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August 26, 2003
August 26th, 2003
Collin is 2 years old.
I'm 22 weeks pg.
So now I'm 31. Hmmm. I'm trying to think how I feel about this. To me, turning 30 last year was no big deal at all. I seriously did not give it a second thought. I admit to even being a little excited to turn 30 and get out of my 20's. This year, on the eve of my birthday as I was soaking in a nice long Jacuzzi bath, I started thinking about turning 31. I gave it a second, even third thought. I, just as turning 30, don't think it's a big deal, certainly nothing to come unglued about, but it does feel a little different, strange even, being just a year older. I think because there are times I still feel like I'm not a "grown up" yet. I guess that's because when we're younger, we think as 30 as being "older" and "established," "sophisticated" even. At least that's what I thought when I was younger. While I do feel established, I certainly don't feel "older" as in old and feeling sophisticated? Forget that! Should I be walking around the house with a glass of red wine all day while nibbling on brie and crackers because I'm 31? Does brie and red wine even go together? Heck, I don't know. I'll leave that to when I'm in my 40's!
My birthday this year was just what I wanted. Time alone, in a nice luxurious (I didn't say sophisticated now did I?) fun suite and king sized bed all to myself. Lying around with Chocolate covered cherries, the remote, and numerous trashy magazines at my side. I spent hours in the warm Jacuzzi bath letting the jets bubble away at my back and feet, spent too much time letting Lifetime melt my brain and poured over several tabloid magazines and Soap Opera Digests. It was heavenly. Not only did I get to spend time alone the night before, but most importantly I got to spend my actual birthday with my two boys having fun. What more could I have asked for.
Sunday, Aug 24th, I checked into the suite a little after 3pm. Mark and Collin came up to the room with me as we had planned to go swimming in the pool before my night of freedom. Collin loved the room the minute I opened the door. He couldn't decide what was his favorite. He kept running and jumping on the large bed, running down and opening the little refrigerator, which was just his size, and then running over to the whirlpool tub and turning on the faucet (which poured out like a waterfall). It was a themed suite and I had picked the Jungle as the theme. It was painted with bright colors, making it look like I was in a rainforest. It had cute stuffed monkeys, tigers, and panthers hanging from vines and plants. The room was full of greenery and everything had a natural feel to it. It was wonderful. They even put animal crackers on the bed (instead of that sophisticated mint thank god!) and put a tiger striped pen and notepad on the table. Collin thought it was neat how they left him presents. The room had a kitchenette, a full bathroom, table and chairs, and a vanity. It was exactly what I had wanted. All Mark could do was walk around and tell me how unfair it was (jokingly) that I was letting this nice suite "go to waste," if you know what I mean. Men! Can they think of anything else?!
We went swimming and it took Collin quite awhile before he felt comfortable enough to want to get in. At first he just kept saying he didn't want to swim at all. Then as Mark got in and started splashing him, Collin got more excited. There were a few other people with kids there and they were nice enough to share one of their big colorful balls so we could entice Collin on getting in. It worked and he had a blast. All three of us got in and took Collin "swimming," which he did great at. I don't think he remembers taking swim lessons a year ago, but he was having a blast kicking his feet and floating on his tummy and back. He especially loved the jets and the vent full of dead bugs. We stayed in the pool for about 45 minutes to an hour, and then Mark got out to head over to the whirlpool. Collin was starting to shiver so we put him in there with Mark and he loved it. Kept referring to it as a nice big warm bathtub. Just to be safe, even though it didn't feel too hot, I stayed out and took pictures.
We got out and headed upstairs to dry off and change into dry clothes. We were all hungry and so we ordered a pizza and ate dinner. Mark and Collin left around 5:30 so I could enjoy my night in peace and quite. I spent the rest of the night, flopped out in either the bed or the Jacuzzi and just flipped channels and read magazines. I actually fell asleep at 10:30pm, but then woke up to use the bathroom at 2:15am. I couldn’t, for the life of me, fall back to sleep. I was wide-awake. So what did I do? I flipped on the TV, got up and ate some more chocolate covered cherries, washed it down with lots of water and watched Vh1. Finally around 4:30am I dozed back to sleep. I awoke again, at 7:30, having to pee again. Dang bladder! Actually it was all that water I downed at 2:15, but I'm blaming my smashed up bladder anyway.
I decided to get up and take one last Jacuzzi while watching the morning news. My room wasn't stocked with decaf coffee, only regular and I didn't feel like calling down to get any. I took a nice long soak, got out and got dressed and went downstairs for some breakfast. Collin and Mark showed up around 9:45am with birthday cards in hand and Collin saying, "happy birthday, mommy!" Mark said they worked on his speech all morning.
We loafed around and let Collin play in the waterfall tub some more, while he also tore apart the room. Mark loaded up all my things and Collin and I took the elevator, or has Collin refers to it, the alligator, downstairs to check out. We went home, unloaded, did a few things and headed back out (into the 102 degree heat---eek!). We stopped and got Mark's mom, went and got Collin some new shoes, then went to lunch at Summer Kitchen. Mark had a gourmet-grilled cheese with fries and a soda; I had a 1/2 of a veggie and cheese sandwich with a Morning Glory muffin, and water with lemon. Collin had French toast and fruit (along with stuff off our plates), and milk (along with lemons and water too! A little splashed here, a little splashed there, who's noticing), and Mark's mom had the quiche and fruit and a glass of water. We ate a delicious lunch and walked out bloated with a red balloon for Collin. We dropped off Mark's mom, came home and the boys took long naps while I talked to my Uncle, who lives in Oregon, on the phone.
Later that afternoon we went back out, went to DQ for Mr. Misty's (Collin and I had Lime, Mark had Cherry) and went back over to Mark's moms so Collin could run through the sprinklers.
All in all it was a fantastic day. I got alone time and time alone with my husband and son. It was relaxing and fun all wrapped up into one!
I put up new pictures on Collin's website of the hotel room and of Collin having fun. Check them out, they are on the second page (photo gallery).
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/n/nebraskacollin/
Next entry I promise to update on Collin and the pregnancy. So crazy to think I'm already (is that all!) nearing my 3rd trimester soon. Wowzers!
Have a great week everyone and thanks for the birthday wishes.
Older but not old at 31,
~Jennifer
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