3x12

let me tell you about this day.

i had a conference for work in vegas this week, so hank and beth came along with me so that we could also spend time with his family. conference was tuesday thru thursday morning, and it was good. it was awesome, actually. my hotel received a really good award (which was a surprise), i got to see some dear friends, laugh a lot, dance a little, and spend time with some corporate folks who also shared their unexpected praise. it put me on a very nice career high. but by the end, i was ready to be done. i wanted to be back with my man and babe. even though they weren't far away i missed them.

when they picked me up from the hotel, we went out to the district, some old stomping grounds for me and hank when we used to live here. an awesome outdoor shopping district in henderson with our two favorite places: lucille's bar-b-que, and REI.

after being over-stimulated and inside a smoky, busy, loud casino for 2 days, all i wanted to do was get outside. we found the perfect place for beth to run around and play... a courtyard of sorts between the shops with a soft padded ground where she could fall as many times as she wanted and not get hurt. as we sat in the warm sun, playing and laughing together, all i could do was think,

i am on top of the world.

i sat there and watched hank (being the incredible dad that he is) play with beth and make her laugh and squeal. i may or may not have even shed a couple of silent happy tears. i didn't want to be anywhere else, with anyone else, doing anything else. i was on a total high and so full of gratitude and joy for all the things i had going for me right at that moment: i have a good job that i'm actually kind of good at, i was outside in the fresh air and warm sun, and most importantly, i was with the two people who matter the very most to me, and we were having a splendid time just being together.

since learning to walk this month, beth has been moving non stop. she loves being on her own two feet and mobile. she was ready to get up and run months ago, and now she can't keep up with herself. her mind moves much quicker than her feet (though they're catching up quick), and she's already trying to run everywhere. try containing that on a two hour flight. she is handful, but she is so rad. she is loved by both me and her dad.

after playing for a bit, we had some delicious lunch, checked out some crazy lizard this guy had brought over from australia and just let chill on the sidewalk, hit up the REI where we found some great deals, and then headed back home.

today was a good, good day. i really couldn't have asked for a better day.

it's true...

i am the big 3-0. i have entered a new decade. and i'm not sure how i feel about it.

actually, to be honest with you, it was one of the best birthdays i've had in a long time. lots of people remembered and called or texted me, work was super nice to me, i was spoiled with gifts, got to spend the afternoon with a good friend/conversation, even took a walk because it was nice enough outside (which was a present in itself), and hank and i went on the hottest date ever. and i'm not just saying that. it really was hot. i even bought a dress for the occasion. i felt really special. so totally worth it.

so even though i was afraid i would feel old now, it's not as bad as i thought it would be. i don't feel older. i just have to say that i'm older. when people ask me, i have to begin my answer with a number that's higher than 2. and that's kind of weird. besides that, and feeling like my biological clock is ticking too fast to crank out those 6 other kids (joke), i am cool with my new age.

so thank you to all of you who remembered me, and made this big one such a great day. i was nervous that it would be terrible and be like an omen to how my 30's would go, but it wasn't that way at all. it was awesome. i was super stoked to have had such a stellar day.

and this part is for the grandparents especially. check out your little granddaughter...

and you guys will get the chance to see it first hand when we come to see you next weekend, but i thought it would still be fun for you to feel like you were seeing her walk really good for the first time too. i knew you guys would love it as much as we do.

okay, that's it for now. rock on dirty 30's. rock on.

7 hours...

.... the number of hours i've slept in the last 3 days. or should i say, the last 3 nights.

why, you ask?

let's see if this doesn't tell you anything:

yes, mothers of the world, i am now one of the club. and thank you for letting me join.

it's a pleasure.

okay, not really.

while i will tell you that i love motherhood more than anything, there are definitely moments that i love more than others. holy cow, i am so dang tired. please tell me this doesn't go on forever.

someone? please?

and the poor little girl. feel so bad for her. she is just so uncomfortable and miserable, you can tell. and the only way she knows how to express it is to cry and pull her hair and bang her hands on her legs, the floor, whoever is holding her, whatever is closest...

thankfully (and as you can see) we got some meds from the doc today to help us get rid of that blasted ear infection and horrible runny nose and cruel cough. if we can just get through tonight, we'll be okay. i know it. we just have to get through tonight. no more nights like the last 3... sleep for a few minutes, cry for 30, sleep for a few, cry for 30... unable to find any position or way to get comfortable enough to sleep for a longer period of time. poor little thing.

on a positive note, as we were working through one of the awake periods at 12:30am last night, our little girl became a walker. well, we're calling her that. she took more than 5 steps by herself before falling. that counts, right?

she is brave and takes off a lot on her own, but usually only gets in a step or two or three before she falls. she doesn't seem to mind falling all that much - just get's back up and tries again. she's getting really good at balancing while standing, just the actual walking part that needs some work. but let it be known, that on february 4, sometime in the middle of the night when we all should have been sleeping, we weren't and beth took her first independent steps. enough that we're counting it as her first day of walking. congratulations to us. we are very proud parents. i will try to get some pictures of it and post them soon.