The Volks' Wagon

Last Thursday it started snowing... and it snowed and snowed and snowed.... for nearly 48 hours.  I could tell you I have awesome snowy pictures, but I don't.  Anni and I stayed in our pajamas and tried to stay warm while crossing our fingers that Daddy would have a snow day (he did, well, he worked from home, but we just love having him around).  On Saturday, we made the trek up to Greeley to spend the weekend celebrating Daniel's dad's birthday (yes, we watched the Super Bowl... er commercials as well). 

Anni's baby is still a constant companion; though, one of her blankets has joined the favored ranks and has be dragged out of bed every morning.

You probably don't know this, but my husband is kind of an amazing musician.  He's played the piano for the better part of his life and kind of rocks at it.  Unfortunately, there's no way a piano is going to fit in our apartment... so we dug out his guitar from high school and he and his dad took turns serenading us on it.  Man with an acoustic guitar and father of my baby?  *swoon*

Our baby is sweet, wonderful... really just about everything you could wish for in a nearly- two year old... but she has recently got the tantrums down.  (I promise I wasn't neglecting her here... she is definitely not the toddler that needs to be comforted to finish her rages, she needs to be ignored so she can forget why she was sad... intervention tends to escalate things, I've learned.)

The crazy hair?  Because "tailies" only last so long.  We did a whole lot of singing.  Anni's attempt at the hand motions to the itsy bitsy spider make me smile every time.  This is me doing the parental gush.  ohmygoodnessshessocuteandsmart

But really, lots of fun.  All weekend, we could hear Anni singing and humming to herself throughout the day.  Daniel's mom told us that his preschool teacher always knew where he was because he was always making some form of music. 

Every once in while, I get these brief little glimpses into who our baby is going to be... really who she is that I haven't even realized yet.  I get that little shiver that tells me to hold this second, this one right here, of her giggling on Daddy's back and being obsessed with her coat and Nonna's cane.  There's no going back.

I wish I had better words sometimes... that I could weave together my quiet thoughts throughout the day into something recognizable.  I read people's lives, stories that make me laugh and weep until Anni toddles over and pats my back, making sure I know she loves me.  I guess I don't have anything fascinating to say.  I work, I raise a baby, I love my husband (in a variety of orders).  I'm sick, and they'll light up my thyroid next week like one of those glow sticks in a rave so they can take pictures and tell me why I'm sick.  But I'm not that sick.  I'll defer treatment until after Ireland if I need to, because I want to go, and I think that's okay. 

I think I'm learning, that maybe I won't say anything that means anything for a long time, but I'm soaking in other mommas' wisdom and hoping that I can love like my loved ones deserve.  Because, my dear loved ones, you truly deserve to be loved and cherished with every last drop I have. 

Happy Week, my friends!