A look back at 2016

In January we had our maternity pictures taken.  I am SO glad we spent the money to have these done and will forever cherish them.  It's crazy how little Addi looks a year ago! Addi turned two and a half and continued to be hilarious, sweet and clever.  Chris and I had a night away before Isaac was born, and my belly kept on growing as we anxiously awaited our baby boy! 

In February I wrote a letter  to Isaac before he was born, and I have hard time now remembering what it was like without him in here.  I had my 39 week doctor appointment and it looked like I was measuring quite ahead. We discussed inducing and had an ultrasound to check, and with only being dilated a centimeter my doctor didn't think he'd be coming on his own in the next week or so.  Isaac's crib and room was ready as we waited for him to come! Isaac Jordan Vale surprised us and came a week early all on his own.  His labor was perfect and he was just the best gift ever.

In March we started adjusting to our life as a family of four.  I shared the rest of our maternity pictures, and we had Isaac's newborn pictures taken.  I held Isaac all the time.  In the carrier most of the time, on my chest whenever Addi was sleeping and soaked up every second I could.  I ate a million mini cadbury cream eggs surrounding Easter and way too long after.  I shared Isaac's birth story and would do anything to relive that day again.  

I spent most of April being incredibly tired and learned to function on very little sleep.  Adjusting to life with two kids felt mostly manageable at the beginning, but was I completely exhausted.  I shared Isaac's newborn pictures and he is just the cutest thing in the world.  I wrote a post about being a second time mom, and how somethings were a lot easier but some just as hard. 

In May Chris and I celebrated eleven years of marriage.  Addi continued to say hilarious things and my Addi says what posts continued to be a favorite.  I wrote about being a "boy mom" and will probably forever be learning how to let go of my own agenda when it comes to motherhood. I celebrated another Mother's Day and will forever be so grateful that God gave me that role. 

In June we went on a vacation with my family and it was so much fun, although Isaac hardly slept and I felt like a total dud.  We did have a good time and it was great spending all that time together. Isaac turned three months old and he continued to be laid back and felt like he fit perfectly in our family.  

In July our sweet girl turned THREE!  We celebrated with donuts at the park with friends and then an ice cream party with our family.  It was so fun celebrating her and seeing her excitement for her birthday this year.   I shared about how I felt like being a mom to two got harder the older Isaac got and was struggling with figuring out how to be a mom to both and felt anxious for any kind of routine.  We celebrated the fourth of July and Addi saw fireworks for the first time.  

In August Isaac turned six months and I couldn't believe he'd already been here for half a year! We had some great summer weekends as a family, and I attempted to get some kind of workout routine started.  The biggest news this summer was that we bought a new house! It came out of nowhere and wasn't what we were planning, but was just great, exciting news! 

In September Addi started preschool and we had a rough month or so with drop offs.  I hated that she cried a lot when I left and felt anxious for her to do better.  We moved into our house at the end of August, and got settled in pretty quickly and LOVED our new space.  Isaac had so many firsts this month.  Sitting up on his own, swinging, a haircut and started to crawl!  

In October we went to the pumpkin patch and it made me so excited for all our traditions as a family of four.  I got a new haircut and started feeling like I could get dressed in real clothes and feel more put together more often.  I loved decorating our new house for Fall and was so thankful for nice weather, as we continued to spend so much time outside.  We had a great Halloween and it was so much fun with both kids! 

I shared our Halloween pictures and about how much fun that weekend was!  In November,  I attempted to put Isaac in a pumpkin and he was not having it!  I turned 32 and celebrated my birthday with my family and didn't write a thing about it until two months later.  Opps.  We had a wonderful Thanksgiving, which I just realize I never shared about either.  Clearly this month was not my month for blogging!  My sister and I ran a 5K Thanksgiving morning and I love that tradition.  We got our Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving, which will forever be my favorite tradition. 

In December we had a fun big snow storms and we loved watching from inside our house, and Addi loved playing in it.  Isaac turned nine months old and continued to be the happiest, sweetest baby that still stinks at sleeping.  My sister had a hot chocolate party again this year and it was so much fun. Chris had a fancy work Christmas party and I got to dress up in a sparkly dress, and we had a great time!  I finally wrote about my birthday and some things I'm good at and areas I need to work on. We had a great Christmas Eve and Christmas day and are so for our families all being close by to celebrate with. 
2016 was a year full of a lot of blessings for us.  Our sweet Isaac was born and we moved into a beautiful new house.  I am so thankful for this last year and all that God has given us.  2017 welcomed our family with the stomach flu, but I am sure the year will be filled with many wonderful things.  Happy New Year!