Happy New Year!

And just like that, it happened.

The stroke of midnight where the calendar changes from 2013 to 2014 is like a big reset button where we all start with a clean slate again. Whether we like to celebrate in pajamas curled up with our favorite person or dressed up for a night out (for the record, we usually fall somewhere in between and end up throwing a slightly last-minute party when I finally decide to be surrounded by a group of my favorite people instead of trying to keep my eyes open while cuddled in bed), something happens to us all during the magic of midnight. Our minds are programmed to crave the new and fresh, to start the year off with the past year behind us, really behind us and eyes looking to the future. If the past year has taught me anything (though I think any lesson I’ve learned, I’m most likely still learning), it’s to celebrate the victories and blessings in our lives, no matter how small, and not let situations or others bring us into a negative mindset. There will always be setbacks or things we don’t have control over, but my attitude is something I always have control over. Not saying that I always exercise that control, but it’s definitely what I’m learning!

So in came the new year, on the backs of us and our friends lighting up the sky with fireworks, eating chocolate nutella cake, popping confetti around our living room and toasting our first toast of the year to New Year’s floats.

In 2014, I want to carve out the time needed to focus on some projects in my professional life that have been on my to-do list for awhile now. I want to adjust my schedule to fit in a couple of my own hobbies. I’m so excited to learn to play the piano right alongside my daughter this year (and I apologize in advance, family, for all the little ditties you will inevitably hear over and over and over and over), to challenge myself with my camera more, to plan some trips I’ve been dreaming of and learn to enjoy hot yoga. I want to take better care of my body so that I can better care for my family and those around me.

And a big goal for this year… to begin to wake up early. Maybe I should preface this goal by the goal of getting Skylar to be a better sleeper, because then mommy would actually get some sleep and wake a little better in the morning. This is something I’ve done before and I would love to get back to even having a good thirty minutes of quiet and calm before the day starts throwing curve balls at me.

This year, I plan to remember Spanish. I say remember because I used to speak it quite well, conversationally at least, and I’ve never advanced past that but rather regressed from not using this beautiful language so often anymore. Shame, shame. Except for no shame because I’m learning to celebrate the small victories and not let the negativity of something seep in. I just had to remind myself.

I’m hopeful for more days full of laughs and cuddles. For a year of amazing dates with my husband and more runs on the beach with my littles. I hope to nurture the amazing friendships I have into something even more amazing and to be the present mother I always long to be. I look forward to more writing and reading, to more smiles and happy texts, to more days in pajamas and bubble baths. I want wake up remembering that although I may not mother or love, do or say things the way others might, that I can be the best version of myself and that’s good enough.

We celebrated right through the stroke of midnight and then resumed the party again the next day. So yes, this post is dated January 2, 2014… and I’ve already spent the year so far doing just what I’d hoped and dreamed, living and laughing with loved ones.

This little munchkin partied with us until three am! The little stinker.

These are just a few of my thoughts at the beginning of this new year, with a fresh page of the calendar tuned and waiting to be filled.

What are some of your goals and dreams for this year?