I blinked and my baby turned six-months old.

He is a melt-your heart little charmer, and my days are brighter with his drooley smiles (and kisses:) Little Eliot fits into our family so well. He’s a wonderful, comfortable little bundle to have around. Milo is endlessly enthusiastic about him, yelling excitedly when he wakes up from naps and when he spies him from across the room. And of course, no one makes Eliot laugh like Milo, though my tickles to the ribs get him close. He’s eating everything in sight, including a little newly introduced baby food. I am floored by how much he likes it, because Milo still doesn’t eat much. We’re definitely in mobile stage now. Eliot steam rolls and scoots off of whatever blanket I lay him down on and ends up underneath the chairs, coffee table and often the Christmas tree, where he could stare at the glittering lights for an hour. His coos and babble make my day, and I swear I’ve already heard a lot of “mama mama…” the kid knows the way to my heart. He’s up once in the wee hours to eat, and still sleeping in a bassinet next to me, because I can’t seem to let go and put him in his room with Milo. Sometime soon…maybe.

His half-birthday made me think back over the past six months and I realized that a lot of it is a total blur. I have been moving faster in every different direction than usual. Which maybe didn’t feel so different because with Dave graduating and starting a real job, it felt like our whole life was a little bit different starting this summer when Eliot was born…so I didn’t notice that I was spinning out of control. Do you ever do that? Get to a point where you’ve got yourself so scheduled with things that there seems not to be any room for error? As long as everything works out perfectly, then the plan is great. But as soon as something (a missed nap time, a sick day, a friend needing help, a dead car battery…) goes awry the whole day/week/life is thrown off? Whew, rings true to me. I’m living it a little! I feel like I think about and talk about this a lot, but I need to begin actually doing something about it. Like stop DOING so much! Any suggestions on how?

Start with step one?  Hello, My name is Miranda and I’m addicted to doing projects.

I am trying. Last night instead of doing one of the several things on my list, I just enjoyed a warm meal and a red box with a friend. And then went to bed. Before midnight. That was big news in my home. Headlining. It felt nice.

Well, for the mean time I finished all of my handmade Christmas gifts for family back in Utah, and shipped that box yesterday. I’ve got a couple little things to finish up for Milo and I sort of last-minute decided to make a quick quilt for Eliot (see step one, above). But the fabric arrived today and Dave is working late tonight, so I’m excited about it. And luckily, neither of the boy’s projects have a real deadline, because they won’t know the difference if they are 100% finished, or not, on Christmas. So they won’t be anything but enjoyable.

I’m going to wish you all a very Happy Holiday and check out early this week. I sincerely hope your weekend is filled with the joy and wonder that I imagine filled that humble stable at the birth of baby Jesus a thousand years ago. What a blessing His life has been in mine. I receive hope and peace every day because of His love-and am lifted up in my endless weakness by His eternal mercy.

Happy Birthday Jesus. Merry Christmas.