Looking back on 2010...

Just thought I would share the high lights and low lights of 2010 and what I'm are looking forward to in 2011... I would love to hear yours too in comments or with a link to your own blog post...
 

high lights...

• getting through so much of my ABA training, I am 1 unit away from being a qualified breastfeeding counsellor

• watching rare moments of the kids playing nicely with each other... and seeing it happen more and more
  
• it was a tough year with Xavier, and I mean really tough, he almost broke me, but as he enters the year of being 3 he is really becoming a much nicer person to be around. He is crazy clever and rather hilarious.. but oh so cheeky...
  
• Stella is really just a joy! she is a diva, whinges most of the time, demands my attention and is the biggest drama queen ever, but she really does make my heart burst. will be interesting to see how she is as a 2 year old..
  
• re-learning how to sew after 20 years away from a machine. I was taught as a young girl by my beloved nan, who died when i was pregnant with Xavier, and i never really had the urge to sew, but having a daughter has changed that, I now love sitting at the machine sewing. I think I was scared to sew again for a long time as I really was worried that it would remind me too much of nan and I would just sit and cry over fabric instead of creating with it, but I LOVE IT. I feel so close to her sewing at her old machine and over locker, my aunts tell me just how proud of me she would be, and DH tells me that he can see me quite literally beaming as I work. I'm so grateful that she taught me to sew.
  
• I have also made some fabulous new friends this year. people who are so different yet so much the same all at once and I love that I have such an amazing variety of women in my life guiding me on the parenting journey.

low lights....

• Xavier. boy there were times this past year when I really was ready to just walk away from him. I never imagined that 1 small boy could push buttons so badly.. I taught 28 year 9 boys and loved it, how does 1 boy destroy my spirit so much?
  
• MIL being sick for 6 weeks. She has my kids one day a week each, she loves the one on one time with them, as they do with her, and it also gives me some one on one time with each kid too. Which is awesome, because they really do fight a LOT, physically fight, with blood shed regularly, so to be able to have 1 nice child twice a week is bliss. But she came down with bronchitis for 6 weeks, I had the kids all day every day for 6 weeks and the 3 of us very nearly went mad. sooo glad when she got better.
  
• planning to build a garage on our house, to make it do until I return to work (when Stella starts school) and we can afford a bigger house, only to get the quotes back and being floored by how much they were. Was looking forward to my own little craft area in the garage, but was not to be, so we built a carport instead to keep me and the kids dry getting in and out of the car.. you know Melbourne, 4 seasons in 1 day.

What I'm looking forward to...

• Xavier going off to kinder next year. he is so very ready and needs more than I can give him at home. it has meant the world to me that i have been able to stay at home and be his sole carer for over 3 years (besides grandma) but he is ready to move away from me and gain a small amount of independence. I cannot wait to see him shine.
  
• trying to get away with the DH and kids for a short break. I don't work all these extra jobs for no reason. 
  
• finishing ABA training and starting to really help women who want to breastfeed. they say being able to breastfeed your child is the worlds greatest joy, helping another women to breastfeed her child is the second greatest joy.
  
• finding some me time and believing that I'm actually worth it and deserve it. This could be the tricky one... 

so come of lovely ladies... share with the rest of us too...