We all enjoyed getting to know Anna better in January! Her personality is showing more and more – she continues to be very outgoing and friendly, and she loves it when her brother and sisters do silly things to entertain her! She is getting better at sitting up and is an expert at tummy time, but no sign of teeth or actually moving anywhere (apart from teeth irritating her gums and frustrating over not getting where she wants to go). The above picture of Emma and Anna is in a tie for my favorite photo of the month with this one of Mike with Anna.
January goals hit a few bumps, although cardboard crafting was the only real casualty. I did some sewing instead – this doll quilt, some cloth wipes, and a shopping cart cover, which may eventually make an appearance here if I get around to it. There’s still a slight chance I’ll get something made out of cardboard before the month ends tomorrow… the kids went back to school and Johnny promptly got a stomach bug; thankfully the rest of the family was spared. Then I spent a week in denial about having strep, followed by another week getting over a very bad case of strep. Sometimes stubbornness pays off, and sometimes it doesn’t. The kids are well settled into school, and I decluttered quite a bit – including toys. We had a sort-of surprise visit from my mom, which we thoroughly enjoyed. She was up here because one of my sisters is at a Boston hospital for expert treatment for a health problem, which is the downside – but we got to visit my sister, too, and she is doing all right.
In February, I want to focus on:
- Celebrating Emma’s birthday – seven years old!!! Focus area: gratitude
- Enjoy our school vacation week. Focus areas: gratitude and education.
- Work on organization. Focus areas: responsibility and simplicity
What are your goals for 2013? Are you making monthly goals? Grab a button and join me – link over to your post in the comments.
MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.
Hope you are all feeling better! We had a rough January too. Something got passed around, and I think I finally ended it just in time for allergies to kick in. I’m hoping we’re over the hard stuff. Happy early birthday to Emma! I can’t wait to see what you have in store for her.
Ugh. Allergies are no fun. We had another stomach bug with one of the kids this morning. At least the other three seem fine…
Nice that you got to see your Mom. I love this picture of Emma with Anna!
It was really great to see my mom!
Wow! What a month you’ve had. I hope your strep is gone and that your sister is doing well. I am amazed at what you have accomplished given all the illnesses. That is a stunning photo and I hope Emma has a perfect birthday.
Thank you! I really need to get her party planned!
That IS a beautiful photo! I think if I sit down, I’ll realize that I have a ton of goals for February. Just trying to take it one day at a time.
One day at a time is a good approach :)
I am going to stick with Simplicity. I think it covers pretty much everything I want to make happen for our family in 2013: de-clutter, slowing down and being present. Thank you for the inspiration!
Simplicity is a wonderful goal.
I hope you and everyone else in your family is feeling better! Sounds like you hit most of your monthly blogging goals. I think you did better than I did in terms of your goals. I am enjoying this exercise so thank you for motivating me to make monthly goals!
Thanks for setting goals with me!
I hope your sister’s health improves! My goals for February is to focus on getting done what needs to be done and not get distracted by little, unimportant things.
That is an excellent goal.
What a superb photo!!!!!
I hope to get back to monthly goals soon.
Thank you, Elisa! I always love reading your monthly goal posts.
Sorry to hear about your sister and wish her a complete and fast recovery!
How different all children are! My 7 months old has 2 teeth but won’t sit unsupported. Yet, she is a pro in tummy time and scoots all over, trying to get on her fours. My first daughter was already pulling at this age though didn’t sit either.
Hope you manage to fulfil your goals. I so totally understand you about being in denial about your health – we, moms, just can’t let ourselves get sick!!! Wish you all lots of health!
I think it is really fun seeing how babies learn different things at different rates! One of my kids had teeth at 4 months, and one didn’t have any teeth until 11 months! They have varied with all of their other milestones, too!
I am glad I am not the only one doing monthly goals! So far my January went really well and I am excited about starting on February. Here is the link to my 12 Months of Getting it Done- http://www.leahinspired.com/search/label/12%20months%20of%20getting%20it%20done
Monthly goals work really well for me! I’m so glad you are setting them to. Off to read your post :)
I’m so bad with cardboard crafting, so it would probably have been something I let go by the wayside as well.
I love making things from cardboard, but haven’t been good at making time for it. I find I’ll do it a lot for a while, and then drop it completely for months.
Monthly goal posts are awesome, and so much more doable! Mine are mostly a long list of to-do’s that I’m thankfully chugging along with quite well. Your photo pic is adorable too.
Lists of to-dos can work really well! Glad you are getting yours done!
I love your monthly goals posts and they always inspire me. We also continue our focus on gratitude and our big goal (which is personal and professional) is to launch a campaign to fund the DVD distribution of our film! So exciting. I would love to launch it by my husbands birthday on the 27th and get people to buy it as their gift to him. Plus, his birthday is Dominican Independence Day (and his mom was from there), so maybe we will come up with a cool/unique celebration idea. I am amazed at all you accomplish and the beautiful family you have!
I am really looking forward to your DVD launch!!!
Glad to know your sister is doing good, so fun to see your mom for you and the kids. My son soon turns 8, such a fun age.