Mainly for me...

Books, books, and more books.  I need a place to list all the books I want to read, I figured what better place than a blog I rarely use, but is easily accessible, and won't clutter up my house.  Plus a few added pictures of Belle, reading and writing, getting her literary funk on.

 I can't get over how well she holds a pen...

 Is this normal for a one-year old?

Reading "Dora the explorer" with daddy.

Here be my list of books:

Freedom by Jonathon Franzen

The Corrections also by Jonathon Franzen

Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan

A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle (I might go buy this one tomorrow)

Where Am I Wearing by Kelsey Timmerman

Feminism in Our Time: The Essential Writings, World War II to the Present

By Miriam Schneir

Feminist Fairy Tales by Barbara G Walker

A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf

The Good Body by Eve Ensler

Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris

Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

and all the other books in the "Dexter" series

the Courage Consort by Michel Faber

The Poe Shadow by Matthew Pearl

The Last Dickens also by Matthew Pearl

Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner

The Bone People by Keri Hulme

This should take me quite a while, but I have to add just a few more:

Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis

On Beauty by Zadie Smith

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, I read this as a child

 but when I saw the book again, I thought I had to revisit it.

Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray

I think this is enough for now.  It will probably take me a good six months to read all of these, especially since I am already reading 3 books right now and I have at least 10 that are awaiting their turn on the shelf.    This list, coupled with motherhood, my full-time school schedule, and hubby time, will make me one over extended lady.

Here's to keeping things interesting. Cheers!

10 reasons I love having a daughter

1.  I can put cute bows in her hair

2. And pink shoes on her feet

3. She is not afraid to get dirty.

4. Whenever she is excited about something, I hear this feminine, high pitched voice exclaim, "oh."  It melts my heart.

5. She has the gentleness of a women the ferocity and she always know what she wants.

6. She will never be to cool for her mom or our adventures.

7. She is kind to animals and can't get enough of them.

8. She loves nature: she picks up leaves and sways to the whispering of the trees.  The other night she pointed out the moon to me.  I was amazed at how observant she is.  So we spent some time outside staring at the stars. And now, whenever I ask her where the stars are, she points at the sky.

9.  She already has to carry around her favorite accessories.  Preparing for the day, when she will carry a purse.

                                                                    (note the fork and spoon)

10.  She reminds me of the adventurous, pure, free-spirited girl that I was.  Which just pushes me harder to give her every opportunity to excel where I have made mistakes and teach her to love, respect, and cherish the child she is and the woman she will become.

Living...Learn about my daughter

She is self-motivated, eager to learn, and enjoys challenges.
It seems the more she can't do something the harder she tries.
When mastering a skill, it is all she can think about: which is why we had problems with her sleep, she would awake in the night, because she felt she had to master those first year skills.  Now that she's walking, she sleeps through the night. 

She is the most observant little child.  At four months, she noticed when her daddy changed his hair.  At three months, she was paying attention to the food that we ate, she even wanted to try it.

She has the most wonderful sense of humor.  There have been times, when sitting across from me at the dinner table, she has made the funniest facial expressions and noises and the more I laugh the more she performs, she enjoys the sounds of laughter.

She's fearless.

At 10 months old, she loves the water, even went rafting down the willamette river.

She is a true adventurer.

She loves dancing, books, music, and making mischief.

There has been so much that I have learned about my darling little girl.  But what I have noticed most is her intuitive, good-hearted nature.Without prompting, she gives kisses, and lately, when I hold her and pat her back, she pats mine.  It is the sweetest little gesture.  It shows me that already, she is capable of reciprocating comforting, loving actions on her own.  That loving others is something that she desires. 

She is so full of life.  What a lucky mommy I am. 

Having a baby was the best thing I ever did.  Having Ella was best gift the earth has ever given. 

Labels

There was a time where I fancied myself an intellectual, a tragic poet, but now I realize there is no label for who I have become.  There are days when I wish I was an edgy artist or a high fashion, New York City girl, but my traditional and somewhat practical nature allows it not. 

My mind is filled with the "Sound of Music."  I am not a progressive person unless it comes to my ideals.  My heart will always lie in the more simple times. 

I find myself running up hills, singing in the sun.

It's funny, I have a feeling Ella will be the same way too.

All hail the sun.  Voices.  Song.
The song of ourselves. 

And wonderful, gorgeous, dedicated husbands. 

What little girls are made of...

What are little girls made of?

Sugar and spice,

And everything nice,

That's what little girls are made of.

 My little Ella's nursery.  This is what my little girl is made of. 

Cotton Candy Skies

When I look at the sky, on a night like this...

I am uniquely aware of my connection to the infinite. 

It is pure meditation.