family....what have I learnt?

So as 2012 disappeared into the ether and 2013 is dashing by so fast it's nearly whipped my sensibilities about in unattractive ways, I decided that I should celebrate the acquisition of an iPad and thus a whole new world of being able to actually being able to commit to this blog on a regular basis and on a whim and not having to crank up the old laptop. Actually if truth be known I got the before Christmas and have been messing about on it ever since and not actually doing the things I am supposed to be doing!

So several days, ok months, after the New Year what were the best bits of 2012? It was a great year in so many ways and not just the whole Olympics, diamond jubilee fizz bang wallopy year that we all had. but it was the kind of year when you turn 40 (signal big cringe and wince), have a baby a week later, wonder why you did that in the middle of the night when said baby is crying or won't sleep for the 50th consecutive night, took baby and preschooler on a huge trip to Dallas, has Oldest One start school, deal with being back in the playground (do we really ever leave?), watching all those baby firsts again with Youngest One, the school term whizzing by so fast you feel like you're spinning and can't stop to crank open the Baileys - just to test it. In early November. This last year has caught all of us by surprise. Where did the time go? Literally.

So things that I have learnt:

1. I am possibly not as tolerant as I thought I might be.
2. Kids are seriously hard work.
3. I quite like a baileys or two, of an evening.
4. I read too many parenting books.
5. We never leave the school playground.
6. I'd still like to perfect an air of nonchalance.
7. My Youngest One still isn't sleeping through but I find that turning off the monitor helps.
8. My Oldest One is a whirlwind of emotion and activity and I struggle to keep up.
9. I am now 41 and Youngest One is now 1.
10. Time has gone too quickly so live more.