sperlygirl

5 months love note...

to my little one,

(ryder ~ 5 months)

be sure to seek out the wonder in the everyday. be sure to dance outside in the rain with a dear friend once. stop and listen to the wind. stand barefoot at the shoreline, marvel at the horizon, and feel your body surge with life as the tide rolls in to meet your toes. pick up a beautiful shell but do not discard the broken one next to it - as there is so much beauty to be found also in those fractured pieces. be mindful of your burdens and respectful that others carry their own too. some may be obvious and others you may never realize are there...but they are. lead with your heart in whatever it is you wish to pursue but always remember your greatest resource is the knowledge you allow for yourself. approach all living beings with kindness - including yourself. always remember (and use) your good manners - they have the ability to take you quite a ways in the world. and do not ever forget the genuineness of an unexpected handwritten note. be thoughtful, mindful, fearless, kind, and above all, be happy, my littlest one. ti amo. xx mama

moments of beauty...

there are times in life when i find myself overwhelmed with the world - and not in a negative sense. it's like my heart is full and then some simple 'thing' happens - be it an unexpected comment, gesture, kind act, something i notice, a surprise letter/email but usually it is simple and ordinary - and it causes my heart to overflow.

i say all of this at the risk of sounding completely corny, crazy or both but it's true and genuine for me. i can recall moments like this all the way back into my childhood. it's like a momentary awareness of all the inexplicable beauty in the world and it just hits you, shocks your system a bit, rocks your world, and then as unpredictably as it arrives - it gracefully settles back down into the recesses of your soul. it's a clarity...a lifting...a peace. nothing in your life is changed after wards, but you are left with the memory of this very difficult to articulate moment. i felt this today. i cannot tell you why or when it exactly came on, but i realized it in the moment. i was simply aware of it...and so very grateful for it.

**and to be true and honest, i have those other moments too - you know the ones where you feel deflated, defeated, and it's a struggle to define anything good in the world. i wouldn't be human if i didn't have the both. but i also believe wholeheartedly that it is my mind that creates my reality, so i work very hard to be completely aware of this during those darker moments. everything in life is as fleeting as the breath.

a list of 36 loves...

inspired by karen's post today...thought i'd share my 36 loves.

1. peaceful, quiet mornings

2. my little boy who will randomly tell me, "mama, you look pretty as a picture!"

3. the friendship of j and his loyalty

4. my supportive and loving family

5. my dearest and cherished friends

6. the sea

7. fresh flowers

8. a clean bathroom

9. a new planner (omg, i am such an addict)

10. a mix cd made with love by a friend

11. skype, skype, skype

12. my camera - and looking at life from behind a lens

13. the scent of my shiva oil paint sticks

14. internet radio

15. ziggy marley and his positive vibe

16. limone gelato (i miss you!)

17. a nice slow glass of red wine over dinner with friends overlooking the seaside (pure heaven)

18. the gift of creativity

19. an inspiring read

20. seeing a movie in the theater

21. church bells in the distance at twilight

22. planting new plants in the garden and the hope that's tucked in the soil with them

23. fresh fruit

24. traveling (anywhere!)

25. sweet, friendly pets who miss you

26. the incredible community of blogger friends (thanks!!!)

27. messages of love and inspiration found in Mother Nature

28. watching the clouds drift overhead

29. sweet children's books

30. soaking up time visiting with friends

31. butterflies

32. seeing a child gain confidence and pride in their creative abilities

33. being able to write out a poem when it flashes across my thoughts

34. letters from my grandma

35. the anticipation of meeting this little one we've come to love who has been living in my belly the past 8 months (there is so much love here waiting to greet you, sweet one)

36. striving to the find the possibility in each and every day

32 weeks...

32 weeks...moving around this belly is more of a challenge. although i have not been able to gain much weight at all - what i have has gone right here to the belly. teeny kicks, dances, and dives all over the place and all the time. the bassinet is assembled and ready to welcome his tiny little sleepy body. his big brother delights in giving my belly kisses and then waiting to watch the inevitable kick that comes in response. and i wonder and daydream of just who this teeny little boy will become.

(photo taken by j)

"The fruit derived from labor is the sweetest of pleasures."
~Luc de Clapier

sharing love...

sharing a little bit of love with you all this 'love thursday' - here are some things i am loving right about now.

late nights

swimming in the sea

this ad

this song & message

my most favorite poem

this scene

and my most favorite artist

almost here...

summer is here and vacation is just around the corner. all though i know this summer will have it's work it will also have its moments of rest and play as well - and those i greatly look forward to and cherish. to spend all day together with my little boy and soak up the sun, the sea, the sunsets, the meals outside, the travels, the gathering of treasured friends, the moments on the yoga mat, the moments of silence, the rejuvenation in preparation for and the anticipation of the arrival of the newest little member of our family at the end of the season ~ ahhhh, summer, i welcome you with open arms.

22 weeks...

i must say that this second time around with pregnancy feels much more grounded and present. with kai, i was so caught up in bliss for the whole 9 months (and still many days since) but with this one, i am much more acutely aware of everything - both good and worrisome. i have so many 'what ifs' this time around and some days i simply long for the bliss i felt before. don't get me wrong, i feel wonderful and so blessed to be in this position -- it's just that the worries, concerns, fears, and doubts seem much more real this time around. it is a lesson for me in trusting and letting go.

(i must admit that this is actually a portrait - as it was too difficult to set up without the help from j)

sweetness...

he always asks me now as he looks at my belly, "mama, where's the baby?" before he lays his head down on my chest to cuddle. and then he tells me all of the things he will teach this new little baby -
"i can teach them to roll their eyes, color, and to play with my stick..." (the stick is a little olive branch we found the other day and have had to carry with us on every walk since.) oh yes, mi amore, you will be such a wonderful big brother - so full of love.

**a little tune that makes me smile and think of you & your little olive branch**

the love in my world, right now...

this thursday i am thinking of the things i love most in this world right now...

the interest kai has in having a new little person to play with and teach to be big~ this little baby growing in my belly~ fresh strawberries~ sleeping in (ok, sleep in general)~ weekend morning breakfasts~ fresh cut flowers~ hearing from and reconnecting with old friends~ painting~ long walks with my little boy~ homemade chocolate chip cookies~ oh, and this video that j showed me tonight - it made me smile

a little message of love...

it was just a little gift that quietly peeked out at me from the walls as we walked through the festive city. it was just a gentle nudge - and one that made me smile as i snapped this and went along my way.

*a little tune to lift your spirits as you walk today*