Another year has come and gone and I find myself yet another year older. In light of my recent birthday, I’ve spent some time reflecting on the past year, and I’ve come to the conclusion that the ways in which I currently measure a year are very different than years past. This is absolutely to do with the fact that for the past year I have experienced so many changes in my personal life: raising a baby-turned-toddler, enjoying a maternity leave, returning to work and commuting with my daughter in tow, learning of the arrival of our second child in the fall, and now moving to a new home.

Phew. What a year!

There are many ways in which we could measure a year, and the ways in which I measure past and current years have changed drastically. There are also many ways I could measure the past year, depending on the lens that I choose to reflect through.

How I — USED TO Measure a Year:

  • Resolutions maintained
  • Personal goals accomplished
  • Everyday tasks finished
  • Yoga classes attended
  • Vacations taken
  • Money saved
  • Massage appointments booked
  • Masters classes completed
  • New recipes attempted
  • Blog posts written

How I COULD Measure the Past Year:

  • Dirty diapers changed
  • Loads of laundry on the floor
  • Showers I meant to take
  • Abandoned workouts
  • Spit-ups on clean clothing
  • Questionable meals served
  • Air -born dust bunnies
  • Attempts at making baby food
  • Discarded nursing pads
  • Unexpected sneezes that….I’ll just stop there

How I CHOOSE TO Measure the Past Year:

  • Family time enjoyed
  • Baby cuddles received
  • Unexpected lessons learned
  • Countless milestones witnessed
  • Innumerable blessings counted
  • New traditions created
  • Sizes that my heart has grown
  • Kodak moments captured
  • Tears of joy and laughter expressed
  • Love, Pure and Simple

How do you measure a year?

This post originally appeared on Like Mother Like Daughter Canada. It has been reprinted with permission.

Vanessa Heron is a mom to two mostly adorable children, and recently she made the decision to stay at home with them all day. As a result, she survives on high doses of caffeine and cartoons. When she has time to herself she loves to read, binge on adult TV shows, and scroll social media. You can find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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