Joy and happiness

Right now, I'm loving all of this.

1. Caleb smiles all the time. Go ahead and tell me it's just gas or reflexes. I don't care. My son smiles at me and I get to see his sleepy face light up throughout the day.

2. Madeline sings Christmas songs around the house now. Her little voice, getting most of the words wrong, makes me so happy. She's like her daddy who sings around the house and that makes me happy too.

3. My Pandora is set on Mariah Carey's Christmas station. I have no shame in admitting this is just so I can hear "All I Want For Christmas," both her version and the one from "Love Actually."

4. If Caleb develops a bald patch on the front left side of his head, it's because I am physically incapable of not stroking it.

5. Joe brought home a big bag of peanut M&M's when I was having a bad day three days ago. The bag is empty tonight.

6. Last summer and fall, I shopped for 0-3 month gender-neutral onesies at Goodwill. This week, I got to look for BOY clothes. It thrilled my soul.

7. Madeline is making Christmas gifts for us in her preschool. It's supposed to be a surprise but it is just killing her to not tell us. This might make me a bad mom but her agony cracks me up.

8. Joe really is the funniest guy alive. He and Madeline went to his sister's concert while I stayed home with Caleb. He texted me the best one-liners throughout the evening, tying together high school show choir and "Friday Night Lights" references. It was brilliantly executed and I wanted to stand up in the living room and applaud him.

9. McDonald's has small peppermint hot chocolates for $1 until December 5. I'm addicted. I plan on buying one every day until then. I may or may not have bought two at one time this week because the small just wasn't going to cut it.

10. Hayley's guest post at The Nester, Favorite Thiiiiiiings, makes me want to throw a party. Seriously, is that not the best idea ever? Even though I'm in no shape to throw a party and should probably focus on, you know, cleaning my baseboards or something, I want to do this. Maybe next Christmas when I'm not tied to my white couch, breastfeeding and watching a bunch of teenage football players.

11. It might be weird to make an 11-point list but I just to mention this: I can bend over and TOUCH THE GROUND! You have no idea how amazing this is. I can pick stuff up off the floor. I can use the dustpan. Sometimes I reach down to touch the ground JUST BECAUSE I CAN and that is happiness beyond belief. I will never take that motion for granted again.