new year's morning

i fell asleep new year's eve with my new year's resolutions in my head after sharing a lovely dinner with the family, good conversations, and many glasses of rose champagne. i awoke at 5am new year's day, repeating my resolutions in my head before the sun arose. before even my dear early-rising brother had woken up. i lay there in my warm virginia bed with my sweet little doggie. quiet. contemplating. at 7am caleb quietly opened the door. i smiled and let him know i was awake. he crawled into bed and smelled "ox" the "ugly doll" i gave him sevearl years ago. i have to sleep with it when i'm there he says, so it will pick up my scent for him after i leave. he cuddled up with callie and me. shivering at first, and then warm and content. i couldn't ask for a better way to start the new year. our little warm and snuggly time on new year's day.

its amazing as a child grows, what remains the same, what changes or evolves. his reading skills are quite good. we read together when i was in virginia, and i was fascinated by the progress he's made in even 3 months. we are continuing to read now, though i'm on another coast. he calls once per day and reads to me 1-3 chapters out of a book. i help him learn new words when needed. he just spells it out. i explain how to say it, what it means, etc. but its even more interesting the big words he actually does know at the tender age of 9, almost 10. i am buying his next book so that i can read along with him. its really sweet and special. despite the long distance, this makes him seem not so far away...... the little guy is certainly the love of my life.