I completely spaced on this list this month, so let’s see how I actually did.

1. Crochet something else besides blankets or scarves at least once a year (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020)

2. Do a photography challenge (Took pictures once a week George’s first year)

• I am still trying to keep up documenting George growing up. Here are a few pictures I took over the last month.

3. Visit 5 cities I have never been to before (7/5)

4. Tour at least one a winery, brewery, or distillery

5. Send at least 5 snail mail a month

6. Become a “professional” photographer

7. Run at least 10 races (any distance) (5/10)

8. Go camping with Tom

9. Pay for the car behind me in a drive through

10. See Tyrone Wells live as many times as possible

11. Tour Fort Defiance here in Clarksville

12. Water ski with my dad

13. Do a 5K with my mom

14. Take a swing dance class with Tom

15. Read at least one fun book a month and one professional development book every three months

16. Take a pottery or stained glass class

17. Do one new recipe each month

• I tried these apple pie bites for Halloween. I don’t like pie crusts, but I love pie filling, so this was great for me!
• We eat pork chops quite a bit, and I am always trying to find new ways to change up dishes we use all the time. THESE WERE DELICIOUS! I will say we used the recipe as a guide. We don’t like hot stuff, so we substituted BBQ sauce for the Tabasco, and we had Munster instead of mozzarella. So like I said this recipe was a guide.
• While we have had spaghetti squash before, we just recently discovered how to cook it in the microwave. So we have added this as a weekly alternative to all the pasta we have.

18. See both a Clemson and UCM football game live

• How about #1 ranked Clemson!

19. Find a place to volunteer on a regular basis

• Yesterday was our Girls on the Run 5K. I am taking over as the Volunteer Coordinator, which is a lot of work, but I am really excited about it! Here is a little article about yesterday.

20. Go hiking

21. Ride in a hot air balloon

22. Go to at least 20 “new to me” restaurants. (29/20)

23. Stay at a bed and breakfast

24. Spend a day without electronics (phone, t.v. and computer)

25. Do something unique and new for my birthdays

26. Explore Nashville while we live here

27. Watch at least 10 movies that I have not seen before that won Best Picture at the Oscars and at least 20 documentaries (not necessarily Oscar winning) Movies (2/10); Documentaries (7/20)

28. Sew an item of clothing from scratch

29. Do a personal devotional/bible study on my own

30. Be a mascot for an event

31. Go on our honeymoon (preferably somewhere tropical)

32. Host an annual NCAA Basketball Tournament Championship game party

33. Go on a mission trip

34. Be on a recreation volleyball team

• I can officially mark this one off! We have our first game on Monday!

35. Become a mom

• George really experience Halloween for the first time. He didn’t really want to meet any neighbors, so he stood at the edge of the sidewalk and watched his cousin get the goods. Naturally he was Curious George.

The cool thing about being a parent is that you get to experience things for the first time through their eyes. I have been to tons of pumpkin patches before, but to see George hug a pumpkin for the first time was something I will never forget. I am soaking in all his joy as well. It has been a real treat to experience this fall season through his eyes.

Toddlerhood can also be a very trying time for parents because of all the firsts these kiddos are wanting to explore. (Like eating dog food or pulling the DVR box off the shelf because the light is cool and he needs a closer look).

They kind of do whatever they want in their attempt to take over the world one adult at a time.

But as I watch his face light up when he masters going up and down steps, I am reminded to slow myself down and be patient with him. He is just so excited that he can do it on his own that he needs to repeat it 100 times. And as mundane as it may seem to me, it means the world to him.

He only goes through this phase once. And it is his first time learning these things, so I need to be patient with him even with these simple tasks that I have been doing for years.

It reminds me how hard using a fork can really be and to appreciate the milestone with huge celebration that he was able to consume a few DIFFERENT bites ON HIS OWN with said fork.

It’s these things about parenthood that remind me to be joyful in these little moments. I want George to remember us celebrating and being happy instead of impatient and scornful.

I am by no means perfect at this. Just this weekend, I wanted to pull out my hair because for 30 minutes George threw every piece of food I cooked him on the floor. Even cheese! The horror!

But I am working on keeping prayer present, and Lord help me to be more joyful when little man is testy. He looks cute guys, but seriously he can try my patience. (And I know that it only gets heightened as he gets older, which is why I am trying to become more grounded now folks…)

So toddlerhood is as much of a learning game for me as the parent as it is for George the toddler.

I want to cherish the moments and not wish this time was over. Let’s celebrate that he put just one toy away on his own after being asked, never mind that he then proceeded to take every other toy out of the box. Can I get an amen that he listened once?

A year ago today, I dropped George off at daycare as I started my first day at this job and our first day apart. I am reminded that it goes so fast and to be present for each first he experiences and all in between.

Because these firsts are magical. Being his mom is magical.

That face gets me every time, and I don’t want to miss it.