Friday, February 20, 2009

Something's not right here

Last night I was racing home when I had a sad realization...my kid has a better social life than I do!

Take this week, for example. It was completely Mark-centric: we went to the Harlem Globetrotters, the Discovery Science Center, the Pink Panther 2 movie, drum lessons, Cub Scouts, skateboarding lessons, and the week's highlight -- Mark's birthday party tomorrow.

And his official birthday's on Tuesday, so I'm sure we'll do something fun to celebrate.

For myself, I did...well, usually, I'd say nothing (book club once a month is my big social outing), but this was an unusual week. I went to the movies! Called the babysitter and took three hours off for myself. It was pretty great. (I have now seen...well, one movie in the Academy Awards Best Pictures category.)

It's all kind of funny, really. Four years ago, I was just as busy, and planning just as many activities. But I was planning them for myself. In fact, exactly four years ago on Mark's birthday (before I even knew Mark), I woke up at 5 a.m. in New Orleans, on my way to the Zulu Parade. I had a beer in hand and beads around my neck by 6 a.m., and I was a happy girl.

So it's kinda funny to see how much my life has changed in those four short years. Nowadays I'm more likely to get a handful of Legos than a neckful of Mardi Gras beads. I'm more likely to eat pizza at a Cub Scout meeting than a four-course meal at Emeril's NOLA restaurant. And I'm more likely to be awake at 5 a.m. checking Mark's blood sugar level than I am to be checking my own blood alcohol level.

I guess kids really do change your priorities, huh? I can attest to them changing mine. I'm leaving work a bit early tonight because of my big Friday night out -- that pizza dinner with 11 squirrelly Cub Scouts.

What's that Bob Dylan always said? The times, they are a changin' for sure!

No comments: