this I know is true

I loved my daughter from the moment she was born.

I fell in love with her a little bit later, I think.

Everything moves so fast

The danger of being the parent of a baby is just trying to keep up. Stopping to look around, to take a breather? Seems like a crazy idea. After all, even when you have a spare half hour, there are three hundred things you could (should) be doing. You could be cleaning or paying bills or washing dishes or doing laundry or or or...

And sometimes you just want to take a nap.

I was off today-- I switched my usual day off because the sitter had a conflict. Normally I'm off Fridays, and the long three-day weekends are busy and full of things to do. Being off on a random day in the middle of the week meant that there wasn't anything we had to do, and it was a really nice day full of nothing particularly important. It was good not to have to go anywhere (we did run an errand, but that was it) and to just spend some time with my daughter, who gets funnier and more interesting every day.

(I've always liked babies just fine, but I definitely like them more as they get older. I know my life as I know it will be over when she's mobile, but I am FINE with that.)

Taking the time to just be, to be present-- that's a good holiday gift.

---

Speaking of holiday gifts, I am not done with my holiday shopping, and I glare at anyone who is. I'm taking some time off this Friday while Elle is at the sitter and, come hell or high water, I'm finishing my shopping.

I have finally, however, ordered my holiday cards. They are freaking adorable. It helps, of course, that they're mostly made up of a picture of Elle's face. And she's pretty freaking cute.