2011

2011

Alex isn’t walking yet, and I really expected him to be by now. The cool thing is he’s keeping me on my toes! He’s climbing like a spelunker though! He doesn’t waste any time getting as far up on top os something as he can. I try really hard to not laugh at him, but he makes it so difficult because he’s hilarious. The new thing he’s trying to do is spit (raspberries) while eating. That’s is extremely hard to not laugh. Keeping Josh from laughing is like asking him not to breathe. I can’t help it either. But he’s so funny.

Isabelle turns in her science fair project tomorrow. I have to admit, I’m pretty proud of her this go around. Last year’s project, was in a word: awful. It was insane trying to work with her. This year, she’s shown a phenomenal amount of independence. Sometimes I had to coax her to make some choices on her own, but ultimately I let her make the final choices on the layout. Last night she put some of the finishing touches on her board and she’s very pleased with her results.

Every year I avoid making any resolutions at the new year. One thing I can only hope for things going smoothly and somewhat close to plan. Plans are typically a sure fire way to hear God laugh. This year I’m hoping we can get to a place we hate our house less. So far, we’ve made some significant advances towards that ideal. It’s going to be a slow process, but some progress is better than none.

I’m still a stay-at-home mommy and for a brief moment I thought that would change, but I’m sort of glad it didn’t. I got a little bit excited about the possibility of going back to work. However, taking a step back I think I’m being given a gift. It’s one of those things where you make plans and they aren’t what you’re supposed to plan. Dodging a bullet? We’ll see.

I’m anxious to see where this year is going to take us. Right now I’m looking forward to two specific events on the docket. April I’m taking Alex to Tampa, FL to visit my best friend and introduce Alex to what I’m hoping will be his future wife! It’s funny, but sort of true. My best friend’s daughter is 9 months older than Alex and we’re just simply infatuated with the idea of them marrying each other and tying us as best friends to family...legitimately.

Then July my brothers and sister are planning on coming to stay with us for the month! I’m beyond excited to see them in my house. We have big plans to execute and I’m super happy they’re coming! So, 2011 has some plans...wonder what’s coming that isn’t.

Mayne Family 2010-2011

Mayne Family 2010-2011

The year was wrapped up with a bang! Christmas was wonderful and quiet! It was a lot of fun to watch Alex and Isabelle open their presents and then play like kids. There’s not much in family holiday activity more fun than watching kids play with their new toys. Isabelle got her very own XBox a week or so before Christmas,and didn’t expect anything else considering the expense. However, we fully intended on getting her at least one game to go with her new console. I ordered Band Hero for her a week before Christmas and anxiously waited for the arrival.

The coolest part was wrapping it right in front of her. I told her it was Alex’s “big gift.” She totally bought into my fib. Humility at its finest. I told her it can be fun to watch even a baby open a gift you don’t know about. Since she’d been a part of all aspects of Alex’s gift checklist. It was fun to lie to her...even just a little innocent lie to a kid is alright.

On Christmas morning I waited for all the gifts to get opened before Alex’s final “big gift.” I put it in front of Alex and asked her to help him open it up. It was funny to watch because the box in the box was upside down. I helped her flip it over and the moment came! She lit up like the Christmas tree we were sitting under. It was so much fun for her to get excited and then of course a family game of Band Hero. That is something Josh is extremely happy we don’t have any footage of. It was great!

Alex had no shortage of spoilage either. He was very loved by family and friends and he hans’t stopped playing with his new toys. It is great to have some developmental toys for him. He’s been scaling for the past month or so, but isn’t quite confident enough to stand on his own. Every once in a while he’ll get brave, but it only last seconds. A couple of toys he got encourage him to walk a little bit. I’ve been playing with the toys with him and he’s getting excited about it. Though I’ve been trying to predict when he’ll walk, he seems to be on a mission to prove me wrong. He’s still pretty young to start walking, but I’m anxious for him to start!

I was pretty spoiled myself. I don’t ever expect to be blown away, but this year I was more than blown away. I was given an iPad from Josh and I’m still in a little state of shock! It’s beautiful.

New Year’s Eve was a ton of fun too! Josh and I sent the kids to Josh’s mom’s house for the weekend and we went to a friend’s house and rang in the new year with flare and fireworks! Hands down, this was one of the best new year’s eves I’ve had a long time! It was wonderful to spend time with some amazing friends and close the door on a year full of intense amounts of bittersweet!

This year I hope will be full of wonder and joy. I look forward to the new chapters yet to be written! I wish you and your family the same optimism! Happy new year and cheers!