Adios 2012!

2012 certainly had it's share of ups and downs!

We started the year welcoming our precious Baby Girl. I was hoping for the first baby of the year, but she had other plans. :) We were able to skype with my mom as soon as she was born, so she was able to see her third grandchild minutes after she came into the world. What an awesome experience for everyone!

Right before she made her arrival, we learned that I may possibly lose my job, and soon after her birth it was official that my company was replacing me because I was out past my 12 week FMLA allowance. I took it as a sign that I was destined to become a mother full time.

My mom came to visit at the end of January to meet her granddaughter and help out with Doodlebug and the new baby. It was a wonderful visit, that was far too short and ended with lots of tears. For the first time since moving to Florida 12 years ago, I was completely overwhelmed and excruciatingly lonely.

The Captain's sister, her husband and their children came to visit and meet Baby Girl in February. It was a nice visit and I always enjoy time spent with my sister-in-law and her family.

Then we made some new friends. Fate and cabin fever took us to McDonald's one day where we met Daycare Mom. Daycare Mom encouraged us to attend story time at the local library and introduced us to Mimi. Doodlebug met two new friends her age- E and B. They were like three peas in a pod and Bug really began to come out of her shell.

2012 has had it's share of financial struggles for our family. The captain's job is seasonal and once the summer season ended we really felt the financial strain. Determined to remain a stay at home mom, I pursued watching a child for extra income and began my Pampered Chef business.

The Captain worked hard and got his GED while working full time (7 days a week) and I am so proud of him for accomplishing that so many years after leaving school. Now if we could both figure out what we want to be when we grow up! LOL

In September, my mother flew us to New Hampshire for a vacation. We celebrated our first wedding anniversary while there. We went to Santa's Village, went apple picking and hung out with family. The Captain went fishing and kayaking with my uncle and caught a HUGE bass. Again, the visit was much too short and I was disappointed that I wasn't able to spend more time with my extended family, but it was nice to get away and forget our worries for a while.

We spent Halloween with Suzie and her family. Bug really got into trick or treating this year and dressed up as Minnie Mouse. She was so cute! Baby Girl was a unicorn for her first Halloween.

December quickly rolled around and my step-dad gave my mom a vacation to Florida for Christmas.  She was here to celebrate Bug's fourth birthday and we had an early Christmas while she was here. Thanks to her, our kids were able to have a Christmas. Had it not been for her, we would not have been able to buy any presents! As always the week went far too quickly and we were soon dropping her off at the airport as many tears were shed. This time Bug really had a hard time, and was sad about Grammie going home for several days. 

We celebrated Baby Girl's first Christmas, and Bug got her first big girl bike for her big Christmas present. Bug had a Secret Santa anonymously bring her gifts for each of the 12 days of Christmas. Each night the doorbell would ring, and when we answered the door there would be a gift bag sitting outside. It took her a few nights to really understand what was happening, but once she figured it out she really got into it.

Sadly, my dad who lives four hours away, has yet to come meet his newest grandchild. I'm hoping that he will find the time to visit in 2013.

So that's our year in a nutshell~ Though there were many positive things that happened in 2012, I'm ready for 2013!