2016 in Review

I love writing these "year in review" posts! Looking back on everything I've done in a year is always so fun and makes me so nostalgic. As I get older, each year goes by faster - and 2016 absolutely flew by! For obvious reason, this year will always have a special role in our life story, and as it comes to a close, I'm so thankful for another year of memories and milestones.JanuaryDavid and I kicked off the year in New York, celebrating the holidays with my parents and little sister. When we returned to Virginia we were greeted by a large snowstorm. We took advantage of it and spent the weekend setting up Baby G's nursery. It was also in January when we found out that Baby G was a boy! We had an ultrasound appointment in the morning and spent the day working anxiously waiting to open the envelope over dinner that evening. We both had a feeling we were having a boy, but when we found out, everything became a little more real.FebruaryIn February I turned 28 and celebrated with a low key dinner with David. At the end of the month we took a trip to New York for my first baby shower. It was a combined shower for both me and my sister and we were both spoiled by our friends and family. That was the last time I was home until now! (This must be the longest I've been away from Caledonia!) After our shower, Sarah moved out to Colorado and I remained the lonely Rath girl on the East Coast.MarchMarch started off with a bang when Emily went into labor a few weeks early and our family was blessed with Miss Natalie Jean. I was so jealous that Emily had her baby already and so upset that I wasn't there to meet her! It was also in March that things at work started to get a little crazy. I new I was on a strict deadline and started hunkering down to finish all the projects I had planned.AprilBy April, I was waddling around and getting pretty impatient with Baby G. The warm weather was a welcome change, and David and I spent as much "us" time together as possible - with Juneau of course! My mom came to visit for a weekend and we spent a day in Washington DC with my cousins. My mother-in-law threw me another baby shower in April, and afterwards we felt like we had everything we needed for Baby G.MayAwww, May. May had been the month we had been waiting on for months, and as soon as it arrived, I knew Baby G would arrive at any moment. I finished up all my loose ends at work, and frantically scoured the internet for signs of labor. On May 19th, just two days before my due date, we welcomed Finn Ryan to our family. It was a beautiful spring day and life seemed to stand still. I'll never forget watching David with Finn for the first time. He was so nervous, and yet so natural. My parents came down to meet their first grandson, and we spent the remainder of the month getting to know Finn and learning to be parents.JuneI don't remember much of June... lack of sleep, exhaustion, each day seemed to blur into one. In fact, most of maternity leave was a blur. Life with a newborn!JulyDavid, Finn, my mom and I flew out to Colorado in July to visit my sisters, their men, and my niece, Natalie. We rented an AirBnB in Netherland, CO and celebrated the Fourth of July, hiked, fished, shopped, and enjoyed our new family members. When we returned home, David and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary. We kept it low key, and were just excited to spend time together sans a newborn. At the end of the month, my Dad's entire family spent the week just outside of Charlottesville for their annual vacation. We were close enough to stop in and enjoy the week as well.AugustIn August, I returned to work. This month also feels like a blur, as I was juggling my new role as "working mom". Finn started daycare and we began our new normal. David turned 29 in August, and for the second year in a row, I promised him a day of guided fishing on the nearby trout stream.SeptemberBy September, Finn, David and I were in a groove as a family. There was little going on this month, so we used the weekends to spend time together.OctoberIn October, work was really getting busy for me. David finished out the month at the brewery he was working for and awaited his start date at his new job. Finn started eating solid foods, started rolling over, and celebrated his first Halloween. He dressed up like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle and his costume absolutely melted my heart.NovemberNovember saw a weekend visit from my parents. We "toured" Charlottesville and the surrounding area and Finn was able to spend time with his grandparents. He also celebrated his first Thanksgiving with David's family in Virginia.DecemberBy December, Finn started sitting up, pulling up, and wanting so badly to walk. We spent the month gearing up for the holidays. We spent time decorating our apartment, opening gifts from family, and starting new traditions. We were able to spend the last week of the year in New York with my family. My sister, brother-in-law, and niece were all able to come as well, and we had the two babies together for the first time since July.Month by month, this year was a lot less crazy than previous years. Instead, we had one huge change when we welcomed Finn to our family. Next year already looks to be a memorable one - 3 weddings, new babies, vacations! David will graduate in May, and Finn will turn 1! We have also started the daunting process of buying a house. I hope to continue to grow this blog, freelance more, grow as a mother, a wife, and a professional, and take in all of the little moments that are going by way too fast!Hope your year was as memorable as mine, and Happy 2017 to you!