Enjoying: December

December 16, 2014 By Kelle

It’s my favorite kind of Florida December right now–cold enough that I sat down to write this post and had to first run and fetch a pair of socks and a blanket. Translation: sweaters.

Happily counting down the days for holidays, time off for Brett and a nice slowdown.

In the meantime, enjoying…

An accidental sunset

This picture is so representative of what life often feels like during the week. We’re late for ballet because we couldn’t find one of the shoes. And the good tights that don’t have that funky toe seam are in the dirty clothes hamper. And the black required leotard is nowhere to be found. So we scramble and get creative so that we can at least show up–because that’s the most important part. Here we are, showing up, in an old recital outfit with a broken safety-pinned strap. With Dash contorting to get off my hip and Nella pulling at my purse for her Barbie, I hustle Lainey through the parking lot until I notice that showing up a little late means we get to see this gorgeous light we’ve been missing all these months. It spills into the grass lot next to the parking lot, dances across Lainey’s milky skin, and it all comes together–the light, the old leotard, the broken strap, the tights with the wonky seam, the smile, being at the right place at the right time and letting go.

Poop Companion
Nella takes Poop the Barbie everywhere. We forget that her name is funny until someone turns when Lainey says something like, “Mom, Nella won’t share Poop with me” or “Poop’s hair needs to be brushed.”

Shake It Off
I don’t know that a song has ever been played more in our home. I’m well past the usual can’t-take-it-anymore point, but for some reason I can tolerate this one. I like the “Mmmm-hhhmmm.”

Nella likes to dance to it. All day, err day.

Post Preschool Pick-up Ice Cream Dates
…where, surprisingly, Nella and Dash will share a cone without a fight.

Skipping sizes
The fact that Dash wore his first little Christmas jammies last year and can fit into his sister’s, three sizes bigger, this year. He grows like a chia pet.