Thursday, January 6, 2011

2011 Word of the Year

My word for 2011, or actually words are:

Calm

Endurance.

Calm:  implies an unruffled state, esp. under disturbing conditions,  complete inner command of oneself, usually as the result of an effort.

Endurance: noun- the ability or strength to continue or last,  despite fatigue, stress, or other adverse conditions; stamina.

-lasting quality; duration.

Baby Boy is due to arrive in about six weeks, maybe less. My natural tendency is to have had everything in its place, washed, primped, and ready by now. I’ve been waiting in silly anticipation for some changes around here. Still waiting, so the endurance is starting to creep into existence because there is so much to get done. I’m starting with the bathroom today, figured might as well begin with the smallest space in the house. Got to make room for that baby bathtub and all of the baby essentials. Either way there will be lots of changes in the Dunbar Home in 2011. (Calm.)

Room changes; Monkey and Bogie are going to share a room. They are super excited about this for now. Everyday someone is begging for bunk beds and my boys have been mulling over the Pottery Barn Kids Catalog almost every second their not allowed to play on the Wii. There’s bedding to be chosen. How do you change a 5-year- old’s mind about a Star Wars bedroom? I think I’ve got them sold on Star Wars sheets only. I thought perhaps I’d buy the Target ones since they are just about half the price but those sheets only have a rating of 1.5 stars, all of the comments said they are rough, itchy, and thin. So that idea went right out the window. The PB ones have a 4.8 out of 5 stars.

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How did I get stuck on the tangent of sheets?

Changes…

Mr. Dunbar started a new position at a new hospital in a new city. We’ll see where that leads him this year. It seems to have lots of opportunity for advancement, which is always good. The hours have been killer recently. I guess that’s the way it is though, when you take over a staff at the start of a new year. Hopefully things will calm down in a month or so. I have still been getting up every morning to make him coffee, we’ll see how long that lasts. (Endurance, think endurance...)

This was January 1st. and that mess, is mine. Sorting through bins and bins and bins of the boys’ clothes that I actually chose to keep. Putting them in order by size and season. It’s been almost 3 years since I’ve actually gone back through the clothes, I guess I just kept throwing the things I liked in bins or bags because I never really thought I’d HAVE to go back through it. It took some tenacity and patience to finish going through the mounds of Newborn to 5T shirts, sweats, jeans, sweaters, jackets, hats, pajamas… everything. I felt like the Berenstain Bears and the The Messy Room organizing and making labels. And even when I thought I was done, I still found two more trash bags full of clothes. Jan 002

These hooligans are so good. I hope they will forever be friends.

Jan 005 

Soon there will be baseball practices and games,  pre-school parties and lessons, newborn cries and around the clock feedings. Along with life.

I’m getting my game face on for 2011.

Calm. Endurance.

Yup, that’s what I need.

~mrs. dunbar

12 comments:

Cathy said...

2 perfect words for the new year! Go with the PB sheets...it's worth it in the end (and my boys loved Star Wars for a longgggg time!) So funny...as I was reading your post I was listening to a message on the phone my sister just left about how much she loves the JCP fleece sheets I recommended. lol. Alrighty, off to do a little work of my own. Keep calm and carry on! xoxo

Janna said...

Good luck! I need to work on adding those 2 words to my daily vocab as well.

Megan said...

I can't believe you have only 6 more weeks! So fast! I like the idea of the boys sharing a room. My sis & I always shared and I loved it. I vote for the Target sheets. Some of the best sheets I have ever gotten for the kids came from there and they were a 200 thread count! PB is just soooo $$$$. Save your money for other fun stuff for their room. I'll be interested to hear how the changes with Mr.'s job goes!

It's Grace said...

Those are great words! It's amazing how fast other people's pregnancies go... :) 6 weeks!!

Glad that info on my blog was helpful yesterday. Wink.

:)Erin

Lori said...

good luck with your year of calm and endurance. you'll certainly need that when you are up with an infant then trying to tend to the 2 bigger boys during the day.

hope you find that you can complete more projects than you create

Anonymous said...

It will be a busy, but wonderful year for you! So exciting. I can't wait to hear the birth story. You will blog about it right? :)) Endurance and Calm are perfect.

Mrs. C... said...

Why in the world are you fighting Star Wars bedding???/ Mr. C. would still love it, if I was willing - okay, buns in my hair would also be required ~ yikes! ANyway........Embrace the changes for the calm endurance comes with contentment for where you are at. Can't wait to see the bunk beds. WARNING: the top bunk is KILLER to make. I would opt for trundle myself, but boys are boys, and Moms loose the war if dad is involved in voting.

Alisa said...

Oh, my boys would love the star wars sheets!! I would just do the PB ones. They will see lots of use for years to come.

Calm and endurance are great words to aspire to! I look forward to seeing your year unfold here and I can't wait to see your new little one very soon :)

Genn said...

Shoot I just typed out my whole comment and I think I deleted it! Argh!

It went something like this...

Love your new header.
I forget how tiny baby clothes look.
Great words for the new year. Your family has a lot to look forward to in 2011.

I say go with the PB sheets. I've tried Target ones a couple times and they fall apart rather quickly. Like two or three washes quickly!

My girls might be sharing bunks soon too.
Is Bogie potty trained yet? I was thinking I should wait until Claire is potty trained, but maybe it doesn't matter. She jumps from the crib, she's as big as it, so she could probably sleep better in a big bed. I don't know. Ahh the expenses never end do they?

Happy New Year Irene!

Jessica said...

Hello, Mrs. Dunbar! Glad to have followed your comment link, and read about your mama-life with a house full of precious boys. Congrats on upcoming Number 3! I tend to think there is something so simple and lovely about going through all those clothes...remembering when certain little striped shirts were worn, pulling out those little onesies again (sigh).

Also, great word choices that we all could embrace. It reminds me of one of my favorite quotes, tacked up in my office:

Peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It mean to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.

Here's to calmness in 2011 (and the right choice in sheets!)

Unknown said...

Thank you so much for coming by and posting something on my blog. I haven't been blogging for very long at all, and I have great news. You are the first person to comment on my blog other than family and friends. Congratulations.

I've been going through old baby clothes too and I've had to fight back tears the whole time. Sweet memories are held in those clothes. Glad to see you're getting to make more. :)

Seizing My Day said...

Great words!! Calm is my favorite... =) I miss those little tiny clothes ... those stages are so fun to go through... yet so exhausting!! sometimes I wish I had done it "one more time"... but most days I am happy to have two ... and well... Merlin makes up for the lack of a 3rd baby... cute little stinker! ;) oh... and ... So cute... all those little boys lined up watching tv?... =)