This has been quite an intense year. We started with big hopes that we would get more sleep and that FarMor would be ok. We thought we'd get away on vacation at some point and we were excited about kindergarten. Well, it's been completely different than what we wished for in all those areas but we have been very blessed in other areas.
We are still really tired. Little A still wakes up in the night, some nights quite alot. We have night weaned and now we are considering either bringing her bed into our room or keeping in her own room and let her cry more than we do now (which is not too much). If I knew what would work, I would just do it but I feel my mother's instinct is quite blank in this area. All I know is we really need some sleep. We were just visiting Farfar and we all slept in one room. Weirdly, that worked out just fine and she slept through the night for both nights we were there. So, perhaps a clue.
We have not had a vacation but we are going to go to a friend's cabin tomorrow morning. Whoo hoo!
The kindergarten transition needs its own post but let's just say it was WAY more intense than even I was expecting. The good news is, little T got an award for most improved so things are looking up.
I have completed 4 out of 5 of the Coach Training Institute's foundation courses. I am completely amazed by this curriculum and very excited about how I will work with it in my life and future work. I'm still at home right now and I hope to be for awhile longer. I feel so lucky that we've been able to eke it out on one income and with one car. I think it's been really important for both kids.
What am I proud of this year?
I'm so proud of my kids. Little T for handling the roller coaster of emotion around him and within himself and for making new friends at school and being able to express his fears more clearly. Little A for just being so clear and open. For trying hard and for fighting back. For signing and using the potty and telling us off when we've pushed her too far. I'm proud of DH big T for working so hard and being so present with all that was going on. I'm especially grateful for the night time parenting help. For myself, I'm proud of trying something new and taking a risk on the CTI training. I'm proud to be listening to more of myself, not just the very, very strong left brain where all the worry comes from but other signals too. Signals that say, stay home if you want to, it'll be fine. So what if you can't buy all the boots you want? There will be other times for that stuff.
What do I want more of next year?
Of course I want more sleep. That is the foundation of everything else. I would like to see my friends and family more. I would like this place to be a hub of social activity as well as a refuge from it. I would like to write. Here and maybe elsewhere. I would like a few trips. I would like to have lots and lots of time with the kiddos while they still want to hang out with me. Oh yeah, it would be good to read some books.
So, we wish you all the best New Year and we hope you can take some time to take stock and consider what you want to keep and what you want to leave behind.
