My Year in Review

A blog would not be the same if it did not have a yearly "end of the year review" now would it? So mine is a few days late, I'm lucky I got it done even in the month of January. Although I will admit that more than likely I am going to write down a few things now and have to come back to the list later....it might just be several months later. Now lets start...

1. We found out we were going to be parents on New Years Day 2009, what a way to start the year! Although, it doesn't really help that I went to our annual party the night before, sorry little bean.

2. We bought a brand new town home in March which was also a model home, full of many upgrades and complete with a painted nursery for a boy. Hooray!

3. My best friend came to visit from Texas and planned the BEST baby shower with Dennis.

4. We finished the nursery.

5. We found out that our little bean was a boy. Even though I had sworn for MONTHS I was having a girl.
6. I got a raise.
7. I won the award at work for, "most likely to remove children, work on a shelter petition, and go into labor all at the same time".
8. I cried to a Celine Dion special in my first trimester of pregnancy. I really don't have a connection to the lady at all or particularly like her much.
9. We started and mostly finished "wood" flooring in our office. Dennis will be finishing this in early 2010.
10. Dennis and I celebrated our last night out as the two of us at the Cheesecake factory a month before my due date, not knowing that I would actually have Nolan the next day.
11. I had an emergency c-section after learning my water had been broken for two weeks and there was almost no amniotic fluid left for bean. (even though I told the doctor two weeks prior that I was leaking fluid)

12. I thought about suing my doctor's office.
13. My mother and father spent two nights in a hotel together in the same room to be close to baby Nolan at the hospital. And they didn't kill each other.
14. I vowed to never return to my OB/GYN when I asked for help with my anxiety and they told me they could not help me because that had no relation to post partum depression.
15. I took maternity leave and spent every waking moment with my perfect little man.

16. I gave a valiant effort to breast feeding but after not producing enough milk and Nolan's weight dropping I had to stop. Major fail!
17. My grandparents moved from Texas to live in my mom's neighborhood. Family is back together again!
18. My cousin (who is much more like a brother) received a scholarship to teach English in Spain. I'm so proud of him! He came home for Christmas and got to meet Nolan.
19. We got visits from Oma and Fritz (daddy's mom and step dad) and Nolan's godfather, David.

20. My parents spent an entire holiday together which hasn't happened in over 20 years.
21. I cried for the entire week before I took Nolan to daycare and had to go back to work, early.
22. I started college Spanish classes through my job.
23. I learned how to bake and now I bake the best damn chocolate chip cookies around town!
24. We finally finished Nolan's name letters for the nursery, a few months after he was born. (okay it was really 5 months after)
25. Dennis decided to cut some spending by getting rid of my DVR. I was a raging crazy lady for a couple of weeks which prompted the return of DVR to our home.
26. Nolan had many nicknames; bean, no-bo, no-li, bubby.
27. We celebrated Nolan's first Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years.

What a year it has been. We have been given so much and we are so happy with everything that we have. Having Nolan really made everything in our lives change drastically but we wouldn't give that up for anything. I can't even explain how Nolan has brought us even closer together. I am so in love with my family.

Bring on 2010!