My Goals for 2019

Planning a wedding and preparing for baby has all but completely taken over my life recently. Researching cribs, car seats and strollers, attending bridal fairs to get ideas for the wedding, check-ups with the Midwife, dress shopping, suit shopping, house organizing.. the list goes on. It’s been a busy time and I have had a few things on my mind that I’ll be treating as goals for the year. Here they are.


Prepare our home for baby, and de-clutter in general. – We live in a 2 bedroom apartment (that I honestly love!) but somehow it suddenly feels like the walls are closing in on me. How are we supposed to fit a teeny tiny human and all their stuff in here with us?? We’ve made great progress on this already but it will be ongoing for a while. We have had to re-home furniture, get new pieces, rearrange rooms and dispose of junk.


Read more. - I set the goal to read 1 book per month last year and I kept up with it until August. Not sure what happened for the rest of the year, but I would like to start again. I can’t pretend that most of what I expect to read is going to be much outside of pregnancy, birth and babies, but reading is reading.


Do the best I can for my health and fitness while pregnant. Be active. Eat well. Sleep as much as I can. - I found a studio in Edmonton that caters specifically to pre and post natal women (you can even bring kids and babies to class!) I’m going to be joining very soon and making a stronger effort to keep myself active and strong. Eating was a little bit of a struggle for my first trimester, between being sick, having no desire to eat and then just being in a rut. I’ve started making lists of better snacks and meal ideas to choose from so I can hopefully make some better choices. I still sleep reasonably well most of the time and for long stretches, I’d like to keep that up as long as possible.


And then do the best I can postpartum for my physical and mental health. – As I have historically not done super well with big hormonal changes, I am a bit concerned for my mental health after baby arrives. That being said, stating that here might be the best thing I can do for myself as I’m hoping it will stick with any of you and you’ll help get me out the other side. Other than that, once I’m cleared to do so, I have high hopes to get back to the gym with baby, take frequent walks and enjoy lots of sunshine.


Plan a beautiful wedding day that is minimally stressful, "inexpensive" and above all else, a day that celebrates the love Ryan and I have for each other. – I have dreamed of getting married forever, but there was never any detail involved when I considered it. Now that I am actually planning, I’m seeing things a bit differently. I’m still excited and I still want a beautiful day, but when it comes to the details, I honestly don’t care that much; I just want a special day to celebrate Ryan and I. I want to do as much ahead of time and in such a way that it keeps all stress to a minimum, doesn’t cost anymore than absolutely necessary and is something the 2 of us will be really happy with.


Buy only things that bring value and joy, including and especially, for the baby. - I've said it before and I'll say it again; stuff is just stuff. Babies do not need mountains of toys and I do not need a closet full of clothes I don't wear.


Take at least 1 trip, even if it's small. – I really, really want to take a “babymoon” to Kauai in March or April, but I’m not sure that will happen. So, at very least I would like to go on a road trip or for a nice weekend in the mountains. Thumbs down for missing out on camping this year!


Save as much as I can before and during maternity leave. – Because weddings and babies cost money. And not working for 18 months while on maternity leave will obviously cost a bit too.