A few years ago I began a new tradition. Instead of mailing family Christmas cards, I began sending Thanksgiving cards. It’s one thing I can check off of my list during the busy holiday season. Last year, I even included a nontraditional family newsletter, aka The Top Ten Moments in Mothering from the past year.

Let’s take a look at my 2012 Top Moments in Mothering (nos. 10-6):

No. 10: Toddlers can’t be trusted: My daughter paired up with a little boy her age and went off to play under the guidance, or so we thought, of “the big kids.” Our game came to a standstill though, when my daughter appeared in the room soaking wet, her playmate missing. All thoughts went the same direction — to the bathroom. Water was all over the floor and toys were floating in the toilet bowl.

No. 9: Toddlers still can’t be trusted: All was calm, peaceful … then, commotion. From the corner of my eye I saw my husband pop up off of the end of the pew and nearly fall into the aisle, reaching. He missed. The choir members, still smoothly singing, were smiling and stifling giggles between stanzas. My daughter was now standing in front of the conductor, right under his waving hands.

No. 8: This moment actually belongs to my cousin, but you might be a mom if … : Within hours, the girls were splashing around in the pool in swim diapers when breakfast caught up. My cousin pulled her daughter from the pool, her swim diaper swollen with … uhh, not water and carried her to the outside shower.

“There is no drain in here!” she called to her husband.

Not wanting to make a trail into the house or leave a mess in the shower, a garden hose was turned on; the child was moved into the yard and we had another classic vacation moment that the child will never remember but one that we will talk about until her wedding day.

No. 7: Terrifying Trail Ride: I have never thought of horses as scary until I saw Miriam (the pony) take a swipe with both of her back legs (buck) at the horse behind her, with my son in the saddle. Every muscle in my body clenched, my heart dropped into my stomach and I heard the scream, which must have sounded like a seagull to my fearful steed, Duncan, escape my mouth. But my son just sat in his saddle, unfazed, and plodded forward on Miriam. I was shaking like a martini and spent the rest of the ride cautiously following Miriam and trying to convince Duncan he was, in fact, bigger than seagulls.

No. 6: Traveling With Toddler: The flight was about four hours long. I was so concerned with keeping Princess on my lap and entertained, I failed to realize I was keeping her on my lap with a very wet diaper. I failed to realize that is until, I too, was wearing wet pants.

She was wet, I was wet from her and the tray table in front of us was down, trapping us in our seat until the flight attendant came back to remove our tray.

I sat there for at least eight minutes (hours?) pondering how in the world — er, air — I was going to change her clothes in that tiny airplane bathroom.

Next week: The 2012 Top Ten Moments in Mothering nos. 5-1.