Changed

If I had set a theme for the year back in January, it would have been wrong. Guaranteed.

I could not ever in a million years have known about the changes this year would bring. The theme of 2012 is  Change.

Change of job, moving (twice) and growing boys are just the beginning. The personal and relationship changes that have come this year are something I can't really measure or explain.

But possibly my favorite change of the year is the one where I am DONE changing the Boy With The Adorable Bum's diapers.

Seriously people, it's over. That boy goes in public, stays dry at church, and is working on the nighttime thing. (Darn you footie pajamas!) Update: nighttime is going great, it's been 6 days and no accidents. I haven't changed a diaper for him in over a week. And the lack of those changes is invigorating. Beautiful! Life Changing!

I just may be capable of having other children at some point in my life. (There's still another person to convince this is a good idea...but I'm confident Josh will come around eventually.)

On the other hand, going places has become MORE complicated instead of less complicated. Balancing a toddler who has a completely rational fear of public restrooms while making sure he doesn't touch anything and is relaxing enough to do his business is bad enough. But add in a squirmy whiny heavy "don't hold me!!!" aged child who doesn't walk (and screams when he stands) and it's hardly even possible.

So we go to the library, because at the library there is always a grandma (or 2 or 3) willing to hold the non-walker while I calm and sooth Tommy and coax him through using a public restroom.

Remember back when I was pregnant and knew the exact location of every restroom within a 5 mile radius of anywhere I ever went? I hated that phase. I hate public restrooms. And I hate that we're back in that phase again. I probably haven't even used a public restroom in 3 years, and now all of a sudden I have get so close to the floor I want to cry.

I couldn't be more thrilled (or proud) that The Boy With The Adorable Bum is no longer hiding his Adorable Bum under a mass of absorbent miracle product....but I didn't really need another excuse to hide in my home for the entire month of December.