Saturday, December 31, 2011

2011, In Review


Every year I do a "short" Year-In-Review post, recapping what happened over the last 12 months, mostly in photos. It was a pretty big year, to say the least. Just to warn you, it's pretty baby-heavy.

January
We spent New Year's Eve in Minnesota after Troy and Becky's wedding. I have to say, Central Time New Year's is pretty lame. We watched the Ball drop at 11pm, Chicago's lame-attempt at a countdown, and were in bed pretty soon after that.
After party!

When we got back to New York, I organized a little birthday celebration for myself with my favorite people and my favorite food, CHEESE!

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Chris even found a giant Swiss Cake Roll for my birthday cake!
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The Belly grew and grew . . .
Belly, 24 Weeks
24 weeks
26 Weeksbelly
26 weeks

And we started working on the Baby room!
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Priming Baby Room

I also spent two weekends taking a Doula training course. After some upsetting changes at work, I decided to take the next step. I've been thinking about becoming a Doula for a long time, and I felt like I was ready to try to make it happen. After the training was over, I was probably the most prepared pregnant lady ever to give birth, but I also knew I wasn't quite ready to make the Doula thing a reality just yet. I have a few years to get certified for my class to still count, so talk to me again next year and we'll see where I am.

February
The Belly started taking over!
28 Weeks
28 Weeks
29 Weeks
29 Weeks
30 Weeks (2)
30 weeks
31 Weeks (2)
31 weeks

Beth came down and we painted the Baby room! It came out so good!
Painting the Baby Room

Painting the Baby Room

Painting the Baby Room

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March
Belly-Tastic!
32 weeks (2)
32 weeks
33 weeks (2)
33 weeks
34 Weeks (2)
34 weeks
35 Weeks (2)
35 weeks

Something I've always wanted to do, a maternity photo shoot. Janna from Capture Our Moments Photography was awesome!





Baby Shower #1 at my Mom's
Baby Shower - Me and Mom

Baby Shower - Opening Presents

Baby Shower Haul (2)

Baby Shower #2 at my apartment
Baby Shower #2 (20)

Baby Shower #2 (34)

We also worked out the practical things for this child!
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Crib (1)


April
The last few belly shots!
36 Weeks (2)
36 weeks
37 Weeks
37 weeks (and in labor, btw)

I went into labor on Sunday April 10. Rowan was born on April 11, 2011, 3:54am at St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital's Birthing Center.
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6 pounds, 4 ounces
19 inches long

Go here to read the entire Birth Story.

After that, pretty much everything was about the baby.
Happy Easter!!!
Happy Easter!

May
Had my first Mother's Day breakfast in bed.
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One Month


At the end of May we make our first trip up to Massachusetts with the baby.
Car ride

Great Nana
Great Nana

Happy Memorial Day
Happy Memorial Day!


June
Two Months

Chris had his first Father's Day. His gift -- sleeping in!
Happy Father's Day

I went back to work at the end of June, which means Rowan started day care.

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First Day of School!

Everyone was glad to see me back at the office!
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July
July 2 was Gipper's 2nd birthday with us (8 years old!)
Puppy's Birthday Cake

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Happy Birthday Gipper!

On the 4th, we celebrated America's birthday!
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Happy 4th of July!

And also Daddy's Birthday!
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three months


August
Four Months

At the end of August, New York City experienced it first real hurricane in a long time, Hurricane Irene. We bought lots of bottled water (and froze a big jug in the freezer to keep the breastmilk cold in case the power went out!) and hunkered down in our apartment.

Surveying the Damage
Watching the rain start!

Hurricane Irene - Tree down
The worst of it in our neighborhood

Tropical Storm outfit
Tropical Storm Rowan!

September
We headed up to Massachusetts for Nana's annual Labor Day party.

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five months


October
We welcomed Fall at the local farm museum! Pumpkin patches and apple pie!
Pumpkin Patch Kid

six month picture

We headed up to MA again for Beth's Halloween party. Unfortunately, we got stuck in a Snowstorm instead! We ended up camping out at Chris's parents' house and never got to the Halloween party.

Halloween Snowstorm

Snow and Folliage
Snow and Foliage!

Baby got his first sled right, and his first taste of snow.
Baby's first snow

When we got back home, of course the snow was gone. On Halloween Day, the daycare had a Halloween party and parade.
Daycare Halloween Party

That night, the dog park had a party too!
Dog Park Halloween

Baby dressed as a football and the whole family joined in.
Football Costume

Halloween -- The Quarterback, The Referee, the Coach, and the Football

November
7 month photo

Baby's first Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving Dinner

Chris and I also went to our 10 year High School Reunion!
10 Year High School Reunion

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December
8 Month Picture

Everyone was so excited for Baby's first Christmas! Gramma Jan sent us home with a bag full of Advent presents.
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We wasted no time getting a Christmas Tree.
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Chris gave me my present a little early -- a date night and The Nutcracker at Lincoln Center!
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I took about 187 pictures of the baby under the Christmas Tree. It took that many, plus a little photoshopping, to get this year's Holiday Card.

Christmas Pictures!

We spent Christmas Eve at Mom and Dad Chamberland's.

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And we spent Christmas Morning at Mom and Dad Hartford's. 

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Plans for New Year's Eve include takeout hamburgers, milkshakes, a Big Bang Theory marathon, and MAYBE staying up to see the ball drop.

Happy New Year!