My how times change

As I was unloading the backseat of all my work and Kennedy's daycare stuff, it occured to me how different my backseat and storage space is.

Not too long ago, I had the following in my trunk:
*a fully stocked overnight bag(because one never knows what the night has in store
*a couple of bottles of water, (sooo refreshing after 4 hours of dancing in the club)
*a swimsuit in the summer (impromptu pool parties and trips to the lake/beach are a drag without a swimsuit on hand)

Now, my trunk carries:
*a fully stocked emergency diaper bag
*a stroller
*reusable shopping bags
*a blanket (impromptu picnics and trips to the park are a drag without a blanket)

Wow. What a difference a couple of years makes.

Yep, she’s a genius.

Yesterday, Kennedy and I had a fantastically fun-filled lunchtime visit at the day care. As I was leaving, I put her in the bouncy seat so that she could hang out with L while she prepared lunch for the older children. Then, what did my little genius do?

She deliberately reached up and grabbed one of the toys. I was quick enough to snap this picture on my camera phone. If I had video, you would see that she was gurgling happily and kicking in celebration of her achievement.

MBF seeks Gal Pal

This post is inspired by my soul sistah over at Omigosh, Let Me Tell You...

I had never had more than two or three close girlfriends at a time until I got to grad school. Then, God poured out the blessings and I got a whole crew of girls who I honestly considered the very best friends I've ever had (with the exception of the ever-fabulous C in Houston). A whole crew of girls! Four girls who were my age, at the same stage of life as me, living in my city, sharing all my hobbies. It was fantastic! Then we all scattered across the country. Even though I'm in constant contact with them, they are not here. I think I've mentioned before what a difficult time I've had in WA making friends. I have made a couple of friends here, but they are not my girls.

If I had the balls (and the money), I'd rent billboard space in Capitol Hill and Bel-Red with the following advertisement:

Married Black Mom of One seeks Gal Pal. Must be available for hanging out on nights and weekends, and during the day for Facebook/texting/email communication. Need not be married, but must have mentally outgrown her 20s. All income brackets are welcome, but she will be expected to trade at least one round of drinks. Must be sassy, funny, witty, philosphical, brainy, nerdy, silly, athletic, easily entertained and thoughtful. Should be able to switch from Mean Girl to Nice Girl at the blink of an eye and must be a "stunna". Should be into fashion, but not ruled by fashion. Must be able to talk at length about celebrity gossip, sports or scientific advancements. A dedicated yoga practice is not required, but highly recommended.Must have reliable transportation and live within 15 miles of Bel-Red. Must be willing to drive out of town for the perfect ice cream cone or catfish dinner. Serious inquiries only.

I miss the Hot Girls.

Juggling Acts

Well, today is my first day back at work after my 6 weeks of maternity leave. And even though there are 350 unread emails in my inbox, plus a stack of mail that overran not only my box, but the unclaimed box next to it. The 8-5 world is SO much easier than the full-time mommy world. I can answer the phone when it rings, check my Gmail. Eat snacks. I had so much fun taking care of my Little Lady Bug full-time, but am so glad to be back in the world of adult conversations and professional attire.

I feel like I've been out of the country for the past month and a half. I haven't had much time to watch the news and reading the paper or cnn.com was completely out of the question. So, I'm having to get up to speed, not only with what I missed at work, but what I've missed in the world. Its overwhelming, but I'm up to the task.

As I step into this new role as a Modern Mom, I am excited to see how I will manage to keep my career on track, nurture and care for my baby and keep my entrepeneurship afloat (I've had to hire staff!). I have no clue what I'm doing, as they don't write manuals for this stuff. But, I do believe that I am an awesome person and will figure out how to get it done. We'll see!