Sea monster

I took my baby to Sea World today.  She loved it, even with skipping her nap.  She was a happy little sea monster!

My Gemini!

Josslyn says please and thanks now.  I am so pleased and so relieved at the same time!  My wild child is learning manners!  I'm going to definitely file this under the win column.  I won't mention that she's started dumping her milk out on purpose or climbs on the counters!  At least she will be a polite menace!

Luck of the draw

It's a new year and my Christmas vacation from work comes to a close tomorrow.  It has been so nice to just relax with Josslyn at home.  She had a little cough this week and the weather has been quite balmy (for FL) that we spent most of our time watching the Disney channel, playing with new toys, and taking long naps!

We had such a peaceful holiday.  Joss is talking up a storm and really seems to understand so much.  She throws her wrappers in the trash and cheerfully climbs the stairs when it's time for bed or a nap.  She also knows how to play her momma and Grammy like a deck of cards!

If I haven't said it before or enough, I feel so lucky and chosen to be this child's momma!  In the game of life, I was definitely dealt a straight royal flush!

My Ham

Lines and circles

I have never been a fan of straight lines.  I am not a believer in the linear philosophy of life and death, or manifested beginnings and endings.  I see life more as a circle, a continuous loop of trials and error, triumphs and defeats, growth and regression.  We never really know exactly where we are in orbit, only that we will continue to spin, sometime by our own will, sometimes by undeniable gravitational force, known to me as a higher power.

So every year as people say good-bye to one year and all their bad habits and displeasures and make resolutions, I am always a little confused as why a calendar month makes all that much of a difference.  From my past and others, I have learned not to put much stock in New Year's Resolutions.  But that being said, I do believe in goal setting and reflection and think any time is a good time to pause and decide how we want our energy to propell us in orbit.  Here's what I learned in my 2013 loop:

1.  Nothing can make you feel more like a grown up than a death of a parent.

2.  Motherhood is incredibley joyous and weighted with a burden of constant guilt.

3.  Movement is freedom.

4.  There is nothing more important than the connection of family and friends.

5.  We are constantly having to reinvent ourselves and challenge our systems of belief.

Goals:

1.  Run a 5K.

2.  Make it to Maine to celebrate a good friends 40th birthday.

3.  Improve my health.

4.  Successfully transition Josslyn into pre-school.

5.  Research my family history.

I'm sure I will have new lessons and new goals, perhaps as early as tomorrow.  We don't begin and end with a changing of a month or year, but we do adjust for the seasons of our life and each winter and time in the sun serves a purpose.  Sometimes we learn our first time around, other times it takes several rotations before we even know there is a lesson to be learned.  Round and round we go, where we stop, no one knows.

Merry Christmas

Naughty and Nice

This is Josslyn's 2nd Christmas.  My baby turned 18 months a couple of days ago and is all about mischief this holiday. She loves taking the ornaments off the tree and throwing presents on the floor.  Tonight she even tore through the stocking I made for her Grammy.  She hasn't quite grasped the idea of unwrapping or Santa, yet.  She does like to sing along with Christmas carols and pull the bows off of presents. Next year will bring a whole new level of understanding and I can't wait to capture her joy.

We have spent some time doing Christmas things.  We went to Celebration with the Barrett's to see snow and ride on a horse-drawn carriage.  She cried most of the time but at least I have the memory.

We have Christmas shopped and gone for walks at dark so she could see the lights.  I dressed her up in a Santa dress and took her picture.  

She is such a blessed child and such a blessing.  Although her moods and fits can drive me crazy, I am so grateful she is here to remind me that I have everything I want.  All else really is whip cream and cherries.