In straddling the divide between being GREEN and being old-fashioned, I mailed 50+ cards out to family and friends, and directed everyone here to this blog to read our annual letter. In a way, the cards were actually green, because they were recycled. (No, not recycled paper, but in fact, lovingly chosen from stacks of unopened holiday card packs at our local thrift store!) Should I even admit that? Well, I guess I just did. Nothing like being thrifty to save the planet, eh? Each of you also should have received a random picture from our year – no two cards alike! Compare! Share with friends! Swap and trade!
Those of you (the mighty few!) that follow the blog might not need a recap of this year’s events, and then again, those of you reading this holiday letter probably don’t want a detailed account of what we’ve been doing. Then again, looking back over the year, do I even want to re-hash it? It wasn’t a bad year, and yet not a banner year for the Germonskis, but we do have much to be thankful for, and we continue to relish in the small moments in our day that make us smile. Or snort water through our noses in laughter, you know, whatever comes first.
Charting the year through a young child seems full of firsts, of changes, and of new developments, too many to recount. Stella began 2011 with only 5 words coming out of her mouth, and ends 2011 talking a blue streak, so much so that some days I really wish she would stop talking. She has grown into a precocious, fearless, and loving little girl, and watching her joy at experiencing the newness and the wonder of the world makes Steve and I happy for life all over again. She thrives in the weather and the outdoor-ness (is that even a word?) of Santa Barbara and if we ever move from Southern California, will curse us until she is old that we ever did. We can’t keep shoes on her (neither can her preschool), she is a terrific garden helper (our prolific tomato plants this summer may owe much of their fruit bearing to her constant watering), and she loves climbing boulders on hikes, swinging on swings, and of course, playing in whatever water is available: puddles, dog bowls, hoses, tidepools, creeks, etc. She is obsessed with our neighborhood horses and even dressed up as our neighbor’s horse for Halloween. Oh, did I mention she’s also obsessed with her stuffed “friends?” There is always a menagerie in bed with her each night, and all of them get lovingly tucked into blankets, sung lullabies, and rocked throughout the day. She loves reading books with us and remembers the storylines so well that she then “reads” them to her animals. She says hi to everyone (on a walk the other day she kept waving to all the cyclists that passed by on their commute home. I overheard one guy say, “hey, that little girl said hi to us?!”) and joyfully announces to the public when she goes pee-pee in the big girl potty when we’re out. (She loves uses public restrooms. Go figure). She’s a spitfire, but I guess we wouldn’t want it any other way.
Scupper continues to vie for our attentions and sneak up on the couch to sleep any chance he can get. He too has become obsessed with things here in Santa Barbara – the gophers that tunnel throughout the yard and the UPS man who gives his biscuits anytime he drops off a package. He has been benefitting from our amazing weather, our front and back yards, the wonderful smells of neighborhood livestock, and the miles and miles of front-country trails and off-leash parks.
Steve and I don’t have as many exciting milestones to report. Guess that happens when you get old. Steve continues to exude daily patience at his job and looks forward to his commute on his bicycle at the start and close of the day. He puts in a full day at the University and then comes home to “Chase me Daddy!” and “I want ride on your shoulders – now!” Who needs a gym membership when you have a toddler? I continue to exude patience with the crappy academic job market and being thankful for the part-time work I do have that affords me the luxury of working from home while my daughter naps. There was a trip to Tacoma, WA that yielded no fruit, and a trip to Denver, CO that offered a job that was less than ideal. So back at square one, we’ll see what this year’s 13 applications hold. However, I’m up for suggests on a new line of work. The time at home this year has offered me the opportunities to bake and cook to my heart’s content, usually with a little helper at my side. Stella has become very proficient at shaking in the spices, sorting diced vegetables, and kneading bread dough. She even knows the difference between the “on” and the “pulse” buttons on the food processor. Maybe we can start teaching mother and daughter cooking classes?
Our biggest thrill this year came from a week long camping trip up the California coast in August. We (and I mean the dog too) piled in the VW Vanagon for week of beach walks, forest hikes, tasty campfire meals, and giant redwoods. In short, it was awesome. And even if we were a bit tired when we came home, the fact that Stella exclaimed “we go camping some more?” a day after we returned, we knew the trip was a success.
Our last bit of news – but certainly not least… no certainly not least, is that we’ll be figuring out what the “new normal” is, oh, come around April 11, give or take 10 days when we welcome Bittle into the world. Stella will have had 3 years of only child bliss… and will soon learn what it really means to share. Steve and I are also currently wondering what it’s going to be like to have two daughters. (He promptly informed me after the 20-week, “what sex is your baby?” ultrasound – um, honey, I think wherever we end up, I’m really going to need a real man room.) We are excited and scared at the same time, but I know will relish in the watching of the development of them both.
May your holiday season be filled with surprise and wonder, happiness and joy, and may the New Year bring stability, goodness, and light. At least that’s what I’m hoping for.
~ Steve, Stella, Scupper, Bittle, and Aimee
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