February: Lil’ O turned one and was dedicated at church! We hosted a fun, little Lego-themed party, but I think the most memorable part of the party was Lil’ O’s reaction to his first taste of pure sugar. Those cupcakes were amazing, but he showed jaw-unhinging delight. That same weekend, Lil’ O was dedicated at church. It's such a blessing to be part of our church community and share the joy that our little man brings.
May: My lovely sister-in-law married her prince charming! The wedding
was beautiful, she was stunning, her groom is a wonderful man, and the couple
honored us by not only having Husby and me in the wedding party, but also by
inviting Lil’ O to toddle down the aisle. Sadly no pictures of his long walk, but, trust me, it was adorable.
 |
| Photo by Christopher Keels |
July: Husby got a scholarship and started an MBA program. Nicely done
Husby! The beginning of classes wasn’t a big celebration like some of these
other 2013 highlights, but it certainly caused some adjustments for our little
family. I’ve taken on a bit more around the house, while still working mostly
part-time and our puppy, Knute, gets a bit less attention on Mondays. Husby is
doing great with his classes and could be done toward the end of 2015. Thanks
to some credits applied and six months of classes, his first year is now
complete! I'm proud, but clearly his first master’s degree wasn’t enough. Over achiever.
July: This month also marked Husby and my first getaway without Lil’ O.
We went to Sonoma and it was beautiful. But, it was also really, really hard to
be away. I definitely overestimated my ability there. In hindsight, we should
have planned an overnight trip to work up to this sort of thing instead of
starting with a four-day, three-night excursion. Delicious food and wine, but lesson
learned.
September: My wonderful, caring father-in-law retired after 40 years of ministry, more than 30 of which have been leading the congregation at the church where Husby grew up. He finished well and all of us in the family are so proud of him and constantly learning from the example he sets. Love you G’pa.
Summer/Fall: Lil’ O is talking! Gulp. It started slowly and then
something connected. Now, his vocabulary just grows with each new day. Some
words are still hilarious and need a Mommy Decoder ring, but overall it’s so
helpful to know what’s on his mind. Hint, we hear a lot about trucks. My
favorite “word” remains how Lil’ O says spider: spee-oh-wee. Hehe!
October: Halloween costumes were epically adorable this year. Thanks to
outfitting by my mom, G’ma, we had hand-knit Gryffindor scarves for our little
threesome and Harry Potter glasses for Lil’ O. He made an adorable Harry
Potter, and Husby and I tagged along as Ron and Hermione. There was also a
crazy cute lion outfit worn earlier in the day. See? Epically adorable.
December: Christmas festivities! I’m happy to report that I did much
better with my stress levels than last year. It got close a
few times, but I successfully planned ahead and started prep in November so we
could have family photos; get Christmas cards designed, printed and sent; make
adorable DIY ornaments as gifts; request and receive a
knitted stocking for Lil’ O from my mom, G’ma; do all my gift shopping; and do a
little bit of baking. Whew! Now, I’ll admit a lot of these things were done in the
wee hours of the night, but I paced myself and am proud of all I accomplished
to make the season festive for my little family, especially considering we left
early for Christmas in Ohio with the extended family.
Now, on to 2014! I aim to be a bit better about blogging in the New Year,
but have yet to compile my full list of resolutions, so stay tuned. Have a safe
and blessed New Year!
No comments:
Post a Comment