OneWord365 2018 Review

Dang had I had more time at the beginning of 2018 I would have reached out to Netflix to see if they were interested in a series on decluttering, but it seems Marie Kondo beat me to the punch:).  Well that and the fact that my 2018 focus-streamlining-only really involved two main ideas:

1.  Get this STUFF out of my house (or make it more compact if possible)

2.  We need some routine up in here

So not must-watch TV, but it did a world of good for this family.

Some of the (boring-ain't nobody talking about sparking joy here-, but significant) highlights:

• The only baby/toddler stuff that remains is clothes Isabella has just grown out of or still wears/will wear and toys that are played with in a rotation.
• Getting rid of the desk in our bedroom made a HUGE improvement as it seemed to be a magnet for stuff.  
• Removing the knick knacks and things to keep out of Isabella's reach has made cleaning infinitely easier so they may actually be put up (and eventually shipped out) permanently.
• I have learned the things that are worth selling (larger baby equipment, toys in lots, and name brand baby clothes again in lots sell -if you price them pretty darn cheap) and the things that will not sell and should just be given away.   
• I have learned posting things I want to give away on our neighborhood Facebook page is hands down the easiest way ever to get rid of things.  People will actually come to my house to get them-love it!
• I have donated clothing that was still in good condition and I could still wear, but had been wearing for years and years.  They had lived a good life and needed to go live a good life somewhere else.  I'm not one of those die-hards that has narrowed it down to 33 pieces or anything but all my clothes now fit in the closest to I have saved myself hours each spring and fall from having to "change out" the seasonal pieces.  
• I have brought the art of routine I had once reserved for my school life home.  We now have flexible routines for daily life and "field trips".  I also have routines for morning, afternoon, evening, and weekly cleaning that has made life so much easier.  It's amazing how running the dishwasher and doing a load of laundry everyday actually makes things run more smoothly. 

Ultimately I have learned less really is more.  It leaves room for more time, more energy, more peace, and more joy.

2018 Reading List

Once upon a time I could read multiple books in a month.  No, I am not including the picture books I read to my class as a teacher:).  I'm talking multiple, full length novels.  If it was really good I could finish it in a couple of days.  Those days are long gone, but interestingly have been replaced with reading of the nonfiction variety. 

In 2017 I think with exception of Wonder Weeks, What to Except the First Year, and some books on how to get babies to sleep every book I read was for class.   This year there was (slightly) more breathing room so while I still mostly read books for school I also added some others almost exclusively related to parenting and child care, but I am focusing on the positive of returning to a form of normalcy and for me normal is reading! 

What has changed is the manner in which I read books.  J.T. had given me an e-reader year ago so I gave up hard copies of books a long tim ago.  That Nook is ready to retire, so I got a Kindle.  Similar to a laptop, the Kindle draws the little ones like moths to a flame.  So you wanna know how I've been able to get so much reading done?  My phone.

I have looong since taught them that my phone is mine and is not something they can play with.  In fact when they do see it laying around they bring it to me:).  So I have learned to read textbooks, articles, and other books on my 6 inch screen.  Game. Changer.

Some of the best books I read this year were:

Toddler "Discipline" (a.k.a how to not lose your mind when they are losing theirs!)

    

General Parenting

 

The ONE Fiction Book I Read and Thought Was Worth Recommending to EVERYONE

Not Your Grandmother's Christmas Prep-2018

I love traditions and I grew up in a family that was full of them.  As I've adapted them for my family there have definitely been some revisions in the name of time and convenience.  Particularly given the fact my child is one and will not remember any of these first Christmases.  Fingers crossed as she gets older I will stop phoning some of this stuff in:

Tradition #1:  Gift Giving
Once upon a time we bundled up and hit the stores looking for that perfect gift.
Now?  100% of gifts were purchased online and delivered to our house.  Now that's Santa:).

Tradition #2:  Sending Christmas Cards
Once upon a time my mom would sit painstakingly handwriting updates and lovely messages to family and friends. 
Now?  Picture card from Snapfish complete with return addresses already printed on the envelope.

Tradition #3:  Christmas Tree
Once upon a time a family outing to the Christmas tree farm followed up by a trip to the Dairy Queen.
Now?  A four foot artificial Christmas tree placed on a counter so toddlers do not reek havoc upon it.

Tradition #4:  Baking
Once upon a time planning yummy homemade cookies, bars, and cakes for us and to share with others.  Lots of time (and dirty dishes!).
Now?  Those pre-made cookie dough squares.  Pan, bake, done!

Tradition #5:  Christmas Eve Church Service
Once upon a time getting dressed up and attending service on Christmas Eve.
Now?  Fortunately this one we got almost right since it is the most important:).  Last year we watched online.  This year our church had six services two of which they held on the 23rd.  Since we are going to J.T.'s mom's on Christmas eve we attended one of these.  Isabella wore a Christmas dress but J.T. and I wore jeans:).

Playroom Makeover

The carpet in the playroom was disgusting.

There is no other way to describe it.

Between two dogs and a host of kids I suppose it never really stood a chance.  I have been diligent about cleaning stains as the occur and having it professionally cleaned every few months to no avail.  In fact the last time the carpet cleaning man came he explained that it was kind of a losing battle given the fact many of the stains were in the padding of the carpet and would continue to raise to the surface.  Yep, true story as less than three weeks after said cleaning it looked exactly the same as before he came:(.

We had always talked about changing the flooring in that room to hard woods and that time had finally arrived. 

I also keep shoes on the kids (and myself) at all times which makes life easier in many ways but has also made the couch a dirty mess.  It was also professionally cleaned and was again covered in dirt.  That was an easier fix as out of the blue I decided to get a slip cover for it.  Now why I didn't think of getting a slip cover to begin with I couldn't begin to the tell you, but I finally did and it made a big difference.

They just finished the floors and I am no longer embarrassed when people come into the room.   It turned out great.  I have huge area rug to put down and am excited to get that down once the glue dries.

It is amazing the transformation mentally spending time in a space that drains you (effort trying to clean what is a losing battle, feelings of embarrassment daily when people come in the room, etc) to a space that holds none of those feelings.  Especially given the amount of time spent in said space.

Worth.Every.Penny.

Chatty Cathy

After almost 6 months of speech and a host of strategies, Isabella's vocabulary is really beginning to explode!

There is little rhyme or reason to the sounds within the words, but some of them can definitely be put in categories:

Actions:  Goal (imitating soccer goal), go-go-go (almost always said in threes), stop, jump, down, kick, catch, stuck

People centered words:  Mama, Da (apparently she's Irish), Hi, Please, eye teeth, yes, no, night-night

Random:  Chalk, cheese, woo-woo (train sound effect), ice, tea (when we play with her tea set), juice, cow, moo, stick, cold, clouds, hot

She has also increased her random imitation of words which is huge progress.

When the speech teacher asked what I thought made the difference the only thing I could come up with was I had finally bought a book that I had my eye on since June:

It was $60 so I held off, but finally broke down a few weeks ago when I felt like we weren't making much progress on the talking front.  I read it, underlined some things, bought a few props the book suggested, did one or two activities and boom the girl started talking up a storm!

Now I don't believe the book was magic.  No I rather believe, in much the same way I think Isabella secretly Googles sleep regressions so she doesn't miss one, that she got a hold of the book herself and read it.  Much more believable:).  

In all honesty I have no idea what caused the switch to click on, I'm just super glad it did!

I Can See Clearly Now

Literally.

In the state of NC you can only get contact lenses with a valid prescription.  The prescription is only good for one year.   So even if you can see perfectly fine and have no issues, you either must be on the ball and order another full years supply before it expires or you have to schlep yourself to the eye doctor for an appointment updated prescription.    Ordering from 1-800 contacts or the like doesn't work either (I'm no rookie to the contact lens racket they've got going on here).

My prescription expired in May of 2017.  Back when I was lucky to get two hours of sleep strung together so thinking ahead to order and trying to keep a tiny baby alive.  So no being on the ball planning ahead on my part.  As a result I schlepped myself and my two month old baby to the eye doctor in June of 2017.

At the time things didn't seem weird, BUT after visiting the eye doctor today I see things differently.

This was a new eye doctor to me as he had told me the doctor I had been seeing no longer worked there.  ONLY he did and still does.

This new eye doctor told me he had no access to my previous records.  ONLY he did but for some unknown reason chose not to.

This new doctor prescribed me with lenses that were a 2.0 and 2.5.  ONLY I wear a 3.0 and 3.5.

It took me a year and half to figure out that third tidbit of information.  So for 18 months I have been walking around with sight that was only working at about 66% capacity. 

Yeah, I knew i was having trouble seeing things but I just attributed that to aging.  Turns out I could have saved myself some grief had new eye doctor not entered the picture.  Or I had been thinking straight.  Or had time to think at all!

Fortunately times they are a-changing and I will be able to now see them clearly!