New Year Thoughts

With Christmas behind us and the New Year here, I can't help but get excited, overwhelmed, and a bit anxious about what is to come!! Usually I'm all like, here are my goals and thoughts and I feel like I can get my head on straight.  But to be honest with you, I am literally taking things moment by moment.  We are about a week until baby boy's due date, and I'm not being negative, but I really don't think he will be here early or even on his due date [feel free to prove me wrong little man!] but with Brooke, I remember feeling so hopeless and helpless and her due date of January 4th, came and went…and we didn't meet her precious little face until January 11th!!

So, I'm setting small little goals each day, like FINISH taking down Christmas TODAY, and catch up on about 5 loads of laundry I'm behind too. Ha.  They're all clean, but need to be folded and put away.  I am just doing what I can do, but I also know my MAIN goal is to be rested for labor.  I was sooooo not rested for Brooke and I think that was part of what made it so difficult.  I didn't treat it like a big workout, and when I was through I felt like I ran a marathon, even though I have never run one before, because of how exhausted I was.

I feel like everything coincides though; I don't want to be stressed out during labor, but to be honest a messy house stresses me out.  So I can't just lay on my couch watching TV while my home looks like a bomb went off.  I am so grateful Joe is helping with grocery shopping, so I can focus on the basics of maintaining the home!

Speaking of, I know that last year I wanted a "mess free, stress free, clutter free 2014" well I can assure you, that the de-cluttering is still going to be a main focus for me this year.  We really changed things up this year as far as Christmas gifts and it was WONDERFUL!  We exchanged 'secret santas' with my family, so we each had one person to buy for, and of course people could still buy for the kids.   Usually we end up bringing so much extra STUFF into our home and it is just too much.  With children, I don't mind toys, but at least this way I can focus on changing them out and containing their stuff, not so much extra junk Joe and I don't even need.

This post is all over the place, but I feel like writing, so I guess that is just the way it is today, sorry if I'm making your head spin!!


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Ok, so I came up with a sort of plan! (I still need action plans, but at least I've got something in writing!)

Personal:

Health- I've already started on this. I have picked up some bad habits, so I am really working on being better.  I know once little boy gets here it will be important to really fuel with healthy foods, not sugar and processed junk because I NEED the energy to keep up with two kids!   I also can't wait to get back into working out on a regular basis. I will start with at home workouts etc, but my goal is to join a gym by April.  I will need the mini break with kids in the care center, it will be perfect!

Writing/blogging--- I just want to keep doing what I am doing. I write when I am inspired and I love looking back on my life.  I need to print this last year of blogging and keep it.

Reading-- I want to read one book a month.  I think that's attainable, but also will be challenging with two kids.

ME TIME.  To me this isn't the gym or anything above. It's getting out and doing something with a friend or by myself without feeling guilty.  I used to get my nails done bi weekly and that little hour window every two weeks did wonders for my soul (and cuticles haha!)

Marriage:  Monthly date nights. I want to say more, but at this rate, getting out once a month will be a goal!! Maybe I will change this to twice a month, or once a week eventually, but I know with a newborn we aren't going to want to leave much at first.

Continue being the best wife I can be.  I know there will be tough days where my patience will be thin, but I have to keep my emotions in check and not take it out on him.

Find a trustworthy sitter: My goal for this year is to eventually find someone (or several) to call upon for help.  Family is great, but sometimes ya just want to run out here or there and it'd be nice to have some sitters lined up to choose from.  With my husband's work schedule, he can be very busy and the time he has off, we like to do things together, so maybe having someone to help me from time to time when I need it would be really beneficial. I am not sure about leaving a brand new baby, so this may not happen for a bit.  Or, I may find someone to help and I don't even leave the house.  I could use some time to work on my Advo biz or whatever.  Date nights are important too, so a sitter will be useful.

Children:  Simply, I want to give them my best too.  I am going to strive to be patient and not pick one kid over the other consistently.  Someone said to me that your toddler will get all of your time and your baby will be second…I don't buy that. I think that there will be shifts and times when one's needs need to be met more than the other.  There will be tears I  am sure, but I plan on baby wearing a lot, so hopefully this will help!

I also want to do solo dates with Brooke. I never want to lose a special bond that we have, and I know her Daddy loves it too.  It will be important for us to share and divide our time amongst all of us.  I am sure it will not be balanced and perfect 100% of the time, but to have that in the back of our minds, will be key.

Continue toddler school--1.) Monthly theme  2.) Sensory Bin 3.) Letter of month 4.) Books to go along 5.) Craft

January- Winter [snow]
February- Love [Valentine's Day]
March-  Transportation
April- Spring [Easter]
May- Farm
June- Gardening/bugs
July- Summer/Independence Day
August- Beach
September- Fall
October- Halloween
November- Thanksgiving
December- Christmas

Family:  We officially have our first family of 4 vacation booked!! We are going to Lake George again and it will be so much fun!  I cannot wait to plan a little bit more for that that.  I am also going to make it a goal to get out of the house and do something twice a month, even with the wee babe! I really don't want Brooke to miss out on things like the museum of play, or other fun activities that will stimulate her.  Once the weather warms up in Spring/Summer, it will be much easier, but when baby boy is tiny and the winter is harsh, I'm sure we won't do a whole lot.

Friends: I really want to be a better friend. My goal is to host a dinner once a month, much like this idea I've read about here-- Friday Night Meatballs; friends with kids can bring kids so they can all play, and just invite people over for dinner and see what happens!  If no one comes, no problem, but the idea is to connect, face to face and not have just "text or FB" relationships.  Actual live interactions are important, especially for our kiddies!

Home:  We don't have any major construction or renovations we need to do.  The only thing I can think of is changing the office (which is the current dumping ground for stuff) and turn it into a play room.  We don't want all the toys taking over our entire living room.   I have already started organizing with the 'homeschooling' stuff I do with Brooke, but it will be nice to get a huge desk, old computer, and a bunch of books out of there.  I do want to hold a garage sale this summer and get rid of my JUNK!!

Finances:  Save. Save. Save.  We want to buy or build a new house in the near future and now have two kids.  I love shopping, but I also hate clutter, so again, this will be a goal for 2015.  I also will continue to plug away with my AdvoCare business and my goal for that is to get to Success School this year.  I love that it is truly a what you put in, you get out type of business and helping others is a lot of fun!

So that is what is flying around my super prego brain these days.  I am super excited for the new year and keep looking back how much happened in our lives in 2014, I can't imagine what amazing things 2015 will bring.  What are your goals this year?   Anything in particular you'll be striving for?