The Best Hug Yet

Have you ever spent time thinking about hugs?

Hugs are one of the best things you can give or receive. They are free, yet they are not typically given enough.

I think about the value of human touch and the way a good hug feels. You give a hug to a friend or family member when you say hello and likely when you say hello.

You can give a hug to console someone and you can give a hug to congratulate someone.

Think about the time you were having an awful day, the weight of the world was on your shoulders and hug from someone you love brought tears to your eyes? You literally collapsed in their arms. You felt safe to release yourself in their arms.

I think about all the times in my life I've shared hugs of sadness and hugs of delight as I meet and greet or leave family and friends at the airport. Oh, the airport. A hub of hugs.

I think about hugs from my husband. He's one of my favorite people to hug - and I miss them when he is away.

I think about the hugs that need no reason - yet they brighten your day.

I think about the relationships I've fostered through business and how I've had VP's of HR embrace me in a hug - something that doesn't see to fit the workplace - but it was so natural at the the same time.

I think about the hugs that my mom gave me growing up - when I got hurt or was sad.

There are so many more reasons for hugs that evoke so much emotion - but there is this hug I've started to get recently that all but brings me to my knee's.

It feels like just yesterday Ireland started with "the neck hug".

After I change Ireland's diaper or change her clothes - I typically stand her up on the changing table and then scoop her up into my arms. As of yesterday she has begun hugging me back. Like HUGGING me back - taking her itty bitty arms and full on throwing them around my neck like I am the best thing she has ever seen. It literally melts my heart and makes me weak in my knees. She squeezes me and I can feel and hear her breath, hers squeals of delight, her love.
 
I say it all the time and I mean it - I do now know what I did in my life to be blessed with this amazing little baby girl. But I do know one thing - I can't wait to feels those arms around my neck tomorrow morning!

Easy Like Sunday Morning

Today was the best Sunday morning I have in a long time.


Ever since Nana and Pop moved into our house - Ireland gets up earlier than before. She likes to be nosy - and see what they are doing, or better yet - she likes to wake up and pound on their door to wake them up.

Last night Ireland and I went to my Aunt Cherry's house to visit and stayed the night.

I must say that I haven't shared a room with Ireland in some time - and I was so pleased to crawl into bed last night right next to her pack and play. She woke up this morning around 6am and cried out. I pulled her up in bed with me - something I did every morning for 380 days as I nursed her - but that was months ago - and I still miss that bonding time. I was so pleased that she was receptive to the snuggles even though there was no milk in it for her! Typically - Ireland is like her dad - briefly affectionate. If I pull her in bed at home - she wants to play, not lounge. However, today, she was easy and gifted me her time and love. We stayed awake about 30 minutes - I would rub her back, her head, and smooch up my little girl. She in turn would rub my arm and look up and smile at me. It was magical. We fell asleep until 8am and I woke up with a sense of rejuvenation I haven't felt in a long time.

The past few months are a blur. July my parents moved in, MP moved out PT for school and I stopped nursing. I started traveling a lot in late August through November and somewhere in between I started a new job. I no longer work at home and I'm trying to figure out my new balance of work, exercise, family, free time and sleep. My days typically start at 4:45am or 5am and end late. Everything is fast, loud, interrupted and not always enjoyable in a rush.

So today, Ireland made it easy for me. She indulged me and I loved every minute of it. I am so thankful for the experiences like this that remind one more time how much I love being Ireland's mommy.

Popping in....

I do not know what to call this blog b/c I do not want know what I even want to write about it.

I want to write about it all - about Ireland's birthday party nearly two months ago. I want to write about how I feel having a one year. I want to write about how Ireland amazes me every day and I get  why parenthood is so stinking awesome. I want to write about our new housemates - Nana and Pop - as Daddy is away at school part-time. I haven't written about her first steps - or the fact that she now has a first sentence: "What's that!?" I haven't taken the time to talk about how sweet she is when she hugs her Baby Dolly or how ornery she is when she sticks out her tongue. I have to write about her slew of booboo's and falls. She is perfection wrapped up in one bubbly little girl.

So much is going on! I am so behind in everything!I want to write about so much, but I just don't feel my writing mojo lately.

Oh...writing mojo...where are you???

My goal is to take some time to blog more frequently. So I may start behind - but I will catch up! Just not tonight - the bugs are biting me on my patio and I've been staring at my computer screen all day. It's now time for me. :) Love to you all.

A week shy of 1

Here I am - a week shy of Ireland turning 1.  I just cannot believe it has been a year.

Time is a funny thing. I remember a period of my 20s where I thought time had actually stood still, I hated it. I was in a holding pattern of my life - waiting, desperately for something to change. Now, here I am wishing every day that time would stand still for a little bit, just slow down a little bit - for one more hug, one more kiss, one more snuggle.

It's been one year of being a mommy. One year of nursing my baby. One year of figuring out this parenting thing (yeah, I don't have it figured out yet).  It's been one year kisses, hugs and tight swaddles. It's been one year of a a ride on this craziest emotional roller coaster ever - many crazy twists and turns. It's been one year of managing a baby on top of a marriage, two full-time careers, ending one masters degree and beginning another.  It's been one year of diapers, bottle warmers, breast pumps and footed-pj's.  

It has been - hands down - the best year of my life.