Happy Things

It's been awhile...

1.  I read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland for the first time recently.  My favorite part was when the Mock Turtle and the Gryphon sing about the Lobster Quadrille.
2.  My toes are painted an extremely hipster shade of pastel greenish-blue.  Thank god only I can see them.
3.  I learned how to make the most delicious oatmeal (translation: I shamelessly stole the recipe from my nanny family) and now I make vats of it and sometimes eat it three times a day.  For real.
4.  On Thursday, it's going to be 60 degrees and I'm taking the twins out in the double Bob stroller and walking to town and getting a cup of coffee.  Boom.
5.  It's my best friend's birthday this Saturday and she has no idea that I've been training her Shetland pony birthday present to stand on his head for her.  She has room for him in her apartment, right?
6.  I dread my period a lot less since I started being all earthy hippie crunchy and using reusable products (I have a diva cup).  I was so against the very idea of this thing when my college friend first tried to convince me to use it.  I called it disgusting, I swore up and down that I would never, not ever use something so freaking weird.  And then I did.  And it's amazing.  And it makes my vagina happy.
7.  (And oh yeah - I get my period again.  Another happy.)
8.  Remember when I got into Yale?
9.  I took a bath tonight.  Lucy almost jumped in.  I laughed so hard I almost peed.
10.  This boy.  Always and forever.

Count 'Em Up

Want to know ten things that made me happy today?

1.  Autumn-ifying a summer skirt by adding tights, boots, and a sweater.
2.  Snuggles with Birdie, especially as she slooowly woke up from her long afternoon nap.
3.  Watching Rupert bound up the stairs to his best friend's apartment.  Coco is spending the night here and Rupert could not be happier.  He's bursting into wiggles about every ten minutes.
4.  My first sip of my first cup of coffee on this cool, gray morning.
5.  Talking to my mom four times in one day.  Especially happy is the fact that she doesn't get sick of me calling.
6.  Making plans to drink cheap wine with a new friend next week.
7.  Kind thoughts and words from blog readers.
8.  Not getting spit-up on, peed on, pooped on, or even excessively splashed by bathwater today.
9.  The faint citrus smell pervading my apartment.
10.  Knowing that tomorrow is a new day, full of possibilities, and ready for the taking.

Your turn.
xo

Rays of Sunshine

There are good things in life.  Even in the midst of struggles (first-world or not), there are things like unexpected sunshine after a week of rain, and new friends - that own a fluffy dog - met at the coffee shop.

Coco in foreground, being an excellent subject.  Rupert in background, being easily distracted.

There are also things like used bookstores on a rainy afternoon, crammed floor to ceiling with books.

Don't look for a specific author, title, or genre.  Just...look.  You'll find something.

And there are books.  Wonderful, blessed, books.  Books and coffee could get me are getting me through a lot.  Anyone recognize some of their recommended titles from this post?

I was doing well at keeping my spending under control until I found the children's section.  (See the top 8 books.)

Okay everyone, quick, look around the room and find five things that make you happy!  I'll go first:
1.  Rupert, sleeping in a ball
2.  My iPod playing "Dog Days Are Over," by Florence + The Machine
3.  My yellow sweatpants
4.  Our two new little plants, bought at the farmers' market this evening
5.  Our refrigerator white board with a list of things to do - all checked off.

Your turn!

What is this feeling?

Okay, so it might have taken a few glasses of wine to get to this point, and a few renditions of Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" (don't judge!) but for the first time in a long time, sitting here with Alix, not having work tomorrow, I feel...happy. 

I am on a constant roller coaster of emotions these days: I know that in a month, things will be settled into a new routine and I'll feel better, but since I hate change, these next few weeks are going to be a nightmare for me.  I go from being excited about my three new boys to crying over leaving my little guy.  I'm thrilled by all the responses I'm getting to the ads I have posted on caregiver websites for a second part-time nanny position, but I'm simultaneously terrified by all the change that is rapidly taking over my life right now.  In a matter of weeks, it's likely that I won't be working for either of my current jobs anymore and I'll become a member of two completely new families, with new little ones to love and new routines to get used to. 

But tonight, I'm going to enjoy my wine, my bad taste in pop music, and the chance to sleep in tomorrow.  Hey, it's the little things, right? 

A happy memory: the last day of vacation before my senior year of college started, my best friends and I went to the local butterfly conservatory and had a blast.  I felt like a kid again, trying to stand so still so the butterflies would land on you.

When You're Happy and You Know It...

Sometimes (ok, lots of the time), I ruminate. I obsess over small details, mulling over things that make me anxious, distraught, embarrassed, or just plain sad. A lot of this is biological and is something I've come to terms with over the last few years, but I still think it's worth it to do everything I can to combat these tendencies. One of the best ways I've found is to think about everything that is making me happy at this precise moment. It helps me to get myself back to sleep at night when I wake up in a blind panic about...nothing. So, for your enjoyment, here's the current list:

1. My monkey munchkin punkin pie little dude is crawling! Not very fast, and not very far, but man, he is moving like a champ. At least on carpet. On hard wood, we are back to the scootch and slide, but on firmer ground, he is a determined little boy. Solidly and slowly planting one hand, then one knee, then the other hand, then the other knee...then repeat. Slowly. And he's off! It makes me so proud that I jump around singing dumb songs that sound a lot like, "Heyyy nah nah nah, my munchkin man can craaaawwwlllll oh yeah hey nah nah nah nahhhh." He likes to either ignore me since he's probably crawling with fierce determination towards some enticing toy that I've placed out of reach, or sometimes look up at me and sound an approving "Gah."

2. I got a half day of work today, since my boss couldn't make it all the way to work due to the snow and decided to come home and study instead. I was home by 1 PM and Alix and I got to spend the afternoon and evening together for the first time in I don't know how long. We spent it getting...

3. New workout clothes! In honor of our new gym memberships, we decided to trek to TJ Maxx to find discount name-brand workout clothes and our efforts were rewarded. We walked out with multiple sports bras, tops, and a few bottoms to fuel our gym excitement and keep us from stinking up the gym by wearing the same stuff day after day. (So sue us, we only do laundry every two weeks, if that.)

4. Despite not feeling up to it, we made it to the gym tonight and took a new class with a new(ish) friend - someone I work with at the bakery. It was great getting to spend some time with her outside of work and the class was my favorite one so far. Not too crowded, a great instructor, and it totally kicked my butt. My goals since joining the gym have become less about changing how I look and more about changing my physical capabilities which I think is a good mental switch.

5. Finally, tomorrow is Friday. It's pay-day. I'm excited to wear more of my new stuff to the gym after I get out of work. Then Alix and I will have smoothies for dinner and go to sleep early. Maybe it sounds boring to y'all, but I can't think of anything better.

See, life really is pretty good, once you think about it. Stay warm everyone <3