Today’s my 40th birthday

and I don’t mean to make you flinch,

but I’m pretty sure that both my butt and boobs

have dropped an inch.

There are crow’s feet by my eyes,

and laugh lines by my mouth.

Did I mention that I think my boobs and butt

are moving south?

My memory’s still working,

of this I have no doubt.

Can someone please remind me what I was

just talking about?

I still can jog a mile,

not that I ever do.

But that’s because I just can’t find

a comfortable shoe.

My muscle mass is waning.

My skin is getting thin.

But that just helps to show you

what great shape my veins are in.

I can’t eat a lot of sugar

or drink a lot of wine.

But as long as I have fiber,

everything comes out just fine.

I can’t seem to stop nagging,

so much it seems a blur.

My mother thinks it’s just because I’m

turning into her!

I still listen to music,

but mostly in my car.

I think that BIlly Joel kid

is going to go far.

My son still thinks I’m cool,

but that’s just ’cause he’s four.

With every passing year, that ship will

sail a little more.

My husband thinks I’m sexy

and assures me every day.

But I’m pretty sure he misses

the more frequent rolls in hay.

There is much for which I’m thankful.

There are many I adore.

So I guess I’ll just run head-on

to the zero and the four.

Can one continue to call themselves a blogger if they haven’t officially blogged in weeks? I’m gonna go ahead and say no. I’m downgrading myself to blogger-wannabe, or bloggabe, until further notice.

I’ve been busy. Really busy. Busier than other people. (Kidding.) I’ve worked (very little), I’ve cleaned out parts of my house which have been neglected for years (literally), I’ve researched, visited, and poured over countless schools for Garrett for next year. He’ll be in transitional kindergarten, and I’ll be cleaning pools, cutting hair, waiting tables, and selling hand-made jewelry to pay for it.

Oh, and I’ve been fighting off anxiety, fear and anticipation for my 40th birthday. It’s in three days. Last night I shared copious amounts of pulled pork, pastrami, french fries, pie, cookies, and prosecco with my friends to celebrate. Today I’m paying for it. Because I’m old. And when you’re old, you can’t shovel tons of fattening food and alcohol in your mouth without paying for it the next day.  (Especially when, since the time change, your darling son refuses to sleep later than 5:46 AM at which time he asks to come into your bed, PROMISING to not talk and to go back to sleep, which never ever happens. So, really, you’re up at 5:45. Every frigging day.)

I’m now in preparation mode for Thanksgiving. Making lists, checking them twice, ordering organic turkey big enough for twice as many people than will actually be at my table. I love Thanksgiving so frigging much. I’m also compiling my stack of catalogs to officially start shopping for G-Man for Christmas. I’ve already bought all the clothes and pj’s, and now I’m on to toys, a bike, and a bunk bed. I better start cleaning those pools.

Oh yeah. I’ve also been prepping for work. New work. Work that I can’t tell you about yet, but that I hope will last for a while and be entertaining and helpful for many, many people. Work that officially begins right before Chrsitmas and might not pick up again until the summer, if at all. I’m excited for this work. But I am also filled with nerves and anxiety (which is apparently how I am most comfortable), because I’ve been a stay-at-home mom again for most of this year, while my husband has been the (nearly) sole provider for us.  It has kept me busy, this mom-business.  Too busy to blog for a while. Too busy to be as scared as I could be to be 40. Too busy to care about much else but taking care of my amazing boy, and have dinner waiting for my amazing husband when he walks in the door at 8:45 after a long commute home.

I like being G’s mom and Russ’ wife. A lot. But I guess there’s a part of me that looks forward to the challenge of being as good of a mom and a wife while helping to pay for Transitional Kindergarten. And kindergarten. And so on. The whole school thing is another blog post that I’m looking forward to writing. But right now I have to play Wii Sports with Garrett. And go back to being a bloggabe.

It’s November, kids. Thanksgiving is upon us. Every year a haunting melancholy falls over me at this time. It always has, because Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and I am always aware of it’s all-to-fast coming and going. I feel such a bounty of joy on Thanksgiving that sometimes it is too much to take. And then, in a flash, it’s gone. And another year with it.

Last year I posted my “Thanksgiving Schedule”, which I will again follow in 18 days.  It hasn’t failed me yet! But I thought I’d see if any of you have fun, silly, or interesting Thanksgiving traditions that might be good to include in our celebration. Any wild side dish or hilarious game you play? Any new way of saying what you’re thankful for?

What is your favorite, or wackiest, Thanksgiving tradition?

If I incorporate yours into our evening, I promise I’ll post about it the next day.