Ahh, Exhale.

I resolve to post more than twice a month. Lofty ambitions but the motto of the year, "Life is great in 2008", deserves nothing less.

We made it through the holiday cheer. December was a whirlwind that left both the little one and myself longing for the daily, mundane routine: wake up early, drink coffee/milk, play a little, clean a little, dress, workout, play some more, nap, eat, play while cleaning, make dinner, eat, play while doing dishes, bathe, read, and sleep. Life IS great in 2008, so far.

The little one enjoyed all the visiting with family and playing with the cousins. It was truly a joy to watch. I've been impressed with how well she plays with kids of all ages. She was able to hang with the older cousins, ages 9 and 11, without being an annoying little kid. At one point during Christmas dinner, the adults were still hanging around the dinner table drinking and chatting it up, while the kids "repaired" to the living room. The oldest was playing a game on his new laptop while his sister watched on one side and my little one sat on his other side, quietly watching and chiming in appropriate comments and questions to which he gave answers. When the littler kids came over for New Year's, she happily shared the toys and let them crawl/walk all over her, literally.

She came out of the month of December with quite the working vocabulary and a love for babies. We have reached the playing with baby stage. At this very moment, I hear her saying, "I love you baby (kiss sound)." "Sit right here baby." "Oops, baby bonked head."

It is great. Let's do 2008!