Hello 2010!

Here we are, almost a month into the year and I still can't stop myself from writing 2009. How did it get to be almost the end of January? Slow down the train friend, time is just speeding by. Kind of reminds me of Lindsey's new favorite TV show, Dinosaur Train, where the train speeds backwards into prehistoric times, except this one is speeding forward with me holding on white knuckles and all. We could call it the "Crazy Mommy Train." (Except that we don't use the word crazy anymore)

The year ended with a beautiful Christmas celebrated with family. So much better than last year, for so many reasons. Although Lindsey still does not like Santa and we didn't even attempt to take a picture, she did love the play kitchen he brought her. Everyday I am lucky enough to eat delicious meals prepared with such pride! We opened presents Christmas Eve, which I am still not a fan of, but it was necessary. Went to Pearland to celebrate with with my cousins. It was just the four cousins and their families. These celebrations used to consist of anywhere from 30 – 50 people. The 15 of us made the best of it and had a wonderful time, complete with some dice game that was hilarious.

Custom Woodcrafters is officially operating in our new facility! No more being gone four or five days a week. I was so excited about being home more, but it has taken some adjusting too. I am working everyday now which is hard. I have had to re-sharpen my organization skills, meal pre-planning skills and my getting up at 6:30 a.m. skills. Yuck! Lindsey has been a champ through it all, loving the “Big Shop” as she calls it. She has 15,000 square feet to run though, stairs to climb, acres to roam and most importantly plenty of cows and horses to admire. Hopefully the excitement will last for a while.

Lindsey continues to amaze me daily. She is so full of energy and personality. Her vocabulary is growing by leaps and bounds. Most of the words I am happy about ;) Some of my favorites right now are, “No, way, Yes way,” “Do it again, do it again,” “Mommy, do you understand me?” and the always favorite “Mommy, you are making me nervous!” We continue to work on counting, colors, the ABC’s. She can count to 14 most days, sometimes getting hung up on eleventeen. She loves to go to the Children’s Museum, to ride the escalator at Macy’s, to play at the “Big” McDonalds and to read. This girl loves books! When it is time for bed, I often find upwards of ten books waiting for me. She has started to “read” to me as well. She knows almost the entire “Big Dog, Little Dog” book and reads it to me. What a nice change of pace. She has definitely begun to test me more regarding discipline, seeing how far she can push me. It is frustrating sometimes. John can just count to one and she pretty much stops what she is doing. When I count to one, she follows with two, three and smiles at me. I am trying to implement time outs, but it is tougher than it looks. We will make it though, I will not have a wild banshee for a daughter!

So with a new year comes thoughts of resolutions. Hopefully it doesn’t sound too selfish, but I kind of want to find me again. Sometimes, I feel like wife, mommy and employee have taken Susanne and are holding her hostage. Where did I go? John called me Susanne the other day and you know what, it felt good! No one calls me Susanne anymore. Even at work, we are all related so I am Mommy or Aunt. Don’t get me wrong, I am not blaming anyone but myself. I have let it happen. So I will try a little harder because I think everyone will be happier with a little bit of old Susanne back in the mix. This is probably something that a good night out at the Chicken, playing pool and having a few adult beverages would fix. :) Ohhh, and I will also find a place to volunteer this year. I so miss my Catholic Daughters at home!

So, maybe I should lose weight, maybe I should be more organized, maybe I should do a better job at budgeting, maybe I should decide what to do with that closet full of suits that stare at me in my home office. How about I just do the best I can and that will have to be good enough!