Peace Out 2011

University of Miami @univmiami

Be proud of all you have accomplished this year #CanesFamily. Here's to an even better new year 

This was a tweet from my alma mater. I thought about it. What do I feel that I accomplished this year?

Not a whole damn lot that's for sure. In fact, it's been a fairly terrible year. I retract any earlier statements about looking forward to 2012. I am "cautiously optimistic" about it. We'll see.

Me and JoLo

It's just me and the baby today. One on one. Baby vs. mama. In a battle against her dad, she usually wins (sorry Ryan). But I'm a bit more stubborn. Today is going to be interesting.

But I'm also going to take her to the museum. We can do SO MANY ACTIVITIES TODAY! (first person to correctly guess what movie I'm referencing here wins a hug)

So what should we do??

Tearjerker

I know. You never know what it'll be like when your parents join Facebook. But I love the fact that my mom is finally hip to technology.

A friend from high school, ok let me rephrase...a brother from high school passed away 2 weeks ago. I've been questioning alot since then and sending pictures of memories to my best friend and other brother since then. As I'm scrolling down my mom's posts on her page, I see this that I didn't see before:

Dear Alonzo,
I have so many great memories of you in my home back in Lexi's room.
You guys solved a lot of problems in that room. You were funny and didn't care what others thought of you. I admired that about you. Rest in peace my friend and I will miss you!! Mama H.


Yep. I about cried. Alonzo, I love you so much and I miss you. I hope you're settled and finally at peace.

Haiku in the Key of Christmas

Christmas, you are here
No shopping has been done yet
Does Best Buy still ship?

Missing Hand Jesus

I walked into our guest room the other day to work on some crafts. I glanced on the dresser and there was a little statue of Jesus I had never seen before on there. Naturally, I freaked. I mean, cmon, you'd freak too if you walked into a room and saw a random statue of Jesus in there. I look even closer, and oh wait, Jesus is missing a hand! The hand is in a small, clear box right next to him. This just kept getting better.

I go to the top of the stairs and this conversation ensues:
Lexi: Uh, Ry.....there's a Jesus in the guest room.

Ryan: Yea, my mom brought him down this past weekend.

Lexi: Ok, that's all well and good, but he's missing a hand. And the hand is just in a box right next to him. Why is Jesus missing a hand??

Ryan: I think I was playing in my room as a kid and he fell off a stand or something; the hand broke off.

Lexi: Hm, ok. Still very strange. I mean, Jesus isn't strange, but the random Jesus popping up out of nowhere is strange.

Ryan: Yea, my mom mentioned it to me over the phone before they came and I guess I forgot about it. My grandfather gave it to me so I suppose she brought it for this trip.

Lexi: Okay....that's fine. I just needed some more background info. I think you'd freak too if you walked into Jovie's room and a mini Jesus statue was suddenly judging you from her dresser.

Clothes are Family

Sometimes I take surveys online. I happened to take one recently about apparel. I know NOT MUCH about apparel besides the fact that I still do not fit into my pre-pregnancy apparel. However, there's a point in the survey that's asking about a specific store. Please just view the statements.....because they're a smidge on the ridic side.......



Ann Taylor Loft......I'll be in tears if you ever leave me!!!

Lord.

To my Jovie

Baby girl,

I don't even know where I should start. It's like a love letter but for a toddler I suppose. Jovie, I can't believe that you are 1 today, can you? No, because you won't remember this. You put us through so much this year that I don't even know where to begin. You were stubborn from the start.

We didn't want to know if you were a boy or a girl. We waited patiently. But I had so many emotional outburts during my pregnancy that I should have known that you were a girl. You were a drama queen from the start. You were born at 6:03pm. 7lbs, 2oz, 19 inches. You stopped breathing 10 minutes later. You fought breastfeeding and then food altogether. Wasn't quick enough, wasn't good enough. You were a diva.

Turned out that the early feeding issues were linked to reflux and a milk allergy. We had a rough go JoLo. I suffered. You suffered. I screamed and cried all through your first month and I couldn't wait to go back to work. I was convinced you hated us. I should have trusted my instinct with you all along and taken you to the doctor for tummy troubles. But we went, and you were a new baby.

You started to grow, develop...turn into a true infant before my eyes. I was so attached to you I would barely let anyone hold you for longer than a few seconds. Went back to work and it was nice being back, having adult conversations but oh, the pain of missing your warm body.

Jovie, I moved you from Massachusetts to Texas to provide a better life for you. So we could afford to live the way we wanted. You're in daycare now and thriving. We're rebuilding again. But you're so strong and resilient that you've handled every change with as much grace as a 1 year old can have (which is barely any...baby grace I suppose). We get comments all the time about how happy you are and how smart you are. And you make me proud each and every single day.

Baby girl, today you turned 1. And as you sleep soundly in your crib to awake to just another December day tomorrow remember this: I have never been more proud of anything in my entire life than I am to be your mother. You make the world go 'round for me and your father. You make my bad days whole again. You make me feel accomplished and that I'm leading a purpose-driven life. You are my purpose, you are my love.

I love you. I love you. I love you.

Love always,
Mama (or in your own speak, "Mum mum mum mamamama")

Life Lesson #18

When changing morning diapers in less than suitable light, please ensure that you have nothing dangling off your arm or that you have an article of clothing on that you like. You may accidentally swipe said article or charm into poop without knowing it and go into work not knowing why you still smell baby diaper.