Dana Burland

Three years ago we were hoisted up on chairs by family and friends and paraded around and celebrated at our wedding. Tonight we called a new babysitter (which, wasn't I just a teenaged babysitter last week?), went to dinner and made use of our babe-free time to pick up babe needed items (always diapers, always formula). Here's the weirdest part--when I think about our wedding now, my mind searches for where Cameron was. He must have been in a high chair near our table, yes? He must have had those wide eyes looking all around at the spectacle and surely was taken home from the party and put safely in his crib. Of course neither Cameron nor the concrete idea of him were at our wedding. It's so hard to imagine now, and so beautiful to think about what we didn't know and what this love has grown into.

Can I get a standing ovation for this past long holiday weekend, please? 👏👏👏 We were determined to have a relaxing, chill weekend—and that’s just what we got. We slept in a huge, cozy, not-our-regular bed. We made lazy breakfast each morning and went out for regular morning workouts. We cooked big family dinners together and played Telestrations and ate s’mores around a big fire-pit. My dad’s terrible drawing skills resulted in a lot of miscommunication, so badly my brother could only guess one of his drawings was “hand soup”. Also he drew the exact same picture when asked to describe “potato chips” and “mashed potatoes” and neither drawing included an image of a potato. The cherry on top of the cake was freaking floating in inner tubes in a private pool while listening to a resort style “soft house” playlist and drinking sweet, cheap, moscato that tasted like adult grape juice. And occasionally getting into mini squirt gun battles. Man, that was a weekend.

We were up north this weekend, as we usually are this time of year, for the ZDM bike ride. I was not riding and us non-riders—myself, my mom, Ben and C—adventured on the town in the very cold rain. The riders—my dad and brother—well, they biked 50 miles in the very cold rain. Such troopers. Also we watched the Royal Wedding—I thought her dress was too plain and not well fitted, but loved the ceremony. And we watched the Preakness—but almost didn’t because it was so foggy there were almost no horses to be seen. And I started to really, really plan C’s first birthday party. I straight up can not believe he will be one soon. He has changed so drastically in 10 months it’s like he was born in the Preakness fog and every day since has gotten more clear. It seems like we’ve hardly had even two months with this actual walking (assisted), talking (in babbles), giggling, water lovin’, food throwin’ BOY (not baby) we have now. July 18 will feel so strange this year.

She’s married! She’s married! My sweet friend Elena met her Ben right around the time when me and my Ben moved back to Michigan in 2012. This past weekend we were back in PA to witness their wedding. The wedding was in the Pennsylvania farm country, at a beautiful Italian style winery, on a perfect sunny and warm spring day. Elena has been one of my close friends for eight years now. She had a big group of friends at the wedding—I was one of the few “new additions”. It’s something special to watch someone you care about so much get married to their best friend. She looked so beautiful and so happy and I couldn’t have been more honored to be there in her VIP bridal party for her big day.

I spent most of the day traveling and only about one actually with my babe this Mother’s Day. Ben and I were at a dear friend’s wedding in Pennsylvania over the weekend. Our travel route home just so happened to land on my first Mother’s Day. My real Mother’s Day was the 78 hours just being with Ben in PA. From the time we landed on Thursday ‘til the moment we took off Sunday morning it was the two of us back in the town where we met and fell in love. Well before a move back to Michigan, well well before a wedding and well well well before even an idea about baby C. We spent time with some of my oldest and best girlfriends who support and encourage me as a mother. We spent time just the two of us where Ben celebrated me. We relaxed and reflected on our family and I was reminded what kind of mom I want to be. My social media feed was littered with beautiful tributes to moms this morning. So many so similar—a thanks for total devotion, unwavering support, full selflessness and unco...

A moment of silence for my youth, please. Sigh. What I expected to be my annual praisefest for healthy, amazing, perfect vision eyes turned out to be a prescription for glasses. I mean, I did answer “9” as one of the letters in the standard eye chart they make you read. Ugh. I don’t typically feel much older when my birthday rolls around but let me remember this moment come next March. I’m not sure this glasses wearing, 60 Minutes loving, why-is-the-counter-sticky-now mama can claim she still feels 22.

What did we do this past weekend? So much I don’t even really know. We went swimming--twice. Because why wouldn’t you with a boy who is half fish he loves the water so much? We went to the farmer’s market for the first time this season, which was mostly a blast for me because we did manage to go last year with itty bitty baby C last summer and oh man the memories. We played on the deck. We went for a couple walks. We went hiking in a nearby park. Also Ben and I went out for a date! To a fancy dinner and then to a dive bar for a friend’s birthday/karaoke party. It was a good, full weekend.

When I got home from work yesterday it was 80+ degrees and sunny. I grabbed a big beach towel in one arm and my chunky 9 month old in the other and headed to the deck. Now that the snow has thawed, and our immediate interior projects are done, the list of outdoor projects begins. Like the deck. The paint is chipping wildly. It looks janky. And it’s realllly not a good situation for a little exploring, muscle-T wearing boy. But it was 80+ degrees and sunny!! And it’s been a horrendously long winter. So we threw a beach towel out, put a Pandora station on and played slappy cups, jingle ball toss and walk all around until bath and bedtime. We’ll get to you, chippy orange deck. Until then me and my boy need to play.