They say having a baby changes everything. Truth. It’s similar to when you were 16 and you had your first serious boyfriend. Your entire life was consumed by the boy. You still went to school and you still had your friends, but it was somehow different. Everything now revolved around him. You didn’t do anything without inviting him to come along. You wanted to hang out with him every moment of every day.  And the other stuff just took a backseat.

Fast-forward 16+ years and here you are again.  Going through the same thing, but this time instead of a cute football player, you are dealing with a bald, toothless bundle of joy who needs you more than anyone ever will. There is nothing more important to you than that baby.  And the proverbially backseat is getting awfully full for this mama.

I’m not big on New Year’s Resolutions. In fact, I’m not sure I’ve ever actually made one. But, I’m compelled to make some changes this year.  I’m tired of just going through the motions and celebrating when I make it through another day without burning the house down or making it to 8:00 pm without falling asleep on the couch. I want to be more of an active participant in my life. This may seem like a simple statement. But, it involves so many things that I have no idea where to start.  I’m sure this list will be ever-changing, but here is the first stab at my goals for this year…  (as I type this, I’m hearing Katy Perry’s “Roar” in my head)

Personal Goals

• Start a blog… check
• Open Etsy shop… coming soon
• Stop wearing yoga pants everyday… stay tuned, more on this in the next few days
• Clean out my closet and list items up for sale on Ebay
• Work on my professional design/development skills

 Health & Fitness Goals

• Only eat takeout once or twice a week… trust me, this is cutting back
• Start meal planning again and actually cook what we buy before it expires
• Feel better… this is a very general goal but it involves numerous things like getting more sleep, eating healthier foods, moving more, drinking more water…etc

Family Goals

• Convince my 16-month old to walk
• Come up with new, easy and healthy dinners for Hallie that include more veggies
• Start a date night tradition… I can’t remember the last time Michael & I did something fun by ourselves
• Start monthly family outings… this may need to wait till Spring

Household Goals

• Start a weekly cleaning schedule
• Figure out a way to keep the countertop clutter free
• Actually fold the laundry and put it away once it finishes drying
• Organize, organize, organize

I think that is it for now.  If you’re a mom and manage to stay afloat, please post your secrets and tips in the comments.