"So Nice"

So my niece turned 1 on August 1st. We went to Vegas because my sister was throwing a huge birthday bash with Dr. Seuss as the theme...what's not to love right? It was great to hang out with my family and bestie Jessica. Some of the highlights include a scavenger hunt down Las Vegas Blvd. with items such as: drunkest person, an old woman playing 3 slot machines at once and chain smoking, an Asian taking a picture with their hand making a peace sign...you get the picture. We went to a Mexican restaurant where Maddie and Jessica were both serenaded by a mariachi band and Maddie got to where a giant sombrero. We striped Maddie down to her diaper and let her at her cake; she did not want to get dirty and upon putting her foot in the cake she began to cry and scream. Maybe she will understand it better next year or maybe she will just be more adamant about not getting dirty? All in all it was eventful and glorious. Maddie has started giving kisses and they are so tender. You ask her to give you a kiss and she opens her mouth and goes for your cheek. The only catch is that you have to say "sooooo nice" or she won't do it again. We have all started saying "sooooo nice" or "soooo cute" and it has become somewhat of a mantra at my sisters house. It may get old but right now it's funny and cute so we will continue to do it and in several years when Maddie is older we will laugh about it.
I just kept thinking while I was there that life is all about the moments, the 10 minutes you can make a baby giggle, the dinner where everyone is together and laughing, an afternoon spent in the sun, the spontaneous trip, snuggling with your dad on the couch, smiling for no reason in particular, the moment you realize you love someone, making a connection with a complete stranger, seeing an old friend, laughing so hard you cry, watching a movie that reminds you of your childhood, listening to your dad tell a joke, reminiscing about the good old times, eating pie, having a picnic, being in nature, baby kisses,...there are so many of those moments in my life and I am so grateful for them. They make it all bearable. They recharge my enthusiasm for life and restore my faith in humanity. I am starting to enjoy the moments more because a lot of them make up the big picture.