Resolutions

With it being the New Year and all, we decided to offer up ten parental resolutions. Some are a bit flippant, others serious. But we feel this is the crux of our message and our greeting to you for the New Year: keep things manageable—who could really keep TEN resolutions—and try not to take anything too seriously.

10. Write more blog entries. Sorry, this one is obvious, but important to list nonetheless.

9. If at all possible, and especially if traveling with children, avoid flying the “big six” legacy air carriers. For our recent trip to Los Angeles to visit the family for Christmas and New Year, we flew U.S. Airways out (boo!) and Alaska Airlines home (yeah!) Not only did Alaska not charge for the first checked bag (unlike that other carrier), they insisted that children board the airplane first, gave free drinks, and offered mini-DVD players on board for a reasonable rental fee. They recycle cans and cups and use napkins made with 95% recycled content. (We’re actually writing this on the plane. Penny fell asleep during take-off.)

8. Stop and play. If we believe everything that family members tell us, Penny will be a teenager in about a blink of an eye. When she wants to play, put down what you were doing and go ahead. When she wants to be held, try to as much as possible.

7. Start getting more serious about the potty training thing. Except for the obvious issues of smell, cost, and space in landfills, diapers have serious advantages. But it’s time. We’re buying an equal number of pull-ups when we get home.

6. Put away the baby toys and get a play kitchen. This one probably really belongs on a to-do list.

5. Think about transitioning to the toddler bed. The only potential drawback is Penny moves around A LOT in her sleep. At Thanksgiving she rolled off an inflatable bed a number of times; yep, found her face down on the floor but still asleep. Apparently she gets this from her father.

4. Lose weight. We don’t want anyone saying, “There goes Penny with those fat parents.” (Does anyone get the movie reference? Hint, the line is delivered by Alec Baldwin.)

3. Mini Cooper to minivan? When Grandmom and Grandpa purchased a new minivan last year, they bestowed their old minivan on us. We’re not used to driving it or having two cars in the driveway; but it’s free, has a tad more cargo space than the Mini, and we are grateful.

2. Penny ate part of a turkey sandwich the other day. Maybe time to start trying other foods again, like, for instance, fruits and vegetables?

1. File away 2.5 years of new parent experience for potential future use…