I recently had a birthday.
My husband and I love celebrating all the things, and he asked me numerous times leading up to it what I wanted as a gift. There wasn’t anything I could think of that I really needed, and the things I could think of that fell into the “it’s a gift because you wouldn’t buy it for yourself” category felt too extravagant (I’m looking at you, Botox).
A week before my birthday, it dawned on me – I kind of want 48 hours alone to shop, watch Netflix alone in a hotel room while eating takeout, and operate on no one else’s schedule.
So, I told the hubs I wanted a plane ticket. Yes, I know this also sounds extravagant, but I found a really good deal! Although it was pretty out of left field, he knows that traveling fills my mental bucket, and he was quickly on board with the idea.
I know entertaining a toddler for an entire weekend is sometimes a challenge, so I at least did him a solid and booked Thursday morning through Saturday night.
Once the initial excitement wore off, I remembered it would be my first night ever away from our 21-month daughter. Mom guilt and sadness crept in a little, but I knew this is what I needed to recharge my batteries after living that new mom life during a pandemic.
Fast forward a week — I landed in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, picked up my teeny-tiny rental car, and was on my way to explore a town I’d never been.
I jam packed all three days and two nights shopping with the mental freedom of not having to be anywhere else, checking out a local brewery, exploring new neighborhoods, and digging my toes into the sand and ocean. I topped off the evenings with take out, binge-watching tv, and a king-sized bed to myself.
My husband and daughter sent me some pretty cute videos, and I’m pretty sure they didn’t miss me much when they were at the mall making a Build-A-Bear and buying new books. The man doesn’t do pony tails or bows, but he sure does a lot.
I was happy to return home to my people, and so incredibly grateful for the opportunity to do this.
A few people asked if this was a milestone birthday, and while it wasn’t a milestone number, it sure was the culmination of a lot of milestones – good and bad – over the past 365 days.
