Thursday, February 21, 2008

Goodbye, 30

Tomorrow I will be the big three-one. That's right, 31, vintage 1977 with full-bodied flavor. I was sitting here thinking about the highlights (and a few lowlights) of the past year, and I must say that overall it was pretty interesting. I honestly hope that I can say that about every year of my life, good or bad. Who wants boring memories?

The one that stands out for me most, though, is
exactly one year ago -- my 30th birthday. Not because of the usual "OMG I'm turning 30 my youth is over blah blah blah." I will always remember that day because it was the first time we paid a sitter to come over and watch J so we could go out on a Grownup Date. I know, it's crazy - he was almost 10 months old before our first night out...we were such weenies then about leaving J for a couple of hours. Anyway, it's memorable because that was also the first night that I gave him a sippy of milk before bed instead of nursing because my milk supply was starting to dwindle. I remember being all dressed up for our fancy dinner, sitting on J's couch in his room holding him while he drank his cow's milk and crying because I knew that breastfeeding was ending. He went to bed that night without any fuss, not seeming to mind that a stranger was doing the bedtime stories, and slept until the morning, also a first. We had a great time at dinner, reconnecting as a couple instead of just talking about J the whole time. The whole night was kind of bittersweet in so many ways -- we realized that J was growing up, leaving his babyhood behind, and we were growing up as parents, too, learning to let go a little bit and not forget ourselves in all the madness that is being a new parent.

And the glasses of wine I FINALLY got to have since I wasn't breastfeeding that night, well, those weren't so bad either.

2 comments:

deebo47 said...

Ah, I remember that milestone. I nursed X until he was 13 months old, and I only stopped because he had too many teeth and it wasn't comfortable anymore. I was so sad to let it go. And then when we had Cam, she weaned herself, and really wasn't ready for that at all. Now I look back and I can't believe I ever breastfed a baby, let alone two of them. But it's sweet, too, to finally hang up the old nursing bra and have an night on the town :)

Anonymous said...

My baby is going getting better with age. I am astonished at how more gorgeous she becomes with each passing year. I am a one blessed man to have such a beautiful wife. Happy B-day, baby.