Shining Star

One year down, 80 more to go (I’m going to live to be 108 right?).  Jelly Bean has grown so much.  She has been walking for about three weeks now.  Ryan and I are still amazed when she stands up, walks over to her pink Minnie Mouse ball that she has been pointing at, and then picks it up to toddle (I fully understand the term toddle now) around the living room.  Jelly Bean was already getting into everything since she could crawl and pull up onto any place she pleased (I honestly have no idea why people say, “Ooooh, she will be getting into EVERYTHING now,” as if she wasn’t already).

However, walking has allowed her to carry more items with her as she makes her way around the house.  I have found toy water bugs in my shower, a TY Scruffy dog in a kitchen cabinet, and a Pound Puppy in the laundry basket.  It just makes life more fun.  Another spot of joy is when Jelly Bean tears off and runs full steam at your legs, ending in a knee hug and her cherub face peering up with a smile.

Although seeing baby girl walk spreads joy (and toys) throughout our house, my favorite development is the kiss! On rare occasions, Ellie will lay a smack right on your lips when you ask her for a smooch.  When she does finally decide that kisses are a good, fun idea, she takes kissES to the extreme.  She starts kissing and doesn’t stop! Miss Ellie will tilt her head back and nod it forward repeatedly with the sweetest baby kisses that could cease wars. Seriously, we need to employ her in some peace-keeping operations.

These fun new developments in our little one elicit the warmest of feelings.  After enjoying an infant smooch, I realized that this is the first time in my life when I am just enjoying the day I am in.  In grade school, I couldn’t wait to move up to the next level: Junior High and High School were all I thought about.  Before I graduated High School, I had my whole college career mapped out at Texas Tech.  During senior year in college, I began planning my career.  Once the career was landed, well you get the picture: First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage.

I will quote Andy Bernard, “I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.”  Well, I have missed looking around at the view up until now, but I think these are the good old days.  I just want to be like one of those glow in the dark stars that soaks up the light and the son (intentionally spelled this way) in order to shine in the darkness and be a spot of bright light for someone else – the same way my daughter lights up my life.  Be a shining star for someone today.