Charlotte's Web

Salutations! The first book for my summer story-time with Juliette was a simple choice...Charlotte's Web. It's one of my very favorites. In fact, Ithink it's just about perfect. The perfect story of friendship. The unlikely companionship of Wilbur and Charlotte so beautifully captures the love and loyalty that make extraordinary friendships so special. The beautiful and poetic descriptions of the changing of the seasons quietly hint at the beauty of the cycle of life. Then there is Fern, the curious young girl who begins this story on a mission of justice for a small pig. There is so much to be found in this wonderful little book. I recently read this with Juliette - our first chapter book together. We would take a chapter or two in the afternoon, during Josh's naptime. As we read it together I loved listening to her thoughts about Wilbur, Charlotte, and Templeton the Rat. I am so happy I had the chance to revisit this jewel of a book from my childhood. What a wonderful way to spend a warm summer day together.

Be different...

Be different...act normal.

As I was wasting my time today reading a parenting magazine (that I only subscribe to because it is free and it has good coupons in it occasionally) I came across an article called "Who wants to be normal anyway?" It talked about how today's family isn't about having a normal setup. You might be the single working mother or the same sex family next door. Unfortunately, only 17% of households in 2010 qualified as "traditional" with an employed male husband, female homemaker and children.

I think people write these types of articles to try and make themselves feel better because deep down, they really know what they are missing out on. There is a reason that you have to have both a man and a woman to create a child together. Now if people would only realize that you need a man and a woman to create a great family together too. So I offer up the challenge to be different...act normal. Because, who wants to be normal anyway? I do!

Naptime

My little love bug is napping and I have an hour and a half before I have to pick Juliette up from school. Do I take a quick nap myself? Or do I put Josh in the jogging stroller and go for a run. Maybe I should finally hop in the shower and get dressed for the day? Or do I finish the laundry, or start making dinner?

Such is my daily dilemma.

Breakfast in bed

Juliette woke up today at 8:00 am sharp - as usual. I told her she could go watch some tv while i tried to get a few more minutes of sleep after being up four times during the night. I can never really go back to sleep, but rather lay there half awake listening to what she is doing in the other room. Most of the time I can figure out what she is doing from the little random noises she makes. This morning was no different. I could hear her in the kitchen working on something. I figured she was just getting herself something to eat. A few minutes later I heard her come into my room and put something down and leave. A few minutes later she came back again, standing at the edge of my bed smiling. I rolled over and asked what she was doing. With a proud grin on her face she held up a small blue IKEA bowl holding tuna fish and said, "Mom, I made breakfast for you!" She set it down on my nightstand and ran over and got the bag of tortilla chips she had brought to the room earlier.

I could feel tears in my eyes as I thought about how much thought and effort she put into trying to make me something that she knows I like to eat and that she could figure out how to do all by herself. How did my little Juliette grow up to be such a tenderhearted and independant girl? I hope I will never forget this wonderful moment of having a tuna fish breakfast in bed.

10 months

I haven't been much of a journal keeper lately. But I know that I will want to remember the richness of my life during this wonderful time and it will be fading into the far corners of my mind not too long from now. So here is a synopsis of the little things I am loving right now.

I love that Josh is fully mobile now. He has mastered his crawling (no more belly-flop-sliding crawl) and is off to explore and discover the entire house.

I love that he isn't afraid to be in a room all by himself when I need to leave him for a minute.

I love how he has discovered the toilet paper and will stand there and unroll the entire thing laughing.

I love how he stands up in his crib with a big smile when I come in to get him.

I love how he gets impatient when I don't feed him fast enough. He will smack his hand on the tray of his highchair to let me know he is waiting and that I need to move faster.

I love how he tries to rock back and forth in his highchair when he likes what I am feeding him (until he hits his head and cries.)

I love how Juliette can make him belly laugh while we are riding in the car together and the special bond the two of them have.

I love how he already seems to know how to push Juliette's buttons.

I love that he is happy to have me brush his two little teeth, and always laughs when I do.

I love how he gives me open mouth kisses when he sees somthing that I am eating that he wants.

I love how he likes to sing along with the hymns at church or when I am singing to him before bed.

I love how he tries to help me close the door and turn off the light before he takes a nap.

I love how he grunts and makes little boy noises.

I love how he sucks his lips in and looks like a little old man who forgot to put his dentures in that day.

I love how he kicks his feet in the water to splash when I'm giving him a bath.

I love how he already knows how to smile and ham it up whenever I get the camera out.

I love how he purses his lips together like hw is going to give you a big kiss and then blows and spits.

I love how he is so easy going and will go to anyone and is pretty happy-go-lucky.

Life is good right now. Now if could just get him to sleep through the night again...!

Today

I have never really been a resolutions type of person. But for this new year, I have been feeling like I needed something to keep me grounded as a mother - something to work towards. I guess I can't help it. I think it just comes with this time of year. Everyone seems to be reflecting on their life and chosing things to change or improve.

I love to make lists. I especially love when I can cross things off my list and feel like I have accomplished something. But I don't think that making a long list of things that I need to work on will help me. That type of a list sets a person up for disappointment and would only serve to make me feel guilty all year for the things I didn't do or change.

Lots of women out in the blogging world have the tradition of designating one word to be a sort of motto for the year. This idea has got me motivated for 2011. I have been really thinking about how this could help me, and I really like the idea of chosing one thing that I can appy to all areas of my life.

So, I have decided to pick out my own word. I have been racking my brain about what I wanted my word to be. I wanted it to be a sort of theme for my life and something that I can strive to live for throughout the year. I didn't want to be influenced by what other people have chosen for their word. They were good: simplify, focus, contentment, but they didn't fit into what I wanted or needed.

Then I came across a story about a man who had recently started a diet. He was feeling overwhelmed by the task until he realized that all he had to do was eat right that day. He didn't need to worry about tomorrow or next week. If he had the same determination to eat right today, everyday, then eventually he would meet his goal.

This simple story struck me in a profound way. It all clicked and made perfect sense. I had my word. All I need to do is live the best I can today, and take it one day at a time. Why hadn't I thought of that before? I tend to get overwhelmed so easliy, but if I can just remember this motto of "Today," then I know can make it through anything.

In the words of Bill Keane, "Yesterday's the past and tomorrow's the future. Today is a gift - which is why they call it the present."

Christmas Card Conundrum

Receiving Christmas cards is lots of fun. I especially love the ones that include photos. However, if I am being completely honest, sending cards out is not my favorite thing to do. I enjoy being done with it, but I don’t really enjoy the process of doing it. I get caught up in trying to find that perfect picture to use with the card, and trying to decide what else to include in the cards, how many cards to send, when to send them out, and now, wondering if it is too late to send them out and still get there by Christmas! And not that our friends and family are not worth it, but the cost of the cards and postage quickly add up too. I also wonder how many will be returned with a now outdated address.

This year as I contemplated this Christmas card conundrum, I had an epiphany. Since I always seem to be a day late and a dollar short, I would send out a Christmas card, but it would be one that would work double duty for me. I had already ordered baby announcements for Joshua that never got sent in the busy months following his birth, so why not just use those cards and include an updated family photo for everyone to see how much he has already grown and changed.

I am excited that I will only be sending out one set of cards with this idea and yet will be able to cross two more things off of my ever growing to do list. Merry Chistmas and happy birthday!