2011: Year in Review

What an amazing year it has been. I was thinking about this while I was in the shower this morning (Okay...maybe it was late afternoon before I got around to that). This time last year Hudson was just a wishful thought, and now here he is, keeping me up all hours of the night. It's unbelievabled how much things can change in only a year.

12:00 am January 1, 2011

 Danny and I decided to start our family in December and on January 17th I found out I was pregnant. It was absolutely unbelievable at the time that we concieved so quickly and I am so thankful now that things worked out the way they did! I had convinced myself that it was going to take months and months to get pregnant, so needless to say when it took one month I was surprised. Hudson is my sweet little miracle. 

This time last year Danny had just decided to start back at Verizon. A few months later his store closed and his District Manager asked Danny to take a position as an Assistant Manager to keep him in his district (far far away). He's now an Assistant at Plainfield, and I'm hoping to have an update next year that will have him closer to home. (The hour long drive each way is too much!).

For Valentines Day Danny was so sweet and surprised me with flowers, candy, ballet tickets, and a promise to rub my feet every week until I delivered. (That did not happen). He isn't usually the best about getting me things for Valentine's Day so it was a really sweet surprise!

My favorite candies in one box!

Apparently nothing exciting happened between the months of March and May because I can't think of anything worth mentioning! In May we found out Hudson was a little boy, and after MANY scares that there was something wrong with him, the specialists put our mind at ease that he looked perfect just in time for our vacation.

We had planned on going to Boston and Cape Cod in August, but with getting pregnant so soon I thought the last thing I would want to do is go to a beach in August 8 months pregnant. So we made plans to go to three cities we had never been before but had always wanted to go to in May. First we went to Nashville, then Savannah, then Charleston. It was a great trip with a perfect mixture of beaches, food, site seeing, and history.

Belle Meade Plantation in Nashville, TN

Spanish Moss covered Oak Trees in Savannah, GA 

Dream Porch in Charleston, SC

 It was a great "Babymoon" and I look forward to going back to all those places again! Although, not all in one trip this time. It was a little too much crammed into 8 days.

I had my first babyshower in June and it was absolutely perfect. Katie threw it and did a great job! It was so me and everything and everyone made me feel so special. Not to mention all the great gifts I snagged!

A small example of all the adorable decorations!

The worlds best chicken salad made by Kathy

Cake made by Art Z

Kathy, Katie, Me, and Mom

I quit my full time job in July and watched the triplets and Emily for a few days a week the rest of the summer.  It was so much fun to spend time with them since I don't see them much anymore. And, they are such fun kids we had a great time every day! I'm sure I wasn't as much fun as I have been in past summers being hugely pregnant and it being unbearably hot outside, but I hope they still had fun.

We also had Hudson's 3D ultrasound done in July, which was amazing!

 

 

Hudson at 30 weeks gestation

And I had my second baby shower in Ohio hosted by my Aunt Bonnie for all my Ohio family.

Aunt Bonnie, Mom, Me, Bryston

I spent most of the month of Augst either laying in mom's pool, taking naps, or having nervous breakdowns that we were about to have a baby. Sometimes all at the same time!

September Hudson made his appearance. We were in the hospital for 2 days before he came, and 3 days after he came. But it all went by so fast...

yuck.

Two minutes old

on our way home!

Danny was off almost the whole month of October with me which was SO nice. It was so nice to have him there to help but even more nice just to have him there! It felt like a mini vacation. (A vacation where we were very tired). He was a sweet monster for Halloween...

Maybe a little bit of a serious, and grouchy monster

 And in November started smiling!!

Hudson and Daddy

cheese!

We had a delicious and fun Thanksgiving with both sides of our family...

baby's first Thanksgiving

Family picture

And December brought all kinds of fun celebrations!

Christmas Card Front

Christmas Card Back

Gifts from Nanna, Aunt Kaite and Uncle Mike

Christmas Morning

I am so excited to see what the next year will bring. I know there will be so many more fun changes as Hudson grows up and I can't wait to see them all! I hope you all had as great of a year as we did.