I call her Monkey

I've called her Monkey from early on. My sweet, precious baby girl. My Monkey.
Maybe because she swings from the furniture, or is always hanging on something. Maybe just because she's silly and fun and I like it.

My sweet monkey girl.

Playing with a toy, she pointed to the animals and I named each one. Lion, giraffe, panda, elephant, monkey. As soon as I said it she looked at me wide-eyed then back to the monkey and back at me again. I said it again. Monkey.




She leaned down and kissed that sweet monkey. Looked back at me and handed that monkey to me so I could kiss him too.

She knew of all the animals, that the monkey was special. Because I call her Monkey. And she kissed that monkey because she knows Momma kisses her Monkey.

My" If Nothing Else List"

I am a list maker.

I love lists. I LOVE LISTS.

I love crossing things off the list. Sometimes I'll even write things on my list that I've already done just for the satisfaction of crossing it off! It feels good to have a list with something already crossed off.

I know lists stress some people out. I get it. For me though, the list represents all the things that need to be done, that will get done (at some point) that I know will make me feel satisfied when they are completed. It is a place where I can gather all my thoughts of things that need (or should) be done in ONE place.

If I don't write these thoughts down then they are just rolling around in my head. Which is what I consider stress. Even if I dont get to everything on the list, at least it is written down and I know about it. It didn't get lost, just might not have gotten done. On time.

I have lists all over the place. But, my most important list is written daily in my planner. I call it the "If Nothing Else List". Meaning that I will be completely satisfied if I complete these couple items AND NOTHING ELSE for the day. Its icing on the cake if I complete other (less) important items on the list. But, if nothing else than the line items on the "If Nothing Else List" get done, no sweat.

My If Nothing Else list has simplified my life.