Year in Review (in pictures) : Part One

I'd like to take just a moment to review the past 12 months, since some of them have been the most memorable. I can't deny that 2009 has been my favorite year yet. Because it is SOOOO picture heavy (lots of never before seen pictures of my very pregnant body!) I'll do this in 2 parts. Today, January-June.

♥ January ♥ Mr. Bear and I found out that we had our little Baby Bear on the way. I was nervous but The Bear was wonderful, as always. My Grandpa was in the hospital with Pneumonia and my mom and I went to visit him. Spent lots of quality time with my sweet niece and nephew (practice for my own? Mostly I just love being with them!)





♥ February ♥ Went for long drives with Mr. Bear. Welcomed a new little Puggy into the family. Mr. Bear took me to Cali to visit some friends. I was feeling extra shitty this trip but it was a welcome vacation. Please notice how SKINNY I was. Ugh, and this was after I'd gained almost 10 lbs. *sigh* miss being thin. Celebrated my Grandpa's birthday. We were so happy to have him out of the hospital and doing well.









♥ March ♥ March must have been very uneventful because I only have 4 pictures, and none of them representing anything significant....I suppose being pregnant (and still keeping it a secret from almost everyone!) was a bit of a buzz kill. I think in March I was still going through Tequila withdrawls. It would get easier but at the time I know I was dreading a Summer with no margarita!



&hears; April ♥ April was birthday month. Dad, Amy, Cait, & Tina. Happy Birthday's! It is also the month we decided to put our condo up for sale and buy a town house. We got an offer but changed our minds and decided to stay put until we could save for a house in an area we'd rather live long term (*ahem* Sugarhouse). This must have been the month we told my family about the baby (they were happy) because I was pretty chubby at this point. Mostly The Bear and I spent a lot of time together. I loved his Angry Bear face more every day, and still do.







♥ May ♥ We were delighted to hear that our Baby Bear, or "Alien" as we were calling her at the time, was expected to be a GIRL! I thought it was a boy and during the ultrasound we made a bet that whoever was wrong had to buy the other dinner of their choice. Mr. Bear let me take him for Sushi, a nice compromise. May was my first un-official Mother's Day. The first of many to come. Also, The Bear turned 31! Woo, he sure is getting old. At the end of the month we went to Vegas for the weekend to meet some of The Bear's friends. Let's just say that walking the strip fat, swollen, pregnant, and stone cold sober is not that delightful. But I did have some delicious carrot cake and we discovered the most amazing hotel that has the biggest bath tub in the world! (I'm amazed I am posting this Vegas picture because I look awful and at the time I cried when I saw how fat my arms were....of course I continued to grow and right about now my arms in that picture look pretty damn good!)









♥ June ♥ I got really fat this month with only 3 1/2 to go before the baby arrived. I also began what ended up being a very long decorating process for such a tiny room. My first baby love, niece Ayla, turned 6. Why does she keep getting bigger?!?







July-December to come in the next day or so.

*Yawn*

I sat down at the computer at 9:00 intending to do.....nothing. To wait for my diapers to soak, to wait for my laundry to dry, to listen for my baby and hope she sleeps late into the night (or early into the morning) before she wakes to nurse, to ignore the quiet of a house void of Mr. Bear. Now it is 11:30. My diapers are STILL soaking (has it ever taken this long???), my other laundry is finished drying but I truly do not want to get up and fold all the millions of baby sized items, the wee one is still sound asleep, and...the house is still quiet and void of my love.

Life is good despite the cold and dark of winter. Though I do wish it was warm so I could pack up my darling and go find a shady spot to play and enjoy the Earth. If it is only December and it has only begun to snow then how will I feel when the misery that is February hits? February is misery because it is bone cold. The ground has forgotten what heat is and has all but given up on living. But, February means March is on the horizon which means April showers are not so far away. And although we'll likely get some snow in April (thank you Utah) it will mostly be warm. Warm enough for walks and daydreams of Summer! So, I suppose I would take February over December. Life is still good though. I have my daughter. I have The Bear, even if he has spent more of December away from me than he has with me, or it feels that way. Work is a pest but I am glad for it anyway.

I'm tired but I keep thinking I'll go get that warm laundry and do my duty. On the other hand....I rarely get quiet to myself so perhaps I should enjoy it? Likely I'll give into the tired and crawl in bed, my sleeping sweetheart barely an arms reach away, and get what rest I can. I do love to lie in the dark and listen to her little sighs. To reach over and place my hand on her chest when she stirs.

Tomorrow is another day with more life to face. I savor the goodness that is my own.