I think I will look back on 2012 as a pretty wonderful year overall. The kids are at perfect ages - small enough to really need us and want to be around us, but old enough to really be able to interact and do more things.
Looking back on last year's "things to look forward to," highlights from the year that's past include:
- Jack did indeed start kindergarten. This is probably the most significant milestone in our family's year. Having a child in school full-time changes everything, but both children have taken these changes in stride. In particular, I am just so pleased and proud at how well Jack is doing. I have discovered untapped reserves of pride in my amazing boy that I didn't know were there before this year.
- Violet has been sleeping through the night for so long that I forgot that was even something I was worried she wasn't doing last year.
- I did have my kid-free staycation, as well as two kid-free overnight trips with a friend of mine.
- Jack participated in a ton of extracurricular activities this year. He had continued with golf until it ended in June. He started piano lessons in January and T-ball in February. He enjoyed both and is signed up to start the next season of T-ball next month. We also had swimming and art lessons in the summer. We had to take a little break from piano once the school year commenced, because he also wanted to take chess and kung fu. Those plus homework and having to practice piano were starting to get too much. But he really loves chess, and I think we are going to continue with those. I hope to get him back into piano, possibly once school is out for the summer.
- Jack made such progress in reading and swimming this year. He assessed at a second grade reading level, and he is able to swim the length of the pool on his own. It's so nice to be able to go to pool playdates and only really have to worry about one child in the water.
- Violet turned 2, and Jack turned 6. Seriously, how is that possible?
- Violet is becoming quite a little character. She is just so funny and sunny. She charms nearly everyone she meets. She and her brother are a part of a mutual adoration society.
- Violet and I started attending a Mommy and Me class, which I did when Jack was her age. I like that she's made a couple of little friends of her own who aren't just younger siblings of Jack's friends.
- I've pretty much come around to the Star Wars Legos. It is pretty fun to see just how into that whole universe both my kids have become. Another highlight was the Star Wars Lego camp Jack went to in the summer.
- A long weekend family vacation with my parents, my sister and brother-in-law, and the kids.
- Seeing what other fun activities the kids will want to try.
- Learning Mandarin alongside Jack.
- Taking a digital photography workshop with a friend so I can finally figure out what all the buttons and switches on my camera do.
- Violet being potty-trained (which is different than actually potty training her).
- Organizing the garage.
- My main resolution is that I want to be better about tithing. We need to go through our budget and find areas that we can pull back on so that we have more money available to give to charity. As part of that, we will also:
- Get better about meal planning. A large chunk of our monthly budget goes to eating out. I don't mind meals where we are hanging out with friends, but I want to reduce the number of times I just run to the nearby taco shop because I'm too hungry or lazy to prepare something myself. I'm also hoping that meal planning will also help with the grocery budget, which is by far our biggest expense after our mortgage.
- I was not good about hiring a housekeeper, but I hope to be this year.
- Cherish having my last baby home with me still and don't let her watch so much TV.
No comments:
Post a Comment