2010: sweet and full, rough edges notwithstanding

[gourmet_faerie]

a 2010 year in review




in 2010 my baby boy turned one.

i became the mother of a toddler.




in 2010 my toddler learned to

• walk
• talk
• sing-song
• run
• run away
• throw tantrums
• flail himself onto the floor and pretend to be hurt for attention (which hasn't worked out too well for him)
• tease
• ride his obsessions with the vengeance of a thousand suns (try telling the boy anything has to charge in order to work)
• walk himself to the corner when he misbehaves
• scold his mothers
• give kisses and hugs to manipulate us into giving him what he wants (only works half the time)
• give spontaneous and sincere kisses and hugs

in 2010 my reluctant learning curve as a working mother was put to serious test.

i got a promotion.

and then had to wrestle with the learning curve associated with such promotion.

moved from the burrard oasis to the 7th avenue vault.

almost every single person i've met and worked with this year has been a voice on the phone.

our definition of work/life balance involved getting up at 5am and sleeping at midnight at least 3 days a week.

i worked from home A LOT, as a result.

i developed an (apparently) out of control caffeine addiction (in combination with the aforementioned sleep deprivation) that rendered this mother moody, erratic, and even a bit depressed.

a change of perspective has been required on more than one occassion.




as a result, in 2010 i also knitted like a fiend.

finished products include:

• 12 hats
• 1 baby girl sweater
• 1 toddler sweater
• 2 toddler vests
• 5 pairs of toddler-sized fingerless mitts (all of which are lost or missing 1 mitt. sigh.)
• 1 shawl
• 1 scarf
• 2 pairs of gloves
• 3 pairs of fingerless mitts
• 3 balls
• 3 washcloths
• 1 pair of baby leg warmers
• and some longer-term projects that just won't be finished until 2011.

(holy that's a frikkin' lot of knitting.)




in 2010 we conceived our second child.

i learned just how challenging it was to be a working mother, a supportive spouse to a pregant wife, the mother of a toddler, cook, and housekeeper all at the same time.

such a life can be lonely. especially if your pregnant wife is working hours that are opposite of yours most of the week.

because there was barely any room for keeping up with old friends (please still be out there). and there was no time at all to make and maintain new friends.




and so, as you have just had the patience to read (thank you. i hope you brought a snack.), despite the rather awesome nuggets of our lives that i tend to share in this space,  2010 was about as tough as nails and as rewardingly sweet as life gets. and while i think i would have done (more than) a few things differently, i wouldn't have had it any other way.

i am looking forward to 2011 with renewed focus and resolve, armed with everything i've learned along the way - so i can embrace our new lives as a foursome (when  lady a decides to grace us with her presence) with hope and a bit more competence at all this stuff.

you know, so all that all the crap that gets in the way of love, luck, and bliss can just eff off and leave us be (for the most part, anyway).

(belated) happy new year everyone!