Happy Mardi Gras!

Happy Mardi Gras from New Orleans! I feel about Mardi Gras the way I know most people feel about Christmas: I can't wait for it to get here, I love everything about the season and then I'm sad when it's over. It was even more fun this year since Thatcher kind of got it and was really into everything, especially king cake. I wrote a post about the five life lessons we can teach our children through Mardi Gras, and it really made me glad that we have the chance to expose our children to such a unique and fun tradition.

We spent the weekend at parades (sans Hadley), and Thatcher had an absolute ball. The entire time he was saying "more Mardi Gras," and if more floats we're coming, we'd tell him "yes, there's more Mardi Gras" and then he'd look at all of us and inform us "more coming!!!" He also was quick to tell us that "Thatcher get beads Mardi Gras!" He really loved everything about it, but I guess if you're born in February then you're going to be a Mardi Gras baby whether you like it or not!

I already can't wait for next year. While Mardi Gras is definitely different with kids, it's also just so much fun to see it through their eyes.

Tis the season!

We have had a fabulous holiday weekend and are officially ready for both the holidays and Hadley's arrival! My "nesting" has been out of control (the husband would likely call it crazy), but the house is clean, the garden is weeded, the tree is decorated and now we wait.

We spent Thanksgiving at my parents' house, and it was a very relaxing and low key day. We have so much to be thankful for ... a fun-loving toddler, a new home that is finally mostly done, a fabulous network of friends, a Church and Sunday school class that we love and now can't live without, a precious baby on the way and so much more. Life is very, very good right now.

The day after Thanksgiving, we continued with our tradition of getting our Christmas tree as a family. I am sad to say that I really didn't take pictures (except with my phone) because I am losing steam at 39 weeks!

What a difference (as always) a year makes!

We now have a toddler who is full of personality and keeps us constantly laughing. Decorating a tree with him around is a little challenging, but we had fun! Thatcher spent most of the time stacking ornament boxes.

And we are learning to "look with our eyes" - it's a work in progress!

And while he's petrified of the real thing, Thatcher loves dressing up as Santa!

This morning we went to Church and are now waiting for our Saints to play. Everyone keeps telling me that Thatcher will grow up the minute Hadley comes home, but he already seems so grown up to me! I really wish there was a way to just stop time for a little while!

2011 in review

So I am rather annoyed with Blogger / Picasa right now. Seems that somehow Google has decided that I need albums of each picture on my blog, so I deleted them, and now the pictures are gone from my previous post. I don't get it. Has anyone else experienced this? Tres annoying.

We've been so busy the past few weeks with the husband's birthday, Christmas, parties, New Year's and more....but before too much time elapses, I want to do my annual year in review. I love looking back at my 2010 in review post - it's just fun to see what was going on each month!

January 2011
I was extremely busy with work and trying to prepare for maternity leave. I was large and in charge and ready for baby boy to get here!

February 2011
I think it's safe to say that this month will go down as one of the best in our lives. Thatcher William arrived on February 10 after a rather easy labor and delivery. We were sleepless and delirious but thrilled beyond belief.

March 2011
Thatcher and I soaked up the gorgeous weather in New Orleans and took long strolls in the park. The husband and I celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary with drinks and a nice dinner at NOLA. Thatcher also celebrated his first Mardi Gras, made his debut at his Sip N See and turned 1 month old!

April 2011

April brought our first trip to the beach and Thatcher's first Easter. I was still on blissful maternity leave, so we did a whole lot of relaxing and lounging.

May 2011
May was wonderful and hard all at the same time. Thatcher was baptized on Mother's Day, and we had a beautiful service and brunch. I had to go back to work the next day, though, so it was bittersweet. I missed my little guy so much but also loved getting back into a more normal routine because - let's face it - I lived in pajamas for 3 months. And my wallet was shrinking due to daily coffee with friends.

June 2011

June might go down as the craziest month of 2011. We had 2 weddings on back-to-back weekends, and I was working like a mad woman. We had to leave Thatcher for the first time, and he was having major weight issues. Our house got broken into, and life was insane. The highlights of June were watching the husband's brother and our sister-in-law get married in Los Angeles and then standing in a dear friend's wedding the following weekend. I was absolutely drowning in my personal and work life, but weddings make it all better.

July 2011
I turned the big 3-0 and the husband threw a fabulous 30th birthday party for me. We also celebrated Thatcher's first 4th of July at my parents' pool. I was still insanely busy at work and remember looking SO forward to our August beach vacation.

August 2011
We took another family vacation to the beach, and Thatcher turned 6 months old. In other words, he was halfway to a year. Tears. I also started my new role at work (where I get to work from home - woohoo!) and things calmed down dramatically. I finally felt like I had some actual balance, as I was working 70-80 hours a week for most of May, June and July. My aunt (my mom's younger sister) also got to meet Thatcher for the first time.

September 2011

We moved into our new place, and Thatcher continued to grow despite my best efforts to stop him! We spent a lot of time hanging out on the couch watching football and made sure Thatcher knew exactly who to cheer for! This is also the month Thatcher became mobile, and he hasn't stopped crawling like a mad man since! We enjoyed more playdates with friends, too.

October 2011

In October we were lucky enough to have friends visit us from Georgia, and Thatcher had a blast playing with their son Parker. Thatcher also started his new school, which has been a total blessing and a wonderful fit for us. Thatcher pulled up to standing for the first time, which was so fun to watch. We carved a pumpkin together, had a Halloween playdate and thought Thatcher made the cutest lobster ever.

November 2011

We celebrated Thatcher's first Thanksgiving with both sides of our family, and I traveled to Brooklyn for work. November seemed to fly right by...

December 2011

December was a fabulous month of celebrations: Thatcher's first Christmas, the husband's 30th birthday, a visit from good friends in Tampa and so much more. I have no idea where December went, but it's gone. December brought Thatcher's first steps, his first tooth and entirely too many calories.

I don't know where the time goes, but 2011 was very good to our family. It's amazing in particular to see all of the babies that our friends have been blessed with and how they've grown and changed. It's been a crazy, life-changing and exciting year, and we are hopeful for an equally wonderful 2012!