My DD is turning five this week – time certainly flies. I still remember the day when we came home with our little diva and a Power Ranger toy that she had got for her older brother (he is still thrilled, awed, and surprised that his baby sister got him a gift and that she knew he loved Power Rangers!). She has been counting down the days as soon as February 2011 started and has invented a song-and-dance routine to do the countdown that is super silly and super sweet and uniquely her. I join in when I can!

As we finished the b’day countdown for today, I grabbed the Life section of today’s newspaper (my favorite part). It has an article describing the empty nest syndrome poignantly. Obviously, I have a long way to go before I reach that stage in my life but reading that article did highlight one thing that Andre Aciman points out so well in his article, “The best thing is learning how to give thanks for what we have.” So I do sincerely give thanks for the impromptu song-and-dance sessions, the constant prattle of my little girl, the sound of the tennis ball hitting the wall again and again and again as my DS practices in the backyard, the ‘I want mommy’ for every activity that needs help, and, most importantly for the smiles that I see on both my little ones’ faces when they see me, the out-of-nowhere hugs and kisses from them, and them.

One other line that caught my eye was “Rituals are when we wish to repeat what has already happened, rehearsals when we repeat what we fear might yet occur.” I plan to create as many rituals as I can now while silently rehearsing for the inevitable of a tomorrow yet to come.

As Aciman says, he realized that over the years of parenting he realized that the most important relationship he had neglected was the one with himself. He says, “I missed myself. I and me had stopped talking, stopped meeting, lost touch, drifted apart. Now, 20 years later, we were picking up where we’d left off and resumed unfinished conversations. I owned myself.” This blog is my effort to have conversations with myself albeit the conversations mostly seem to center on my kids or their activities and joys! As I join my daughter for another birthday countdown dance, I realize this is me, “I, me, and mommy”.

To read Aciman’s article in its entirety: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/06/garden/06Domestic.html?_r=1