I resolve to ...

While most people are thinking of New Year's resolutions, I almost feel like I don't need one. I mean, I'm having a baby this year. Isn't that a new enough New Year? I have so many goals associated with that -- which more than makes up for not having a resolution. I don't usually have a resolution, anyway ... I agree with Courtney on this one.

My parents and brother came to visit and one of the hits of their trip was a visit to the Museum of Bad Art. Hysterical!

Note to well-meaning relatives: fat jokes to a pregnant woman are not funny. At 18 weeks or 40. I repeat, NOT funny.

Five more days til ultrasound.

Traditions

Every Christmas Eve as a child, our family would gather around the lit tree and sing "Silent Night." It was a quaint tradition, one that produced many eye-rolls when we were teenagers, but I remember it fondly now. The comfort of tradition and that time spent with family is something we are left without this holiday. Of course, I have my husband to celebrate with, but we haven't developed any holiday traditions yet. We are baking some goodies and watching a movie tonight, but I find my thoughts drifting back to apple cider, Christmas excitement, and that old song. From there, I wonder what traditions will delight and be fondly remembered by our baby in the years to come.

Her birthday

Today is my mom's birthday. I can never remember how old she is, exactly. 58? It's strange to watch her life evolve from being a mother of five to an empty-nester. The youngest, my sister, just moved out in June.

Of all her kids, my sister is the closest to home. She lives about 45 minutes away. The rest of us are spread out: Chicago, Arizona, Boston. I like being mobile, meeting new cities, but it has been strange. I've never even met three of my four nieces and nephews. You get a lot, but you give up a lot too.

So today's her birthday and I'm not there. We've never been particularly close or anything remotely close to that, but it's a reminder. Another instance where I'm here, not there. Not that I wanted to be there when I was there ...

It's a rainy day, so my thoughts are running down the sides of windows too. It's beautiful to let chaos win sometimes.