Bad Mommy....bad bad Mommy!!

Oh Olivia I am so sorry. I should be more diligent with keeping up to date on your amazing and wonderful growth story. Finding the time is tough but that's no excuse. Bad Bad Mommy ;)

You just turned 7 months old and wow! Every time I sit down to write about you and all of your recent discoveries I just can't believe that it's possible. How is it possible that you have changed so much? I am just so proud of you and thank my lucky stars every day that I am able to spend this precious time with you. Before we all know it I will be back at work and we will be living very differently then we are now, so I want you to know that I cherish every day and waking moment that I spend with you. These are very special days Olivia and I hope that I'm making them as fun for you as they are for me.

Here's what you've been up to lately:

Livvie on the move.
Not only are you sitting up all on your own but you are about 30 seconds away from crawling! We just got back from a week (ok 4 days) up at Auntie Mia's cottage where you decided that sitting wasn't good enough. Thanks to Auntie Mia who helped you along a bit, you are now very interested in reaching for things that are on the ground in front of you. You will not give up as you reach for the toy until you topple over sideways with that big toothy grin of yours. Soon little beans, that reach will lead to a crawl and you will be moving. You are pretty much out of your bouncy chair too. You've learned how to sit upright in it and lean forward almost enough to topple forward, taking the chair with you. You also learned how to do this at the cottage this week. Must be that Ipperwash air, as Nanners says.


When you are on the ground lying on your back, you roll and roll and roll until something bigger than you, like furniture or walls, stops you. The point I'm trying to make here Liv is that you are on the move!! No more free time for Mommy cause you are, from now on, officially on the go. I'm both sad and exstatic about this. Sad because you are no longer able to give me a moment of free time (selfish) and exstatic because you are learning already how to be independent and how to explore and discover. From the beginning I knew you would be very curious and active. There doesn't seem to be a lot of cautious thinking for you - you just want to GO GO GO!!! Oh lord, what am I in for?? :):)

I'd like to buy a vowel please?

You are babbling kid! Dada and Yaya are your favourites. And the other day I swear you said A-E-I-O-Uuuuuuu! Also, you are mimicking. Big time. It is one of the cutest things you do! Your favourite is "Ah ah ah ah ahhhhhhhhhh......". You sound like count Dracula on Sesame Street, although you have never heard him before. And you are so proud when you make that sound - your eyes light up and your smile stretches across your entire face. Oh you are such a happy baby.

...and you are awake...again...nap times, shall we get on to nap times?

Eek! I'll be right back...

Auntie Dax is 33!

Dear Duder,

So today is your birthday. Kinda different from all the others eh? Well...actually last year was probably different too cause you were knackered and so ill you weren't drinking any cold ones. But here it is, and I'm gonna lay it on the line for you just in case you need some clarity. Today you are 33. It's a pretty age. The number is nice to write or type, it's aesthetically pleasing to look at, there is symmetry...you like symmetry. Numerologically speaking it doesn't do much for you but let's not push it. I think it's important to remind you of a few things that you were up to this time last year, just to keep things in perspective.

This time last year you were preggers. We've already covered that. Preggers and sick. Sick sick sick. I couldn't tell you if you actually had a birthday dinner or if you celebrated or oh...wait...yessssssss.......the chili.....your parents. Ok RIGHT because I bought you a scarf. I knew it would fit. Heh. Well the point here is that you were preggers and I was preggers and so it was a very different birthday. I mean it wasn't no 'hit the slots in Vegas' or 'down some Hawaiian mushrooms' ya know? By the way, and I think I covered this last year too...why the hell are we always travelling on your birthday? Do you know how stressful it is to try and figure out presents that travel well? Sheesh.

This time last year you were not yet a Mother. This has obviously changed your life dramatically - I don't need to get into it - but good to point out.

This time last year you were working a 9 to 5 (ok let's be real 10-4ish) job. Hmm, best not to bring that up either, it's your birthday after all.

This time last year we talked about what our world would look like in a year from now and here we are. With babies. B-A-B-I-E-S. Daughters no less! I can't think of a better plan. I can't think of a more wonderful way to have spent this last year sharing all of our fears and panics and thoughts and dreams and fears and panics and joys. You bring so much joy into this world and I thank you for being here and for being my best friend. (Might also thank the Lotts seeing as how it's really her doing. heh.)

Because I refuse to make you cry on your birthday this year (unless you are already - yep you are) I thought I'd leave you with this. This, as you know, is what it's all boiled down to. Our baby girls and how many different ways we can make people smile through them. Olivia and I are smiling at you today and saying Happy Birthday Dax!

I love you.

Question.

How long do you wanna be loved?
Is forever enough is forever enough.
How long do you wanna be loved?
Is forever enough cause I'm never never giving you up.

Some days more then others, I find myself simply in awe at the creation that I have been lucky enough to be a part of. Today is one of those days. Maybe it's because it's quiet right now. She is asleep. The house is in order. The huzb is reading. The dog is at my feet. Or maybe it's because I had a great day with an old and best friend. Or maybe it's all of the above. Regardless, it is days like today that I think about the lyrics in this song and wonder how is it possible to love my baby girl any more then I do right this very moment. And just how, am I supposed to ever be expected to let go?