Weekend Fun

This weekend was a real treat. Here’s the rundown:

I stayed home on Friday night and attended to some household chores. I half-watched re-runs of Criminal Minds and Cold Case, while I cleaned my living room and browsed the Internet. I also enjoyed the luxury of sleeping in on a Saturday for the last time until ACED finishes up this season (It begins next weekend!).

My friends’ son turned one, and I attended his birthday party on Saturday. I wasn’t certain of what one year olds liked. Luckily, a google search and a panicked phone call to my mom gave me direction. I picked out a pull-along telephone, because I remembered liking play telephones as a kid. The one I chose was old school with its rotary dial and handset. My friends value music, so I thought it might be fun to bring a musical present, as well. I selected some pretty wooden egg-shaped shakers. They were a big hit with the birthday boy. He shook them until he realized he could bang the eggs on wooden surfaces to make REALLY loud sounds. A percussionist in the making, perhaps? His dad said I must have read his son’s mind. I said, “What can I say? I’m a one year old.” And, actually, hanging out with a one year old made me feel unexpectedly childlike. I found my sudden “youth” entertaining,  especially when I consider that working at a college surrounded by primarily 18 - 22 year olds often makes me feel like an old lady. Being with a one year old also reinforced my desire to have children. It was a great time, and I really wish I had photographs to share of the party decor, the delicious and beautifully decorated banana birthday cake, and my little friend’s cake-covered face!

Admiring our berry beautiful lips. We cut someone out of every pic we took. This was the best we could do!

I like my makeup, but can't I just can't keep my hands to my sides!?

 
After the birthday party, I met up with my girlfriends Kate and Brooke. We went to Yogurtini for frozen yogurt. One of the featured flavors was “Maple Bacon Donut” but without the fat of the real thing! I just had to try it! It tasted like maple syrup, but I didn’t really notice any bacon. Our frozen yogurt date didn’t last quite long enough, so we checked out some Tom’s and pretty jewelry at a nearby store and then headed to Sephora. We gave ourselves makeovers, which made me feel giddy (I think it was the gold body glitter in a beautiful atomizer that did it.). Making yourself feel gorgeous is one of the best things ever, and it is even more of a pleasure to do so with your girlfriends by your side. After I left my friends, I spent the evening watching sitcoms on Netflix with my sister.

To be honest, we were so excited to have sushi, we forgot to photograph the event. We photographed my cousin eating edamame just before we left the restaurant!

My bro and my cuz in the darkened theater. Kinda makes me want an ICEE, too.

For Christmas, my sister, brother and I gave each of our three younger cousins a solo “date” with us. On Saturday we had our first “date.” My youngest cousin really wanted to try sushi, so we took him out for some. It was actually my brother’s first time to have sushi, too. He was not a fan, but my cousin, who is in fifth grade (20 years younger than me - yikes!) loved it! He said he would definitely go for sushi again. We followed up our lunch with a movie - Alvin & the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, where I was involved in a really strange situation. A mother and her two children were sitting next to us. I was on the end of my group right next to them. The mother came over to me, and I thought she was going to ask me if the seat next to me was available. I had been using it to store my coat and purse. Instead, she asked me if I would watch her daughter (who was two or three) while she took her son to the restroom. She said, “Do you mind? Thanks,” and ran out of theater, before I could completely process her request. First of all, I was really upset, because I couldn’t enjoy watching the previews because I was worried about this child I didn’t even know. Then, the girl started to cry when she realized her mom was gone, so I went over to comfort her. I was afraid I was going to have to leave the theater with this little girl. I was wondering where I should take her, concerned her mom might think I was trying to kidnap her if I left the theater. Plus, I was worried she would choke on something or fall or run away (and I didn’t even know what the kid looked like in the light). It was too much responsibility with too little notice and too little knowledge of the child. I know I have benefited from the kindness of strangers, and I am sure a lot of moms have, too. But I am wondering, would you ask a stranger to watch after your kid in a movie theater or elsewhere? Is that a typical request? After my brain finished processing her request, my first thought was, “Why didn’t she just ask me to save her seats and take both her kids with her?” I hate to be at all judgmental of parents because I am not one yet, and I don’t know all the stress involved. However, asking a stranger to watch your child just seems like an improper request and rude, actually. To be completely honest, I felt rather put upon. Am I wrong here? As I said above, I want to be a parent, and I am sure it is both more difficult and more fulfilling than I can imagine at this point. Maybe going to the bathroom with one kid instead of two was a major blessing for this mother. Maybe I put out good person vibes. I don’t know. I would be interested in hearing what other people think. When the mother came back, she gave me a weird look when she saw me sitting beside her daughter and soothing her, said thank you after I said her child had gotten upset, and then watched the movie with her kids, paying no more attention to me. Either from the stress of that experience or my general lack of sleep, I dozed on and off during the movie. I just couldn’t help myself. I did manage to bob along to the Chipmunks’ pop song remakes, which were really cute.

This evening I watched Once Upon a Time with my mom and sister. Hanging out on Sunday nights has been our thing since the show started. Are any of you watching? I am a HUGE fan of fairy tales and folklore, and I really enjoy this variation on the theme.

xo,

Alison :)