While doing research for my other blog (which, because I helped create it just before Avery was born, I consider my “work baby”), I often come across tidbits that have more relevance to my personal life. A study I read about this week, for example, was about new moms who blog – and it found that blogging was linked to improved well-being and health among the women. Eighty-six percent of those in the study said they blog in order to “stay in touch with friends and family” (that sounds familiar!) and the study author suspects doing so helps the women feel connected and supported during what can be an isolating and tough time.

For me, five-plus years after starting this thing, I can’t really imagine life without it. Posting quickly became part of my daily routine, and the blog, in turn, wound up serving not only as a  bridge to loved ones far away, but also as a journal, a confidante, and (perhaps most significant to my kids someday) a rich family archive. Writing in it has saved my sanity countless times, and reading old entries has brought me out of a dark mood more than once; though I probably can’t be called a new mom anymore (something that is simultaneously a badge of honor and a little sad), blogging still helps my well-being!

-M

You may have noticed in a previously posted picture Zoe’s (new) pink, shiny cowboy boots. They’re fun and a little silly – and she loves them. (They are, in fact, the only item of clothing she has ever asked for.) They make me smile, too, but boy – to me, she looks like a much older girl in them.

-M

UPDATE: More on Baby Browdy can be found here.

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Remember when I talked about a baby being a potty-training present for Avery? As it turns out, there is a baby coming to the family – just from someone else’s belly (and not for several months). We recently found out that Aunt Jenny is having a baby, and we are all so excited! Congratulations, Jenny and Dan!

-M

I’ve written before about Avery’s propensity to not sleep (or at least, to not immediately sleep) during naptime – and I recently captured on video another of her naptime activities. Instead of snoozing, Avery was happily playing the harmonica!

-M

When I picked up the girls from school today I told them Safta was waiting at home for them. Then, when we pulled into the garage, the first thing Avery said was, “I want to see Safta!” The comment itself was smile-inducing, but I was also impressed with how clearly it was said. (It sounded like it coming from Zoe.) Considering that just a few months ago I was semi-worried over Avery’s lack of verbal skills, we’ve come along way!

-M

We’ve got visitors – and the girls have been having tons of fun hanging out and playing around with Safta and PopPop. Here are a few pics.

-M

Speaking of potty-training, I had a funny exchange with the girls yesterday afternoon. After telling Avery that she’ll get a special present when she’s completely out of diapers, Zoe asked what we had gotten for her. Recalling that we had done potty-training just weeks before Avery was born, I told her, “A baby sister.” Naturally Zoe thought that was hilarious and said she thought we should get Avery a baby, too. Hearing this, Avery looked up and excitedly asked, “Baby in Mommy’s belly?” I had to laugh – but only after telling Zoe that no, Avery won’t be getting the same present, and explaining to Avery that no, there is no baby in Mommy’s belly.

-M

We’ve done it casually in the past, but over the break we launched a full-fledged potty-training push with Avery. It’s going well – easier than with Zoe – but there have been some accidents and amusing moments.  Q and I were in our room the other day, for example, when Zoe suddenly called out to us, “Guys, guys! For real life, Avery pooped on the floor!” Now that’s something you don’t hear every day.

-M

Over the break a friend got for me a notebook with one of my favorite sayings on the front: Keep calm and carry on. It’s a mantra I’d like to start living by, and I figured that now – at the start of a new year – is as good of a time as any. And while I’m at it (and related to this), I’d also like to stress less about life’s little stuff (something I’ve been working on for years!) and to better savor life’s little moments, especially those involving the girls. The writer at Motherlode, one of my favorite blogs, actually perfectly captured my sentiments when she wrote about “enjoying it” being one of her resolutions:

I admit it, I’ve made this last resolution for years. I’ve made it at every fresh start, with the arrival of every child and with every one of the various events throughout any year that remind me that life is short and childhood is even shorter. In 2012, I’m going to “be here now.” I’m going to take a deep breath when we run crazy late for hockey practice and remember that it’s not the destination that matters but the way we make the trip — which won’t take any more time if I do it without slamming doors or even speeding down the driveway.

If I’m honest, most of the time, I still won’t take that deep breath. I’ll still get too frustrated with the child whose willful refusal to put her boots on (combined with my refusal to leave a child that young at home alone) created the late departure and all the tension that came with it. But in 2012, again, I’ll try. I’ll try to laugh at the spilled milk and the torn coat and the marker that went right through the paper onto the table or at the very least, not let those little things color a whole afternoon.

And so, I will try also!

-M

Our (nice and long) winter break was capped off today with a Rose Bowl-watching party at a friend’s house. The outcome was not what we had hoped for – but Avery looked awfully cute while snuggled up to Q and watching the game!

(Better luck next year, Badgers.)

-M

Happy 2012, everyone! We celebrated last night with our friends the Newmans, and the kids had a lot of fun running around and making some noise in honor of the New Year. As for one of our favorite parts of the evening? When the kids wound down with a show – see last pic.

-M