Mr. Mustachio

This little cutie patutie cracks me up.  

Zoo Train

Some of the fun, imaginative play that happened on New Year's day included the zoo I made for Elliot for Christmas last year and some new train tracks he got for Christmas this year.  We're not a huge train family.  We lived happily on just a single circle track for the last few years.  But adding a few more pieces, plus some new plain train cars, and Elliot's favorite toys of all times--his plastic animals--and we had one amazing Zoo Train.  The train could drive right through the zoo and see all of the animals.  Just a few simple toys, plus a playful and engaged Mumma (this is often key to getting good play time out of Elliot), and we had one happy little guy.  

PS... I'd love to take him on the real Zoo Train at the Portland Zoo.  So far he only knows of it as a game we play with his toys in our living room.  It would blow his mind to be on an actual Zoo Train!

Welcome 2012!

Phew, I am so glad December is over. Although we had wonderful christmas and birthday celebrations and loved with lots of family from near and far, we also experienced a whole lot of sickness. Between the three of us there was strep throat, conjunctivitis, bronchiolitis, a nasal infection, four rounds of antibiotics, an inhaler, and even an overnight hospital stay for Elliot. Yeah, when I said a whole lot of sickness I meant a WHOLE lot of sickness. And while Elliot seems to be onto another bit of congestion, I hope so deeply that nothing ends up as bad as December. And, except for that bit of congestion, I am thankful to say that we are starting our New Year as a healthy family.  Well, at least the three of us are... a sad shout out to my mom who came for an innocent Christmas visit and ended up with ALL of our germs: strep, conjunctivitis, and bronchitis. She's not over it all yet, but I know she will be soon. Wish I could be there to make you tea, mom. I hope we didn't scare you off for good.

In addition to starting the year off healthy, we also spent our first day of 2012 doing all of the things that I hope to have in abundance as the year unfolds...

- lots and lots of fun, imaginative play

- baking

- messy art projects

- trying new delicious dinner recipes

- long naps

- Elliot putting himself to sleep for his nap! 

- time with family

- a hike under the trees and along the water (must get more nature into my days! it feels so good)

- mimosas for breakfast and wine for dinner (okay, maybe this one might be better in moderation than in abundance, but it's still a good one to have on the list :)

- and, finally, blogging

Oh, what a lucky lady I would be to have a year filled with such healthy, happy, and whole experiences as we've packed into this one wonderful day.  And while Andrea rolls her eyes at me when I tell her I was thinking about having this be "the year of no mayonnaise" (which was already shot by mid-morning when she came out with bacon for BLTs.  Who can eat a BLT with no mayo?!), I think maybe what would be best for me is to focus on just that.  A healthy, happy, and whole year.

So I raise my glass (filled only with water because, you know, enough's enough for one day) and set my sights on a New Year.  A 2012 that is healthy, happy, and whole.  Wishing you the same.  xoxo