High Five!

I spent my first time actually exploring the city of Seattle this week. Although it was absolute torture to be away from my baby girl and her wonderful baby snuggles and smiles, I was able to appreciate more of this great big ole U.S. of A.

 I was traveling with that jerky, scummy coworker who used to make me feel horrible about myself and like I needed to always have him on my side in order to be able to be successful and liked. There was something distinctly different about this trip. Not only does having a baby put many priorities in life into perspective, but it also puts personal priorities and feelings in a new light as well. While I am back to my pre-baby weight, I have a odd mommy tummy and am still working on getting my overall stamina back. I can’t stay up past 10-11pm and have trouble sleeping past 6:30am. None of this I have felt badly about since having gone back to work but my “back to work” has been from a home office behind my desk in my yoga pants. My coworkers like to go for after work cocktails but it requires walking to the kitchen and mixing up something yummy and then heading out to the deck with my furry friends. You get back into the “real world” and scummy coworker who has no regard for family or anyone else other than himself thinks it is hilarious to make fun of the fact that I am tired and want to go back to my room around 10. Normally it would have bugged me to the point where I would force myself to stay up and try and be fun. Now? I make no apologies to myself or anyone else. I do not care if he thinks I am lame. What is truly lame is the scared pathetic man child that he is. It has become abundantly clear to me that he is no free spirit and fearless person. He is, in fact, a frightened person. Frightened by the fact that anyone would possibly change their lives to accommodate another person(s) and put others before themselves. The personal rewards go far beyond the admiration/love from another person. They are personally life changing.

Having said all that, I had an absolutely lovely time in Seattle. The sun was shining, the rain had stopped, and I high fived a salmon tail at the famous Pike Place Market. You know, the place where they throw the fish? I fully expected it to be a cool, but smelly fish market when in fact it was more like Quincy Market in Boston. Super cool independent vendors of material and food goods. The thing that Pikes Place Market has all over Quincy Market? FLOWERS. The flowers were absolutely stunning. Being tulip season in the Pacific NW, the market was lined with them. Fresh tulips and peonies and huge bouquets that were the freshest of fresh and so so so inexpensive. If I thought for a second that I could bring it home with me I would have bought a bouquet.

  

My next trip will be with the whole family and will be Lyla’s first plane ride. Hopefully she adjusts well and has a decent experience. Fingers crossed!