I think back to this time last year....when I had a full big belly....not of food but with baby. Now she's asleep in the other room. On Christmas day she will be 8 months old. Its true what "they" say, this time flies.....it really has. A year ago, Mr. G and I were running around carefree, taking midnight swims down in the bay, staying out late with friends.....and now its all about little lady and we LOVE it and HER soooo much. I don't feel like we've given anything up. Oh yeah, I don't stay out late any longer but SO what! I wake up every morning to 2 smiling faces who love me no matter how grouchy or yucky I am!

true love....

What have I been up to lately.....well, there's the usual, taking care of my now 5.5 month old (a true pleasure!) spending time with my wonderful husband (and taking care of him as well, also a pleasure!) and making sure that our house is in order (not as much of a "pleasure".) All in all, it keeps me very very busy.

Once a week, Kira and I go to meet other new mother's in the neighborhood. We all met months ago when the babies were just newly born. The council arranges these groups and you start out meeting at the maternal healthcare center. They talked to us about raising our bubs and how to take care of ourselves. Then were were left to continue the group. Most people have stayed on, a couple have gone back to work but its good, everyone seems to make an effort to come to these weekly get togethers. I've even met some of the mum's outside of the group meetings for coffee and to go for walks.

The one thing that I've learned about new mums is this, they are all pretty competitive.....who knows, maybe I am as well. It seems like whenever you start to talk about how your child is doing the other mother tends to make it seem that their baby is "perfect" or that they are developing so amazingly well! I crave to hear that they have rough moments where their child cries endlessly or that its not all perfect in the household, there are hard times as well. I don't know, it just sometimes seems strange that they go on this way....isn't the whole idea of mother's group to share honest/common experiences?

Our little lady has also started going to Gymbaroo. Its a 45 minute exercise class for babies! We've only gone to one class.....she did pretty well. Really seemed to enjoy the first bit but was a little tired and out of sorts towards the end of it. We'll see....I think that its good for their development....

All in all its good. We leave for our first plane trip together to NYC. A 24 hr trip.....Luckily we're all flying together as a family. I'm hoping that we arrive safe and sound....

until we come back...xxxx

I guess that this is what happens when one has a child......you have very little time for
anything.....especially for things taht we all take for granted, like writing in a blog! I think back to when I was still preggie and marvel at how much time I had last year. I baked non-stop for family and friends, made dinner for people, knitted loads of stuff, organized the house, AND I even had time to make last year's chrissy presents! Amazing. Its a good day when I can get the baby up and ready, get the washing done, go shopping for dins AND make dinner! That's a successful day! Now, I try not to worry about this sort of stuff as much and just focus on worrying about the bubs. She is my main priority and that's fine with me.....

level.

I always thought that I knew what love was....growing up in a household filled with love (not your typical Japanese household!), the love that I have for my close friends, past boyfriends and fortunately through the love that I have with and for my partner. But there is a new level and "flavour" of love that I have been experiencing lately. Its amazing how deep and fulfilling the love that one has for their offspring can be. Even through rough/sad/hard moments the future is bright and easy to focus on when you're holding your little bubby. I guess that this is true divine love. I'm realizing that the love that my husband and I have for each other has changed and gone to an even deeper/stronger. This is a truly wonderful thing to experience....you think that you're happy....floating through this beautiful relationship when you fall even more in love with one another.....