It’s the Little Things in Life and an Oakley Update

I have so much to say and hope this doesn’t turn into too long of a blog post but I thought I would get on here and give a little Oakley update, since I haven’t shared one of those in a while. I used to post one every month but once she hit a year, I dropped the ball. Before I give an update of what Oakley’s been up to, I thought I would share something that’s been on my mind lately.

I’ve read a lot of posts from other moms sharing about their shortcomings and how motherhood is hard. I respect that because I know everyone doesn’t just want to see someone’s highlight reel. I agree, motherhood can be hard and challenging, just like anything in life. Nothing is perfect and no one is perfect, but I still think there’s beauty to be found in the tough times. So let me explain…

Lately, I’ve felt like I have “superpowers.” Not literally, figuratively. I’m not that crazy! I’m also not about to say how I deep cleaned my house and lesson planned a month in advance, and went through every cabinet, drawer, and closet in my house while asking myself if my belongings sparked joy. If you don’t get that reference, it’s all the rage on Netflix. That’s definitely not the case, it’s actually far from the truth. I don’t feel like I have superpowers because I have everything together and my life is neat and tidy, packaged perfectly with a bow on top. I feel like I have superpowers because my lips can make Oakley forget her toe hurts from stubbing it. My hugs can bring comfort to her like nothing else can. My smile can light up hers. My laugh can bring her to a belly laugh. My hands can hold hers and make her feel like she can do anything because I’m by her side. Life isn’t always easy and we aren’t perfect, but its really about the little things in life. How special is it that we were chosen to have the capability to love, comfort, and protect our loved ones like no one else? I’ve always been one to enjoy a sunset or a good conversation, but Oakley has really made me enjoy the little things in life even more. Even if you aren’t a mom, everyone has those “superpowers.” I know I have aunts, family friends,in-laws, etc that have given me a listening ear, or a big hug that can have their own irreplaceable, special touch.

You’re probably wondering when I’m going to stop rambling and start telling you Oakley’s latest and greatest, that’s what you’re really here for right? I don’t blame you. One of my greatest joys is watching Oakley experience true happiness from the little things in life, which is another reason why I love watching her grow up on a farm. There’s nothing that makes Oakley smile more than seeing her animals. She loves her cats and dogs. She always kisses them and hugs them or attempts to pick up the cats. Every day while we walk out to the barn, our big fluffy cat is right by her side. Those two are inseparable. You can tell from the pictures of the two of them that one is never far behind the other. Oakley takes feeding Pistol Pete very seriously, but she still doesn’t understand that he only needs one scoop in the morning and one scoop at night. She loves to fill up the cup, walk it over to him, and drop it in his trough. Then she cries when it’s time to put the cup away and close the feed bin. Pistol Pete would be pretty chubby if it were up to Oakley lol. When the dogs lick her, she belly laughs and thinks it’s hilarious even if she gets knocked over. They weigh about 5 times as much as her but she’s not afraid of them. She is tiny but mighty at almost 20 pounds and 28 inches tall at a year and a half old. She loves to kiss them, hug them, and tuck them in at night. She has even tried getting into their crates with them before. If it were up to her, she’d spend all day and night outside. The first thing she does when she wakes up is grab her boots and head to the front door. She cries every time we come inside even if her nose and hands are red from being cold.

Oakley is always on the go and never stops. She’s always up to something! Her favorite things are to sing, dance, and read farm animal books. She knows all of the animal noises and loves to read the same farm animal books over and over! Some of her favorite foods are blueberries, raspberries, chocolate milk, and popcorn (also known as pop pop). Oakley enjoys helping and wants to do whatever I’m doing. When we do the wash, her job is to take the lint screen out. She hands me the dishes from the dishwasher and I put them away. She walks her bowls over to the sink and hands them to me since she can’t reach. She likes to throw things away in the trash can and she likes to “help” with the laundry by taking all of the clothes out of the basket lol. She also loves to feed the dogs. She actually supervises and stands by the dog food canister while I feed them.

She loves to pat, feed, and cuddle her baby dolls. She pushes them around in her stroller or puts them on her four wheeler. She loves to play tea party in her little kitchen and make me sit at her tiny table. Luckily, my legs are short. She enjoys wooden puzzles, nursery rhymes, and Barney. She loves to go for rides on the tractor with Daddy and play in the dirt in the garden.

She is cuddly and sweet and will give you hugs and kisses out of the blue. We’ve started using a timeout chair and she always gives me a big hug when she gets up. The best way I’ve known how to describe Oakley since she’s been born is to compare her to sunshine. She truly is a ray of sunlight whenever I’m around her and I’m constantly in awe of her and who she is. I’m so proud to be her mom, it’s the best title I’ve ever been given.