Namaste.

I feel good & guilty all at once tonight.  I started taking yoga again, after four years of pregnancy & nursing & pregnancy & nursing I am beginning to feel like my body is my own, and it is time to give it a little stretch.  It felt wonderful to spend 1hr 15mins completely and utterly for me.  In a softly-lit room with four other women and mellow music, the experience almost brought me to tears.  Our instructor advised that those of us who haven't been practicing yoga regularly may be sore over the next few days and we should treat ourselves to warm baths, herbal tea and lots of water.  I picked up Taco Bell on the way home.  Two bean burritos and a ginger ale later - I am truly in my zen space.

jbxo

Photo from baby & mommy yoga with Julian, three years ago.

Yummy.

According to Julian, his daycare has added a new item to the lunch menu:

Me:  "What did you have for lunch today?"

Julian:  "Pogos and jam."

Me:  "Eeew, that sounds yucky."

Julian:  "No Mommy, it is yummy."

jbxo

Clean baby.

We normally have bath-time in the evening... but this morning I thought it would be nice to start the day with a little soak in the tub.  Is there anything more wonderful than a clean baby, fresh out of the bath?  Wish I looked half as cute hanging out in my undies...

jbxo

Let's Pretend.

Nora has developed a new, and rather awful habit.  She has started to scream.  Not a cute little girlie squeal.  I'm talking full blown, top of her little lungs SCREECH.  You never know when it is going to happen.  Absolutely no warning.  Unfortunately, she thinks it is funny.  Even worse, Julian thinks it is funny as well.  

This morning after stuffing both of them into my Beetle she started, out of nowhere.  Then Julian started, even louder.  

Me:  "Julian, we don't yell."

Julian:  "Me is not yelling, me is just pretending."

jbxo

We have no bananas today...

I was stopped at a red light today.  A man was crossing the street, and suddenly appeared to be caught off guard by something, he was staring at the car next to mine, completely transfixed, and almost tripped as he was trying to walk at the same time.

I thought to myself, what could possibly have this man so befuddled?  I glanced to my left.  A pretty girl was also stopped at the light in her car, taking a bite of a banana.

jbxo

Love-ly.

I wish you all much love and happiness.  I hope today has consisted of many chocolatey treats, and all things heart-shaped.

love, love, love.

jbxo

Wait a minute, Mr. Postman.

We have started a terrible habit.  We never check our mail.  By never, I don't mean we go a day or two without checking.  On a good week we check the mailbox once.  Our mail is delivered to one of those "community mailboxes".  It is exactly 25 steps away from our front door.  I drive by it on my way home from work, but I can't bring myself to stop there more than once a week.  The odd thing is, if you made me wait a week to check my email I would feel sick to my stomach.  Is it because the only thing we receive in our mail box are bills, and the odd magazine?  I'm not sure.  When I picked up the mail on my way home tonight there was a HUGE stack.  Bills, a magazine, flyers... I began to wonder what the mail-delivery-person must think.  Do they imagine that we are world travelers?  Frequently flying off to exotic, far-away destinations?  Do they imagine that we are jet-setting business people?  Independently wealthy?  Good-will ambassadors?  Or do they picture us, cozied up on the couch, fireplace on, watching tv... being just, plain lazy?  Probably.

jbxo

mailbox by ScrappinBio on Etsy

Once

I can't get this film out of my head, and I don't want to.  Andrew and I watched it on Saturday night, and it was beyond beautiful.  Every detail.  Every song.  "Falling Slowly" has become the soundtrack which plays over and over in the back of my head all day.  Every day.  Watch it.

jbxo

Big love.

We have all been terribly ill this week, just awful, messy, yucky, ill...  A few nights ago Nora was sick in her crib.  After giving her a bath and getting her changed I brought her into our bed, as I was worried she would be sick during the night and I wouldn't hear her.  Andrew was out, so Nora and I were all cozy in bed, just the two of us.  It was 10:30pm.  We were both exhausted, but because Nora is never in our room at night, she spent about 30 minutes "rediscovering" the space... she was fascinated by everything... the sheets, the dog, oooh - Mommy's hair.  Just as I began to fall asleep Nora reached over, grabbed me by either side of my head, and pulled me in for a huge hug.  She's only one year old, and weighs less than 20 lbs, but I swear, it was the biggest hug of my life.

jbxo

Fly away...

One year ago today a beautiful Superprincess named Ava flew away to heaven.  It breaks my heart.  Her brave, talented Mummy has shared her with the world through her blog and her photographs, inspiring many of us to be better Mummies and better humans, every day.  She has taught me to kiss my babies more, to be kinder, and more patient, to not worry about the little things, and The Seven Skirts Rule. 

 

Auntie Shari gave Nora two pretty little butterflies with her birthday gift, and every time I look at them I think of Ava.  Although I never knew her, they just seem so "her".  I know she would love them.  I have sent this one to Australia, as a special gift to thank the Rosemeyer family for so generously sharing their darling little girl with us. 

  

Forever in my heart...

jbxo

*Photo of Ava courtesey of Sheye Rosemeyer.  Thank you Sheye.

Spin Spin Sugar.

We found these wonderful little spinning tops from Sleeping Forest Studios on Etsy for one of Julian's birthday gifts.  They are beautifully crafted, and they spin like a dream.  He examined them for about 5 seconds, looked at us like we were insane, and then tossed them aside in favour of one of his eight robots.  Andrew and I have been having spin-offs all night...  Unfortunately, Andrew is winning.

jbxo

Perfectly perfect.

Tomorrow Julian turns three years old.  Today he thoroughly enjoyed his birthday party.  Lots of his favourite people were here to celebrate him.  He ate candies and cake.  He drank as many juice boxes as his little belly could handle.  He opened gift after gift, all perfect three-year-old-boy toys... robots, Spiderman, trains, a basketball net.  This evening Julian, Nora, Andrew and I were all absolutely spent.  We were literally lying in a heap on the living room floor, listening to music, playing with new toys.  Out of nowhere Nora, eyes half closed, crawled up to Julian, climbed up behind him, threw both of her arms around his neck, put one head to the side of his, closed her eyes and laughed out loud.  A wonderful, loud belly-laugh.  I swear, it was the most perfectly perfect moment of my life.  How is it possible that three years ago these little ones weren't here?  They are such a dream that it often doesn't even seem real.  I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.  After their bath, I was putting Julian's pyjamas on and I said:  "I can't believe you are almost three years old.".  His reply?:  "I can't believe you aren't Buzz Lightyear.".

Perfect.

Happy birthday, my sweet pea.

jbxo