I am Resolved

Like most people, I have often begun a new year on a path paved with good intentions. Also, like many people, I have lost sight of those intentions no more than halfway through the year. Some of the reason for this, I think, is that we often feel pressured to come up with something to do - some way to make ourselves better. We half-heartedly vow to lose weight or to exercise more, read more books, or learn something new, and as soon as we return to our normal busy activity levels following the more relaxed holiday season, we let our resolutions go. So in recent years, I've found myself teetering back and forth between trying to come up with a really good, doable resolution and giving up on resolutions all together. In the midst of this struggle, I've often settled on the fairly bland "I will try to be a better person." So non-committal. What does that mean, anyway?

So this year, I was really going to give up resolutions for good, when I had a lightbulb moment. Part of the trouble with resolutions, I think, is that they are so self-centered. As a result, they don't really ask any more of us than we already are. And nobody is counting on us as a result of our making them. Combine that concept with the fact that I had probably one of the most personally difficult times of my life in 2010, creating a climate in which I did quite enough self-centered reflection, and I felt it was high time that I start to focus on others.

Therefore, in the year of 2011, I am resolved to a year of giving thanks and writing letters. In all things, I will give thanks, and express my gratitude to those who make my life so rich. And in this world of asynchronous, sound-byte communication, I will strive to write letters and send mail, knowing that we do not often enough let people know that we are thinking of them, and that letters and packages are still so much more sincere than newsfeed comments. Sometimes these two actions will go hand-in-hand, and sometimes they will happen separately. Always, my intention will be that the recipients of these communications know how important they are. Letter writing is, sadly, a dying art, and I will do my best to keep it alive in 2011.

Simply Christmas

A new baby brings with her many many firsts, not the least of which is the first Christmas. Baby or not, Christmas is certainly a time that can breed lots of stress, and it's even easier with a child in the picture to fall into the trap of pressure, spending, and overbooked schedules.

Nevertheless, I was determined that this year would be as simple as ever - taking one day at a time, and enjoying friends, family, and the beginnings of new traditions through the Season. Many a day was spent knitting, baking, watching Christmas movies, and thoroughly enjoying the 7 o'clock bedtime that comes along with a three-month-old. And come Christmas day, all of our family gathered in our home to share a meal together, the first time we've cooked for a crowd since Baby L was born. The day was calm, gifts were simple, and everyone enjoyed the company of one another. In all, one might categorize it as a typical, un-noteworthy Christmas. But it was anything but that, because it was the first. And I pray that Baby L will experience many similar holidays in the future that she will remember as times of love and family, food, and warmth.

Though Baby L won't likely remember this Christmas, she was a wonderful companion as we baked, trimmed the tree, and made gifts to give to her grandparents. How does a baby make gifts, you ask? Well, here is a simple project that I share with you in photos. It took some patience, but was a lot of fun to do together.

Baby Handprint Ornament

adapted from By Little Hands

First, gather supplies:

Air-dry clay, Rolling pin, Acrylic Paints, Brushes, A drinking glass, and 1 Baby

Other important ingredients:

Patience

Humor

Time

Roll clay into 1/4 inch thick rounds and gently press baby's hand into the top. This may take several attempts, and I recommend that if you are making several ornaments, you leave the supplies out and do one or two at a time as baby's mood permits.

Use a drinking glass to cut the ornaments to circles, and punch out a hole using the handle of your paintbrush.

Let the ornaments dry according to the clay instructions and paint them as desired. Metallic paints seem to make the impression stand out better. I used silver paint and then painted Baby L's name and the year on the back of each ornament using pink.

Hang on the tree or wrap for the grandparents to enjoy!