Wistful September

I absolutely love September! Even though it signifies the end of summer (which I love), and is the first step in the transition to winter (which I hate), it always feels like a new beginning to me. Perhaps this is because the new school year always started in September - new clothes, new school supplies, new friends... In New England, the weather this time of year is beautiful. Sure, we can have the occassional rainy days, but for the most part, September skies are blue and filled with sunshine, the air is dry, cool and crisp, and the leaves on the trees begin to transition from lush green, to a beautiful autumn rainbow.

For year, each September after I graduated from college, I longed to return to school. I missed my roommates, friends and the easy pace that came along with college days. I realized recently though, that somewhere along the way, I no longer miss those days as I used to. I remember everything fondly, but those memories don't have the same effect on me that they used to.

Perhaps this is because I am so happy in my here and now. While being a working parent and spouse can be stressful, I enjoy the hours after work and the weekends so much, that I feel incredibly lucky to be living this life. I remember, as a little girl, wondering what my life would look like when I was a "grown up". And now I know...at least I know what it looks like today. And I love it!

So, while I no longer miss my school days, what I am missing this September is being pregnant. Lil' Monkey was born last October, so by this time last year, I was 8 months into my pregnancy. The world as I knew it was changing rapidly, but I just had such an incredible sense of excitement and hope. I miss those days. I miss knowing that Lil' Monkey was with me everywhere I went. I miss wondering what he would be like...how he would look, what his personality would be like. I miss riding in the car with my husband, excitingly placing his hand on my belly, so he, too, could feel the baby moving. Getting to know Lil' Monkey after his arrival and being able to hold him in my arms is, by far, the most wonderful experience I've ever had. But this time of year makes me miss having an inside baby. I hope to get to experience pregnancy again at some point, but I can't help but wonder whether subsequent pregnancies will ever compare to the excitement of the first one.

This September, I am going to savor every moment of 1st birthday party planning, because I know, several Septembers from now (which are likely to arrive all too quickly) as Lil' Monkey becomes a child, teenager, adult, I will miss having a baby to plan parties for.

And so I am off, to create invitations and choose a theme for my baby's big day!

A little bit of Moo...

Okay, so my plan is to keep up with this blog on a daily, or at least weekly basis. But, let's face it...that's probably not going to happen. Between being a relatively new mom (Little Monkey is 8 months old), working full-time, commuting 15 hours per week, trying to keep some semblance of order in my house, feeding myself, my husband and Little Monkey and finding a few hours to sleep each night, the chances of me finding time to blog on any sort of regular basis are slim. So, please bear with me.

But here goes... A little about me... I was born and raised on the North Shore of Massachusetts. I've lived north of Boston my entire life, except for the 4 years I spent in western Massachusetts for college. My family has always referred to me as "Moo" - not sure if it was due to the fear of cows, or if there was some other reason, but the nickname stuck.

I met my husband my sophomore year in college, but we did not start dating until a few years after we graduated. We were married on the beach just outside Playa del Carmen, Mexico in November 2008...it was the wedding of my dreams! My husband is truly my best friend and I can't imagine my life without him! I feel so lucky to get to spend my life with him (cheesy...I know!).

In January 2010 we purchased our first home. It's a yellow colonial with blue shutters on a dirt road, in the suburbs north of Boston - we absolutely love it! A year and a half later and the how has yet to really be decorated because we have been so busy, but hey - we have at least 29 more years to make this house our dream home, right?!

So, why have we been so busy? Well, apparently the house has some serious baby mojo! Two weeks after moving in, we found out we were expecting a little one. At first I was totally freaked out, but it was, by far(!!!), the best thing that has ever happened to us. Little Monkey was born in October of 2010 and is the calmest, funniest little guy I've ever met. As I type this, I am listening to him babble in his crib as he begins to wake up for the morning. Music to my ears!

In addition to my home life, I work full time. Today is actually the 10 year anniversary of my employment at a small Boston hedge fund. I started there as an admin assistant/receptionist when I was 23 - it was my first REAL job after college. Since then I have been promoted several times and am now a Senior Investor Services Associate. I love the company, and most days I love my job. However, it does take me away from Little Monkey for far too many hours a week. :-(

So that's me...in a nutshell.