Birthday week

I had a fabulous birthday week with my family and friends.  It started with a night out with my girls, Lori & Kristen, on Tuesday.  We started with dinner at Leon's (a new restaurant started by the Brickstore guys).  When I arrived the girls had already snagged a fabulous tucked-away booth which the owners refer to as the "hot tub".  You know we were right at home! ;)  After a yummy dinner we headed over to Eddie's Attic to see Fred and his band play.  It's always fun & entertaining watching Fred put on his show.  Many thanks to daddy Kit for staying home with the girl so I could have a night out.  Too bad it takes 2-3 days to recover from a late night out these days...especially when it's followed by 2 middle of the night feedings.  Oh the sacrifices of living the rock 'n roll life...

Fred & His Georgia Girls *missing Lisa*

Thursday Zoë and I had a visit from Cindy & Trent.  They brought lunch & livened the place up with their energy.  Trent & Zoë don't yet know that they are destined to be together.  We'll let them figure that out on their own. ;)  And the weirdest thing is they both have a "strawberry" birthmark in the EXACT same place on their shoulder.  Trent's has almost faded now...but, isn't that funny?  I got the cutest pictures of them meeting for the first time.  How big does our girl look sitting up like that?  Trent agreed to pose & smile for the picture knowing he had a P,B & J sandwich waiting for him...

How cute are they??

Totally checking each other out...

On Friday we headed up to my parents' lake house (which is in Seneca, SC) for a relaxing weekend.  Mom & Dad were there along with a warm fireplace to welcome us in from the cold.  Sarah, Andy & Beth joined us on Saturday and we had a great day of small town shopping, good food eating and inside joke laughing.  Speaking of the small town shopping...have I mentioned how much I love small towns?  Sarah carried Zoë while we walked around the shops and without fail every one we went in the shop owner would come over, ooo and ahhh over Zoë and ask her name.  I couldn't help but comment how this NEVER happens in Atlanta.  Sometimes at the grocery store the checkout lady will smile and ask how old she is.  But really people just keep to themselves.  This is what I miss living in a big city...community.  But, I won't go on and on...this is another post entirely.  I'll just say I had a great weekend AWAY from the big city.  And I finally got some pictures of me & little Z.  I am always the one who pulls out the camera...so I've realized I have very few pictures of me & Zoë.  Good thing daddy Kit is brilliant with the camera.  These are a few of my favorites.

  

Here on my birthday I can't help but think of my own birth and what my mom went through to get me here.  I know now that a BIRTHday is as much about celebrating the mama as it is about celebrating the "child".  Thinking about my mom experiencing the same feelings, emotions, fears, excitement as I have felt with Zoë is very humbling.  I imagine her young, naive, brave, 24...as clueless as I am.  And I remember all the ways I took her for granted and hurt her with my words and ridiculous adolescent acts.  Thank you, mom.  I pray that I can mother Zoë the way you always mother me.  And I can only hope Zoë and I can one day be friends the way we are. 

Happy birthday me!