Sunday, September 20, 2009

9/9/09-belated

AKA my birthday! I'm so amused by the date this year. I remember that it was somewhat of a big deal in 1999 too when the date was 9/9/99.

I'm 32 this year. 32. I remember when 32 seemed old but yet it also seems so young. I can tell the demographics at work are changing slightly. I've worked at my present place of employment for 9 years. For most of that time, I was the youngest full-time employee. In the last few years, we've added a few employees who are several years younger. It's not a big deal, but there is a decent-sized gap between me and the next oldest employee too. Sometimes being a member of either the last years of Gen X or the first years of Gen Y is pretty lonely.

But I digress. It's been a pretty quiet birthday, and I don't mind. Not surprisingly, my attitude towards my birthday was different this year. I felt much more serene and perfectly happy to do little celebrating. In the past few years, I felt like my birthday was one of the few things I had and needed to cling to it, counting cards and emails and hoping I would be remembered. This year? Eh...not so much. I still wanted my birthday acknowledged, but I didn't need it to be so. I attribute this change to Daniel obviously. I feel ok. Calm. Happy.

Happy is a weird place for me. I've always been one of those half-empty, cynical people. For the most part, I still am. But overall I feel so full. So calm. Serene and tranquil. I roll my eyes as I type those words because they seem so absurd and cliche. But it is how I feel. I feel grounded. And delighted.

Sometimed I wonder when the warm, fuzzy feelings will abate. I feel infatuated and wonder when that will wear off. I'm not saying I want it to, but I wonder when I will start finding a behavior or stage irritating and feel that I can and must address it for "my child" and not "precious miracle baby."

Eh, a bit heavy topic for tonight! Work has gone well. Everyone has told me how happy they are to see me and glad that I am back. There is a ton to do, so I'm kept busy and that helps. MIL is having a great time with Daniel. She sends us the cutesy emails about his activities every day. It's a great situation, and I'm glad it is working so far.

Daniel might be teething. He is drooling a lot and constantly has his fist in his mouth. He is very chatty! He is still flirting with sleeping through the night. He is grabbing at things and trying to pull himself up. His grins slay me!

Recently I discovered that F placed a new ad on SurroMoms' classifieds forum. I was a little shocked because she had stated over and over that she wasn't going to look for a new couple but would work again with only us and her previous couple. I shouldn't be bothered by it because she is free to do what she wants, but it still feels weird. She is still pumping for us, and I'm not going to ask about the ad. I wish her luck in whatever she pursues, but it sort of feels like what you feel when your ex starts dating someone else lol.

And can I say how exhausted I am? Working and coming home and taking care of D is exhausting. He is an angel, and we are so happy, but it is still exhausting. I've started thousands of blog posts that I've never finished. But it's a wonderful time. I want to post more and hope to do so. I try to go to bed by 11 at the latest and since MIL meets me at work, there is no snoozing for me. And we are usually out of bed and having coffee by 9am most weekends. That is a HUGE change for us, but it is nice too because I feel like we have much more time to get stuff done.

Life is different but wonderful. Fall is our season, and Husband and I are truly looking forward to this one.


-- Post From My iPhone

11 comments:

Sue said...

Glad this birthday was better than the last, and I hope this is your best Fall yet. I know your baby is going to look so cute all dressed up for Halloween!

Carrie Jo said...

Elizabeth, I know what you mean about happy seeming like a strange state. It's weird to get what you wanted so badly and not want anything (besides more sleep) in the immediate future.

So glad you're enjoying Daniel.

JJ said...

I love fall :0) Im sure our little men will, as well!

Hope you had a great birthday!

kate said...

Happy belated birthday! 32 has been a pretty eventful year for me so far (33 begins this Thursday...). Happy is a weird place for me, too, but despite all of the whining I do on my blog, I think I'm pretty much there in that "happy" place. I mean, there's plenty of stress (there always will be, I think), but overall, I feel pretty pleased with life. Weird!

Sarah Andrews said...

I really enjoyed this post from you and so glad to hear from you. Glad to hear that life is in that great plave for you guys. You deserve it.

Wewurtskihit said...

Happy Birthday - little grashopper!! hehe
(coming from an "old" fart)

K said...

Happy belated birth day. Isnt this the best kind of exhaustion.

Ellen K. said...

Happy birthday belated! I was 32 this year as well.

You sound very well. : )

Sanda said...

A very belated comment and a very belated happy birthday! What a cool date for your birthday this year! I am 31 and have worked at my present place of employment for 8 years - ha :) Looks like we have something else in common :) And 5 1/2 months later and I'm still infatuated with my little guys - they have something new for me every week - that makes me smile or laugh. Happy is a great place to be. I also work full-time so I also hear you on the exhausted. I work all day and then after the babies are in bed I work every night so I can get all my time in for the week and if I don't do that I have to work weekends. So yup, exhausted!
But a very happy birthday to you and enjoy the calm and happy thing - it's good :)

TABI said...

Happy belated birthday! I can imagine how strange it is to be finally be where you've wanted to be. Enjoy enjoy enjoy!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for this amazing blog! I wish you good luck and all the best! I hope you'll keep posting. Your words really supported me during hard times. I've got pregnant 5 years ago. But on 6th month of pregnancy placental abruption occurred. Doctors had to remove the fetus along with the uterus. It was a big shock for us. I literally spent a couple of years in sadness. My husband wanted kids very much. So did I, it was my only one dream. I knew that I couldn't fulfill his wish. I was afraid that my husband will leave me for another woman, who will be able to bear a child for him. And I began to look for options, clinics and doctors. I wanted to do everything to save my family. Unfortunately, surrogacy is very expensive in our country. We couldn't afford it. That's why we began to look for clinics in other countries. We wanted to find best doctors and, at the same time, affordable price. You made the right thing you came here to find solutions. You're absolutely right about agencies. There are many fraudsters . So it'd better to adress clinics directly. I advice you to pay attention to all reviews, positive and negative. Browse clinics official websites. There you can find services, prices, reviews, photos, etc. Also there you can find direct contacts. Don't be afraid to call/send mail with questions, which interest you. I had surrogacy procedure in Ukrainian clinic. This procedure is legal there. Ukraine is becoming popular in the field of reproductive medicine. Especially after India was closed for foreigners. Thanks to our clinic and surrogate mother, we became parents. Our daughter was born in March 2015.