Happy New Year

A few days ago....  but lets not be too anal.

We didn't do anything for the new year.  With three children under three, staying up until midnight is not a goal of mine.  In fact, it generally means something has gone horribly wrong.  If I can be asleep by 10:30, I am a happy camper.

So we didn't do too much.  I did want to go to a local zoo:  they have an exhibit called 'Zoo Lights' they run from Thanksgiving - New Years, with lots of Christmas lights on some of the exhibits.  It doesn't start until 5pm, so I couldn't recommend it to our nanny for an activity.  We went there and spent about an hour walking through their lights display and riding a carousel.  They had a big display of Santa Claus, to which Zev asked (rather loudly) "Who is that?".  I said, "His name is Santa Claus", and left it at that.  At some point I'll have to explain the whole 'Christmas thing', but he's too young to understand it anyway.  I've been calling the lights 'Holiday lights' when we've been driving around at night, and he likes them.  I don't bother to explain them, and being only three, he didn't ask.  Now he's noticed they are gone, and I just tell him the holiday is over and they'll be back next year.

After the Zoo Lights, we went out to dinner.  The girls are now big enough to sit in high chairs, so dinner has become rather fun.  They love sitting across from each other and interacting with us, and its fun to give them spoons and straws to play with.  We went out to dinner the following evening with my father and sister for my sister's birthday, and again had a really good time with them.  Tzelia has actually been drinking much better and has gained weight.  She's also been happier, so we think it may have been a teething issue:  she now has 4 teeth, compared to Meorah's 2.  She weighed in at just under 16 lbs yesterday, having gained about 5 ounces this past week.  Whew.

Jason has been sick for two weeks, but it looks like he's finally coming around the bend.  I've been courting some virus and actually spent a fair amount of yesterday in bed.  I try not to feel guilty about that.  I have today off and have been spending it on my 'to do list'.  Jason told me to do something fun, but crossing things off my list IS fun for me.  Not very restful, I'll admit, but things need to be done and I never have the time to do them.  Weekends are family time, not 'clean out under our bed and battle the dust-bunnies' time.  Or, my next to do: 'scavenger hunt for all the missing pacifiers'...how is it I KNOW we have at least a dozen, but I can only find three at any given time?

Do I have any resolutions?  It is that time of year...

Believe it or not, I am trying to relax more.  I do feel less guilty when I relax on weekends.  That's an improvement.  I find my stress level decreasing some, but that could also be the anti-anxiety meds I put myself on...gotta love the drugs.  I'm not ashamed of being on them:  I work full time, have three young children, am a home owner, and am an employer myself.  I've been on Celexa in the past, and recently I've been feeling even more stressed than normal.  I asked Jason if he thought I was anxious, and he said I radiated anxiety whenever I walked into a room.  Not a good sign.  So a month ago I asked for a prescription again from my primary physician.  The other day I asked Jason if he noticed a difference, and he made no hesitation in saying yes:  I no longer have a scattered 'busy' look all the time...before I was always looking for something to do, always distracted, always moving and vibrating.  Now I'm able to sit much more easily.  I think that's a good sign.  So I think my main resolution is to continue to try to relax and be mindful.  Enjoy my family time with my husband and children and try not to let the 'small stuff' overwhelm me too much.  I'm going to start seeing my therapist again (tomorrow) and will chat with her about how often to meet up to try to keep things under control.  I want to try to come up with some strategies to continue to keep my daily stress at bay and stay as emotionally and physically healthy as I can.  2010 was a bitch of a year, both physically and mentally.  I'd like 2011 to not follow in those foot-steps.

Happy be-lated new year.