32.

A month ago, I turned 32 (apparently my blogging is slowing down with age). It was a pretty quiet birthday, although I managed to string together three days of celebrating with my family :)

On the Saturday before my birthday, Tim and I went on a rare weekend date night. I had been mentioning that I'd wanted to go to the symphony for months, and there was a concert series right before my birthday that featured many of my favorite composers. It was really the only thing I'd asked for, and because of Tim's work schedule, needing a sitter and the popularity of the concert series, it almost didn't work out. Thankfully, we ended up getting two of the last four tickets for the entire series and went on their closing night.

A rainbow behind us as we entered the concert hall.

After the concert, we went out for a late dinner and some people watching. I pretended I wasn't exhausted and that I didn't have massive heartburn from everything I was eating.

On the day before my birthday, we relaxed and went out for dinner. I was grateful for the food, company and the fact that someone else prepared the meal and cleaned the kitchen :)

And on Monday (my actual birthday), I came home from work to a dark condo and was serenaded by my husband and a tiny person who was practically jumping out of her skin in excitement for me to blow the candles out on the cake they'd gotten me.

We then went to a minor league baseball game and ate more heartburn-inducing ballpark food, and Elle cracked us up with her enthusiasm and chattering about the mascots.

Mascot love. I'm a proud Mommy.

Overall, a nice, laid back and fun few days with two of my favorite people, sprinkled with calls, texts and cards from lots of loved ones.

Elle, after eating birthday cake.

To tell the truth, I wasn't impressed with year 31. It was a year of raised hopes, frustrations and disappointments. The highlight? Finding out we were pregnant with Wesley. And don't get me wrong - that's pretty huge, and I feel incredibly blessed that I've gotten to spend the last few months carrying the little guy in my womb.

But overall, the year didn't pan out like I'd hoped, and I'm not doing so well accepting that. I got a card from a friend the other day that said "Sometimes, when life hands you lemons, you don't feel like making lemonade." And that's kind of where I've been for a while - I don't want the freaking lemonade. I'm tired of making lemonade, or thinking about making lemonade.

I'm trying to hope that year 32 will hold the key to many things falling in to place for us, because the general theme of "bad news and tough breaks" is old, old, old. Over the course of the month of April, I had several opportunities to blow out a candle and make a wish - from work observances to multiple cakes and celebrations with Tim and Elle, the birthday sweets were definitely covered. Each time, I wished for the same thing, and each time, I wondered if this might be the year my wish comes true.

Fingers crossed that some time in the next 12 months I'll be able to share with you what the wish was and year 32 is declared a rousing success. If nothing else, this year will be full of challenges and surprises, as we welcome another member in to our family (in less than two short months!).