How Many Times Did I Use The Word Blog?

Yup, it's gonna be one of those posts. The one where I'm all like, "Hi, did you miss me?" and pretend like I had all these great excuses for why I kind of dropped off the face of the earth....you know....and all that. 

The thing is I needed a bit of a break because to be honest I wasn't sure whether I wanted to keep blogging anymore. I mean, it's not like I'm a writer or a photographer or traveller or a seamstress or someone who is trying to get myself "out there" and have tens of thousands of readers and all that. I'm not interested in becoming a Mommy Blogger who ends up on TV shows sharing the latest idea of how to do DIY Christmas decorations or how to bake a cake in less than five minutes. I don't want to be the girl who does a link up of what outfits I wear to work every week or who is famous for ranting about the myths of motherhood. Not that there's anything wrong with any of those people. I enjoy reading many of their blogs when I sit down with a snack during nap time. It's just that I don't really know exactly why I blog anymore and what kind of blog I want this to be. 

Really at this point I just want to be able to document these days as a mother, what my kids are up to, and all those thoughts that often go forgotten twenty five years down the road when I'm looking back. I like going back and reading about what it was like. I like documenting the good stuff, the fun memories, and even some of the not so fun ones. It's just do I really need to do that in such a forum? Why not just have a private blog or just do an old fashioned journal?

The reasons I have blogged in the past two years have changed over and over again. In the end I keep coming back. There's something about getting all my thoughts out at the end of the day and having someone listen that is cathartic for me. I like sharing what I am up to. 

So for now I will keep on blogging! 

My kids are growing like bad weeds and every day I look at them and still can't believe they are mine. You know when your child makes that shift - like all of a sudden they just hit that next developmental phase? There's nothing obvious that tells you they have, you just look at them one day and just know. That's been happening a lot around here lately. They just keep on changing and growing and being what I still can't describe other than to use the word - Miracle. So much has been going on. So many thoughts and reflections in my head. So much to write about and yet where do I start?

I'll start with, good to see you again!

Photos by Brent Foster

Maya's Birthday

Brace yourself for picture overload!!!

Maya's birthday was low key this year compared to her 1st birthday. This time around we figured we would keep the invite list to just our families and make a simple dinner. I couldn't resist surprising Maya with a bunch of balloons and decorations when she woke up that morning though. It was so worth it. She had a blast playing with them all day.  I made a butterfly cake that I found here, along with a few cupcakes. The whole day was pretty low-maintnance which was a good thing since her brother decided to break out in a crazy weird rash that resulted in a trip to the doctor that morning. You can tell that I didn't have much time to get myself looking presentable for the party, but hey, kids don't care about that kind of stuff when they are looking back at pictures. 

Maya is a lucky little girl. She had all kinds of love surrounding her on her birthday. Some people came for dinner. Others sent gifts. A few skyped. She got a bunch of phone calls.  She thrived on all of the attention and I think she really felt loved. So many people went out of their way to make her feel special. Well can you blame them? I mean look at that cute two year old girl. She definitely lights up a room, let me tell ya. 

The Best Two Years Of My Life

Maya, you are going to be turning two on Friday. It's hard to believe that it was already that long ago you came into the world and yet it feels like you have been a part of me my whole life.

There seems to be so much to say about your second year, but no words to say it. 

My brain just can't seem to wrap around the fact that you are your own walking and talking personality with your own feelings and desires. Where you not just my little itty bitty newborn baby? Ah, it's such a cliche that I know all mothers end up saying this when their child's second birthday is on it's way. 

We have been through so much this past year. You have changed so much and blossomed so much. I know that new challenges await us as you demand for your own independence and yearn to learn more things than ever. 

I can't even put into words how proud I am of the little girl you are becoming. I can't even describe the feeling of witnessing the literal miracle of you growing every day right before my eyes. 

Like the air in and out of my lungs. Like the beat of my heart. Like the seasons changing every year. You exist in and out of every day. There are just no words to even say....

I Think So!

Maya is super smart and surprises me on a daily basis with all of the things that she picks up on.  So it's hilarious to me when she learns a new phrase but uses it in the completely opposite context than what she actually means. You may remember me talking about this a while back when she would ask me to "Carry You?".  In the past month whenever I ask her if she wants to do something that she doesn't really want to do she will yell out, "No!". I would usually respond with, "I think so!" and then go about getting her to do whatever it is that she is supposed to do.  

Example:

Me: "Maya, are you hungry? Do you want to eat supper?"

Maya: "No!"

Me: "I think so. Dinner is ready."

For some reason she has interpreted "I think so!" as another way of saying "No", rather than saying "I DON'T think so".  Let me illustrate.

Me:  "Do you want to go upstairs for a bath?"

Maya: "No!"

Me: "Yes, lets go, it's time." 

Maya (with a really stern voice and shaking her head from side to side):  "I think so!"

Me: "Maya, it's time to clean up your toys." 

Maya (with a frown on her face): "I think so!"

Me: "Ok it's time to read a story and go to bed." 

Maya: "No bedtime, I go downstairs!"

Me: "We are not going downstairs, pick out a book to read." 

Maya (runs away yelling):  "I think so!"

Me: "Maya it's time to put on your boots for school."

Maya (throws herself onto the floor in a tantrum):  "I think so!"

When I pick her up from daycare she is always coming home with new phrases that she hears as well. This week she keeps saying things like  "True story!" and "No way Jose!". 

The cutest 23 month old ever. 

Big Girl Bed

Maya has been officially sleeping in her "big girl" bed for two weeks now. I couldn't believe how easy the transition was. She was so comfortable in her crib I was worried that she would miss it, but she just jumped right into her new bed and claimed it as her space.  I was also worried that she would get out of bed at night and get into things without us hearing her. So far it hasn't occurred to her that she has that freedom yet. When she wakes she always waits in her bed for us to come in and get her. She only got out once to grab her teddy from the floor and then went back into her bed. I'm happy that we no longer have two cribs in the house but of course sad that this transition is just another reminder that she is not my little itty bitty baby anymore. You know, usual mommy saga of "I'm sad that you are growing up but proud that you are growing up....", and all that junk.