35

As much as I'd love to deny it, I've now hit my mid-30s. Once upon a time, I thought 35 was old, but as is so common, the older you get the less you like to see yourself as "old".

Patrick's birthday is six days after mine so we usually celebrate them together. Last night, for the first time since November, we went out to dinner without the kids. My sister and brother-in-law watched them for a few hours. I'll admit, that I was nervous, but Anna did really well. She's comfortable with my sister, and they kept her entertained. But she was definitely glad to see us when we picked her up. Andrew, on the other hand, was disappointed we weren't gone longer.

We rounded out the weekend with burgers at my parents'. Watching Anna play and giggle and run around, I was reminded how far she's come from the terrified little girl we brought home. Everyday, things get more and more normal. Yes, there are still challenges, but we have definitely settled into a place of normalcy as a family of four. And I'm coming to terms with being 35.