Mother's Day Everyday!

This may seem a bit sappy, but having celebrated two Mother's Days I think everyday should, and is, Mother's Day. We work so hard and deserve to be celebrated, but we also get little gifts everyday from our family. That is how I feel right now (could just be pregnancy hormones :-) Gwen is talking soooo much and starting to put together two and three word sentences. My heart melted with the first unprompted, "Thank you Mama." Gwen also weaned herself a few weeks ago, so we have been having lots of cuddle time (which is so sweet since she wasn't much of a cuddle bug before). She still asks for milk sometimes, but it is all gone. I am also starting to get more and more excited about having another baby. The little guy moves quite a bit and Spencer actually saw my belly move a few days ago. Lately I have really just been enjoying life (naps during the day make this possible) and appreciating the little things that are my daily rewards for all the hard work I put in to being a Mother. Some of this Zen outlook was inspired by the Mother's Plunge Retreat I went to with my friend Kathryn last weekend at the Mercy Center. It was a morning and afternoon of lecture by Karen Maezen Miller, followed by instruction on meditation, a little yoga, then after lunch, walking meditation in the labyrinth, and wrap up lecture. I bought her new book, Hand Wash Cold, and brought the copy of Mama Zen Kathryn gave me to have signed. I recommend both! The day was very centering and reinforced what I was starting to think was more of a laissez-faire approach to my life, as more Zen-like. I won't babble on...many asked when I was going to update the blog and I said I was waiting for pictures, since I am not sure how many people actually read my updates. So here they are: Gwen being silly and some pictures from preschool when Spencer joined us this week.