Dear 2012,

Every year I write a letter on December 31st.

To read the other yearly letters, click HERE.

Dear 2012,

What a year, what a year.
You have been a most memorable year.

A year ago today, I was 7 weeks pregnant with Luke and puking my guts out and thinking to myself...can I survive another pregnancy being so sick? How am I going to do this? I remember praying that my morning sickness wouldn't last as long as it did with the girls....24 weeks. (Newsflash: My morning sickness with Luke lasted pretty much the entire 9 months. But, I survived)

The day before, we had just had our first ultrasound and got to see & hear Luke's heartbeat for the very first time.

Later that night we told our families about Baby #3.

I wasn't sure what 2012 would hold.....Would this baby be a girl or a boy?

Would I be able to handle having 3 kids? How would the girls react to a new baby?
2012 was a year of change, a year of growth, a year of ups & downs.

Let's look at some highlights!
January:

My favorite part of January was Kate's 5th Birthday Party!

Kate wanted a Rainbow Art Party and it was a blast!

Febraury:

I entered my 2nd trimester & it was the peak of my morning sickness.
I'm smiling in this picture, but I was miserable :)

 In February, I took Claire to a movie in the theaters for the first time (Beauty & The Beast 3D)

They wanted to wear their princess dresses to the movie :)

In February we also found out that my younger sister was pregnant and due just 6 weeks after me!!!!

March:

 In March, we finally went public about my pregnancy! Man, that was a hard secret to keep.
I don't really show until 20 weeks, so that is when we announced it to the public (friends & family knew before this)
We told the girls on St. Patty's Day and, I announced it on the blog with this photo:

I had my 20 week u/s and for the 3rd time, we decided not to find out the gender until birth!

April:
We had a lovely Easter and then headed up to Tahoe for Spring Break.
We took the girls skiing for the first time. I skiied down the bunny hills with them at 22 weeks pregnant :)
And, on that trip, I read all 3 Hunger Games books in 5 days. SO good.

May:
My sister found out they were having a BOY at their gender reveal party!

And, I entered my 3rd trimester!

June:
School got out for summer & that meant I only had 2 months until baby arrived.
We didn't have any plans for the summer...no vacations or trips planned since baby was coming.
So, we lived in our pool. The girls learned how to swim!

I also had Maternity Photos taken!
Family of Four no More!

July:
July was the month of PARTIES. Like, WHOA.
You know me, I love parties. It started with our annual 4th of July party at our house:

The next weekend, my friend Kelly threw me a beautiful Baby Shower.

The weekend after that I threw my sister a Little Man Baby Shower.


The week after that I hosted a Pioneer Woman Potluck Party.

 I was trying to party this baby out! But, he was cozy inside me!

August:
The highlight of our year...when Luke was born on 8.9.12
The moment he was born & we heard the words, "It's A BOY!"

 Click HERE to read the birth story (I love birth stories!)
 2 weeks after Luke was born, Kevin and I celebrated our 10th Anniversary!

At the end of August, Kate started Kindergarten!

 August was an amazing month!

September:
Claire started Preschool and she also turned 4. I threw her a Candy Shoppe Party!
Claire's favorite part was the actual Candy Shoppe I set up:
Also in September, my sister had her baby boy Jack!
A Brother Cousin for Luke!

October:
My maternity leave ended & I headed back to school.
My sister Elyse & I got to go to the NLCS Giants game.
Giants won the World Series.
My Grammy turned 101 and Luke got to meet her for the first time.

Halloween Party & Luke dressed up as a Whoppie Cushion

November: 
Getting family photos done as a Family of 5.


Throwing my mom a Surprise Party for her 60th was the highlight for sure!

December:
Anticpating Luke's first Christmas....and then....The shooting in Newtown which rocked me & the rest of the world.
Doing 26 Acts of Kindness.
Celebrating Luke's 1st Christmas.

 2012, you have been good to us.
The year our family was completed.
I am thankful to God for the ways he worked in our family this year and for the ways that He will continue to work in us and through us.
I pray tha God will continue to reveal himself to me in the coming year.
In 2012, He has done more than I could ever ask or imagine. EVER.
 It was a year of great joy and great sadness, and even though I am sad to see it go, I look forward to 2013 with eyes wide open.

Happy New Year, dear friends. Thanks for reading!
May your 2013 be filled with joy & hope no matter your circumstances.

Snapshots from Christmas

Christmas is always a magical time, but for me, with a baby in the house it makes it even that much more magical. Here are my 3 on Christmas Eve as we headed out to church for the Christmas Eve service.

Growing up, we opened up all our presents on Christmas Eve, so we headed to Mimi & Jimmy's after church.

 

 

 Brother Cousins celebrating their 1st Christmas both with Argyle Vests.

 My sister Elyse got me the greatest gift, a mason jar wine glass. Love it!

Then it was time to head home, get the kids in bed & play Santa.

Kate wanted to leave the milk in a Giants cup because "Santa is a Giants Fan". Yes he is Kate, yes he is.

All set for the morning...before midnight. That's a first!

 Kate was up at 8, but Claire didn't wake up until after 9:15! Finally, it was time to head downstairs:

 

So excited they got Play-doh machines. The only thing Kate asked for. I am not a play doh fan (the mess!!!!) but since it was the one and only thing she wanted, I HAD to get it for them.

Luke's 1st Christmas. Love it.

 

Not too sure about the bouncer Santa brought.

I only got Luke 3 things for Christmas (he's a baby, doesn't know the difference) and one of those items was this hat I got at Old Navy. I am OBSESSED with him wearing it. Ack. So cute.

The girls got hats also...that I found at Safeway!

Then it was back to Mimi & Jimmy's for the day. 

My dad makes a 3 meat breakfast/brunch every Christmas. I eat 2 meals on Christmas. This and dinner.

 Our dinner this year was Filet Minagon. And, the PW's mushrooms. And green bean casserole. And I made my loaded mashed potatoes with bacon. So much good food.

And, good wine.

 

One of favorite games to play as a family is Mexican Train Dominoes.

It was a nice, mellow Christmas. And, by December 26th it was all taken down.

 We put up our tree the day after Thanksgiving, so by Christmas it is shedding & ready to be taken down.

 It's always bittersweet taking down Christmas. 

I love the Christmas songs & reflecting on Christ's birth and that a he is our Savior is here to save us.

I love our house during Christmas. I love the lights, the tree & the decorations.

But when it's over, I get sad it's over, so I put it all away & anxiously await until next year to put it all up.

Hope you had a Merry, Merry Christmas as well!