Showing posts with label updates. Show all posts
Showing posts with label updates. Show all posts
Friends and Family,

 This blog post is a fun and very photo-filled update of the past year (click on any collage to enlarge). As I am sure you have noticed we haven't posted since April. As you will see below, there was a very good reason for a shift of resources. It doesn't mean Abbey has stopped writing, her pending posts file is full! But there just wasn't margin for editing and upload. Who knows what 2013 will bring, but we hope it allows for some fun posts! Thank you for following and most importantly, being a part of our lives. Whether near or far.

2012

The boys grew so quickly! 

Declan proved to have the spirit and determination of a first born. Eager to try anything, a lover of protein and a hands down ham. This little life of the party makes us smile and belly laugh on a daily basis. One thing is for sure, he adores his brother. Their bond is something to watch and teaches us so much about friendship, family and sweet gentle love. 

Rowan continued to amaze us with his intelligence and gentle spirit. His authority and leadership are so much fun to witness as he guides others with gentleness. Seeming to have the photographic memory of his mother and the developing verbal skills beyond his age made for some wonderful moments. As Declan has grown to almost his same height and weight there is no evidence of sibling jealous. True adoration and pride in his brother is commented on by strangers. His sweet spirit has brought and kept many little playmates. This year was full of play dates and new experiences. All of which he rose to the occasion  He conquered the slide! Potty trained! Learned to ride a tricycle! And started Preschool!

And now for a few pictures:





In January we cheered the ducks on from home, with our sweet boys. 
This one proved to have quite the appetite!


We met two new cousins, sweet Lucy and Kale. There were cousin's birthdays and one first communion. We love having cousins for our boys to spend time with, growing together! 
(no pics for their privacy) 
This year we were able to spend a good deal more time with them as the kiddos are
 bigger and able to play together, not just next to each other. <smile>

We went to Olympia a few times, but sadly not nearly as often as in the past. 

Abbey got to celebrate her new and very dear friend's birthday.

Easter Egg hunts the day before Easter:
(Nana came down early too with gifts for the boys, then a hunt with their best friends and finally an Easter Egg Hunt where the eggs were dropped from a helicopter!)



We hosted a small Easter brunch at our house:


Abbey was able to escape for a full-weekend with two of her best friends:

And then for the big, amazing, highly anticipated event of the year....GRADUATION! Ladies and gentlemen there is now a Doctor in the house. And we are so incredibly proud!!!! Three years, two kids, countless rotations, hours of studying, passing ALL tests with a 90% or higher, he did it all and did it well! He graduated school with a contract from Fred Meyer and to top it all off he passed both boards the first time around in July. A huge accomplishment to say the least, but not surprising. So without further ado a few more pictures:

White Coat Ceremony 2009 on Left (10 days before Rowan was born)
Graduation Award Ceremony 2012




Graduation Party



Congratulations Doctor, so proud of you!
July
Rest, concerts outside, enjoy the sunshine
~As evidence by a blogging absence and a rested family unit. 
Write birth story
~Started this.

August
Celebrate our 8th Anniversary
~Low key for sure. But sometimes just being together is more than enough.
Go on a date, alone
~ Thanks to our amazing support circle we were able to check this one off the list.
Throw Rowan's 2nd Birthday Party!
~ This was so much fun and will be blogged about later. A ton of work but oh so worth it for our little sir.
Start jogging
~ Lightly. Running after a newly initiated 2 year old is proving to burn many calories.


ADDED:
Declan's baby shower
Trip up North for a very special wedding
Trip south for the Cousin's reunion


September
Take family photos
~Moved this to October.
Plan Kevin's birthday
~Planned, but not fully cemented. 
Read: Re-read Babywise and Babywise II by Ezzo and Bucknam
~Success! Didn't end up wanting to re-read the second one yet as it wasn't as applicable.


ADDED:
Celebrate My Birthday
~A week of brunch, picnics, flowers and ending with a sleepover and crafts. Perfect.
June (9 month Prego)
Celebrate Caitlin's birthday early!
~ Sweet Caitlin ended up sharing a birthday with our newest addition!
Wash and put newborn clothes away
~ In the nick of time.
Finish putting away newborn essentials
~Done
Walk, walk, walk, walk....
~ All the time. 
Have hospital bag packed
~Success, but just barely. 
Car seat installed
~My husband rocks
Bring this sweet baby home
~ In case you missed the post it is found here.
Read: Really? Not sure that will happen!
* Baby arrives!
This was taken in the waiting room on Caitlin's birthday, our sweet sons birthday twin. The caption:
"I am living a Friends moment"
SO grateful to be so surrounded by love.

May (8 month Prego)
Tour hospital
~Done. Only accomplished by the skin of our teeth, at the end of the month, with the In-Loves on hand to help with Baby Love. 
Meals planned
~Contacted the church and they are so graciously helping set them up. They are using :Takethemameal.com
Call list, etc... updated
~ Another finished near the middle/end of the month. Calling cards distributed.
Baby announcements addressed
~Nope. But addresses are updated and a list of who to send them to is done.
Take pregnancy pictures
~ Good Friend Sophie Brock came and took some amazing shots. You can see a few here around pages 29 or 30.
Plan and throw Jessica's birthday
~ It ended up being a day of celebration that was so much fun!
Read: The Key To Your Child's Heart by G. Smalley or Playful Parenting by D. Westman
~ Nope. The list of little teeny things that needed to be done and working on spending some quality time together took precedence, as it should.
* Kevin is done with classes! Rotation schedule begins.


Happy April! We have been absent for a bit, but have been so busy! There are many crafts and parties to tell you about and we are stoked to share some of the things we learned along the way. Since we last blogged we...

 ...have been notified that we will be in our home city for at least another year and won't need to move! 
...we had some family time, aka a 2-day spring break.
...during that time we were able to rearrange our house and complete some major projects to prepare for this little one's birth. 
...prepped for a baby shower that turned out fabulous.
...took a 5 day trip to Olympia.
...threw the baby shower.
...entered the third trimester.


And those are just the highlights. So look for some interesting posts in the next week as we will be telling you all about the above as well as a few other little things we have up our sleeves.
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