1. Physical Therapy

2. a standing baby!

3. a 3 year old saying,” Mommy, I was worried about you when you were sick, I’ll take care of you!”

4. finding my pregnancy totem that has been lost since giving birth

5. Annual Date Day

6. a fancy lunch

7. sick leave

8. a quick recovery

9.kids asleep by 8pm

10.the baby not getting sick

11.cuddles

12. waves

13. Carolina Creme

14. zrrbrrtz

15. time

16. options

17. Cuban dinner night!

18. a southern winter

19. the first blooms of spring coming in January

20. having a cat

21. cat toys doubling as occupational therapy aides

1. time

2. frankness, cusioned with tenderness

3. options

4.Publix sourdough bread

5. Publix Mojo chicken!

6. Motherwit!

7. a pediatric nurse as a babysitter!

8. a therapeutic recreation student hanging out with the Quail!

9. Kellie

10. Dance class!

11. “Momma, Girls are princesses and boys are bears!”

12. wheezing being widdled away

13. rapid-flow

14. Signing time!

15. Matching stripey sisters!

16. Invitations to go out!

17. being healthy enough to go out!

18. little kid birthday parties

19. a functioning heart

20. a straightforward cardiologist

21. a cheerful baby

22. a clever 3 year old learning to spell

1. Energy

2. new beginnings

3. Flylady

4. Six O’Clock Scramble

5. Mary Oliver

6. Fitday.com

7. a roasting chicken lieing in wait

8. sweet potato rolls rising in a sunny window

9. Twelth Night

10. Gerber Daisies

11. Lovey making Eggs Benadict!

12. Two parents- so one can stay with the toddler, while the other runs to the ER with the baby

13. Zuzu getting her doctor kit to see if she is alright

14. Being able to nurse one, even when I can’t the other

15. cuddles with a sick baby

16. Summer and Connie’s help!

17. Renee’s help!

18. Sue’s chicken noodle soup!

19. Zuzu telling me when she grows up she’ll have 10 babies- boys and girls!

20. Zuzu telling when she grows up she’ll be a princess, and a doctor, and a teacher, and a mommy…but mostly just a princess

21. sleep

22. my dear family and friends sweet words, thoughts, offers, prayers, food, hugs, child-holding and well wishes- much love and gratitude

23. hospital collard greens

24. a baby excitedly eating my face

25. opening my eyes to sunshine, smiles and giggles

1. the end of isolation due to illness

2. an impromptu meal

3. finding the velvet shirt I set out for

4. yummy, yummy carrot bake

5. Lovey making the yummy,yummy carrot bake

6. partial work weeks

7. Grampa’s birthday

8. sharing clothes with friends!

9. Legionaire’s bread!

10. curious children

11. Zuzu deciding she needs to learn to read

12. an international community sharing their charms and gifts

13. a sweet baby sleepingin a sling

14. Zuzu curled up fast asleep

15. a sister holding and “helping” her baby sister

16. a smashing good time at the annual New Year’s Eve party

17. a sitter at a party

18. an annual New Year’s Day bash with old and new friends

19. a baby drinking her milk

20. a shiny sink!

21. an open pediatrician’ s office on a saturday morning

1. Lovey

2. Lovey’s schedule

3. little girls resting

4. white chicken chili

5. meatloaf

6. mac-n-cheese

7. unexpected time off

8. a baby sleeping through a movie

9. Lovey suggesting we go see a movie

10. The Holidays!

11. a little girl asking to learn to read

12. a tree decorated!

13. thoughtful ornaments from a dear friend whom I haven’t yet had the pleasure to meet in real life!

14. all my on-line friends, their cards and holiday wishes!

15. carrot bake!

16. an invitation to Christmas dinner

17. kids deciding to be very best friends

18. Christmas dresses with bows and matching shoes

19. Lisa and her family

20. the goose egg not being too big

21. new jammies!

1. Andy Williams

2. H1N1 vaccinations

3. babies who listen and toddlers who don’t always listen

4. daydreaming of meals to come

5. Eggnog

6. dancing with the baby to Christmas carols

7. watching the toddler dance her heart out to Andy William’s version of Jingle Bells

8. Christmas presents wrapped and under the tree

9. a toddler feeling well enough to protest loudly and often

10. a grinning Buddha of a baby

11. Summer’s help

12. a festive work lunch

13. a new knit wool stocking for the Quail

14. eating the chocolates in the Advent calendar

15. weisswurst with red peppers and sweet onions

16. Jodi Piccoult stories on cd

17. The Quail signing “more”

18. The Quail reaching out to take her bottle from me with a grasping single hand

19. cuddly middle-of-the-night breathing treatments with a most snuggly baby

20. stocking stuffers

21. sleeping in till 8am

1. Lovey

2. Zuzu

3. The Quail

4. Chula Cat

5. Motrin

6. accomodating pediatricians with last minute openings

7. nebulizers

8. beef roast

9. the smell of a beef roast

10. fleece clad small ones

11. flexible schedules

12. Family Connection

13. all our friends and families love and concern

14. Nana Dori

15.Renee

16. hospital food (truly love having well balanced meals put in front of me!

17. the Lake & Mountain Quilter’s Guild and their kind gift of a lovely Christmas Quilt for the Quail

18. Connie & Team 1’s thoughtfulness

19. referential gazing

20. the balloon that was the first thing that made referential gazing work!

21. a break in a fever

22. Oxygen Saturations climbing

23. an hour to watch DOOL for the first time in, oh, I think 9 months 3 weeks

24. Our brave Zuzu maintaining the status quo

25. Kindly gift shop employees giving us their discount when they heard our story

26. raiding the hospital giftshop to spoil a couple of little girlies because they deserve it

27. the gorgeous mountain view from our hospital room

28. the stunning sunrises and sunsets from our hospital room

29. Dr. Ragwar’s kindness as she comments how sweet we are that she could just cry- it made me cry!

30. Kid’s Stuff Academy and their kind care for our whole family

31. talks with Mom

32. my sister checking in

1. Feeling better-ness

2. A chance to sleep in

3. confidence

4. a toddler’s chipper new haircut

5. Friendly baby waves

6. vaccinations

7. garden parties

8. beautiful weather in December

9. new picture books

10. sweet baby cuddles

11. a loving community

12. Christmas music

13. a toddler being only “a little angry”

14. crisp new magazines to read in the Barn

15. opportunities

16. 18 lbs 2.9 oz of cuteness

17 jean day at work

18. charity

19. Early Intervention

20. bakeries

21. The Christmas Fir Tree Hunt

1. a steaming plate of hot ravioli with a lovely primavera cream sauce and fresh mozzerella!

2. a dinner out with the family that is fun for everyone

3. a healthy baby

4. her caring big sister

5. a gorgeous sunset with the smell of fall tinging the air

6. a lovely color-burst of a sunrise

7. a nursing toddler

8. Lovey

9. dear friends understanding my life

10. dear friends and family loving my girls

11.new books

12.friends coming to visit

13. a clean house

14. Lovey’s dedication to his girls

15. grocery lists

16. time to photograph flowers

17. time to think

18. messages from dear friends

19. all the amazing encouragement and kudos I’ve suddenly received from other amazing mommies- Wow- What a gift- thank you all so much friends- Right back at you all! Truly!

20. confidence

21. Christmas music- oh how it cheers my soul- yes- I’m the one they play it for at this time of year and even earlier!

1. Lovey

2. The Quail

3. Zuzu

4. persistent hand-holding

5. That it isn’t any worse

6. antibiotics

7. breathing treatments

8. smiles & snuggles

9. Lovey

10. fuzzy, stripey jammies on small ones

11. caffeine

12. Cuban food night

13. our dear friends and family’s continued concern and watching over of us

14. a day off

15. a day out with the girls

16. a night out with the girls

17. Lovey

18. Emergency Room care

19. Vaccines

20. the pediatrician

21. a flexible and non-judgemental boss

22. insight

23. bonding moments with small ones

24. dance class captured

25. bad mama’s good mama advice/words

26. the fact that I have taught the Quail to nurse

27. knowing I have done my part

28. Holiday Invitation!

29. The anticipation of visitors

30. 3 year olds in tutus

31. Lovey- I can’t be grateful enough for him, for all he does to love and nurture these fortunate souls who call him family and friend