We're Back

  We made it back to Birmingham Sunday night in the freezing weather. We had such a good time at home, and it was good to be pampered and spoiled for that long, but we are glad to be getting back into our normal routine. It is really cold here, so we have been staying in, but it has been kind of nice to come home, get comfy and warm, and hang out together. I know we won't have a lot of time for that soon enough.

All the time inside has also given me plenty of time to work on my New Year's resolutions. I usually make way too many, and then feel guilty for not accomplishing all of them. I think resoultions are important, though, and I love the feeling of a fresh start each year. For 2010, I tried to keep my list simple and easy to accomplish- I really need that feeling of accomplishment, since I have so many worries over the things I won't know how to do or even how to prepare for once Sweetpea gets here. Some of my goals are really personal or spiritual, so I won't share those since they would probably bore the three people who read this, but there are a few that I would like to share, if for no other reason than to feel accountable.

1. Read more. I used to read all the time- for enjoyment, for information, for whatever. Now, I pretty much get anything "intellectual" off of the internet or TV, which is a crying shame. It is my goal to read The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde and to finish all of the baby/pregnancy books on my list: Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy, What to Expect When You're Expecting, Skinny B- Bun in the Oven, Your Pregnancy and Birth, Your Pregnancy Week to Week, What to Expect the First Year (really, I only want to read half of this in 2010-for the first 6 months of the baby's life), Happiest Baby on the Block, On Becoming Babywise, Super Baby Foods, and anything else that would be helpful.

2. Sew more. Ok, so this is an ongoing goal. I sort of learned to sew, but not really. I can make a couple of things, but I need a lot of help from my Granny and from You Tube videos. I did complete a baby quilt last year for a co-worker , but that is about it. I have an old machine, so the first part of this goal is to find out if that machine is even worth fixing, or if I should invest in a new one. Part two is taking my classes at Sewing Machine Mart in Homewood. Last Christmas, mother gave me a gift certificate for lessons, and I never made time to take them. So, I need to do that this year. Part three is actually sewing. I have patterns for burp cloths, pacifier clips, a nursing cover, and a travel changing pad. I would really like to make those things this year. It is also a dream to smock something this year, but that is a maybe. It might get added to 2011 goals.

3. Learn to use my camera. Mother got me a really nice Digital SLR camera for Christmas, and I am so excited about it, because I know that we will not be able to afford tons of professional photos for Sweetpea. So, if I can learn to use my own camera, I can do the in between pictures myself. I have class coupons for six classes at Wolf camera, and I have asked Sherrelle from work to go with me. Hopefully, we will learn a lot and take really good pictures once we finish. I know it will take a ton of practice, but in June, I'll have my very own sweet little subject to practice on all the time, so I'm ready.

4. Complete the baby's room (and be happy with it). Ok, it is kind of unfair for me to put this on my list, since I know it will have to be completed one way or another. However, I like to cross things off- it makes me feel good, so it made the list.

5. Keep up the baby binder, journal, book and blog. I am having a really hard time with this one. I want to remember everything and keep really good notes while I'm pregnant and while the baby is little. It is already going by so fast, and I know there are things I will forget if I am not dilligent about it. I keep a baby binder with all of my important information: hospital stuff, pediatrician stuff, daycare applications, etc. I also am trying to keep a journal for now so that I can transfer everything to a pretty baby book once we find out if Sweetpea is a girl or a boy. The blog is another way for me to keep track of things, because I don't have to worry about losing paper. I get a little overwhelmed with it all, so my goal is to keep everything very organized, to work on it a few times a week before it gets to be too much at one time, and to do the best I can.

*No more baby resolutions- I promise, that was the last one*

6. Listen more. That's it. I notice that when people talk, I sometimes zone out. I think of other things- I don't give them my full attention. This is especially true of Jonathan, and I think that is because we are so close that I almost know what he is going to say. But, that's unfair. I don't always know what he's going to say, so I need to be more present. That's just an example- I do it to other people, too, and I really want to work on my listening skills this year.

7. Pick a family verse. This is probably as personal as I will get on the blog. I really want to make our spiritual lives a priority this year, and I want to pick a verse to pray over our family for the year. In more ways than one, this will be a big year for us. This is the year Jonathan will finish two of the last three semesters of school. This is the year our baby will be born. This is the year everything changes for us. It's exciting, but it is terrifying, too. We need some truth to ground us this year, and we realize that. We don't have a verse in mind yet, and we really want to spend some time finding the perfect prayer for our family.

Ok, so there are my goals for 2010. I have about three more, but they are too personal and selfish for the blog, so I'll keep those for now. Here's to a fresh start!