Week 33: Out with the Old, In with the New
I know that it’s pretty much assumed that when you become parents that you also become totally lame. We spent New Year’s Eve, sitting on the floor, eating chocolate moose, drinking champagne, and watching Mr. and Mrs. Smith. It’s a pretty stark difference from that first New Years, the fateful night when Ian was shyly sitting next to me as we played “moose” (the drinking game, not the chocolate dessert, but now that I think about it, I’m noticing a theme here).
But like I said, who knew you really become that lame after kids. Luckily, and this is a secret, so hopefully not too many people know about this whole blog thing, a night at home with half a beer, kids at least sort of asleep, and a video game (pauses to push glasses up the bridge of my nose) is my idea of a fun night. It’s also definitely Ian’s idea of a fun night, so I guess we’re a good match. Who knew all those years ago, that we’d be here, together, hunched over our computers, laughing at the Chasing Amy commentary, giggling over midnight snacks, and marveling at these amazing kids of ours.
It’s a cliché, I know, but I can’t believe its 2006 already. I guess New Year’s always brings out one’s reflective side, but I can’t believe how fast the last five years have gone by. Looking back over the pictures of Emily, just a pink cheeked toddler when we moved here, standing in our old apartment in disbelief that we could have moved somewhere that hot. Emily and her little friend Maddie sitting in the stands at their first, and only, Cougar football game, sipping juiceboxes alongside the freshmen sneaking vodka into their cranberry juice. Living in this town has been an experience, and in a lot of ways I’ll not be sad to leave, but as happy as I am to be moving closer to our families, the last four years here have been filled with the happy memories of Ian, Emily, and now, Will. I’m not going to miss going to the grocery store on Friday evening and seeing college guys loading up carts full with Busch Ice. I am going to miss the green, green hills against the blue sky in the springtime, and sitting in a park on the first warm day of the year, eating Hero’s subs, and watching Emily run around on the toys. I’ll miss driving by the hospital where Will was born, and remembering all the times I drove by before he was born, thinking, wondering what this unborn baby will be like. I’ll miss the calm silence of real snow, but I won’t miss the constant wind that made me so furious when I was huge and pregnant walking home from class. I won’t miss the dust, or the constant noise of the highway just down the hill. I really, really will not miss the six hour drive to visit our family.
But I’m so excited to start a new life, going back to what is really home for us. I’m looking forward to making all kinds of new memories. Going hiking in the Olympics, searching for crabs on the rocky beaches of the Puget Sound, riding the ferry, all the things Ian and I grew up with.
Because I guess, that’s what life is, a series of memories, different eras coming together. We’re about to embark on a journey, but whatever this new year brings, I’m glad my life is so rich with love and family.
Happy New Year.
But like I said, who knew you really become that lame after kids. Luckily, and this is a secret, so hopefully not too many people know about this whole blog thing, a night at home with half a beer, kids at least sort of asleep, and a video game (pauses to push glasses up the bridge of my nose) is my idea of a fun night. It’s also definitely Ian’s idea of a fun night, so I guess we’re a good match. Who knew all those years ago, that we’d be here, together, hunched over our computers, laughing at the Chasing Amy commentary, giggling over midnight snacks, and marveling at these amazing kids of ours.
It’s a cliché, I know, but I can’t believe its 2006 already. I guess New Year’s always brings out one’s reflective side, but I can’t believe how fast the last five years have gone by. Looking back over the pictures of Emily, just a pink cheeked toddler when we moved here, standing in our old apartment in disbelief that we could have moved somewhere that hot. Emily and her little friend Maddie sitting in the stands at their first, and only, Cougar football game, sipping juiceboxes alongside the freshmen sneaking vodka into their cranberry juice. Living in this town has been an experience, and in a lot of ways I’ll not be sad to leave, but as happy as I am to be moving closer to our families, the last four years here have been filled with the happy memories of Ian, Emily, and now, Will. I’m not going to miss going to the grocery store on Friday evening and seeing college guys loading up carts full with Busch Ice. I am going to miss the green, green hills against the blue sky in the springtime, and sitting in a park on the first warm day of the year, eating Hero’s subs, and watching Emily run around on the toys. I’ll miss driving by the hospital where Will was born, and remembering all the times I drove by before he was born, thinking, wondering what this unborn baby will be like. I’ll miss the calm silence of real snow, but I won’t miss the constant wind that made me so furious when I was huge and pregnant walking home from class. I won’t miss the dust, or the constant noise of the highway just down the hill. I really, really will not miss the six hour drive to visit our family.
But I’m so excited to start a new life, going back to what is really home for us. I’m looking forward to making all kinds of new memories. Going hiking in the Olympics, searching for crabs on the rocky beaches of the Puget Sound, riding the ferry, all the things Ian and I grew up with.
Because I guess, that’s what life is, a series of memories, different eras coming together. We’re about to embark on a journey, but whatever this new year brings, I’m glad my life is so rich with love and family.
Happy New Year.
posted by Kate @ 4:45 PM
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