10 THINGS Vol. 18

I think it’s been six months since my last 10 Things post?! It’s basically just an old school blog post where I share the first ten things that come to mind and type stream of consciousness… Ready, set, go!

My outfit! (c/o)

1. Birthday Trip

My birthday last year kind of sucked. I really did not enjoy the day and as much as I wish it didn’t bum me out as much as it did… I was really bothered. One of my good friends was on a weekend trip for her birthday a few weeks ago and I was like, wait, why don’t I do this too? My birthday is on Labor Day this year which makes it a little trickier, but I booked a solo trip. Hotel, flights, everything– I even booked a private cabana on my actual birthday for myself. It’s literally six months away and I’m already looking forward to it so much!

2. Flu

I’m weeks out from having the flu and I JUST now feel like I’m fully recovered. This year’s flu was a DOOZY. I don’t think I’ve ever been so sick? Thankfully I got it the worst of my family, but whew it took it out of me. I was really down hard for about four days with a fever and cough, I barely got out of bed. Then when my fever broke I was covered in hives– I went to urgent care thinking I had the measles or something (despite being vaccinated) but no, just hives. Woof. The brain fog took forever to lift and I think I broke a rib (?!?!) from coughing, but I survived and I’m stronger for it. Hallelujah. Really hoping we are through the worst of the winter illnesses. This year wreaked havoc everywhere!

3. Allergies

Speaking of wreaking havoc… Goodness. I apparently have food allergies now. I think they must have developed during/after pregnancy? My dad developed allergies as an adult and I’ve heard it’s a pretty common experience. I was just so shocked because it felt like it came out of the blue. (Though looking back, I think I’ve been having allergic reactions and blaming it on food poisoning?) I went to an allergist and he was fantastic and was pretty sure I had FPIES, but ran bloodwork to rule out that kind of allergy– sorry not a doctor and still find it a little confusing. He said, and I quote, “I’d be shocked if these come back positive.” And then he called me with the results, “Well, I’m shocked.” Doctor, SAME. I’m now the proud owner of an EpiPen and some serious food-related-anxiety. I got so sick on Christmas and New Year’s Eve (the reason why I went to an allergist in the first place) after eating foods I have had hundreds of times… so now every time I eat something, especially if I’m out and don’t know 100% what’s in something– I’m just so anxious. I’ve heard this can be normal and I’m working through it. Unfortunately the symptoms of panic also feel like the beginning of an allergic reaction, which has really been keeping me on my toes. Getting older is so fun, let me tell ya!

4. Weaning Trip

I’m actively working on weaning Rory– it’s been so bittersweet. (It’s been harder than I remember with Jack, honestly!) I’m proud of us for making it to twelve months and I think it’s going to take a little bit to fully wean, so I’m just trying to savor every time because I know the journey is coming to an end. It’s been a lot though and Mike is booking me a wellness “retreat” of sorts to celebrate… and recover. On Instagram, I polled you guys for recommendations and I had a nice list to work on. I was looking for a resort or hotel that I could drive to, that was super comfortable and relaxing, and has great food.

Here’s the list:

5. Mahjong

Learning mahjong was at the top of my list of things I wanted to do this year. My SILs and I kicked off the New Year with a session learning how to play and we. are. hooked. If you want to learn, I highly recommend finding a great instructor and diving right in. It feels intimidating but I promise you can pick it up quickly with the right instructor. We were playing our first game within the hour and I got mahjong! A bunch of my friends have been learning and I’m roping more friends into learning too. We are all just having a lot of fun with it. It’s social and it also makes you think. A fun excuse to get together with friends, if nothing else. My friend and I have been playing at night on our iPads (the app is called Mahjong 4 Friends) together and there’s audio/video. It’s hysterical and a blast.

6. Tap Classes

Speaking of hobbies… I signed up for tap classes??? This is something I have wanted to do for YEARS. Tap was always my favorite dance class and I miss it. I asked around for local classes for adults and found one that fit my schedule. I was hoping for a beginner class because, you know, it’s been over twenty years since I last tapped! It’s an intermediate class and I think I’m the oldest one in there and I’m definitely the worst one, but I’m having fun. Tonight is my third class and I’ve been practicing in the basement. It’s kind of crazy how some of the muscle memory is kicking in and I also have a lot of work to do too though to catch up to the class!

7. Reading

I’m on the BEST reading kick lately. To avoid feeling let down by books, I’ve been spending a lot of time reading book reviews (on Instagram, TikTok, Substack, Reddit) and trying to be very selective about what I read. Honestly, the extra time is worth it. It’s so much more enjoyable when I get lost in the book or feel like I don’t want to do anything but read. I also feel like there are so many books launching this year that I’m excited to read, which is a thrilling feeling. I need to start a list somewhere with the exact dates that the books in TBR pile come out.

8. Winter Uglies

I’ve been totally in my feels about the “winter uglies.” I feel like I’m at my peak paleness and just feel kind of “blah” at this point in the winter. I’m ready for spring flowers and a tiny bit more sunshine. Actually this weekend was “warm” here (you know, above 40 degrees!) and I sat outside on our patio for 30 minutes. Mike set up our lawn chairs in the one section that wasn’t covered in slush and I just sat there like a turtle soaking up some rays– with sunscreen. Felt so good, even if it’s false hope that winter is over. Sometimes you just need a little taste to keep morale up.

9. The Boys

Guys, wow. I’m so emotional thinking about how big the boys are getting. Jack is not a toddler anymore– he’s truly a full blown kid. He keeps us on our toes and makes me laugh all day long. He is high energy and full of personality. And then Rory? Well gosh, it was like a flip being switched on his first birthday. He is moving and grooving and chatting. Like where did my baby go??? As bittersweet as it is to watch them grow up, the very best part has actually been watching their relationship bloom. Jack is understanding that Rory is someone he’ll be able to play with and Rory is in awe of everything Jack does. My heart can barely take it. Older ages always comes with new challenges and it can be downright exhausting, but I do my best to think of all the wonderful parts about them growing up!

10. New Haircut?

Ending with a confession/question. My hair has gotten so, so long. I think I look better with longer hair (but what do I know, I guess) but every time it gets this long I get the itch to chop it all off. I booked an appointment in a couple of weeks for a haircut and I’ve been debating what to do. I usually keep things simple with a very basic cut– nothing fancy, minimal layers… and I’m just kind of craving a change? I am sure I will regret it if I go too crazy and I have to remind myself that Pinterest inspiration photos are just that… inspiration. I’m still curious if there’s like an ideal haircut for my face, my personality, my hair texture, etc. I really am tempted to mix things up! We’ll see!