As I begin my happiness project, I read Gretchen Rubin's blog about "act how you want to feel", and I began to think about my daughter, Lily. Each morning when she wakes up, I go to check her in her crib and she greets me with a huge smile. And it doesnt matter how tired and cranky I am, I always greet her with a big smile back and an even bigger "good morning! Are we ready to go to to school??!!Did you have good dreams??!!" And our morning begins. Somehow, I am no longer cranky (ok, maybe a bit tired), but my state of mind from a few minutes earlier-wanting to push the snooze button- not wanting to get up and start our daily routine-the same routine every single day-has changed. And so I ask myself, how can I harness that feeling-greeting each day with a refreshed, excited, happy-self every morning? (And if I do that, what affect will it have on others that I interact with all day? Will my interactions be better? happier?) Lily is greeting each day with the attitude that I envy. And in turn, she is changing me. This has become my first resolution for myself. It seems so simple. Smile, each and every morning.

And so, today, I begin my project.

May 3, 2009

So it has been a crappy weekend, with no sleep and (ugly, gruesome, who-would-ever-live in-this) house hunting. And bickering. And fighting with the daycare director over exersaucers. And losing my (brand new, no insurance thank-you) cell phone just to find it in the washing machine. But, then, yesterday Lily learned how to stick out her tongue and make razzing sounds (with so much focus and determination) that just got us all laughing. And here I am, overtired, not showered, covered in spit-up and drool, miserable, laughing my ass off. And so, I take it back. It was an awesome weekend.