Tuesday, December 31, 2013

2013 Recap

1. What did you do in 2013 that you’d never done before?
Seriously consider divorce.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn't make any new year's resolutions for 2013 and don't intend to make any for next year.  I've come to believe that, for me, all resolutions do is set me up to fail.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes.  My friend MH was murdered (I blogged about that here), and my ex-fiance died in April at age 36.
5. What countries did you visit?
None.
6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
I need to exercise more so I can have more energy and better health
7. What dates from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
January 31--day my friend MH died; September 16--day I started my new job
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I changed jobs.  I'm not sure everyone would consider taking a nearly 20% pay cut an "achievement," but I'm counting it as one.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I'm not sure.  I feel like I am failing at *something* nearly every day. . . .
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I went through a two-month period this summer of almost-daily headaches that was just miserable, but otherwise, just the usual ailments and aches and pains.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
We bought a 2014 Honda Odyssey over the weekend.  It was our biggest purchase, and I'm hoping it will be our best.
12. Where did most of your money go?
To our nanny.
13. What did you get really excited about?
Getting out of my old private practice job in which I was miserable.
14. What song will always remind you of 2013?
What Does the Fox Say. 
15. Compared to this time last year, are you:
– happier or sadder? about the same
– thinner or fatter?  about the same
– richer or poorer? about the same
16. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Spent time with my sons and friends.
17. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Worked.
18. How did you spend Christmas?
At home with my family
19. What was your favorite TV program?
Tough to say, since I hardly watch any TV.  I do really like Property Brothers on HGTV when I get to watch it.
20. What were your favorite books of the year?
Gone Girl, Ender's Game, The Fault in Our Stars, Wild, Nurture Shock: New Thinking About Children
21. What was your favorite music from this year?
I really like Lady Gaga.
22. What was your favorite film of the year?
Gravity.
23. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
On my actual birthday, I had dinner out with MM and the boys.  I also had an adult night out with MM and friends the following Saturday.  I turned 42.
24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
A vacation.
25. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
Um, functional?
26. What kept you sane?
Anti-depressants.
27. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013.
I cannot do it all.  I shouldn't even try.

Friday, December 20, 2013

My Favorite Things -- Toddler Version

Building with blocks and then climbing the kitchen chairs
Bounce houses, big slides and throwing books everywhere
Taking the stacking toy and removing all the rings.
These are a few of my favorite things.

Watching big trucks and our show Paw Patrol
Eating mac and cheese and then throwing the bowl.
Screaming or laughing at Mom when she sings
These are a few of my favorite things.

Mom's pots and pans and her storage containers
Swing sets and play dough and toy cars called 'Mater
Cute cartoon owls that hoot, spreading their wings
These are a few of my favorite things.

Running and climbing and jumping on the bed
Putting cups, bowls and hats on top of my head
Bouncing up and down like my feet and legs have springs
These are a few of my favorite things.

When I don't get my way, when it's nap time,
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad.

Monday, December 9, 2013

Challenges

[WARNING:  If you are still in the trenches, you may want to skip this post.  Heavy on children, parenting, and observations about same.]

This weekend was a challenging one.  In addition to having to take the boys in for haircuts on Saturday morning--something which we do only every four months or so, because AJ cries from start to finish--the boys decided Saturday afternoon that they would no longer stay in their cribs to sleep.  MJ has been capable of climbing out of his crib for a few weeks but would only climb out if put in his crib for confinement during times other than nap or nighttime (example: MM will sometimes put MJ in his crib briefly while changing AJ's diaper).  Previously AJ has not been capable of climbing out of his crib, which is a little higher off the ground than his brother's, but he figured it out Saturday with his brother's assistance.

The novelty of freedom led to a later-than-usual and greatly abbreviated nap on Saturday, no nap on Sunday and falling asleep over two hours later than usual on Saturday night.  Last night the boys feel asleep almost immediately after being put to bed (on their mattresses on the floor--interim plan until their toddler beds arrive later this week). . . only to awake about an hour-and-a-half later with MJ screaming and crying inconsolably with what appeared to be an episode of night terrors.  It took over 40 minutes to get him calmed down and another 30+ minutes to get him back to bed.  Poor AJ was awakened by his brother's screaming and crying and had to be soothed back to sleep as well.

Needless to say, all this sleep disruption also led to more moodiness than usual (plus AJ is finally getting more teeth--poor guy has been stuck at four teeth since 15 months), although not quite as much of a decrease in energy as you might think.  They also didn't eat as well as usual.

In addition to not sleeping on Sunday afternoon, the boys used their naptime to figure out how to get into their closet.  (Prior to Sunday, they had been unable to open the fairly heavy sliding doors.)  While I was out running errands, apparently they managed to remove every single shirt from the rod and from its hanger, empty out almost every drawer of their dresser and take all the shoes and puzzles out before Dad realized what they were doing.  The silence didn't make him suspicious because he thought they were sleeping.  (Ha!)

So instead of spending my weekend putting up our Christmas tree, doing some holiday baking and cleaning house in preparation for my parents' upcoming visit, I spent my weekend wrangling twin toddlers, trying to persuade them to sleep, walking them around the neighborhood in their stroller when those attempts at persuasion failed, and taking them to the park (for the second time) in a vain attempt to make them tired enough to fall asleep.

At the same time that these changes are frustrating and a bit stressful for us, they are also signs of growth and development for our sons.  MJ and AJ were so proud of themselves for being able to "escape" their cribs, and it was actually pretty cute to hear them giggling together as they gleefully jumped on their crib mattresses on the floor on Saturday night. . . even though this was going on at 9:30 p.m., long after they should have been asleep.

AJ is talking more, and as a result, I am worrying less about his speech development.  They are both becoming more agile all the time and continually surprise us with the things they are able to do.  They are challenging but fun, too.

Friday, December 6, 2013

Miscellaneous

After over a month of not writing here, I feel like I have a lot to say and not a lot to say at the same time.  Life is busy and full, as usual.  The boys are doing well and are their usual busy, happy selves.  The things they do and say really crack me up sometimes.  A few examples. . .
  • MJ has started saying "I see, I see" when he sees something in a book or in his environment.  He then waits for you to ask "What do you see?" before telling you what it is.
  • AJ climbs like a monkey.  He prefers to climb UP slides, rather than sliding down them (and when he does slide down a slide, he does so on his belly rather than on his bottom).  One evening this week, I moved their rocking horse onto the kitchen table in an attempt to keep AJ from using it to climb up onto the TV stand (yes, they now do this regularly).  The result was that AJ used his high chair to climb onto the kitchen table and rode the rocking horse on top of the table--yikes!
  • MJ lets you know very definitely when he wants to go outside and play.  He says, and signs, "shoes" when he wants to leave the house, and if he wants to go to the park he says "whee!" which is his word for the swings.
  • AJ loves to build with blocks and is very meticulous.  If his tower is not constructed to his satisfaction, he will disassemble it and restart it a few times and eventually just knock it all down.
New job is good.  Nice people, less stress.  I have had a nagging cold for two weeks that I cannot seem to shake, so that's been a bummer; I actually had laryngitis for a while and mostly lost my voice for a few days around Thanksgiving.

Our holiday was good.  My MIL made (most of) the meal, and the boys ate some Thanksgiving fare for the first time.  My father and stepmother are coming a week from today to celebrate Christmas early with us.

Lately I have vacillated between feeling grateful for my life and feeling like I need a week or a month off to just hibernate by myself somewhere.  Both feelings are valid.  I think the latter feeling stems from this virus that won't go away more than anything else; I am just so tired all the time, even after a good, full night's sleep.

This weekend I am going to put up our Christmas tree, minus the breakable ornaments, and may even attempt some simple holiday baking with the boys.  TGIF!