2009 Was a year of excitement and newness. Still Newness of being married, new Mother, new work schedule, new car, new and eternal family, new School Major for Dan (from International Business to Accounting). I welcomed all this "newness" with excitement, curiosity, and a bit of the feeling you get with the unknown.
How many times can I write down, give prayerful thanks, tell my sister, tell my mother, tell my friends, and think every day that to me being a Mother is the most glorious and amazing privilege anyone could ever have. And how wonderful it is that I get this opportunity! I guess not enough because every morning I wake up, the amazement has grown for this beautiful adventure called Motherhood. I have learned so much about myself, and every day that I pick that lil' gooey ball of love out of his crib I vow to be a better person and to try a little harder. For him, for his Dad, for all the children to come. For our family. I will miss 2009 in the way that it was the year I bore my first child and oh how I would live the day he was born and the days and months shortly after again and again. But how excited I am for 2010! For a one year old Birthday party, and many more firsts. For progress, for Dan and I and what life will bring and for all the many goals to accomplish. And just the excitement and fun of a whole new year of Holidays, birthdays, seasons , and many more to experience. I know I have a lot to work on and I am anxious to see the results of hard work. The goal list is long this year. But I have come to accept better that with a child I cannot accomplish what I did pre-child as quickly. Accepting this has banished self-criticism, discouragement, and frustration. I also keep close to my heart and the fore front of my mind that I have no greater responsibility or "job" then to be a Mother and a great one at that. A couple of quotes that I have taken note of from church leaders that will be the "theme" if you will and the guiding light for my goals is "eliminate the non-essential" and "patience and perseverance are part of our eternal progression".
*****I think you might have noticed I have not blogged in several weeks…I had a "mid life blogging crisis" you could say. I woke up one day confused about how I felt about blogging….how I felt about anyone and everyone reading my personal journal entries, wondering if I should go private because maybe I wasn't divulging my whole mind and thoughts knowing others were reading them (but how could I possibly get any cheesier?), wondering if I was putting my family in danger….on and on it goes. Furthermore and to be honest I still am not sure how I feel about it. What I do know is that documenting my life for the benefits of my children, grandchildren, etc. is important to me. As well as for self. Being able to look back and read of my feelings on my first born child I'm sure will bring me happiness in the years to come. So for now I will not be private. I am sure family in faraway lands appreciate being able to keep up with my Family. I would like to mention that I am the mushy gushy type. So if you are not into reading others leak ever bit of their emotion and thoughts onto paper (word document) then I would recommend not visiting my blog.
******************* Update on Achievements, accomplishments and mischievousness of Z bub!
*walking (check) (started walking 01/08/10)
*playing peek-a-boo (check) his favorite peek-a-boo ally is his cozy blanket but if not handy he simply will place his arm across his eyes and POOF! He disappears (at least that's what he thinks)
*First bubble bath (check)
*mastered the tantrum (check) THIS KID IS NOT MESSING AROUND…FULL BLOWN BACK ARCHING, HEAD THROWING, SCREECHING AND NOISES I HAVE NEVER HEARD BEFORE. It is somehow funny to me and fingers are crossed this is a phase; something tells me it's not though.
*Best Buddy (check) I believe a stuffed animal is the preferred choice of "best buddy" for most children. Zealand's best buddy= a pan w/a lid and handle that is more than 30 years old. I think it's cute. So we have done the proper thing and given the pan a proper name-Pete the Pan. I know original right? Zealand loves Pete the Pan, he knows what drawer Pete the Pan lives in and every morning he goes to the drawer and gets Pete the Pan out and at the end of every day we put Pete the Pan to bed back in the drawer. They have lots of adventures making alphabet block soup, orange, lime, lemon soup, putting the lid on and off on and off to hear the sound it makes oh how much Zealand loves Pete.
* Does not sleep through the night (wakes 1-2 times)
* Fully breastfed. I can't believe we have made it this far but how glad I am that we both made it through the hard earlier days of the nursing saga.
*Favorite foods-Blueberries (totally my kid), BANANAS, strawberries, anything we are eating. (just recently, Dan and I had turned our heads for two seconds and somehow Zealand managed to get a pop tart off the twirly and was having chow time on a S'more pop tart) quick lil' stink.
*going up and down stairs (check)
*loves to throw his blocks
*8 teeth , one on the way
*loves to throw his Dad's tennis balls around and chase them
* might be a future chef, wants to see inside every pan I am cooking in, if I am using the mixer or grinding wheat he has to see what is in the bowl. He is so excited about anything to do with cooking or baking. And will promptly leave any toy he is playing with in the living room if he hears me start up the oven or get any pans out.
*cuter everyday (check)
Love you Z!
