Rio now allows me to put ponytails in her hair. The results are breathtaking.

I just found out it's been a record winter for high temperatures.
Thank you, Canada. Your mercy has not gone unnoticed.
xo

Yet another post about sleep. But this one's good news! Last night, Rio and I slept six hours in a row, woke up and nursed, and slept another four straight. True, melatonin was involved. But we both so desperately needed the rest and reset.

After a terrible night of sleepless teething and inconsolability, I find Rio snuggled on my lap, my chin on her downy head; she watching Diego in one window, I writing this in another. After submitting to her one Diego video ad nauseum I, in exasperation, downloaded an entire season from iTunes, not knowing it couldn't be burned to dvd to be played on the tv so I could veg out on my laptop. But upon the discovery of this fact, instead of being frustrated, I swiftly found a way to bring a little bit of peace to both of us: And the split-screen was born. The beauty of it is that had I been able to burn the disc, Rio and I would be sitting apart, in separate worlds, as we so often are. Like this, thanks to a small nudge from the Universe, we are in communion as we should be. Ain't life funny.

In the middle of the night and trembling under a mantle of fever, Rio woke up and said "Knock, knock," "Who's there?" I replied. "Who." "Who, who?" "Owl! ha ha ha."
I did not teach her this joke. She made it up somewhere in the dark of night. What a clever, brave and resilient little person. I am in awe of her and so very blessed to be a part of her journey in this world. I wouldn't give up this co-sleeping (and co-creating!) experience for anything.

As Rio was falling asleep beside me, her hand brushed over my chin like cool silk. The kinesthetic memory of it lasted for minutes.

My father was storming around the house, cursing about something to do with his lawyer and when he came into the kitchen, where I was, instead of being infected by his mood (which normally I would be - and would spit fire back at him), I asked him calmly and lovingly if a hard-boiled egg would make him feel better. He looked up in surprise and said No thank you, but secretly, I think my offer did make him feel better.

I am making progress and it feels wonderful. Today, I appreciate my father for giving me the opportunity to appreciate myself.

A fresh, bright morning with sparkling snowflakes falling slowly from a blue sky as if by magic and everywhere the glittering of diamonds like the earrings I'm going to have next year. And I said I didn't like winter?

The body I live in is the perfect place to start training my focus.

My muscles don't hurt after yesterday's workout. I am stronger today and appreciative of the resilience of my body. It's amazing how it seems eager to improve and support my spiritual growth. Pure proof of their inextricable intertwinement and oneness. I'm sure I'll say it a thousand times again but my excellent health is a beautiful gift and I am both proud of it and thankful for it. Perfect health - and the acknowledgement of it - is the foundation for a happy life.