I come in peace! It's 2013 (already the 10th!) and I can't seem to get my act together enough to blog. I am considering this year to be "No excuses 2013". I'm tired of saying I can't do something, or I don't have time for something. I am going to step out of the fog of the first year of motherhood and reclaim some normalcy! You heard it here first. Hold me accountable, sometimes things are easier said than done.
Let's see where we left off...
First up was a trip to Rhode Island for a faux mini Christmas and belated birthday celebration. We knew we wanted to do our
first second Christmas with Anna at home, waking up in our own beds and doing presents under our tree. Not really sure why but it was important to us. We've spent the last 5+ years running from NJ to RI and back and this felt nice to have it just for our little family. So we went up a few days before Christmas and got to celebrate with Doug's family. The mood was a little down, as Anna's Great-Grandpa D was in the hospital and things weren't looking too good. We tried to put on brave faces and think he would have wanted us to have a nice day together. Thankfully Anna brightened everyone's spirits and had so much fun eating a special cake made by grandma, playing with her elephant toy from Great-Grandpa and hiding from (and then warming up to) cousin Joe.
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| Hanging with Grandma during the party |
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| The singing bear was a huge HIT |
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| She delicately used one finger to help herself to some icing |
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| HEY! |
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| opening presents with Grandpa |
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| a special gift just for Anna - a big blue doggy rocker! |
We then traveled back home and unfortunately on Christmas Eve, Great-Grandpa passed away :(
Very sad for everyone, although he lived a long and full life that anyone would be proud to have lived. He was so loved by everyone who knew him and I can't wait for Anna to grow up and learn more about him. He was very special and I'm so glad they had the chance to "meet", snuggle and have pictures together. I said it before and will say it again, I'm so proud to have been a part of his family and for him to accepted me with open arms. Quite a wonderful guy!!
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| The first time they got to meet |
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| Love at first sight |
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| He even made it down for Anna's Christening! Amazing |
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| we loved him! |
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| Great-Grandpa's 90th birthday party |
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| hanging with Anna while we were at a wedding |
So we celebrated our Christmas at home. We did Christmas Eve at my parents, Christmas Day at our house where Christina joined us for presents and "dinner". We had a nice relaxing few days before the travel started up again. Anna loved Christmas. Played with everyone. Played with new toys. Ate lots of delicious foods and cookies. Overall it was a success and I can't wait to see how much more excited and happy she'll be next year at 2-years-old (!!!!)
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| 2012 |
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| 2011. Just seeing these 2 side by side is AMAZING. |
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| Her new chair under the tree |
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| our little present |
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| Christmas morning opening |
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| YAY more presents for Anna! |
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| New shoes from Auntie Christina! (of course!) |
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| In her new hat with Auntie |
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| Looking so cute in a new outfit from Auntie Lisa |
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| Playing with her birthday gift from Great-Grandpa. She absolutely looves it |
After Christmas, we headed back to RI we went for the wake and funeral. It was, of course, very sad but we got through it.
Back on the road to NJ where we sat in the car for 6+ hours......................................
It was a LONG trip home. Where we had to get home, put baby to bed and re-pack for our journey to the Poconos for New Years. I thought ahead and did all of our laundry before we left. We made lists and although exhausted, we put together as much as we could on Friday night while Anna slept. Saturday morning we packed clothes, food and the car while she took her morning nap. We couldn't "check in" to the house till 2, so we planned on leaving around noon.
Hilarious, as it started snowing and continued to snow for our entire trip, only getting worse and worse the closer we got. By the time we were in PA and only about 20 miles out, everyone was doing 25 mph. Took us about 3.5 hours to get there (as opposed to the normal 2). What luck!
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| snow-covered PA roads |
But we arrived in one piece (and the tiny passenger was actually pretty good for the whole trip) and the house was beautiful. We settled in, let the kids run around and get their crazy energy out (lots of yelling, pushing, screaming and stealing each others things for a while) but they did well. Unfortunately our bedroom was right on the first floor right outside of all the "action" and for our little "special sleeper" I was feeling major anxiety. It's hard to be with a group of people all with their own ways. Two 2-yr-olds who just want to run and yell and have fun, parents who want them to have fun but understand the importance of quiet for "baby Anna".....it's all quite tiring. I tried to keep myself calm and realize it would all be okay one way or another. And it was. The first night she SLEPT. All night. The second 2 nights...... well, let's not go there.
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| playing so nice with her friend Sonja |
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| cute sleepy-head |
Turns out little Miss was getting another tooth (had gotten one on the bottom just before Christmas- it just popped up with no issues) and this time it suddenly was going to KILL HER OMG I'M DYING HELP ME I CAN'T SLEEP! So we did some Tylenol & prayed for the best, had crappy sleep and couldn't wait to get home and sleep in our own beds in our own rooms and just stop MOVING for a minute. And wouldn't you know, things chilled out once we got home. Too much, too much.
We did have a really nice time, but agreed next time we need a TV with cable and bigger rooms/more space. You live and learn! A great, laid-back way to enjoy the New Year - with a hot tub, delicious meals, fun board games, good wine and great friends.
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| can't wait for our latest addition - Baby Babic #2 in February. I say girl again. |
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| hehe |
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| baby and Daddy dance party |
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| did NOT enjoy the snow that day |
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| celebrating the new year at 7pm |
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| the 3 amigos in their matching jams |
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| NYE Gear |
And now here we are........a new tooth, a full-on walking/running 13-month old baby and 2013. Technically Anna's 3rd year on Earth. Weird right? (born in 2011 - for a month, all of 2012 and now 2013).
With the start of 2013 brought the end to a relationship that went on way longer than I thought it would, and maybe because I had low hopes, it far exceeded them. On January 1, 2013, Anna breastfed in the morning for the very last time. It was about 2 minutes worth as had been the norm and done. No ceremony and no real indication we were "done". The next 3 mornings she slept in at home - till 7:30 or 8. We got up and went about our day getting ready and there was no "asking" for it (aka pulling at the neck of my shirt.
Cute. [sarcasm]) And since that was the only time we ever did it anymore, I held my breath and hoped we were done. I didn't want a dramatic end where she was begging and I was saying no. I didn't want to be in pain (and thankfully there was NONE). On Saturday morning I just knew she'd get up early and that was our routine - so I prepared a bottle of milk in advance and when she got up I got it and she was satisfied. It's been 9 days and we're officially DONE. A great journey that I am really proud of and not at all ashamed that it went "so long". It was best for both of us and we rocked it. Thanks to everyone who kept asking if we were "
still" breastfeeding!
So that's that. I will be trying, trying my best to update more frequently. This weekend is fairly quiet (a nice visit from Scott & Brittney! and some house stuff) and next weekend I am having my very first baby-free weekend! I am taking the train to VA to visit Lisa and we will spend the weekend talking (and talking and talking), eating, drinking wine, relaxing, eating cupcakes, watching movies, shopping and overall just catching up like we used to. This was our "Christmas present" to each other and I have been looking forward to it for MONTHS! Doug's mom and dad will come down that weekend to help out with Anna duty ;)
We also booked ourselves a weekend in Boston (FINALLY, come on God... let this weekend happen).. after a few failed attempts to see Kara and Tiff, we decided to make a weekend of it. With CC points, we're staying in a sweet hotel for the weekend for free - in the middle of Boston. We'll get to see both of Doug's cousins/husbands, Kara and Tiff & their significant others and we'll get to SLEEP IN! We're dropping Anna off with Grandma & Grandpa in Westerly and will have a nice getaway.
On my goals list for 2013 is to go 2 places by plane I've never been. Odds on this? 20:1?
