2008 - An End of Year Summary

Photographs taken as recently as July stun us with how much our youngest kids look like babies. The children we know are not babies any more. At the beginning of 2008, Jocelyn and William were mobile and pulling up to standing; Michael was hardly mobile and not standing. Now, all three climb, run, and dance. William even jumps. In January, meals were bottles of formula and Cheerios. Now, Patrick, Jocelyn, William, and Michael eat the same foods and the youngsters drink from open cups at table and sippy cups and straw bottles when out.

Patrick has grown from a beginning reader to a confident reader. He continues to be increasingly independent. He has realized that the more he can do for himself, the less he has to wait for an adult to be available to help him.

We have been very family-centred this year. In general, friends have seen little of us and heard hardly more. We blame this on sheer exhaustion and hope we will be forgiven when we do resurface.

I made time to direct a play at a local community theatre and to complete the challenge of National Novel Writing Month (www.nanowrimo.org). Both were time consuming and stressors for the family, but both were worthwhile. The novel writing was particularly satisfying. For those who are unfamiliar with NaNoWriMo, the challenge is simple: write the first word of a novel no earlier than November 1st and write 50,000 words of said novel by midnight of November 30th. I am currently starting the process of editing my 50,000 words, which is a different challenge, but I must say that I am pleasantly surprised by the quality of what I wrote in November.

2009 promises many changes. Jocelyn, William and Michael will probably start some sort of preschool. Patrick will start grade 1 and move to full day school - probably in French Immersion. I will have to decide how to spend any time I get from the kids being in school longer, and will probably be looking for some form of income - though how likely that is with the current state of the global economy is in question.

May the year bring health and joy to us all.