I thought I was getting my act together

So, I have gone through a transformation over the past couple of months. Most of it was because I want to make sure I am doing all I can to be there for Matthew over the years to come... and to provide a better groundwork for him now to build some skills upon.

What does this mean? I have been working to get myself in shape, and get our house into some semblance of order. (Then keep it that way once I got it there.) I have been working to create a routine and then stick to it consistently.

Things were going really good. Invitations for his birthday party were sent out with a couple weeks notice. Christmas pictures and cards were taken/bought weeks in advance. I have been cleaning/sorting/trashing things from the house. The kitchen counters are cleared/clean. I wash up after any cooking session. Dishes are staying done. Clothes are washed every couple of days as we have a load ready to go. Getting ready for bed meant a bath, teeth brush, pajamas, story/song time, tuck in and good night completed by 9pm (sometimes even completed by 8pm!).

Yes... it sounds as though I am patting myself on the back. But for any of you that were admitted into the inner sanctum, you know this is not normal. It is NOW, but it most definitely has not been so for many, many, many years.

Then we hit the week before Christmas. Schedules got out of whack, and the routines I had developed with Matthew are now out the window. He hasn't gone to bed before 10pm yet since December 22nd. (I am still keeping things picked up, cleaned up, etc... so there is a silver lining to this cloud!) Last year's (2006) Christmas cards didn't go out until mid-January of 2007. This year's cards were all addressed a couple weeks in advance... and they are still sitting on my kitchen table. I think I am going to give up on trying to get Matthew interested in signing his name this year. I am hoping to get pictures cut out and labeled over the rest of this weekend, and still have the postmark on our envelopes read 2007, rather than 2008. (I even have the stamps ready to go!!!)

For all of that belly-aching however... we had a wonderful Christmas with our family. Instead of running from house to house to house to house, we celebrated over three days with only one trip per day. The amount of time, quality time, with our extended family was wonderful. Paul was home, and it was great to see/spend so much time with him, too.

I hope that all of you had a wonderful Christmas and are looking forward to a very Happy New Year! We will be ringing in the New Year with my friend Sheri. I might even post a picture of us having fallen asleep before midnight on New Year's Eve. Thanks to the new(old) routine being in place, I am sure Matthew will still be awake to take the picture for me! ;-)

Love to all of you! And look for that Christmas card to come from us before too much more time passes. (I hope!)