Motherhood. Month Twenty-Three.

I don't know everything about motherhood yet. I know the basics. I know how to turn tears into smiles, how to rock a little one back to sleep in the wee hours of the night, how to give the necessary undivided attention to an activity, and then pull away when mr. independent is kicking in....Yet I would be lying if I could tell you that I knew it all. I'm not quite sure how to keep the house crazy clean when trying to soak up time with my little one and I sure don't know how to perfectly handle time out situations.

But twenty-three months into my trek down motherhood lane, I know one thing. You have to love, really love, all the little things of every single day. Because darnit, they just grow up so fast. And guess who is getting ready to celebrate year 2?




And in this house, birthdays are a big deal. And for this big year two celebration, we are going all out. Invites are making their way to all the little friend's houses and while we can't yet spoil all the little details, we've themed this celebration quite appropriately: Dream Big.





So what else have I learned during my 690 days as a mom?

* Any shirt that mentions how cool daddy is must be purchased.



* Couch diving can become an allowed activity during endless days of winter.







* Stamps... particularly Gymbo stamps after Gymboree play outings... are a perfectly acceptable form of self-expression, until it becomes necessary to try and preserve the stamps during bath time.



* Pets truly are a boy's best friend.



And then? Well, just when you are thinking how amazing this whole motherhood thing really is, you take a mini-thirty-six-hour-break to remember how amazing your husband really is.

Hello, road trip to Chicago. And a special moment of the two of us in an elevator.



And then I tried capturing one of both our faces.



And another attempt. And then I said, the heck with it. Apparently, I'm lucky I don't get paid the big bucks for self-portraits.



After a quiet dinner with a room full of crazed Chicago football fans and a successful visit to Land of Nod where I could have purchased absolutely everything in store but instead exhibited phenomonal strength and only decided on this perfect addition to Jacob's room, we were sleeping in our hotel room by 8:45.... for we had a big morning planned. A meeting of our newest niece, Lucy Katherine.



And I'd be lying if I said it wasn't initially hard meeting this little one. This little one that should be meeting a new cousin in four months. But motherhood has also taught me that not everything can not always go as perfectly as you plan.... and that is sometimes what makes the story all the more beautiful.



And when I kicked myself back into work mode, I was so very happy to be able to capture little Lucy, twelve days old.







Can't you tell what she's thinking in this one? You... you're the crazy aunt that won't stop moving me around to get my picture!


And thirty-six hours later, I learned another thing about motherhood. Even when you think you can really use a break away from it all, thirty-six hours is completely long enough.

Long enough away from this little one, that is.



Yes, we have a busy few weeks planned during this winter madness.



The celebration of birthday number two, yes, but it's really so much more. A celebration of life. Of twenty-four months of living, breathing, smiling, exploring, crying, laughing, and loving.

Oh, life {motherhood} is so crazy beautiful.