Dear December,

So much is happening!  We went to TX for a whirlwind trip.  Adam's parents finally got to meet, hold and bond with Isabelle.  As they always hoped, my children are very entrenched in the cupcake/cookie tradition.  Everytime they see Meme and Granddad they are given their choice of a cookie/cupcake and a beverage.  Since we saw them everyday of our trip we had lots of cupcakes and cookies!

I got to spend valuable time with my sister and her kids.  I love them so much!  We played and played and ate. and played. 

I also got to see my mom and had lunch with Dad.  It was so nice to stay at their house and see them.  Their house is crazy right now.  I hope the next time I visit that we will have more energy to spend time together.

We came back just in time for Christmas Eve and Christmas and birthday parties and dog sitting and working.   And now cleaning.  So much in such a small amount of time.  

We carved out a day to relax yesterday.  Santa brought me a bike and God made me a day in December to use it.  And so we all went for a bike ride.  Yesterday it was bright and sunny and in the mid 40's.  Today it is snowing.  I feel shear gratitude that we had yesterday and that we used it to relax.  Because here we go.  It's the end of December.

Love,

A Girl Born in November  

Ingrid

My neighbor passed away suddenly last Sunday.  She wasn't outwardly sick.  In fact she didn't feel ill until a day or two before she died.  Then on Sunday, she died.

Ingrid was the first neighbor I met here.  She was colorful and nice.  She immediately helped me get my yard together.  She encouraged me to get the dead tree out of my yard.  A lot.  She lent me tools and good advice about how to get rid of weeds.

She admired my kids.  And was nice to them.  Every Halloween she made a special goody bag for them, which they loved.  It included special German candy, since that was her first home.

She always smiled and waved.  Sometimes she would walk across the street to talk to us.  And sometimes we would walk across the street to her.

I looked for her and liked her.  And now I miss her.

I am sad that her family is there sifting through her stuff.  They leave a light on, but I still know that the house is vacant.  They are heartbroken. And I am heartbroken for them.

Yo-Yo

I'm up and then I'm down.  It's true for several facets of my life.  It seems like I should be about ready to get out of this phase I assocaite with the first year of a baby's life.  The actuality of being able to leave for short periods of time to workout, and then they get sick/have a growth spurt/are going to do something cute you don't want to miss and so you don't leave them.  And then they get better, plateau, accomplish their task and off you go.

Then there's hormones.  You make estrogen and then you don't and then the baby starts to wean and then they don't.  And sleep.  You don't and then you do and then you don't.  And then you don't.  I go through spurts where doing housework is relieving and a good way to wind down, or get a sense of accomplishment.   And then the other times where it is so mundane and repetitive that I just don't care.

I'm ready to move into that stabilizing phase.  Where our routine lasts for more than a few unstable weeks.  I know that craving this during Christmas season is going to require added measure of patience.  But I'm ready.  I'm ready when it comes. 

December? December!

Dear December,

You caught me by surprise!  I was so into November that I nearly missed you.  I turned 31 in November, something which warrants it's own post-one that has already been started but not finished.  And that my friend is what November was- a BUNCH of unfinished ends.

Josh got his first real black eye on "Black Friday".  It was a baddie.  We also named his feet George and Paul.  He didn't use diapers and then he did and now he doesn't.  He pooped on the potty but that is going to take sometime to master.

Isabelle revived her iron levels and is once again the happiest tiniest baby on the block.  She says a handful of words "Uh ho"  "Ya"  "Mama" "Dada"  "Abby".  She is transitioning out of two naps a day.  Which is bittersweet.

Abby knows how to read everything.  She is really starting to comprehend what she reads as well.  Her tooth is so loose that she could pluck it out of her head if she weren't terrified of loosing it.  She is growing up.

As with everything else, I need to catch up!

A Girl Born in November