New Year’s Resolution: Don’t eat the kids

This year, I am trying to use social media (facebook and blogging) less. Less probably isn’t the right word. I am trying to use social media healthily. Is that a word? My mega-extravert personality combined with my current life situation (stay-at-home mom) has meant that I have over-used facebook and blogging as a way to connect to people and feed myself socially.

Unfortunately, it’s a crappy substitute for real people and real human interaction. Pardon my French. No offense to anyone reading this, but you aren’t exactly real. You know, really real. I admit I get a high anytime I see a little “lick”, I mean “like” on a facebook post or a comment on a blog post. I think that’s what makes facebook addicting.

I’ve realized, though, that when I depend on these types of media, I get depressed and start having anxiety.  I don’t eat healthy and don’t feel like exercising. I’m not as good of a wife or mom.

When I was home in Idaho Falls for New Years, I found my journals. I was impressed on how much and how well I wrote. Over the past few years it seems like my blog and facebook posts have become a substitute for a journal. Problem is  both are usually written superficially, and, frankly, not as honest as when I am writing just for myself. I’m not saying I lie in these posts; it’s like any other accounting of history, some things are left out and some things are exaggerated.

This year, I resolve to (1) limit my little attention-getting posts to facebook and probably here too  (2) write those thoughts and other feelings in my journal instead and (3) make an extra effort for real face-time with my friends on a daily basis.

Usually, my new year’s resolutions are more like to do lists. Last year I completed 100% of my “to do’s”. (1) save $ to have a baby (2) have a baby (3) potty train Jackson (4) get Jackson binky-free. I confess Colin had more to do with getting item 1 and 4 on that list done than me.

Annie attacking cousin E.

This year, my most pressing “to do” is to get Annie weaned.  I’m not weaning her early, but I have got to get her less dependent on me. I thought I had several months to achieve this (girls camp isn’t until August) but then I got an email about the first camp meeting at the end of January. I saw the meeting is supposed to be THREE hours long. My heart sank. I’ve never been away from Annie for that much time.

I put Annie to sleep every single night and I get up with her all night long. She doesn’t take a bottle or a sippy cup or even a pacifier. She doesn’t care much for baby food or formula. I have independently taken care of her, her entire life. There is virtually no way Colin could just step in and take care of her without lots of crying. This is not saying anything about Colin or his parenting abilities. This is much more about my personality, my need for control, and that I would rather just do it all myself. In the next few weeks, I will be making some big changes in our routine and by the end of the month, hopefully Colin will be able to give her a bottle with formula and put her down for a nap with as few tears as possible--I’m sure this will be hardest on me of all people.

Other “To do’s” include (2) pay off Student loan “A” (3) put on a successfully awesome girls camp (4) get down to my happy healthy weight  (5) start teaching Jackson to read. (Thanks for the book Julie!)

Some of our fun “to do’s” (1) Yellowstone trip (2) Walla Walla trip (3) Antelope Island (4) …. (5) …. (6 ) …. (7) …. and hopefully many more family trips, hikes, biking and camping trips.

To finish this post, I was going to put some of my favorite pictures from our adventures last year, but I have been ignoring Jackson for too long. So here are some pictures from last January/February. Check out how much snow we had!