Happiness is...

... a lot of things. It's finally having a moment to sit down and reacquaint myself with this blog. It's having a husband that works his hiney off so that I am able to stay home and man the family ship and not miss out on a single moment. Some days though, I'd like to opt for a co-captain er, a nanny. Particularly so at any hour of the night when my high-maintenance, yet oh-so beautiful 6 month old wakes for the 4th, 5th or 6th time. Every night. She never misses a beat. That, my friends, is not happiness. Although she'd beg to differ...


Happiness is scribble that's slowly turning into an "O-i-a". It's not pretty (yet) but who says signatures have to be? For Oia to stabilize her paper with her less dominant hand and correctly grasp a writing utensil with the other, go "around and stop" to form an /O/, then go "up and down" to make an /i/ is purely an accomplishment. The /a/ is most challenging but she'll learn to perfect it soon. With only verbal cues, our girl has put her name to paper and that's just plain awesome.

Happiness is the ever-growing list of new sounds, words, and phrases that come from the mouth of my 4 year old. With each new word or phrase, I feel as though I'm learning more about who my daughter is. Thoughts are turning into words. Words introduce me to my child. And never, ever do I underestimate the power of a single word.

"I need wheeeeee!" So off we go... to the swing to go wheeeeeee! And "I need go pee-pee!" so off we go to sit for a different purpose entirely!

While pointing up and into the dark sky from the living room window, "Mommy, Mmmmmmm". A child whose visual impairment doesn't stand in the way of her view of the moon, she shows us the big light she discovered high in the sky.

When Esme finishes eating, Oia questions "All done ba-ba?" in hopes I'll answer "yes" so she can take the empty bottle and in turn feed her baby. She's a little mommy, no doubt.

In asking for her glasses, "I need eye", as she closes her eyes and points to one of them. It's a remarkable request coming from someone who only ripped them off countless times a day as an infant.


Happiness is a week of warm, 60+ degree weather in the middle of January. Stroller-riding, walking, and wheeeeee-ing in the warm, winter sun is good for the soul.



And happiness is found in the space between Oia and Esme. The space between them is my dream come true. Really. I wanted so badly to have a second daughter long before I became pregnant with Esme. I imagined an older Oia. An Oia who would need a best friend, no matter what. An Oia who had come home from a really awful day at school, maybe feeling lonely. Maybe feeling down about being different. Maybe feeling the need to vent about what hurts, physically or emotionally. Maybe feeling the need to simply share a joke, or a secret ~ with someone other than mom. Maybe feeling overjoyed of a recent achievement, bubbling inside to share it with someone who truly cares. A sister. I knew she needed one. Esme needs Oia too. I really believe these two ladies were made to compliment one another. Many heart to hearts, good cries, laughs, and memories await them. In fact, the laughs have already begun... and that's true happiness.