Play time?!?!

It isn't much of a secret, I am much better at working than I am playing and honestly, it makes me a little sad sometimes. I know how to slow down, relax, soak things in, but play or have fun, not so much. I really gave it a good try when Claire was born. I tried so hard to not be the sum of the tasks involved in taking care of a baby. For a while, I was really doing well. Then life got a little crazy. But I was convinced to get back on the wagon and keep trying to have fun when we moved to Santa Cruz. If there was ever a place to blow life off and play, it's Santa Cruz. We didn't know it at the time, but Claire's regression had just started as we unpacked the boxes and tried to get to our new, and fulfilled groove in Santa Cruz. The best that I can explain my relationship to Rett syndrome is to that of an alcoholic working in a bar because somebody is holding a gun to their head. I've always loved to work. I had a full time job as a salaried banker lined up 4 weeks before I graduated from high school. I was blessed with a situation where my parents begged me to just go to college and enjoy being young. But no, I chose to work instead of have fun. So with that as the context, I had a very playfully productive week last week!!!! I am so proud of myself that I just had to share it with you all. Please note that I wish all of you would come join us for some fun, as I am figuring out, it is something that is much needed if you are going to survive the rett roller coaster. So here is the week in pics, Monday we went for a walk and it was so nice we decided to go for a walk again on Tuesday, these are pictures from two different days if you can imagine.
Wednesday Claire had ABA at home, but her screaming and having other people in our house didn't stop Chloe and I from having our first (and I doubt last) princess dress up fashion show.I don't have a picture for Thursday, we went to Music Together and it was really depressing, despite Chloe being undeniably adorable. I am sure it will be a blog in the future, maybe once class starts and I get through one without crying, but for the record, I attempted to have fun. Friday was a surefire fun day! We started at the beach with some friends, then went to horse therapy, which I know is technically work, but our insurance pays for it and we pay the rest privately, so it seems more like a fun thing than a state granted therapy that you have to meet goals for. Captain Awesome joined us, he is always good for a big dose of fun!

Drum roll.... on Saturday I went for a message, not because my back was so bad that I couldn't move. More because I wanted to, I knew it would help to keep me from that place where I get stuck in bed for days on end and I could, so I did. Because I am a crazy person, I requested to listen to Mumford and Sons which was really, different, but yes, fun! Now I am leaving, just before dinner, to go have a cappuccino at Verve and play on our new iPad and try to figure out what it does. Huge thanks to Captain Awesome for making each of these fun days possible and for helping me remember how to laugh.