Sentimental Saturday: What 2011 has meant to me

Where do I even start? I usually use Saturdays for my most relaxed, thoughtless posts, but not today.

So, I am a bit of a whimpering drama queen when it comes to the end of things. Observe...

• I used to cry after my birthdays, almost as soon as everyone left. Eventually, my parents had me see our school guidance counselor at about age 10 to talk about this. She ended up telling me that she used to sprinkle baking powder on her "bust" (I had no idea what this was) to make them grow. I was scarred for life.
• Christmas, same thing. December 26th is usually my least favorite day of the year, and I have found a (probably unhealthy) way to get through it-- after Christmas sales. 
• High school graduation was another event marked with an emotional breakdown.
• I was fortunate to not have to deal with post-partum depression, but definitely missed all the anticipation and excitement that comes with pregnancy.

Anyway, you can see that I don't exactly look forward to the end of things. But this year is different. It is not all about me anymore. Every day that passes is stamped with milestones and amazing moments my daughter provides. Yesterday (Wednesday), she tried a graham cracker. She almost pulled herself up. This was big news for us. Me? I didn't even get dressed. When you focus on something other than yourself, you find that you look forward to the next day and what it will bring. I am not worried about 2011 being gone, but you bet I am already planning her first birthday (with my BFF, Pinterest). And when that is over, I'll have something else fun to do with her. See what I've learned? Every day should be celebrated and lived. Not living as in "I rock climb and run marathons", but living is the collection of tiny events that you can choose to ignore as "going through the motions" or see as special. Same with people and the people with whom I surround myself. It is SO easy to be cynical or impatient, it takes work to be kind. I have a responsibility to show Larkyn how to be kind and patient toward others and to choose people who will illustrate that same quality for her.

Taking pictures and recording these moments and these people has been therapeutic. So, goodbye 2011. You were good to me!