Update on the 2009 "goals"

Remember the goals I set for 2009? I planned to evaluate the week's progress every Sunday, but the time got away from me yesterday, with church and tutoring and community group and figuring out meals, well it just didn't happen. So, here I am a day late, to reflect on the past week and set new baby step goals for this week.

Let's start with successes--My sink was clean and my dishwasher loaded every single night. And, I made my bed every morning as soon as I woke up. Scott told me that it takes 28 days for something to become a habit (I think that's right), so I am determined to do those two things for 28 days without missing a day. Seven days down.

Not so successful, however, was my plan to wake up early. As you know, I did wake up early on Sunday (accidentally), and I absolutely loved being up before the rest of the house. It was so quiet and peaceful, and by the time Scott and Ada woke up I was in a great mood and ready to start the day. We'll see if I can continue to wake up at that early hour. It really depends on what time I am able to go to bed at night, so I am taking it one morning at a time.

Note: this morning both Scott and I woke up late because neither of us remembered to set the alarm. Oh well.

Other goal from this past week--one diet coke a day. Oh dear, how I wish I didn't have to report on this one. It was not good, ya'll. In my defense, which really there is none, there were two different nights when Ada woke up all night long and I needed something to get me through those days. So, we're keeping that goal. IT HAS TO HAPPEN.

Steps to making it happen this week--drink 4 bottles of water a day. I think that if I focus on drinking more water rather than less diet coke, it will be easier to make it happen. Like a positive rather than negative goal. We'll see. So, that is the goal for this week. Nothing to do with diet coke, just water. I can drink however much diet coke I want, but I have to drink four bottles of water. There is no way I can drink tons of both--it's just not possible. I'll let you know.

As far as the housekeeping goes. I need to continue the kitchen cleaning and bed making. I will continue to try to wake up early. I really think it would be beneficial for everyone. But, I do want to tweak the goal. If I don't wake up, my goal is then to do my bible study as soon as Ada goes down for her nap. Ideally, it will happen first thing in the morning, but because life happens, plan B is naptime.

The housekeeping/homemaking goal that I am adding this week is this--one load of laundry put away every day. The reason I just say put away is because I have no problem getting it washed and dried, it's the folding and putting a way that trips me up. We have piles of clean clothes covering our bedroom. So that I don't feel overwhelmed, I plan to put up one load a day.

And that is all I am adding. I want this to work, I really do, so I think the smaller the goals the better. Slowly but surely, I will get the house in order.

And if any of you readers have any advice for what has worked for you, please share.

Oh the day that we are having

We are in survival mode at our house today.

Last night, Ada decided to wake up every hour on the hour, and at one point when I stumbled into her room to put her back down, she was standing in her crib pantsless. She had tossed not only her pacie and her blanket "overboard," but her pants as well. And that is the night we had. Needless to say, I did not wake up at 6 am. The only solid sleep that Ada and I had all night long was from 5:45-9:15 this morning. It took one night for me to remember what those first weeks of motherhood were like. It wasn't pretty, folks.

So...the day is not going as planned. I am tired. Ada is tired. Which means, we are both rather cranky. I have had too much diet coke, and we have both eaten too many cookies, Ada's new favorite word, by the way. I have plans to buy some kashi whole grain cookies at the grocery store this coming week as a compromise. But for today, we are filled to the brim with junk, and a lack of sleep.

The good news--did I mention that Scott and I are going to the beach in May:) And...my sink is shiny, my bed is made with clean, fresh sheets, and I just did Tae Bo bootcamp. Things could be worse.

And there is always tomorrow.

Baby Steps

Okay, it's the first Sunday of the New Year, and I am here to set some baby step goals that I might actually accomplish my 2009 "to-do" list.

Because I am the world's worst housekeeper, I am going to use Flylady as my coach. Heard of her? She takes women just like me, who are drowning in the chaos of their homes, and she transforms them one baby step at a time. So...the baby step for this week is that I must shine my sink every night before I go to bed. The whole premise is that when you wake up to a shining sink, your day starts out better. I guess I'll buy that. It means no more going to sleep with dirty dishes in the sink, and I think that's a step in the right direction.

The other thing the Flylady encourages is getting dressed first thing every morning. Which, if you are not a stay-at-home mom, that might seem like an obvious statement, but there are days that I see noon before I take my pajamas off. And on a very bad day, Scott may come home to an unshowered wife. Not a good situation, folks. So...my new plan is to wake up at the stinkin' crack of dawn, take a shower, fix myself a nice cup of hot tea (not diet coke) and sit down with my bible all before Ada wakes up. It feels impossible to do this, but I know it would make my days go better.

** side note--I am a person who absolutely thrives on order and control, so when I don't have some sort of schedule going things just sort of fall apart around me. I think that I am into month 17 of being a stay at home mom, and I still haven't quite figured out how to make this my job. Everyday still sort of feels like a Saturday, so nothing gets done. I know this to be true because the first few months after Scott and I got married, I didn't have a job, and I had no children. I thought I would get so much done around the house, but I was going stir crazy. I finally found a tutoring job for the summer before I started teaching the next fall, and all of a sudden I could get things done again. Something about being inside my house ALL DAY LONG prevents me from getting anything done around the house. Combine that with a 17 month old trailing behind me all day, and well, our house is a bit of a disaster. Anyway...I am trying to turn that fact around starting this week.

And one last goal for the week, I have to make my bed first thing everyday. It's like the sink and the bed will be my control points. They will be the spring board from which everything else gets done. It's amazing how much it works. The other night it was nearly midnight, and I was not in bed and there were still dirty dishes in the sink. But I took the time to clean the kitchen anyway, and I was on top of the world. It made me feel a bit more in control of my home, so I am sticking to it. 2008 was the year I got our finances somewhat under control. 2009 is the year I get my housekeeping skills under control. I'll keep you posted.

p.s. the diet coke elimination starts this week as well. One a day. Oh, I hate to give it up, but I know that I have to once and for all. I am stocking my fridge with plenty of bottled water to grab when I want a diet coke. And hot tea in the morning. It's perfect timing to do this actually because Ada is just now old enough to want to drink a sip of my diet coke when I have it. I have a feeling that water won't have the same appeal.

Happy first full week of 2009, everyone. Let's make it a successful one.

Feeling quite proud of myself

We had a doozie of a night last night. Ada was up from about 2-5 am, which was fabulous for Scott since his alarm was set for about 5 am, I think. I don't know if he was able to sleep through much of her crying. I tried not to bother him because I thought that surely Ada would sleep in after being up in the middle of the night. She slept in a bit. We woke up at 8 am, but I am feeling the lack of sleep. Surely to goodness I can blame this on her teeth, right? I stuck my hand in her mouth to see if I could feel anything trying to pop through, but I couldn't really tell. Ada, for some reason, thought it was hilarious that I was sticking my hand in her mouth, and she wanted to continue "the game." So...add it up, no sleep + a very fussy, clingy toddler= a mom desperate for diet coke. Here is why you need to be proud of me.

It is noon, on the day after that awful night, and I have yet to pop open a diet coke!! I am so proud of myself, and it gives me hope that this addict can quit. I plan to make one diet coke a day one of my new year's resolutions, but I am trying to get a head start. I truly am aware of how bad it is for me, and I want to quit. It's just so stinkin' hard. I am going to quit keeping it in the fridge, so that I have to actually leave the house and spend money if I want one. I am trying to keep a pitcher of crystal light in the fridge along with very cold bottles of water. It's helping. Some. My addiction started because diet coke was my treat in the afternoons while I was dieting in college. And I need it to return to its status of treat. A diet coke multiple times a day does not equal a treat. A wonderfully refreshing fountain diet coke once in the afternoon does equal treat. I need to straighten that out.

Anyway...that's our day. A bit harrowing, but there is reason to be hopeful.