As I look back at 2011 the word that comes to mind is pretty clear.
Mom.
Or more accurately "momma."
My life has pretty much become all about Lulu. At least for the most part.
And although I never thought it would happen to me, I'm completely okay with that.
Being a SAH mom is really such a blessing.
Geez, it only took me 6 years to completely embrace this...
Ironic, considering that I'm going to try to work more this year now that Lulu is in school full time.
Better late than never I suppose.
I love that I've been able to go on all Lulu's school trips and volunteer in her class and to always be so available for her.
Especially during these early "foundation" years.
I wouldn't trade any of that for the coolest photo job opportunity.
I also enjoy having her little friends over for lunch and play dates now that they are a bit older.
5 & 6 year olds are so sweet and much easier to handle.
Especially when they give me rave reviews on my cooking.
Lulu loves to tell all her friends what a good cook her momma is and every day they all come up and hug me asking when they can come to our place.
Is there anything better than that?
I completely love walking her to & from school each day.
I'm tryng to savour these moments as much as I can, as I know they are fleeting.
Especially when I see a group of kids maybe 6 or 7 years older than she is now, that wouldn't be caught dead walking with their mom to school.
Don't even think about holding hands!
Puhlease.
I've never missed a baseball game, a dance lesson or piano lesson.
I have been able to take her to camps and other fun activities around town.
So glad I can watch Lulu experience new places and meet new friends and help to nurture that.
Speaking of new places.
We took some pretty fun trips this years as well.
Nothing too exotic, and always visiting with family, but that in itself was also a great experience.
Especially for Lulu.
L.A. in the spring
Connecticut and New York in the summer.
Some weekends spent up north and down in Niagara.
I'm thinking 2012 might involve some new and exciting destinations with just the three of us.
Stay tuned for that.
As much as parenting has been at the top of my personal list this year, big daddy & I managed to get out a bit more for some one on one time.
It's great to finally have a roster of good babysitters.
We still need to do some work in the marriage department (then again tell me one couple who doesn't after being together for 14 years!)
But I'm in it for the long haul, so I'll keep on booking those sitters and calling in Grandma & Grandpa more often.
Speaking of which, our families are all healthy (big sigh of relief..) and for once, this year wasn't filled with too much drama.
Love that.
Went to a bunch of great restaurants. All casual, which is much more the kind of meal I like to have these days anyways.
I'm so over rich reductions, foam and pretentious wanna-be-actor-waiters not to mention ridiculous wine prices.
But truth be told, I find I enjoy eating at home more and more, and I would much rather have friends over than eat out too often.
That being said it is nice to get a break from time to time.
I managed to stay relatively healthy and am feeling more fit than I did 10 years ago.
Worked out quite a bit and finally seeing some results.
But this is another area I want to change, I recently read that if you get stressed trying to fit in things that are supposed to help you de-stress, then it's time for a change.
Some of my favourite classes at the gym are really not conducive to my schedule, especially since I will be working a bit more in 2012.
And throw in some chronic pain to areas that I think I am over working, I'd say it's time for a work-out change.
Change is good.
So I have a few new ideas that will keep me in shape, but hopefully keep me in check as well.
2011 has also been filled with good friends, some fun parties and get togethers.
Big daddy & I hope to maybe get some of our friends together for a party of our own.
who knows, we'll have to see about that.
Could be fun.
Of course the big addition to our family is Chelsea aka "the chelster" . She was probably the most excitement of 2011 for us.
She has been a welcome addition I might add.
Who knew you could love a small, snorty, sometimes smelly creature so much?
But otherwise a fairly uneventful year.
It flew by faster than I care to think about actually.
I can't believe it's soon to be 2012. Crazy.
2011 was for the most part filled with happiness, good healthy (with the exception of the last 8 weeks gah!!) , good friends, and family and the world's sweetest daughter.
I only hope 2012 is as good to me.
Happy New Year!!
