Every 'little' breath we take...

Life really is fleeting. I never truly understood this until Gabriella burst into my life. Minutes suddenly turn into hours, hours turns into days, days into months and so on. So in turn, months fly by leaving me longing for the times when Gabriella would fall asleep in my arms, laying with me for hours, as I stared at the magic and wonder that was her.

The 'Goo' is still pure magic. Yet, her magic now-a-days in a little louder, a little more frenetic, and a whole lot more exhausting. Gabby is now 21 months old...yes 21 months. It seems like soon she will be begging me to wear make-up, telling me about the boy she likes, telling me "I just don't get her", and then next of course going off to college, leaving Mommy behind. Yes, I know I may be skipping ahead a bit but any mother knows how easy it can be to imagine these things, to look back at a time that seems as if it's just days ago but in actuality is months ago or even years. So in a blink of an eye she may be grabbing my blush off the vanity while I am left holding her Llama llama, stupidly singing some horrible Fresh Beat Band song and wondering where the time went.

How do I combat this? I guess honestly I can't. No one can stop time, no matter how much they try. All we can do is enjoy every moment as it lingers in the air; each whispered or sometimes yelled (at toddler decibel) "I love you", each sticky, gooey hug, each milky, cheesy kiss, each snuggle before bed, and each challenge that we face together. I sometimes dance a little crazier with Gabriella, sing a little louder, hold her hug a little longer, and when she lays her head on me at the end of the day, I may say I love you a hundred times or maybe more, just because I know these little things are what matters now and will matter long after time has ended.

People yearn for those big things, that big promotion, the big money, the big house but the most blessed people in the world know that it really is the little things. Goo is the littlest 'thing' I know and the biggest, most wonderful 'thing' in my world. So as time continues to go by at sometimes mind bending speeds, I will continue to cherish her and every little breath we take together in this faltering yet beautiful world.

The Secret Power of "Mama"...

The last few weeks have been crazy for me and the Goo. Many things have changed. I have started a business, she has met new little friends, she has learned to run not just walk, and she has had others take care of her in Mommy's absence. The most amazing thing to change is Miss Gabriella's vocabulary. Everyday it seems like she has a new word that she can say. So far has said, Daddy, Dog, yeah, yay, again, pink, book, her own name-Gabby Goo, thank you, and Mama. The first four words are words she had prior to turning one. The last, Mama seems to be her favorite and is spoken incessantly!

Gabriella has now realized that I am Mama. She mutters the word as she plays and smiles at me. She sqeals it when she is purely elated with herself. She yells it when she wants me to come to her and other times cries, Mama-mama-mama when i leave. I realize that she has power over me with this word, Mama. I have always been attentive, always by her side even when it becomes tiresome but now she seems to wield special power over me, just by uttering that word. 

Today, as Gabriella was saying, "yeah, yeah, mama", I realized what power that word, Mama, truly has over me. More so I never knew one word could mean so many things. "Mama" seems to mean, look at me, play with me,  I need you, I love you, I want you, never leave me, and yes, still many more things. I absolutely adore that she calls to me in her sweet high pitched timbre. I think she knows that as long as she says "Mama" I will always be there for her. She is my world, my magic, my joy, and as long as she needs me I will never leave her.  So the Gabriella can scream Mama from the rooftops, or whisper it in her bed, and I will always hear her, running to her, that of course seems to be the secret power of "Mama".

Recollections of long Past Christmas'

For the last few days I have been reflecting on how my life has changed this last year, since Gabriella made her first appearance in my life. Before I had time lots and lots of time...time to do whatever I wanted but now all I want is to live my days by her side. Sickening right? But so very true. Lately, there are times when I feel a little trapped which can sometimes happen when your life changes so drastically but somehow I would never change a thing. I have her laughter, love, and companionship to make me realize that how important each day really is.

I was finally putting away Christmas decorations today...yes, I'm that person with Christmas cheer lingering long after Christmas is over. Gabriella was helping me and I thought how different, how amazing my life is now. Taking down each ornament, I reminisced silently about how each one came into my life and then I lingered on the ornament that said baby's first Christmas. I thought decades from then, on some far away Christmas I would be able to remember that sweetness of her first Christmas and know that she was the light in an otherwise dim time. Christmas lights aside, she will always be that light. She has renewed everything inside me, my desire for goodness in myself and those around me, my longing for something more than mundane in this world, and most of all my connection to my own mother, good or bad as it was.

I only know that as she stands next to me and mutters Ma-ma-Ma-ma that I will be a far better mother than my own. I will love her faults and all. I will nurture her spirit and make her understand that when she falters, I will always be there. My only wish this Christmas was for her to be happy and healthy and to know love for the rest of her days. At least I know I will know love every second, every breathe I take with her little hands holding one of mine...

After this reminiscence I looked over and there was Gabby, smile on her face dancing with the sparkly garland in her arms, laughing all the way...Yep, gotta love the Goo, especially as in her laughing fit I hear her mutter Ma-ma once more. I thought, yes the best Christmas ever, each and every Christmas with her, my sweet Gabriella...for all the rest of my days...

Come on Blog for me...

So today I woke up and realized all these days have gone by since my little one was born, 368 to be exact, and here I am without a blog about her?! What's up that right? Everyone and their mother has one and you can find any type of content...So here I go! My daughter Gabriella, or the Goo as I call her is so worthy of her own documented story told by one of the people that loves her most in the world, her Mommy.

I'll start off slow. 6 days and one year ago my beauty was born. There is so much to recant. Obviously, she is now 1, walking, kind of talking, and in to all kinds of mischief! She has definitely proven herself to be my girl with her attitude, spunk, and outspokenness. You may wonder how a one year old with only a few words can be outspoken? Well trust me she says everything she needs to with her eyes, gestures, and the occasional Goo... yes that's why she is the Gabby the Goo! So welcome to my year in memories, my days in joy, and my hopes for the future. That of course is what life with Gabby the Goo is all about! A little magic, joy, and laughter too...