Surprise!!

Lordy, Lordy, look who's 40!! That's how the saying goes, right? Yep, I turned the big 4-0 a couple of weeks ago. Nathan did a great job helping me celebrate. On my actual birthday he actually took the day off and watched the kids and sent me for a massage! And...he lined up a babysitter and we went out to nice dinner and even had flowers at the table. It was indeed very relaxing. The next day....well, I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off...and didn't even have time to grab a shower. Moms...you all know what I'm talking about.

 I had lined up drinks with friends a few weeks back to celebrate my birthday and to celebrate Natalie's jury trial being over...but of course that morning Viv woke up with a fever and we ended up keeping her home from school. We also stupidly just tried to transition her to a 'big girl bed' and it wasn't going very well. We were all exhausted. I also took over teaching some dance classes for one of our teachers who was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. So....that morning we frantically called my parents to see if they could come up and help since Viv was home sick from school. Luckily my dad was dropping off my aunt and uncle at the airport...so he was in the area. He came up and sat with Vivian so Nathan and I could get our stuff accomplished. I texted my friends and said I probably wouldn't be able to make drinks but I'd check with Nathan. I had kind of thought maybe he would try and surprise me with a party a few weeks ago when we set up the drink date. We had all communicated over Facebook messenger and one girl had asked 'I thought that was supposed to be a surprise!?!' They all played it off and so I didn't really give it too much thought. I texted Nathan in the afternoon to feel him out about still keeping my 'date'. Amazingly, he said to go on and go, that he had everything covered. So I finished up my stuff and headed home to see everyone before I had to leave again. 

As I was getting ready to leave the house, I was trying to get Viv wrangled and go back upstairs with Dad and Rowan. She suddenly wanted to play in Rowan's room. (The doorbell had also recently rang and luckily there was a package at the door that Nathan brought to me). So I'm standing in the doorway of Rowan's room trying to get Viv to go in the playroom...and she says 'Someone's hiding behind the door'. I said 'what?'...and she repeated it in her toddler garble 'someone's hiding behind the door'...she didn't seem upset or scared...so I thought surely she was making it up...so I looked! And screamed! And scared the person who was in fact standing behind the door!!!! She had an equally scared look on her face and said 'I'm the babysitter!!!' I caught my breath and said...'I take it I'm not supposed to find you!' She said, 'No! Come on!' and we both went into the play room. We walked into a shocked look on my Dad's face...and he said 'you weren't supposed to find her! I guess you'd better act surprised!'  So...the cat was out of the bag...and I went to the restaurant. I briefly thought about changing my clothes but honestly, I was too exhausted to even worry about it.

So, I walked into Cibo and none of my friends were there yet (I was actually early for a change). I sat down at the bar...and the bartender asked me if I was here for the party....I said, 'yes...sort of, I guess.' Not too long after I sat down, three of my friends walked in...saw me....and got a look of panic on their faces. I said...'it's ok, I know...go on to the party room'. And then another three friends walked in...and also got a panicked look on their faces...I hid behind the menu and told them I hadn't seen them. Soon Nathan walked out and got me...he acted a bit defeated but I think he was glad it was over...it was a great night (aside from that I hadn't gotten to shower that day!) I was honored so many people came out on a cold, dreary Wednesday night. When we got home, I took a picture with Sarah...the babysitter. Our 'encounter' was also the first time I'd met her...our regular sitter wasn't able to make it on Wednesday night so she asked one of her sorority sisters to fill in. I'm grateful as Sarah is a freshman....so hopefully she'll be around for awhile! We will enjoy telling Vivian the story of how she 'ruined' my surprise 40th party for a long time! 

Cheers to 40!!