Cake-gasm

I am sure you have all missed me so very much, and I do apologize for that unscheduled break. I was the lucky recipient of not one, but two very different and very nasty stomach bugs, which apparently are afflicting every single person in the greater metro DC area. Luckily (knock on wood) though Feroze and I both got it, Leila did not, and hopefully will not. I am not letting her anywhere near any other children until this epidemic passes.
So what have I been doing? Let's see...I had the worst. birthday. ever. That was followed by three days of dry heaving and laying in bed feeling quite sorry for myself. Then three more days of weaning myself off of the Cymbalta, which left me dizzy and somewhat stupid, especially coming on the heels of the barfing flu. I have been reading lots of books, and eating lots of easter candy. Easter candy is the best kind of candy there is, people. Cadbury Cream Eggs, Cadbury Mini Eggs, Sweettarts shaped like ducks, jellybeans, pastel colored M&Ms...
I have also been working, feeling sorry for myself because all the spring clothes are soooo cute...being resentful because the least-hard-working member of our team has taken not one but two vacations this month, and trying very hard to be a better wife and mother, by cooking dinner every night, and keeping the house reasonably clean, and spending a lot less time on this here computing box.
Also, trying not to kill my toddler, who is in full terrible-twos mode, whose sleeping habits have taken somewhat of a dive in the past few days, and who, after sleeping in my bed until three this morning, woke up at five. Yes. FIVE this morning.
Luckily for her it is the third gorgeous day in a row, and I am feeling quite forgiving. We will be heading into downtown Silver Spring in a bit. I heard they are putting in a DSW and an American Apparel. Now, American Apparel, whatever, but DSW? Thank the sweet Lord. There have been about eight hundred times I have needed to go shoe shopping, but not felt like traipsing over to Montgomery (Lord knows there's nowhere to shop for shoes in my mall, White Flint) or down to Tyson's. Plus anytime I do manage to go to Tyson's I get totally overwhelmed by all the people and can't deal with the thought of having to try things on.
I live about five minutes from downtown Silver Spring, where they have recently revitalized. There's still a horrible, ghetto excuse for a mall, but I have a feeling they will be either kicking most of the current tenants out or just knocking down the whole thing and building another. In the little circle where all the new stuff is, they put in a Bombay, an Ann Taylor Loft, a Borders, several little food chain places like Potbelly and Chipotle, an Ulta, and a couple of restaurants, Macaroni Grill, Red Lobster, a sushi place, and my favorite, a little theme place called Eggspectation. The menu is huge, and it's sort of like an upscale Denny's. They serve breakfast all day, have a huge bar, a huge assortment of gorgeous desserts, andn then some nice dinner-y things like steak, etc.
In the center, they have a big fountain on mosaic tiles. Kids can play in the fountain until eight o' clock during the summer, and during the winter they turn the water off, and the kids just chase each other around on the tiles. Also, they installed Astro Turf across the street, just a huge strip of it, so kids can run around and play. It's really a charming place, though recently overrun by teenagers.
We plan to venture into City Place (ghetto mall) and look at the Nine West Outlet, and Marshalls. Then we'll eat lunch, check out the bookstore, run around on the Astro Turf, look at some makeup, and possibly grab something to compliment our dinner of steak. Wish us luck--it's so gorgeous outside, I can't wait to go!