I hate New Year's resolutions. There is way too much pressure. I mean, you are resolving to try to do (or not do) something for a WHOLE YEAR. That's a lot. For me, Lenten resolutions are so much easier. It is a short-ish period of time and it's easier for me to make resolutions or sacrifices that I can stick with for that long, knowing that there is an end in sight. But if I resolve to do something for the New Year, then I'm setting myself up for disappointment. So I'm making no resolutions this year. The end.
I do like to take time on New Year's Eve/Day to think about the year that has passed. For us, this year was an eventful one. Olivia started the year as a toddler wearing footie pajamas and sleeping in a crib. She ended the year as a conversational little girl who dresses herself and sleeps in a big girl bed. What a year!
Highlights of 2009:
1. In January, our fourteen-month-old learned to take off all her clothes. She'd do this in her crib, while we were asleep. Just in time for the really cold weather. Not so smart, kid.
2. Sometime around March, Olivia started climbing out of her crib. Then she started climbing into her crib. Our lives began to center around getting the child to sleep and keeping her asleep, which reminded us too much of newborn days. So, we gradually resigned ourselves to putting Olivia in a big bed full time. By mid-April, the crib was history.
3. By late Spring, Olivia was stringing several words together. By the end of the summer, she was conversing like a 4-year-old. She talks, sings, recites prayers. The kid is a verbal whiz.
4. But she's still just two years old. My Dad had to remind me of this a few days ago. She's pretty active and when she's tired or just feeling contrary, she can drive everyone pretty nuts. My Dad picked her up and said, "That's OK, Olivia. You're so tall and you speak like a 4-year-old, but sometimes we forget that you're only two. We keep expecting you to behave like a 4-year-old. We need to remember that you're not." Thanks, Dad.
5. Olivia's understanding of Jesus has grown over the past year. She does so well in Mass and says prayers at meals and bedtime. Recently, we began adding intention prayers at the end of her bedtime prayers, and we always ask her if she wants to pray for something. Lately, she's been asking Jesus for a "baby brother or sister, please". Yesterday, while playing, we were talking about a little brother or sister and she went to her room, climbed up on her bed and started talking to the Holy Family icon on the wall by her bed. "Jesus, can I have a baby brother? Can I have a baby brother, Jesus?" It was the sweetest thing I think I have ever heard.
We do have a few things coming up in 2010, including:
1. A homestudy update. I can't believe it's been almost a year and we have to renew the thing. I really thought we'd have a new baby by now, but it's not upsetting at all. I have a great sense of peace that God will send us a child in His good time, and we are enjoying our life as a family of three in the meantime.
2. More surgery for me. We will be scheduling the whole diagnostic series of stuff with the Pope Paul VI Institute soon, as I mentioned previously. We probably won't do the on-site work and surgery until the Summer, but it's definitely on our minds as we plan for 2010.
3. In June, we are doing a family vacation with Joe's whole family. We are getting two really big cabins with four bedrooms each. Olivia will get to meet some family members that she's never ever met. Should be an interesting week.
Have a safe and Happy New Year's Eve, and best wishes for a terrific 2010!
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