When it’s New Year.

Well, it’s here! A new year, a big year, and (I hope), an exciting year.

Nearly a whole year since I started blogging (well, except for the 5ish month hiatus) 2011 was a roller coaster which I have to say, I’ve mostly enjoyed.  On a brief reflection it taught me an awful lot about myself, mainly that I can’t put money before happiness.  The greedy side of me thought I was starting 2011 with the perfect career move.  It even caused me to give up my maternity leave and go back to work when Fatso wasn’t even 4 months old, (something I knew many disprove of).  However, it was totally right.  Teaching me in (on hindsight) a fairly painless way that I was heading down the wrong road, that whilst I could do very well for myself if I worked my ass off, I didn’t want to give my soul to the devil, leave my children, and work for a man with very few standards and ethics, and very little business knowledge.  Amazingly, it also taught me as I threw myself into a surprisingly successful contracting lifestyle, I don’t actually want to do marketing forever more.  I want to do (yes, I’m about to become a cliché) Something else. Something fulfilling.

DON’T WORRY!  I’m not nice enough to do something fulfilling enough that it benefits anybody else.  I’ve not changed completely! However, I want something that I actually want to do, rather than feel like I have to do benefit the family, and luckily enough my husband has agreed I should go down that path.  Admittedly, I think he was pissed off with my daily rants and sleepless nights.

So 2012 is going to be pretty life changing. For four main reasons (and lots of little things integrated with them!).

1. I decided…and it’s taking a lot of guts to type this somewhere where I can be reminded it on those dark, cold, lonely days…I want to spend more time with my children.  Therefore nursery isn’t going to be anywhere close to full time (I actually feel a little bit sick writing this – I am terrified…I have to LOOK AFTER MY OWN CHILDREN?!).  This means I may have to venture out into the big wide world of parent socialising.  I feel slightly sick.  I will also have to learn how to play and not just lie on the floor on Twitter.
2. I’m not going to do that much Contracting any more.  I will still do the odd thing, especially with a couple of companies I’ve become close to, and feel a bit of an emotional tug towards.  I want them to succeed.  But I won’t put myself out there for any more work.  This is HUGE.  A career with more the 10 years of worth – paused.  Instead I will be doing a bit of writing. (If somebody is brave enough to hire me – please).  It’s been a MASSIVE decision, but feels right.
3. Our family is complete. Which means, after many discussions.  That’s it.  Over the next few weeks I will be selling all our baby things, putting away a few keepsakes from the boys, and moving onwards and upwards.  Fatso will be moving into a big boy room, hopefully by the end of Feb (to accommodate his huge amount of Christmas and Birthday toys).  Before next year he will be walking, talking, tantrum-ing and probably losing some weight.  The Beast will be starting school.  I will not have a daughter.  We will be losing a cat, gaining loads a goldfish (which will named – according to The Beast – Mummy or Betty), and making the nursery into my study.  (Matt things he’s sharing it, but he’s not, he smells).
4. I will be turning 30.

So with that, I have decided to share a few of the families New Year’s resolutions.

ME

1. I will keep up with my running
2. I will not lie awake worrying about anything and everything
3. I will not turn 30
4. I will not scratch my car
5. I will not break my children.

HIM

1. My husband will learn to put his breakfast pots in the dishwasher
2. Will learn to remove the children’s vests from their tops so that they aren’t all dyed a skanky grey/blue
3. Will learn to have a perspective in time (e.g. not suggest to people we will see them in half an hour, when we are all in PJs, at the breakfast table and the destination is 20 minutes away).
4. Will not teach the children to comment on peoples boobs.
5. Will buy me a new car every time I don’t scratch mine.

THE BEAST

1. Will not insist on watching me on the toilet
2. Will not leave skiddies in the toilet
3. Will lose the ability of “selective” hearing
4. Will get scouted by a big sports person and be signed for some sort of sport (he wants Football, I’d rather F1 please)
5. Will learn to say the letter “S” properly.

FATSO

1. Will lose weight
2. Will let Mummy sleep through the night
3. Will stop laughing  and continuing on with whatever he’s just been told off for by Mummy
4. Will stop shooting pooh up his back/down his leg at least once a week
5. Will grow some more hair.

RIGHT – as it’s date night I’m going to put some make up on this old tired face and kick his majesty off the PS3.

x