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.