear in the world is to lose him. Because of you, yesterday, that fear almost came true. I hope you felt at least a small fraction of the fear that he and I felt yesterday morning. I hope this fear inspires you to be more careful from now on.

Missing Lennon

"I was the dream weaver, but now I'm gone. I was the walrus, but now I'm John. And so, dear friends, you'll just have to carry on. The dream is over..."

"You may say I'm a dreamer. But I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us. And the world will be as one."

Though it's been 28 years since your untimely death, your gifts and messages to the world still live on. You shine on like the moon and the stars and the sun.

I didn't forget about Thanksgiving!

We hosted Thanksgiving for the sixth year in a row. And it was maybe the best one yet. The turkey was absolutely succulent. Shimmy and I have really perfected our turkey process. The rest of the food was awesome too, as was the company. Here are some pics (sorry there are so many).

The star of the show:



The co-stars:



Sophie with Nana and Poppa:



Messings and Tusks:



Uncle Giddy (I think we have a picture of him sleeping from every Thanksgiving):



Horrific family pic:



Sophie and Uncle Giddy:



The decorations Sophie made at school:

Pancakes and Painting

For the past four Tuesdays I have dropped Sophie off at the in-laws to play for a couple of hours. Anyone who knows me well (or knows someone who knows me well) will understand that this is a big deal. Until recently it would have been a big deal to leave Sophie anywhere without me for a couple of hours. But it was pretty much unthinkable to leave her at the in-laws. (I'm not going to even go into why, because I'm assuming you all know the complex history there, but for those few who don't, I'll just clarify that it doesn't have anything to do with their ability to take care of kids). About a month ago my mother-in-law asked me (for the umpteenth time since Sophie was born) if I would like to leave her there once a week. She must have caught me on one of the many nights I was going insane with single parenting syndrome, because I actually considered it. The first time she asked my immediate response (in my head) was "hell to the no." This time I decided that Sophie was old enough to communicate her needs and if she was having a terrible time, she would ask to call me herself and I would come get her. So I agreed to bring her over. I decided that if she wasn't warming up, I'd just stay with her for a respectable amount of time, and then we'd both leave. Also, Shimmy was working from home that day, so I knew if Sophie needed someone to come get her and I was in the middle of errands, he would go. To my surprise and delight she had a great time. That's all the convincing I needed- I have dropped her off every Tuesday morning since then.

I had grown so accustomed to running my errands with her, that I had forgotten how much faster I used to be able to do things when I was by myself. With Sophie, two hours gives us time to go the grocery store, go home, and put away the groceries. Two hours without Sophie gives me time to go to the grocery store, dry cleaner, jeweler, butcher, another store, and back home to put it all away before picking her up.

Today I used my time to come back home and eat pancakes for breakfast (I had almost forgotten what breakfast was. What? It's not scarfing down a granola bar in the car?), then paint the mantel and brackets I bought to hang over the fireplace. Yes, friends, I have been busy. Not only have I taken on this mantel project (which now just awaits Shimmy's help in hanging it), I have also finished and hung my belly cast and finished the Israel scrapbook. Not to mention the continuation of the nesting saga. The office is now empty except for the desk, which needs to be dismantled and hauled to the curb. The brown room (new office?) looks fabulous. As soon as that shed arrives we'll be working on the laundry room. And as soon as Sophie's new bed arrives we'll set up her new room! Yay for productivity! Here are some pics of my recent accomplishments:

Yesterday's rainbow (technically not my accomplishment):



My belly cast finished (decoupage and polyurethane):



The painted mantel and brackets:



The Israel scrapbook- opened to a random page: