Simple Joys in a Spring-like Winter

Well I think there's has only been one day below 50 within the past week. It's balmy! I keep thinking "What on earth will summer be like here this year" because of this bizarre and warm winter. No snow. No ice. No freezing. And it's almost the end of February! Though I'm not complaining too much. Being able to get out and about outside and take Lucy to the park without coats has been amazing (I'm so sorry Josh and Kristen!!! Poor folks are basically in Antarctica aka Iowa).

Luckily, with this warm weather and Lucy's recent walk-a-holic development, we've been able to get out and let Lu explore the world more! This has been a joy! She loves being outside more and more, and grass is becoming safer. For a while, any time we'd stick her in grass and move away, it was as if the grass turned into lava and the lava monster was approaching, haha. Now she's adventurous and curious, while cautiously staying near me and holding me for encouragement every now and then. :)

BEFORE: (courtesy of Valerie Abenroth Photography!)

AFTER:

Another joy in life is Lucy's LOVE of music and dancing. She dances in her high chair, she dances when she's playing, she dances when we hum or sing something. It is so much fun, and brings sunshine into our hearts. The keyboard is a favorite past-time for Lucy. Often she'll lead us over and motion that she wants us to hold her up to play with the keys and buttons. Sam was a kind daddy and lowered it so she could reach better and play on her own. She loves it!

We are all loving having a recliner, as well, including Lu! This kid knows how to kick back and relax. :) (This picture makes her little leggies look so long! She really is getting tall. We've had several people comment "Oh, she must be tall for a one-year-old!")

Okay, this is a HUGE simply joy in our lives: oven/stove knob protectors!!! I didn't know they existed until I went to Babies R Us the other day. LIFE SAVERS. Now Lucy can't reach up and turn on the gas/fire. Phew. Times a million.

For Lucy's birthday, Sam's aunt was so kind and gave little punkin some birthday money. This past week we finally spent it at Toys R Us (Lucy helped pick them out). She was ecstatic, and have been loving her two new toys daily! It is the funnest thing to see her snuggle her puppy and cruise around lightning speed with her walking toy. It actually converts to a ride-on toy as well, but we tried that once and Lucy seemed a little unsure about sitting on it and moving, so it's back to walking/pushing for now. Maybe when she's older . . . .

There are so many other joys and blessings in life I am grateful for as well. Lucy, first of all, being the greatest joy in our lives. Starting my job, getting my first paycheck, baking and cooking A LOT, and spending time together as a family and as a couple have been wonderful joys. Also, Sam and I were able to go swing dancing on Valentine's weekend, and we had a total BLAST! It felt so good to dance together again, and to learn a new dance (lindy). May there be many more times! Dancing is something we can't completely lose. ;)

Feeling happy and grateful lately. :) Life is good.

A Lesson in Parenting

Tonight gave me much perspective on the kind of parent I want to be.

I never realized how OCD I can really feel/act sometimes until I became the parent of a hilariously determined, adorable, and independent one-year-old. Sometimes, when Lucy makes messes or acts like a one-year-old, I feel like singing this:

There are time when I want so desperately to teach Lucy, to help her understand, to encourage developing good habits. Then, I remember she's only one. Tonight was one of those remembering times.

Tonight we gave Lucy cheese and green beans for dinner (dinner of champions, oh yeah). As we are our own dinner (baked carrots and nachos!) Sam broke up pieces of cheese and spooned chunks of green beans onto the table for Lucy to reach. She gobbled and gobbled (especially the cheese), then quickly decided green beans were squishy and fun. As bean by bean became a handful or more of squished beans all over the table and floor, I felt those urges rise up within me. Urges to wipe up the mess, to tell her "no squishing and dropping beans, just eat them, Lulu!", urges to say "if you don't eat right the food goes away", urges to cringe at the green beans she was stuffing under her legs and diaper with glee. But I resisted and watched instead this time. And what I saw was beautiful:

I saw a young child learning about food, feeling and touching and playing. I saw a young father smiling happily at his sweet baby, showing her the most loving example of patience and support. I saw a one-year-old girl being exactly what she is, a curious goofy child with a curious goofy nature. She smiled, she laughed, she talked while she played. And for every five squished or stashed beans somewhere in the kitchen (or on Lucy's person), a couple more were calmly popped in her mouth and eaten. I saw joy in our home, a dinner being somewhat eaten, a child being a child. And you know what? I felt peace—a real, tangible, and memorable peace. No frustration, no upset baby hands slapping my frantic cleaning ones away from her creations, no crying, no annoyance at the mess. Only joy and calm.

The lesson continued. After dinner Lucy and her daddy cheerily proceeded to clean up the green bean mess on the floor together. Sam sang and hummed as he wiped up beans with his paper towel, and Lucy happily  crawled back and forth through the green beans waving her own paper towel. Then, she ripped up her paper towel in tiny pieces, and carefully gave Sam each piece one by one. They had SO MUCH FUN! And I realized the simple small choices Sam made truly made all the difference in how the evening has gone. We've been so happy tonight and Lucy has been such a peaceful girl, and I honestly believe it's because Sam let her be a one-year-old, patiently teaching her, showing her, and letting her help "clean" up. She felt validated, she felt like she was okay, she felt supported and loved. And she got a little needed "smashing" out of her system, hahaha.

I am so grateful for these moments Heavenly Father blesses me with, blesses us all with. I'm so grateful for our precious little daughter, for the joy she is, for the opportunity we have to love and care for her. And I am so grateful for a special eternal companion and love who helps teach me to be a better parent and person each day. Sometimes little things matter. But sometimes things like green beans on the floor really aren't that big of a deal. Sometimes it's better to just smile and laugh and thank Heavenly Father for giving us a beautiful bright one-year-old named Lucy. :)