Happy New Year!

Everybody is looking back at the past year and making resolutions for the new one, so here are mine. As achievements for 2007, I did well and I prepared myself for doing more this year:

• My first and best achievement is getting my son through his second year of life, healthy and happy. He turned from an eating, pooping, sleeping, crying and laughing blob into a little person that can get anywhere, communicate wishes and needs, be a social creature (just a bit shy, but very nice and friendly, making friends everywhere he goes) and a very loving and lovable part of the family. We can't imagine life without him.
  
• Family life and work had their challenges, but went well. It is a learning process and we're getting better at it.
• My health has not been spectacular. I dealt with a month long flare of ulcerative colitis, most of it during my vacation... that much for a relaxing vacation. But this has been bothering me for many years and I had no idea what was happening, so finding out what it is was a relief. It is easier to deal with something that has a name. I've also had a lot of colds during the last six months and I have no idea how to make this stop.
  
• As for social anxiety, I went from being afraid to tell anyone, to shouting out loud to everyone, and finally to a more rational position of being able to share it in appropriate contexts, being casual about it, but not blowing it into everyone's face. I have worked a lot on accepting myself.

What about 2008:

• Bracing up for the terrible twos... I'm sure my son will provide enough challenge and opportunity to learn... his emotional development especially is particularly interesting for me in understanding my own emotional issues.
• I need to get my health under control
• I'd like to build a support network of friends and family and work on balancing my life: add more fun and exercise to my current work and family only schedule.
  
• I want to become a better listener and I want to work on explaining what I am thinking so that people will understand where I am coming from.