Top 10 for 2011

Last year was a great year! Here's my Top 10 for 2011:

1. Having Madeline. Just thinking about that day brings tears to my eyes for many reasons. First, because I was so so happy that she was healthy. Second, because she was a girl! Third, because I remember birthing an 8 pound, 3 ounce, 19.5-inch baby without an epidural. A "Code: Stork" was definitely not in my birth plan, and honestly, almost having a baby on the highway was exactly what I was most scared of happening. What were we thinking!? And, why was I shaving my legs in the shower when I should've been hauling my big pregnant butt to the hospital? But, if her entrance to the world is any indication of the effect she'll have on it, I think she'll be exciting, spunky and will keep us on our toes.

2. Watching Luke become a little boy. He's not a baby anymore. We have conversations about his day, and the other night, I caught him "reading" a book (ie, looking at the pictures) when he was supposed to be falling asleep. He's 100% boy: loves cars, trucks and trains, is a little rough and tumble (ie, still sits on the dog), and loves when Daddy will toss the football or kick the soccer ball outside. We still work on having balls in the house -- he's allowed to roll them, not throw them, but sometimes he forgets that rule (see #7).

3. Seeing Luke and Madeline interact. I don't have a brother, but watching them makes me sometimes wish I did. I love when he'll stop what he's doing to give her a quick, unsolicited kiss. Or that she'll light up when he comes around. And, I just laugh when he says, "Silly Madeline." In the mornings, I get Luke out of bed, then we go to Madeline's room, and he peeks through the crib, "There she is! Madeline!" Actually, it's more like "Mallalin."

4. Witnessing complete meltdowns in the car. I thought kids were supposed to love riding in the car. Maybe every kid does except Luke and Madeline, because this is a pretty typical scene.

5. Cuddling with my baby girl. Sugar and spice and all things nice. I'm sure that's what she's made of because she is so cuddly. She does not want you to put her down! And, that's fine with me. Right now, she's crawling and saying "mamamama" and laughing when you give her zerberts on her belly. And, if she could just get her hands on that dang bus ... oh, she'd be a happy girl.

6. Kissing on my big boy. He might be getting older, but I hope he and Madeline will grow up feeling loved and loved on. I don't think Adam and I could give more kisses to these two. Lately, when Luke wakes up in the middle of the night, he wants to lay with one of us in his big-boy bunk bed to go back to sleep. So, we lay there ... and lay there. And, sometimes, for no reason, he kisses my forehead.

7. Learning how to discipline. I'm not sure that this is one of my favorite things to do, but it's definitely something that we have to do. Luke can be pretty bullheaded about some things. Especially if those things involve trucks or trains. For now, timeouts are working pretty effectively because he does not want to be separated from the action! And, when I open the door to his room to let him out, I can't be mad anymore: "I sowwy, Momma."

8. Braving public outings with two babies. Either, they work in tandem to make it extra difficult sometimes, or they have a sixth sense for knowing when I'm vulnerable. It's the meltdown at the cash register when I already have the groceries on the conveyor belt, or it's the limp-noodle-body right in the middle of the crosswalk, or it's the throw-myself-on-the-ground-because-you-said-no-to-Flaming-Hot-Cheetos fit at Garden Ridge. Any of those are enough to put me back on blood pressure meds. This article made me and my friends laugh so hard. I need to remember what this mom says and Carpe Kairos during these moments.

9. Getting Madeline baptized. This was really a special day for us. It's very important to us both that our kids grow up in a church. And, I was so happy to ask my sister Brooke to be her godmother. Brooke and I have always been super close and I know that she (and Ryan) will be a positive influence in her life. We shared a room until I was 18. Then, we went to college together where she frequently paid my electric and water bills because I was irresponsible and she wasn't. Then, I lived with her (we shared her bed!) when I got my first job making $16,000/year because I could hardly even afford to feed my cat. Then, we threw caution to the wind and moved to Austin to be near our parents and other sisters. Then, we were out one night, and she said to Adam who we had recently met, "You're single? Good. So's my sister." So ... to make a long story short, it means a lot that she is Madeline's godmother. Likewise, that Ryan is her godfather. I'm sure Adam has similar stories to tell about his "twin" brother.

10. Celebrating with family. Having a growing family is fun, and getting together with our already-huge families is more fun. Adam and I are both so lucky that everyone in his family lives here and most of mine does. Suzy and Michael and Katie are really great about visiting often, and we'll have to be sure to do the same for them once traveling cross-country with two kids doesn't give me an anxiety attack. This past Thanksgiving and Christmas were two of my favorite so far.