and so it begins...

...the official countdown to 30, that is.  360 days from today until I'm 30, but who's counting?  ME.  That's who!  Me (obviously)... I AM counting.  30...once I get there, I'm "locking in" on that age for a while and staying there until it no longer conceivably substantiates for an undoubted claim and then I'll adjust accordingly and as necessary.

He was in his Colts getup for the playoffs.  Unfortunately, the Colts will not live on to play more games this season, but fortunately, Jack's outfit here should last a wee bit longer!  The helmet hat?  We're nearing the end of the road with the fit...booooo....

Meanwhile, let's review the present: I just celebrated my 29th birthday on January 6th and it was the best birthday yet!  Better than 21?  Yes.  13?...16?...18?  Yes, yes, yes!  Why, you may ask?  There is really nothing special about turning 29, no lie there at all...granted, it really is a pretty boring number - nothing multiplies to get to it...in fact, it's prime (teacher talk coming through right at cha), there's no special gimmicks or adages reflective of the age like getting to be able to vote, a license to drink (officially), getting car insurance, renting a car, or an AARP membership, BUUUUUT, it IS the last year of your twenties and believe you me, my twenties were MOST DEFINITELY roaring!  Thus, it actually could be a commemorable occasion just reflecting on all those hits, misses, successes and overall days of glory, but noooooo....none of that is what made my day great - not even close - it's the fact that it was my very first birthday as a mommy and celebrating with the most important thing to me...my sweet family!  Boy, I sound totally different as Abby now compared to Abby then (at age 21, 22), don't I?!?  Jeeez!  Bottom line though, Jack makes any day great - seriously, HE is great - and my birthday was even better just having him here with me.  Not that he understood any of what was going on, but he just makes my day in general.  For so long, we dreamed of having a child and furthermore, what our child would be or whom he would be like.  Jack's more than a dream come true, plain and simple.  That fact alone is the gift of all gifts and trumps all for every birthday from here on out.

see?  Trumps all birthdays before and from now until forever.

You see, I actually LIKE celebrating my birthday on a weekday because I am a teacher.  Each year, it NEVER fails: the kids get so excited about their teacher's birthday and truly make it a fun, special day.  No joke.  In all seriousness, students are birthday specialists!  But this year, I was incredibly happy my day fell on a Sunday because it meant that I got to spend the entire day and my first birthday as a mommy with my son and my husband.  It was GREAT!  And all I needed.  Throw in a few other of my family members and we've got us one helluva good day.

With the parental units

To kick it all off, earlier in the week before the big day, B gifted me with some new Ray-Ban Wafarers that I'd only subtly hinted wanting like 1234235423.8 times <----good thing guy can take a clue - mama was happy, happy, happy (Phil Robertson voice).  Then, on Friday the 4th, I got baby flowers (baby roses, baby daisies, baby tulips and all sorts of baby sized flowers) sent to school from my baby...it was so precious of Jack to send Mommy flowers and so sweet of Daddy to show his son how to treat a woman.  That night, my boys got Mommy carryout dinner (our favorite Friday night weekly tradition) from RedLobster (we do a different restaurant every Friday) and a glitch/ mistake on their part allowed us to not only get it free, but get desserts added on too! Happy day!  Saturday, my boys sent me to the spa allllll day! Daddy Braddy said I needed a day of relaxation and pampering and believe me, I took full advantage: I got a facial, an exfoliating full body treatment, a full body massage, and a pedicure and manicure.  I left there on a cloud.  Sunday (the big day), we woke up and B brought in Jack to snuggle and love in Mommy and Daddy's bed for a while (our new favorite weekly weekend morning activity) and then we went to lunch with my parents and Prissy.  I'd been craving my favorite dish from Johnny Carino's for a while so that's where we went.  B says their bread is made out of crack sauce.  He LOVES it.  Not that he's a crackhead...it's just his lingo for "this $hit rocks".  Anyway, we came back here after lunch and my mama made me my very own cheesecake from her homemade recipe of deliciousness.  Seriously folks, it's amazing! I opened presents and enjoyed time with the fam and once my parents left, I had the rest of the days with my two boys and well, it was perfection.

Here are some pics from my day:

they're both making his newest face that he makes all the time and each time, it's just as hilarious and all that much more precious

I finished making this - thank goodness because it now goes with our new ALLIGATOR print wallpaper!!!

Look at alllllll my pretty plates I now have!  I love how the styles and everything are all mismatched and funky, yet still go together.  I'm seriously in love with them!  Now come on over and let us serve you some food on them, yo!

out to lunch on my bday - hims wuvs his Prissy 

Remember me getting plates for Christmas from my M.i.L. and F.i.L.? Well, Daddy Bob and Mama Suz got me some too so now I have 8 and I. AM. SO. PUMPED!!!!!!

Jack bringing Mommy her card from him - it was so cute - he was waving it at me and everything. Daddy even held his hand so he could sign it.  Love. 

HEAD OVER HEELS IN LOVE with this man!!!  

sweet blue-eyed babes :)

this picture makes every part of me smile.  AMAZE.

Love, love, love my priss, priss, PRISSSSSSY!!!

more like my sister than my actual sister - she's my special girl!

Remember how I told you my hubs is a good listener to my gift hints? Well, he beat Suz to the punch and got me the darker blue one as a stocking stuffer for Christmas, and I got the lighter one from Priss and Shawnee - I'm holding them up to show that while they look the same, they're most definitely different!!!

see?  one's bigger, one's lighter, one's longer, etc...

Head over heels in love with this one too!

 And finally, yesterday (the 10th), I came home and Daddy Bob had done this of which I totally see as a birthday gift extension:

Alligator print wallpaper in our breakfast area!!!!!!!!  Ain't she a beaut?!?  We LOVE it!  Think I'll hang the monogram piece next to the nekked lady once she's scooted over a tooch.  It'll be miiighty puuuurdy!
In all seriousness and actuality, it is simply STUNNING and GORGEOUS and LOOKS BEYOND TREMENDOUS and we absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE it!  What a marvelous surprise and right up my alley - just my style, no doubt about that whatsoever!  Most importantly, it completely ties in really well with our adjacent living room's textured wallpaper on the opposite far wall, the colors of our living room, and then inside and next to the rest of our red painted kitchen.  Gah, I just love it in every capacity!

So here we are now...it's all over.  My birthday is long gone and far away...or is it?  Suddenly, I've never felt closer to 30 and never felt more self-conscious about my age!  Ahhhh!  I do realize it's only a number and an inescapable fact of life, so here and now, I promise to rid of all the silliness and focus on what's great about my life...everything and everyone in it!  In fact, it's FANTASTIC!  Furthermore, I had a fabulous 29th birthday and most definitely look forward and cannot wait to experience what life has in store for me for many, many, many more years to come!