The obligatory resolutions post, and pics

Well, it's 2012, and for the second year, I get to look back at the goals I made for myself and see how I did at accomplishing them. Last year it was super fun, because I did everything. This year...well, see for yourself.

1. Potty train Gabe. Success, though not before his fourth birthday, ironically, everything seemed to click for him after he had an embarrassing accident in front of his cousins at the party.

2. Make a quilt for myself. Success here too. I have managed to hang on to the Deb Strain quilt I made. I thought about giving it away several times, but I'm glad I never did. I really love it. Plus, Deb loved it too, and the blog post she made about it was a really fun moment for me last year.

3. Make something larger than a lap quilt. Not yet. I made the top for my daughter's toddler bed quilt, but I have yet to actually finish the thing, and some people still consider that size a lap quilt. What are typical lap quilt dimensions? I should probably know that kind of thing before setting goals like this.

4. Make 144 blog posts. Miserable failure. Not only did I not blog more at all, I blogged even less than I did my first year! Awful! Though, in my defense, I made that resolution a full month before I got pregnant and morning sickness, coupled with a newborn does not make for a lot of blogging time.

So, what do you hopefully have to look forward to in 2012?

1. Blog more. I am hesitant to post that 144 number again, plus, I'm already behind on that being almost a week into the year and posting once, but I really would like to be crafting substantially again. I miss it.

2. Finish the top to my basket quilt. I seriously love those blocks, and I have all of the Amy Butler fabrics cut for it, but for some reason I am dreading cutting all of the white and have been at a stalemate for awhile with it. I'm not going to say I want to completely finish the quilt, as paying the long-armer is going to be costly, but I do want the top done so I have the option.

3. Buy less fabric. It would seem that this would be contradictory to the blog/craft more goal above, but there is a lot of fabric in my basement that should be tended to, or sold if I'm not going to do anything other than hoard it. A real lot.

4. Try new things. Now, I'm not going to go as far as say...crochet (though I would love to learn, I just do not need another hobby), but paper piecing, scalloped edges on a quilt, needle-turn applique...I see beautiful projects made with these things and have the instructions right in front of me without ever trying them out. I'm challenging myself to actually do that this year.

And if you've held out this long, I give you a photo. The first ever real smile of Caroline's actually caught on camera. Actually, I'll give you the first, "it's probably just gas" smile too, since I have yet to post her professional hospital photos on here.

Wow, look at how much she's grown!