It's The End of the Blog As We Know It

Since my last post, Bella started Kindergarten, has learned to read, grew about 5 inches and she has just gotten smarter and smarter every day. Between school & homework, play dates, vacations, skiing, ballet lessons, duck hunting (yup, little girl's a ballerina and a hunter!), trips to the playground, etc. etc. etc., my time for keeping the blog updated has dwindled away. So while I'll say good-bye online, the words I have written for the past 2 years will be soon published in hardcover - forever in print to someday embarrass and torment my beautiful and beloved daughter!

So looking back to my very first entry, I'll end with this simple message:

Take a moment each day to laugh out loud...Because Life is Funny...Enjoy the ride!

It's beginning to look a lot like winter...

Last night it was a cold night. Bella crawled up onto my bed so we could read some books before going to sleep. The dog had been laying right where she wanted to sit so of course, the dog got kicked out and moped off to find another place to curl up. Bella noticed that the bed was nice and warm where Zaidy had been laying. She jumped right under the covers and yelled, "Mmm mmm...warm and cuddly, here I come!"

I know it's been a while since I last wrote, but the laugh out loud moments are still an every day occurrence. I'll try to be better about sharing them again.

Coming soon...

I know I've been slacking lately, but it's summer time! We've been having too much fun. Stay tuned...

Like Mother, Like Daughter

I can hear Bella in the next room playing with her friend. They are searching for treasures and playing dress up. I peek out and her friend has on some sunglasses and a hat and he says "I am going to be the mailman." As Bella puts on some fancy shoes with feathers on them, she replies "I am going to be Shoe Girl!"

That's my girl.

Car Talk

Today after running some errands, I was unpacking the car and Bella was still sitting in her car seat. I made 2 or 3 trips in to the house and she was still sitting there when everything was unloaded. I asked her, "What are you waiting for?" to which she replied, "Christmas."

Thank goodness she didn't pick up some of the worse things I say while stuck behind slow drivers!

Enjoy the Ride

I am a night owl. Love to stay up late. Mornings...not so much. 10 years ago I liked to stay up late, to stay OUT late, because that's when the fun happened. Meeting up with friends to party, talk, laugh until the wee hours of the morning. But things are different now. Now I like to stay up late for the quiet. Everyone is sleeping and it is peaceful at the end of the day. When I finally call it a night, I give my little girl a kiss and whisper in her ear, "I love you". She is sound asleep, dead to the world. Her energy completely drained from living each day to the fullest. She has not stopped thinking and learning (and taking!) since the moment she woke and tomorrow she'll do it all over again. I am in awe of her energy. Tonight, I too will go to bed completely exhausted, and in the morning I will wake way too early for my own good. But I don't mind. I don't want to miss a moment of it. Life is too short. There is too much to learn and see and do. 

Reminds me of one of my favorite James Taylor songs:

The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time
Any fool can do it
There aint nothing to it
Nobody knows how we got to
The top of the hill
But since were on our way down
We might as well enjoy the ride

Good night...and enjoy the ride.

Every Day is Mother's Day

Five years ago on Mother's Day, I was riding home from the hospital with my one-day-old daughter. I was excited and exhausted, overjoyed and overwhelmed, completely in love with my tiny beautiful baby and completely terrified, all at the same time. I'll never forget that day.

Yesterday, we celebrated Bella's 5th birthday, surrounded by friends. When the party was over, she and I sat outside eating just one more piece of cake and enjoying the last minutes of the warm sun. I watched as she played with all her new toys, her face filled with joy. It was a great day.

Today it is Mother's Day once again and I am thankful for my own mother - who supports me in everything I do and is always there for me. I know now how hard it was for her to raise my sister and I. And I know now that the love between a mother and her child is never ending.

And I am thankful for my mother-in-laws, who treat me like their own daughter and for the rest of my family and my family-in-law, who I also love very much.

I am in awe of all of my girlfriends who have become amazing mothers. We share a special bond now. All of motherhood's ups and downs make us stronger and wiser and better human beings. We laugh together, cry together, share advice and stories. We survive the tough days with a spur of the moment play date, or plan a girls night out to regain our momentum. We support each other because we know how important our jobs as mothers are. All of you have inspired me more than you know, and for that I thank you.

I am blessed with a husband who loves me for who I am, and tells me so every day. He is a wonderful father and it shows. My favorite moment of the day is when he walks in from work and I hear, "Daddy!" and the sounds of little feet running to the door. Thank you Daddy for all that you do.

Not a day goes by that I don't know just how lucky I am. My daughter has taught me more about life in the past 5 years, than I have learned in my almost 40. By stopping to see the bright green grass growing in a crack in the sidewalk, or wiping away my tears when I lost a loved one. She gets it. Not because she doesn't yet know the evils of the world, but because she chooses to see the good. She is funny, charming, and she knows that unconditional love is the best thing life has to offer - and when we adults forget that, she is quick to remind us. And it works every time.

So thank you my families, my friends, my husband and my beautiful daughter. Thank you for making me the mother and woman that I am today. I couldn't do any of it without you.

Happy Mother's Day.

Rules are Rules

I guess she'll never be Miss America now...

A Rainy Friday Dress Up Party

"Mommy, where's my other go-go boot?"

Now there's something you don't hear every day.

Great Minds Think Alike

 We just got home from a 1st birthday celebration. Good friends, good food,  kids running wild,  lots of giggles, presents and birthday cake. As I tucked Bella into bed she said, " Mommy, will you snuggle with  me a while?". So I laid down in bed next to her and we turned on the stars (a little turtle we have that lights up and shines stars onto the ceiling).  Pretty soon her breath slowed and I felt her body start to relax in my arms. She  was gazing at the stars above, her eyelids getting heavy. I asked her what she was  thinking about. In just a whisper she replied, "I'm thinking about love." A few moments later she was sound asleep.

Funny, I was thinking the same thing.

A Lover of All Things

On the walk to school today Bella spotted an 'obstacle' on the sidewalk and called out, "Don't step in the poop Mommy!". Then she said "You should just gently step over it. Because Nature is our friend."

 Boy, she can take even the sh*tiest situation and make it sound nice.

NO WIRE HANGERS!

Bella got a hold of my 'eyeliner' (red lip liner). Aunt Tracy said she saw a slight resemblance to Joan Crawford in Mommy Dearest...

The Grass is Always Greener...When You're 4 Years Old

 On Wednesday Bella was coming with me to a meeting, and we had to walk through an alley to get to the building we were going to. All of a sudden she had a big smile on her face and said, "Look Mommy! The green grass is growing in the cracks!" I stopped for a moment to look down at the street. Sure enough there were little patches of grass peeking out from between the cracks in the pavement. So I said, "Yes it is, and you know, I wouldn't have noticed that if you hadn't mentioned it."

I learned something from this story...did you?

Just Be

So if you have read this blog in the past, you know that I occasionally like to ask my daughter what she wants to be when she grows up. Her aspirations change daily (sometimes hourly) so the answer is always alluring. 

So today I asked. 

And today's answer was (with a very disciplinary tone), 

"Mommy, I'm just gonna be who I be."

I don't doubt it for a minute.

Good Day Sunshine

Today was a BEAUTIFUL day in Colorado. Late this afternoon, Bella was playing out in the backyard and I was sitting out with her soaking up the sun. It was as warm as a spring day and someone close by had a fire going, so the sweet smell of smoke lingered in the air. Bella decided we should have a picnic. She went into the house and came outside with lots of goodies...carrots, raisins, graham crackers and chocolate milk. She sat down next to me and said, "It's a good day Mommy, isn't it? It IS a wonderful day." Then she sighed, leaned against me and drank her milk. 

OK - this next thing is going to sound like I made it up, by I actually wrote it down word for word...I just have an amazing kid (if I do say so myself).

It was nearing bedtime when Bella climbed up onto my lap and said in a very serious tone, "Mommy. I need to ask you something." "What is it?" I replied. She said, "Can I have a little bit of your love?"  "You can have ALL of my love!" I said. Then she gave me a hug and said, "Mommy, I can feel all of your love." You and me both kid.

It was indeed, a wonderful day.

Twiggy

When I was 4 years old, I had very long hair. My parents wanted to cut it short (probably from day after day of tears when trying to comb through it). Unbeknownst to each other, they had each bribed me to get the haircut. My mom bought be a Barbie swimming pool that I desperately wanted and my dad took me to lunch at my favorite restaurant. They didn't find out until after the haircut that they had been scammed.

Yesterday I was going to give Bella's hair a little trim (the last time it was cut at the local kids barber shop, the woman who cut it had no clue what she was doing and we walked out of there a little lopsided!). I started to cut it and Bella said, "Mommy, cut this part that is always in my eyes." So I asked her if she wanted to have really short hair. She heartily replied "YES!" So we cut it short. She now kind of looks like a cross between Twiggy and Bob Dylan. 

I think I will voluntarily take her to lunch and get her a Barbie swimming pool...will keep her busy until her hair grows back! 

No Gifts Please

Tonight as Bella was settling down for the night, I went and sat next to her. She hopped up and threw her arms around my neck, gave me a kiss and said, "Happy Tomorrow Valentine's Day Mommy." 

It really is the thought that counts. Best Valentine I ever got.

The Simple Life

I bought Bella this t-shirt today. The photo doesn't do it justice. The pink dress and ballet shoes are sparkly and the tiny dog is doing the same ballet move as the girl. I bought it because when Bella saw it, her face lit up like fireworks on the 4th of July and she gasped. I asked her if she wanted it and she said, "Oh yes Mommy. It's beautiful, just BEAUTIFUL!" 

It was such a magical moment. Something so simple.  She was overjoyed. The simple things should make us happy.  I've learned more about life from her in the past 4 years than I have in my 40. 

She is beautiful, just beautiful.

Skip Skip Skip to My Lou

I try to make it to the gym 3-4 times a week. Sometimes work and life get in the way. The other day Bella was anxiously waiting to go (they have a great kids club there), but I ended up knee deep in jobs that I had to finish. She was hounding me "When are we going to the gym Mommy?" I finally answered, "Well, I think we're going to skip the gym today." to which she replied, "Can't we take the car? I don't want to skip there!"

Not a bad idea. If we skipped to the gym, workout accomplished. 

The Fountain of Youth

Late yesterday afternoon Bella and I were at the supermarket. We were slowly making our way through the aisles ( I forgot my list so was trying to remember everything we needed). There was a bus full of elderly people there from a nearby retirement home. Bella was sitting in the cart, singing, chatting, making funny remarks about everything. About half way through the store, I had a feeling we were being followed. Sure enough, there was a line of little old ladies, tagging along behind us, not looking for groceries, but listening to Bella. They all had big smiles on their faces and seemed to have a new spring in their steps. We stopped and chatted a little. Bella charmed them all. 

On our way home I got a little choked up thinking about how much my grandfather would have loved Bella. He died long before she was born. I realized how fast time goes and how precious these years are. I can only hope all my grandparents are still here with us, maybe skipping along quietly behind us as we browse through the cookie aisle.

My reply as a child was always "No, I'm just dancing."

Bella was standing next to my desk playing a game on one of my computers. It is obvious she has to go potty. I asked her, "Bella, do you have to go potty?" to which she replied without taking her eyes away from the screen, "No, I'm just standing real high on my toes."

That's a new one.

Bella Unabridged

Abuela is coming to visit tomorrow (that's Grandma for all of the non-spanish speakers out there). Bella is very excited. She's been asking all week, "How many more days until Abuela?". This morning she was getting ready for school and I told her that when she got home, she needed to help me clean up the house for Abuela's visit. She casually said, "We should start with your closet. It is disastrous in there!"

Her 4-year old vocabulary never ceases to amaze me! Webster would be proud.

(and she's very observant too - my closet is a disaster!)

Hmmmm

I was just sitting at my desk getting a little work done, when Bella crawled into my office pretending to be a dog. Barking, wagging her tail, sniffing around. Then all of a sudden she hopped up and ran out of the room. I heard the bathroom door shut. 

I hope she's not drinking out of the toilet.

Old Soul

When Bella was a baby, an uncanny number of people, strangers, told me that she was an "old soul". I'll never forget one day we were standing in line at the grocery store and a very kind looking old woman was standing in line behind us. She and Bella locked eyes, Bella's face was very  sober. They stared at each other for at least a minute. The woman leaned forward and said softly to me, "She's been here before."

This week I came down with strep throat and Daddy was out of town, it was a rough few days until the antibiotics kicked in. I felt like I was hit by a truck.  On the worst day, I took Bella to the store and let her pick out a movie and any treat she wanted. We went home and made a "movie theater" in the basement and she watched her movies and ate as many cookies as she wanted (right out of the box), curled up in my arms while I slept. Hey, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. So last night I laid down in bed next to her and said, "Thank you Honey for being such a good girl and taking care of me when I was sick. I really appreciate it." She  gently put her hand on my face and said, "Mommy, sometimes I will help  you, and sometimes I won't. But I always love you."

I think her old soul has been here before. 

Inquiring Minds Want to Know

In the car this morning, Bella was singing songs and it started to rain a little so she broke into "It's Raining, It's Pouring". After 'the old man is snoring' she said, "How does the rest go again?" so I finished it "He bumped his head and he went to bed and he couldn't get up in the morning." 

Then she said, "And then what happened?"

Huh? I have no idea what happened after that...never really thought about it before. My guess is that the prognosis was not good, considering his age and the fact that he probably went to sleep with a concussion, but I wasn't really prepared to explain all of that to a  4 year old, so instead I asked her what she thought happened next.  Her version went something like this (sung in the same tune as the song). 

He went outside

with his pajamas on

and he looked pretty silly without his rain hat on.

Everyone loves a silly ending.