Year In Review...

2009 started off with a bang....I was beginning some fertility interventions to help us along in our journey to go from two to three. On February 18...


We were so excited!! And so began our journey...I started to grow and we started to plan.


In June, we took a Babymoon to Chicago. We had SO much fun! We went to a Cubs game and saw lots of old friends. Abbey, Eric, Andy, Andy....even pregnant I walked everywhere and by the end of it I was one sore lady. Highlights? Hitting a Starbucks every morning, finding an ice cream shop that served actual cookie dough on the ice cream, attempting to see the Harry Potter exhibit (and failing in the pouring rain), riding public transportation, and watching Milton Bradley throw a ball back into the stands when there was only two outs!


In August, I decided to try and brave the heat of Vegas with my mom. I accompanied her on a business trip and had a blast! My feet and ankles looked like stuffed sausages by the end of it but it was worth. I've finally seen Vegas....and I'm okay not going back any time soon. At least not when it's 115 degrees there :) This is how I spent a large amount of my time...

Doug and I (okay, mostly I) also decided to enter a chili cook-off in Allison. It was their first one and since I'm such a joiner I thought why not?! Sounded like fun and mom said they needed participants! I made up a recipe and guess what? I won. Never in a million years would I have thought I would win a cooking competition. Look out Rachel Ray :)



September flew by and before you knew it October was here! That was supposed to mean baby, right? As each day passed we wondered when our Little Panther was going to make her appearance. The doc kept saying "Any day now..." I always said I wasn't going to have a Halloween baby and what did I get...a little pumpkin :)


Jani Sue was born on October 31 and 6:13 a.m. It was a LONG labor but so worth it. November and December were spent enjoying our little lady. She has grown so much!!! She lights up our lives and both of us wonder what we would do without her. I can't even remember life before her. Named after my mom, she is turning into quite the shopper, just like her namesake....and I am loving every minute of it!!

And so we say goodbye to 2009 and hello to 2010! We can't wait to see what awaits us!!! We rang in the new year with some friends and attempted to take a picture of 7 little ones...this is Jani with McKenna, the daughter of another teacher. They were very well behaved for the photo shoot, which was a bit chaotic :) I just think this pic is so cute...it looks like they're holding hands!


Even Mommy got a picture with Jani in her hat. I was shocked she kept it on!!