Project 365: February 16-March 1

My apologies again for not posting last week...not that I think anybody is really put-out or anything. I'm not really sure why, but this has been a tough week or so for me. Everything really is fine over here at la Casa de Peterson, but sometimes life is just hard. Ya know?

I've still been taking pictures everyday, even though I haven't had time to post them. And I'm really proud of myself for that. If you know me at all, you know that I frequently get excited about something (namely hobbies), get obsessed, and then let it fall by the wayside. I have trouble following through. I'm determined not to let that happen with Project 365. It's too important to let slip. When this year is done, I'm going to be so glad I did this. Being able to look back at these little moments in our life as a family is going to be amazing.

As we begin the third month of Project 365, I wanted to share a few benefits and perks that we've experienced so far on this journey. I'm sure that if you're doing Project 365, you can completely relate to these. By the way, I forgot to ask Kurt about this before he left for work, so this is just my list. I'm sure he has more to add. We'll see.

1. I don't know that I'm necessarily taking better pictures, but I'm becoming more aware of things like lighting, composition, and focus. I guess awareness is the first step.

2. I'm looking at every moment as a photo opportunity. I'm taking pictures of things I would NEVER have thought to document before. For example, although laundry takes up a large portion of my time, I had never thought to document the process. But won't it be neat, years from now, for Liam to see a dryer from 2010? And he'll never remember that I made his baby food, but the pictures will tell the story!

3. I'm reminded, when I take pictures and journal, of just how blessed we are. We talk a lot about how much we'd rather be living in a house, how we wish that we had more money, and how nice it would be to have some things on our wish lists. But when I look at my son, none of that really matters. He has somewhere comfortable to sleep, clean clothes and diapers to wear, food to eat, and parents who love him. And that's a lot...a lot more than some other people have. Project 365 has made me aware of what we have that isn't tangible, but is really more important than anything that is. I have more of an "attitude of gratitude."

4. We now have tons of pictures of Liam. The grandparents are happy. Everybody seems to enjoy seeing more of him these days. That's good when you live 500 miles away from most friends and family.

5. Project 365 has provided an opportunity for self-reflection. I was just talking to Leslie about this the other day. Most days, especially at work, I am just trying to make it through the day, getting done what I need to get done. I don't have time to stop and examine or reflect on what I've done or what has happened. I just have to move on to the next task or problem at hand. When I sit down at the end of the day to upload pictures and write my journals, I'm forced to stop and think. I think it's healthy to look back at a day and think, What did I accomplish today that's worth remembering? I don't do this often enough. And if we were really honest, most people would probably agree that they don't either.

If you're doing Project 365/Project Life, I'd love to know what benefits or perks you've experienced. Are you noticing anything different about you or your life since you've started Project 365?

This post is getting ridiculously long, is it not? If you're still with me, good for you! Now, let's switch gears a bit. On with the absurd amount of pictures!

February 16, Tuesday: This is officially the first picture we have of Liam smiling. He's been smiling for a long time now, but we haven't been able to catch it. He looks so much like Kurt as a baby!

February 17, Wednesday: I have no picture for this day, unfortunately. I worked all day, came straight home, bathed and fed Liam, and then packed like crazy for our trip to Valdosta for Kelly's wedding. I guess I could have taken a picture of our bags all packed, but I didn't. Boo.

February 18, Thursday: This is what happens when you try to feed sweet potatoes to a sleepy boy.

February 19, Friday: Before Kelly's rehearsal dinner, I was hanging out with Liam in Kurt's old bedroom at his parents' house. He was loving getting his picture taken. When I said, "Smile," he did it every time!

February 20, Saturday: Before Kelly's wedding, we went to my parents' house to have lunch. Emma, my neice and Leslie's daughter, was having a blast with Liam. I think he liked her, too!

February 21, Sunday: On the way back from Valdosta, we stopped at Zaxby's. Kurt let Liam taste his pickle. He LOVED it!

February 22, Monday: I love coming home to clean sheets after a trip. Unfortunately, I didn't get that taken care of before we left. So, instead, we'll have fresh-from-the-dryer sheets tonight!

February 23, Tuesday: Tonight, something amazing happened. We ate dinner at the table! David, Kyle, and Meaghan came over to eat Lemongrass takeout and I decided that it was about time to clear the table of my neglected sewing paraphernalia.

February 24, Wednesday: I have a new laundry system, in which I wash certain things on certain days, so as to avoid the dreaded pile-up on the weekends. Today is Whites Wednesday (can you see them in the dryer there?), but I'm also getting ahead on Darks Thursday (in a pile on the floor ready to go in the washer).

February 25, Thursday: I had an inservice to go to after school, so Auntie Meg picked Liam up from daycare today. Obviously, they had a blast!

February 26, Friday: I haven't shared this before, but Kurt is entertaining a new job prospect. He's enjoying dressing up, as opposed to wearing jeans and dirty boots all the time. He was about to walk out the door to get a background check for the new job.

February 27, Saturday: Liam has been giving us a really hard time at night. He rolls over and then cries because he can't get back on his tummy. I finally decided to bust out his old sleep positioner and tuck him in really tight. It worked like a charm!

February 28, Sunday: While Kurt was playing with Liam this morning after his bottle, he found his feet! Apparently, they are quite tasty.

March 1: Liam really loves his bath. He is always so smiley when I pour water on him. He loves getting all soaped up. Tonight, Kurt came home during Liam's bath. He was SO happy to see his Daddy. How do you like the strategic placement of the cup? Liam did that all on his own!

If you're doing Project 365/Project Life, don't forget to leave a comment about the benefits and perks of the Project for you.

Thanks so much for visiting!