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Last New Years Eve we rang in the new year at a wedding. Chad’s cousin got married at the Arcade Building in downtown Cleveland. The wedding was beautiful. We were blown away. And we had so much fun dancing the night away! But if you would’ve told me then how much our lives would change in the year following, I wouldn’t have believed you.
January — The launch of my new blog design and huge giveaways. And my first trip to Vegas. We spent a week visiting family/friends and walking the strip.
February — I thought I was just really sick, but right before Valentine’s Day I found out I was pregnant. And we learned that everything that happened in Vegas didn’t quite stay. I don’t know if I ever mentioned this on the blog, but when I found out I freaked. First of all, I took the test at work — big mistake. Then I called my friend Angela in a panic. To be honest, myself at 27 and Chad at 37 years old, I don’t know if we ever would’ve consciously made that decision to have children. I was mostly panicked about our immediate lifestyle adjustment. But we both embraced it. Actually, Chad embraced it well before I did.
Oh – and we decided to tell our parents at the end of February. It was especially difficult + urgent because my parents were set to move to Kentucky [5.5 hours from us] in just a few weeks. To say my parents were thrilled was an understatement. They’d been bugging us for a grandchild for years.
March — At the beginning of March we decided to plan our elopement without telling anyone. We picked out my ‘engagement’ ring [yes, in parentheses because I picked it out and knew it was coming] and before we were even engaged we had booked the officiant and made the arrangements.
At this point, we’d been together for 3 + a 1/2 years. We’d been living together for nearly 2 years. And basically we knew that we were going to be married at some point. And for me it felt like it would be easier to have my last name changed to our baby-to-be’s birth certificate.
I didn’t know when the ‘proposal’ would happen. Or when he bought the ring we picked out together.
On March 19th, Chad took me to the restaurant we went to on our first date — Crave. I kind of had a feeling what was coming. After we left, he got down on one knee and he proposed! We made the announcement Facebook official [cause nothing is official until then, right?] and everyone commented on how it was ‘about time.’
Ohhh, if they only knew what else was coming. We laughed about how many more “congratulations” comments we would get in the coming weeks. Ha!
April — We told our extended families about the engagement. It was kind of fun the way we told Chad’s family. We gave them Easter eggs with the date 10-9-12 on them. Everyone thought that it was the wedding date. Until they realized it was a Tuesday. Which confused them. And surprised them. π
We also took a cooking class at the Loretta Paganini School of Cooking. My parents gave that to us as a Christmas gift from 2011. The problem? Who knew that all food would be making me nauseous at that point. Not me. And certainly not them.
On April 15th we made the announcement to everyone that we were expecting a bundle of joy in October.
Then a week later, was our planned sneak away date —Β went off to Portland, Maine and eloped.
Yeah, what a month that was!
May — I seriously don’t remember the month of May. Ha. It was my first full month in a new position at work so I was adjusting to that. Other than that, life just was.
June — We did a lot of home renovations, including some new landscaping. And we planned our reception; or, more aptly named, our post-elopement party.
July — We hosted our post-elopement reception. It was a lot of work, but a lot of fun. And Chad put together a video for our guests! π
August — We finished the nursery and were incredibly spoiled by our friends and family at our baby shower. π
September — Finished a semi-major kitchen renovation; Put the finishing touches on the nursery; Prepared for our lives to change; Soaked up all the pre-baby couple time we could.
October — Finished up my last week of work; watched my due date come and go with no sign of baby; nested like crazy; and finally welcomed our beautiful and healthy baby boy, Ari Davis L!
November — We were zombies. The days came and went with little excitement. Ari was super colicky, but we somehow managed to survive. Thanksgiving was a blur. Well, pretty much everything was a blur actually. But we survived.
December — Still on maternity leave; Ari started to become a little less colicky and a little more human [thank god]. Ari met Santa for the first time and we spent a week with his Mimi and Papa in Kentucky. And he finally started to sleep at night. Hooray, for December!
2012 has by far been the must exciting and unexpected year of my life. In just a few days I’ll be returning to work and will take on a new role as a working mama.
Nothing in 2012 could’ve been anticipated, but I’m not exactly expecting 2013 to be quite as crazy and dramatic. But I’m excited to see what’s in store + to watch my little family grow! π
I am so glad I got to know you and was around for all of this, what a whirlwind year for you!! I can only hope that 2013 brings you much more happiness (and sleep!)
I think ingot exhausted just from readin that. Whew! What a year! Very exciting though. I hope your new year brings you lots of rest! π
Man and I thought that I had a crazy year!!!! What a year this was for you and your hubby, lots of changes but all of them very amazing π I’m glad I’ve been able to follow along on your blog!
What an exciting year!!!
WOW! What a year! What a fun post, I feel like I got to know you better! Loved the video! Wishing your family a happy, healthy, blessed and less eventful 2013. π Will be thinking of you going back to work. I’m returning after a couple of weeks off & am dreading it.