To thank Mike for all his hard work as a single dad last weekend, I gave him a few days to re-energize, sleep in, and have a bachelor's weekend. Well, minus the booze and girls, of course. The intinerary for his "bachelor's" weekend actually included vacuuming, tiding up this mess of a house, golfing, and sleeping late. Gosh, when did we grow so old? Oh, I can actually tell you the day...it was October 4, 2008.
Mike and I had been parents for a month and a day at that point. We were to be celebrating our 5th year wedding anniversary (the year of wood and silverware). Because I was too exhausted to be creative and actually find a gift with elements of wood and silver, I waited until the last moment and called area hotels, looking for an evening getaway. Our first night alone without our son, and a chance to reconnect and take a deep breath before the stretch of sleepless nights ahead.
I called every hotel in the area that week before our anniversary. Of course no one had vacancy for the coming weekend - it was foliage season and prime wedding season, and even the fact that I asked about vacancy left the reception people in a huff. Who was this idiot calling for a room this weekend? Doesn't she live in New England and know what time of year it is? Well, I did, but I was exhausted and in a fog. I finally gave up on trying to surprise Mike with a getaway weekend and I settled on the Marriott in Springfield. Yes, we would stay the night in a gem of a city, dodge bullets as we parked the car, and race up to our room . . . our $270 room, because it was the only room they had left.
But hey, it was a romantic package - so it included a movie, pizza delivered to our room, and a bottle of soda. I was very excited. I hadn't watched a movie in a month and a day. I was really looking forward to it.
We said goodbye to Jackson and drove 7 minutes to the hotel. When we reached the 10th floor, we quickly unlocked our door and walked inside of heavenly bliss. The room was cool and dark, the bed was rather large with over 10 down pillows, bolsters, small pillows and the sheets....ohhhh the sheets!! They were a million thread count from Egypt or somewhere where they make really great fibers, and they were just luxurious. Mike and I sunk into the bed, and called our little monkey to make sure everything was all right. My husband turned to me a said "Just close your eyes for a minute and enjoy the silence." Fifteen HOURS later, we both woke up.
The lesson I learned: Priorities shift after you have a baby, of course. Sleep became gold, piles and oodles of gold. And it has ever since. Hey, maybe it does mean we are getting OLD and the thought of having a fun weekend includes cleaning, golfing, and sleeping, but I think I like that life. I know I like that life. I wouldn't want it any other way. Love you babe.
1 comment:
I remember you telling me about this! And how mad you were that you didn't get to watch the movie. But that the sleep felt sooooo good!
Tom said yesterday that when he woke up he realized he wasn't going to watch any football because of our to-do list -- mainly chopping/splitting wood, raking, other outdoor things, etc. And that if someone had said to him 5 years ago that on Sunday he wouldn't get to watch football, he'd be really upset. But yesterday he was quite happy to be outside, working with his boys and getting stuff done. Too cute!
The leisurely weekend days will return to us someday, but I'm enjoying the change of pace in the meantime. For us, it's together time. (And how good does it feel to have a clean house afterwards?!)
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