FREE AT LAST

From diapers, that is.

The other day I was sipping my tea, just thinking about everything and anything that normally runs through a woman's mind 24/7 and realized we have not purchased or put a single diaper on our son in over a month.

The entire process of potty training is long, and exhausting, and frustrating for parents and probably the toddler too. With all the accidents and floor scrubbing, wet pull up replacing, and racing to the potty, I was too consumed to see the actual progress my son has made.

He only wears a pull up to bed, and uses padded undies with character undies over them during the day, we are down to about 1 accident, 2 at most a day. And while as the adult sometimes you don't see that accomplishment as a huge hurdle they have jumped over for the 2 year old that honestly is quite monumental in my opinion.

This has also helped me open my eyes to the fact that he needs less frustration when accidents happen and a little more understanding from me. Of course when he is a big boy and uses the potty properly he gets tons of praise but it wouldn't hurt to give him just a smidge bit more either. The kid hasn't even been 2 for a month and he is just about fully potty trained, I find this to be quite impressive, personally.

Potty training does make me a little sad however, it shows me my baby is no longer a baby and turning into quite the independent little boy. He will always love me and from time to time in his adult life he will still need me, but why can't time just slow down a tiny tad? It is our own faults really, rush rush rush through the day and start the hustle and bustle all over the next morning. We get so stressed over things that when you take the time to think about it, they mean nothing at all in the bigger picture of life.

So potty training has taught me as a mother many things, the most important is to take a deep breath and let go of anything that doesn't heed importance at the end of the day, to enjoy my son (because being a mom is my biggest passion in life) To try and have more patience and understanding of the frustration and big changes my little man is going through. And to keep on keeping because after one hard stage comes another, no one said parenting was easy, but they certainly have never said it wasn't worth it in the end.

New Year, NO New Me.

I'm not a huge fan of the typical New Year, New Me facebook posts and pictures. I don't feel the need to change my whole self but gently remind myself to work on things that should be done every day of every year. No Jan 1st resolution needed.

Be Healthy: As in taking care of myself better than I do. Putting better food into my body and making more time to work out even if its 15 mins a day with the toddler climbing up my back. Notice this has nothing to do with looking good but rather feeling good. This is for longevity, I want to live to see great grandchildren.

Time for friends and family: I need to use my time as a SAHM better, and put in more effort to spend my spare time with friends and family even if it is a few hours at a time.

More Patience: This by no means is a new goal but a reminder all day every day, every month, every year, since becoming a parent.

Time for my Significant other: Make it a point to plan out some dates with him instead of making him do it. and I'd love for us to have an adult night once a month if possible. I am fine with our free night consisting of take out and a redbox movie. It is important to spend that time. I also will stay off my phone unless it pertains to our baby during our time together.

Going Back To School: I can't guarantee I will be going full time, or at all by the end of the year but I would at least like to get all of my ducks in a row to go back by December of next year. I know that is a long time and I'm home all day so why not just do it especially if it is online classes? I want to make sure that I will have the time to study and do well on top of doing many of the mommy son things I enjoy doing so much. I want to make sure I can fit everyone and everything in and not have my son or boyfriend be on the losing end of the stick. Chances are I'll take a couple courses and pick up more when my precious goes to nursery school. I have to finish school, I want to finish school.

Read more books: I love to read and need to read more books this year, and that is that.

So there you have it my tiny to the point list of goals for 2014. Easy, doable, nothing overwhelming or something that seems to be impossible.