Happy New Year!
I’ll be honest, I don’t really know what I’m going to write, but letting the new year slip in without even an acknowledgement seems somehow wrong.
In some of the years gone by I’ve done detailed summaries looking back at all the best (and worst) bits of the year, but this year I’ve genuinely been having too much fun with my family to pick up my laptop. Well, fun and a lot of tidying up, and eating of dairy-based products.
So, so much cheese.
It feels like it has been a good year.
(For us as a family, I mean. Politically, the world is a clusterfuck and I can’t even begin to think about it).
2019 was the year that both of our children were finally in school.
Babies and toddlers? Done it mate. Preschoolers? Nope, no Peppa Pig here. We’re schoolkids now!
As much as I do miss aspects of the cute, chubby, hilarious little people they were, I’m immensely proud of the inquisitive and alarmingly self-reliant still-little-but-much-bigger people they are becoming.
With the kids starting school, it’s given me more time to spend on myself and I will not lie and tell you it’s been anything short of brilliant getting myself back a little, and doing things for me. 2020 promises to be just as good; I’ve booked a childfree holiday with a friend in March, and I can’t wait for some sun.
I’ve re-joined the gym, I’ve remembered how much I love swimming. OK yes I’ve gained about 10lb over Christmas through sheer laziness and overindulgence, but unlike previous years when I was way too time-poor and exhausted to care, I’m fairly confident that I can get rid of it. Not a resolution, because those suck, just something I want to do.
What else happened in 2019?
I got a new nephew, and he’s pretty cool. It’s nice to have babies in the family again, and nicer still to go home knowing I don’t have to wake up ten times a night to feed them.
I’ve gained new friends, and reconnected with old ones. I’ve got a few very special friendships with people I care about a huge amount that have enhanced my life enormously this year.
I’ve thrown myself into full-time blogging and whilst I often worry that I’ve run out of witty child-related anecdotes and new things to say (because babies and toddlers are hilarious and children just aren’t really) I plan to keep going for a while yet, and see what happens.
Perhaps looking after my nephew once a week will bring it all flooding back. It’s basically the only reason I offered. (I am of course joking… But it can’t hurt, right).
Blogging has not only given me a way to stay at home and work around the kids, but it’s also given me a group of kind, brilliant colleagues.
I’m heading into a whole decade of being married, to the very same person and everything, and we can still tolerate the sight of each other despite both working from home. We’re not perfect, but we do make a pretty good team still.
All in all, 2019 was pretty good. No complaints here at all. I’m extremely lucky for my family, for my health, and for my friendships. Sorry to go all uncharacteristically mushy on you; perhaps it’s my slight hangover.
As for what’s ahead for us?
I wouldn’t know, I don’t have 2020 vision*
*I actually do but that would spoil the joke somewhat.
