Lisa says: Happy New Year...

First off, I didn't get nearly enough done last week. I vowed that even though my fellow bloggesses (and Peter) were given time off, I'd keep writing away — updating here and pounding out a few articles for upcoming issues of the magazine. Turns out, after the past several months of working from home, I'm no longer used to working with a full house.

Our holidays were packed and flew by. We started the whirlwind by taking a very, very surprised Addy to see "the real Mickey and Minnie and Belle and the Beast." No, we didn't go to Disney World. (But we're definitely planning on it...just not this year.) We went to see Disney On Ice: 100 Years of Magic at Toronto's Rogers Centre. (Friends in the GTA: The show's next stop is to Hamilton's Copps Coliseum over the March Break. If Disney Junior is constantly on in your house and your kids are into the movies — both the classics and the more recent films — it's a no-brainer must-see.) Anyway, Addy was in her glory and it was a beautiful show. We got a kick out of listening to all the super excited tots in the audience. Addy was glued to the characters (and her giant bucket of popcorn) and the look on her face when she saw Mickey and Minnie skate out at the very beginning was beyond priceless. Since the show she's told anyone and everyone how excited she was to see all the princesses and princes, Goofy, Donald...even that "mean man" Gaston. 

The rest of the holiday was just as magical — for the kids. They were spoiled rotten with Hanukkah and Christmas presents galore, they stayed up late and ate so many treats that, well, let's just say poor Peyton was on a diet of prunes and prune juice for a day. (TMI?)

While the kids had a magical couple of weeks, I had a meaningful vacay reflecting on the past 365 days. This time last year I was on maternity leave with a three-month-old. I had raging PPD. I had a full-time gig (complete with benefits and vacation pay) at this fantastic magazine at a company I'd been with for six years, but didn't know if going back to work was going to be right for me and my new family of four. I was house-bound and feeling really, really crummy about my post-baby body. I was convinced Addy would be potty-trained sooner than later. I blogged and Facebooked but didn't want anything to do with that aggravating Twitter. For the most part, I pretty much knew who I was — a wife and mom of two on maternity leave who worked for a parenting magazine. Since this time last year I've learned a ton about myself and have set new goals and made new wishes for the next 365. I'll share those later this week. 

To all of you who come and read about my life (and the lives of the other parents on TP.com), thanks for spending the last year and all the ups and downs with me; Happy New Year to you all.

Now it's your turn to spill: How has your life changed in the last year? Have you welcomed any new babies? Moved homes? Made a career change? All three? (I've said it before and I'll say it again...I'm nosey.)