Year in Review 2013

As we say goodbye to 2013, I want to reflect on this year and all the wonderful memories that we made.  I usually do a detailed review post but today I am just going to hit some of the high points.  And, well some low points as well.  

We started the year off with Lonnie turning 40 and us having his family down for the weekend.  He had issues with the big birthday but I think he's moved on.  He refused to let me do anything special but I've told him he needs to just get prepared for when his 50th comes around!  We are going to his brothers house soon for our yearly New Year's celebration with them.  

One thing Lonnie and I did really well with for the first half of the year was day dates.  I posted about a few of them here.  We have gotten out of that habit and we are both itching to get back to our days of fun together.  Luckily we are going away for a long weekend together really soon.  YES.  

In January we decided to proceed with IVF #4.  It was an up and down experience (duh) but overall I felt really good about it.  It was heartbreaking when we learned that our two embryos didn't take.  I wrote this post about moving on from that.  

In April we went back to New Orleans.  We took B when she was barely 5 months old so it was fun to go back when she was a bit older.  I am sure it won't be the last time we go!  

Also, in April we discovered Blakely's fear of bugs!  She is still not a fan but she doesn't freak out as bad.  Although I wonder what will happen in the spring when all the caterpillars come out.  YUCKY.  

In May we took our annual beach trip.  I think this trip will just get better and better every year.  We just made our reservations for this May and Blakely is already talking about the beach and "sand tassles".  {I just read that whole post and I can't believe how little she looks.  I felt liek she was so grown up then!}

We spent a lot of time outside and on the lake this year.  Looking back on those posts makes me yearn for summer!!  One of the best weekends was near the 4th of July when my brother in law and his family came to town.  We had so much fun and I can't wait to do it again this summer.  

As great as that weekend was it is completely overshadowed, in my mind.  See, I was right near the end of our fifth IVF.  I was not comfortable and I was exhausted.  I had not blogged about it or told many people.  I wrote a series of 5 posts explaining what happened during that IVF.  As I am writing this post I have gone back and read many of my posts over the past year and all of the ones I have put a link to.  I can not read those 5 posts.  I just can't do it right now.  My brain is trying to protect my heart.  {Thank you brain.}  One day I will be able to read them {thank you blog} but it still hurts a little too much to scroll through and relive that time.  I will link to them in case someone comes across this post and wants to know what happened.  
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Moving on.  At the end of July is when we started potty training.  Looking back now we had a pretty easy time of it.  Blakely was ready and she took to it easily.  I am thankful for no more diapers/diaper laundry and for adorable toddler pan.ties!!  

In August Blakely started going to Moth.ers D.ay Out once a week and with Juanet once a week to Pri.ce's house. I can't even tell you how happy we all are with this set up.  Blakely loves MDO and she crazy loves going with Juanet.  There is no way to tell you how grateful I am for Juanet.  If there were more Juanet's in this world it would be a better place.  She is one of the good ones and I am so glad that we found her!  Honestly I am not sure any of us would survive without her.  She knows this although doesn't believe it.  

One of my favorites this year was our trip to Pittsburgh!!!  I got to meet up with my blog bestie and Blakely got to meet her future blog husband.  :)  Hello, we need to do this again pronto.

This fall we went camping.  Can't wait to do that again this spring.  

After that things kicked into high gear and we got really busy.  Blakely turned 2, we went to the Wor.ld S.eries, Halloween, bachelorette weekend, our dog died, hosted a couples shower, went to a concert and then my Sarah got married!  I still haven't posted about the wedding but will soon!  

Once that whirlwind died down we were able to relax some and enjoy Christmas.  I feel like I haven't gotten out of my pajamas in a month and I'm happy about it.  I have also been eating everything in sight since I couldn't do that before the wedding.  I should probably stop doing that now.  ;)

I am not a big resolution maker but I do have some goals for 2014.  Well really just 2. One is to disconnect from my devices a little bit more when Blakely is around.  I want to be present for her when she is with me.  I am never on the computer when she is around but I always have my phone.  It's no wonder she is obsessed with it!    

And my second goal is not all that specific yet very specific at the same time.  I want to have another baby.  I have no idea how we are going to accomplish that and I just realized recently that I am ready.  That we are ready.  I am still hurting over the fiasco in July and over infertility in general but I am ready to move forward.  I think moving forward will help those last little cracks in my heart to heal.  

Here's to 2014!  Happy New Year to you all and thank you for reading this little blog of mine!  

Year in review

Last year I did a year in review post and it was so much fun for me.  I loved looking back at my old posts and going through the pictures on my computer.  There is so much that I remember but also so much I forget if I don't look back!   I thought I would do a review post again.  Some things I blogged about and others I didn't.  This gives me the chance to mention things that maybe I didn't get the time to blog about...like B's one year pictures!  I print my blog into a book at the end of each year so I like to have this little recap post at the end as well.  I also thought if I had some new followers it would allow them to learn a little bit more about me.  Enjoy my reflection on 2012!  

January

• We celebrated New Years with Lonnie's brother, Marshall, his wife Kristen and their twins.  We reserve a weekend (as close to NYE as possible) and we cook good food, drink good champagne, and just enjoy each other.  They are coming this weekend to celebrate and I can't wait!

• We celebrated Lonnie's birthday!  Speaking of this, he has a pretty big birthday coming up this week....He is going to be forty!

• 2012 started off with a bang when my mom fell and broke her ankle!  She came to live with us for 3 months.  Blakely was 3 months old when she moved in.  That time was stressful but it is when the special bond between B and Gran Di started.  Sometimes I want her to move back in! 

February

• I started using and became a bit obsessed with cloth diapers.  You want to know why?  Here is the post that sent me over the diaper edge.  Oh wait...maybe it was this one.  Either way I am glad that I did it.  
• I hosted a baby shower for my friend Katie and her little boy Eli.  It was a nature theme and turned out super cute.  Looking back I can't believe I hosted a shower at my house with a 3 month old and my mom living here.  I was crazy...
• Blakely cheered for Tom during the Supe.r Bowl.  Hopefully we will be cheering for him again this year!  And a win this time....

March

• I turned 30!
• We took Blakely on her first vacation to New Orleans.  
• We gave Blakely her first bite of real food.  Avocados! 

not a fan...

April

• I hosted a baby shower for my friend Courtney and her little girl Jayda.  I can't believe I forgot to post about that!  I will just share a few pics in this post.  We did a mommy to bee theme and it turned out super cute!

This is one of my favorite all time pictures of me and B.  So sunny and happy!

Courtney, Tina (holding Katie's Eli), me, Sarah, Jenny (holding B), and Katie.  Courtney's daughter Hayleigh in the front.  

• We took B on her very first boat ride.  
• We celebrated Easter with Lonnie's brother, his wife, and their twins.  
• We bought a shaved ice stand with another couple!  It was fun for a little while and I really wish it wouldn't have ended up the way that it did.  I know I haven't ever blogged about what happened but here is the main deal.  The wife of the other couple quit suddenly and we haven't spoken to her since.  She tried to make our lives as difficult as possible (didn't give us any of the accounting/tax info she had, etc) and I do not need to associate with people like that.  Trust when I tell you I could go on about her and this topic but I won't.  I have moved on!  Maybe sometime in the future when Lonnie and I have a little more time we will try that adventure again....alone!  

May

• We took Blakely on her first Florida family vacation.  Looking back at this post makes me wonder how this trip is going to go this year.  She was only sitting up last year and this time she will be 18 months old!  That just blows my mind.  
• Blakely got salmonella.  It was horrible.  That is all.  
• I celebrated my first Mother's Day with my sweet girl  

June

• Lonnie and I  celebrated 7 years of being together.  I seriously love that picture of him in that post.  
• We did spend a lot of time on the lake in June...before it got crazy hot.  
• Blakely learned how to crawl in June!  Looking back it seems like she crawled for such a short amount of time.  I know it was a while but she never crawls now so it just seems like it was a quick phase.  

July

• We celebrated 4th of July.
• We went through a bit of a rough sleeping patch with Blakely.  Good news is that she was such a cuddle bug during that time.  

• I never blogged about this and I meant to but Lonnie and I went fishing in July!  I'm not really a fisherwoman or whatever so this was kinda a big deal.  We had so much fun.  Like I can't wait to go again when the weather gets nicer!  It was so quiet and pretty darn romantic actually!

August

• B got strep for the first time...

• We took our first vacation with just the 3 of us to Cape Cod.

• B had strep for the second time.  UGH...

September

• We started thinking about baby #2.
• We took a trip to Los Angeles.  That was so much fun.  I am looking forward to the trips we have planned this year.  We are going to New Orleans in April and then Florida in May.  We don't have anything planned after that because we are super hoping that maybe I'll be pregnant.  We will see.  Please....

October

• I became super emotional about weaning when we were almost finished with nursing.  Breastfeeding was one of the greatest experiences of my life and I am so very thankful I was able to do it.  I can't wait to do it again!  I might not stop next time because no one tell you that you instantly gain 10 pounds...UGH!!!    
• Blakely turned ONE!  
• We had B's one year pictures made.  I just finally got these in so I will post some of my favorites!  

• We took a trip to Big Ce.dar Lodge.  And this is why I love doing this review post...I already forgot that we did that!!
• We had a super fun Halloween.  

November

• Lonnie and I went to Miami...just the two of us.  
• We had our wine and gourmet dinner.  It was so nice to get fancy and get out of the house!  

• We celebrated Thanksgiving with Lonnie's family in Oklahoma.  

December

• I completed the Christmas Countdown.  I am so glad I decided to do it this year and I can't wait to keep the tradition going next year!  
• We went ahead with our FET and , although it didn't work, we were able to enjoy the holiday with our miracle daughter.  
• We sent out super cute Christmas cards that I forgot to post on the blog.  Here is the picture that was on the front and it said "OH WHAT FUN!"

• Blakely got strep for the third dang time...seriously...it's getting ridic.  

• Me and my girlfriends had a Pajama Pin.terest Christmas party!  I never got around to posting about that either but it was so much fun.  We all brought a dish (or 3) that we had been wanting to make from Pin.terest, we wore our pajamas, and then played dirty Santa.

There was so much food.  I had to take the centerpieces off of the table just to fit it all.  It was amazingly yummy!

normal face...

crazy face...

grab somebody's boob....

everyone looks away...

Me and Sarah Marie!

• One of the best things that happened in December is that 2 of my very best friends got engaged!  Sarah (above) got engaged on Christmas Eve Eve.  Ceej (also know as CJ) videoed the whole thing and she didn't know.  I got to watch it and I cried...so so sweet. They are absolutely perfect for each other and she deserves a good man.  She thought she was getting an iPhone but when she opened the box he had written "will you marry me" and had the ring in there.  It was his Aunts ring and it means so much to Sarah to be wearing it.  Ok I have to stop or I am going to cry again!  Also, my friend Keisha got engaged on Christmas Day.  She has been with him for 5 years and just never thought it was going to happen so he definitely surprised her!  
• We had a wonderful WHITE Christmas.  I think I am still recovering :)

What a great year!  I can't wait to see what 2013 will bring!  Happy New Year!!

A Year to Remember

2011 has been, by far, the best year of my life.  I started the year off with so much hope for the future.  2010 was a horrible year...for many reasons.  I was so ready to see it go.  I tried really hard to shut out all of the bad things that happened in 2010 and just start the new year off with hope and happiness.  I feel like I did a pretty good job of that.  

I am more thankful than I even know how to express for this wonderful year and all the joy it has brought into my life.  I am so grateful to have experienced the miracle of pregnancy.  I had such a wonderful pregnancy and I enjoyed every second.  I actually miss being pregnant.  Then, to get to go through the absolute miracle of the birth of my healthy daughter...well, that was just amazing and it makes me tear up every time I think about it.  This year has brought my husband and I even closer together.  I always knew that he would be a great father and he has proved me right a million times over.  I love him more than I thought possible and I know that we can make it through anything.  I look forward to 2012 with much anticipation as we will get to experience a ton of "firsts" with Blakely.  I can only hope that it brings us as much happiness as this year has.

And with that, I thought I would do a little reflecting on 2011.  Enjoy :)

January

• I started this blog on 1-20-11...I am so so so happy that I did.  I have made great friends, learned so much, and been supported when I needed it the most.  Thank you all so much!
• I started IVF #3 at the beginning of January.  I remember thinking surely the third time is the charm.  I forced myself to be positive and hopeful.  
• My lovely little embryos were made on 1-25-11.  (I posted about this here and here)
• Two of my lovely little embryos were transferred on 1-28-11.  (I posted about this here and here)
• My super sweet husband turned 38 in January also :)
• We went to New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl and I got unbelievably sick with a stomach bug....never been so sick in my life.  At one point Lonnie even mentioned taking me to the emergency room (which, if you knew him, is HUGE) and I told him no, that I would rather die in our hotel room than go to the ER in New Orleans the night before the Sugar Bowl.  This was before starting IVF meds.  Unfortunately I didn't get to go to the game :(

February

• I found out I was pregnant on 2-8-11.  Definitely one of the best days of my life!  My BFP post is here. 
• I found out we were pregnant with one sweet baby on 2-17-11.
• My husband scanned me and we saw Blakely's heartbeat for the first time on 2-24-11.  That day was so very special to us both and I will never forget anything about it.    
• February was an awesome month!!!

March

• I turned 29 on March 17th.  It was a great birthday because I was pregnant but I felt awful!
• We started telling people about our pregnancy on 3-27-11...that was super fun!
• I started my Kelly Belly posts!
• Spring officially started...my favorite season!

April

• We went to Chicago and I am still craving The Melting Pot.
• We had lots of crazy weather here and a bunch of tornadoes.  I spent quite a bit of time in the closet downstairs.  

May

• We found out we were having a girl!!
• I went on my family florida trip in May and had such and excellent time.  I was hoping to be pregnant on this trip for three years and it finally happened.  
• I celebrated my very first Mother's Day, although I think it will be even sweeter in 2012.
• Lonnie felt Blakely move for the first time!  

June

• Lonnie and I had our six year anniversary of our first date on 6-25-11
• We had such a wonderful summer!  We didn't do much but we did get to enjoy going on the lake before it got too hot...and boy did it get hot!!
• Collier and Syble came to stay with us for a weekend and we took them on the lake...which they LOVE!

 July

• We named our princess in July.
• We registered for our baby showers in July...that was so overwhelming but still super fun and something I had been looking forward to for a long time.  

August

• I had my first baby shower!  It was more than I could have asked more.
• We did our childbirth classes in August.
• I had my 4D ultrasound done In August by my friend....this was when we saw that B had a dimple in her chin just like her daddy :)
• I found out my very good friend, Katie, is expecting her first child in March!  Little Eli will be 5 months younger than Blakely.  
• Not too soon after that I found out my good friend Courtney was expecting!  Sweet Jayda will be 6 months younger than B!  

September

• I had three more baby showers!
• We had maternity pictures taken.  I couldn't decide if I wanted to have them done but I am so very happy that I did!
• We finally finished up Blakely's nursery.  My mom and I had so much fun planning her room!
• Fantasy football season started in September!  We had so much fun this year.  I don't think I've talked about this much but me and my girlfriends all play in a league together.   My husband hates it!
• I had the pleasure of scanning my friend Katie and telling her that she was having a boy!  What a wonderful treat that was :)

October

• Lonnie and I celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary on 10-6-11.
• We welcomed our sweet little Blakely on 10-13-11.  The birth story post and part two are probably my favorite posts ever....I have gone back and read them many times.  This was the best day of my life.  I became a mommy, made my husband a daddy, and got to kiss this sweet girl for the first time :)

• We had Blakely's newborn pictures taken.  Which reminds me...I think I only posted a few and forgot to post more after I ordered them.  Well here are a few of my favorites :)

This is the one when she pooped across the room...it was awesome!

• We celebrated Blakely's first Halloween.

November

• I was an emotional wreck for the first few weeks of November...might have had something to do with just having a baby??
• We celebrated Blakely's first Thanksgiving.
• Blakely turned one month old and I got to see her smile at me for the first time.  
• I wasn't able to scan my friend Courtney to determine the sex of her baby since I was on maternity leave.  But I had a friend of mine that works somewhere else do it and we were able to tell her she was having another little girl...that is always so much fun!  
• My dad celebrated 8 years of no drinking on November 19th.  I am so so so proud of him!  

December

• We celebrated Blakely's first Christmas.
• Blakely turned two months old!
• This month has been wonderful.  Blakely is so smiley all the time and just a happy baby overall.  
• I have started to get comfortable with this mommy thing this month.
• I also decided to quit my job and be a stay at home mom.  I'm pretty sure this will be the best decision I've ever made...besides marrying my husband :)  ...and starting my blog ;)
• Blakely laughed at me for the first time and I got it on video!  She has giggled a couple of times for Lonnie, my mom, and her grand cousin, but this was major laughing..and at me!  If I can figure out how to edit the video and post it then I will because it is SUPER cute.  

I hope I haven't forgotten something major...it is very likely...I seem to be quite orgetful these days! 

I have really enjoyed going back and reading some of my posts...especially some of my very first ones.  I included a ton of links and I totally don't expect y'all to go back and read all of those posts.  I just thought if there were some new readers that wanted to know more about me then they could check some of them out.  Except you mom...you are supposed to go back and read them all ;)

Happy New Year everyone!  I hope 2012 treats us all well!