2012 in Review

 

Each year at the end of the year I like to take time to reflect on everything that happened during the year, how much God blessed us and how much we learned. This is why I like to take so many pictures—I can see how much times change and how quickly everyone is growing! So, on the eve of 2013, here is last year’s highlights in pictures.

In January, we got to spend some time in Texas with Brett’s family. Leah also became fully potty-trained, including at night.

 

On March 12th, we found out we were expecting Baby Cody #3—very much planned for & so excited!

We celebrated Easter April 8th with our usual traditions of decorating eggs & cupcakes, and spring family pictures.

On April 15th, Andrew was dedicated at church by my dad.

In May Brett and I celebrated our 6 year wedding anniversary, and also attended the state Homeschool Convention, officially beginning our homeschooling journey!

In June we got a new & bigger car to accommodate our growing family.

We also found out we were expecting a beautiful baby GIRL.

And Leah & Andrew got to spend a day at the farm & ride a real horse.

We spent the 4th of July weekend in the Outer Banks, visiting my parents.

Leah took swimming lessons at our community pool.

And Andrew turned 2 with a bang!

In August Leah turned 4 and had an outdoor water fun party with all her friends.

And we got to spend a weekend in the mountains with 2 of my best friends, Sarah & Elizabeth, and Elizabeth’s kids.

In September, Leah started taking Dance lessons. She has loved being a ballerina!

Andrew moved into his new big boy bed in Leah’s room to make way for the new baby.

In October we enjoyed our usual fall festivities, like the Fair & pumpkin carving.

  

And then welcomed our third-born child, Abigail Ruth on October 30th.

Brett went back to working full time at the Credit Union, commuting an hour to Raleigh every day, and works part-time at the church.

My friend Elizabeth and her kids came to visit early November.

We celebrated Thanksgiving at our house with my whole family.

And ended the weekend with a trip to visit Santa.

We had 2 Christmases this year, one at my parents’ house and one at home. Of course both were extra special with a new baby around!

 

 

We look forward to what surprises 2013 may bring, and we look forward to seeing our children grow and learn. We look forward to new friends and new adventures!

Abigail @ 2 months

 

In just a few short weeks, “baby” Abigail has won the hearts of everyone in our family! She started smiling December 2nd & although it was rare at first, it’s becoming more common now, and I can’t help but smile when I see her smile. She loves to have people talk to her, especially in a high-pitched voice, and especially likes to hear her name. She seems to just tolerate her brother & sister this point, rather than really enjoy their company, but then again, they always smother her with hugs and kisses, and she’s probably not sure what to do with that! She has a pretty easygoing temperament, but she’s starting to not be quite as content to just sit around in her carseat when we’re out—she’d rather be held & be a part of the action.

She loves to sit or be held straight upright. We figured out she tolerates her swing longer now that we pulled it up so it sits up straighter rather than leans back. (I’m looking forward to using our Bumbo once she gets a little more head control.) I can hold her laying in my arms all day long, but she won’t go to sleep until I hold her upright against my chest. Then she nestles her little head and snuggles in and eventually settles down.

1st Slept Through the Night: December 21, 2012

Abigail is my best sleeper yet, although she still doesn’t really have a predictable schedule. For 3 nights in a row, starting December 21st at my mom & dad’s house, she slept 8 hours straight. I was so excited! That didn’t continue, although now she’ll usually still sleep 6 hours, wake up to eat, and then sleep another 6 hours. During the day her usual schedule is to eat every three hours, staying alert & awake about an hour each time, and then falling asleep (or being rocked to sleep, since she’s spoiled). That’s not always the case and right now I usually feed her on-demand—she’s so efficient & quick at eating, anyway!

She’s a great traveler, and though sometimes she’ll scream at having to be in her carseat (because she’d rather be held or maybe because she has gas or something?), she usually does well in the car and in public places. She’ll take a pacifier, but only for a minute or two, and even then I have to hold it in her mouth—she really just doesn’t want things in her mouth if she’s not hungry, I guess. We’ve tried a bottle a couple times, and she does okay, but usually gets really fussy afterward, and is still hungry within an hour or two.

Two Months Old

We haven’t been to the doctor yet, but I weighed her at home the other day and she was about 11 lbs., which is right between where Leah & Andrew were at her age. She fits solidly in 0-3 month clothes and size 1 diapers. She no longer looks exactly like her sister did and is developing a look all her own, although she seems to be keeping her pretty blue eyes.

    

Christmas @ Home

 

Christmas morning the kids were quiet in their rooms until about 7:30. Even then, when I went in to get them, they were waiting quietly in their beds. I’m not sure Andrew even remembered it was a special day! We’ve taught them well to stay in their room until someone comes to get them up!

It’s a little blurry because they were so quick, but here’s Leah’s reaction when she first came into the living room Christmas morning. However, it’s not because of all the presents she saw. She was so excited to see that Santa had eaten the cookies & egg nog we’d left for him. That was the first thing she wanted to know when she woke up—“I want to see if Santa ate the cookies & egg nog!” The presents were almost an afterthought—until she started opening. Then she wanted more & more, of course!

Leah again zoomed through her presents, opening and excitedly yelling out what each one was. Several times she said “It’s just what I asked for!” or “Just what I wanted!” She was so genuinely excited about everything. Santa did a great job of choosing her gifts: a Rapunzel costume; a Princess purse with keys, phone, makeup, and a compact; and a Princess game. She also got a Tinkerbell watch, a Princess book with a magic wand, and some puzzle books & some writing practice books. Leah is an organizer, like her Mommy & Daddy, and once all the gifts were open, they had to be sorted through and put in their own specific place in her room. By far the ones played with the most was the dress up costumes.

 

Andrew seemed a bit overwhelmed by all his presents. He would open one and then want to open the packaging so he could play with it. After it was all over, he just wanted to watch cartoons and really didn’t play much with any of his new stuff, because there was just too much he didn’t know what to do! Santa got him a big Duplo dump truck that can really dump out the blocks; a stick horse & cowboy boots; and a spy set with sunglasses, a flashlight & walkie talkies. He also got a toy vacuum cleaner, some paint, some cars, an “armor of God” costume with a sword,

 

I really only got Abigail gifts so that the big kids wouldn’t think Santa forgot her. She got a couple toys and a new bottle. She sat alert and content in her bouncer seat the whole time we opened gifts, enjoying the action. She crashed almost immediately after.

  

The rest of the opening went by quick!

 

 

 

   

 

We opened the last box of “What God Wants for Christmas,” a Bible nativity book we’ve done two years now. (Each box contains a character of the nativity scene to open the 7 days leading up to Christmas. The last box is a mirror, to represent that God wants us for Christmas.)

The kids hung out in their pj’s the rest of the day, playing and painting and watching cartoons. We had a nice ham dinner before settling down for the night. What a great way to spend the day with our little family!