2016

My post for the start of 2015 was appropriately titled "The Year of Change", little did I know how applicable that would be... More for this upcoming year, as our son will be arriving in early March.

So here it is, my "resolutions" for 2016- I'll see how I manage with them ha-ha. I'm also quite certain they may change once we have the little man join us.

2016: A Year of Resolutions

1. Start running again. I am so sad I didn't keep running while I was pregnant, however the biggest hurdle was the non-stop barfing I did for the first five months. I can't wait until he's born and I can get back on track, plus the weather will be warming up so it will be great timing. I hope this baby does well in a stroller! I would like to run a 5K and a 10K before the end of the year. 
2. Start sewing again, this one I'd like to jump into right after Christmas. If I can manage it, I have a few little things before then (wishful thinking, I know). I have a ton of projects that just keep getting added to my basket, and I would like to get that cleared out before the baby arrives.
3. Stick with our budget. We are on month two of our new budget, and it's working well! I have to be very mindful of writing down spending right away so that it doesn't get forgotten about. This has been so helpful in our house, especially in regards to long-term planning (buying a house for example etc.) Christmas time can feel a little chaotic, but we are doing our best to stay within limits, and recognize that presents are not what this season is about. I want to make sure we continue our debt repayment and our saving each month. 
4. Blog monthly updates with photo of baby. This I absolutely MUST do, I don't want to forget the first year, and how much he is going to change. (And of course takes tons of pictures besides the monthly updates- ensuring Kyle and I are in them!). 
5. Cook more often. I've been really lucky so far that Kyle has done the majority of the cooking in our household... With staying home on mat leave, I really don't mind the idea of doing most of the cooking, I just need to make more of an effort with it. I want to learn to: Meal plan/prep, try at least one new recipe a week, eat healthy while staying on budget, and learn more about supporting local farmers/stores. *Phew, I'm slightly overwhelmed already.
1. One more thing is I'm suspecting Kyle has some sort of dairy intolerance- so I would like to try to adjust our diet to see how that helps him (and probably myself, as I don't want a huge amount of dairy in the first year of breastfeeding). If anyone has any tips re: less dairy, please let me know (also, I'd like to stay away from soy milk!). 
2. Specifically this year: learn how to make the following: really good soft buns, and cinnamon rolls (the gooey delicious ones like at Cinzeo). These recipes always seem to flop on me, so I want to "perfect" them this year!
6. Breastfeed for the first year. *This is a very loosely set goal, if for some reason I can't then I'm not going to feel guilty for formula feeding. I firmly believe there are many reasons why women cannot breastfeed, and it shouldn't be something to be ashamed of! There seem to be quite a few resources for BF support, so I'm definitely going to look into connecting with those before baby arrives. 
7. Learn Spanish. Kyle and I bought Rosetta Stone specifically for this purpose- however the timing wasn't great; Kyle was in his final year of engineering. In theory this year isn't any less busy- we are having our first baby haha. I'd really like to try and learn though, shame on me for being stubborn when I was little and my dad (who speaks it fluently) tried to teach me. 
8. Move into a bigger place. Whether this means to continue renting, or ideally buying our first home. I'm thinking late summer/early fall-but it all depends where we are financially.  
9. Stop picking at my nails. I know this is a silly one, but every time I'm stressed out I pick at them and then they are so ragged/short/ugly. 
10. Get back into reading my Bible daily; on my own, with Kyle, and with our son as he grows. This one is the last resolution I've listed, but it's the most important. 

Ok, I'm sure I could think of more- and I might come back and add to this list... For now, this is it and PLENTY to work towards haha. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas, and lots of love and joy as you celebrate with family and friends.

xo sweet readers.