It’s Different, But it’s Good.
I made Halloween plans around a year in advance for this Halloween. The second Taylor Swift released her tour dates and I saw that she was going to be in Florida on Halloween, I knew that’s what I would be doing. Because one, Taylor. Duh. And two, seeing Taylor with everyone dressed up and dancing around in costumes…hello, magic.
I’m trying to think of another way to phrase this next part other than “and then I got pregnant” because I hate when people say things like that to me, like my life is worse because I had sex and it resulted in a human life. But in this case, the phrase fits…”and then I got pregnant.”
So I’m not seeing Taylor on Saturday. Because dropping $200 to spend the night dancing around in a costume when you’re in a “wild and free and you only live once” phase and dropping $200 to spend the night dancing around in a costume when you’re in an “about to have a baby” phase are two very, very different things.
This isn’t to say, “well, life didn’t turn out the way I thought it would, bummer.” It’s to say, life is way different than I thought it would be a year ago. And it’s good.
I wasn’t dancing the night away with Taylor on Saturday. Instead, I was celebrating the last day of October by freezing my face off and seeing actual fall leaves. The last weekend in October found me catching frostbite by Lake Eerie and exploring cities like Cleveland and Cincinnati and Indianapolis, places I never knew I wanted to see.
Last Halloween, Chris got off work early (a rare occurrence) and we celebrated by getting queso and margaritas for lunch. This year, he didn’t have to work at all (pure bliss) because we’re on the residency hunt. But since I’ve got a baby hanging out in me for another 11 weeks, we celebrated with apple cider instead.
Last Halloween was fun. Getting margaritas in the middle of the day with my husband, getting dressed up and going out with my friends, it was all so fun. It was a fun season. It was great. Seeing Taylor Swift end her tour on Halloween? That would have been incredibly fun.
But traveling and seeing new places and exploring towns I haven’t yet gotten the chance to fall in love with? That was perfect. Being equal parts terrified and excited while trying to imagine a life in one of these towns with my tiny family was a magical way to spend the weekend.
On Halloween this year, we had lunch in Indianapolis. We were finishing up when a couple with a baby dressed up as a pumpkin sat at the table next to us. They ordered beers and laughed with each other and showed off their little pumpkin who waved at everyone in the restaurant. They were clearly having the best Halloween ever with the people that were the most important to them, and seeing that made my heart feel so full. Because maybe next year I’ll be sitting at a table, having a beer and talking about life with Chris while we laugh at our little guy, dressed up like a pumpkin.
So life is different now. More different that I could have imagined at this time last year. But it is so, so good.
I’ll catch you next tour, Taylor.
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You are just going to be the very best mom! You will TOTALLY be sitting at a table drinking a beer and laughing like crazy at the goofy things your son is doing! By the time Hadley was 3-4 months old I felt like we were totally our old selves again and able to do everything we used to do (just with a bit more prep!). Having a teeny little human makes the holidays so much more fun. You will LOVE IT! 11 weeks to go… ahh!!!
Yes! I LOVE your attitude and thoughts about this! Can't wait for your Halloween post next year—beer in hand and a little pumpkin on your lap.
You're so sweet and are the cutest mama. I love your attitude and that you appreciate everything, it's refreshing. I saw your pics on IG and then went a little crazy…haha. I'm less than 2 hours from Cleveland, and I'm glad this weekend wasn't TOO cold for you to enjoy!
Love your spontaneous trip, and how pretty is that foliage and your fall outfit. Perfect <3
Green Fashionista
Love that you choose to look at your "new" life in a positive way!
Girl, we'll hit up Tay's next tour together! I found out I was pregnant a couple weeks after her tour dates were announced. I had planned on being pregnant or having a small baby by the time the Halloween concert rolled around, so I opted to not get tickets on the off chance I was due October 31st! But T-Swift Tour 2017.. I'm totally down! 🙂
This post made my heart so happy. Change is hard and I'm sure that becoming a mom is the hardest change in all of life. But it makes me hopeful that even though this change is sometimes scary, that it's still good. Much love to you. xo
I think your perspective here is so spot on. There are a lot of things in my life that haven't been part of the plan, yet they've been some of the best times, some of the best things. Happy for all the little and big differences that are making your life good (:
This is such a great attitude! It really does sound like you had an amazing Halloween weekend. I find myself in these types of situations all the time with my husband being in the military. We usually go crazy making tons of food for Thanksgiving. We love to have over military friends and family. But this year, we are having movers come during Thanksgiving week! It will be different, but it will s till be good. I am looking forward to our next chapter and I know you are looking forward to your next chapter too!
Yes! Life does change with pregnancy and kids, but it isn't bad, just different. I actually love all the changes that it brought, because my best days typically involve my husband and two kids.
I love the bigger message of this. Because more often than not, life IS different but good.
Great attitude – it's not disappointing or bad, it's just different! And that's okay.
We spent Halloween in Nashville for a friend's wedding. Since it was a holiday weekend, our hotel lobby was filled with people our age all dressed up, getting ready for a night of drinking on the town. I was happy to realize that those days are behind me–they were fun, and I'm sure it's great for those people I saw in the hotel, but for us life is also about to change as well, and we can't wait for that adventure!
p.s. I got to see Taylor during my first trimester, and luckily I didn't have many problems with morning sickness so it was a blast! However, as I get closer to my third trimester, I can totally agree that going to a concert at this point would not be a party.
That stinks that your Taylor Swift plans fell through, but in sounds like you had an amazing Halloween anyway!
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Oh my gosh, I love this and I can relate to it on every level. Yay for life's changes and surprises.
Love your outlook on life! Also, I love your fall outfit. You look so cute. 🙂
I hope you'll be able to see her at some point. My daughter really wants to see her one day.
So sweet! Taylor would be fun, obviously… but I totally understand not wanting to go down that road when you're pregnant. 🙂
Love this! Change is inevitable but it doesn't mean we can't enjoy every phase of it 🙂 I hope you loved Cincy!!
I'm so glad you had a great weekend, even though it was different than you planned!
Aw! I love this.
Everything about this post is spot on. Different can be hard but it can also be so beautiful. I need this reminder a lot.
Love this post, as always! You're amazing! And seriously, there is nothing cuter than a baby dressed up so I have no doubt you are going to love dressing up your little pumpkin next year 🙂
I love this post. Taylor is amazing, but you will have another chance to see her.. she isn't going anywhere!
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Ok love love love this!! It's not what you planned but it sounds like an amazing weekend! And guess what? Next year will be even better!!!
I really love this! I'm in a transitional phase in my life right now too and this really spoke to me. I'm trying to embrace it, and this helps!
Oh what I would give to see Taylor on tour, big belly and all! But I totally understand – it's way more comfortable to watch from bed haha. And yes, next year you'll have a baby along and it will be the best Halloween ever 🙂
that;s how you know you've grown up, right? when you make those decisions because you need to. there's always next time with taylor. or tay tay as i call her bc in my mind she and i are bffs. 😉
I love this. This is EXACTLY how I've felt about having a baby. I used to go to concerts all the time, and now I don't. And I love my life so much even though it turned out differently than I planned. I'm so glad you had a good time in Ohio. I love it here 🙂
I expect Taylor to be around next year so it's okay to miss out this year. Apple Cider is pretty darn good too! Your little munchkin will be treat or treating next year which will be fun! Life's little surprises.
Love this! Life never goes as planned but that's not a bad thing. Such a great way to look at things! Congrats on your soon to be baby!
fantastic post and totally cracked up at 'still have a baby hanging out in me for another 11 weeks' ha! i'm glad you had a good halloween, even though it was different than expected!
Wow, I love how you are so optimistic! I love how you decided to turn things around. I am trying to do the same. By the way, your book is on my reading list. Looks very good! xx
I can totally see you dressing your little guy up as a pumpkin next year. Or a pumpkin spiced latte. 🙂
I love your outlook on everything. Going to see Taylor would have been fun, but it sounds like visiting different cities was even better! You two should check out Minneapolis. 😉