Our Life: The H's Way

It only seems fitting that since last year, my first year as a blogger ended with a post titled 2010, that this year, my second year as a blogger would end with a post titled 2011!

It seems that part of my just doesn't believe that this year is ending. I mean, come on - it's 65 degrees at noon on the last day of the year. That's crazy, right? ::Nod your head along with my eye roll, please::

Last year, THE year as I referred to it was a pretty great year. But how could I really think that 2011 wouldn't top it? I mean, you all know the highlight of 2011, right? Duh!! We'll get there.

The year started in Chicago (overlapping from 2010's end of the year trip), head us celebrating a year of marriage and quickly moved into February. When I was 19 weeks pregnant, I not only posted my very first belly photo to the public internet, but Matt and I traveled to see my long-time bestie Rebecca, her husband Brady, and their 3 pups in Atlanta. My trips to Atlanta are always bittersweet. It's so great to see Becca and to always pick up where we left off the visit before, but we both hate leaving each other. As corny as it is...it's true. This was a special trip though. Matt was there. He'd been to Atlanta before, but this time, it was with me and we went to the Georgia Aquarium. Too bad other people had the same idea.

It was a great trip, but I'm excited for 2012!

March had us trekking up to Colorado on Matt's first ski trip - poor guy. Our company board of directors trip was held at Copper Mountain, CO. Oh it was beautiful - but 5 months pregnant + skiing wasn't going to mix for this mama-to-be. ::Insert very sad face here:: And Matt - poor guy indeed. Everyone else knew how to ski and while each person was patient with him here and there, they all wanted to jet off down the slopes! I'm not sure he thoroughly enjoyed himself.

Through sickness - morning sickness and real sickness, I just got bigger and bigger, the weather got hotter and hotter - Houston hit so many heat records and days without rain and days with triple degree heat, phew, I'm glad that's over. Matt and I braved the blistering heat in May to take maternity photos, yup, outdoors.

I don't think we could have been more excited and anxious for our little boy to arrive. Even with my extreme edema and rising blood pressure, I was really enjoying pregnancy!

In June, as the real preparations began for the baby to arrive, my wonderful sister and most amazing friend got together and threw me a baby shower - it was incredible. So many wonderful people had their hands in different aspects of showing me so much love. I was overwhelmed by everyone's generosity - I was unable to express my gratitude enough.

Not only did the hostesses really outdo themselves, but all my friends and family did as well. We had so many goodies and necessities to make sure we were ready for our sweet Baby Boy.

And after the shower - the longest wait of our lives commenced. The end of pregnancy usually leaves the mom-to-be anxious and tired and uncomfortable and aching and crampy - NOT ME!

Still LOVING pregnancy!!

Granted, I delivered 3 days later.

That magical day in July...

Labor started on Monday after a doctor appointment. Very mild, just cramps and back labor. I was able to sleep Monday night, so I thought nothing of the afternoon of crampiness. It stayed pretty much the same the next day until late afternoon when I thought maybe I should time these "cramps". I went to bed after sending my "Hey, got some cramps going on but I'm sure we'll still be here in the morning" text messages to my doula and my mom and after ending my sister's and my afternoon-into-evening long text conversation about labor by telling her I was hitting the sack.

Couldn't sleep. Moved to the couch.

Was definitely in labor by 2:30am. Moved to the shower/tub.

Crying by 4am. Called my sister at 4am. Woke Matt up at 4am. Spoke to doula by 4:05am.

Positions - sister arrives - mom arrives - Matt running around the house trying to pack my bag - Kathleen arrives - more positions - puking - water breaks - LETS GO TO THE HOSPITAL!!!

And in the end - July 13, 2011 @ 4:26pm after 4 hours of pushing and a c-section 8lb 1oz Liam came into the world with a full head of black hair, graphite-blue eyes and the most perfect little face I've ever seen.

And how in the world anyone can expect me to follow up my son's birth with the rest of the year is beyond me...

Its not like anyone can expect me to have taken photos of anything other than him in the past 5 months, right? Puuhhhhh-lease!! Nothing top the birth of a baby. Nothing.

Ok fine. Let's do this fast.

My dad put it best when he summarized the middle of July in a sentence:

"Somewhere in the Bible it says something about the Lord giving and the Lord taking..."

In the same week that we welcome Liam, Mason turned 5 years old and my grandmother passed away. It was her time and her death was a celebration of the ending of her pain. She dances with angels now...and her family celebrated her in Pittsfield, MA.

August was a bunch of learning how to live life with a baby.

September was more of learning how to live life with a baby. A visit from Liam's aunt Becky and uncle Brady and a little trip to Mexico Beach, FL where my parents first saw our wedding spot. Liam's 2nd plane trip and he was only 2.5mo old!