These days

Okay so I know I talk a lot about loving mat leave...but I'm going to do it again. I was saying to my mom the other day that it is hard for me to even begin to describe how happy I am in life right now. Recognizing that mat leave will soon be over, I'm just going to record what my days look like right now. I know that happiness won't cease when I start my job, but my days will just look different. I'm actually really looking forward to being out of the house for a few days a week. Okay okay...I can hear mitch in my head saying "Out of the house?? You can't wait to get out of the house?? You are never IN the house!"
So I admit...Tyler enjoy a lifestyle of being out and about.

One of the constants every week (or nearly every week) is brunch with my fellow mat leave and very close girlfriends. We take turns concocting unbelieveable brunches and giving the old 'screw you' to losing our baby weight for the duration of that meal. Almost every brunch so far has included whipped cream or icing. Dessert Brunch!

Tyler time. I love to just sit on the floor with Tyler and play. He develops so much every day and watching him and helping him learn is one of my day to day favorite things. It's incredible how much pride I feel from him doing something as simple as putting a cheerio in his mouth or stand up while holding onto my knees.

I'm really enjoying cooking, too! I LOVE having the time every day to plan meals. I absolutely HATE coming home at 5:00pm and THEN having to decide what to make. I like having lots of time, and with that time has come lots of inspiration. Don't get me wrong, I still order pizza every now and then, but MUCH less than we used to. I'm discovering many of my mom's cooking talents and enjoying putting them into practice myself.

Now that winter has come it's been getting a little trickier, but Tyler and I go for walks as often as we can. We bought the best stroller ever that is small and lightweight and yet still acts as a travel system so I am totally mobile. Now instead of walking outside we walk around the mall with starbucks in hand with friends. (umm...also, I have become a starbucks addict. No, seriously. I think I have a problem. It's been 2 days since my last caramel macchiato and I'm getting shaky)

Haha okay this doesn't really correspond with the rest of my post, but I have to tell you something I love: having a baby gives me an excuse to be a hidden pentecostal! I get to dance in church and no one cares because it just looks like I'm rocking my baby. HA!

Now that the Christmas season is here I'm also enjoying time just...relaxing. I always feel a deep relaxing feeling when this season hits. It's full of puzzles, tea drinking, burning candles, snuggling under blankets, and classical - then transitioning to christmas - music. I also currently enjoy dragging my child by the ankles away from the tree again and again.

Yes, I realize this is turning into kind of a directionless list, but I dont' feel like stopping yet.

I was contacted by the MB herald recently to write a book review for them! I submitted it last week and I will soon be a published writer. Kind of. It's a start, right? I'm kind of hoping I did a good enough job that they'll continue to ask me to contribute. I'm feeling like my opportunities door has been thrown wide open with this camp job and the world is my oyster. Taking over the world doesn't seem too hard right now. Armed with optimism, I'll keep walking through this wonderful time in life right into the next.