Simply Me: Goodbye 2013

I woke up yesterday morning and realized that it had been almost one week since Christmas Eve and I couldn't believe it! How is it that we don't take enough time to enjoy the season while it's happening, but we long for it after it's over?

If I had to sum up 2013 in one word, I think it would be "family". I started the year 9 weeks pregnant with baby #2, constantly thinking about how our family was going to change. I spent the first half of the year soaking up my alone time with Isaac, dealing with the mixed emotions that come with an addition to the family. So happy to give him a brother, but so sad to take away his only child status, the only thing he had ever known. We made changes to the house in 2013, but all in the name of preparing for our new family.

Some of my most precious memories from this year are from May, June, and July. We had just moved Isaac into his big boy room and he was in a huge book loving phase. I was already feeling more attached than normal and he wanted to read lots of books every night before bed. I would crawl into his bed and read book after book, soaking up that time, dreaming of how it would be with a new baby. I pictured all 4 of us in bed together, cuddling a sleeping baby, reading our bedtime books. It didn't quite work out that way. Many nights I was stuck on the couch nursing a cluster feeding baby, broken hearted that I was missing the bedtime routine. That time of the evening was our biggest struggle for the first few weeks.

The last 5 months of 2013 were spent learning how to be parents of 2, a family of 4. I was personally challenged, Isaac was challenged, my marriage was challenged. I'd like to think we all came out stronger, learning about different parts of ourself. We have been in survival mode and I think we're finally coming out of it and getting a grasp on this new part of our life.

I don't know what 2014 holds for us, but I feel better prepared to handle it. I will watch my baby turn into a toddler, and hopefully watch my threenager turn into a more well-rounded fun 4-year-old. ;) Three is so fun but so challenging. I want to focus on being a better mom, put down the phone more, and find a balance between picking up the camera and focusing on being in the moment.

I want to be more disciplined in all areas of my life...housework, my health, our money, my walk with Christ, not losing my temper with Isaac
Hand the camera to Rodney more often so I can be in the pictures too.
Do more hands-on craft projects with Isaac.
Don't stress about the little things.

My 13 favorite pictures/moments from 2013:

January
our only really good snow

March
"Woody, look. It's snowing."

May
the evening Isaac fell asleep on me -- a very rare moment

May
the many hours spent reading on this bed

June
the day Rodney let Isaac help him wash the house

July
Isaac was our name 'secret keeper'. People would try to sneak and ask him the name, but the joke was on them when they usually thought he said Eli.