2016 | Year in Review

I must be feeling oddly nostalgic because it feels like every other post I've written this month is some kind of year-end recap. First, I wrote about my favorite bloggers. Second, I wrote about my favorite reads. Yesterday, I wrote about my most popular and my personal favorite blog posts for the year.

However, I feel like I can't let the year end without taking some time to reflect on life in 2016. 

JANUARY

We found out we were expecting Baby #2! Though we weren't not trying, we weren't expecting to get pregnant so it was a bit of a shock. I had pretty bad morning sickness, so I didn't do much but rest and try not to throw up this month.

FEBRUARY

Charlie's cousin twin, Lucie (they were born 6 weeks apart) turned 1! We had our first doctor's appointment to confirm our pregnancy and made the official announcement the day before Valentine's Day (because I just couldn't wait any longer!). I hosted a Galentine's Day brunch and managed to take zero pictures of our awesome lady gathering. I also did something I've always wanted to do- met a blogger friend in real life! Jenn and I took our boys (who are only 2 days apart in age) out for breakfast. 

MARCH

March was another month plagued by morning sickness, so not much worth noting occurred. I voted for Bernie Sanders in the Ohio primaries and we celebrated Charlie's second Easter with family.

APRIL

Jenn and I got our boys together for a play date. We found out Baby #2's gender! After months of speculating that we were having a girl, we discovered I was about to become a #boymom times two! Chuck celebrated a birthday (though for some reason I have no photographic evidence of the surprise family brunch I planned) and I turned 28 a week later. We drove up to New York to spend a long weekend with my family and had a Mommy/Daddy date night.

MAY

In May, we started trying out Blue Apron deliveries and grew to love them. I drove to NY again for my sister's graduate school graduation. It was the longest amount of time I'd ever spent away from Charlie and though my sister and I had an awesome time together, I was ready to come home to my baby boy! On the drive back, I managed to meet up with my high school best friend who was also in NY for her sister's wedding. We had a much too short breakfast together before we had to go our separate ways, but it was such a blessing getting to see her at all since we now live 4 states apart. 

JUNE

I was pretty much on the road 24/7 doing site visits and trainings for work. I made my first East Coast-road trip in what felt like decades to meet up with my college besties for a girls' weekend. I ate pizza, stopped by Wawa and spent a day on the Jersey shore. It was everything my newly Midwestern heart could have asked for. My sister moved in with us while she was job hunting to be a live-in Nanny for Charlie. My Mom came into town the last weekend and managed to pull off a surprise baby shower. 

JULY

We spent a weekend with Chuck's aunt and uncle and started getting the house ready for the new baby. I joined the Dayton Moms Blog team as a Contributor. I was fat and hot so that was pretty much it.

AUGUST

We prepared for baby to be born at the end of the month. I took my maternity leave a week early so I could spend some quality time with Charlie. 

SEPTEMBER

Crosby decided to be born 8 days after his due date. While we waited, Chuck and I went on two date nights to celebrate our fourth wedding anniversary. My Mom stayed with us for a week to help. She wound up barely getting to see our newborn grandson before she had to return home. After Chuck returned to work, and our family members departed, I was on my own with two baby boys! At the end of the month, we attended our friends' wedding and had a few hours away from the boys. 

OCTOBER

My sister came into town to meet her new nephew and we got matching sister tattoos together. On a whim, I decided to take advantage of the time left I had on maternity leave to drive to North Carolina by myself with a 22-month old and 6-week old to visit my high school bestie. A 25-hour round trip drive with babies was not ideal, but I figured I could go crazy at home by myself, or go crazy and be with my best friend whom I never get to see for a few days. I coordinated our family's adorable costumes and we went trick-or-treating downtown, followed by passing out candy at our friends' house who live two doors down. I made the impossible decision to quit my job and submitted my letter of resignation. 

NOVEMBER

We started regularly attending our local Friends' meeting (aka: a Quaker church). I cried for 48 hours straight after the Presidential election and then got side-swiped while driving on the highway. My Mom came to visit for a weekend. I returned to work for 3 weeks to tie up loose ends before saying by tearful goodbye. My sister spent Thanksgiving weekend with us. Charlie was sick the entire weekend so we stayed in and watched Friends while Chuck brought us leftovers from his family's Thanksgiving. My Dad was hospitalized after a mild heart attack.

DECEMBER

I hosted a ladies' book and Christmas cookie exchange (and once again, took no pictures). I got to see The Nutcracker as part of a Dayton Moms Blog sponsored post. We had an early Christmas with Chuck's family and then attended our friends' annual themed birthday party. Chuck got rear-ended two days before we were set to leave (boo!). We traveled up to New York once again for Christmas with my family. where my Dad (who was home from the hospital) and step-dad got to meet Crosby for the first time. Charlie celebrated his second birthday with bounce houses, balloons, and eating his cake like a little piglet! 

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I get why people are ragging on 2016- it was rough on all of us. There were some definite low points for me, but overall, I got to spend a ton of time with loved ones and welcomed a beautiful, little boy into the world, so I'm not ready to write off 2016 just yet. 

As the New Year approaches, I will be praying for new opportunities for growth and professional development. For opportunities to pay down debt and become more financially secure. For blessed time spent with friends and family. But most of all, for the health and happiness of my little family- they are my most (bee)autiful blessing.