The cuteness....

I just cant take it!



There is not enough time in the day and I can never give her enough kisses!

And yes after a lengthy search that is the new living room rug...its really more gray than it looks in the video. Or at least that is what I keep telling myself!

Ode to comb

Oh comb how I love the...

All those many wonderful toys that I have...

They could never compare...

To your comby goodness....

I love the oh comb!

Beautiful. Confidence.

And so it goes, this soldier knows

The battle with the heart isn't easily won

But it can be won.

Ingrid Michaelson - Soldier

Look at this face...

So beautiful so very, very beautiful.
And it always will be. no matter how awkward, wrinkled, defiant, sad or any number of things it may someday be. I know that. But how do I help her know it?
Since the moment I found out we were having a girl I have wrestled with how to show my little beauty what it means to be a confidant, beautiful, strong, down-to-earth, true woman. I have struggled with it because so often I am not sure how to be those things myself.

I am an average women. A bit below average in height, and with some less than average interests but otherwise I share many similarities to others of my sex. I don't think I am fat (although I do feel fat sometimes) or ugly (although I do feel ugly sometimes) and I have my fair share of self confidence. But do I nitpick...yes...do I refuse to take a compliment...yes...do I feel like I should look better do better be better...not always but yes too often. I wish that she never had to feel such things.
And I know...I know....I know...she will watch me. She will listen to me. She will feel when I feel less than. She will sense the contradiction in my words when I tell her she is always beautiful and yet I do not believe it about myself.

I am so aware now of every time I look in the mirror and am dissatisfied by what I see. So aware of every time my husband complements me and I nay say.
Oh and I know what needs to be done.
Work.
Blah.
The part of parenting I knew would be my greatest challenge. Being the example. The example of a woman who chooses to believe that she is always beautiful because she has been made so. Because it is what she was made to be. The example of a woman who allows the Spirit within to shine through in true beauty.
And to do that takes work. It's a good thing I have such amazing motivation...

What do you think? If you have a daughter what are your thoughts on bringing up a beautiful, confident girl in our image obsessed world?

7 Months...and the other side of the hill...

I can not believe that we are here. Sophie is closer to being a year old than she is to being a newborn. How cliche I know but I really can not believe it...so much time gone so fast.
Trust me the hard times are still fairly fresh in my mind and I am really not wishing back the newborn day's quite yet! I like getting at least some more sleep and watching her play and looking forward to the end of the breastfeeding tunnel (bad mom I know...but when the time comes I will really be ready to be just plain me not milk factory!) and so many other things.
But for now...she is amazing...really...she is.

As we ramble on down the other side of the hill I continue to wonder...wonder at this amazing, wonderful, beautiful life that I am so blessed to be living. *sigh*

Progress and the Park

So I have been busy and neglectful of my little blog.
We have finally made some progress..there was finally a weekend without rain and we were able to clear out everything from the garage and then put it all back in and organized manner (ahh the joy of a garage!) which left room to put all the "garage" stuff that was in my living room actually in the garage!
So this:

Is now this:

And this:

Is now this:

There is still much to be done and more "big kid" furniture and stuff to buy and still lots of boxes to unpack and organizing to do.....oh dear....

Today we made our very first visit to the park! And in typical Sophie fashion she responded with either "meh" or dislike.....typical....however in her defense it was a bit windy and a tiny bit chilly so perhaps that was part of what put a damper on the fun.

She did not like the swing

And was nonplussed by swinging with dad

And also by the slide

Windblown hair!

Sliding with mom was no more thrilling.

And I try to remind myself during these times when I am disappointed that my little one did not take to something right away...that someday she will cry when its time to leave the park....