So Much Time Has Passed...

I hate myself for not keeping up with this blog. Life happens fast and it is keeping us busy! I have to remind myself to soak it all in, because the days will be gone before I know it. Jorryn is growing up to be such a big girl. She looks like a little girl now... It's almost hard to believe she ever was a tiny little baby. It makes me want to cry whenever I think about it. I appreciate and love the little girl she has grown up to be... but it just seems like everytime I look up, she's just a little bit further along on her journey, just one step closer to independence and leading her own life. I found out on Monday that my little sister will be having a girl in August. I am so excited to be having a niece! I am so happy that my sister will have her turn to enjoy the many wonders of having a little girl in her life. I find it funny that our little girls will be almost exactly as far apart in age as my sister and I were growing up. It saddens me that we live so far away. In some ways, I wish that were different. It's not always been easy being so far away. Jorryn goes to Mother's Day Out twice per week this year and seems to enjoy it, for the most part. She doesn't like the part where I have to literally drag her out of bed on most mornings when she has school. Since I work at the YMCA in the evenings, Jorryn and I usually get home close to 9pm and by the time she has spent time playing with her Daddy, eaten a snack, put on her PJs, been read two books, it is very late. After three years, you would think she would get tired of going to the YMCA, but that isn't so at all. Jorryn has many friends at the Y and she is always excited to go there with me. One of my co-workers has a little girl who is two weeks younger than Jorryn and they are like sisters (they fight like sisters too). Another co-worker has a grandson who is also one of Jorryns friends. She gets to play with other children her age, do crafts, play outside and do activities with other children, which has been really beneficial for her. Jorryn also has been taking swim lessons for the past year or so and she LOVES getting into the water. She jumps in without hesitation, can float on her back, blow bubbles and hold her breath under water. She is making great strides to learning how to swim unassisted (without floaties). Jorryn also started gymnastics/ballet once per week. She does not seem overly fond of the gymnastics, but she LOVES to dance. I think the most challenging thing (for Jorryn) that she is working on doing is a cartwheel. She tries very very hard though, and her determination is admirable. She will be having a dance recital in May and I can't wait to see her dance! We also found out this past week that Jorryn's uncle Josh and Casi will be getting married in July. Jorryn will get to be a flowergirl a second time over the last year! She is very excited about that. Her first comment to me was that she wanted to throw petals on the ground. Next month we are hoping to be able to go on vacation for a week to Florida. It is not entirely certain at this point, because gas prices are sky high right now and going up and I still need to tally up the total travel cost, but it would be so very nice to have a real family vacation. We are also looking forward to several camping trips this summer. Last summer, we had a blast making memories while camping out. Jorryn loves it and we all enjoy the outdoors. I will have to revisit some of last year's camping trips before they are lost to my memory. I have strongly been debating what to do with Jorryn next year as far as school goes. She could go to public pre-K or possibly Mother's Day Out pre-K and I have had the hardest time trying to decide what to do. Part of me wants to keep her all to myself, but that has not been possible with finances and debt and all. I will have to make a decision very soon, since the time has come for enrollment.