Ringing in the New

Alyssa tried. She really did. She wanted so much to stay up until midnight on New Year's Eve. She made it to 10:30. But she couldn't quite make it past that point. She's not a night owl, that girl.

Of course, she beat both Olivia and Tom. O was sound asleep by 8:30 and I'm not sure Tom made it much past 9:00.

Me? I stayed up and kissed each of my lovelies at 12:00 (or 12:01 or 12:02, depending upon where they lay in the house.)

The next morning, Tom got up with Olivia, our early bird, at 7:00 (she was awake at 6:00) and gave her the corn flakes she requested and let me sleep until 9:00. It was lovely.

It was a wonderful way to start the new year.

When I finally dragged my sleepy butt out of bed, I made breakfast and Alyssa fussed over her one scrambled egg, but in the end, it was eaten and all was well. Olivia, on the other hand, ate most of two over-easy eggs and three sausage links. She's an eater, that one. There's something to be said for the 5p- metabolism.

It was a lazy day. There was laundry, and tv. Alyssa raced through the house being a horse, and then a lion and Olivia twirled around the house declaring to one and all, "I'm a ballerina."

Which? Is awesome. Just like the horse and the lion are awesome.

We left 2010 behind with barely a look back.

Yet...it was a good year.

We bought a new house. We got an offer on our old house.

Alyssa started a new school and is thriving.

Olivia talks more and more and her words become more clear every week. Her balance is incredible these days. She runs, she jumps, she stands on her head.

Tom and I are working together these days instead of against each other and that's just so very nice. We can laugh and be silly and actually talk to each other in ways that are important and meaningful.

I hope and pray that 2011 is better still. But I know that it will take continual work to make it so.

So bring it, 2011. I think we're ready.