January.

And just like that, January comes to a close. We've spent a lot of time at home this month, thanks to both the cold weather and the need to unwind after the holiday craziness. The majority of our (non-preschool) days have been spent in pajamas, with more meals being eaten here at home in the last 30 days than in any other month ever since we've lived in this house. (In other words, I'm going crazy from all the time spent staring at these yellow walls & in desperate need of warm weather & a cocktail.)

Without further ado, I present to you our month, via Instagram:

"Joke's on you, Mom. I know where you keep the extra pacifiers."

 "How we entertain ourselves during bath time. #crazyhair"

"Best. Bedhead. Ever."

" Who needs toys?"

"Excuse me while I go snuggle with these little munchkins. (Yes, even Belle.)"

" My besties."

" And the first 'I want a snack! Let me in this pantry!' battle of the day begins."

"Still hasn't quite mastered the big boy cereal bowl...#messylesson."

 "Doing her 'homework'. She's breezing through the alphabet like it's no big deal."

 "'I fancy! I fancy!' Indeed you are, little man."

 "Knew he was in trouble before I made it 2 steps into the room."

 "Hot chocolate date with my girl. Just because."

 "Just love them to bits."

 "'I sit Booke!'"

 "The best part of my Wednesdays. #tutucute"



Charleston, part 1.

Back in November, we packed up the kids (& what felt like everything we own) and drove 10 hours to Charleston for a week-long vacation. The husband had learned the year before that our beloved Flyers were playing in a tournament down there the week before Thanksgiving. Since Charleston is a city we had always talked about wanting to visit, it seemed like fate.

The weather was completely uncooperative while we were there. It was "unseasonably cold", lucky us. And by cold I do mean freezing (it was warmer in Cincinnati while we were in Charleston). The kids wore hats & gloves the whole week & I wore boots almost daily (boots that were thrown in the car last minute, even though I assumed I'd be in flip flops all week!)

Thankfully, our very first day there was beautiful so we got to enjoy a little bit of sunshine at the beach!

Brooke loved everything about her very 1st trip to the beach! On the way there, she told us we needed to stop & get a surfboard. She couldn't wait to dip her feet in the water and play in the sand. She spent a good chunk of the 90 mins we were there collecting sea shells and sand dollars. The phrases "Awesome waves, dude!" & "This is totally cool!" actually came out of her mouth (I'm so not kidding.) Homegirl could have moved there.

The makings of a sand castle, step by step.

 

Joseph, on the other hand, was less than impressed.

He spent a good chunk of the 90 mins we were there freaking out and screaming. He was NOT a fan of the water one tiny bit. After traumatizing him at the beginning by letting his precious feet touch the ocean water, it took a good 30 mins for me to convince him to leave the towel. Thank goodness I had the foresight to bring a couple balls or that child wouldn't have budged. After some coaxing, I got him to play in the sand with the shovel. He finally had about 3 mins of fun digging in the sand before treating himself to a sandy snack.

 It's hard to see, but the little man is losing his mind right about now because the tide has made its way up to his little tootsies.

The Atlantic Coast must taste delish as both of my children ate sand.

Thanks to the generosity of my parents, we stayed in a gorgeous suite in a resort by a marina with a beautiful view of downtown Charleston & the Ravenal Bridge. The kids loved watching the boats from our balcony and running down the dock.

The end of this dock was the perfect place to have a dance party! (You can see at this point that the sun has disappeared, not to return the entire time we were there. About an hour after this was taken, a cool front swept in; we were in coats by dinnertime.)

Part 2, coming soon.
 (Even though this was just Day One, it was by far the most photo-heavy. If I don't post this now, who knows when I'll get to the rest & then you'll just never hear about this trip.)

My resolution.

I resolve to be a better mom.

I resolve to play. To play what they want to play, not what I'm in the mood for or what would make less of a mess. To get off the couch when she wants to dance & to throw the ball back & forth with him for 20 minutes. To help them use those imaginations to become princesses & monsters & waiters & rock stars.

I resolve to listen. To really give them my full attention instead of only half listening until they get to the point. And to respond in a meaningful way that validates their feelings & lets them know they were heard.

I resolve to teach. To spend time every day teaching them something, through play or conversations or experiences. To sit with Brooke while she practices writing her letters on her MagnaDoodle and to teach Joe the colors of his cars. To read each book they bring me, regardless of whether I think I have the time to stop & do it.

I resolve to be patient. To keep my tendency to be quick-tempered at bay by remembering that they are so little & not intentionally trying to irritate me. And to take their ages into account when they're in the middle of a tantrum over something that may seem trivial to me but is so, so incredibly important in their little minds.

I resolve to say "yes" more. To limit the "no's" to when it's really necessary. To let them get their way more often than not. Even if that means letting her listen to more Fresh Beat Band & letting him use me as a personal jungle gym. Or letting them "help" with laundry & cooking even though it ends up being more work for me.

I resolve to dance. Because our musically-inclined children think singing and dancing is the greatest thing in the world.

I resolve to make them my priority. To be present when they are awake. To put down my phone & turn off the TV & actually be with them. To focus on what they need over what I need (most of the time). Even at the expense of housework & my Etsy shop & my Pinterest obsession.

I resolve to set a better example. To actually show them the kind of person they should be rather than just tell them. To make healthier choices at the dinner table & watch my portions. To exercise more often so they realize that it's important to move. To be appreciative of others & show my gratitude more often. To be patient & understanding, kind, generous, thoughtful.

I hate that it takes an occasion like New Year's to make me reevaluate my role as a parent, but alas, it is what it is. This year, my resolution is to be better for them. We're only 3.5 days in &, I must say, I am really happy with the mom I've been these past few days. It hasn't been a complete transformation (some bad habits are hard to break), but I feel like I'm headed in the right direction.

Here's to 2013!