Our year in review - 2013

Happy New Year!

This year was quite eventful for us despite the fact that I kept referring to the year as "my lost year." I spent much of the first six months very nauseous due to pregnancy so Chris and I kind of became hermit-like for a while, and I started a new job and was working night shift so I was tired all the time and sleeping during the day. Then the second half of the year we kicked into high gear because I was no longer nauseous and then we had a baby that we got busy introducing to the world. We celebrated five years of marriage together (!!!) and bought our first house. Without further explanation, here is a review of our 2013:

(For past years, click the following links: 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008.)

January: We found out we were pregnant and I spent basically the entire month in bed except for an hour every day where I'd get up right before Chris got home from work and attempt to eat dinner with him and pretend like I had been somewhat productive (which I hadn't), I started a new job at the end of the month, and Chris went to Nashville for work. We also went to see Camelot in Virginia Beach.

February: I made a quick trip up to northern Virginia for siblings birthdays, I passed boards to be an RN, we went to the Lord Botetourt auction for Chris' job, and went to lots of basketball games.

March: We went to Texas for a roommate's wedding and to visit my grandparents. We told our families and announced to friends that we were expecting Baby Strat and heard her heartbeat. We also went to a Norfolk Admirals game with friends, and went to the CAA Tournament.

April: I made it halfway through the pregnancy (a huge feat, I assure you) and we had an ultrasound to make sure Baby Strat had all her fingers and toes. With me still being sick, we were still hanging low.

May: We went home to visit my family again and because Spring sprang, I spent a pregnant, uncomfortable afternoon at Jamestown Beach. We spent a lot of time walking around Colonial Williamsburg.

June: My nausea was beginning to abate, our sisters graduated from high school and we celebrated! We went to another wedding of Chris' high school friends, and we bought a house!

July: We celebrated the fourth of July with fireworks in Colonial Williamsburg, finished moving all our stuff into the new house, and did a lot of homeownership tasks. We celebrated being married for five years and spent a week at the beach in Delaware. My friends and family threw me and Baby Strat a baby shower.

August: We got a surprise extra ultrasound due to some concern of the doctors that turned into nothing, I turned 27, I donated my hair, we got the nursery ready, I enjoyed the last few weeks of pregnancy, and we found out we had a daughter, Eleanor, who joined us at the end of the month.

September: We had a newborn! Lots of family visited that first week of her life, we survived our first month of being parents, Chris turned 28, Eleanor went to her first football game and learned how to roll over, my cousins visited from Nashville, and we took our first road trip up to northern Virginia for another wedding.

October: Eleanor and I made the most of my maternity leave by taking a few solo road trips including one to northern VA to celebrate her aunt and uncle's first anniversary and one to Harrisonburg to meet her aunts at JMU. My mom and sister also came to H'burg for a day to spend some time with her. We spent a day in Surry pumpkin picking and hanging out with friends, and we traveled to Charlottesville to celebrate another of my roommate's weddings. We celebrated our five year reunion at W&M Homecoming and Halloween in the Hundo (our new neighborhood). It was a busy month!

November: Another busy month in which long-shot wish came true when my best friend moved into a house five doors down from us (I had always joked about this but neeeevvver thought it would actually happen), family came down to visit for a football game, I went back to work, and Eleanor started daycare. Basketball season started up again, and we went home for Thanksgiving.

December: I came to the realization that every month is going to be busy from now on with a baby, and we took some time out to go to the playground on a rare 75 degree day. We got a Christmas tree, went to Busch Garden's Christmas Town three times to get in the spirit, and celebrated Christmas early with both of our families.

As you can see, the beginning of our year was slow, but the second half more than made up for it. We still feel so lucky to be back in Williamsburg for the second full year with such an awesome group of friends and amazing community. We're blessed to be parents to a happy and healthy 4 month old and are excited for 2014.