Weekend Open Thread

Today is my sixth wedding anniversary. Happy anniversary, Drew! Six years have come and gone so fast; it truly feels like a few months ago we were tying the knot and now look at us, two kids and lots of gray hair (Drew) later. Our friend Mary babysat for us last night — our first post-Joanie evening out — and we celebrated a day early with our traditional cocktails and oysters (two years in a row makes it a tradition, right?), followed by dinner al fresco at a favorite neighborhood restaurant. (And I did wear this new top).

When we were at the bar getting drinks, there was a group of new parents gathering at the two tables next to us, all with babies around three months old (babies in bars is a Brooklyn thing). We could tell they were clearly first-time parents because of the sheer terror still visible in their faces. Also, none of them had gone gray yet. As we sat and overheard snippets of their conversations — sleep, teething, and nap schedules being the leading themes — I felt so relieved to be parents of a second baby and not a first. Having your first baby is hard as shit. In addition to being exhausting, it’s totally scary because you have no experience and no perspective. The second baby is still completely exhausting — more so, really, because you have to balance the needs of your older child and manage his/her jealousy — but you have the benefit of having some idea what you’re doing as well as knowing that all of this, for better or worse, is going to pass quickly. The first time around, it’s hard to believe that your life isn’t forever stuck at each stage of your kid’s development — that things will, indeed, change and you will sleep again (sort of. eventually. it’s never really the same though) and have conversations with other adults that don’t center around nipple cream and diaper sizes. Having the perception we have now has made the newborn experience much more enjoyable so far.

Anyway, ciao for now and have a lovely weekend! Oh, and don’t forget that today is National Tequila Day! Also, if you’re in the mood to shop, Bloomingdales is having a massive sale this weekend (take $20 off every $50 you spend with code SUNSHINE). I LOVE this dress (it’s pricey, but with the sale, it’s not too bad for a special occasion), and these on-trend jeans, super cute wedges for fall, and I personally think these sandals are hideous but I must be alone in thinking that because I see them everywhere; these are much cuter if you ask me; and I love these beach towels.