Happy Birthday to me!

Grown-up birthdays are very different from child ones.  Nevertheless, don't be fooled by the seemingly boring way I passed the day.  I actually felt very motivated this morning and enjoyed the work.

James made a big breakfast but then had to leave for work.  So I had to clear the table, unload and reload the dishwasher, hand wash the pots and pans, and wipe the table.

Then I noticed that breakfast crumbs were all over the floor, so I swept that.

Sweeping revealed that much of the mess on the floor was actually stuck there, so I pulled out the mop.

In order to mop, I moved all the kitchen chairs to the living room.  Moving the chairs reminded me how sticky chairs get with little fingers touching them all day.  So I gave the chairs a good scrub.

Scrubbing in the living room meant being on the carpet in there, which made me see how badly the carpet needed vacuuming.  So I hauled out the vacuum.

Vacuuming made me thirsty, so I went into the kitchen to get a drink.  When I pulled out a glass, the stuffed cupboard reminded me about the simplifying project I want to start.  So I decided to start with the cutlery drawer, because it is the tiniest spot in the kitchen to clean.

But cleaning out the cutlery drawer felt so good that I went onto the bigger miscellaneous drawer below it.

By now I had so much extra stuff to throw away, that I'd filled two kitchen garbage bags, which had to be taken out to the garage.  And since I was going there anyway, the recycling bin under the sink was also full.

Once I dumped the recycling bin, I realized how dirty it was, and that it needed a good cleaning in the basement sink.

Using the basement sink reminded me that I wanted to give the potty a good cleaning also, so I can start toilet training Benjamin.

Brining up the potty made me think to check on Benjamin, who I discovered was stark naked and had just peed on the carpeted play room floor.

Scrubbing the pee off the carpet reminded me that I had four beautiful children who were waiting to play with me on my birthday, so I set cleaning aside for another day and built a fort.

***

That was my birthday morning.  (Doesn't it remind you of that story "If you give a mouse a cookie?")  Birthday afternoon included a nap with Juliette, who was really fussy all day and just wanted to be cuddled up next to me.  Birthday dinner was a fantastic dinner sized salad with spinach, chicken, strawberries, apples, cucumbers, nuts, and raspberry vinaigrette.  (A big thank you to James for putting up with my dinner choice!  It was scrumptious!)  Birthday evening was the whole family heading out to Caleb's last soccer game, alternating watching him play and playing at the park with Ben and Colin.  Birthday dessert was chocolate covered cheesecake.  Birthday night was a game of scrabble with James.

Countless birthday wishes pouring in all day from many friends.  And, oh yeah - I'm actually a year younger than I thought I was.  (Seriously - when my physiotherapist asked me last week how old I am, for the initial consultation, I said "32, but my birthday is next week and I'll be 33."  No, I'm actually only 32.  Go figure.

So another year has gone by.  32 is the start of the next phase of my life, as I move from the "child bearing years" to the "child rearing years."  Sleepless nights will abate, no more 9 month illness, and more time carved out for personal projects, interests and pursuits.  Here's to the next phase!

Happy birthday, me!