Happy New Year!

I have been dissolute, but it is time to be resolute! I rarely make New Year's resolutions, much less stick to them (snort!), but THIS IS THE YEAR! The big 4-0 is coming. Soon! In fact, my 40th is on Easter (!) this year. Kinda gives "life begins at 40" a whole new meaning, non? The family has been made aware that I am going to be in training, shucking the rest of my extra "husk" (I can't even blame the baby -- I gained 25 and lost 27), and being more respectful of my body as I reach halftime. They are rolling their eyes, but I am going to show them!

Much of this has to do with not wanting to be an old, decrepit mom to a nice, new baby as he gets older. Shortly after our little friend arrived, Mom came to visit. We sat in the living room chatting, and in one of the rare pauses, we were both looking over at the little sleeping bundle in the bouncy chair, and she said aloud what I was thinking: "I still can't BELIEVE there's a baby on your floor!" Then, "I wonder what he's going to look like in 5 years..." and as I pondered that, smiling and imagining, I looked over at my 13 year old and was horrorstruck...he'll be starting kindergarten and she'll be starting college in 5 years!!! Oy! I don't want to be like my grandma, who had her youngest at 38, and was asked on the first day of school if she was her son's grandma! She always said she wasn't sure if the nun saw her flipping her off (bad Grandma!) but she'd find out when she got to Hell for other stuff. :) I don't know that I'd have the self mastery to use only sign language. Best not to find out.

One silver lining is this -- for the first time in my life, I will be able to eat chocolate without Lenten guilt on my birthday. (My self-conferred birthday dispensation aside...)

OK -- off to watch my beloved Illini get slaughtered in the Rose Bowl! Enjoy!