It's Official...

...we're taking our first steps. Just a few days shy of her 15 month birthday, which I'll have you know, is the AVERAGE age little ones start walking. At least that's what our pediatrician says. So there. :-) We're not behind. But even if we were, that's ok. I'll relish every little new move this girl makes.




While crawling is still the prefered method of quick and easy transporation, Josie is so very proud of herself whenever she walks. She starts laughing so hard, that she starts to lose her balance. And then she plops back onto the floor. I love the process of Josie learning to walk. I love the process of Josie learning to do anything. I just watch in amazement and no matter the outcome, weather she falls or just keeps going, I always say "Yay, you did it!" and we both laugh and clap our hands together. I LOVE THESE MOMENTS.

Snow Day!

Waking up to four plus inches of snow this morning meant staying in jammies all day, drinking hot chocolate, reading books by the fire (we really didn't do that, but wouldn't that have been perfect?), making a fort and taking Josie outside for her first official snow day. If today had been a work day, waking up to this much snow would have led to completely different activities with different emotions along with it. But since today was my Tuesday off, I relished in every moment of snuggling up with our little bear.

After a day of staying warm, we bundled up and headed outside when daddy came home. Josie LOVED the snow.


No really, she did love the snow, but obviously not in this picture. I just love taking pictures of Josie in a moment of pure expression. Is that wrong? :-) As I mentioned, she did love the snow, we just had to find the right activity. And thanks to our neighbors next door, we found the perfect one.





PS. Those same neighbors snuck over and shoveled our driveway at some point during the afternoon. Can you believe it?!?! That is love. Now it's our turn to think of something we can do for someone else. I love the idea of paying it forward. Not just in response to something we've gained or received, but the idea of an ongoing frame of mind that we need to be doing things for other people. For no reason at all. With no expectations. Only because we're called to love other people. Today was a good reminder of that. To pay it forward. To love even in the littliest of things.

My Favorite Things

Top 10 Countdown of Christmas 2010:

10. Bundling Josie up so tightly that she could barely sit up...like that kid from "A Christmas Story" -- but cuter.


9. Reading Christmas books with Josie (to say reading books is her favorite is an understatement) and 8. Seeing Josie in Christmas jammies. Especially when they are just a bit too tight.


7. Event night with the family. I love that my mom likes to give "events" for Christmas. This year, a white limo picked us up (6. kid free of course -- that's a gift in and of itself!) and took us down to the plaza for a movie and an evening of all you can eat Brazillian meat at Fogo de Chao. Seriously, I'm still full and it was a month ago.


5. Seeing Josie with Santa. I halfway feel bad saying this, but it was quite hilarious. Josie LOST it. Out of control. So upset. I should have expected it, but I was taken by surprise. Oh little one. It was cute, funny and yet a little frustrating all at the same time. Maybe next year.


4. Watching Josie with her cousins. Miles, Max, Luke, Emri, Ava and Claire. She's one lucky girl. 3. I love Christmas because it's guaranteed time with family. I love Chrismtas because of the tradition, the concept of the God of the universe arriving to earth as a tiny baby (which meant even more to me once I took care of an infant myself), and as I mentioned, I love Christmas because it's guaranteed time with family. Easter is amazing and we would have no hope if it weren't for the cross...but there's just something about Christmas. When it all got started. I digress, back to the countdown. COUSINS!!



2. I love that Josie's favorite gift was a box of brightly colored socks all lined up in a row. She loved it. Absolutely loved it. Would have played with them all day. Take them out, one at a time. Put them back in, one at a time...on and on...


1. And of one of my favorite things of Christmas...while daddy played guitar and we sang Christmas carols, Josie took stage right with the bells. In her mouth. Shaking her head every once in awhile, but keeping beat nonetheless. Love that little girl.