March Runaway

Okay, so you know that life has been taken over by uncontrollable forces when it has been about a month since the last time I posted. In that month we have had so many different things going on but I’ve just been so brain fried and busy to write about them. I will try my best to summarize life over the past month and in another week can expect to be writing a lot more. Cannot wait for one week from now (plus two days)!

So yes, after we got back from our ski trip we had a weekend with two birthday parties for Reese to attend and a haircut for Reese. The first was on Saturday after gymnastics. It was a nice day so we all walked from our house to Playdate to celebrate Reese’s friend Georgie’s little brother turning three. I get a kick out of Sam and we both really enjoy his family so this was a fun time for all of us. Brooke got to explore the big kids jungle gym and Reese was essentially off on her own with Georgie the whole time. We did see her for some snacks, tattoos and cupcakes at times though. On our walk home we picked up some slices of pizza and called it a night.

The second birthday party of this particular weekend was the next day when Brooke and Reese got to go celebrate Reese’s current bestie, Clara’s 5th birthday party. This was a princess dress up party featuring a special guest, Princess Jasmine. Jasmine donned the girls with eye glitter and they celebrated with rainbow cake. Reese had a great time and crashed on the couch for hours post-party. It was a big weekend for her!

So coming off of that weekend we had Lottie and Sarah over for a playdate and dinner on Tuesday night and then I packed my bag Wednesday to head to Vegas for a two night work conference for the ConExpo event that is so big its only put on every three years. This was a team building event too for the Senior Engineers and all but one Senior Engineer from my organization was able to make it. We had two nights of dinners together as a group and spent all of Thursday at the ConExpo site. It’s colossal and I got a bunch of steps in. I was so busy at work during this time that I spent the majority of my nights finishing up projects. Bryan was #1 dad during this time and took care of both girls. This was already difficult enough but then Brooke started coming down with something that Thursday and was out of her normal nanny share on Friday and Reese had the day off of school so although Bryan was already planning to take the day off for Reese he wasn’t planning on having the two. I got on an earlier flight to come home and help and even made it in time for Reese’s group conferences at school. The next few days were recovery for us all. However, Reese and I did have plans to go see the Pacific Northwest Ballet’s performance of Snow White with her friend’s Mika, Georgie and Lottie and their moms. We all had seats together, all got dressed up, and enjoyed the performance and then the Seattle Center’s playground for a while afterwards. Reese and I headed home to reunite with Brooke and Bryan.

The following week was supposed to be just a normal week but this new part-time nanny we had working for us two day a week for only a few weeks first called out sick on Monday and then just flat out quit on us Monday afternoon. Katie was able to come fill in Monday afternoon and then continued to work the rest of the week for us thank goodness. I was already feeling very overwhelmed with work projects and studying so I desperately needed childcare. We did get out of the house one night for Ivar’s birthday discount day with a long walk to dinner, a delicious meal, and a bus ride back.

We made it to the weekend where we spent Saturday afternoon swimming as a family at the Rainier Beach pool after gymnastics and then had another birthday party to attend on Sunday. We all headed up to Edmond’s for Emilia’s birthday party at this cute little tea shop. Reese and I attended the tea party birthday while Bryan and Brooke got lunch at a brewery with the other dads and younger siblings. Reese and I had a good time enjoying a ton of sweets, tea/hot chocolate, coloring for Reese, and opening up presents. Reese and Eliana did so good at the table (something I was a little nervous about) but were ready and fueled from sugar to hit the playground afterwards. We enjoyed the sunny afternoon for as long as we could before heading home to watch Texas playing in the Elite Eight game. Unfortunately, it was not the outcome of the game that we wanted but it was still fun seeing Texas’ run in the tournament.

The weather has definitely brought sunny skies and longer nights to enjoy the playground lately so we have been taking advantage when we can. Last week, Reese’s school took their nature walk to Volunteer Park and after Reese did the monkey bars a few times, her classmates were so impressed with her that many tried unsuccessfully until they just started chanting to cheer her on. Well this has rekindled the love Reese has for the monkey bars and playgrounds in general, that is for sure. In the childcare crisis that is ever present, our nanny was out three full days last week! Bryan was already planning to take Monday off, knowing she was going to be out. Then she was out Tuesday and I had a mandatory workshop to attend for work so Bryan covered another day. Then Wednesday came as well so I took my turn. Fortunately my work was a bit slower last week so I was able to keep my head above water, same for Bryan.

One last weekend to report on and one last birthday party before we have a birthday party break for a long time. On Saturday, Reese had Eliana’s birthday party, right before gymnastics. This was at one of Reese’s favorite spots, the Inflatable Zone at Arena Sports. Bryan took both girls to both events so I could get some solid studying hours in. Then on Sunday, it was a drizzly day so Bryan organized a trip to the Museum of Flight with Lottie and Sarah and took both girls again for a few hours there plus they all got dinner afterwards. I’m so thankful for this time to study. I am only one week away from my test and I’m feeling mostly confident but there is still a lot of material and I get a little anxious every time I think about the exam. It’s something I want to pass so bad, especially considering the toll it’s taken on the entire family, and its also not an easy exam to pass. Regardless of the outcome I will be done with the exam in just a little over a week…and probably completely brain dead for the full week afterwards.

It’s been a month…obviously. We even managed one date night in there at the amazing Spinasse in Capitol Hill for some delicious Italian food and cocktails last week. It’s been a good one but a lot of events, a lot of studying, I’ve relied a lot more on Bryan for things and he’s done such an amazing job. I’m definitely ready to be done with the exam and to make it to Mexico!!!

Chelsea