Top 3 of 2013

I stole this idea from my friend, Shanna. I love reading her blog and today I'm stealing her idea. Her year in review is SO different from mine and I think that is part of the reason I admire her so much. My list isn't going to be my top 13 because I feel like my last year can be summed up into really a top 3 (that each have many parts of course).

Ok, here goes...
3. My Mister
Many things go into this choice. In the last year he has lost, gained, and overcome in so many ways. First he was forced into making a change as a coach. If you know my Mister you know that he could easily say the top three things in his life are God, Family, and Football. When someone messes with one of those things it hits him hard and he has way more desire to make things right that I can even imagine. This summer my Mister got a position coaching Football at the College level. He didn't have an "in," no one paved his way, he had to work for it and prove that he was the man for the job. I have a love hate relationship with football season, but at the end of the day I'm so proud of him going after his dream and making it work.

Coach

Another accomplishment, this summer he completed his Master's degree. It wasn't easy, like many others he did it while he worked full time. I am so proud that he has such drive.

The Grad

Sis, Momma, and the Mister

Third...you should see this man as a Dad. He isn't perfect, no one is, but he really tries. During football season he had to deal with a hormonal new mom/wife, a new job, a lot of travel time, and a newborn. He did a lot of things wrong, but he also did a lot of things right and I couldn't have made it through without him. My Mister loves his little girl and she loves her Daddy. We've been so blessed to have him home over this Holiday break!

Twinkies

One of the latest things he has done for our family...he traded in his truck for a car. That is sacrifice! My Mister is definitely a "truck guy" but we needed something more fuel efficient and more fitting to our little family. Now, don't let him fool you, he loves his new car. It is very nice, new, and has lots of fancy amenities. It's so tough to have to drive that car...

The Dart

2. Our Home
In March we bought a house and spent the next few months trying to get it ready to bring home a baby. We had to remove layers and layers of wallpaper, then redo with layers of mud, and finish with layers of paint. If you had any part in this you know I'm not exaggerating. We redid walls in 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, a kitchen, and part of the living room. Whew, we needed and appreciated all the help we had! We got new appliances, they delivered the day after Macy was born. To be initiated into owning a home our air conditioning went out when she was only a couple weeks old, we had a power outage not long after, and on Christmas Eve we got a new hot water heater. We were not really ready to buy a house, we didn't really want to have to do so much work on the house, BUT we had to decide which was more important to us that or the location. Location won because we bought the house next door to my mom and two away from Grandma. And as it turns out I really love this house even though the work it has taken hasn't been my favorite. I have really enjoyed the smaller projects that have come with making a home, some call these "Pinterest projects." I like to just call them projects because I also like to think some came without inspiration of Pinterest.

Layers of wall paper

Our Home

Working hard

1. Macy Abigail
Wow. You thought number 3 and 2 were long...wait til you get to read about number 1. My greatest accomplishment so far...being a stay at home mom, giving birth, and this lil lady we call Mace face. So much goes into Macy being number 1. The obvious, Macy. She is an amazing girl. She is so full of attitude already. She has so many different looks. She suffers from RBF (I saw this on Pinterest, it is "resting bitch face") and she got it from her Momma. We can't help it. Our resting face is a bit pouty and we look like there is something wrong with us. For the rest of her life she'll be asked "what's wrong?" and hopefully she'll learn to respond gracefully. You know what makes RBF ok? It's that it makes your smile even better! Macy doesn't give away smiles to just anyone for just anything. I love that about her! She is a good eater, she is a chunk and not every outfit fits her thighs. She likes routine, she is very intuitive, and she loves her Momma. That last thing is probably my favorite! Macy likes to ride in the cart at the store, look around, and take in everything around her. I could go on and on with details about my lil Macy.

Bath time smiles

Riding in the cart

First smile for the camera

What else goes into number 1, giving birth. A month or so before I had Macy the lady at the Kwik Shop told me, "Don't be a hero, get an epidural. Honey, you're already growing a human!" I didn't know how true this was until I was in labor. I was induced, which I've heard makes labor harder. I don't know if this is true, I just know the pain I felt. I hate that society can make you feel guilty for whatever you choose, especially when it comes to parenting. Do I feel like less of a woman for getting an epidural? Yeah kinda, but I also know that I got to enjoy the second part of labor. I got to happily, with no pain, welcome my lil baby into the world and that makes me ok with it. I'd love to encourage every woman to be happy and confident with your choices; same or different as the rest of the world, just do you!

June 6th

Third part of number 1, being a stay at home mom. Wowzers, this was harder than I ever could have imagined. It is hard. Going to work and leaving your baby with someone else, hard. Every choice you have as a parent, hard. You are making decisions for another human, hard! I struggle with "what everyone else thinks" in many aspects of my life, hard.

So, there are my 2013 highlights, here's to 2014 to bring many more good times and Shanna it just might be the best year EVER (love you girl)!  

And if you're still reading...a few highlights from New Year celebrations of the past...When I was a junior in high school I set my ring tone to "Auld Lang Syne" on my cell phone and thought I was sooo cool and frankly, at the time, that was cool! I spent a few NYE celebrations in the 90s at the Marriott here in Wichita with my cousin and friend being crazy young kids while my parents celebrated downstairs in style. Last year on NYE we announced to some great friends that we were pregnant and this year we wanted to be home so we could stick to the bedtime routine we've been working on with our lil blessing. Lastly, remember in 1999 when people thought that 2000 was going to bring the end of the world...

Bringing in 2013

Last Pic of the Year
(we toasted with the sparking grape
 the Hospital gave us when Macy was born)