Goals: The First Year

There are so many things that I want to do in L Bean’s first year. Other than the “duh” goal of love him, squeeze him, and call him George, there are so many goals that I have for myself and my family. I’m most motivated by goals – setting them, writing them down, and talking about them. When I say “goal,” I don’t mean something that I stringently work towards or else. I see these goals of positive steps forward towards a new way of living. And there’s no better time to start a new way of life than when a new life starts. Hopefully in a year I’ll be able to re-visit these goals and: feel success, laugh at myself, be more resolute, and just be happy with our first year as a family of three. And believe me, that happiness in no way hinges on my/our ability to achieve all of these goals. I’m shooting for the stars here because that’s what makes life interesting. (These are life goals, not career goals. That’s a whole different animal.)

This list will be never-ending and always changing because perspectives change almost daily. Why? Because that’s life.

BABY

(1) Only turn on the TV to WATCH it, not for background noise. Listen to music instead.

(2) Spend time OUTSIDE when weather permits. Even if we just go on a walk with Baby and dogs.

(3) Make our own baby food.

(4) Breastfeed for one year.

(5) Get Baby in the pool and/or ocean as much as possible.

(6) SAVOR the first three months, when I get to be home with Baby. Don’t wish the days away because I’m always looking forward towards the next step.

HEALTH & FITNESS

(1) Sign-up, train, and run my second half marathon.

(2) Buy Jillian Michael’s No More Trouble Zones and commit to three times a week for 12 weeks.

(3) Be able to do 50 push-ups at one time. After 50 push-ups, work towards 100 push-ups at one time.

(4) Be more food adventurous – try new foods, explore new recipes, break-out of the pre-made, pre-packaged mold.

(5) Run a mommy/stroller friendly road race (5K) or 10K) with Baby and Husband.

(6) Understand and live healthy vs. skinny.

GENERAL

(1) Make sure our pets know that we love them just the same post-Baby as we did pre-Baby.

(2) MAKE couple time with Husband.

(3) Don’t fall into the rut of staying-home just because we have a Baby. Take Baby with us!

(4) Take lots and lots of PICTURES, and make sure that I am in some of them.

(5) Being a home-body is great; but as a family I want us to DO things. Force myself out of my comfort zone and GET OUT.

(6) Make mommy friends. Go on play dates.

(7) Plant a vegetable garden in our backyard.