I have made it.
For the entire span of 2008, I had a tiny person either in my arms, by my side or climbing up my pant leg.
A little guy who was totally dependant on me and could melt my heart with one word mama.
As you very well know, I had a baby in July 2007, a five-pound bundle of joy with whom I had no clue what to do.
Feeding, changing, rocking it was a simple, but tiring, schedule for the first few months.
But it was 2008, this year-long battle of baby-proofing the house and avoiding public temper tantrums that proved to be a bit more of a struggle than your basic infant care.
However, I made it through and we both survived.
Now it's 2009 and it's resolution time. Instead of promising to get to the gym or better manage my finances, I'm going to make a few reality-based resolutions. A few "mama" resolutions for a new year.
Step one for me, and something I've decided is the most important parenthood concept to grasp, is to relax a little.
I've come to realize that no matter what attitude I have about parenting overprotective or throwing caution to the wind the years are going to fly by.
I might as well slow down and enjoy the time I have with my son, instead of stressing over making sure I do everything exactly as I think it should be done.
Another resolution is going to come very easily to me, as I've embraced this idea for the past 18 months make time for playtime.
From shaking a rattle in front of my infant son's eyes to jumping on the bed and playing chase in the fall leaves, I am not afraid to play like a kid.
I might change my mind when the frogs and bugs start coming home, but until then, when the chores are finished and the work is done, I'll be at my child's side, loving every moment together.
Aside from kicking back and watching my baby turn into a toddler before my eyes, another 2009 goal is to capture this transformation.
Sure, I probably take more daily pictures than your average professional photographer a trait I inherited from my mother but leaving them to collect cyber dust is not my goal.
One of my favorite things to do when I'm at my parents' house is flip through the dozens of big, thick photo albums my mom has put together over the years. I know those are falling by the wayside, but I want to make sure my son can feel the pages and think back to a different, simpler time.
Like my child, these photos are priceless. And as my son will never go through these milestones or be that young again, these pictures are my only precious evidence.
So there you have it my goals for the year.
They may sound easy (it's probably much harder to jump on a treadmill than on the bed in the spare room) but they're mine.
And they're important.
Creating both time in the present and memories of the past is not only a gift to my little boy, but something I will cherish long after this new year has faded.
(Staff writer Jessica Bauer can be reached by e-mail at jessica.bauer@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1236. To comment on this and other stories in the Log Cabin, log on to www.thecabin.net. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit)
