Time Flies!

Wow, I can't believe how fast this year has gone.  Taking the year off to spend with Alexa has truely been a blessing.  So many fun adventures we have gone on and so many new friends that we have made.  Her personality comes alive more and more every day.  I love her quirky sense of humor, joy for the outdoors, and of course her innocense.  So much amazes me about her and I thank God every day that I was given this opportunity.  We are so blessed with such a wonderful little girl that fills our hearts with so much joy. 

As we prepare for our second child, I can't help but wonder what that will do to the relationship between Lex and myself.  She is going to be a great big sister.  She is so loving and nurturing with her friends and her dolls that I know that she will just roll with it, but she definately won't be the center of our universe by herself anymore.  I think it is more Mom that is struggling.  Baby Boy (We will leave him nameless as it hasn't been decided and we know how that ended up the first time!) is due July 31st.  The pregnancy has definately slowed me down, but we are still getting out and having fun.  I am busy scheming up the room trying to get that taken care of this time around before the baby comes.   Big plans of painting the walls, redoing a dresser, finishing up a blanket and finding all the right accessories to go with.  Just wish the painting wasn't such a big deal.  My picture in my head looks awesome!! lol, now only to get it to come to fruition!

I know my blogs have been far and few between, but better spent hanging out with my best bud!  :)

The Cutest Flower Girl Ever! ;)

I am exhausted after chasing around a toddler all weekend. One that instead of pettering out from the lack of sleep and sickness, decide to keep going like the energizer bunny. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining as it could have been miserable with a crying whiney sick little girl. (Did I mention I have the greatest kid ever?) It was a beautiful wedding and Alexa did a marvelous job as one of the 3 flower girls. She loved every minute of it, but I am sure the bribes helped. Yes, not the greatest parenting technique, but one I'm sure we have all tried at some time.

I have so much to be thankful for tonight. Some things get me down, but if I look at what I have the people I love that surround me I can't complain. The rest is just life, you have to take it in stride. I am thankful that I don't have to get up to go to work tomorrow, I get to spend it as we wish. Perhaps we will go to the library for storytime, or to the gym to work out and Lex to play...or maybe we will just stay in our PJ's all day and play with dolly and "cook" in the kitchen. What a luxury to have. :)

Sunday Nights

There were plenty of Sunday nights that I dreaded going to bed last year, I actually procrastinated. Can you do that with sleep? (And not that I didn't like what I was doing, but more so because of how crazy it was during the week.) This year (as in school year) I still stay up late, more so because I can. I love being home with little Miss Lex. Our weeks are flying by as they are always packed full of things to do. The funny thing is I still feel like I am short on time to get stuff done....maybe it is because I am too busy playing with my daughter?!? I have started to craft a bit more again on my down time. Also trying to close up loose ends with things around the house. If only I could sit down and update all of Lexi's photo albums into books as I had started. Maybe once the weather turns a bit cooler and we become a little more home bound. In the meantime we are soaking up the last of the sun rays on the playground.

We have lots on our plate this week with our weekly library visit, yoga for mom and playtime at the gym for Lex, Diana stopping in from PAT, playdate, giving back to a family who lost their barn in a fire last week, a firestation tour and then off to Madison to spend the weekend with Julie and Sienna doing fun Halloween things with the girls and some down time for the moms. Phew, no wonder I am so tired come the weekend!

Through her eyes...

And what beautiful eyes they are! When the busyiness of the day takes away from the moments, you miss so much. Since I had gotten so much done this afternoon I could give Alexa my undivided attention...well, almost. I often forget how everything is a new experience. So we planted flowers and watered them. It is amazing how she wants to help with everything, and sometimes it slows us down a bit, but shouldn't that be the way life is? How the simple pleasures of bubbles in our bath makes us giggle and laugh and running around without a shirt on is acceptable at 2. We sat and shared a fruit bar and Alexa kept trying to bite it, but taking the time to show her how to suck on it brought so much more pleasure and a new experience along with it. The memories we create like sitting down on the kitchen rug to share a banana, or the simple wink will carry through many years. I hope my life slows down to share more of these experiences with my daughter and not so much pushing through to get through the day. The simple things in life bring so much pleasure, like chasing bubbles and smelling the flowers.

Beautiful Sunny Days

What a phenomenal day! We took our first Bike ride of the season with a 100 M.S. kids and parents. I really didn't know how it would go, planned for the worst....but what was I thinking? I have the most amazing little girl that I know!! We arrived at the M.S. at 8:30...on the road by 9 and then road 11.5 miles to Harrington Beach. Alexa was reading to dolly in the back of the Burley, saying hi to everyone we passed. Lunch was waiting for us and the kids ran around for a bit, then back to return. Total of 23 miles and 5 hours. My daughter, my beautiful daughter made friends and was an angel for 5 hours! She took a half hour snooze and still was wonderful all evening. How did I get so lucky?

Now I'm looking forward to family rides more often. We are so lucky our daughter is so easy going and willing to do the things we do. It sure makes life easier! We are so blessed!

Only pages left....

The end of the book is always the best, especially when you don't take that peek ahead to see what happens, as I often do. So many changes going on in life, and as we age we come to realize it doesn't come easier...we only accept it. Or accept what lies ahead. I love teaching, although I will be the first to tell you it has its bumps in the roads. Any job does. Sometimes the future scares me for my daughters sake, and there are times I realize I will be a better parent for being a teacher. 24 days, and I am counting....not because I necessarily want this chapter to end, in fact I am sad for it to end as the future is uncertain if this is what will be waiting or not and I know I have lot to still give, but I can only imagine the stepping stones ahead.

So as I sit here this morning in a quiet house, I realize that there won't be many moments like this once I am that SAHM. And because I refuse to go in early on a Friday, I kick up my feet, pick up my computer with my cat on my lap (and arms, which makes it even tougher to type), and drink my cup of coffee and reflect on what lies ahead. The stepping stones in our beautiful future that we have.....the moments that make life special. This would be one of those moments that I say, wow, I'm living the life.

Life...

Life sure speeds up as you get older. You blink it is the weekend, you turn around and a month has gone by...the next thing you know your baby girl is 22 months old and has a personality of her own.

The world is in upheaval. A huge Tsunami hit Japan and it is on the brink of a nuclear meltdown, the state of Wisconsin is in an uproar, friends are losing their husbands, friends are losing their dads.....and I keep waiting for the ball to drop. The one that hits my perfect little world. I pray that ball never drops and I am thankful every day I have a beautiful daughter, a beautiful family, my parents, my wonderful friends and all the opportunities that God has given me. I can't ask for anything more than I already have. "My cup runneth over...." I am very fortunate for my health, wealth and love that surrounds my life.

Speaking of which, I will be a SAHM next year as I was granted a year leave from my job. That means a year with my beautiful daughter to hang out, to smell the flowers, to learn how to skip and hop, go to the zoo, color pictures, make cookies and so, so much more. I am very fortunate for the opportunity and looking forward to every moment including the not so great moments. What a blessing. So now I am counting my days...and my blessings. What are you blessings? RU counting them tonight, because you should....every one of them, because it can change in an instant.