Engraving

If I close my eyes long enough and imagine being there again,  I can almost smell the water and hear the waves crashing. Even though I still have sand crystals on my back,  it's hard to believe that just a mere two hours ago,  I was holding Aspen and drifting into the sea.  I have come to the conclusion that the beach must be magical.  It must be a place to forget the world, the fear and the sadness, the reality of defeat. It must be a place that ignites recovery in our souls.
This picture was taken with my phone.  It has an edit mode called "Engraving". I have never been able to use it because the pictures never turn out.  Well, I think I finally found the picture that this mode was made for.  This is my engraving.

The end of Chapter 1

Feeling nostalgic yet again tonight. It is so easy to get lost in moments during times of change. Change will always come. I guess this night is less of a change and more if a gradual progression. Yep, it's more like the end of a chapter.....One of those chapters you have to go back and reread for fear you may miss or forget something. This is the last night we will hold our one-year-old little girl.  Tomorrow, whether we want it or not, is coming, and our baby is turning two.

I don't understand why some people say they don't want their baby to grow up.  I am dumbfounded every stinking day at this child. I mean,  I know all parents feel this way,  but geez, she is so clever, shes an adorable, borderline perfect, tiny human. To miss out on seeing the person she blossoms into would be tragic for me, utterly tragic.  And in my 30 years of living,  I have discovered that time stops for no one. So, on this special girls birthday,   I vow to NOT wish her everlasting infancy, to NOT bawl my eyes out when she blows out her candles and most importantly,  I will NOT try everything I can to discover a way to freeze time. No, tomorrow will be here soon and we will create memories, we will enjoy our cute little family and we will not dwell on anything negative.
But tonight,  while my sweet almost two year old is sleeping, I will be watching every breath she welcomes. I will be listening to her tiny grunts and moans and committing them to memory. I will, quite honestly,  be counting down the last precious moments I have with a one-year-old. AND, I will not hold back tears tonight. Sweet dreams little Aspen. Tomorrow you will be two.

Some words for my daughter

No intro needed.
Just this.....

Aspen
Each day that passes, we see you grow
You are the sunlight in the window.
You are the green on the oak in spring
You breathe new life into all these things

We love to see you discover it all
You open the cabinets, you hit at the walls
Each step you make proves your courageous
Your joy and laughter is contagious

When you're outside, you never stop.
You climb on trees, you dance, you hop.
In and out of puddles galore, you love the world, you sign for "more".

Aspen, you will always be everything we always need.
More than we dreamt for, more than we asked for, our little girl, our Aspen Tree.

Some days I just need a reminder

My life to date has been quite rewarding. I have an amazing job where I get to help people feel better. I have extremely loyal and grateful clients and I am so blessed to be able to share my abilities as a body worker. For this, for them, for my hands and for my knowledge, I AM GRATEFUL. 

Then, I have this man in my life who knows and understands me in my best and worst moments. He is man enough to know how important my role as a mom is to me. He is a friend in my weakest moments, when I am stressed because I have to be gone from my girl for a whole day, he packs her up to drive over an hour round trip to see me for lunch.....TWO DAYS IN A ROW! He IS what I hope I am for him, and what I hope my daughter will find many years from now.

I've got this little girl that makes my heart melt on a regular basis and pulls my hair out for me so I don't have to. We are sitting in the Aquarium parking lot while she gets some shut eye. I was so close to not going today since all of our friends couldn't, but decided ultimately that we shouldn't miss these moments because of others. We at least have each other and believe me, it is never boring. I AM GRATEFUL she keeps me living, especially on a day I am feeling down. She insists that I focus on the little things. Lets make some more memories.

"No really, look into my eyes"

 

 

"No really, look into my eyes."

Sometimes, I don't have all the answers, well, a lot of the time. I am imperfect, I am a Mother and I am learning as I go, always trying to let my instincts guide my parenting skills (if that's what I choose to call them).

My girl is just old enough to understand a lot of what I say and just brilliant enough to choose what to accept as logic. BUT she is not quite at a mental maturity level where she understands consequences. I expect that will come in the next few months. So tonight, when she through a fit for the third night in a row out of frustration and teething pangs, I told my 18 month old to look into my eyes. "Look at me, look into my eyes." I'm just pushing out ideas here not knowing if she will shoot down my efforts. "Seriously though, look at my eyes, Aspen."  Her tears were still running down her pink cheeks when she stopped crying and tilted her head to the left. Both of her eyes centered on my right pupil and she just stared, head still cocked to the side. Everything went from chaotic and uncontrollable to purposeful, quiet and alert. Oh, YES, I do believe we have had a moment here.

I could see her focusing and dissecting every color and star shape line in my eye. I tried to be content and let her explore as I suggested. I tilted my head to match hers (a favorite game of ours) and then she started laughing hysterically. She has such a joyful and musical laugh, I just had to join in. What am I to do, stay serious? Ha, not this lady.

One of the many blessings of being a Mom for me is these little moments where I feel like I am teaching her something about life, but she has made me the student instead. I don't know if she will ever learn everything I vow to teach her but I know she will continue to expect the best out of me, to push me to be a better parent and a better person everyday of my life.

My Credo

It occurred to me recently that I do not have a Credo...well not one that is written down. I'm not sure why I think it's necessary, maybe, it isn't that it's necessary but more that it can be inspirational and wish for it to be eternal in a sense. Inspiring for myself, for my husband, daughter and anyone else who sees it as so.

I believe in smiles, dark chocolate and husky kisses.
I believe that our thoughts can create reality.
I believe that laughter is the best way to burn calories.
I believe in dreamers and dreams.
I believe in miracles, small or big, if I didn't would they still happen?
I believe that the body has the ability to heal itself.
I believe that nature can simplify life.
I believe that we are all accountable.
I believe that massage is the best gift.
I believe in prayers, answered or otherwise, and in meditation.
I believe in conscious eating.
I beleive in hard work.
I believe in God and Jesus Christ.
I beleive that living a fullfilled and happy life at the expense of losing precious time with others is no life at all.
I beleive in setting my own rules.
I beleive that home is where my family is together.
I believe in Ginger for soothing stomach issues and yoga for the soul.
I believe in love, which is also a song, but I still believe in it.

Miss Golightly

Sitting here on my couch getting a good refresher on the most intriguing character I have seen in a movie, Miss Holly Golightly. For those that do not know who she is, you are missing out! She is a stunning and engaging woman played by the talented Audrey Hepburn in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's. 

It reminded me of a quote I read recently from Miss Hepburn:

 

So my friend, you know that I am hardly a "classic" woman, I'm sure i'm not even considered a typical woman to most. But I have no desire to spend time writing about what others may think of me because that in fact, matters less then....well..... anything. I haven't always been this way, but lets face it, we are all evolving. Everyday we are in the midst of a new normal, a new adventure and the things that matter most are not easily recognized by our desensitized rationality. Life is hazy and unpredictable. The only way to truly recognize whats important, is by weeding out all the other things in life, the clothes, the jewelery, the radio, the noise...... Sometimes it seems impossible to rise above the ramblings in the streets, but I believe that ability will distinguish the beautiful people from the others, and that it is the only way to be undoubtedly happy. Happiness emulates beauty more then any material ever could, more than any pair of high heels or any amount of make-up. 

Insert rain, a lonely taxi driver and an argument turned to an unlikely love scene. And then Paul delivers one of the best lines "no matter where you run, you just end up running into yourself", as he slams the car door. Holly dashes out in the rain to find her nameless cat, and of course, claim her impulsive love.

"Moon River, wider than a mile  (I'm crossin' you in style some day)
Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker
Wherever you're goin', I'm goin' your way"....oh yes, you must see this movie.