An Announcement and Gifts for Tiny Readers

Things have been quiet on the blog front lately, and for very good reason. My brother and his dear wife welcomed a sweet baby girl to the world. Her name is Reagan, and she has stolen our hearts.  

As the only aunt to this precious pumpkin, it's my job to turn her into a little reader. I already told her I'd buy her all of the books she could ever want, but I rounded up a few more things I'd love to give to any future tiny reader.

A onesie with a simple message, Read To Me.

As I've mentioned before, I love these board books of classic literature for baby.

Another favorite brand, Out of Print, also makes adorable book cover onesies. Is it weird to have matching clothes with a baby?

Ian Falconer's classic Olivia in board book form.

And her very own Very Hungry Caterpillar.

New Year, New Resolutions

Life is back in order after a very hectic holiday that included some very high highs (finding out I'll have a niece, Reagan, come May!) to some very low lows (a death in the family on Christmas Day). As such, there wasn't a whole lot of time for reflection or resolutions. My plate is full, as always, but as an introvert, I have to carve out time to do the things that are important to me, or run the risk of terrible burnout. Knowing that, I've created some new resolutions, and revisited some old ones.

1. Dedicate time to writing at least five days a week, whether it's a blog post or a writing project.

2. Record all of the books I read throughout the year. This was a fun one for me last year, so I'll be doing it again. You can follow my progress under "What I've Read."

3. Continue renovations on the condo. Things are moving right along, and I have even more big plans for this year.

4. Cook more often, and try new recipes. This remains on the list. I tired a few new things last year, but it's time to test out all of that fancy kitchen equipment from the registry.

5. Be open to new friendships. This is always a goal for me, but I want to be more intentional about the people I spend time with, especially since I'm so protective of my time.

6. Make healthier choices. I'm never going to be a health nut. I have too many guilty pleasures for that sort of lifestyle. But I do want to make healthier choices, even if it's just drinking more water and getting on a regular schedule with barre classes.

7. Achieve balance. Overall, this is what I'm going for. More play, less work. More quality time with the people I love. More calm, less stress.

So that's it. And my motto? Here it is, courtesy of Emily Ley.