Happy Day

Emily has really caught on to two emotions: sad and happy. Currently all sadness from everyone (especially in books) stems from missing mom. The exception is Nathan who is hungry when he is sad and Emily strongly encourages me to stop what I’m doing to feed him. Happy is identified in all of us present; “Emily is happy. Mommy is happy. Nathan is happy (or sleeping). Daddy is happy.”  She started this all on her own, but it has a very positive effect on our days.  Emily is so pleasant. Like absolutely, amazingly, I-can’t-believe-there-is-a-toddler-in-the-house pleasant.  I mean we still have our moments, but overall we have been blessed with a very fun, helpful, g0 with the flow girl.

I’m learning to choose happiness over frustration. Today I had a major breakthrough: instead of being frustrated Emily woke up before I was able to get out and exercise, I accepted that she would wake up and embraced the idea of a mother-daughter walk.  Sure enough, she called out the second I was ready to head out the door and so we took 15 minutes getting her bundled up and snuggled in the stroller.  Instead of being irritated I didn’t have alone time, I thoroughly enjoyed this time with Emily and our conversations.  This reaction of mine was a first and a step in the right direction and I’m celebrating it. I also have to credit God who planted the thought in my mind this morning, because the idea was not my own.

Andrew grew up giving Christmas gifts to friends and wanted to carry on the tradition.  I found a family friendly recipe that Emily could help with every step of the way and only took a few minutes of work to put together.  We turned the on Christmas music after breakfast and got baking. After naps we assembled the packages and delivered our little bags. Emily took on the role of knocking on the door and handing over the gift. It was so much fun and really got us all enjoying this Christmas season.

Emily and I went to the library together and I marveled at how easy it is to just take one child out of the house.  She was in the mood to read pink books and Jesus books in the purple rocking chair together.  We stayed until lunch time and came home with a big stack of reading material.

The last few days Emily has exploded in speaking and the ideas that she communicates.  I’m blown away with the words that she knows.  She saw a picture of Santa and pointed out the “buckle.” After her nap today she ran around the house telling us over and over again that she had her ring and she was getting married in the temple.  When I asked her who she was getting married to she told me, “ring.”  I have zero idea where her getting married idea came from but I’m glad she knows the temple is part of it and impressed she knows a ring is involved.

Nathan has joined Emily on the happy train.  He really only cries when he is starving and his pretty content watching the world from wherever he is – including his carseat which is incredibly wonderful.  Andrew really is the one that has set the tone for all of us.  He has changed me by his example during the last five years and has been such a blessing in teaching our children to be patient, kind, gentle, and happy.

I’m grateful for our happy day.