Flashbacks

Thankfully, Annie's fever is gone and Jemma seems to be happier today, too. But the last few days, when we've been quarantined inside our house due to a combination of illness and cold weather, have been giving me flashbacks from last winter. Jemma waking up several times per night, causing me to be totally sleep-deprived? Check. Annie bored to tears inside the house? Check. Me spending much of my day drinking large quantities of coffee, eating random brownies and pistachios, and daydreaming about lying by a pool with only my spouse and my book? Check.

I really don't know how we made it through January and February last year, but I am so grateful (and so determined) that this winter will be nothing like last winter. I further can't believe that Jemma will be one in less than two weeks! In those flashbacks, she's a colicky newborn who eats every two hours around the clock and has the craziest hair of any baby I've ever known. Now, she has opinions about her favorite foods and books, claps with glee when she likes something, and loves to dance. She spends lots of her day chasing down her favorite toys so she can chew on them, playing peek-a-boo from inside the tent, and watching Annie. (Yesterday, I said, "Jemma, where's your ball?" and she looked around, spotted it, and went trucking right on over to get it. So she's also kind of like our family dog.)

This winter, I'm looking forward to playing outside more, sledding with neighbors (we know people here this winter!), taking the trip up north to meet our newest niece (she'll be here on the 20th!), and getting away from the snow (and the children, too) with Jason in February. I. Can't. Wait.