Moments like these

With the excesses of Christmas already nagging at my waistline, I'm breathing in and soldiering on as every good Mother and Wife must. To purge we took advantage of a break in the bleak mid-winter gloom to get out for a breath of fresh air in the, erm, fresh air.

It was a glorious day, brilliant sunshine and lots of muddy puddles for Grace to splash up and down in. Cue long afternoon nap from a well worn out little toddler (and Husband)! In the moment in between I've been mulling over all the good things in our lives and how something as simple as a walk in the park can lift ones spirits.

It's been a fickle year. I've been made redundant, a process that left me shell shocked despite having the foresight to see it coming. I've been fortunate to find another job to start straight away but the adjustment is hard when I spent so long in my last. I'm sure I'm going through a mini-mourning for my old workmates and banter! I know the period of change has come as blow to Daisy-woof as well who had enjoyed playing with other dogs all day long for a living and now has to make do with a dog walker, albeit a very good one. And the Husband has lost the indulgence of sleeping in until 7am now that we have to exercise the dog before the work day so he's been out in all weathers jogging the dog the minute the alarm goes off at 5.50am, tiptoeing out of the house trying not to disturb a sleeping toddler.

Grace has breezed through the year, taking nursery in her stride and taking learnings from every waking day. She's accomplished a lot in 2012.... walking, talking, potty training.... singing ('the bingbong song', 'twinkle twinkle little star', 'baa baa black sheep' are on repeat)..... dancing (her firm favourite Gotye's hit 'somebody that I used to know' when it comes on the radio).... and books - reading lots of wonderful stories to fire her imagination. Drawing and painting has come top of her list of enjoyable passtimes and I can see now she's likely to be a leftie. Mummy's little artiste. She's coming on a treat.

So with all the happenings this year, it's nice to find the odd hour to go out as a family to enjoy something simple like walking the dog and splashing in puddles. It clears your mind.

Or at least it helps!