November 18th, 2007

THANK YOU FOR MY SURPRISE 30th PARTY EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!
This was the best way to celebrate my birthday. I was able to see all my family, not worry about my kids' childcare, and end up spending my actual birthday doing what I love the most- getting in my jammies at 7 pm, curling up on the couch with Tommy, Jack and Mallie and watching a movie. It was wonderful!!! I am still exhausted from Friday night.....not used to the late night or the amount of alcohol consumed.....just still REAL sleepy!!!! But I have the best memories from that night and can't stop thinking about how many people love me and wanted to show it by being there!!

Most grateful moment of the weekend: Walking into that surprise party and looking at all the people that had gathered there, just for me!!!! I remember seeing Molly Farrell and Scott and squinting to see if it was really them. I was so happy!!!! Then looking at Claire and Emily's faces and seeing how smug and happy they were for pulling the whole thing off. Then seeing Tommy walk across the room to hug me. I was amazed, shocked, and soooooo happy!!!!


One thing I've learned this weekend: That my husband can plan things if I let him. I am such a control freak and really thought he wouldn't plan anything for my birthday if I didn't remind him constantly or help him..... It turned out that he had everything under control and it turned out perfectly (OK, OK, he had some serious help from my mom, sister and cousin....)...but he still did a good thing, without my input!!!

Best life tip: One person can ruin your day.....if you let them. And ONLY if you let them. And if you do, they've gotten what they wanted.

One moment I wish I could redo: I wish I hadn't ruined part of my actual birthday by fighting with my husband over something really STUPID and unsolvable!!!

Biggest laugh of the day: Jack really got to show off his 'stuff' at my parents' house tonight. Di, Kevin, Dede, Emily, Chris, my parents and Claire and Drew were all a wonderful audience for him. There were so many laughs, I can't pick just one.

Biggest laugh of the weekend: After the party, we went out for a beer with my sister, Drew, Timmy, and Brian. Timmy did an impression of Jack- he looked straight down at the floor and started walking quickly and seriously, with one arm swinging back and forth dramatically.......it was so funny because it's the exact same impression my dad does of Jack, without even knowing it! He has a very distinct walk when he is feeling confident and cool!!!


Best Tommy moment of the day: On occassion, Tommy tends to disagree with me in conversations with other people, or snap at me in a gentle, but obvious way. Tonight at my mom's we were talking about strategies of buying and selling stocks and I noted one strategy that we'd been considering. He responded 'Yea, But that's stupid." which made me feel like an idiot. (This was obviously, not the best Tommy moment'). But he quickly realized that what he said hurt my feelings and came over to the couch moments later and put his arm around me. I know he felt badly and he's been trying to monitor himself whenhe does this. It's just nice to know that he's not trying to hurt my feelings when he does this....it's just an impulsive reaction and he understands how I feel and wants to make it better!

Best Jack moment of the day: Jack was very well-behaved while we were at breakfast this morning. He sat in his booster seat and chatted with us. Jack has really been trying to hold conversations lately. He sits up in a chair, moves his hands as though he's trying to express something through them, and talks, mostly in unintelligible phrases, but sometimes with a real word or group of words thrown in there.... and then, sometimes (if we're lucky!) he throws in a huge, corny, somewhat forced, belly laugh at the end...just to reiterate that whatever he just conveyed was supposed to be REALLY funny....

Best Mallie moment of the day: Mallie is getting so strong! I can imagine that she'll be sitting up by herself within a month or so. We put her in the exersaucer for the first time tonight at my parents' house and she held her own for a while....This is a full month earlier than I ever put Jack in something like that! She's such a big girl!!!