While Zach was out of town for a convention, my family took me out for ice cream at my local T-Ville favorite – Leatherby’s – for a late birthday celebration.  I love going out for ice cream with my mom – she never makes me feel guilty for ordering a side of hot fudge.

Zach and I, as part of our resolutions this year, have both been working out more consistently.  He comes home from work and watches Sloan for an hour or so while I go for a run.  The weather has been so nice that I have been running around our neighborhood and down Legacy Parkway Trail.  It is usually the perfect time, too.  Just as the sun sets.  Then I come home and he goes for a run.  Sloan doesn’t even miss me because she is having dad withdrawals all day.

I printed and framed Sloan’s blessing to go in her room this week as well.  Several people told me to record it and I am so grateful that I did.  It will be something she can read until she gets her patriarchal blessing.

Tuesday I went out to dinner with my two friends, Jenn and Lindsey, for my birthday.  I drug them around to a few stores before we had dinner at Brio.  These two always guarantee good conversation, I love spending time with them.

This year, to keep with tradition, Zach and I went out for our V-Day date early.  We dined at Ruth Chris and went all out for dessert – a vanilla cone and a cookie from McDonald’s on our way home.  Sloan hung out with Grandma and Grandpa Fotheringham at our house.  While we were out my dad even spot cleaned my carpet and used his fancy upholstery cleaner to remove a stain from a chair in our bedroom.  It was Sloan who made the stain, in case you are wondering.  It was so fun to get out, just the two of us, to celebrate our least favorite holiday.  I don’t mean to be a drag, but Valentine’s Day is kind of the worst.  Luckily, I picked the restaurant this year and there were no corn dogs involved.  Yet…

In all seriousness, though.  It was so nice to go out for a nice dinner with Zach.  I love talking to him and nobody can make me laugh like he can.  Valentine’s Day totally blows, but an excuse to go out with your best friend is alright by me.

Later that night I had mentioned to Zach that my orthodontist was giving away a free GoPro if you could make up a song about his practice.  There were only a few requirements and one of them was to get as many likes as possible on Facebook.  When Zach heard there was a possibility of winning something he wanted for free, he had to do it.  Literally he became consumed with the idea.  So we worked on a short rap to “Gangster’s Paradise” and dressed up.  Sloan borrowed my gold chain for her rap single debut…

The three of us [Sloan, Sophie the Giraffe, and myself] took 10 minutes to create what Zach deemed a masterpiece.  He edited it, recorded our new lines on my iPhone – quietly, because Sloan was in her room sleeping, and exported the bad boy in iMovie.

An amateur Henderson Production music video… 

Sloan loved it.  She is great at getting into character.  She was even flashing gang signs.

Friday night my birthday present was delivered and we had big, romantic plans, to set it up.  If getting a treadmill for your birthday isn’t the most depressing yet useful gift then I don’t know what is.  Really, though.  It is what I wanted and Zach obliged because he could put it to good use as well.  We are now in the process of turning our guest room into Sloan’s toy room/in-home gym/storage area.  It is pure chaos right now.  Toys here, luggage there.  We already have a stationary bike, so the treadmill made it feel more official.  All we need are some free weights and we have a mini Gold’s Gym.

Saturday morning, my Valentine gave me a box of my favorite sugar cookies – almond glazed from Cutler’s.  This supply will save me from a few trips to their drive-thru window.  I have a serious addiction.  Zach knows me too well.  I give them a better grade than Swig, even.

I gave my Valentine a sick pair of running shoes he has been eyeing.  He will be using that treadmill as much as I will, I imagine.  Afterwards we drove down to Fashion Place Mall to continue our V-Day tradition.  We did a little shopping and then stopped for lunch at the food court.

Yes.  Hot Dog on a Stick.  And for the record – those are not all for me.  I got ONE hot dog, because one corn dog is all I can handle, and Zach pounded two cheese sticks and his own corn dog.  All washed down with my favorite beverage at that joint:  the limeade.  Sloan loved watching every person that passed her by.  She was in heaven.  

Saturday night we ordered take-out from the Cheesecake factory and all three of us had a carpet picnic.  Zach and I split a piece of strawberry cheesecake.  It was my favorite Valentine’s Day to date.  No fuss, no muss.

Sunday was glorious.  After church we had lunch and lounged around the rest of the day.  Speaking of church – I went into the mother’s room for the very first time in my entire life.  That room used to scare the whiz outta me.  Now it’s like a safe haven.  Where boobs have no boundaries.  Anyway…afterwards, Sloan took two solid naps, Zach took one, and I got a lot accomplished around the house.  Unfortunately, the Hendo in-home Gym doesn’t look much better than it did before.  I need to come up with a clever solution for that black hole of a room.

Later we made our way down to Taylorsville for Sunday dinner.  We had noodle soup and afterwards helped my aunt make floral crowns for her young women and their New Beginnings activity.  Sloan watched the Allstar game with the guys and enjoyed it more than trying on floral headbands with the ladies.I have to say this:  I love being a mom.  I was so scared to become a parent.  I have mentioned before that I have been missing my “mom chip” and I didn’t know how great of a mother I would be.  From the second Sloan showed up, it is like something clicked inside me.  Nobody knows what they are doing when they become a mom – you just go for it.  Head first.  Isn’t that how every wonderful thing in life happens?  Head first?  Being a mom kind of feels like I felt falling in love with Zach.  Like a flood.  Sloan has come into our lives, and even though I didn’t think I could, made me love Zach even more.  Not only that, but there is more than enough love left over for her.  Who knew I could love someone so small (no pun intended about my husband…mmmkay?)