2012 at a glance

I realize we're halfway through January and I'm just now doing my 2012 recap, but things have been busy and I just couldn't get to it until now! Anyway, 2012 was full of many highs and lows, here's our year in review:

January & February
We started the year in St. Louis for a funeral. It was nice spending time with extended family, but under very difficult circumstances. We celebrated Will's 4th birthday party, Maggie was sitting pretty well, took her first steps in a walker and Daniel introduced her to Dora the Explorer for the first time, plus we found out I was pregnant with our third child. Surprise! Indeed, the first pregnancy we did not plan.

We had company, played outside in pretty nice weather, celebrated Valentines Day with Will and took Maggie to the neurologist for a 6 month check-up where she was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy.

March
We announced my pregnancy, Will practiced riding his bike, Maggie had her first hair cut, started pulling up in her bed and found the 'W' sit and we watched my sister's kids over spring break. Then my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer.  She had surgery to remove the tumor as quickly as possible and we, fortunately, were able to be in town.

April
Daniel and Will found a lizard in the backyard and decided to keep him- Will named him Jumpy. We celebrated Easter, Daniel went to MMS in Las Vegas for a week, we held a gender reveal party and Zoe was diagnosed with cancer. These first few months of the year were not bringing about good health news.

May
Will finished preschool, we celebrated our 7th anniversary, Mother's Day and Daniel's birthday. We switched Maggie to a forward facing seat, took a trip to St. Louis for my cousin's baptism and I started my craft blog, Cutiepie Creations. This month we also said goodbye to our Zoe. Only 3 weeks after being diagnosed with cancer, she was gone. Oh I miss my Zo Zo, she was such a good dog.

June
Maggie pulled herself to a standing position and began drinking more independently when I found sippy cups with handles and straws. We took a boat ride on the lake (Maggie's first), a trip to the beach and I turned 30, eek! I also had a surprise 30th party.

July
Maggie went to CRS to get AFO's and a gait trainer, we finally put together my craft room, Will rode his bike lots, we went swimming, my belly grew and plenty of therapy, as usual.

August
We continued enjoying summer days with trips to the pool and park, bike rides and a final pre-baby trip to the botanical gardens. Maggie got her AFO's and a loaner gait trainer 'til hers came in on order. We also got to work making room for baby Jacob. Plus Daniel was offered a job with Deloitte in Nashville; we decided to keep it hush 'til we could tell family.

September
Big month! Maggie turned 2, we announced our move to family, started packing to stage the house for sale, Daniel had his last day at the job that brought us to B'ham and started a new one, plus added a member to our family- Jake was born!! Even with all this, the move had not yet sunk in. I loved so much of our life in Birmingham and though Nashville was closer to family, it didn't feel real that we were leaving.

October
Another busy month. We put up our house for sale, Jake was dedicated, Maggie finally started back to therapy- which was bittersweet because I had to announce our move. We sold our house and bought one (on the same day). Daniel went back to work and worked in Nashville during the week and came home on the weekend while I packed, packed and packed in between caring for the three little ones, of course. Will and Maggie got walking pneumonia and then there was Halloween. Even with buying and selling, the move still didn't seem real.

November
This was a tough month. It felt like I was constantly packing, we said so goodbye to our friends, our church family, our therapists, our home and visited places for the last time. We had a delay on closing the house in TN which forced us to move over Thanksgiving weekend, our good family friend, Mike, passed away unexpectedly,  I got the flu and walking pneumonia and we packed up our home and said goodbye.

December
Well, we're officially TN residents again. My, that was a whirlwind! Looking back, even though we're not that far out yet, I just can't believe it all happened so quickly. That we managed to shove that much going and doing and selling and buying and moving into such a short time frame. This month was crazy busy as well- now all the unpacking and placing had to be done, scheduling appointments for Maggie's therapy and finding a pediatrician, plus lots of Christmas events and Will's birthday! Goodbye 2012, here's to a healthy and blessed 2013.

One of the first and last pics of the kids together in 2012: