Full Days

Do you ever feel like you didn't really live before you had a child? I never realized how much of my life I missed. On the weekends, Justin and I used to sleep until 10:00. After work, I would come home and hang out on the couch for a few hours. But ow there's just not time for it anymore. There are too many things to do and enjoy.

Take today for example. I picked Robbie up at 4:00, and we were off to the Farmers' Market. After all, there are only a few more weeks that it will be going on. Where in the world am I going to get pasta, fresh wildflowers, and raspberry chocolate chip scones after October? And it's so much more of an adventure going with Robbie. There are more things to look at, taste, and run to. He helped me pick out a bouquet of flowers this afternoon. While munching on a sugar cookie that had been dropped (by Robbie) on the asphalt. Now, I could have cared that the cookie had been on the ground. But I didn't.

We got home in time to see the UPS man delivering a package for the neighbors. I think he felt a little bad that he wasn't bringing me a package, but he let me know there was already something in there for us (a Keenex box cover, shaped like a couch). In my past life, I would have exchanged pleasantries with the driver and gotten inside. Today, we took our time, so Robbie could see the truck start up and drive away. And then it was time for the five-minute stair climb. It's so worth the extra time, watching him lean his head back to smile at me because he's so excited that he's doing it himself.

And after that, there was time to empty drawers, eat dog food (Robbie, not me), and fix dinner. All before 5:45. Even a year ago, I might have put Robbie to bed and enjoyed quiet time. But there were still things to do. There was a run to go on with a girlfriend (we only did 1.5 miles instead of 2.5, but still!). There was a backyard to clean and a house to straighten. There was dinner to cook, lessons to plan, and blogs to write. And it feels so nice to have used all of the hours I was given today.