I should be in bed right now, napping, since both my children are asleep. But, I have some things on my mind that I don't want to forget. Just a couple of days ago, Darla started to SMILE! We haven't got it on film, yet. But watch for a picture soon. I can't tell you how rewarding that moment is when a newborn baby looks into your tired, ragged, dark circled eyes and grins that toothless cheek-to-cheek smile. It makes all the hard work and sleepless hours melt away, for that moment. She's almost 6 weeks and her beautiful smile couldn't come at a better time for me. I'm still struggling to get healthy and kick this hacking cough. I think I'm going on 18 days now. It's getting better, slowly. (although if we talk in the morning, you wouldn't think so!) I came down with another breast infection and went back on antibiotics for another week. Darla has a cold, and so feedings get cut short when she can't breathe through her nose. Then I back up with milk, and so it goes. Poor girl, I think she's spent the first month of her life with a snotty nose. I have been calling her, affectionately, Snarfy. Hopefully, that nick name won't stick after her cold goes away.

Derick and I had a sweet moment the other day that lifted my spirits. Friday, we all napped in the afternoon. I had put Darla in the bouncy seat, right in the middle of my bed, and laid down beside her. When Derick got up, she was still asleep so I invited him to join me for a snuggle. He jumped at the chance and we cuddled up under the covers for a while. We talked about ATV's and he wove me a wonderful story about all the things he'd do with one. He told me he'd pick up Daddy from work and bring him home. And he told me how he'd get stuck in the snow, would get his monster truck to pull it out and how he'd fix it in his shop. And what really melted my heart was at every pause in the story, he would say, "Mommy, you are my best friend." Ah, music to this mommy's heart. I am doing my best to hold on to these thoughts in the not-so-nice moments.

I do love my children and my little family is getting along OK. As Darla continues to get older, life will settle into a routine. I'm plugging along, doing my best every day. If I don't get back here before the holiday arrives, I wish everyone a very wonderful holiday!