New Year

Well this weekend was officially the most productive in a long time. Starting from Fri night we worked straight through--bought a changing table, upgraded our phones, bought and installed our new closet system in the bedroom and put the new armoire in the baby's room, put the new carpet in the nursery, scanned and framed all of our families' baby photos and got the car seat professionally installed. We did all this while also attending a new year's bash at Em and Kev's and going out to dinner with my family both Sat and Mon night. Whew. I feel relieved, like we really might be able to pull it all off before the baby comes.

Of course, the weekend was not without its hitches, namely that the police officers who installed our car seat and were incredibly nice also suggested our car might be too small for our car seat, which is quite large--a Britax Marathon convertible. So now we have to decide about whether to bite the bullet and buy a safer, bigger car. We probably should. But I am not anxious to have two cars. And I am even less anxious to add a car payment and an extra insurance payment to our monthly expenses.

These concerns lead me to my resolutions, which are harder to make this year given the grand unknown we are about to enter. So, in no particular order, I give you my "plan" for 2007:

1.) Appreciate what is good in my life and dwell less on the the stressful, frustrating things. I want to let the dog's sweet face or R's hugs actually help me feel better instead of ignoring them to think about the neighbor parking in our spot again or some annoying bill that comes in the mail.

2.) Get back into running five miles a day soon after the baby arrives--and lose the pregnancy pounds.

3.) And on that note...Don't let weight loss worries impede on my time with my child and enjoying her.

4.) Try to enjoy my baby's infancy. I have the feeling it will go fast.

Last night after watching the ball drop and usher in a new year, I was very quiet. All around the people at the party were celebrating and laughing. All I could think about was the way our lives were changing and how this year would be our daughter's birth year and how amazing that is. And as we shut the door behind us and I looked back from the dark street into my friend's lit apartment, I had the distinct feeling I was looking in on a life I will be leaving behind this year. It never ceases to amaze me how symbiotic sadness and joy are when my life changes. So for my last resolution (#5) I am promising myself that I will try to embrace both sides and not berate myself when my reaction is not exactly the one I'd planned. It seems things are much richer when they just are and I will do well this year to just let myself feel whatever it is I need to feel.