Entering 2011 with Perspective

So yeah...I haven't been the greatest blogger lately. The holidays really got the better of me. I had grand ideas of doing it all: baking cookies, mounds of presents for the girls, a sparkling clean house, hosting guests with flair and style. What I ended up with was gaining 5 pounds from eating cookie dough, ridiculous amounts of toy packaging garbage, toys flung across the entire house and hosting guests in my pajamas. Perhaps I need to be more realistic about what is really achievable.

I had a week off between Christmas and New Years which I planned to spend contemplating lofty goals for 2011. Instead, I was reminded that despite all my planning, there are truly very few aspects of life that are in my control. Hmmm...despite the best laid plans...doesn't that sound familiar. It seems that the only thing I can control in life is how I respond to situations or people. So for this year, I'm just going to focus on being the best me that I can be. And that doesn't involve long lists of resolutions or beating myself up when I inevitably fall sort. It just involves taking every day step by step and trying to remember to make the best of every moment.

In other news:

• Hayden is an official crawler. Jeramy convinced her to do it by placing Gerber puffs in front of her. She is quite food motivated you see. She began as the Frankenstein of crawling, but is becoming more agile every day. Last week she even pulled herself up on the living room ottoman. My husband thinks this is all wonderful. I think it would have been find to let the whole mobility thing wait until the age of 18 or so.
• Related to this, my floors are impossibly dirty.
  
• Related to this, it is very hard to keep small objects out of the hands of an 8 month old when a two year old also lives in your home.
  
• Jeramy is still home with the girls. He hopes this may change one day soon with the promise of some work on the horizon. Unfortunately it is work that is an hour away at half the pay. Despite this he seems to be looking forward to this prospect, as it seems that life as a SAHD isn't exactly full of bon bons and naps.
• I celebrated my 33rd birthday by hiring a maid service to come clean my house. Best gift ever.
  
• Jillian is quite the talkative little girl these days. I only understand about 3% of what she says, but that increases to 6% when Jeramy interprets for her.
  
• I'm finding that 2 is an easier age in terms of discipline. She actually gets the concept of time out, will stand in the corner by herself (usually) and the poor behavior usually stops afterward (for maybe 5 minutes).
• I'm finding that 2 sucks in terms of whining over everything. She wants to sit in my lap for dinner. Sissy is playing with her toy. Best of all are the situations where I cannot figure out what she is unhappy about.
  
• I'm becoming a very proficient with coupons in my efforts to save money given Jeramy's job situation.
  
• I'm really looking forward to the Seattle area IF blogger get together on Saturday!

I really have missed blogging and connecting with others. So in 2011 I really hope to get back into the writing routine. Oh wait, that sounds like a resolution, and I'm not going to make those.