Almost 18 months

We came back from vacation a week ago and I still haven't posted about it, which feels strange.  Last week was so jolting after we came home so late on Sunday night (after a flight from Seattle to Oakland, during which I was feeling all cool and environmental because our friends introduced us to the G diaper and I had big futurama plans for the new, G diaper-me and my planet-saving family); suddenly it was 8:30 on Monday morning and we 3 were stumbling out of bed and fumbling to work.  Well, Avi stayed home with M and GG and he was thrilled, but still.  He was also completely soaked from the G diaper leakage but hadn't even woken.  That's how tired he was.  We all had colds and we were bummed out that vacation was over.

Not to complain, because I adored having a week off with my family and we enjoyed the sweetest hospitality of good friends in Washington and Montana, but one week was simply not enough time off.  Last week felt like the deserved second week, but instead of taking time off from work I was just a major slacker.  I was on Facebook a lot.  We had a small patient caseload.  I enjoyed long lunches in the cafeteria with my friends.  Left early to run errands while I had childcare.   

I realize that the life of the working mother, and even for the whole young family here in the city, is taxing.  It didn't dawn on me until our return that our lifestyle adds to our exhaustion.  But  It's also really fun.  And we loved riding our bikes in Missoula with Gillie and Jeff, our kids bumping along behind them in their sweet cart built for two.  Adorable.  Our last night found us at a lavender farm on Bainbridge Island.  It was a lovely vacation.  Being out of the city makes us breathe a little more deeply and we needed that. 

I have no digital photos to click through or download, however, as Leeor shot around 800 or so photos with actual film.  We still haven't picked them up from the developing shop but I can't wait to see them.  Having nothing to download and then paste on this blog kept me from posting, however, so between then and now a whole lot has just happened, and I am happy to report that the best part of our vacation has been somewhat extended to our local lives.  We had such a fun time with friends while we were away, and we have been cultivating more of that in the past week.  Last night found us at the movies, where we enjoyed cocktails and took in 500 Days of Summer, which was so sweet and romantic.  It is set in LA, which happens to be where we met.  It was lovely.   Then we went out (after the movie! which ended at 9:30! On a Sunday night!) and met an old friend of Leeor's for drinks at this swanky bar in the Fillmore.  Our old hood; more nostalgia for pre-marriage and baby days, when we used to go out quite a bit.  I am not used to getting home near midnight on a work night.

Luckily, we also treated ourselves to a NEW BED over the weekend, a real grownup bed with an actual headboard and the nicest mattress I've ever owned.  We celebrated this milestone with Avi enthusiastically diving onto each mattress we considered as we shopped, before he sauntered up to tell me that he'd pooped.  The salesman paused in his eager pitch to remark that Avi seemed especially astute.  And then told us to go ahead and change his diaper on one of the mattresses.  So, if you're ever at Sleep Train on Van Ness and California, I would think twice about lolling around on all the floor models . . .

We rounded out "week two" of our family vacation by taking Avi on his first cable car ride.  He squealed with delight the whole time and was only annoyed that I wouldn't let him run around while it was careening down California.  Leeor ended up holding him tightly as they both swayed on the outside rail and I had a minor panic attack, especially when one of Avi's crocs went flying . . .Avi noticed it first and exclaimed, "Shoe!" while he pointed wildly.  We didn't lose the shoe.  Or our son.

It was a great day to be tourists in our own town.  We went to Union Square and rode the escalators in Macy's.  Avi loves escalators and elevators. And housewares.  He has a lot to say about all of his experiences.  I am mostly in awe and just trying to keep up.  Earlier in the day, we had caught the end of Check Please Bay Area, which featured Scala Bistro off of Union Square.  Arriving at 4:40 seemed to be our magic hour, and Avi ate filet mignon sliders and fries while we sipped cocktails and waited for 5:15, when they rolled out the dinner menu.  Of course, by then, Avi had had enough of Scala and proclaimed it was time to go outside, so we passed him back and forth outside and in the lobby of the Sir Francis Drake Hotel.   He seemed so much older than this little boy we were interacting with, even though the boy was 20 months.  Avi is his own guy, and I love that about him. 

We are weaned (!) which is probably also why I had a little blogger's block.  It was so emotional and I couldn't satisfactorily put it into words.  He still asks, "Nurse?" but pretty easily moves on.  He eats well.  Sleeps well.  Started calling me Mommy instead of Mama.  Goes to bed without a peep after asking to go to his bed.  Hates having his diaper changed.  Peed in the toilet.  He is a big boy.  

The photos at the top are from last night and this morning.  We'd gone to Costco with my mom and picked up a roasted chicken; we are so gourmet.  Avi sat in my lap and said "chicken!" while we ate.  He was calling my mom something that sounded like "Ma-na" which Leeor said sounded like "manna from heaven," which was pretty cute.  She was on babysitting duty while we hit the town.  We are so lucky to have family so close by!  Leeor and Avi are hitting their favorite new hotspot, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, with Saba and Safta this weekend while I spend all day at the transplant picnic.  I think that means my vacation is truly over. 

For the meantime, I keep rolling out my yoga mat and reconnecting with myself.  I realize how much I need even just 30 minutes of quiet reflection to help keep it all in balance.  Even when it's all really, really good.