Usually I have a bit of sadness once the Christmas season is over, and I remember thinking many times this December that I would feel that way more intensely this year. Once the decorations came down last week, though, I definitely felt ready to move forward and to embrace a year of changes and meeting goals. 2010 is going to be quite a year!
I am so excited about my pregnancy, and the image of Little Sib's heart beating yesterday is permanently in the fiber of my heart and mind. We're still in the first trimester, and already Little Sib is such a person. I cherish that little heart beat. Already a person in there... and was from the start. And to know that person will keep developing, all the way through birth and then to Katie's age now and beyond...well, life is nothing short of miraculous. Katie was once at this stage of her life, and now look at who she is...
I often discuss with Katie her beginnings in my womb, and when I do I run into a failure of our language and measuring system. She is technically, from the date of her birth, 2 years old and 2 months plus some days. But when I discuss her WHOLE life with her, she really is 2 years old and 2 months and some days PLUS the 8 months and 1 week she was in my womb. We need some way of denoting that for our children, for those of us who feel strongly about the origin of life. I tell her all the time about how she went to Crater Lake with me and her daddy...and to Bodega Bay and all around the Bay area and to Ashland... I mean, to me, she was there. She went to Disneyland with me when she was just a few weeks old (in my womb). If I wrote that sentence without appending "in my womb" people would think I meant a few weeks old after birth.
Anyway, Katie and I, awake at 6:00 AM, spent most of the day in our jammies, eventually emerging in exercise clothes to take a walk. I am feeling great (a little tired here and there) but GREAT with this pregnancy and am excited about training for another natural labor (and increasing stamina for caring for two small children at once).
After our walk, Katie slept, and I plowed through 6 chapters of "escrows" for my final real estate course. I am not much for making resolutions: in the words of fellow Toastmaster Bob Freels, now is the time to make actual goals, not resolutions.
My goals (outside of those that daily center on Bill and Katie) are many before birth:
1) Finish my last real estate course this month, test prep for one or two months, and sit for the licensing exam. Definitely needs to be done, and will be done, before labor.
2) Finish my first Toastmasters manual (6 more speeches + the 4 I've given) to earn my Competent Communicator distinction
3) Make Katie's 3rd year scrapbook and have it ready to go (I always have them designed and filled with mounts and doodads by Feb or March and then finish filling in all her pics by her birthday)
4) Finish my cross-stitch sampler (on hold during the season of making Christmas gifts)
5) Continue my nightly studies/meditations/gratitude journal
6) Give time to the planning and celebration of David's wedding to Ashley (in May, and very likely in my backyard---but they want to check a few more venues first)
7) Build and nurture friendships and relationships with good people: set up lunches and activities, be more open to going out, initiate.
These are not necessarily in order of priority...
Life is full and busy and beautiful, with a balance of productivity and relaxation. I am loving January this year...so much always going on! Can't wait to see friends tomorrow for lunch, too! FUN!
