Summer?

Summers for me used to consist of sleeping in, hanging out in my pj's all day, lying around on the couch watching bad television and lifetime movies - basically turning into a big, lazy blob for two months. My summer this year has been nothing like my summers of old. I still take a little while to get showered and get out of my pj's, but that is mostly due to the fact that I have a small baby to feed, change, and care for. Now my summer days consist of diaper changes, playing on the floor, keeping the puppies off the baby, feeding, pumping, washing baby clothes and burp cloths, and other assorted tasks associated with infant care. I have not had much time to think about it, but if I were given the time I think I would choose this summer to all of my previous lazy summers. Sure, babies are a lot of work, but I cannot think of any other task more worthwhile and enjoyable. I am loving motherhood.

Claire is growing and changing so much and I am really enjoying getting to watch her achieve all of the different milestones. She is one amazing baby. I am so proud to be her mother. God has truly blessed mine and Jared's lives with this amazing little creature.

I am taking this next year off of work to stay home and nurture (at least I hope I will be nurturing and not traumatizing Claire) our baby. I also have a laundry list of goals and tasks I would like to start and/or accomplish. I am thinking about listing some of them, but I am a little nervous to do so. Once you write something down and people have the ability of reading it then you have to get serious about accomplishing the task. So here are some of my tentative goals (don't hate me if I don't get them all/any of them finished):

1. Establish a consistent quite time (during a consistent nap time for Claire!?!?!?)
2. Regularly contribute to my blog (weekly/biweekly)
3. Sew (one item per family member)
      - shorts for Jared
      - skirt for myself
      - dress(es) for Claire
4.Write some essays (3) to move towards the goal of creating a book/memoir
5. Clean some part of the house every week.

I think five goals is a good place to start. I don't want to set the bar too high, but I also do not want to set it too low either.

Maybe writing these down will help keep me accountable in keeping them. I am also trying to be more cognizant of what I am eating and how often I am exercising in an effort to be healthier, but I am going to wait to make that one of my "official" goals until after I have started consistently working towards accomplishing the other goals I have set for myself. I need some sort of reminder that goes off every day/week/month to remind me of the things I have said that I will do. I have noticed lately that I have a severe case of "mommy" brain and it is harder and harder to remember things.

I will write again soon - hopefully sometime in the next week or two (according to my goals).