I just read this blog post and it stopped me dead in my tracks. When I found out that Alison was a girl I was terrified. I am terrified that I will raise her to have the same ugly hang ups that I have. I’m terrified she will be too caught up in fitting in with the crowd and forget to be her own person. This article gives concrete guidance to help all of the parents out there struggling with the same questions.
http://jeffdlawrence.com/2011/12/23/some-thoughts-on-how-to-talk-to-little-girls/
Enjoy
The word for 2012
First of all I have about 7 posts that need to be written. Oh my goodness I am SO behind. I will catch up in the next week.
In 2011 I chose to declare one word my goal word for the year. In place of several resolutions I decided to choose a word and attempt to live that word for the entire year. I prayed about the one word that summed up my shortcomings and how I could improve my focus to live more like Jesus in a world that is so easy to lose sight of him. In 2011 my word was intentional. I wanted to be more intentional about my home life, my work life, my Jesus life…and more importantly I wanted all of those ‘lives’ to be in agreement with one another. I wanted to intentional act like the same Christian woman in each aspect of my life.
When I reflect on 2011 I feel successful. My family probably heard the word ‘intentional’ 10,000 times if they heard it once. Once I set my sights on trying to live a more intentional life I was very focused and became aware of areas in my life I wanted to adjust or activities I wanted to abandon in order to focus on the more important areas.
Fast forward to 2012. What is the word this year? JOY. That’s right Joy. 2011 was an awesome year that brought me a sweet little girl that I love, I was able to watch the love between Reed and Alison grow, Randy and I enjoyed several vacations with friends and family and had an overall awesome year.
So…why do I need to focus on JOY? Although 2011 was a great year on paper, the everyday part was not joyful. I found myself being dragged down by the little things. Ali is still the world’s worst sleeper (yes, she is almost a year old and still won’t sleep), Randy and I had a tough time adjusting to life with 2 very small and very needy kids. I will admit it, we argued and went our separate ways several times. Reed is SUCH a strong willed child and he pushed me to my limit several times. My point in all of this is that it is so easy to miss the JOY in daily life. For 2012 I want to stop and focus my energy on finding and celebrating that joy everyday.
So what are you doing for 2012? I hope that by publicly stating my focus word for the year it will help keep me accountable to live it everyday in 2012.
Christmas 2011
11 Months!
Ali you are 11 months old (a few days ago). Unfortunately we had to take you to the doctor because you have ear infection, but we know that you weigh 18 pounds, 11 ounces. You are still a skinny-minny and can fit into 6 month onesies (although they are finally a tight fit). You can still wear size 2 diapers, but 3’s fit a little better.
You have 5 teeth and you are starting to get a few little curls in your hair. Your eyes are still blue and hair is still strawberry blonde. I would love it if you hair stayed this color, but I’m not holding my breath.
I love seeing little parts of your personality come out as you get older. You are so silly and really love to make us laugh. You have figured out peek a boo and love to put your hands on your head as though you are hiding when we play ‘where’s that baby’. My favorite part is how much it makes you laugh. I love your sweet smiley face.
One funny thing is that you LOVE to play with toys. Reed never really played with toys, so it is a surprise to see how much fun you can have sitting on the floor surrounded by your toys. (I guess that means I should buy you a few toys for Christmas!!)
You are a terrible dinner eater. At school you eat like a champ but for some reason you don’t like to eat at home…no matter what I feed you! Let’s hope this will get better soon. We are working on the sippy cup these days and I think you are starting to like it. I’m afraid it probably won’t be as easy to wean you off the bottle and pacifier as it was to wean Reed…but time will tell.
You are very expressive and very communicative, but no real words other than “mama” and “dada” and “nana” (banana). I do think you try to say Ya-Ya to mom though.
We won’t even talk about the sleep. You are still so erratic that it makes us crazy. We had a good run for about 3 weeks and we thought we were in the clear…but you have started waking up at night again. I really hope it is just the teething and the ear infection.
I love you plumpy!!
Day 24
Today I don’t think I can limit myself to just one thing to be thankful for. Today we are in College Station for the (soon to be cancelled) annual A&M/t.u. football game. Not only do we get to be in my favorite place, but my family and the Pike/Seeley clan is with us.
Today I am thankful for lifetime friends, family, food…and A&M. Now let’s just hope the Aggies can pull out a win 🙂
Day 23
Today I am thankful that I was able to spend 16 years with my older sister. We had a complicated relationship when we got to high school, but I have such incredible memories of us as kids. I loved her so much and I love my memories of us as little kids sleeping in the same bed by choice. We would stay up way too late talking and laughing while we were supposed to be sleeping her big waterbed. So many good times. I wish she was still here. Every milestone I have reached that she didn’t reach makes me miss her a little more. The day I started college I cried. The day I got married, the day I had my first baby. These are all things she never got the chance to do.
But I am thankful for the time I did get to spend with her. And I am thankful that the day the police officer came to the door to tell me she had died was the day that I literally forgot ALL of the bad stuff. People say that and I never believed it…but I am here to tell you it is true. I don’t remember any of the bad stuff, only the sweet memories are left 🙂
Love you Shelly!
Day 22
Today I am thankful for health. I say this with all sincerity. I have so many friends (and thanks to the wonderful world of blog and the internet I know lots of strangers) with some pretty incredible health problems and tragedies. There isn’t a day that goes by that I am not consiously thankful that God has blessed my family with healthy bodies.
Day 21
Today I am thankful for my friends. Growing up my parents were mainly focused on our family and didn’t have time for lots of their own friends. As I’m finding my way in this world and figuring out what is important to me I have found that friends are incredibly important to me. I love the friends that I have known since kindergarten, and the ones from college that I am lucky enough to take trips with and spend holidays with (looking at you Pikes!!). I am also thankful for the friends Randy and I have made as a marrie couple. I love each wave of friendship and I love keeping them in my life. I cherish the time I spend with these friends whether it is with our families, or girl time, or couple time.
Day 20
Today I am thankful for yesterday. What a fantastic day. We had Thanksgiving with my family yesterday and I got to do what I love. I spent all day long in the kitchen cooking with my people. Then more of my people showed up and we ate (seriously) the single best Thanksgiving meal I have ever eaten (or cooked). It was awesome. Even more awesome is that everyone was happy to be there, we all had good times and good laughs and the topper is that it was 80 degrees and we ate dinner on the patio.
Then we proceeded to drink way too much while playing dominoes until 2:30 in the morning. Today I am NOT thankful for the after affects of too much wine and laughing way too late into the night. But I am thankful for the day 🙂
Day 19
Today I am thankful for family. Not the greeting card type of thanks…but truly thankful that I have the family I have. We are disfunctional and have flair for the dramatic…but I love us.