Anniversary

Jeff and I got married seven March 6ths ago.  While we've never been big on celebrations, we felt like this one needed some extra love.  Seven years and one baby in we decided on a little getaway.  Not too far, so as to burden any friend or family member with caring for our baby for too long, but away enough to feel...away.  It's amazing what thrills you when you become a parent, and this anniversary weekend for me, was completely emblematic of what its like to celebrate US as we are now, still in love, but in very different ways than we were 7 years ago. 

What Would You Do With a Free Day?

Our actual anniversary fell on Sunday, so we decided to celebrate Saturday night.  But first, the weekend kicked off with me getting a day to myself.  Jeff took off work and agreed to keep Hadley all day Friday.  I left fairly early,  contented to sip coffee and read the paper in peace at a local coffee shop (insert quick trip to tag office - a day cannot be entirely non-functional).  I then meandered to the mall to make some returns and try on a bunch of clothes at Anthropologie (long story). I took FOREVER.  If you've ever shopped with me (that's you mom and sister!) you know it can be laborious. Well I could think of nothing better to do without the encumbrance of time constraints than to shop for clothes.  WHY do I take so long? Because I don't like doing it. I'm too analytical about purchase decisions, I'm not entirely comfortable with my body or how I look in clothes and I hate spending money.  But anniversary Friday, I psyched myself up and I actually enjoyed the pampering of the dressing room attendant (well, "enjoyed" may be a strong word, lets just say the whole thing didn't make me all sweaty red-faced.  I think mostly because I had the luxury of time. ).  I even ended up with some clothes that I (might) like.

After a fairly successful shop stop, I got my eyebrows waxed. That's pamper-ey right? Then, almost thoroughly me-ed out, I went home, even managing to ignore the whines of my girl as I whisked back out the gym.  As evening drew near, I took a long long shower, then the three of us went out for Mexican food.  It was fun and by the end of the day I felt incredibly relaxed.

Will Trade Childcare for Laundry

View of Atlanta from our room

As for Saturday night, an oh-so-generous friend volunteered to watch our daughter for the night, under the condition that she could do laundry at our place.  Uuuh.  Deal.  She said that theyhad a grand old time, and Jeff and I, well we did too.  While the fancy hotel and overpriced sushi place were amazing, I truly think we enjoyed the little things with most pleasure.  We sat in the hotel's lovely lobby sipping 5 o'clock beers, reading the paper and joking with each other about what conference must be in town to gather the odd variety of people milling about.  I took a LONG bath in the incredibly comfy big bathtub in the hotel room. We pulled back the curtains and just stared at the Atlanta skyline, gray and rainy though it was that dusk.  We took our time at dinner, ordered expensive things (I had to breathe deeply and be re-assured by Jeff many times that this was okay to do once in a while).  We walked arm in arm to and from dinner, through the chilly rain, and it was lovely.


When in Buckhead....Act Like You're in England

One of the delights of being "away" was the prospect of sleeping in.  Given that our little bundle of joy has a bit of an early waking habit, sleeping in past 7, and waking of our own volition was a luxury to anticipate.  Unfortunately, Jeff was up at 5, and I at 7, unable to get back to sleep.  BUT, at least we were able to just relax.  We sipped hotel-room coffee and read the paper propped on cushy feather pillows.  It was fabulous.

Our kind babysitter took Hadley to church Sunday morning, so we knew we were free until noon.  But rather than visit a museum, or pop over to Lenox to shop some more, we felt it fitting to enjoy our child-free time together by going to a nearby pub to watch an English League soccer match.  This is another luxury which we don't enjoy very often, watching those 8:30am European games in a pub setting.  And after our lean, hip sushi night, there was nothing we craved more than a big greasy Irish breakfast and some footie.  And it was a fantastic match. Wins all around on that windy, gray anniversary morning.   We truly enjoyed each other last weekend, and the fondness of common rituals that in our current rhythm of life are not so common.  An anniversary well spent.