Happy New Year

New year.  Such a big topic.  So many things to think about.  Where to start?

I, -- Daddy and I look forward to spending another year in the same location.  We are very happy to look forward to doing a bunch of the same old thing this coming year.  The same, but better because we won't be new to our surroundings.  I look forward to hanging out with friends doing crafty things, going to the Children's Museum, and Ikea during the rest of the winter months.  

We're getting ready for Ty's birthday, his FIFTH birthday.  Holy crap.  I think about the fact that he'll be going to kindergarten soon, every week.  I think he grew like, 20 inches last month.  Now if only he'd wipe his own butt well.  Ha!  It feels to me like kindergarten and 5th grade may as well be the same thing.  Somehow it's the undeniable signal that he's going to grow up.  It feels like once I send him to school, he'll never be mine again.  I'm not sure I'm ready to be a real grown up parent....

Then looking forward to spring - gorgeous green popping up everywhere, the opening of Nelson's Ice Cream, camping in the new tent Daddy got for christmas.  

Aubree will be turning three.  She is working pretty good on potty training right now.  I don't know if it will happen just yet, but she's making really good progress in awareness.  She's been walking around with a bare butt for 5 or 6 days and we've only had a few accidents.  We used a timer at first, until she got used to sitting on the potty.  Now that she's comfortable with it we're not doing the timer.  And she sits on it herself and goes!  It does seem that some days she's holding it until she gets her diaper on at nap time.  And if we have to go out and we put a diaper on her then she uses it.  I am very pleased with her progress.  I can't believe she's growing up too.  She's not really a toddler anymore, she's more of a preschooler now.  We've officially moved out of the baby phase into little kid land.

This fall as Ty goes off to full day kindergarten 5 days a week, Aubree will start preschool 2 days.  I can't even imagine what that'll be like.  I feel like I'm getting too far ahead of myself!  I'm just thrilled to do more of the same things that we did last year again this year.  I hope to not make too many major changes.  

My Etsy store Blue Star Butterflies  has started to do well.  I've made regular sales this holiday season and I'm having so much fun!  I love what I'm making and I absolutely love that other people are enjoying what I'm making!  I hope that this enjoyment makes me a happier person and a better mom and wife.  In true mom form, my brain is getting jumbled with the large topic I'm trying to wrangle so I feel that I should call it good.  I'm just doing a lot of smiling and daydreaming about our life and how it will unfold...