Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Oh holiday season, to where have you gone? I just told Trevor that I'm feeling some post-holiday doldrums - probably exacerbated by going through pictures from Christmas, wishing we were still with all our families: being lazy, getting fed, enjoying watching them with Karis. 

That said, what a wonderful time we had and I'm now so excited for the new year. I've been processing 2010 in terms of "best of/most" (best book, best movie, best meal out, best date with Trevor, most memorable moment, most awkward moment, most emotional moment). There's a lot to think about, it was a truly grand year. 

I'm also processing the year ahead in terms of "hopes". While I think goals are great, I'm having an easier time thinking about hopes for the year ahead - it just seems more attainable and more fun to think of hopes fulfilled than aggressively seeking goals (at least for this time of our lives). Some hopes: 

- I hope I take more pictures this year
- I hope I can write more and be more creative this year
- I hope Trevor and I can take a short vacation together
- I hope to paint our bathroom
- I hope . . . to prioritize and take time for important things 
- I hope that our family of three can establish some unique traditions
- I hope to be open to anything and everything that God would lead me to and through these next months of 2011.

Karis hilarious is quickly on her way to becoming a 1 and a half year old. Some 17 month memories and milestones: 
  • Running around with her hands in the air and dancing on her tiptoes. So feminine and joyful! 
  • Saying "uh-oh" over and over and especially at appropriate times, e.g. tripping, dropping something . . .
  • Saying "baby" when she sees her baby doll or baby Jesus from her little nativity set
  • Trying to drop her morning nap (still needing it, not wanting it)
  • Dropping daytime feedings, just nursing morning and night (wanting it, not getting it)
  • Getting a molar
  • Sleeping wonderfully well through the night, about 7:30 - 7:30
  • Cuddling more and more. She loves to back up into my lap, which of course melts my heart
  • Scoot down the stairs on her belly
  • Loves to play with other children, but also loves her alone time. When we're with friends, I sometimes catch her off by herself in a different room having some time to herself
  • Is very attached to her grandparents
  • Says' "up" all day long, wanting to be picked up and put down. At this point, "up" means both up and down
  • Nods her head up and down to just about anything
  • Points to her and our body parts with great understanding: hair, ears, nose, eyes, mouth
  • Tells us when she wants to eat and brings us her bib on her way to the high chair. Proceeds to sit there for about a minute and take one bite and then says "up", which means "down"
  • Has a favorite outfit that she carries around and brings to us to put it on her
  • The other night before bed, ran into a wall. Full on just ran into the wall. 
  • Figured out how to get the lid off her snack cup. Makes it pretty purposeless, really.
  • Just tonight went c-r-a-z-y when a friend brought over a smiley face balloon for her to play with. I haven't seen her that excited in a while
  • Crying when I leave the room. Or like tonight at a pizza place, crying when I went to the bathroom. I could hear her the entire time. Poor girl. That leads me to . . . 
Reflections on moms in general: I noticed something over Christmas - there's something about moms - we don't always need them around, but we always want them around. I saw this with Karis - she sure didn't need me or want me to hold her, but she wanted me in the room and to know that I was there. Then there was one afternoon that my mom was gone and it was just me, Karis and my dad at the house. We had a great time of course,  but I sensed that we were both thinking about mom, wondering if she was having a good time, wondering when she'd come back. One night at Trev's house after dinner his mom was upstairs - I marveled at how every single person there within not many minutes asked his dad, "Where's mom"?  There's just something about a mom's presence, I think. I sometimes still can't believe that I am a mom. I'm so thankful.


Just to show how few pictures I took over Christmas, these are some of the most interesting
Christmas day, digging around the fridge


Christmas Eve, eating at what's normally bedtime seems to produce funny faces

1 comment:

  1. Oooh, I just love your "mom" reflection. I had never considered that, but I see it now as I think of my mom and mom-in-law! How sweet to think that our children wanting us "around" won't end with childhood.

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