My oooooh my, who knew so much could change in one short little year? Apparently, the year my daughter was 3 would turn out to be the year that barely was? Oh look, I blinked...it's gone. She's 4! F-O-U-R. My baby is now a "little big girl" and went ahead and got all independent and grew up on me.
It's been a crazy two years since I first "restarted" this blog and apparently being a "separated(now divorced), co-parenting, single (now in love) super mama, sister, daughter, friend, girlfriend, ex-wife and Executive Assistant to a President & CEO" can really take up a lot of a gal's time. So much in fact, that an entire year can pass between blog posts...oh wait....make that 15 months! F-I-F-T-E-E-N entire months. Yes, I spelled 15....I live with a four year old little girl who's obsessed with printing and spelling any and every word. So much has gone on this past year both personally, professionally and in Mama-world that I truthfully don't even know where to start. I'm thinking we'll call today's entry a "free for all" and just let it flow....
So in short this past year while I disappeared from the blog sphere:
- Mama turned 36.
- Bellabean turned 4.
- Auntie Tracy moved.
- Auntie Robbie moved.
- Auntie Bev moved.
- Uncle Jim went to heaven.
- Mama got contagious Pneumonia...and lived to tell about it (holy hell, that was the worst sickness I have ever experienced in my entire life)
- Bellabean became fully potty trained with no pull ups even through the nights (that was like a year ago though).
- Mama became the Executive Assistant to, not one but TWO, Presidents & CEO's of amazing companies.
- Our bestie baby Kaya was born.
- Bellabean learned to spell and write: her name, mama, daddy, nana, papa, cat, dog, pop, love, etc....
- Bestie baby Makenna was born.
- Mama had her very first Christmas Eve and Christmas morning without Bella...and it hurt....the joys of sharing a little girl.
- Baby Reagan was born.
- Bellabean learned addition and subtraction.
- Bellabean had her first pre-school graduation.
- Bellabean started finally eating meat, well chicken (which was a much needed addition to the only other meats, salami and bacon, that she'll eat)
- Bestie baby Juliana was born.
- Bellabean's Daddy bought a townhouse in our neighborhood (just a brief 4 minute walk away and that's with a 4 year old walking....Ummmm..ya)
- Mama & Daddy finally became officially D-I-V-O-R-C-E-D! (Does anyone else hear party blowers and see a fireworks display when they read this sentence? Just wondering.)
- Bellabean got her first "little big girl haircut" (and instantly went from my baby to my big girl)
- Mama met her best friend and fell madly in love with him (the most amazing, adorable, kind, thoughtful, funny, active, loving, motivated, smart, loyal, dedicated man...Kent)
- Bellabean became obsessed with making lists and writing lists on the topic: "What makes a good neighbour".
- Bellabean started sleeping in her big girl bed in her big girl room all by her big girl self:-)
I can't wait to start writing again, for my beautiful little girl who will be 16 years old the next time I blink my eyes. I feel like I've missed writing about so many amazing moments we've had over the past year, but I'm certain I'll make up for it this next year.
Another year has come and gone, I've weathered the entire divorce storm from beginning to official end and I can still stand today with my head held high, my integrity intact, a smile on my face, love in my heart and say that without question: creating, growing, birthing, raising, sharing and loving Anabella April Gracie has been the absolute biggest blessing and best thing I have ever done in my entire life. Any one, any experience, any hurt, any personal growth and change it took along the way to have her was well worth it for the blessing of her sweet, smart, stubborn, sassy, beautiful, cheeky, thoughtful, loving, blond haired, blue eyed "big little girl" self in my life. She makes me wake up every single day smiling, genuinely happy and striving to be the example I want her to not only see, but BE. She makes me want to be a the best woman I can be but accepts me and loves me for exactly who I am. Anabella's Mama.
xo
J&A
