To Bess

This post is to Bess...you know who you are. As you might guess, I've been reading YOUR blog lately. And here is my response...

*Rare movie/date nights...but at least 30 minutes of entertainment watching son run around in too-small robe after bathtime laughing hysterically because when he runs, you can see his butt-cheeks!

*No biking through Andes...but laughing at son wearing daddy's bike helmet. AND daddy still manages to enjoy 2 hours of "alone time" often while "training for triathlon."

*No weekend mountain climbing/backpacking expeditions...but always an excuse to ignore the cleaning and go outside to enjoy the beautiful fall weather!

*Rare lazy weekends...but lots of exciting trips to the zoo, apple orchard, park, story time at Barnes and Noble, etc.

*No backpacking...but car camping with Pack 'n Play and plastic tricycle and cool REI kid-carrier backpack.

*Actually, let me clarify...no backpacking together as a couple...BUT fun week-long backpacking/outdoor adventure trip for Ben with guy pals while I stay with child, then fun 4-day trip to Pennsylvania for me to visit BFF while Ben stays home with child!

*Rare eating out (especially at exotic food restaurants like sushi bars and Thai)...but nightly sitting down to eat as a family and talking about the day with husband (our days of eating at the coffee table in front of the TV are over.) In fact, we got rid of our coffee table because it was a bit of a hazard to toddlers!

*No Brazilian soccer games seen LIVE in Brazil...but lots of time spent oohing and aahing over very talented 15 month-old who can ALREADY dribble a soccer ball (seriously, he can!)

So, yeah, life is different now...but still exciting in so many (different) ways!