I looked at last year's resolutions and decided not to evaluate my success of the last year based on those. Instead, I decided that I was highly successful last year. I welcomed a baby girl to the world and she is thriving. Despite mood swings and questionable amiability due to sleep deprivation, my husband still loves me. My in-laws may be starting to respect the fact that my gut feelings and desires involving my little princess trump theirs. I've managed to keep my self-imposed quota for indexing at a reasonable level. And, at the moment, I seem to be moving in the right direction with journal maintenance.

I have a nephew who is the Eros to my Aphrodite. His baby pictures and mine look a lot alike, and he has had disciplinary notes for trying to kiss the girls in class, including his teacher. Needless to say, he is sweet and loving and has an amazing ability to melt hearts.

On Christmas Eve, I presented him and his sister with their presents. She opened hers, looked excited, wandered off, and never returned. He didn't open his but wandered off in the same direction as his sister. My brother kept chatting with me. A couple of minutes later, Eros returned with one hand hidden under his leather jacket.

"Do you like chocolate?" He asked with a half smile.

"Of course," I replied, smiling back at him as curiosity spread through me.

He then presented me with one of those dense packaged brownies that I love though I know they take years off my life every time I even look at them. We then exchanged hugs and I felt grateful for the gratitude of the young. I am not even sure he had seen his gift at that point, which was a basic art supplies set with a sketchbook, stencil, coloring pencils, and watercolors).

Today was a little less eventful. As I continue to lose the battle for more sleep in exchange for time with a precious little one, I find myself needing sleep at times when I should be awake. I begin to think my overachieving daughter has decided to begin teething earlier than most babies, which means she is going to need twice the love and three times the amount of items to chew on. So far, her favorites include her hand, her bib, and daddy's thumb.

Ever graceful, I managed to knock over a glass of punch at a friend's baby shower today. Two of my friends rushed in to clean it up. One of them is undergoing treatments for cancer and the other is a very healthy seven months pregnant. Despite multiple attempts to clean up my own mess, they waved me off. I finally gave up and went back to admiring all the adorable baby gifts, but a quiet appreciation of selfless service tickled at the back of my mind. Do we take the time to serve even when it is uncomfortable for us? I know I don't. New year's resolution? Could be.

No, I am not still wrapping Christmas presents. I do, however, have quite a few gifts left to deliver, a fair number of which will not be delivered until Easter adjacent. I see confused gift recipients in my future.

So I hope the month has been kind to all my readers, past and present. May all your resolutions be progressing nicely. I have already fallen behind on my journal posts, but maybe I will find motivation and consistent sleep soon.