Phew! What a year it has been! I can't believe how quickly 2011 flew by! It seems like just yesterday it was Dec. 3, 2010, the day we found out that Bunny was on her way, and now it's over 12 months later and she's a thriving 4 1/2-month old. It has been an amazing, at times challenging, but all-in-all wonderful year. Here's a quick re-cap. (Although I'm probably going to leave a TON of stuff out - I will blame it on my fuzzy "parent-brain".
January - Had our first appt. with Dr. H, who is now the most wonderful family doctor we could ask for. We also had our first glimpse of Bun via ultrasound. It was super-exciting. I also went in to take my test for state certification and made a 94. Woohoo! I'm now a certified professional appraiser!
February - We finally ditched our old desktop computer and replaced it with the laptop I'm currently typing on. We figured it was a great space-saving move and that it would be nice for Skyping with the family. We were right, it has been. We also experienced some REALLY chilly weather. I posted about it here.
March - We found out that Bunny was healthy and happy via ultrasound and that she was a girl! We were so stoked about it that we went out and bought two incredibly frilly outfits for her. (Unfortunately, one had an annoying bow in the front that hindered easy burping and the other she never had the occasion to wear...oh well...you live and learn!) MM got started cleaning out what was once his room to start getting ready to convert to the nursery. That was a long process, but SO worth it now!
April - MM and I really got to working on the nursery this month. The carpet was pulled out, paint color was selected, and all the trim was removed. It was weird having a completely empty room in such a small house. Things have really been cramped since then. We also paid a visit to my family in SA to see Crowbar and the band she's in play at a great BBQ joint. It was a great way to spend our Easter weekend. Nothing's better than quality time with family
May - West Texas was ravaged by several humungous wildfires throughout the month of May. Several of them came close enough to us that we had to develop an escape plan and keep bags packed for a few weeks. The fires were finally controlled but there are several parts of the area that will take years to recover. I celebrated my first Mother's Day with MM at home. He spoiled me quite thoroughly and I loved every second of it.
June - June was a HUGE month for us. We were out of town quite a bit, first on a family vacation to Gruene,Texas, and then back to SA for my baby shower. While on our vacation, we got to go have a 3D ultrasound done and saw Bunny's little face for the first time. It was beyond amazing. Our vacation was nice and quiet, just what I needed with only two months left of pregnancy and we have some great, fun memories of the trip. Mimi, Crowbar, and Munky threw me an amazing baby shower at my grandma's house and some wonderful friends and family made it even more wonderful. We are so blessed! Finally, MM and his friend spent a day installing new laminate flooring and all the trim in the nursery. It finally looked like a finished room!
July - July was the last full month before Bunny was due to arrive, so we were trying to get a lot done. My parents came in July 4th weekend and they helped us pull the nursery together. The furniture was all assembled and installed, the new ceiling fan was installed, and decor was unpacked and put out. The finished product is beyond beautiful. I am very grateful to MM, Papaw, & Mimi for all they did. Since my birthday is August 8 and Bunny was due on August 14, MM decided to have my birthday celebration in July to ensure that I actually got one. He spent a whole weekend showering me with gifts and good food. It was the perfect celebration of my 30th birthday.
August - August 2011 will forever be one of the most wonderful months of our lives. Bunny arrived with minor complications on August 12 and we are so blessed by her. She was a typical fussy little girl from the start but quickly grew into a very calm, content little one. Unfortunately her Mommy wasn't doing as well. First I ended up in the hospital for 3 additional nights for high blood pressure. Due to stress, she didn't stay with me, so my parents had her at home while MM and I stayed at the hospital. It was heartbreaking and hard, but we made it through our first week and I finally got to go home to be with my little family. It was a rough start, but it definitely made us stronger!
September - This was a bit of a tough month for the Star family. Bunny was adjusting nicely and we got into a bit of a rhythm together. MM went back to work and Bunny and I spent some trying days together. Finally, though, my post partum depression and anxiety finally got the best of me and we spent a week at Papaw's and Mimi's while I got some counseling to help me get my head on straight. It was very hard, but we did it and the three of us got through it together. We also had a fun visit from Aunties Crowbar and Munky. They just loved meeting and cuddling Bunny.
October - I went back to work in October and was finally starting to heal mentally. Bunny was pretty much sleeping through the night by this point and we got into a great routine of getting up in the morning and getting all of us out the door with a limited amount of stress. We celebrated Bunny's first Halloween in a low-key manner. We grilled our traditional steaks and watched Halloween movies together. (Non-scary ones, of course!)
November - Bunny decided November was a great time to stop sleeping through the night and we are still working on redeveloping good sleep habits with her. She also started smiling and laughing a lot more than in the weeks before. We also dealt with a completely miserable weekend where the three of us were sick. That was a bummer, but Bunny was a trooper and I felt like we came through her first illness with flying colors. Bunny's first Thanksgiving was amazing and Papaw, Mimi, Crowbar, and Munky made the long trek out to celebrate with us. In spite of the washer breaking, the weather being too bad for turkey-frying, and the family being in a sub-par hotel for a night it was a wonderful time for all.
December - We took Bunny on her first trip to the "big city" and she stayed in a hotel for her first time as well. The purpose of the trip was to do our Christmas shopping and we had a great time. She did well everywhere we went and slept through most of our time on the road. She is a wonderful traveler. We also made a surprise trip to SA to spend Christmas with my family. Bunny did well on that trip as well despite a small amount of sleep regression. We had great food, great fellowship, and made some wonderful memories for Bunny's first Christmas. I know she won't remember a bit of it, but all of us will and I know we're all thankful for that. I have to thank MM for making it all possible. It was he who made the trip work out even though we have been a bit strapped in several different areas of our lives this month. Bunny also had her 4-month check up and shots and was given a perfect bill of health by Dr. H. We started her on food and she has been doing really well with that. It has been a bit more time-consuming to make her food every week, but so worth it to know that she is eating what we're cooking and not something processed.
So, that is our year-in-review. It has been such a roller coaster for us, but the end result has been family closeness and true joy and gratitude for what we have been blessed with. I know 2012 will bring with it more fun, challenges, and memories and I am so blessed to have what I have. I pray that you have a safe and happy New Year celebration and that 2012 is full of the joys of life as well!
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