The End of an Era

Like all great leaders in history, I get most of my best ideas and thoughts in the most cliché place you can think of. No, not on the “throne”… in the shower. Many moons ago when I worked as a Customer Support Analyst for a computer software company, I can recall numerous morning cleansing routines when I would come up with the solution to a client’s issue who had called in the day before. I would get to work that morning and immediately call them to deliver the best four words you can utter to an upset client: “I solved your issue.” Just stepping into a warm shower can often clear the fog from the previous day’s chaos… which is why I’m a firm believer in the phrase, “Sleep on it.” In my opinion, it should be expanded to “Sleep on it… then take a shower.”

Earlier this week, I had a revelation as I stepped into the steam after the daily 5am alarm went off. The next couple weeks signals the end of an era in my life… well, my life indirectly. By the end of the second week of July, all of my good friends will be married. By this time next month, every single one of my groomsmen will have said their own vows, pledging their everlasting love to the woman they have chosen to spend the rest of their lives with. Well, that’s the idea, anyway. While I was one of the first in my cohort to tie the knot (5 years ago last week!), the rest have slowly but surely made their way to the altar. I won’t mention names as to who was more reluctant than others…

Mommy B and I have never really been a “sedentary couple”. Ever since we started dating 10 years ago, we’ve had an inside joke about being on the “fast-track to adulthood.” I’m not talking about the teen-pregnancy, shotgun-wedding and move into together type of fast-track you see on TV. I’d like to believe that we’ve done things the right way, in the right order, at the right times. Here’s a Cliff’s Notes version: graduated from college in December of 2006, moved to Charleston, SC  that same month (with jobs!); got engaged in July 2007; got married in June 2008; bought our house in July 2008; got a dog in August 2008; had first child in October 2010; had second child in April 2012. Numerous trips and adventures in between. You get the idea, yeah?

My point is that we’ve done a lot of what I consider “adult things” in a span of seven years or so. That isn’t to knock my friends by saying that they haven’t done the same in that span of time. I think that everyone has their own pace and everyone is at a different stage in life at different times. It goes without saying that not everyone is as lucky as I was to find someone like Mommy B so early in life. When it comes to being with the same person 24/7, 10 years is no drop in the bucket. We’ve had lots of time to learn about one another and learn from one another.

But what I really took away from the stream of consciousness was, “This is it.” Not to use a bad Michael Jackson reference, but it all kind of struck me at once. There’s really no one left after this. In the interest of full disclosure, my initial thoughts were how tired I was going to be over the course of the few days surrounding each wedding.  But that’s when I realized this was the last couple go-arounds. After these last couple weddings, I won’t have any more (good) excuses to leave the kids at home and dance the night away with Mommy B. We’ll be relegated on down to the big birthday and anniversary milestones only, which is kind of a bummer.

So I’m going to suck it up and try to muster all the energy I (used to) have and enjoy these fleeting moments while they last. Because just as Mommy B and I learned all too well 5 years ago, they go by fast. Here’s to the end of an era!

The baby of the family...

Oh Aiden.

Our forever baby of the family.

He is definitely becoming more and more indepent, but he is still such a baby. He loves to be held. He tries to tell you what he wants, but most of the time, it just comes out as whining and/or crying. It's exhausting. But of course, we love him and he's just too adorable to be annoyed at for very long. And we're definitely working on the whole whining thing. Because no one likes a whiner! I should know, I was one for a long time, heck, Eric probably thinks I still am sometimes.

Aiden's most favorite thing in the world is outside. From the moment he wakes up, he is pointing toward the front door. Or the back door. Or the garage door. He knows that all three are escape routes to the outside, and he wants nothing more than to be out there, all.the.time. One of his few words in his limited vocabulary is "ousside!" Of course, I still have barely yet to hear him say mama.

Speaking of speaking, his teachers at school tell us all the time all the words he says. However, we aren't so sure. Maybe this is all part of the act of being the baby, but all the things he "supposedly" says at school are just humorous to Eric and I. One day, they wrote that Aiden said "octagon" at circle time. A few days later, "Aiden said "grass" and "outside". OK, so we have heard the "outside" word, but, other than that, he usually just points, grunts, and whines. This past weekend, he did start saying "up" and "down", which is really cute but also exhausting because he's saying it because he wants "up" (picked up, or thrown up in the air), and hardly ever wants "down". He also started saying "no-no!" and shaking his finger. That one is pretty adorable.

He's a big helper when it comes to chores too. He helps empty the dishwasher (he really loves handing you everything!), and loves feeding the dog. Another favorite is helping sister with just about anything. Or at least, he thinks he's helping her. I know I've said it before and I am sure I'll say it again, seeing these two interact just melts my heart. They hug a lot and are playing together more and more these days.

Aiden hasn't been too fond of the water when we've went to the beach or the pool, but this past weekend, all it took was a little dunk under water to get him hooked. He was standing in the shallow end of the pool holding on to Eric, when he slipped and dunked under. For .0002 seconds. Eric pulled him right up and instead of freaking out like we thought he'd do, he smiled and splashed and splashed. He then wanted "up!" and "down!" in the water for the rest of the morning. It was adorable, and we're glad he is adapting to the water like his fish of an older sister.

Each day he is getting more and more fun, developing into his own personality, and we couldn't be happier as we watch him grow and learn.

Bring on Summer, Visitors, Weddings, and Fun!

Here we are in June.

June 4th!

How time flies by so quickly these days, I still have no idea. I cannot believe we have a two and a half year old and a thirteen month old. There are no more "babies" in our house... no bottles, no breastpumps, no milk baggies, no pacifiers (uh, wait, I guess we never had those since neither kid took one!), no pack n' plays, no swings, no jumperoos... just big kid toys, lots of food and snacks, and it truly some days feels like we have teenagers already instead of toddlers. Both Alli and Aiden raid the pantry like it's their job. They eat all.the.time, and they are constantly wanting to be outside or go do something fun. Thankfully, we have plenty to do around here.

This past week into the weekend, my Uncle Tom came down for a visit. He is always the goofy guy, playing jokes, having fun, and he's just a great guy to hang around. Alli and Aiden have been around him a handful of times, but it's been a little while and it took a bit for them to warm up to him. We went to the beach, went to the pool, and ate a lot in between. I think Tom got to see first hand just how exhausting our lives are, just how constant everything is, and just how much they truly EAT! When going anywhere, we have to pack like we're preparing to be stranded on a desert island for weeks, with enough food for 10 people. However, it's usually just Alli and Aiden, eating it all.

Summer is almost officially here, and with it, comes a lot of celebrating! In a few weeks, one of Eric's best friends will be getting married down here in Charleston. They live in Cleveland, but fell in love with Charleston just like we did, and decided to have their wedding here at Boone Hall, what a gorgeous location. Eric's in the wedding, and I can't wait to just go and take in the sites and celebrate! A few weeks later, Eric & I will be heading up to the New York/Connecticut area (our first trip away from the kids!) for Eric to be a groomsman in another great friend, Steve's, wedding. We can't wait to celebrate and share their big day as well.

After that, no big plans, except to enjoy this beautiful city that we have grown to call "home", splash and play at the beach, enjoy our community pool, hopefully travel up to Charlotte to visit our friends' amazing pool (oh, and visit them too of course ;) and other fun things in between.

As Eric stated in his post, time seems to move so quickly, we need to enjoy all the little moments. Although I'm going to school full-time, working full-time, and trying to be the best full-time mom and wife I can be, I want to enjoy each and every moment, and try to take it all in. Take as many pictures as I can. Take in all the memories. Take in the hugs and kisses. They are growing up too fast.