2012 In Review

I’ll get to the review part in a minute…I have been off work since the 21^st of December & you’d think that would mean I’d have oodles of time to blog about our Christmas…turns out not so much. Elena is demanding all of my waking attention…so a quick catch up…

Christmas Eve we attempted a new tradition…baking!! We made Chocolate Macaroons (I tried to find a recipe online to link to but none were as good as mine so if you want my recipe, email me & I’ll send it to you), Rice Krispies Treats & Sugar Cookies…all turned out delicious though Elena took very little interest in any part of the process no matter how much I tried to engage her. Oh well, we’ll try again next year…

We exchanged our traditional Christmas Eve gifts of new pajamas & a Christmas story book then headed out to my Mom’s church for their Candle Light Service…I couldn’t help but remember last year & how Elena was perfecting walking & had such a ball walking around the place…this year she was running around! She only made it 20 minutes into the service before she became too antsy & we had to leave.

Getting her to bed was quite a fight & I was so frustrated by the time she was asleep. I sure was glad that I’d already wrapped all the presents & put together the kitchen Santa was bringing her! Once I moved everything under the tree, I couldn’t help but get caught up in the peace & the lights & my irritation melted away.

Christmas morning was magical. Elena had a good night’s sleep & seemed to just know it was a special day. When she saw that Santa had brought her a kitchen & my Mom had a doll stroller & crib set for her, she was beyond excited!!  She didn’t have much interest in opening any of her wrapped presents & it took a lot of encouragement to get her going but eventually she did…at times it was kinda like watching paint dry though as she was very meticulous about ripping every shred of wrapping from each present…tedious but so precious.

After a great nap, Elena was ready for round 2…the rest of my family arrived & we exchanged gifts & had a delicious dinner…so really, a perfect Christmas.

My favourite thing during this week though was after the snow storm we had & getting Elena out in it…since last year she was too little, this was her 1^st experience really…& she may not have liked the beach or the sand but my girl? She loves the snow!!

 

Now here we are, New Years Eve…& I’m reflecting on 2012…in last year’s In Review, I anticipated that 2012 would be full of changes & challenges & I was right. This year was definitely challenging what with adjusting back to work & the constant flux of my baby becoming a toddler. I know we have been thru a lot of growing pains this year but as I sit here & look back…it’s all the awesome times we’ve had: Elena’s 1^st birthday, Easter, the Teddy Bear Picnic, swimming all summer, the Ice Cream Festival, Rib-Fests, gymnastics, the Rockton Fair, our 1^st vacation that come to mind…all of those good times plus all the little things too like the silly games, the giggles & belly laughs, the cuddles, the kisses, those little things that I don’t remember the details of but that have left the deepest mark on my heart.

And the predominant emotion? In 2010 it was Fear, in 2011: Awe…for 2012? Confidence. This year I have learned to trust my gut, to be okay with making up my mind & changing my mind & even learning to have confidence in my uncertainty. I have learned to trust I know what is best for Elena & I & not to hesitate in the face of criticism or judgment. I am very much looking forward to 2013 but like last year I find myself quite content just being in the here & now.

 

Happy New Year, Everyone
I wish you all the very best in 2013.