Last week I spent organizing and cleaning. I never got out of my work out clothes the beginning of the week. After the Holiday's, it always seems like the first weeks I spend getting the house back in order. Then, once that's accomplished, I walk around feeling like I have forgotten to do something. It's because I have been so used to running around with my head cut off October thru the New Years. It's a weird feeling to have a list that isn't as full with "must-do's" as there is "would--like -to-do's". While I often complain when I have so much going on, I think in reality I do better with it. Now, what will I do with my few months of down time? Work on my goals for this year!
One of my goals is to spend more of my days giving one on one time with Sophia. So far it's included trips to the park, library, reading books, and doing Playdoh. I really am enjoying this time with her, and am beginning to appreciate her more and more each day. She is such a sweet little girl. While I do admit she is strong headed as a bull, she has a soft center. She actually reminds me so much of Boston. Lately one her cutest things include, insisting on reading books on her own. She likes me to be there with her, but she won't let me read them to her. If she doesn't already have them memorized she will make something up. They always start with "One time....". One morning, during scripture study, she started "fake reading" It started with "One time...." and then she started making stuff up about Jesus and Heavenly Father as she looked at the Book of Mormon upside down! When it came to her in the circle, we would just let her fake read, and then the next person would pick up where we left off. Another thing that is so cute about her, is her manners. Though she is strongly opinionated, she is always sure to say her yes pleases and thank yous! What a sweetheart! Each new thing we do together helps me appreciate how lucky I am to have her all to myself, for such a long period each day. I've realized that my time with her will be short, and that there will always be time, later, spent out with friends, running meaningless errands, or working on projects that just don't matter. These little spirits are on loan to me for just a short time and she is my last!
One of my other goals is to make more time at bedtime. While I have always been good at reading, praying, back scratching, and singing my original good night song with each kid, I always wanted to get through it all as fast as possible. I recently have slowed things down a bit, and learned to be silly and have fun with the kids at bedtime. Even a few extra minutes hugging on a kid, or hearing more about their day is worth much more than a few minutes of TV, or on the computer.
Another goal of both Ben and I, is to make one on one time with each kid. While its often hard to do that amongst crazy schedules, Ben and I are making a more concentrated effort. We decided to implement "Night's Up"! This is where one of the kids gets to stay up an extra hour with Mom and Dad doing something fun. Last week Boston picked playing Super Mario with Ben and I. Ethan did the same, after requesting that his night up could be with the whole family watching a movie! Aubrie's was spent having dinner at AH-SO, with Ben, after her dance class. I can already tell how much these "nights-up" mean to them, and wish we would have started them earlier.
So here's to a year with more quality time with the kiddos! I can already see the difference it is making!
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