2009 Goals or Resolutions

I'm only about 26 or so days late on writing these up, but I have been more or less working on them.

• Get housework done earlier in the day. I'm pretty good about making beds, emptying the dishwasher, etc., but it doesn't get done until about 4 p.m. when the kids are home from school. Because the routine work isn't done, special projects don't get started and lots of time is lost goofing on the computer.
• Knit, sew, craft from stash. No more quick trips to Michaels, Joanne's, & the yarn store just to see what's out there. There is probably enough yarn in this house to keep me knitting for the next 10 years.
• Finish or frog UFOs. I've already made a good start on this finishing one afghan in 2009.
• Declutter by recycling, donating, or throwing out one bag every week.
• Eat out less, especially fast food.
• Stick to the budget. We actually have a budget set for this year. It also means keeping up with Quicken, which I've spent the last week getting completely caught up. (Of course, this was a bit depressing looking at IRA & 401K losses from last year.)
• Be more patient with the kids, hubby, & myself.
• Take time to do things I enjoy, like knitting, playing the piano, etc.
• Buy less junk.
• Keep in better touch with old friends and make some new ones. (hmm, an excuse to use Facebook?)
• Finish Nick's potty training.

Letters vs. Numbers

Nicky can recognize all the letters, tell you what sound they make and even tell you some words that start with that letter. He knows that putting letters together makes words and can even recognize a few sight words. But, for some reason numbers are really tough. He can count to ten but if you show him a number he can't make the connection between the number and the word for it. I find it both fascinating and frustrating and for the same reason. He can obviously make a connection between an abstract concept of a written letter and the sound it makes. And the connection between a group of letters and a word and what the word means. But he does not apply the same numbers. With my older kids learning letters and numbers happened simultaneously, why not Nick? Something more to ponder and research.

Connections

Nicky's current movie favorites are the Ice Age movies. This afternoon he was watching the movie. I went to unload the dishwasher and he'd disappeared. He came downstairs a few minutes later with his stuffed elephant. He is now watching the movie copying Manny's actions. I just love it when he makes these sort of connections.