2014 in Review
As I sit here, preparing to type my annual Christmas "Year in Review post", I almost start laughing!
In 2014, there was:
a new job
a new house
a new car
a new baby
a new school
Every year I say we are just going to sit back...and every year it just gets more crazy!
OLIVER
I guess it makes the most sense to start with the guy that wasn't even a part of our Christmas card last year. Our family welcomed Oliver Walter Bach into our life on August 25, 2014. Oliver surprised us by arriving 2.5 weeks early; he was just so excited to meet us! Technically we learned about Oliver on December 31, 2013 - and on April 18, 2014 we learned he was a he! A Boy! To say I was in shock over hearing the news I was having a boy is an understatement...and Eleanor...well, she cried. But this little boy has just taken over my heart (and Eleanor has adjusted too). In fact we are all a little crazy about Oliver over here! I cannot imagine my life without him and he completes our little family of 4 so wonderfully! Oliver's personality is just wonderful too. He's a little skeptical of just about everything. When he smiles, it's with his entire body. But he doesn't smile often. He's usually just sitting back, assessing this new thing called life. Every day is something new with him and I can't tell if I want each day to last 1 hour longer or if I can't wait to watch him grow up. Parenting is just so bittersweet. You want them to stay so small and innocent for so long...but watching them grow is such a reward. I'm so excited for 2015 with this little man.
ELEANOR
In the competition for "Who had the biggest year", Eleanor would be a strong contender. In January, we took Eleanor in for her peanut allergy test and she passed with flying colors. Andy and I sat back for 4 hours as we watched Eleanor try peanut butter for the first time! In March we told her she was going to be a big sister. In June she moved into her 3 (kind of 4th) house in 5 years. In August she became a big sister. In September she started Kindergarten! Through it all she has remained the same crazy, highly emotional, over sensitive, creative, always singing, always dancing ball of energy she always has been. Eleanor is truly enjoying Kindergarten and we are truly enjoying her teacher! She loves reading (when she wants to)and is always writing stories for us. It's amazing how much progress has been made in just one semester! After school Eleanor is busy with Gymnastics, swim lessons and Daisies. I can't believe how grown up Eleanor seems - I'm in complete denial that she will be 6 this winter. I truly feel like she was just Oliver's age. And while sometimes I ache for that sweet, little baby to be back cuddling with me, I'm having such a blast parenting Eleanor. Andy can only laugh at how much Eleanor and I are a like - so needless to say, parenting her can also be a challenge for me! Sometimes she's just too smart for either of us!
ELIVER
Eliver is what happens when you are sleep deprived and try to say "Eleanor" and "Oliver". It's also what happens when a certain 5 year old is smitten with her younger brother. If you are looking for Oliver - chances are, Eleanor will be close behind. Even when I was pregnant with Oliver, Eleanor was protective of him. Oliver also thinks Eleanor is the greatest. Eleanor loves to hug Oliver, kiss him, and generally just lay all over him. I don't always want to say, "Eleanor stop" or "Eleanor get off" or some variation of that, so I bite my tongue a lot. But the truth is, as long as Eleanor is paying attention to Oliver, he is usually fine with whatever she's doing. They may be 5 1/2 years apart, but it's obvious already that they have a special relationship. I'm over the moon in love with these two.
KARL
Oh our little furbaby. Where do I start with Karl? In all seriousness, Karl has adjusted very well to HIS biggest year ever. Karl spent a lot of time this past spring in the backseat of our car as we waited (and watched) for house showing after house showing to end. One time we spent over 2 hours in our car, waiting for a showing to end (that's a long story...). Karl adjusted very well to his new house and even better to his new little brother. Karl is VERY protective of Oliver, just as he has been with Eleanor. Every time Oliver cries, Karl makes sure we are quick to respond and he'll stay right by Oliver's side if someone new is holding him. But our Karl keeps us on our toes! He started 2014 by drinking a bottle of Baileys and spending the night in Urgent Care. I've actually lost count of how many toothbrushes he has eaten. He has gotten numerous Tupperware lids and one night we came home to find the contents of our pantry all over our first floor. The next day I found I giant marshmallow attached to a pair of my jeans in our bedroom closet. He barked at our new van in our driveway for a few days, trying to figure out who was here to visit us. And we won't even talk about how many breastpump parts he has eaten. But he has a heart of gold. He's Andy's "first born" and while I often complain about him and will openly discuss our love-hate relationship...he's a member of our family.
ANDY
Another big year for Andy too! Hard to think that 3 short years ago, Andy was living the bachelor life! Perhaps the biggest day of his year was the day we traded in his truck for a minivan. I promised Andy that someday he would drive a truck again! Andy and I also saw our first movie together in 2014...Frozen. Two weeks later, we saw our second movie together...The Lego Movie. It's been so much fun watching Andy parent Oliver...an infant. He's certainly a hands on dad - just as he's always been with Eleanor. Andy continues to work in Sales at the same company he's been with since college and it's more helpful now than ever that he works from home! Every morning he takes Eleanor to the bus stop and picks her up on Mondays and Fridays. He and Eleanor have quite the little routine in the morning and when I get involved, I usually just mess it up!
DANA
Of course, I'm going to try and stake my claim on having "the biggest year ever". Although, my year really started in 2013. Right after Christmas I accepted a new job as the HR Director of a smaller company right here in New Berlin. It was an incredibly opportunity that I couldn't pass up...the day after I accepted the job, I found out we were pregnant. Talk about timing! Things always work out and I'm so happy I decided to take the job, even knowing I was pregnant. It's been such a great challenge and for the first time in a long time I'm finally not job hunting. My year was completely consumed by the pregnancy and I tried to enjoy every moment of it - fully knowing it would be my last. I was blessed with another healthy, easy pregnancy - complete with massive weight gain. I can honestly say I love being pregnant and can't believe I'll never be that way again...but I'm ready to get my own body back once and for all. I didn't do a ton of running in 2014 and am looking forward to getting back into that again - I've already signed up for a 1/2 marathon in August 2015. It's also nice to know that I'm finally in MY HOME. From the moment Nic passed away, I knew I wouldn't be able to stay in the Keith Lane house and when we moved in with Andy, we knew that if we wanted our family to grow, we wouldn't be able to stay in the Maple Ridge house (only 3 bedrooms). When we purchased our house in June, we both committed to the fact that we never, ever, ever want to move again. I feel like I have roots. I'm having so much fun turning this little house into a home...but trying to practice patience too...of course I want my "Honey Do" list completed today!
What a year - and to think this is only a glimpse at what we have been up to in 2014. We feel SO incredibly blessed with everything we have been given in 2014 and we are so excited for the adventures we will have in 2015.
We hope you have been equally blessed and found 2014 to be as thrilling as we did. We welcome you back to the blog at any point throughout the year - I'm always updating it with something that's going on. Health, happiness, love and laughter to you and yours in 2015!
In 2014, there was:
a new job
a new house
a new car
a new baby
a new school
Every year I say we are just going to sit back...and every year it just gets more crazy!
I guess it makes the most sense to start with the guy that wasn't even a part of our Christmas card last year. Our family welcomed Oliver Walter Bach into our life on August 25, 2014. Oliver surprised us by arriving 2.5 weeks early; he was just so excited to meet us! Technically we learned about Oliver on December 31, 2013 - and on April 18, 2014 we learned he was a he! A Boy! To say I was in shock over hearing the news I was having a boy is an understatement...and Eleanor...well, she cried. But this little boy has just taken over my heart (and Eleanor has adjusted too). In fact we are all a little crazy about Oliver over here! I cannot imagine my life without him and he completes our little family of 4 so wonderfully! Oliver's personality is just wonderful too. He's a little skeptical of just about everything. When he smiles, it's with his entire body. But he doesn't smile often. He's usually just sitting back, assessing this new thing called life. Every day is something new with him and I can't tell if I want each day to last 1 hour longer or if I can't wait to watch him grow up. Parenting is just so bittersweet. You want them to stay so small and innocent for so long...but watching them grow is such a reward. I'm so excited for 2015 with this little man.
ELEANOR
In the competition for "Who had the biggest year", Eleanor would be a strong contender. In January, we took Eleanor in for her peanut allergy test and she passed with flying colors. Andy and I sat back for 4 hours as we watched Eleanor try peanut butter for the first time! In March we told her she was going to be a big sister. In June she moved into her 3 (kind of 4th) house in 5 years. In August she became a big sister. In September she started Kindergarten! Through it all she has remained the same crazy, highly emotional, over sensitive, creative, always singing, always dancing ball of energy she always has been. Eleanor is truly enjoying Kindergarten and we are truly enjoying her teacher! She loves reading (when she wants to)and is always writing stories for us. It's amazing how much progress has been made in just one semester! After school Eleanor is busy with Gymnastics, swim lessons and Daisies. I can't believe how grown up Eleanor seems - I'm in complete denial that she will be 6 this winter. I truly feel like she was just Oliver's age. And while sometimes I ache for that sweet, little baby to be back cuddling with me, I'm having such a blast parenting Eleanor. Andy can only laugh at how much Eleanor and I are a like - so needless to say, parenting her can also be a challenge for me! Sometimes she's just too smart for either of us!
Eliver is what happens when you are sleep deprived and try to say "Eleanor" and "Oliver". It's also what happens when a certain 5 year old is smitten with her younger brother. If you are looking for Oliver - chances are, Eleanor will be close behind. Even when I was pregnant with Oliver, Eleanor was protective of him. Oliver also thinks Eleanor is the greatest. Eleanor loves to hug Oliver, kiss him, and generally just lay all over him. I don't always want to say, "Eleanor stop" or "Eleanor get off" or some variation of that, so I bite my tongue a lot. But the truth is, as long as Eleanor is paying attention to Oliver, he is usually fine with whatever she's doing. They may be 5 1/2 years apart, but it's obvious already that they have a special relationship. I'm over the moon in love with these two.
Oh our little furbaby. Where do I start with Karl? In all seriousness, Karl has adjusted very well to HIS biggest year ever. Karl spent a lot of time this past spring in the backseat of our car as we waited (and watched) for house showing after house showing to end. One time we spent over 2 hours in our car, waiting for a showing to end (that's a long story...). Karl adjusted very well to his new house and even better to his new little brother. Karl is VERY protective of Oliver, just as he has been with Eleanor. Every time Oliver cries, Karl makes sure we are quick to respond and he'll stay right by Oliver's side if someone new is holding him. But our Karl keeps us on our toes! He started 2014 by drinking a bottle of Baileys and spending the night in Urgent Care. I've actually lost count of how many toothbrushes he has eaten. He has gotten numerous Tupperware lids and one night we came home to find the contents of our pantry all over our first floor. The next day I found I giant marshmallow attached to a pair of my jeans in our bedroom closet. He barked at our new van in our driveway for a few days, trying to figure out who was here to visit us. And we won't even talk about how many breastpump parts he has eaten. But he has a heart of gold. He's Andy's "first born" and while I often complain about him and will openly discuss our love-hate relationship...he's a member of our family.
Another big year for Andy too! Hard to think that 3 short years ago, Andy was living the bachelor life! Perhaps the biggest day of his year was the day we traded in his truck for a minivan. I promised Andy that someday he would drive a truck again! Andy and I also saw our first movie together in 2014...Frozen. Two weeks later, we saw our second movie together...The Lego Movie. It's been so much fun watching Andy parent Oliver...an infant. He's certainly a hands on dad - just as he's always been with Eleanor. Andy continues to work in Sales at the same company he's been with since college and it's more helpful now than ever that he works from home! Every morning he takes Eleanor to the bus stop and picks her up on Mondays and Fridays. He and Eleanor have quite the little routine in the morning and when I get involved, I usually just mess it up!
Of course, I'm going to try and stake my claim on having "the biggest year ever". Although, my year really started in 2013. Right after Christmas I accepted a new job as the HR Director of a smaller company right here in New Berlin. It was an incredibly opportunity that I couldn't pass up...the day after I accepted the job, I found out we were pregnant. Talk about timing! Things always work out and I'm so happy I decided to take the job, even knowing I was pregnant. It's been such a great challenge and for the first time in a long time I'm finally not job hunting. My year was completely consumed by the pregnancy and I tried to enjoy every moment of it - fully knowing it would be my last. I was blessed with another healthy, easy pregnancy - complete with massive weight gain. I can honestly say I love being pregnant and can't believe I'll never be that way again...but I'm ready to get my own body back once and for all. I didn't do a ton of running in 2014 and am looking forward to getting back into that again - I've already signed up for a 1/2 marathon in August 2015. It's also nice to know that I'm finally in MY HOME. From the moment Nic passed away, I knew I wouldn't be able to stay in the Keith Lane house and when we moved in with Andy, we knew that if we wanted our family to grow, we wouldn't be able to stay in the Maple Ridge house (only 3 bedrooms). When we purchased our house in June, we both committed to the fact that we never, ever, ever want to move again. I feel like I have roots. I'm having so much fun turning this little house into a home...but trying to practice patience too...of course I want my "Honey Do" list completed today!
We hope you have been equally blessed and found 2014 to be as thrilling as we did. We welcome you back to the blog at any point throughout the year - I'm always updating it with something that's going on. Health, happiness, love and laughter to you and yours in 2015!
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