Luxury

As I was savoring a rare, uninterrupted, 15 minute shower this morning I began to think, "Isn't it amazing how once you have children, your definition of luxury changes?"

A luxurious bath experience once meant 30 - 45 minutes in a hot, bubble bath with a glass of wine or cup of hot tea/coffee, listening to relaxing music on the radio. Now a luxurious bath experience is a hot shower before noon that lasts longer than 10 minutes and doesn't include children banging on the door, passing notes under the door, or hearing the baby cry as soon as you get lathered up.

Having a luxurious dinner involved a nice restaurant, a glass or two of wine, an appetizer, a delicious entree, and lingering over coffee or dessert while having a stimulating conversation with my husband and/or friends. A luxurious dinner now means getting to sit down while the food is still somewhat warm, getting to eat without a baby in my lap, and not having to get up or cut anyone else's food during dinner.

A luxurious bedtime experience used to mean going to bed with my husband, you fill in the blanks, sleeping late into the morning, and eventually getting up once the morning drowsiness wore off and the need for caffeine kicked in. Now it means going to bed and getting 5 - 6 hours of sleep before the baby awakens.

The interesting thing is, I appreciate and enjoy the type of luxurious moments I have now, post children, much more than the type I used to have.