As we do almost every year, we got to December 30 without having any idea of what we were going to do to celebrate New Year’s. I don’t really get excited about New Year’s — I like the holiday, I think it’s great to ring in a new year, but after all that goes in to making Christmas, I’m usually pretty spent by December 31. We usually do very little (if anything) and, since B was born, we don’t always even make it until midnight.
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Ironic Italian invasion
Twice a week, I go out by myself for an hour (don’t worry — Dan watches the kids) to give myself a little break and restore my sanity. Most of the time, I end up at Starbucks. Which, I know, is kind of lame in Vienna, the land of coffee houses, but it’s conveniently located, it’s entirely non-smoking and the people that work there are very nice and extremely patient with my Germenglish.
Things I’ve learned about parenting
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Being a parent is hard. It’s the absolute best thing I’ve ever done (and I’m not just saying that) but it would be significantly easier if there were some kind of manual or user’s guide that came along with our darling little bundles. These are some basic principles I’ve discovered so far, in my first almost 3 1/2 years as a mom (as much to write them down for myself as to spread my wisdom, such as it is). Please don’t misunderstand my intention — I don’t claim to know it all, have all the answers or have it all figured out. (I know that I don’t.) I don’t think these ideas are new, either — I’ve heard them about 100 times each (or more), but they’re just now starting to sink in — these are just some things that I’m learning as I go.
Hello 2012!
I expect that 2012 will be a big year for us — at the very least, it’s the only full calendar year that we’ll be living abroad, which makes it pretty special. We’re already over 1/3 of the way through our Austrian adventure, so this is going to be a big year for travel — we have four international trips tentatively planned, as well as about as many domestic trips (inside of Austria), and also one or two trips home to the US. I’m really hoping that it works out that we’ll be able to play host to a good number of friends and family who want to come and visit, too. (I can’t wait!) I also really want to keep working on my German: it would be a shame to move home after two years here and not feel like I’d at least learned enough to make myself understood.
Goodbye 2011 . . .
It’s been a big year. This time last year, we hadn’t yet made the final decision about whether or not we were going to take this opportunity and move to Austria. Now, here we are, we’ve been here almost 9 months, and we’re feeling relatively settled (but very homesick).
Bailey’s big adventure
Today started off as a normal Saturday — Dan & Liam slept in for a while, Benjamin and I got up and played. Once Liam and Dan were up, Dan got dressed, took Bailey for a walk and stopped on the way back to pick up breakfast. He tied Bailey outside of the grocery store next to our house (literally, next door), which is common practice in Vienna (grocery stores being one of the few places dogs aren’t typically allowed) and went in to get some sandwiches and coffee. When he came out, about 5 minutes later, Bailey was gone.
Comfy & cozy
Putting my kids down to bed is one of my favorite parts of the day. Not because they’re asleep and I can have a moment to think in peace (although some days it’s part of the reason) but mostly, it’s because I love to get them fed, clean, cuddled and happy, and tuck them in to a nice cozy bed. To me, there’s nothing that feels more comforting and secure than snuggling up in a warm bed.
Out of practice
Our “official” Christmas vacation ended today — Dan had to go back to work. It’s a bummer to get back to life as usual, but we’re lucky, because we really don’t have to. Benjamin doesn’t go back to school until January 9, so we still have about 10 days of not-quite-life-as-usual. I get to enjoy having both B and Liam home with me all day, and as an added bonus, I don’t have to keep an eye on the clock all morning, because I don’t have to go pick anyone up anywhere, so we can, in general, just be a little more lax for a while.
Missing Mal
I found out today that a friend of the family passed away recently. He was 74, and in good health — his death was very sudden, resulting from complications after hip surgery. I am shocked to hear of his death. He was a vibrant, kind, passionate, funny, joyful, exuberant and loving man, and it makes me so very sad to know that he is no longer with us, that I will never again get to hear his laugh, or one of his amazing stories.
Just right
The holidays can be a stressful time, even under the best circumstances. At the very least, there’s a lot more to do than usual, and the usual stuff doesn’t go away. There’s shopping to do, gifts to wrap, ship and deliver, decorations to hang, cards to send, cookies to bake, menus to plan, guests to host, parties to attend and meals to prepare. And the normal cleaning, organizing and general running of a household can’t wait for the holidays to be over. And then, of course, we need to be jolly and happy and joyous while we do it.